Slow and Steady wins the race... 300 to Boston in 5 years?

[AntimonyER]

Week 5 Day 7

Rest Day - Needed this one

Week 6 Day 1
50-70min Fartlek Run
10-20 min WU
14X 1min 5K/10K (6:02-6:18 pace)/1min Recovery (7:45-8:46)
10-20 min CD

T+D = 79F + 59F = 138
Time = 0:52:57
Distance = 6.84mi
Pace = 7:44/mi
Avg HR = 146 BPM

Splits:
WU = 10:00 - 1.16mi - 8:37/mi
14X 1/1 5K/Recovery (avgs) = 6:09/mi / 8:50/mi
CD = 15:56 - 1.92mi - 8:18/mi

Legs still slightly sore from Saturday's run, but hit the speed target dead on.

 

[garneska]

I think you will appreciate this. I hiked 25 miles in the last two days. Today we are working and not hiking. I am supposed to run today but i am not sure it will happen. It might because we should be getting rain the next couple days. If i do run it will be very easy .

 

[AntimonyER]

I think you will appreciate this. I hiked 25 miles in the last two days. Today we are working and not hiking. I am supposed to run today but i am not sure it will happen. It might because we should be getting rain the next couple days. If i do run it will be very easy .

That is a lot of hiking! Good luck getting that running in!

Week 6 Day 2

Easy Run 60-75min

T+D = 76F + 74F = 150
Time = 1:04:45
Distance = 8.23mi
Pace = 7:52/mi
Avg HR = 144 BPM

Threatened rain (if the dew point doesn't give that away) the whole run, but waited until just after I finished to come down. I would have preferred it rain over that oppressive humidity.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 6 Day 3

Tempo Run
WU, 5mi @ Tempo pace (6:55-7:12), CD

T+D = 73F + 71F = 144
Time = 0:54:19
Distance = 7.46mi
Pace = 7:17/mi
Avg HR = 155 BPM

Splits:
WU = 10:00 - 1.18mi - 8:28/mi
5mi @ Tempo = 6:51/mi
CD = 10.00 - 1.27mi - 7:52/mi

Pushed a little bit tonight, especially with how humid it was. Heat adjusted target pace was 7:11-7:29. Felt harder than a medium effort as a result.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 6 Day 4

Easy Run 60-75min

T+D = 86F + 76F = 162
Time = 1:00:53
Distance = 7.39mi
Pace = 8:14/mi
Avg HR = 150 BPM

Yuck. I was full on dripping at the end of this one. So thankful the cold front is coming through, Savannah RnR is Saturday and I have a lot of friends running it. A day like today would have been disastrous. Instead, upper 40s at race start, with a high in the mid 60s.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I'd love to see a review of RnR Savannah. That one is on my someday list...

 

[AntimonyER]

I'd love to see a review of RnR Savannah. That one is on my someday list...

I am not running it this year (kids soccer conflicts), but I ran the half last year. The half is great, you really get a taste of Savannah, the scenery, old architecture, etc. Crowd support is really good as well, and the last few years they have had excellent weather. The bad... the full marathon course is great the first 11 miles, as it shares with the half, but then the split puts you on the truman parkway, for a lot of miles, with WAY less crowd support, no shade, etc. And they have had years with really warm temps, which can cause major issues (I believe one year they had to close the course due to the heat.) For that reason, it will never be an "A" race for me.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I am not running it this year (kids soccer conflicts), but I ran the half last year. The half is great, you really get a taste of Savannah, the scenery, old architecture, etc. Crowd support is really good as well, and the last few years they have had excellent weather. The bad... the full marathon course is great the first 11 miles, as it shares with the half, but then the split puts you on the truman parkway, for a lot of miles, with WAY less crowd support, no shade, etc. And they have had years with really warm temps, which can cause major issues (I believe one year they had to close the course due to the heat.) For that reason, it will never be an "A" race for me.

