avondale training journal, starting Dec. 2018 (comments welcome)

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 30, 2019 - Jan. 5, 2020

This is the second week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020. All easy runs this week, still.

Monday morning:

• 4EA
  • T 55 F, rained on and off and was quite windy
  • Target pace: 11:56
  • Splits: 11:51, 11:51, 11:53, 12:00
  • Ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target zone - but for some reason I got no readings for the first half of the run, despite the fact that I'm sure I saw readings on my watch
  • comments: I hit all my splits.
  • comments: This was an extra run that was not on the plan.
  • Route: Justus Trail

Tuesday morning:

• 5EA
  • T 34, windy, a few snow flakes in the last couple of miles
  • Target pace: 11:56
  • Splits: 11:50, 11:58, 11:56, 12:02, 12:02
  • Ave HR: 141 BPM - above my target zone
  • comments: I hit all my splits
  • Route: Allegheny River Trail

Wednesday afternoon:

• 2-hr tennis doubles
• 40-min walk on treadmill

Thursday before lunch:

• 5EA
  • T 43 F
  • Target pace: 11:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 12:08, 11:46, 12:05.
  • Splits: 11:51, 12:10, 12:02, 11:44, 12:09
  • Ave HR: 138 - within my target zone
  • comments: I hit all my splits.
  • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north.

Friday morning: Workout 3 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching

Saturday before dinner:

• 6EA
  • T 57 F to begin and 49 F to end, steady rain the whole time
  • Target pace: 11:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:03, 12:02, 12:03, 11:56, 11:57, 12:03.
  • Splits: 11:52, 11:53, 12:01, 11:51, 11:57, 12:05.
  • Ave HR: 147 - above my target pace - however, I was getting pretty crazy readings, especially in the last couple of miles. Maybe the rain was messing with the readings? This run felt easy-peasy the whole time.
  • comments: My first mile was too fast, but I hit the rest of the splits.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

Sunday before dinner:

• 8EB
  • T 39 F
  • Target pace: 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:16, 11:10, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14.
  • Splits: 11:09, 11:12, 11:14, 11:16, 11:13, 11:09, 11:08, 11:12.
  • Ave HR: 147 - above my target range
  • comments: I hit all my splits.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

Health

Fortunately, I got over the cold pretty quickly - I was feeling pretty good on Wednesday and improving since then. (It hung on a lot longer in my husband, and unfortunately others in both my husband's family and my family have caught it - it all came from my husband's 2-yo nephew from California!)

The headache has been up and down - always worse with a cold.

 

[avondale]

Week of Jan. 6 - 12, 2020

This is the third week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 4EA
    • T 46 F
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, ?? (to make 4 miles instead of 5, I had to do something different)
    • Splits: 11:59, 12:07, 12:16, 12:34
    • Ave HR: 140 - above my target range
    • comments: I hit all my splits.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 1 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 4EA on treadmill at 5.0 mph. The weather was changing from sleet to snow, so I decided to stay inside. And kind of regretted it.

Wednesday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 1WU + 6 x (4min @CV + 1.5min RI) + 2 x (200m @R + 200m RI) + 0.5CD = 5.3 mi
    • T 39F, windchill 30 F
    • CV target pace: 9:00
    • CV splits: 9:02, 9:02, 9:02, 8:57, 9:03, 9:02
    • comments: I hit all my splits! This was a hard set of intervals.
    • R target pace: do each 200-m interval in 58 s or less
    • R splits: 52.1 s, 51.6 s
    • comments: I hit all my splits! I've never done R-pace intervals in the dark, and it was a little weird because I couldn't see all the way down the straightaway of the track, even with my knuckle lights!
    • HS track

Thursday evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-3, 6-4, and our team won overall, too!

Friday afternoon:

• 6EB
  • T 52 F
  • Target pace: 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14.
  • Splits: 11:09, 11:12, 11:12, 11:07, 11:06, 11:15.
  • Ave HR: 145 - above my target range
  • comments: I hit all my splits.
  • comments: I moved this run up from Saturday because I was going to be playing tennis twice on Saturday.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

Saturday:​

• Afternoon: 2-hr tennis practice outside! Our temperatures got into the upper 60s F so we had to take advantage of it!
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 3-6, 1-0, but our team won overall.

