Six weeks to go
So after catching up on last weekend's run on Monday, I got back on schedule.
I ran speedwork on Wednesday. 3 sets of 2 x 1200m. I was pretty consistent, running all the intervals between 4:56 and 5:07. (Three of them were finished in exactly 5:04 each.)
Friday was tempo. The schedule called for 10 miles at marathon pace. According to the tables, that's 8:33 for me. (Yeah, right.) Somehow I managed to run these with 8:19 miles. In the middle of the day, in the heat. Granted, it was tough as hell...
(For some reason, this is the second time the longest mid week run of the schedule (10 miles) has fallen out on the day of Yom Kippur. I had to do the same thing in 2005.)
Today, it was back to the long run. The schedule called for 15 miles at 8:53. I chose to run these in Central Park, where I could get some hill training in. I did 3 "upper loops", so as to run up the big hill 3 times, including once at the very end of the run.
At first that pace seemed daunting, and I started slowly. But then I settled into a groove, and was able to run pretty quickly. My three loops ended up as follows.
43:14 (8:46 pace)
40:22 (8:12 pace)
40:57 (8:19 pace)
My overall pace was 8:21. I'm still surprised by that. Unfortunately, my right knee has been hurting me since. I felt it a few times about mile 8 or so, and then a few more times after about mile 12. It's pretty concerning. I iced it when I got back, but I'll have to keep an eye on that.
As I pull off these relatively quick long runs, I'm getting more and more nervous. I really see that a good marathon time is withing grasp. I know I'll put in the training - but I'm still relying on the weather being good, and my body holding up until the marathon time. I'm having little problems here and there, and I hope I can just stay "injury free enough" to get through the marathon in 6 weeks.
For the next two weeks I'm doing a lot of traveling. It's going to be a problem for training, but I really did my best to take it all into account when I set up the schedule.
I ran speedwork on Wednesday. 3 sets of 2 x 1200m. I was pretty consistent, running all the intervals between 4:56 and 5:07. (Three of them were finished in exactly 5:04 each.)
Friday was tempo. The schedule called for 10 miles at marathon pace. According to the tables, that's 8:33 for me. (Yeah, right.) Somehow I managed to run these with 8:19 miles. In the middle of the day, in the heat. Granted, it was tough as hell...
(For some reason, this is the second time the longest mid week run of the schedule (10 miles) has fallen out on the day of Yom Kippur. I had to do the same thing in 2005.)
Today, it was back to the long run. The schedule called for 15 miles at 8:53. I chose to run these in Central Park, where I could get some hill training in. I did 3 "upper loops", so as to run up the big hill 3 times, including once at the very end of the run.
At first that pace seemed daunting, and I started slowly. But then I settled into a groove, and was able to run pretty quickly. My three loops ended up as follows.
43:14 (8:46 pace)
40:22 (8:12 pace)
40:57 (8:19 pace)
My overall pace was 8:21. I'm still surprised by that. Unfortunately, my right knee has been hurting me since. I felt it a few times about mile 8 or so, and then a few more times after about mile 12. It's pretty concerning. I iced it when I got back, but I'll have to keep an eye on that.
As I pull off these relatively quick long runs, I'm getting more and more nervous. I really see that a good marathon time is withing grasp. I know I'll put in the training - but I'm still relying on the weather being good, and my body holding up until the marathon time. I'm having little problems here and there, and I hope I can just stay "injury free enough" to get through the marathon in 6 weeks.
For the next two weeks I'm doing a lot of traveling. It's going to be a problem for training, but I really did my best to take it all into account when I set up the schedule.
posted by Danny on Sunday, September 23, 2007
5 Comments:
nice job on all of your runs. you are getting speedy speedy!!!
I haven't commented in a long while but have been following your progress since before your first marathon. Incredible improvement in speed. You're an inspiration!
Running while traveling:
I've had success and failure, and here's my quick list of what works and what doesn't.
1. If possible, plan your hotel location. For a client I've got near Baltimore, I've had great running trips when I stayed near a bike path/multi-use trail that I could get to safely on foot. And I've had not so great trips where I've been hemmed in by traffic.
2. Packing - running clothes/stuff MUST go in the suitcase first. Stick the shorts and socks inside the sneakers. If you add it later, you'll forget something vital. Add it first, and you'll forget non-vital stuff, such as skivvies and belts.
3. Running must get schedule priority. If you're planning to wake up early to run, go to bed early. If you're running after work, make sure the folks you're visiting understand and don't try to push dinner earlier.
4. Travel running can be a career-enhancing move. If one of the clients/collaborators, etc, is a runner, see if you can get in a run together. You'll see each other as more human which will help whatever it is you're doing.
5. Watch nutrition and hydration. Nothing's worse than heading out for an afternoon run with a tummy still full of late lunch.
Hope this helps. I'm going to crib it and send it over to CompleteRunning.
nice runs, very speedy.
You are getting fast, sweeeet! You will do very well at that next marathon.
Jank has some great traveling trips. Whenever I've got a business trip my first question is always where and when will I be able to go running.
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