Monday, June 8
a.m. 68 min Road
10.0M (10.0)
Tuesday, June 9
a.m. 30 min Road
4.5M (14.5)
p.m. 3x2M, 430m recovery, 2M wu/cd
5:10.8, 5:08.2
5:11.5, 5:14.0
5:11.5, 4:54.3
10M (24.5)
Wednesday, June 10
a.m. 44:30 Road
6.5M (31.0)
Thursday, June 11
a.m. 31 min Road
4.5M (35.5)
p.m. 5x1k, 2min rec, 3M wu/2M cd
2:59.02, 2:58.0, 2:55.7, 2:54.3, 2:49.9 (2:55.2 avg)
8M (43.5)
Friday, June 12
a.m. 44 min Road
6.5M (50.0)
Saturday, June 13
a.m. 1:37, 8M @MP +60, 6M@ MP, 2M @MP+60
8M: 51:31
6M: 32:47 - 5:32.0, 5:34.5, 5:16.2, 5:28.2, 5:29.6, 5:27.3 (5:28.0 avg)
2M: 12:52
16.0 (66.0)
Sunday, June 14
Off
Total Miles Week: 66.0
Total Miles Year: 1883.3
The week was pretty standard taper for the most part. I was a little sluggish for the first couple days after back-to-back hard days on the weekend. I finished strong on the tempo runs Tuesday, but I didn't feel that great throughout the workout. I had intended on doing four repeats, but I back out using the excuse that my taper had started and when in doubt I should drop the volume.
Thursday I went to the track to run some speedwork and I it seems now that I narrowly averted disaster. I decided to do some strides on the football field before undertaking the planned 5x1k. I don't know what I did, but on the last stride my left knee/lower IT band got aggravated somehow. It didn't bother me too much at the time so OF COURSE I went ahead and did the workout, which OF COURSE went well and had me feeling confident, and OF COURSE heading out for an easy run on Friday I had a stabbing pain in my knee that made running painful.
It looks like the story has a happy ending however. I stretched, iced, and all that jazz Friday. Being in the middle of a taper helped as well since I didn't have a p.m. run to do Friday. Saturday I went ahead with the MP workout even though I was still somewhat sore, knowing I could always take Sunday off, which I was probably going to do anyways. I got through Saturday's workout without too much trouble and the rest on Sunday seems to have alleviated some of the pain. Heading out the door today felt better and its gotten better throughout the day. It only really hurts when I have a high knee lift - like sprinting, for instance - so it shouldn't be too hard to avoid that this week. Fingers crossed it clears up even more by Saturday.
As far as the race pace goes, I'm leaving it open, but I might go out more conservatively than previously planned. I had intended to go out on PR pace (~1:12:30), but something about the last few workouts has me feeling like that might be too aggressive. I know its probably lack of confidence at this point and I just need to get in the race and see how I feel, but I've never had a good race at Grandma's and I feel like this year I just want to get into town around 19-20 and feel like I'm picking up steam instead of fading. I'd settle for holding steady even. So now I think 1:14 might be better at halfway. Of course, if by some chance there is a pack that is running right at that 5:30-5:35/mile pace I might stick my nose in there, but that is usually a very lonely range at Grandma's and probably even more so this year since it looks like everybody is running the 1/2 marathon. But my number is 49 so that means there could be a good chunk of guys ahead of me. Or not. Seed numbers never really the whole story.
Weather looks fair at the moment, but as always, it will change many times between now and 7:30 a.m. Saturday. As long as we avoid SW winds (2006?) it should be alright. Even rain doesn't scare me at this point.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Making Due
Monday, June 1
p.m. 70 min Road
10.7M (10.7)
Tuesday, June 2
a.m. 1:22 Road
12.1M (22.8)
Wednesday, June 3
Off
Thursday, June 4
a.m. 42:30 Road
6.2M (29.0)
p.m. 10x1k, 60 sec rec, 3M wu/2M cd (windy)
3:06.9, 3:09.6, 3:09.2, 3:08.3, 3:08.7, 3:10.3, 3:10.2, 3:08.0, 3:07.3, 3:07.7 (3:08.7 avg)
11.0M (40.0)
Friday, June 5
a.m. 42:30 Road
6.0M (46.0)
p.m. 68 min Road
10.0M (56.0)
Saturday, June 6
a.m. Breakers to Bay 5M (Oskar, MI), 25:53, 1st, 4.5M wu/5.5M cd
5:24.8, 5:26.2, 4:55.7, 5:00.3, 5:07.0
15.0M (71.0)
Sunday, June 7
a.m. 2:07 Road
last 3 miles (5:31.5, 5:14.3, 4:59.1)
20.0M (91.0)
Total Miles Week: 91.0
Total Miles Year: 1817.3
I spent the first three days of this week in Petoskey, MI at a library conference so it became challenging to stay on schedule with training. Actually the running was great in Petoskey, which is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. Monday I ran the bike trail from Petoskey to Bay City and Tuesday I had a great run out on the country roads. It was of those mornings where the fog lingered close to the road, but it was kind of sunny out. But after sitting in a conference room from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. for a couple days, I wasn't exactly eager to go out and do the planned workout Wednesday morning. In fact I just pulled the covers up and went back to bed. Live to fight another day.