Sunday before dinner:​

• 0.5WU + 3 x (2M-tempo + 0.5RI) + 0.5 CD = 8.5 mi
  • T+D 105, 0.5% correction
  • M-tempo target pace 9:56; with correction 9:59
  • With GAP adjustments, M-tempo splits should have been: 10:05, 10:05, 10:07, 10:01, 10:00, 10:03.
  • Splits: 10:08, 10:05, 10:06, 10:00, 10:04, 10:02.
  • comments: I hit all my splits!
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

​

New Garmin Venu​

I got a Garmin Venu for Christmas to replace my Vivoactive 3. I had only had the VA 3 for about 18 months, but I was a mix of happy with it and dissatisfied. Here are my thoughts about the Venu now that I've been wearing it for about 3 weeks.​

• It is a better mix of touchscreen and buttons. My Forerunner 235 didn't have touchscreen capability and doing everything with buttons was annoying. But the VA 3 went too far the other way: it used the touchscreen for almost everything and only had 1 button. The Venu gives a much more satisfying experience, I think. It has 2 buttons: the "action" button like the VA3 and a second button that is usually a "back" button. The second button also can be a lap button - thank you! The manual lap function for the VA3 was to double-tap, which was very difficult on the run. The Venu is much better. I think overall the controls are more intuitive this way.
• The Venu's screen is gorgeous, of course, since this was its main selling point.
• Oddly, the Venu's lap pace will only show increments of 5 seconds. For example, my M-tempo target pace today was 9:59. If I was hitting this pace right on, the Venu would show my lap pace as 10:00. From experience, I can say that it always rounds up: 1, 2, 3, 4 round up to 5, and 6, 7, 8, 9 round up to 0. This can be annoying, such as when my target pace with GAP was 10:07 and I want to hit this within +/- 5 s. A lap pace of 10:10 would guarantee I was within that target range, but a 10:15 and 10:05 would also be acceptable depending on the exact value. When the lap completes, the lap pace to the exact second is shown. I can't find any information that would have told me ahead of time that the lap pace would be this way, so a big annoying. But I am getting used to it.
• The battery usage seems to be better (that is, it uses less battery) than I was getting with the VA3, when the GPS is activated during activities. I'm not totally sure why this is, but it is very welcome.

​

Health​

• The headache continues. I saw my PCP for my annual check-up. She really advocated for regular massages - she has some personal experience with neck issues causing headaches, although nothing as bad as mine. She said that she would write a letter to my insurance verifying that the massages were medically necessary, if my insurance would cover them. Turns out my insurance won't cover massages (unless they are with a program of PT and other stuff). But my insurance WILL cover acupuncture, which is very frustrating - stupid pseudoscience.
• I tweaked my right lower glute/upper hamstring sprinting for a short ball in tennis practice on Saturday. I feel it, but so far it doesn't really seem to be affecting anything. Pretty typical minor tennis injury.

 

[avondale]

Week of Jan. 13 - 19, 2020

This is the fourth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

@DopeyBadger , it turns out that I am not going the Princess HM. Before I could get everything worked out, the race sold out. Bummer. I shouldn't have been so indecisive about the trip. At any rate, for that day, do you want me to run 13LR instead? Or do you want make changes for that week?

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr mixed doubles tennis match with my husband. We lost 6-2, 3-6, 1-0, and our team lost overall, too. We had a really good match, because the male opponent, in particular, was very, very good. We were very happy to have done as well as we did.

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 2 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 40-min walk on treadmill

Wednesday after work:

• 4EA
  • T 52 F
  • Target pace: 11:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10.
  • Splits: 11:45, 12:09, 12:04, 11:52.
  • Ave HR: 137 - within my target range
  • comments: I did this too fast and only hit my target for the second mile. This route is hilly enough that it's hard to balance out the fast downhills and slow uphills to get the right average.
  • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Thursday

• Morning: Workout 3 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 1WU + 5 x (5min @CV + 2 min RI) + 2 x (200m @R + 200m RI) + 0.5 CD
    • T 43 F, wind 18 - 20 mph with higher gusts
    • CV target pace: 9:00
    • CV splits: 9:01, 9:04, 9:04, 10:45, 10:40
    • comments: The wind was really bad and for half of the track loop, I felt like I was hardly moving forward. When it was a tailwind, I felt like I might get pushed over. I didn't think I was going to be able to push through the last two intervals, and I couldn't. The wind was stealing the breath out of my mouth.
    • R target pace: do each 200-m interval in 58 s or less
    • R splits: 54.2 s, 52.2 s
    • comments: I could do these since I ran the straightaway where the wind was a tailwind! The turn was bad, though.
    • HS track

Friday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match. I subbed into this match at the last minute - and had the best match that I've played in a long, long time! My partner and I were both 3.5 players, and we played a 4.0 + 3.5, so we should have lost badly. But we won 4-6, 7-5, 1-0!!! This enabled our team to win the match overall - our first team win of the season!

