Marathon Training: Week 8

If you're following along, here is the eighth 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.

I have been having trouble falling/staying asleep lately, so by the tail-end of the week, I was pretty tired and decided to take two rest days before my long run.  In spite of the rest from cardio, I did do some short strength training on those day due to a program I am following (promise the review is coming!), which brings my strength training days to 4 per week.

I didn't cramp during the long run, though I felt my calf tightening during the last couple of miles.  The next time the long run distance increases, I am going to wear my compression sleeves and bring SALT sources.  Oh, and after that running and no naps, I managed to somehow muster the energy to go clubbing in Hollywood with a bunch of people for a few hours late into the night, ha ha!  (Don't try it, though, my feet were killing me by night's end!)

Week of Aug 29 (Week 7)

Monday - jog 40 minutes

Tuesday - cross-train 30 minutes (elliptical)

Wednesday - 16 x 400 m (.25 mi), 2:00-2:10 pace (about 7.3-7.5 mph) -- did these at 7:48/mi pace, as I have been for the past few weeks

Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest -- SKIPPED this workout because I felt I needed rest

Friday - cross-train 30 minutes or rest -- rested

Saturday - 17 mi 10:40-11:10 pace (about 5.2-5.6 mph) -- 10:13 pace (same pace as last week)

This Week:

This week is basically a repeat of last week, and starting next week, tempo runs will replace the repeats (thank goodness, though they will be faster than what I'm comfortable with).

Also, I am racing this week, which actually fits in because the "long run" was supposed to be around a half-marathon distance, anyway.  I am not really going to "gun it" at this race because as Glenn advised, it is a "ball buster."  Plus, although my knee is a bit better, I still worry about it.

Informally, I am aiming for sub-2 without dying, but if it's hot out, I will step back my efforts out there.  No need to burn out/hurt myself half-way through the program.

Week of Sept 5 (Week 8)

Monday - jog 40 minutes

Tuesday - cross-train 30 minutes

Wednesday - 16 x 400 m (.25 mi), 2:00-2:10 pace (about 7.3-7.5 mph)

Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest -- will probably do Friday's workout here

Friday - cross-train 30 minutes --- will probably rest here
Saturday - rest

SUNDAY (normally a rest day)- 13.1 miles for the Heartbreak Ridge Half

Do you like racing while training for a different goal race?  


To be continued...