Of Mice and Marathons

Day off. First in 29 days. Scheduled one this week and figured today was the day. Good couple of weeks in the 87-90 mile range with improving workouts. Weight is getting down somewhat, which is good. Big goal pace workout this week with a slow paced long run midweek. Two more weeks to the marathon block.

AM: Valley Green to Schuykill River Trail toward Valley Forge - 10 miles, averaged 8:19

Lots of elevation change on this one. About 4.25 miles to the trail. I'm going to try to do longer workouts there but 4.25 miles with 230-260 feet per mile up and down for miles 2-4 is not fun cooling down.

Garmin Activity

Lincoln Drive + Schuykill River Trail + Forbidden Drive - 20 miles, averaged 7:27

AM: Houston Meadows - 8.25 miles, averaged 8:29

PM: Neighborhood loop - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:02

AM: Flourtown and back up via the College - 9 miles, averaged ~7:55. My Garmin died.

Flourtown

PM: Springside Track - 4 miles, averaged 7:54. Did 6 x 200 strides in 37.5. 33.1 on the last one. Not bad.

AM/Lunch - Flourtown tempo loop - 16. 1 miles total w/ 4 x 2 miles @ HMP w/ ~3:00-3:30 min. recovery jogs. Weather was a little breezy, sunny, lower humidity and temps 65-70.

4.1 up, 9 workout total, 3 down

Set 1: 12:15.6 (6:08, 6:08)

Set 2: 12:15.1 (6:08, 6:07)

Set 3: 12:15.3 (6:08, 6:07)

Set 4: 12:16.4 (6:13, 6:04)

Good, honest effort today. A successful workout for sure. Not too fast so I was out of range and dying, but plenty fast that when I started to dig into 5:30-5:40 pace for the last quarter mile with a slight hill, I was hurting (~end of race effort for roughly a minute and a half). I've run this workout as fast as 5:54 average (last winter when it was 19 degrees) but I ran exactly that for the race. A more reasonable effort and I tend to beat the workout. Last year before Philly I ran about 1.5 seconds faster, but it was one a flat .5 mile loop. This loop is slightly more challenging.

I usually call this one the Hanson Brothers Workout, but of course they didn't invent it but I got the idea a few years ago here.

Workout history with half marathon times

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/163357565 (March 2012) w/ 1:33 half

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/296790808 (April 2013) w/ 1:21 half

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/371418481 (Sept 2013) w/ 1:17 half

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/460224072 (March 2014) w/ 1:17 half

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/588778379 (Sept 2014) w/ ?:?? half

PM: Wyndmoor - 4 miles, averaged 8:03.

Megan and I are headed to have Thai. I imagine I will be very hungry by time we walk to the top of the hill.

Valley Green loop w/ Megan - 5.65 miles, averaged 10:12. Rainy and cool.