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 4EA blind
    • T 30 F, windchill 22 F, light snow changing to sleet during the run
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 11:46, 12:05
    • Splits: 11:38, 12:22, 11:26, 12:08
    • Ave HR: 136 - within my target range
    • comments: Well, doing this blind, I only hit my target for the last mile.
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north
• Afternoon: 40-min walk on treadmill

Sunday

• Afternoon:
  • 4.5EB
    • T 39 F, windchill 29 F
    • Target pace: 11:08
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:09, 11:14, 11:08.
    • Splits: 11:11, 11:12, 11:04, 11:10, 11:11
    • Ave HR: 149 - above my target range
    • comments: I hit my target for all miles.
    • comments: I'm getting tired of all this wind!
    • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match. As I write this, I haven't played it yet. Edited to say that I didn't get to play this match - one of our opponents didn't show up, so we won the match by default and I went home. A bummer not to play.

Health

I got a massage today that focused on the neck and shoulders. I don't know if it helped my headache yet, but my PCP says the best bet is to go consistently for awhile to see what it does. So I got a membership so that I will go at least once a month. We'll see!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Stick with the 13 miler and make it a LR.

 

[avondale]

Stick with the 13 miler and make it a LR.

Sounds good! Thanks!

 

[avondale]

Week of Jan. 20 - 26, 2020

This is the fifth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

Classes start for the spring semester tomorrow! Everything is about to hit the fan. For the first time in five years, I'm teaching a large (>150 students) intro course again, so I'm bracing for all the administrative issues.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 4EA
    • T 32 F, windchill 24 F
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 11:46, 12:05
    • Splits: 11:55, 12:13, 11:45, 12:00
    • Ave HR: 139 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my target for all miles.
    • comments: I'm getting tired of all this wind!
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 1 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-2, 6-3, and our team lost overall, too.

Wednesday after work:

• 1WU + 4 x (6min @CV + 2.5 min RI) + 2 x (200m @R + 200m RI) + 0.5 CD
  • T 32 F (no wind!)
  • CV target pace: 9:00
  • CV splits: 8:57, 8:58, 9:00, 9:03
  • comments: I expected these to be really hard since I didn't get all my CV intervals last week. The first one was really hard, but the next three weren't as bad as I expected.
  • R target pace: do each 200-m interval in 58 s or less
  • R splits: 51.8 s, 51.0 s
  • comments: That last one might be one of my fastest 200s. I'm too lazy to go through all of my runs to check.
  • HS track

Thursday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching; felt pretty beat up from the run the night before.
• After work:
  • 4EA
    • 36 F
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10
    • Splits: 11:59, 12:11, 12:03, 12:10
    • Ave HR: 139 - within my target range
    • comments: I missed my target for the 4rd mile.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Friday morning: Workout 2 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching

Saturday before dinner:

• 7EB
  • 48 F
  • Target pace: 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:09, 11:23, 11:20, 10:58, 11:17, 11:17, 11:23.
  • Splits: 11:04, 11:20, 11:16, 10:59, 11:17, 11:19, 11:25.
  • Ave HR: 144 - above my target range
  • comments: I hit my targets for all miles. My right glute didn't like the hills on this route today.
  • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north

Sunday before dinner:

• 3LR + 3M-tempo + 2 LR + 3M-tempo
  • T 46 F
  • Target LR pace: 10:50; target M-tempo pace: 9:56.
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:56, 10:04, 10:09, 9:57, 10:52, 10:50, 9:57, 10:02, 10:02.
  • Splits: 10:54, 10:54, 10:53, 9:57, 10:06, 9:55, 10:52, 10:52, 10:00, 9:59, 10:06.
  • comments: I missed my target for mile 4 - a little too fast.
  • comments: This was a really hard run. Hopefully doing the M-tempo on those dang hills will be helpful in my training, because it wasn't enjoyable to do. Both my glutes are not happy, and my right hamstring as well. I don't think it's anything significant, just the hills.
  • comments: I drank all of 1.5L of water with 300 cal of Tailwind.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

Health

No changes. The headache continues.

