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Marathon Training: Week 13

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

This marks the end of three months of training... 1 more to go!  However, this weekend, I was supposed to run a half-marathon, which was postponed until January.  Long story, I guess.  But anyway, the original schedule called for 10 miles for a long run, which I completely blew off.  In spite of that, I was fatigued/sleepy most of the weekend, and really, I just didn't feel like running at all.

I am a little scared that these past few "lazy" days are going to set back my efforts, but the book DOES say that if I am tired, I should rest instead of run.  I kept hoping that I'd plug in the 10-miler sometime, but I really didn't have the will to do it.

Why no will?  Perhaps it's the changing seasons (we have like 30-degree fluctuations each day!).  Perhaps my inability to take time off from work + training is finally biting me in the behind.  

Week of Oct 3 (Week 12)
Monday - jog 40 minutes
Tuesday - cross-train 30 minutes <--- 30 min Jacob's ladder
Wednesday - 7 mi at 8:45-8:50/mi <-- this was tough, but I held it together!
Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest <-- rested
Friday - rest
Saturday - 45 min Bar Method Body video (though since the below happened, I was supposed to do 10 mi)
Sunday - 13.1, Camarillo Half-Marathon <-- postponed race, so I... you guessed it... rested

This Week:


I am NOT planning on trying to make up the 10 miles I missed this weekend, but if anything, I will not be "resting" on Monday as this week has dictated.

This is another step-back week for me, as Week 14 will feature the BIG run, so let's just forget about that for now! =P  Usually, when a run is under 15 miles, I don't need gel, and when no gel is needed, that's always a good thing (as I am running out of them)!

These tempo runs are scary... will I totally blow this program if I can't pull all of them off at that pace???!

Week of Oct 10 (Week 13)
Monday - rest
Tuesday - cross-train 30 minutes
Wednesday - 8 mi at 8:45-8:50/mi
Thursday - jog 30 minutes or rest
Friday - rest
Saturday - 14 mi at 10:40-11:10 pace
Sunday - rest

How long is "long enough" to use gels, in your opinion?

To be continued...

Comments

  1. I've read that Sept/Oct and March/April are hard months for some people because of the drastic changes in light each day. So, maybe you're just particularly vulnerable to it, and it zaps your energy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel you on the motivation issue with running. I've been struggling a lot lately and think the weather change has a lot to do with it.

    ReplyDelete

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