Summer of 2020 – Week 4
Training Schedule
June 21 - June 27
Sunday: Long Run. L run of the lesser of 90 minutes or 25% of weekly mileage
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles w/strides
Tuesday: Interval Run. 6 x 400m R w/400m recovery jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Easy Run. 4 miles w/strides
Friday: Threshold Run. 4 x 200 R w/200 jog + 3 x 1-mile repeats at T pace w/1-min. rests + 4 x 200 R w/200 jog
Saturday: Easy Run. 4 miles w/strides
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. The mileage and paces weren’t what I wanted but I mostly followed the plan. I moved the threshold run to Thursday anticipating I might run long on Saturday before going out of town.
Workouts
Long Run
Thankfully, the schedule only called for 90 minutes of running – the temperature was already 70 degrees at 6:45 a.m.
Running through Pentagon City and Crystal City, my pace was under 10:00/mile. Leaving those neighborhoods, I joined the Mount Vernon Trail near National Airport, I stopped and took a picture of the Black Lives Matter stencil on the concrete.
I ran south for about a mile and eventually hooked up with the Four Mile Run Trail. I was running at a steady pace but the heat was starting to get to me.
I stopped to guzzle water at the W&OD Trail trailhead. By then, I was struggling to hit an 11:00 pace.
A little over 7 miles into the run, I stopped because I didn’t think I could go another 2.5. I took a detour that involved walking a steep hill and then ran a little more than a mile at 10:20 pace for 8.5 miles total for the day.
My pace was slow but it was in range provided in the Daniels’ Running Formula VDOT tables so I thought it must be okay.
Overall pace=10:16.
Interval Run
In this week of the Daniels’ Running Formula Half Marathon plan, the length of the repetitions lengthened to 400m. I checked the VDOT tables before leaving home and solidified in my mind that 1:40 was my goal time.
The weather was hot and steamy.
I left my bike at home and jogged down to the Wakefield High School Track. My boyfriend, who is also a runner, was there doing laps but I mostly ignored him and focused on my own workout. In the early repetitions, I tried to generate power early in the lap and hold the pace. At times, I also tried to lengthen my stride a bit. It dawned on me that my slowness might be biomechanical and not so much about cardiovascular fitness. I finished thinking I could do one more, which made me think I did pretty well but my pace was off.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
400m |
1:56 |
1:52 |
1:50 |
|
|
Set 4 |
Set 5 |
Set 6 |
|
400m |
1:49 |
1:44 |
1:46 |
Threshold Run
I moved the workout up a day because my boyfriend and I would be heading down to Central Virginia on Saturday.
Consulting the VDOT tables in Daniels’ Running Formula and guessed I should be aiming for 8:33-8:44 paced miles.
The temperature was in the low 70s, which was tolerable.
I ran down to the Four Mile Run Trail as my warm-up. I completed the 4 x 0.12 mile speed segment in 0:54, 0:55, 0:58, and 0:57.
I started the tempo mile running east towards the Mount Vernon Trail. I stopped at the second. I was completely out of breath. I walked for a quarter-mile and then mustered the energy to run another 0.75 miles in 9:06 pace.
For the 4 x 0.12 mile repetitions, I slugged out 0:59, 0:62, 0:61, and 0:63.
My attempt at a long run on Saturday was a bust. My legs weren’t ready for more than a few miles.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 mile |
8:48 |
9:13 |
6:49 (0.75 mi.) |
Cross-training
I rode my bike to the track a few times but didn’t engage in structured cross-training this week. While the gym I belong to re-opened with health protocols to address COVID-19, I’m not comfortable exercising around other people for any length of time yet.
Health
Injuries. Plantar Fasciitis. After my long run on Sunday, I iced my right foot. During the week, I tried the CEP plantar fasciitis sleeves but they did not seem to help. During my track workout, I noticed the Achilles Tendon on my left foot was sore, so I started icing that, as well.
Weight. In the meanwhile, I decided to do a “dry July” to see if abstaining from alcohol will help with my weight (and high blood pressure).
Clothing
When I packed up my townhouse, I purged a few running gear items so I have an excuse to buy new ones!
Shorts. Oiselle Summer Roga Shorts. As I mentioned last week, this has become my favorite short and I bought another pair to extend my laundry. My only issue with this brand is the garment tags. Most high-end brands have moved to an imprint but Oiselle still uses cloth. Price: $54.
Gear
GPS watches. Garmin 645 Music. Now that I’m running on the track, I decided to finally figure out how to use the music function on my watch so I wouldn’t need to run with my phone. I had to sync a playlist from Spotify (music can also be stored locally) and then pair my headphones but otherwise, it was simple. It drains the battery, though, so I will limit using this function.
Custom Wood Design – Marathon Medal Display. After all these years, I finally purchased a medal rack! I found this model on Etsy and loved it’s simple design and message. Price: $59.95
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Knox Robinson on The Divided States of America“, Rich Roll. While talking about Ahmaud Arbery’s murder (46:27 mark), the guest talked about the moment when he saw the video and thought, “Wow. That’s my body”. I think a lot of Black people, and runners in particular, felt that way. He goes on to talk about his particular experience of being a black male runner.
Racing Schedule
Future races. There was good news for the return of road racing in the fall. Locally, the Marine Corps Marathon, which is in late-October, seemed to signal all systems are go when organizers announced on Tuesday that the 10K race and fun walk were cancellation. And, internationally, the Hamburg Marathon in mid-September announced it would go ahead (capped at 10,000 participants).
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. I didn’t run any segments this week, so I doubt I will make one for June. My best times:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island – 1.4 miles. 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe – 3.1 miles. 26:10 (8:55 pace) on May 21, 2020
Next race: ?