 

[avondale]

Week of Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2020

This is the sixth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

@DopeyBadger , can I swap the two 13-mile runs on Sunday, Feb. 9 and Sunday, Feb. 23? The one on Feb. 9 is supposed to be 2LR + 4M-tempo + 3 LR + 4 M-tempo, while the one on Feb. 23 is just 13 LR. The reason I'm wondering about the swap is because next weekend I'm doing a girls' weekend at the Greenbrier Resort, and I'm thinking too much food and too little sleep to get the M-tempo in the 13-miler. However, if it's going to mess things up to swap, I will make it happen.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 5EA
    • 45 F
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10, 12:20
    • Splits: 11:54, 12:08, 12:17, 12:08, 12:11
    • Ave HR: 136 - within my target range
    • comments: I missed my target for the 1st mile.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 3 (like previous)
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 6-3, and our team lost overall, too.

Wednesday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 1WU + 5 x (3min @CV + 1.25min RI) + 4 x (200m @R + 200m RI) + 1CU
    • 41 F
    • Target CV pace: 9:00
    • CV splits: 8:59, 8:56, 9:01, 8:54, 8:55
    • comments: my 4th interval was slightly too fast
    • Target for R-pace: 58 sec or fewer
    • Splits: 52.6 s, 51.8 s, 53.6 s, 52.6 s
    • comments: I hit all of these.
    • comments: This was a relatively easy workout compared to last week's speed workout. But I won't complain, since next week looks like a killer.
    • HS track

Thursday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis mixed doubles match - my husband and I lost 6-4, 7-5, and our team lost overall, too.

Friday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won, even though we were two 3.5s playing a 4.0 + 3.5! The score was 6-7, 6-3, timed - the match tie-breaker timed out with us losing 6-7, but it didn't count, so we won! Our team won overall, too.

Saturday before dinner:

• 8EB
  • 48 F
  • Target pace: 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:16, 11:10, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14.
  • Splits: 11:13, 11:09, 11:11, 11:16, 11:11, 11:11, 11:09, 11:13.
  • comments: I hit my targets for all miles!
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, heading north.

Sunday before dinner:

• 8.5LR - blind
  • 50 F
  • Target pace: 10:50
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:56, 10:58, 10:52, 10:50, 10:51, 10:56, 10:56.
  • Splits: 10:46, 10:59, 10:40, 10:56, 10:55, 10:52, 10:58, 11:04, 10:49.
  • comments: I missed my target for mile 3. But I think I did pretty well for running this blind!
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, heading north.

Health

The headache continues...

I got a massage yesterday - like two weeks ago, an hour just on the neck, shoulders, and back. I'm still not sure if it's doing anything for my headache, but it's only the second massage in three weeks.

My next Botox injection is on Wednesday. Crossing my fingers that the third time is the charm!

 

[DopeyBadger]

@DopeyBadger , can I swap the two 13-mile runs on Sunday, Feb. 9 and Sunday, Feb. 23? The one on Feb. 9 is supposed to be 2LR + 4M-tempo + 3 LR + 4 M-tempo, while the one on Feb. 23 is just 13 LR. The reason I'm wondering about the swap is because next weekend I'm doing a girls' weekend at the Greenbrier Resort, and I'm thinking too much food and too little sleep to get the M-tempo in the 13-miler. However, if it's going to mess things up to swap, I will make it happen.

Make both of them straight 13 milers then. It would be way too much intensity in two straight weeks for 2/17 and 2/24. Keep in mind the 13 miler on 2/23 was originally Princess HM which was going to be taken VERY easy. So that's the only reason the weeks of 2/17 and 2/24 have consecutive long run weeks.

 

[avondale]

OK, sounds good. But now I'm worried that the 4LR + 8M-tempo on 3/1 are going to be killer without this in-between run. I guess we'll see! Maybe I'll get more sleep than I expect this weekend.

 

[DopeyBadger]

80 min of M Tempo on 3/1 is going to be hard with or without the 2/9 original scheduled run. But definitely a progression from one to the next. Of course the 3/15 and 3/29 continue that upwards progression.

