Of Mice and Marathons

AM/Lunch: Flourtown Tempo Loop - 22 miles, averaged 7:08

4-3-2-1 Workout (The "Easy" Version)

Decided I didn't want to run 23 miles today at 7:00-7:30 pace so I decided to do an the "easy" version of the 4-3-2-1 to get some volume with a sensible dose of quality while taking long enough recoveries to get the volume up but also decrease my recovery time between this workout and the next. Good thing. I could not have run the harder version of the workout with recoveries denoted in minutes corresponding to the number in the set (4 minutes after the 4 mile set, 3 minutes after the 3 mile set, etc)

6 miles easy: 8:47, 7:57, 7:46, 7:40, 7:36, 7:53

4 miles (avg. 6:25): 6:32, 6:28, 6:22, 6:16

1 mile @ 7:11

3 miles @ MGP (avg. 6:14): 6:12, 6:18, 6:12

1 mile @ 7:25

2 miles sub-AT (avg. 6:07): 6:06, 6:08

1 mile @ 7:57 (getting tired)

1 mile @ 5:49

3 mile cool down with a lot of uphill: 8:15, 8:24, 7:54

The first set felt comfortable but the start was somewhat slow. Decided to work into it. The workout was harder than I thought today but I had a little wind, I am tired, and my mileage is up about 7-10 miles per week over most buildups.

Oh, and I hit the 3000-mile mark! Historically, I have hit it on October 20 (last year) and October 11 (in 2013).

I'm fine with today's workout. I should put this down as a positive even though I wasn't overly pleased. I wish it felt easier even though it wasn't super hard until the last mile. My back is very stiff from compensating for the pulled muscle or whatever it was so I am trying to find my heating pad to work on that.

PM: Megan and I went for a walk. It was nice to walk through the neighborhood. A little over 3 miles. I'll try to make this a habit.

Lunch: 7.25 miles.

PM: off. No time. Just can't get it all in. Back is stiff compounded no doubt by stress and tension in my shoulers. Not sure what I'll be able to get in tomorrow morning. Depends on how late I am up tonight and whether I decide I need more sleep more than a morning run.

AM: 5.25 miles. A few really light strides just to get the knees up and the hips stretched out. 

+ light stretching

Back/neck still a bit funky. Loosened up the muscles a bit by having Megan walk on me. My problem is the base of the neck/top of the back. If I could afford it I'd have a chiropractor throw me around a bit. 

PM: 7.25 miles. Did some strides. Nasty humid and soggy. Clouds no help.

AM: Treadmill - 8.5 miles.  Did a short, moderate progression. (RHR 39)

10 minutes @ 8; 10 minutes @ 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3; 10 minutes @ 7.5 (my stomach was on the threshold of revolt)

Got quite a bit of sleep last night but could have slept all day. Did this run on the treadmill for a change of pace and the humidity and dew point is not something I feel like dealing with at the end of September. Skipped my actual workout today and move it to Friday depending on how I feel and how my easy runs go. Back is still tweaked but it feels fine. Mostly just annoying.

PM: 5 miles. Got dinner on the table for Megan and then headed out for some cool, rainy headlamp miles. 

This marks a month mileage PR by about 18 miles I think. Definitely my first 400 mile month. 

AM: Springside Track - 10 miles.

4 x 1 mile @ 5k pace with 90 seconds rest. I planned this for yesterday but moved it to Friday. Moved it again to today because it is supposed to rain and be quite windy. Another day would have likely helped me hit my times but it just wasn't going to work.

Goal was to hit 5:25 for the 1600s but I fell a little short. Warmed up 3.5 w/ 800 meters @ MP. 

5:25, 5:27, 5:30, 5:32 (5:28.5)

This is not how you want to run this workout but I fought hard at the end. Legs just got very tired. I was breathing full race effort in the last 800 meters as I was trying to run no slower than 5:30 and I think the first 800 of the last rep was 2:47.

This puts 5k pace at 5:30 but hopefully faster in better weather and better legs. About 9 seconds faster than my 6 x 1 mile reps, which sounds about right.

This is probably the hardest workout I do and I probably need to do it more than 1-2 times a year. I'll roll with this for now but I was certain I could run it faster. 

A few things to consider: up until 2:00 last night doing work, ate too late last night, mileage is high, workouts have been stellar, it's marathon season not 5k season, this puts 45 seconds between estimated 5k pace and marathon goal pace.

PM: 4.5 miles @ Gentleman Jogger pace

+ Rolling, stretching, and core (very late)

AM/Lunch: 8 miles. Character buidling weather.

PM: 5 miles. Dark, cold, windy, and rainy.

Lunch: 9 miles.

I think I'll move my long run to Monday. Plan was to do 22 tomorrow, but I put down a 10 mile tempo for Wednesday so I may just do some combo of 10 + 10 (mix to be determined). That will give me an extra recovery day, which I think is a good idea even though I feel solid. I've been extremely routine this buildup and not just doing long runs whenever I feel like it.

PM: 5.25 miles. I had my first honeycrisp apple of the season after my run. It was glorious enough to report here.

A cutback week coming up with shorter easy days Friday and Saturday to see if I can run something respectable in the 5k. I don't want to cut back too much but I want to absorb some of this training.