The half is my max distance, so that's good to know. If I ever run a full, it will be at Disney

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 6 Day 5

Rest Day or optional Easy Run 55-65min

T+D = 58F + 37F = 95
Time = 0:57:37
Distance = 7.51mi
Pace = 7:40/mi
Avg HR = 141 BPM

Nothing like a T+D drop of 67 degrees from one day to the next, its amazing to see the differences from yesterday to today, Further, Faster, Easier.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 6 Day 6

Fast Finish Long Run
1:45-2:15
2-6 miles @ LR pace (7:49-9:04), 6-8 miles @ M pace (6:52), 1-2 miles @ 10K pace (6:18)

T+D = 43F + 37F = 80
Time = 1:55:40
Distance = 16.00mi
Pace = 7:14/mi
Avg HR = 147 BPM

Splits
LR pace = 6 mi - 0:47:55 - 7:59/mi
M pace = 8 mi - 0:54:36 - 6:50/mi
10K pace = 2 mi - 0:13:03 - 6:32/mi

I was dreading this run all week, thinking there was no way I would be able to do this. But I underestimated myself big time. The only concession to the plan was the last segment, I did one mile at 10K pace (6:17 pace), and did the last mile at M pace, 6:45 (the last mile was up a hill, GAP was 6:30), but as it says 1-2 miles, I still followed the plan. The best part is, I was cruising at marathon pace, and it felt sustainable. My HR was in a great place too. If the temps are similar on race day, I feel like my chances at BQing are definitely possible. Oh, I also set Strava PRs for 1 mile, 5K, 10K, 15K, and 10 mile with this run, along with 2nd best 20K and Half marathon. Great way to hit the halfway point of my training plan.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 6 Day 7

Rest Day

Week 7 Day 1

Easy Run 30-50min

T+D = 71F + 57F = 128
Time = 0:48:32
Distance = 6.13mi
Pace = 7:55/mi
Avg HR = 146 BPM

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 7 Day 2

Easy Run 50-70 min

T+D = 73F + 68F = 141
Time = 0:59:53
Distance = 7.55mi
Pace = 7:56/mi
Avg HR = 142 BPM

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 7 Day 3

Tempo Intervals
WU, 2X 3mi @ Tempo Interval pace (6:50-7:05) w/ 4min recovery, CD

T+D = 69F + 64F = 133
Time = 0:57:31
Distance = 8.1mi
Pace = 7:06/mi
Avg HR = 154 BPM

Splits:
WU = 8:00 - 1.01mi - 7:55/mi
3mi @ TI = 6:46/mi
Recovery = 8:12/mi
3mi @ TI = 6:45/mi
CD = 4:57 - 0.64mi - 8:11/mi

Probably a little too fast, HR was into VO2max territory at the end (probably due to warmer temps than last saturday), rather than threshold. But didn't feel TOO hard.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 7 Day 4

Easy Run 60-75 min

T+D = 75F + 66F = 141
Time = 1:08:57
Distance = 8.73mi
Pace = 7:54/mi
Avg HR = 145 BPM

Week 7 Day 5

Easy Run 55-65 min

T+D = 64F + 55F = 119
Time = 0:59:25
Distance = 7.53mi
Pace = 7:53/mi
Avg HR = 140 BPM

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 7 Day 6

Long Run 2:30-3:30

Start T+D = 56F + 26F = 82
Finish T+D = 44F + 38F = 82
Time = 2:56:52
Distance = 22.37mi
Pace = 7:54/mi
Avg HR = 144 BPM

At the start it was beautiful, perfect for a comfortable LR. Per guidance, I ran this in a fasted state (started at 2:45pm, with nothing since breakfast to eat) , and with no fuel (Water and electrolytes only). And honestly, I did great until I hit mile 19, when the wall reared its ugly head. But I paused my run for a minute, gathered myself up, and finished it about 30sec/mi slower than I had been running.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 8 Day 1

Easy Run 30-50 min

T+D = 70F + 44F = 114
Time = 0:40:54
Distance = 5.11mi
Pace = 8:00/mi
Avg HR = 141 BPM

Week 8 Day 2

Easy Run 40-50 min

T+D = 76F + 63F = 139
Time = 0:46:31
Distance = 5.84mi
Pace = 7:58/mi
Avg HR = 142 BPM

Wow these felt short. 2nd mid-training recovery week.. but tomorrow is my second Yasso 800 workout... who puts that in a "recovery" week?!