 

[avondale]

Week of Feb. 3 - 9, 2020

This is the seventh week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

I headed to The Greenbrier on Friday with some girlfriends and came home today (Sunday). It was a fun, if short, trip. I have never been there before, and it is fancy. Quite the experience.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 5EA
    • 54 F
    • Target pace: 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10, 12:20
    • Splits: 12:01, 12:11, 12:22, 12:08, 12:24
    • Ave HR: 138 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 1 (like previous)
• After work:
  • 4EA
    • 57 F, T+D 105, 0.5% correction
    • Target pace 11:56; with correction 11:59
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:08, 12:13, 12:26, 12:23
    • Splits: 12:00, 12:14, 12:22, 12:21
    • Ave HR: 133 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Wednesday after work:

• 0.5WU + 3 x (1.5@T-pace + 3.5 min RI) + 0.5 CD
  • 39 F, windchill 34 F
  • Target T-pace: 9:11
  • Splits: 9:14, 9:07, 9:11
  • comments: During the second interval, I was having trouble getting enough oxygen and started getting dizzy. This is kind of weird in the dark, but I ended up taking a short break with about 0.25-mi left. Similarly, I took a couple breaks in the third interval. Frustrating.
  • HS track

Thursday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 40-min walk on treadmill

Friday morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching

Saturday

• Noon: 1-hr tennis clinic
• Before dinner:
  • 7EB
    • 37 F
    • Target pace 11:08
    • Splits: 10:58, 11:05, 11:04, 11:02, 11:00, 11:45, 11:06
    • Ave HR: 143 - above my target range
    • comments: I hit my target for all miles. I stopped to take a photo in mile 6 and forgot to stop my watch.
    • Route: Greenbrier River Trail - new to me, and a very nice trail!

Sunday before dinner:

• 2LR + 4M-tempo + 3 LR + 4M-tempo
  • 48 F
  • Target LR pace 10:50; target M-tempo pace 9:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:02, 10:04, 10:09, 10:09, 10:59, 11:03, 10:51, 9:58, 9:56, 9:57, 10:02
  • Splits: 10:57, 10:52, 10:00, 10:04, 10:04, 10:10, 10:56, 11:02, 10:57, 9:58, 9:51, 9:56, 10:04
  • comments: I hit my target for all miles! This run was very intimidating to me. I had originally thought that I would be doing it in the morning while at The Greenbrier, but as scheduling turned out, I drove home and did the run at home. (The bummer was that I missed some tennis at The Greenbrier with my friends. What we do for running.) I am surprised that it went so well, because I didn't get as much sleep as usual on Fri and Sat nights. I did feel like I was going to get a side stitch or ab cramp, which is unusual for me, but probably due to the not-normal eating/drinking the 48 hours previous.
  • comments: I ate 100 cal of Sport Beans at mile 5. I drank nearly all of 1.5L of water with 300 cal of Tailwind.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, heading north.

Health

I got my third round of Botox injections for my headache on Wednesday. So far I can't say that I've noticed an effect.

 

[avondale]

Week of Feb. 10 - 16, 2020

This is the eighth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

On Monday after work, I was changing the band on my Garmin Venu when I accidentally dropped it. It fell about 4 feet and fell perfectly face down on the hardwood floor. The optical HR LED no longer worked and the accelerometer no longer worked - no step counting and no gesture or double-tap turn-on for the screen. I contacted Garmin via email and told them I had dropped it and asked how much it would cost to repair it. They wanted me to try some basic things to see if it would start working again, but of course not. But they are replacing it for free! Meanwhile, I'm back to wearing my Garmin Forerunner 235 since then, and it feels like I am back in the stone age! Hopefully my new Venu will arrive by the weekend.

I was feeling pretty beaten up after that 13-miler last Sunday, so I'm glad this was a cut-back week.

Monday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 40-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Morning: Workout 2 (like previous)
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-3, 7-5, and our team lost overall, too.

Wednesday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles (not a match)

Thursday after work:

• 1WU + 3 x (1.1@T-pace + 2 min RI) + 1 CD
  • 50 F dropping to 41 F by the time I was done, wind 15 mph
  • Target T-pace: 9:11
  • Splits: 9:09, 9:08, 9:12
  • comments: I did take some breaks. This felt really hard. The wind probably didn't help.
  • HS track

Friday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 5EA
    • 34 F, WC 21 F
    • Target pace 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 12:08, 11:46, 12:05
    • Splits: 11:53, 12:04, 12:03, 11:47, 12:04
    • Ave HR: 134 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 5.5EA
    • 28 F, WC 26 F
    • Target pace 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 12:08, 11:46, 12:05, 12:05
    • Splits: 11:53, 12:06, 12:06, 11:46, 12:01, 12:01
    • Ave HR: 132 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail
• Early evening: 2-hr tennis mixed doubles match - my husband and I won 6-2, 6-4, and our team won overall, too!

