Boston Training Weeks 11 & 12

March 10 - 23

M - AM 5 PM 5, gym

T - 11, with 6 by 3 min on, 2 min off on Mall

W - 14

Th - AM 7 PM 5

F - 9, strides

S - 18 - DC Half Marathon, 1:14:40, 16th place: In the few minutes before the race went off, I realized, up until that very moment, I hadn't really thought about my own race. My thoughts, up until that point, had been race day logistics: Emily was running her first marathon and our parents were visiting, including my Dad who was running the half.

The one thought I had about it was that I wanted to give it a hard run - faster than goal marathon pace - 1:12s, say - but I could tell early in the week that the race might end up being more of a goal MP run. The last few weeks, as I have rebounded from the tendon strain, I have entered what I believe is a very positive marathon grind - the kind in which I am tired, but not too, too tired. Warming up, I felt very sluggish, and what I experienced in the race was the feeling of very good fitness paired with turnover that perhaps just isn't any better than it needs to be. This is the purest marathon shape I have been in in many years, and I am excited to ride it out to Boston to run rested and fearlessly. Watch splits show I was decent on the flats but not grinding through the hills very well.

But what an awesome weekend. Dad, 58, was 6th in his age group, and Emily, well, she just hit it out of the park.

As a coach, she made it very simple for me. We decided early on - based on her previous half marathons, the time she could commit to training, and the type of experience she wanted to have - that sub-four-hours was a good goal. Early in her training, I discovered that sub-four pace, under 9 minutes per mile, was more or less her training pace. That eliminated any need for speed work, so we just settled into a solid Monday to Saturday routine and gradually lengthened her Sundays (she worked up to about 22 in 3:15).

Our plan to take the guess-work out of the pacing and run with the 3:55 pace group was foiled before the race even started. She seeded herself at 4:00, and the 3:55 team was two corrals ahead. So she did it alone, getting out a bit quicker than planned and running tough in the 20s. I saw her at mile 12, outside of our place, and she was just cruising along, smiling. Then we all went over to see her at 19, where I ran with her for a couple minutes until she was about to cross the bridge to Anacostia. She was really focused and tough; I knew then she would get it done.

3:56:49.
 

 

 














S - AM 10 PM 8

Total - 92

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M - AM 8 PM 6

T - 11 - 7 easy. Changed shoes and did 6 by 600 in neighborhood - up a hill, down a hill - with 90 seconds rest.

W - 15, steady

Th - AM 8 PM 5, gym

F - 12, with Capitol Hill Distance Project.

S - 20. Met up with Patrick at The Line. We did 10 in about 72 minutes, changed shoes, and did a 10-mile tempo on Beach Drive on the same course we on Feb. 15: 4.3 out from the Line to the Pierce Mill gate and 4.3 back, then add on.

February 15: 5:54, 40, 46, 46, 46, 6:00, 5:51, 6:05, 6:03, 6:04 - 58:55
March 22: 5:46, 5:37, 5:41, 5:36, 5:42, 6:02, 5:52, 6:12, 6:05, 6:11 - 58:41

It felt a lot different than the last time, when my legs were fresh but I was breathing hard. On Saturday I felt really controlled cardiovascularly but my legs were heavy, and I had a hard time getting them to move the last few miles after Patrick turned off. Afterward, the only thing I am scrutinizing is footwear, as I didn't seem to be getting the support I needed for my foot in the adidas adizero flats: they're either too worn down and need to be replaced ... or I need a little more in the heel. Good to learn this now rather than a month from now.

S - 15 - Ran with Charlie and Beth at Burke Lake. I planned to stop at 10 if I was tired, but felt fine and continued on.

Total - 100