Of Mice and Marathons

AM/Lunch: 10 miles slow. HR 139.

PM: 30 minutes on the elliptical. Stretching, core, and pushups.

I had dinner all prepped so I snuck in a strength session. I got a comped entry for the Love Run Half Marathon, which was a nice savings even if their "elite" definition is generous. I just hope I don't embarrass myself like I did last spring by running 1:20. I can't tell if I can get in PR shape but I am going to try. If I were arrogant, given that it is 9-10 weeks away, I would say my goal is sub-75 minutes but it's too early for that. The course is on similar terrain as the Rock and Roll half so I will be on familiar ground.

AM/Lunch: Treadmill - 8 miles moderate. HR 161. Did some strides in the last 15 minutes.

One of the nicest days of the year but I was short on time so I hit the gym. And I'm still technically late. Hard workout tomorrow of aggressive 2 minute repeats

Am/Lunch: Flourtown Tempo Loop - 13 miles. HR 155. Warmer and rainy.

30 minutes up/30 minutes down

45 minute fartlek of 6 (3 min LT/1 min easy/1 min hard) [3 minutes easy between sets]

Averaged 5:48 for the 3 minute segments (started at just under 6:00 and worked down to 5:40)

Averaged ~5:12 for the 1 minute segments (started at 5:24 worked down to 5:00 pace)

Workout went quite well. I hit the 1 minute segements pretty hard (they were all flat) while the 3 minute segments had some ups and downs to make them a little more challenging. I'll extend this out to eight reps next time then ten the time after that.

AM/Lunch: 8.5 miles slow. HR 134.

PM: 30 minutes on the elliptical. Stretching, core, and weights

AM/Lunch - 13.2 miles easy with some hard hills. Did some strides at the end. HR 147.

PM: 10 miles moderate (7:34 pace) w/ few strides. Finished with 10 x 15-second hill sprints.

+ Stretching. Usual pushups before and after.

PM: Flourtown Tempo Loop - 17.2 miles, averaged 7:12. HR 158.

Workout of 3 x 3 miles steady state w/ half mile recovery jog. 3.5 up/3.7 down

Given my tempo last week I thought maybe 6:30 for the first trio, 6:20 for the second, and 6:15 for the third. I ended up running a good deal faster. My watch was slow to respond on current pace (moved increments of 5 second, which was odd) and the average pace jumped around but Strava iron things out a bit and I beleive those to be closer (about 10 seconds slower than Garmin for each three mile segment). In any event, the effort was right: upper 160s to low 170s, which is about what I wanted. I turned off my HR monitor screen because it's all just too much feedback for workouts and you don't need it.

(6:11, 6:09, 6:06) 18:26 (6:09 avg) HR 171

(6:06, 6:13, 6:09) 18:28 (6:09 avg) HR 170

(6:11, 6:11, 6:09) 18:31 (6:10 avg)  HR 168

AM/Lunch: 10 miles easy recovery pace. HR 135.

Some snow coming in this evening into tomorrow. Hopefully I can find some clear roads on Wednesday to do my mid-week workout.

AM/Lunch: 10 miles. HR 147. Did some strides at the end.

AM/Lunch: Springside Track - 13 miles, averaged 7:23. HR 157

6 x 1600 w/ 400 recovery jogs

I planned to tack on some 400s and 200s, but about 40% of the track had a half inch coating of snow. I was excited when I warmed up to see the home stretch clear but quickly realized the rest of the track wasn't entirely visible, so I knocked off the corner a bit to find the 200 hash and did some strides over the snow to check the footing. Not ideal, but I was able to run fairly fast. It ended up being a solid workout even with a bit of wind. I did not want to run all 6 repeats so I knew I was running pretty hard. I ran the last two repeats blind.

5:48.1 (173), 5:46.1 (176), 5:45.9 (175), 5:46.8 (177), 5:45.6 (175), 5:46.4 (177)

In peak shape last fall I ran the same pace for 4 x 3200. I'd like to get better and faster than that this buildup but I' not going to force it. Last fall I also hit my first 6 x 1 mile session at this pace (but with a cutdown approach) and 4 weeks later dropped off 10 seconds running 5:37 average. I'm always so anxious to get back to where I was but I know this was a solid barometer session today after a few weeks of fartleks, which I'll get back to the next few weeks.

PM: 30 minutes elliptical. Core and stretching.

AM/Lunch: 10 miles recovery pace. HR 133.

A little colder today than it's been. Another dusting of snow. Some upper 40s and low 50s in the 15 day forecast.

AM/Lunch: 13 miles hilly easy to honest easy. HR 145.