Sunday before dinner:

• 6EB
  • 48 F
  • Target pace: 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14
  • Splits: 11:10, 11:11, 11:14, 11:07, 11:01, 11:11
  • Ave HR: 141 - above my target range
  • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail

Health:

My headache was really killing me in the first half of this week for some reason. Thankfully it eased up in the second half of the week.

 

[avondale]

Week of Feb. 17 - 23, 2020

This is the ninth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

I mentioned last week about how I dropped my Garmin Venu and it broke. Garmin replaced it for free, and I received it on Friday this week. So glad to have it back! The FR 235 was serviceable, but I like the Venu so much more.


Monday

• Morning: Workout 3 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 5EA
    • 45 F
    • Target pace 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10, 12:20
    • Splits: 11:58, 12:04, 12:17, 12:03, 12:17
    • Ave HR: 138 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my targets for all miles.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Tuesday after work:

• 0.5WU + 2 x (1.1@T + 2 min RI) + 3 x (3 min@I + 3 min RI) + 2 x (200 m @R + 200 m RI) + 0.5 CD
  • 57 F
  • Target T pace: 9:11
  • Splits: 9:11, 9:12
  • Target I pace: 8:19
  • Splits: 8:20, 8:24, 8:23
  • Target for R intervals: complete in fewer than 58 s
  • Splits: 51.7 s, 51.7 s, 51.9 s - consistent!
  • comments: I hit my targets for everything!
  • HS track

Wednesday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis mixed doubles match - my partner and I won 6-7, 6-0, 1-0, and our team won overall, too!

Thursday after work:

• 5EA
  • 37 F
  • Target pace 11:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10, 12:20
  • Splits: 12:01, 12:07, 11:45, 11:49, 12:31
  • Ave HR: 139 - within my target range
  • comments: My mind was on something else, and I missed my targets for the last three miles. With all the hills on this route, I have to concentrate on appropriate pace changes in order to hit the target paces.
  • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Friday morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching

Saturday before dinner:

• 8EB
  • 52 F
  • Target pace 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:16, 11:10, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14.
  • Splits: 11:06, 11:12, 11:11, 11:13, 11:13, 11:02, 11:09, 11:12
  • Ave HR: 144 - above my target range
  • comments: I hit my targets for all miles!
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north.

Sunday before dinner:

• 13LR
  • 55 F
  • Target pace: 10:50
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:56, 10:58, 11:03, 11:03, 10:59, 11:03, 10:51, 10:52, 10:50, 10:51, 10:56
  • Splits: 10:51, 10:56, 10:56, 10:56, 11:01, 10:57, 10:56, 10:55, 10:54, 10:53, 10:53, 10:53, 10:54
  • Ave HR: 144 - within my target run and the same as my 8EB run the day before
  • comments: I hit my targets for all miles!
  • comments: I brought 300 cal of Tailwind in 1.5L of water and 100 cal of Sports Beans and took in all of it.
  • comments: This run was originally going to be the Princess HM.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north

Health

My headache has been better than usual the last few days. Maybe the last round of Botox is finally kicking in? That seems too much to hope for.

My right hamstring and glute didn't particularly like today's run, but that's pretty typical.

 

[avondale]

Week of Feb. 24 - Mar. 1, 2020

This is the tenth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-1, 6-4, and our team lost overall, too.

Tuesday after work:

• 5EA
  • 52 F
  • Target pace 11:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:05, 12:10, 12:23, 12:10, 12:20
  • Splits: 11:59, 12:07, 12:23, 12:16, 12:16
  • Ave HR: 136 - within my target range
  • comments: I hit my target for all miles.
  • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Wednesday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 0.5WU + 4 x (1.1@T + 2min RI) + 0.5CD
    • 48 F, drizzle and wind
    • Target T-pace: 9:11
    • Splits: 9:12, 9:11, 9:11, 9:08
    • comments: I hit my target for all splits.
    • HS track

Thursday

• Morning: Workout 1 (like previous, but only one plank)
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-4, 6-4, but our team lost overall.