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 8 Day 3

Yasso 800s - WU, 8X 800m @ 6:00/mi, w/ 3:00 recovery, CD

T+D = 42F + 26F = 68
Time = 0:58:52
Distance = 8.27 miles
Pace = 7:07/mi
Avg HR = 151

Splits - WU = 1.29mi @ 7:45/mi
8X 800s = 5:48, 5:56, 5:52, 5:52, 6:04, 6:10, 5:54, 6:08 (5:58 avg)
Recovery = 8:18/mi avg.
CD = 0.46mi @ 8:44/mi

Well, what a difference not being sick had on this workout. Perfect speed workout weather too. If this is truly a bellweather workout for marathon performance, if the weather cooperates and my fueling strategy holds, I feel pretty good about my chances at this point.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 8 Day 4

Easy Run 30-40 min

T+D = 49F + 42F = 91
Time = 0:39:51
Distance = 5.09mi
Pace = 7:47/mi
Avg HR = 144 BPM

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 8 Day 5

Rest day or Easy Run 30-50 min

Cold and raining = no run, I walked with a jacket and umbrella for 30 minutes instead.

Week 8 Day 6

Fast Finish Long Run
1:45-2:15
2-6 miles @ LR pace (7:49-9:04), 6-8 miles @ M pace (6:52), 1-2 miles @ 10K pace (6:18)

Treadmill workout
6 miles @ 8:00/mi
7.1 miles @ 7:00/mi

Son had a soccer tournament in Raleigh, and with the crap weather, I just did a half on the treadmill. Was actually pretty hard, no air circulation + warm gym = tough workout at that pace.

Week 8 Day 7

Rest Day

Week 9 Day 1

Easy Run 30-50 min

T+D = 60F + 49F = 109
Time = 0:38:35
Distance = 4.96 mi
Pace = 7:47/mi
Avg HR = 140 BPM

Week 9 Day 2

Easy Run 50-70 min

T+D = 60F + 42F = 102
Time = 0:59:57
Distance = 7.76 mi
Pace = 7:43/mi
Avg HR = 151 BPM

Today's run was a bit strange, HR jumped up at one point to 160+, no reason to be there at the pace I was at, and stayed high until I got back to my car and paused for a water break. Then it came back down and even though I kept the same pace it never went back up. There was an update to my watch today, I hope they didn't screw up the HR measurement.

edit: I went back and looked at it, and it actually didn't go down after my water break, it went down after I tightened my watch a notch onto my wrist... Must have been loose and getting faulty readings.

 

[AntimonyER]

Week 9 Day 3

Tempo Run 50-70 min

Treadmill
Time = 0:59:57
Distance = 8.5 mi
Pace = 7:03/mi
Avg HR = 149 BPM

Splits:
WU - 1mi @ 8:00/mi
Tempo - 7mi @ 6:53/mi
CD - 0.5mi @ 8:00/mi

Week 9 Day 4

Easy Run 60-75 min

T+D = 54F + 47F = 101
Time = 1:04:53
Distance = 8.44 mi
Pace = 7:41/mi
Avg HR = 133 BPM

Week 9 Day 5

50-70min Fartlek Run
10-20 min WU
16X 1min 5K/10K (6:02-6:18 pace)/1min Recovery (7:45-8:46)
10-20 min CD

T+D = 73F + 56F = 129
Time = 0:48:15
Distance = 6.52 mi
Pace = 7:24/mi
Avg HR = 153 BPM

Splits:
WU = 10:00 - 1.16mi - 8:37/mi
14X 1/1 5K/Recovery (avgs) = 6:06/mi / 8:11/mi
CD = 7:15 - 0.90mi - 8:03/mi

So wednesday I ran on the treadmill so my daughter could run too, happy with that performance in the warmer, stagnant air of the gym compared to the cool weather outside, and glad she is running again! Thursday's run felt so easy, and I actually hit 60 for my V02max for the first time! Today's run is actually supposed to be Week 10 Day 1, but my whole next week is getting messed up/ moved around to accomodate soccer tournament this weekend and thanksgiving, so I am just trying to get the workouts in, without worrying too much about order, other than using common sense and putting easy days after hard ones.