Cold on there. Resting HR was 38/39 this morning, which should mean I am recovering well and I am getting in shape. I think running once a day, despite not always "truely" recovering given the time I spend on my feet, is giving me enough rest to knock out ~80 a week with some higher quality than normal. I'll have to see what happens with my races.

I think I am in a good pattern of long run Sunday, easy recovery Monday, slightly moderate Tuesday depending on feel, hard midweek workout, easy recovery Thursday, medium long hilly easy to moderate Friday, and whatever on Saturday. It's bascially my marathon schedule without doubles and a bit more moderate running and different midweek workouts and a shorter but typically quality long run.

PM: Treadmill - 60 minutes easy to moderate. HR 140. Did core, light stretching, and weights after.

Enjoyed watching the Olympic Trials today. Too bad the weather was so warm. Some folks had really, really rough days. I kept yelling at the screen when Flanagan and Cragg were holding hands at mile 25.

It's going to be a cold long run tomorrow. Planning to mix in a decent amount of quality. Perhaps some 2-mile intervals on the track between which I sandwhich an aerobic tempo. I figure for half marathoning I need my marathon-inspired strength with a little more mustard sprinkled on.

PM: Springside Track and Neighborhood - 19 miles, averaged 7:07. HR 160

BIG Workout. 2 mile interval, 8-mile tempo, 2-mile interval

I was chatting back and forth with Mr. Cook two days ago about Ben Bruce and company's workouts and one was 4 mile tempo, 10 mile AT, 4 mile tempo. I assume that the 4 mile tempos are half marathon pace and the 10 mile is roughly MP to a touch faster. An insane workout really, so I thought, no way I am doing that but maybe I can mimick it. So I did.

It was around 15 degrees, sunny, with a little wind.

4 miles to the track, which is now mostly clear of ice respite some Jason prints from the other day.

2-mile interval: 5:59, 5:47 Slow to start but then I got moving okay.

Half mile recovery into 8-mile tempo on the roads in 51:20 (6:25 avg): 6:24, 6:23, 6:27, 6:29, 6:30, 6:23, 6:25, 6:15. 

I took 4 minutes recovery jog then hit the track for the second 2-mile interval (5:52, 5:56)

Cooled down to 19 but not before gagging and coughing on some phlegm. My hair is quite long in the back right now and it was ice-locked and sticking to my coat.

Off.

Didn't have time. Due for a day after 35 on. No water and Internet so I went to campus early. Megan and I went to Center City to see a piano/lecture hybrid thing that someone gave us tickets to. We enjoyed it. 

AM: 10.75 easy. Did a few short strides.

55, rainy, and windy. I'm not sure what was more slippery, the ice that somehow is still on the roads or the mud. Got showered, waited for the bus in a raincoat and an umbrella and I'm soaked again.

+ stretching (pre-bed)

AM/Lunch: 10 miles. HR 148.

TRACK WORKOUT

1600-800-800-1600-200-200

400 recovery after the first 1600 and after the second 800. 200 on all the others. Started too fast but I felt the effort was right. Checking the HR supports that. Likely the speedy (for me) first 800 that did my second 1600 in.

5:20.4, 2:35.6, 2:38.1, 5:31.4, 34.8, 34.1

Closed with a 76-77 on the first 1600, which was dumb. I thought 5:25 would be okay, but I got excited and can't do math and run. Probably need some more interval stuff like this if I want to run a fast half and decent showing at Broad Street.

AM: 10.2 miles recovery pace. HR 132.

+ Stretching and light core (pre-bed)

Lunch: 6.75 miles. Did some strides. HR 142.

+ Stretching

AM: Fireside Frostbite 5 Miler in 28:58. 4 up/3 down + Post-race intevals

Got in a slow warmup of 4 miles around 9 minute pace. Felt sluggish but mostly because it was two hours before I typically run. Did some good strides and felt decent.

The course is fairly downhill to start and quite fast but it rolls here and there (~250 feet of gain) and the last mile is mostly on muddy, slightly windy trail so it's pretty honest. The course record is low 24-minute range so you always get more competition than (most) can handle.

I got out fairly fast the first mile but it's quick and I felt decent. Felt pretty good until mile 4 when we turned onto the path and I slipped just a touch here and there in the mud and had to watch my footing. Lost maybe 5-10 second in that mile. I ended up passing 4-5 people from mile 2-5 and not getting passed, so I had that going for me.

The Rich, chocolatey goodness:

5:36, 5:41, 5:54, 5:45, 5:52

Talked to Leo and another guy who had done a 16 hour 100 miler two weeks ago. I then jumped on the track for a short but hard set of 400s. The last interval was off pace because there was a shirtless idiot in lane 1 going slow and several old guys walking or jogging.

POST RACE WORKOUT: 4 x 400 ~maybe mile pace? with 75 second passive rest

72.2, 72.6, 72.9, 74

Felt decent on these. Running quite hard but not hammering. Got the lungs opened up.