Friday morning: foam rolling and stretching

Saturday before lunch:

• 8EB
  • 32 F, windchill 23 F.
  • Target EB pace 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:16, 11:10, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14.
  • Splits: 11:12, 11:11, 11:07, 11:15, 11:10, 11:03, 11:05, 11:10
  • Ave HR: 142 - above target range
  • comments: I hit my target for all miles.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north

Sunday before dinner:

• 4LR + 8M-tempo
  • 45 F
  • Target LR pace 10:50
  • Target M-tempo pace 9:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:56, 10:50, 9:57, 10:02, 10:02, 10:01, 10:02, 9:56, 9:57, 10:02.
  • Splits: 10:57, 10:56, 10:56, 10:50, 9:53, 9:58, 9:58, 9:58, 10:50, 10:46, 10:49, 10:53
  • comments: I hit my splits for the first 8 miles. Then I realized how much I hated running the M-tempo miles so that I couldn't enjoy the beautiful day and I did the last 4 miles at LR.
  • comments: I ate 100 cal of Sports Beans at mile 5 and drank 300 cal of Tailwind in 1.5L of water over the course of the run.
  • comments: I got hit by a bike during this run. I was approaching a street crossing with a traffic light. I saw that the light was changing as I was approaching and a woman ahead of me was crossing the street where I would have to go, so I thought the light had changed in our favor. Just as I was about to enter the crosswalk, I realized the light had actually changed AGAINST us, and the woman ahead of me just walked out across the street anyway. (Fortunately traffic was stopped and saw her and she was OK, just stupid.) So I screeched to a stop, and a woman behind me on a bike screeched to a halt behind me and hit me on my left side. Gave me a good whack on the back of my left arm above the elbow and a lighter hit on my back. She was very apologetic - it was overall a weird situation.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north

Health

My headache was really bad this week, but I got a massage yesterday focusing on neck/back/shoulders and the headache isn't nearly so bad today. Maybe coincidence.

 

[avondale]

Week of Mar. 2 - 8, 2020

This is the tenth week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

No idea if my "fun" training race, the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, will be held, nor my goal marathon, because of the novel coronavirus. So far, both races are still going forward.

@DopeyBadger , FYI, I tweaked my left knee doing weighted reverse lunges on Wednesday morning. I wasn't planning on a run that evening, and it felt better over the day. But then I tweaked it worse going down the stairs on Thursday morning. I skipped the speedwork run (T + I + R) for this past week to give it more time off. Had Thursday and Friday off from running and tennis. For Saturday's 5EA, it felt OK. Played tennis in the evening (more sketchy on that) and then the 5.5EB today - felt fine. So I think it's mostly OK, but probably it will be touchy for awhile. If you suggest any adjustment, let me know. I haven't done anything fast on it since the tweaking.

Monday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: 40-min walk on treadmill

Tuesday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous)
• After work:
  • 5EA
    • T+D 107, 0.5% correction
    • Target pace 11:56; with correction, 12:00
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:09, 12:14, 12:27, 12:14, 12:24
    • Splits: 12:01, 12:08, 12:26, 12:06, 12:19
    • Ave HR: 136 - within my target range
    • comments: I hit my target for all miles.
    • Route: old loop around the neighborhood

Wednesday morning: Workout 2 (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching

Thursday morning: prehab routine (like previous)

Friday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• Evening: 40-min walk on treadmill

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • 5EA
    • T 43 F, windchill 36 F
    • Target pace 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 12:08, 11:46, 12:05
    • Splits: 11:42, 11:55, 11:45, 11:48, 12:02
    • Ave HR: 133 - within my target range
    • comments: I did this run too fast. For the first mile, I was worried about every twinge in my knee, but after that I got distracted thinking about work stuff.
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north
• Evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 4-5, in a timed-out match, and our team lost overall.

Sunday

• Before lunch:
  • 5.5EB
    • T 46 F
    • Target pace 11:08
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:11, 11:09, 11:14, 11:14
    • Splits: 11:12, 11:06, 10:58, 11:02, 10:52, 11:14
    • Ave HR: 141 - above my target range
    • comments: I missed my target for two miles - again, thinking about work stuff and not focusing.
    • This was supposed to be a blind run, but I didn't do that because I didn't want to go too fast on my knee.
    • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north
• Evening: (hasn't happened yet as I write this) 2-hr tennis doubles match

Health

Knee, see above.

My headache has been pretty bad this week, but I've really been tied to my computer. We have a lot of issues going on at work, and I've been very stressed. Not a good combination.

On the other hand, three days off from running got me a pretty good RHR even without extra sleep.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I’d say trust your judgement during the run. If things don’t feel right then adjust.

 

[avondale]

Week of Mar. 9 - 15, 2020

This is the eleventh week of my DopeyBadger training plan for the Martian Marathon on Apr. 18, 2020.

The Cherry Blossom 10-Miler on April 5 has been cancelled. @DopeyBadger , I was going to run this at LR pace, so should I just replace it with 10LR?

