If you're following along, here is the ELEVENTH week of training according to the 4 Months to a 4-Hour Marathon book. The paces below are specifically for the 4-hour goal. If anyone would like the paces for 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, or 5:00, I can start posting them alongside my plan if you let me know.
I am also posting on DailyMile, but everything (and more!) will be posted here as well. This "Marathon Training" series is an experiment for me both in fitness and in blogging, as I am going to go into more detail than in previous training cycles, documented on my Training page.
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Last Week in Review:
Here is the original schedule from last week and my comments/modifications.
If I were to be hard on myself, I'd declare that I totally sucked this week. Monday-Wednesday, I was feeling extremely fatigued for some strange reason, which I don't think had to do with last week's easy (or as "easy" as it can get) 19-miler, sleep, or food intake. I don't think I was getting sick, either. My theory is that I am having to rip myself out of bed almost every morning and have hardly taken any time off from work in months (since May, when I went to Fargo, which was a quick trip considering). So naturally, my mind and body are rebelling.
While I don't think there's much I can do about that any time soon, I have been a bit worried that my marathon training will go down the scrapper just because of a few botched runs. I am feeling a little bit better now, so let's hope I can continue to keep on trucking. I have about 3 more weeks until taper, and then I won't care if I start running out of steam....
If I were to be hard on myself, I'd declare that I totally sucked this week. Monday-Wednesday, I was feeling extremely fatigued for some strange reason, which I don't think had to do with last week's easy (or as "easy" as it can get) 19-miler, sleep, or food intake. I don't think I was getting sick, either. My theory is that I am having to rip myself out of bed almost every morning and have hardly taken any time off from work in months (since May, when I went to Fargo, which was a quick trip considering). So naturally, my mind and body are rebelling.
While I don't think there's much I can do about that any time soon, I have been a bit worried that my marathon training will go down the scrapper just because of a few botched runs. I am feeling a little bit better now, so let's hope I can continue to keep on trucking. I have about 3 more weeks until taper, and then I won't care if I start running out of steam....
Week of Sept 19 (Week 10)
Monday - jog 40 minutes <-- I think I made it about 3.2 miles, because I walked some of this
Tuesday - cross-train 30 minutes <-- tried to do Wednesday's tempo run because of a schedule issue, but ran 2 miles at pace and walked 1 for a total of 3
Wednesday - 6 mi at 8:45-8:50 <-- I started on this and then felt very weak, so I walked the rest
Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest <-- finally did something right... 6.2 mph
Friday - cross-train 30 minutes <-- rested with the exception of 20 min upper body weights
Saturday - 10 mi at 10:40-11:10 <-- 10:11 pace; track not open, so surface was concrete per usual
Saturday - 10 mi at 10:40-11:10 <-- 10:11 pace; track not open, so surface was concrete per usual
Sunday - rest
This upcoming week contains the second-to-the-last monster run in this training program -- 21 miles. Since I did 19 a couple of weeks ago, I shouldn't be daunted, right? Something about the 20+ mile range that really gets me psychologically. Plus, I mean really, it's a freaking long way. But given that this is a 16-week program with the appropriate 3-week taper period, that means that the end is in sight....
All I can hope is that I can run on a track for the majority of this run. I love tracks and don't really get bored by the repetition of the 1/4 mi laps.
Week of Sept 26 (Week 11)
Monday - rest
Tuesday - jog 30 minutes
Wednesday - 3 mi at 8:45/mi
Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest
Friday - cross-train 30 minutes
Saturday - 21 mi at 10:40-11:10
Saturday - 21 mi at 10:40-11:10
Sunday - rest
Where are your favorite places to run?
Besides the track, I like running at the regional park near my house that has a 2.2 mi loop, but I don't like driving anywhere to run. The park is nice because it has different surfaces -- packed dirt, concrete, soft dirt, and trail-y dirt. The path from my house to the park is about 4 miles, but some of it is on a highway where I must run at the shoulder. For this reason, I have not been back and in while and instead run around a local high schoool in 1.2-mi segments.
To be continued...
I am so glad to read your updates about 4 months to a 4 hour - I have been so close to using this program a couple times! You are doing an awesome job and don't be hard on yourself for a rough week...it'll all come together and be an awesome race for you!
ReplyDeleteI have been on a treadmill almost exclusively since May. Im terrified to do a long distance outside!! So I have that going for me. At least you have all those running options near you to keep your mind and body guessing and challenged!
ReplyDeleteI'm at the taper now and feeling new pains I've never felt before. At the end of my 21 miler my hamstring was really bugging me. Hope this week goes well.
ReplyDeleteI don't like driving somewhere to run. I typically run in my neighborhood or near/around the park/golf course just over a mile away. For long runs, I'll map a route that takes me to the beach and back.
I have to say, you may be the only marathoner I know (or "know") who lists the track as a favorite running location :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the final push! You've had a great training cycle, so now it's just time for maintenance and preservation.
there is a time during every marathon training cycle when fatigue just becomes a big issue. i always get worn down in body and spirit right before the height of the training.
ReplyDeletehope that you make it through and start to feel more refreshed soon.
Hang in there, and good luck. Those later stages of training before the taper can be tough, but you are a veteran at this. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite place to run is a local county park. It is absolutely huge, very scenic, and has miles of trails. Love it!
20 miles is a freakin' long way to run! You will do it and rock it. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteDon't be so hard on yourself - it looks like you're doing great. Good luck with the long run. My favorite place to run is the Croton Aqueduct, a dirt path that runs along the Hudson River just north of Manhattan.
ReplyDeleteThat regional park isn't Legg Lake is it? Man that place was dangerous when I was growing up 30 years ago!
ReplyDelete