I have some work to do over the next few weeks to get back into 75-76 minute half shape but fitness is coming along.

PM: 10 miles slow. HR 141.

Legs feel fine. HR and breathing were another story. Last night Megan and I chatted with some friends on the west coast and I had a bit too much to drink. I really didn't want to do anything other than watch TV but I had to get my run in and I've got a lot of work to do. That's what you get for being an idiot I suppose.

AM/Lunch: 10 miles. HR 141.

Did a few strides then did a few quick stretches and did 10 x 14-18 second hill sprints. First one was only 10 seconds but I switched up streets and ended getting most of them around 17 seconds. ~18-20 seconds seems to be on the upper end of making this sprint as opposed to an interval.

PM: 4 mile shakeout. HR 130. It was a nice day so I broke my rule of suspending doubles until summer.

+ Stretching, pushups (~140 on the day in 4 sets), some situps. Not enough time for full core session.

AM: Springside Track - 14.5 miles, averaged 7:35. HR 148 (?)

TRACK WORKOUT: 6 x 1600 cutdown (400 recovery) then 800 recovery then 2 x 400 and 2 x 200 (200 recovery for faster intervals)

Had a good one today. Started a bit conservatively, maybe too much so on the first rep, but I was pleased to knock out a 5:30 to finish. HR was a good deal lower than my last session (barely in the 170s if accurate). About 10 seconds faster overall from 2 weeks ago. I think I have one more session and I like to cut off another 5-6 seconds overall, which sounds scary because I'll have to hit some high 5:20s if I cut down but I think I will be ready

5:48.1, 5:43.1, 5:37.1, 5:37.3, 5:34.4, 5:30.7 (5:40 mile pace)

74.6, 74.9
36.1, 34.9

3.5 up/2.2 down

AM: 10 miles slow. HR 130.

Cold rain again today. Got soaked by a FedEx truck full on Sea-World-splash-section style. #thanksjerk

AM: 10.2 miles. HR 146. Did some strides.

AM: Springside Track - 10.75 miles. HR 151.

TRACK WORKOUT

Mile Breakdown 1600-1200-800-800-400-400-400-400, or "The Drew" as I call it. I blew this one bad last year around this time then I moved onto the track for my faster stuff and managed to get through it in some light snow.

This year I did it with a good bit of wind. The weather says 14 MPH but the gusts were kicking up. I basically just dealt with it and ran by effort when I hit a headwind. If I put up with wind in a marathon PR I have to do it for a workout here and there.

3.75 up/2.2 down

5:26.2 (400 jog); 4:02 (400 jog); 2:39.2, 2:40.5 (200 jogs); 78.2, 76.4, 77, 74.4 (200 jogs, missed a second on the first one because I missed my lap button)

My goal paces were something like 5:22, 4:00, 2:38/2:37, 77/76. I'm pleased with how I ran. You always think the 400s will be easy to crush but usually you are barely walking/jogging the recoveries by the end. I ran ~2:45 for the first 800 of the 1600, which was okay because I am working on picking up the pace slightly each lap on mile repeats but I had to jump on it a little to get close to what I wanted.

I am in much better shape than last spring and I am nailing my workouts. I had SO MANY blow workouts last spring.

Lunch: 10.2 miles slow. HR 130. Somewhat cold, but very sunny and pleasant.

Megan and I are moving to Michigan (Rochester area) at the end of the summer. I will miss Philadelphia but it's a better job for Megan in numerous ways and she will be closer to her family and friends. It was a no brainer. I'm hoping my long-term job prospects are a bit better there.

I've looked for running clubs and it's basically Hanson-Brooks and [Insert Your Favorite Clever Drinking Refernece/Running Club]. I'm fine with beer drinking but that's mostly on my own time. I'm looking for something in between. I'm excited for a new adventure but I can't say as I want to move too many more times in my life (even though I've really only moved ~5 times). Both Megan and Oliver (our cat) are Midwesterners. I can't say that I'll ever be even though I lived there for 5 years.

PM: 30 minutes on the elliptical + stretching and core

Forbidden Drive and Schuylkill River Trail - 22 miles easy to moderate (7:32 avg) HR 153

Around 60 degrees and sunny. I took my shirt off for a stretch. Some kids thought I looked like Jesus (my hair and beard are a bit unruly currently). I felt really good and strong. My best regular long run in some time. Felt really solid through 20-21 miles, then I was getting tired but could have kept going. As is my pratice no fuel before or during (other than coffee).

AM: 10 miles slow. HR 129.

I'm very tempted to run Sugarloaf again. It's two weeks after Broad Street and the times have been pretty slow the last two years. There's a small amount of cash up for grabs.