My marathon scheduled for April 18 is still scheduled to happen, but I can't imagine it really will. Sigh.

My tennis leagues were canceled starting March 13 through at least April 20. I'm glad that my two matches this week were wins! I will really miss playing. I'll probably try to organize some play outside.

Monday

• Morning: prehab routine (like previous) and foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 5EA
    • T 72 F
    • Target pace 11:56
    • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:57, 12:11, 12:08, 11:46, 12:05
    • Splits: 12:01, 12:12, 11:47, 11:43, 11:59
    • Ave HR: 140 - just above my target range
    • comments: I was too fast on mile 3.
    • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north

Tuesday

• Morning: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 0.5WU + 2.2@T + 5 min RI + 3 x (3min@I + 3 min RI) + 3 x (200m@R + 200 m RI) + 0.5 CD
    • T+D 114, 1% correction
    • Target T-pace 9:16
    • Split: 9:12
    • Target I-pace: 8:24
    • Splits: 8:48, 8:48, 9:12
    • Target R-pace: 200 m in fewer than 58 sec
    • Splits: 51.5 s, 51.1 s, 47.6 s
    • Comments: My legs felt very heavy for this workout. I got the T-pace miles, but had to take breaks. I was not surprised that I couldn't keep the I-pace intervals at all - I aimed for T-pace in the last one. Got the R-pace intervals.
    • Comments: I met Adam Durham doing a sprint workout - he is planning on racing the 400-m hurdles in the Olympic trials in June! He is fast, for sure!

Wednesday evening: 2-hr tennis mixed doubles match - my husband and I won 6-1, 7-6, and our team won overall, too!

Thursday evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 4-6, 6-2, 1-0, and our team won overall, too!

Friday after work:

• 5EA
  • T+D 101, 0.5% correction
  • Target pace 11:56; with correction 12:00
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 12:01, 12:15, 12:12, 11:50, 12:09
  • Splits: 12:01, 12:08, 12:12, 11:48, 12:06
  • Ave HR: 136 - within my target range
  • comments: I hit my target for all miles!
  • Route: Sligo Creek Trail, going north

Saturday before lunch:

• 8EB
  • T 50 F
  • Target pace 11:08
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 11:14, 11:13, 11:14, 11:16, 11:10, 11:08, 11:09, 11:14
  • Splits: 11:12, 11:13, 11:0711:08, 11:07, 11:06, 11:04, 11:09
  • Ave HR: 139 - within my target range
  • comments: I hit my target for all miles!
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north

Sunday before dinner:

• 7LR + 8M-tempo
  • T 45 F
  • Target LR pace: 10:50; target M-tempo pace: 9:56
  • With GAP adjustments, splits should have been: 10:56, 10:55, 10:56, 10:58, 11:03, 11:03, 10:58, 10:05, 10:05, 10:09, 9:57, 9:58, 9:56, 9:57, 10:02
  • Splits: 10:50, 10:55, 10:52, 11:00, 11:01, 11:02, 11:06, 10:02, 9:59, 10:59, 10:01, 9:58, 10:52, 9:57, 10:56
  • Comments: of the 8 M-tempo miles, I did M-tempo for 1, 2, 4, 5, 7. I did LR for the others. Mile 3 is a killer with hills even with the GAP adjustment and I was glad I didn't try M-tempo on it. After 4 and 5, I was really pretty wasted, so the later miles that I changed to LR let me rest a little bit. I know this was not the intention of the workout, but 5 M-tempo miles is better than it could have been.
  • Route: Rock Creek Trail, going north

Health

Headache continues. I got a massage focusing on neck, shoulders, and back yesterday - I
do think they are helping, at least for a few days.

Fortunately, I've had no further problems with the left knee since the tweaking last week. It still twinges sometimes, but honestly it's been doing that for years.

 

[DopeyBadger]

10 miles on that day still makes sense if you're still planning on running your race (if it occurs).

 

[michigandergirl]

My April 19th Half was cancelled, so I'm guessing that yours will be too. Major bummer.

 

[avondale]

My April 19th Half was cancelled, so I'm guessing that yours will be too. Major bummer.

The Martian Marathon is officially postponed to an as-yet-undetermined date later this summer. They are planning to offer that you can run it on the new date (and you can change to another distance for free), you can do a virtual race, or you can defer to next year. I haven't yet decided what I will do.

Sorry to hear that your race was also cancelled, but it was pretty much inevitable.