24 Weeks to go until 2024 Non-Cancelled M - Week 11/35
The 24th best performance was the 2019 Haunted Hustle HM (
link). I completed the race in 1:36:12 and had a VDOT of 47.2. Of my 24 HMs, this was my 7th fastest performance. This was not a PR at the time, it was actually one of my very few supported training runs. I finished in 20th place out of 303 runners, and 5th in my AG. This race was the free entry I got from my top 10 finish at BratFest 2019. It came in the midst of training for the 2020 Disney Marathon, and my focus was moreso on the HMs that proceeded and came after. So I decided to use this race as a supported training run. Long time readers know that me and supported training runs in races don't mix. I inevitably take the training run too fast and end up racing it. This however was the first successful supported training run. I stuck to a good training pace through the first 11 miles, and then kicked it into gear in the last 2 with a fast finish.
11/6/23-11/12/23
Tues (11/7): 6 x 0.5 mile @ 5k *Blind*
Wed (11/8): 5 miles @ 70% M Tempo (9:14 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Thurs (11/9): 4 x 1 mile Uphill @ HM Tempo
Fri (11/10): 7 miles @ Easy (Treadmill)
Sat (11/11): 8 miles @ 85% M Tempo (8:31 min/mile, 126 bpm)
Sun (11/12): 14.4 miles @ 87.5% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:15 min/mile, 131 bpm)
Total Run Miles - 50.7 miles
Total Run Time - 7:03 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Training Time - 7:03 hours
Tuesday
Conditions -

Overcast clouds, Wind 10mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 36°F; FL - 39°F
End: Temp+Dew = 42°F + 35°F; FL - 39°F
With the change in plans from the Madison HM this weekend, to thinking about doing the Thanksgiving 5k, I figured I should at least do a little 5k pace work to see what feels right. So I went with a 6 x 0.5 mile workout with a 0.25 mile resting interval. So not a really challenging workout, but good enough to get an idea of what it feels like to run fast. My marathon tempo pace is estimated around 7:20 so that puts 5k pace around 6:28 or so (about 20 min).
The WU felt easy. It was cold, but not too cold. But because it was cold and dark, it wasn't easy to keep an eye on the pace during the run. So I just ran each interval blind. I tried to make sure I stayed relaxed, ran like it was lava, forced the rhythmic breathing from the start, and try to stay in control the whole time. While the goal was 6:28 pace, I ended up running the intervals in 6:08, 6:12, 6:08, 6:08, 6:14, and 6:16. I would say maybe the 5th, but definitely the 6th is where I could tell I was doing a workout. But other than that, things felt relatively smooth throughout. No issues with any body parts during the run, and I was able to get my hip back into placement pre-run with the move the PT showed me a few years back. All in all, I averaged 6:11 pace. Realistically, I doubt that's 5k pace. But based on how this workout went, I plan to run a 3 x 1 mile at 5k pace workout which will be more indicative of what I can maintain in about 2 weeks from this workout.
Wednesday
Conditions -

Overcast clouds, Wind 6mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
End: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
Just a nice and easy 5 miler at a recovery pace. No issues.
Thursday
Conditions -

Clear sky, Wind 5mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 28°F; FL - 43°F
End: Temp+Dew = 43°F + 29°F; FL - 43°F
The plan was to do 5 x 1 mile at HMT uphill, but I was running low on time and it was the season finale of Loki. So I had people wanting me to get home in a timely manner. So I ended up having to cut the extra 5th interval off the workout.
WU was easy peasy. The goal grade adjusted pace was 7:02. I did well with the first interval sticking to pace. The interval was not a challenge in the least. The second interval was a bit too quick coming in at 6:50 pace, but didn't feel that challenging. At this point I was thinking I might try and squeeze that 5th interval into the workout. Then came the third interval and it was a bit more challenging. Stuck with 6:54 pace though. Looked at the clock and realized I really can't squeeze in a 5th. So I decided to give it a good go on the last one. Certainly not a ramp up to 10k pace, but definitely putting some effort into it. Came in at 6:47 pace. I was tired at the end, but pleased with the results. Averaged 6:50 for the four reps. Had a moment where I thought maybe I should try and make the Madison HM on Sunday work, but then decided I'm not ready yet. In a good place, but not there yet.
Friday
Steph had to work late, so it was the treadmill for me.
Stayed up watching the Badgers lose a disappointing basketball game.
Saturday
Conditions -

Few clouds, Wind 1mph to 2mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 26°F + 23°F; FL - 26°F
End: Temp+Dew = 29°F + 27°F; FL - 26°F
Steph had to leave for work at 7:30am. I got up at 5:00am to get my 9 mile run in. Lost some time somewhere in there and didn't get out the door until 6:20am. So I knew I wouldn't get the whole 9 miles in. Instead I just kept my eye on the time and ran until 7:30, which put me at 8 miles. Never really all that challenging. Did 8:31 pace at 126 bpm which is about 20 bpm less than half marathon pace.
G had a Safe Kids 101 class where she learned how to be home alone. I told her she could just ask Macaulay Culkin how it's done. Then after that she had singing lessons. So there wasn't any time for strength work.
Sunday
Conditions -

Broken clouds, Wind 14mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 41°F + 32°F; FL - 33°F
End: Temp+Dew = 46°F + 34°F; FL - 33°F
Steph had to work at 9:30am, so I was up at 5:30am to make sure I had enough time to get the workout in. But alas, time got away from me again (gotta get that figured out) and I wasn't out the door until 7:30. So I knew I wasn't going to make my originally planned 15 miles. But I just watched the clock to see when I needed to come home.
When I started the run, I had some regrets that I didn't sign up for the Madison HM. The weather was reasonably cool, not too cold, and it just seemed like a pleasant morning. But as the morning persisted, around 8:20 (or 50 min into my run) was when the southern wind really picked up. And suddenly I was glad I hadn't signed up. Happy to just be doing some laps around the neighborhood instead. Did the run on the Jack/Jill course. Had reasonably good splits throughout. Never really felt challenged until maybe the last 2 miles or so. I had no nutrition during the run. Never really felt like I needed it either.
An interesting thing I noted on the runalyze platform when looking at some of my recent runs, is that it thinks I'm a more efficient uphill runner than I am a downhill runner. It uses power/pace, HR, and grade to make these assessments. A value of 1.00 is even efficiency compared to flat. My uphill is usually like 1.10 and my downhill is like 0.96. My personal beliefs align with this data. I strongly believe I'm better at uphill and have better form in doing so. I can outrun the GAP adjustment when going uphill, but always feel beat up trying to match the GAP downhill. Not sure I'll do anything with this at the moment, but maybe consider being more aggressive uphill in racing than downhill.
Next week is already jumbled up. Tuesday we're going to The Marvels. So I planned on running on Monday. But then G had a taped audition that was sprung on us a few hours ago, so we did that instead. Maybe I'll run Tuesday morning. Then Wednesday G has volleyball and Steph has a theater group meeting. So I'll take G to volleyball and then run while she's at practice. Then I'll do the 3x1 5k on Thursday, and Steph works this weekend again. So we'll see what I get in.