Of Mice and Marathons

AM/Lunch: 90' on the trainer. 209W. HR 119. 

The training program called for less than 2 hours with some unstructured sweet spot, but I would have hit my target training stress score within an hour or just over. Planned to go close to 2 hours, but I slept in and didn't leave myself enough time. This was fine for a recovery week.

Lunch: 10 miles, averaged 8:17.

4-Mile Tempo @ ~Half Marathon Effort

Ventured outside, but only after checking the tempo loop, which was primarily clear of ice and slush with one narrow spot where a contractor truck and trailer was parked on the side of the road. It was pretty snow-covered getting to the middle school, but fine after that, just a lot of water from the rapid melting. 

I planned to do 6 x 1 mile and see where I was with respect to what I did on the treadmill about two weeks ago. I figured I would start in the 6:50 range and really try to work down, hoping to be around 6:20 or under at the end. I knew I would be faster outside. I revised the workout as I got going because I wanted to get something a bit more continuous. I figured I might see how the first mile went and then decide to recovery jog or keep going, so I settled on that. The first mile felt pretty easy, but my legs weren't turning over with much power or snap, but I figured I just needed more warm up. I progressed nicely throughout, but just couldn't find the strength to really turn the legs over. Likely, a lack of glycogen. Decently pleased with the workout. 

6:46, 6:35, 6:31, 6:27 (6:35 Avg @ 170 BPM)

I was decently relaxed most of the time. Starting to work around mile 2.5 or so and really wanted to ratchet things down on the last mile but my right quad was a little tight and just wasn't working right. I felt pretty good about this. I will try to work on bringing my average down as I work the top end of my aerobic pace with the longer, 8-mile tempo. I think on Friday I should be able to do around 6:50 pace for the same effort I did last Friday on the treadmill. Maybe start just under 7' and work down the last two miles.

AM: 120' on the trainer. 227W. HR 133.

3 x 10' Criss Cross (Threshold/Vo2)

First workout in some time that I have struggled to hit the target wattage. 4' @ threshold into 1 minute around 385 back to threshold and then 1 minute at 443. That wasn't happening. I just tried to do the 1' sections harder than the 4 minute and did around 320-340, which was plenty. HR was fine, but legs didn't want to produce a lot of power, which makes sense given the workout yesterday. I just kind of worked through and got my time in.

Lunch: 120' on the trainer. 224W. HR 134.

4 x 8' Sweet Spot Bursts

I decided to sleep an extra 2.5 hours rather than getting up at 5AM because I didn't have my Oakland class, which just seemed like the right idea. Good session, needed a decent bit of concentration but it wasn't too hard. Felt like I got a decent bit of work in without going to the well.

AM: 120' on the trainer. 226W. HR 135.

3 x 12' Threshold

First higher power output interval session in a little bit. Felt solid. 298 watts (155 BPM), 302 watts (159 BPM), 302 watts (160 BPM). Got on the trainer a bit later in the morning as the boys were in school and I didn't have my Oakland classes. Tried to fuel a little bit before, but not much.

AM/Lunch: 14 miles, averaged 7:54. HR 150.

8-Mile Tempo @ Marathon Effort + 1 Mile Harder

I was hoping to run about 6:50 or 6:52 pace for marathon effort, so that I knew I could break 90' in the half. I didn't quite get there, but I was close. Effort was honest marathon effort and I didn't push too much toward the end as I typically might with the aerobic builder version of this, which generally has me going into steady state to half marathon effort for 1-3 miles. 6:55 average @ 163 BPM. Jogged a little bit and did a mile in 6:23. I was going to do another mile repeat, but my legs were a little sore/fatigued. That is what happens on low mileage with quality workouts, I guess. 

7:09, 6:59, 6:58, 6:54, 6:54, 6:48, 6:53, 6:47. 

Actually not too far off from the mile repeats on the treadmill I did on February 10, so a good sign to get these continuous (also that the treadmill is not always easier).

PM: 120' on the trainer. 222W. HR 132. 

Did 26' @ Sweet Spot. 275W. HR 153. Did a few sprints toward the 2-hour mark. Decently sore from yesterday's running. I guess that is because I don't have the volume or a lot of recent outdoor miles.