Hi Everyone!
Hope you are doing well!
How's everyone's summer training going? Any recent races or one's coming up? Which ones?
You guys ready for fall? I know I am! Have had enough of this heat/humidity.
This was week 17 of 20 marathon training for me.
My Week in Training:
Monday: 7 miles before work. This is my last 7 mile Monday for this training cycle, yay! Saturday, did an ice bath, Sunday, relaxed. Tried to get a good night's rest, but had some funky dreams, up at 3 a.m. and had issues falling back to sleep. Eventually fell back to sleep for a few. Up at 4:50. Coffee (there will be plenty today). Workout (core and arms/shoulders), light stretch, and out the door by 6. My recent hip pain wasn't that bad to start, maybe the ice baths actually help? Got into a comfortable pace. My pace alerts weren't working, ugh! Remained calm. Still getting mile alerts. First mile may have been a bit too comfortable, picked it up a bit. Worked on cadences at a comfortable pace most of the way. Legs got slightly heavy towards the end, but pretty happy for a Monday, especially for being a bit tired.
Tuesday: 1 mile before work. Ugh, I shouldn't have mentioned being tired yesterday. Foam rolled before bed. In bed at a decent time... Work call at 1 am, worked just over an hr, and then couldn't fall back to sleep until 3. My watch says I got 6 hrs, but definitely didn't feel like quality. Up before my alarm, thought about adjusting my schedule, but would have tossed and turned and wouldn't have gained much rest. Coffee, there will be even more today. Workout (core and chest), and out the door by 6:15. "Only" 83% humid, but felt a bit stickier than that. Worked on breathing before taking off, some slight hip pain at first. First pace alert was slow. Pushed it to get to 8 and maintain. Not a comfortable 8 min mile streak day.
Wednesday: 6 miles before work. Made a point to get a good night's rest. In bed early, slept until my alarm, still could of used a bit more. A bit groggy to start. Coffee, workout (core and arms/shoulders), light stretch, and out the door by 6. Muggy! It wasn't just humid, the air was muggy and thick! Started out in the 8:20's, somewhat comfortable pace around 8:30. As the inclines added up, 8:30's before the worst hill midway. Could tell it wouldn't be worth it to push through, conceded to 8:40-45. Last couple miles, tough breathing, sinuses blocked and thick air got rough. Light rain started near the end, would of been nice early, but was too late
Thursday: 1 mile before work. Run Streak Day 1300! Non-running day (according to plan), strength training, plus one for the streak. Coffee, workout (core and chest), hydrate, light stretch and our the door by 6:15. Run streak day 1300, was hoping to get some speed in since it's "only" one, but wasn't expecting much. Felt somewhat decent before starting. Worked on cadences before takeoff. Not much hip/quad pain to start. Route starts out on a short steep hill that levels out. First pace alert, started with a 6! Pushing a bit hard, but not terribly uncomfortable, continued. Faded to low 7's. Knew I could fade and push again to fall back to 7:30, but continued pushing a bit. Down hill for .2, then back up, thought I may slide to 7:15 on the way up, levels out with a couple slight inclines, 7:06 overall. Felt pretty decent today beforehand, but wasn't expecting much considering how rough the end of yesterday was. Satisfied!
Friday: 4 miles before work. Thu, stayed up a few minutes past my bed time, almost 10 pm! (watching sports, of course). A little groggy to start, but that's what coffee and working out's for. Coffee, workout (core and arms/shoulders), definitely helped get me going! Light stretch and out the door by 6. Not much pain to start. Settled in the 8:teens for a bit, comfortable at that pace, but knew I wouldn't be for long. lol.. 8:25 after the worst of the hills and fading. Pushed a bit to maintain at 8:30, quads got a bit heavy, as well as breathing, but maintained.
Saturday: 20 miles. Long run day, trail day, yay?! I admit, I was not looking fwd to this one. lol.. Did my best to get decent rest, hydrate, stretch, yada yada all week. Was definitely still rough. Didn't check the weather, but it was humid to start. Carb loaded, hydrated, foam rolled, in bed early last night. Up a couple times overnight, but still decent rest. Slept until my alarm, which is a little rare on long run day. Coffee, hydrated, light breakfast, stretched, and at my trail by 6:30. My trail Pennypack Creek. Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd. Did the more incline and open side to Rockledge Park first. Settled into a 9:15 pace to start. At Rockledge, did the loop around the dog park to add another hill? On the way back pacing 9:10. Felt decent, but drenched early. Fueled at 5 mi, hydrated at my car at 5.3. Off to the more wooded side, slight incline with a hill at the end at ByBerry Rd. Pace 9:20 by mile 8, can tell it's going to be a long day. Fueled at 10.3, hydrated at my car at 10.5. Pace 9:28 back to Rockledge park and back. Fueled/hydrated at 16, pacing 9:40's. At mile 16 (at my car) thought about calling it quits. I kid.. Can't do that. 2.2 on the more wooded side and back. Goal 9:34 (to achieve marathon PR 4:10), completed 9:56. I know, you should be training like 30 seconds above goal, so I shouldn't be complaining, but someday my real goal is 9:09 (4 hr). Today was rough, but hopefully summer training will payoff in the fall. If not by the Sept marathon, by the Nov one.
Sunday: 1 mile Rest day, one for the streak. Run Streak day 1303. Saturday, hydrated plenty. 2 gallons plus. Ice bath and foam roll. Still woke up to some overall soreness. Back, calves, quads, etc. Taking my my this morning. Coffee, hydrate, light stretch. Out the door by 9:30. Going to be a warm day, heat advisory later. Started working on cadences, before taking off. Short/steep hill to start. First pace alert (just after the hill) 8:30, second 7:45 after (leveling out). Maintained just under 8 remainder of the way. Felt the soreness at first, but somewhat comfortable/didn't over do it. Plan to take it easy today, try to be ready for tomorrow's 6 miler.
Weekly Summary:
Miles: scheduled 37 mi / completed 40 mi (plan +3 streak days)
Strength Training: scheduled 80 min/ completed 108 min
What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, chest.
Hydration goal (gallon) met: 7 days
This was week 17 marathon training, using the below plan.
Race Schedule
09.08.19 - St Luke's Via Marathon I'm officially registered! Their Facebook page has a discount at the moment if you would like to join me!
09.15.19 - Rock n Roll Philly Half Marathon. Use codes "19RNRBRP16" to save $16 off the half/full marathon and "19RNRBRP6" to save $6 off the 5k/10k! Race Preview, here!
Good luck to everyone with training! Kick some butt!
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