Skip to main content

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.

------

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

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Giveaway Winner! -- Sony W Series MP3 Player (Update)

Updated Post: 3/20/11 As promised, here are the Sony W Series giveaway winners: -- both have been contacted and prizes sent -- Please e-mail me at (Gmail) Nobel4Lit2 with your addresses, and I'll ship out the units soon! Thanks to everyone who entered.  Stay tuned for another giveaway soon (maybe later this week)! (Note: I ended up putting everyone's retweets starting after the comments when it came to numbering the entries.) Original Post: 3/10/11 Sunday, March 20 2011, the day I will run LA Marathon for the 4th time (and embark on my 8th 26.2 journey overall), will also be very special because it will mark the 5th year since I did my FIRST training run with the intention of running a marathon.  (Check out that life-changing post HERE ). Yep, on March 20, 2006, I went to the track and ran my first 3.25 miles with the dreams of marathon glory (or even half-marathon glory). I think it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  I was a sprint/track

StyleScience Airfoil Sunglasses

Much too long after the death of my last pair of sunglasses, I managed to get my hands on another pair. This one comes from CVS/pharmacy. I figured that since a more expensive pair blew out on me, why not a drugstore one? So after going to speciality stores, I came upon this one that looks and feels good... StyleScience's Airfoil. I didn't notice until later that this is meant for men, but my large head circumference called for it, I think. Anyway, I like that the sides have some ventilation (via a large triangular hole). I hope not to break this one...

Sharkies Prize Pack (giveaway)

It's giveaway time! On a long run recently, I took a couple packs of Sharkies Organic Sports Chews  with me to keep me going on a hot day.  I got through those 15 miles  eating these, versus normal gels.  I've been opting to eat chews over gels in my running nowadays because I just find them more palatable and easier on my stomach for some reason.  Plus, they do pack a few more calories, which is a good thing in this case. I normally associate cute little chews with candy, but these actually contain natural electrolytes.  Plus, they were light to carry and very tasty, too!  Each pack is about 140 calories.  The only downside I found to the sport chews is that they stuck to my teeth a tiny bit more than my normal choices, and the packaging gave me a fight at times.  This could easily be solved by conslidating them into a baggie pre-run, or eating them BEFORE running would be much easier than during. Want to win the prize pack below?  It comes with these Sport Chews, a neat