I pushed the workout back to Thursday, and with the exception of ridiculous wind (the theme for this spring) it went very well. I actually felt stronger as the workout progressed and I managed to keep a fairly even pace despite the weather.
Saturday I hopped in a small 5M race that runs from the Lake Superior breakers into the town of Oskar. I had originally thought I would do a 5M tempo before the race and then do the race at about the same pace, but with all the logisitics of doing that with a point to point course and what not, I just decided to run out to the start and add on a bit to the cooldown. For a first year race they did a really good job with organization and the course was fun. As one could surmise from the splits, the first two miles are kind of brutal due to a pretty significant climb, but almost immediately after passing the two mile mark the course drops hard for the next mile. I felt really good during the run - relaxed and smooth. On the cooldown I hardly felt fatigued so I figure I hit this workout just right.
Today was my last long run and really built on the Saturday's race/workout. I ran a particularly hilly course, but I pushed up them with ease it seemed like. When I switched to the faster pace the last three miles, it felt very natural. Of course, I'd say the last 2.5 miles were downhill so that certainly helped!
So with two weeks to go until race day I would say I feeling better than ever. Not necessarily faster, but strong and relaxed. I plan to do tempo runs/intervals Tuesday and Thursday this week and a shorter marathon pace workout Saturday. Then the last workout of 2x2M tempo on the Tuesday before the race. Everything else will be 5-10 miles easy and no doubles except for the workout days.
p.m. 70 min Road
10.7M (10.7)
Tuesday, June 2
a.m. 1:22 Road
12.1M (22.8)
Wednesday, June 3
Off
Thursday, June 4
a.m. 42:30 Road
6.2M (29.0)
p.m. 10x1k, 60 sec rec, 3M wu/2M cd (windy)
3:06.9, 3:09.6, 3:09.2, 3:08.3, 3:08.7, 3:10.3, 3:10.2, 3:08.0, 3:07.3, 3:07.7 (3:08.7 avg)
11.0M (40.0)
Friday, June 5
a.m. 42:30 Road
6.0M (46.0)
p.m. 68 min Road
10.0M (56.0)
Saturday, June 6
a.m. Breakers to Bay 5M (Oskar, MI), 25:53, 1st, 4.5M wu/5.5M cd
5:24.8, 5:26.2, 4:55.7, 5:00.3, 5:07.0
15.0M (71.0)
Sunday, June 7
a.m. 2:07 Road
last 3 miles (5:31.5, 5:14.3, 4:59.1)
20.0M (91.0)
Total Miles Week: 91.0
Total Miles Year: 1817.3
I spent the first three days of this week in Petoskey, MI at a library conference so it became challenging to stay on schedule with training. Actually the running was great in Petoskey, which is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. Monday I ran the bike trail from Petoskey to Bay City and Tuesday I had a great run out on the country roads. It was of those mornings where the fog lingered close to the road, but it was kind of sunny out. But after sitting in a conference room from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. for a couple days, I wasn't exactly eager to go out and do the planned workout Wednesday morning. In fact I just pulled the covers up and went back to bed. Live to fight another day.
I pushed the workout back to Thursday, and with the exception of ridiculous wind (the theme for this spring) it went very well. I actually felt stronger as the workout progressed and I managed to keep a fairly even pace despite the weather.
Saturday I hopped in a small 5M race that runs from the Lake Superior breakers into the town of Oskar. I had originally thought I would do a 5M tempo before the race and then do the race at about the same pace, but with all the logisitics of doing that with a point to point course and what not, I just decided to run out to the start and add on a bit to the cooldown. For a first year race they did a really good job with organization and the course was fun. As one could surmise from the splits, the first two miles are kind of brutal due to a pretty significant climb, but almost immediately after passing the two mile mark the course drops hard for the next mile. I felt really good during the run - relaxed and smooth. On the cooldown I hardly felt fatigued so I figure I hit this workout just right.
Today was my last long run and really built on the Saturday's race/workout. I ran a particularly hilly course, but I pushed up them with ease it seemed like. When I switched to the faster pace the last three miles, it felt very natural. Of course, I'd say the last 2.5 miles were downhill so that certainly helped!
So with two weeks to go until race day I would say I feeling better than ever. Not necessarily faster, but strong and relaxed. I plan to do tempo runs/intervals Tuesday and Thursday this week and a shorter marathon pace workout Saturday. Then the last workout of 2x2M tempo on the Tuesday before the race. Everything else will be 5-10 miles easy and no doubles except for the workout days.
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