This week’s stats:
78 Miles
0 doubles, 0 days off
14M with 8 x mile repeats @ 555 average with 60s jog for total of 9M with rest @ 604 pace)
12M hilly MLR in Los Altos Hills
20M easy long run in 2:22 for 7:03 pace
Well the first week of marathon training officially kicked off this week! And boy was it fun! I have the privilege to be receiving just a plan from my old coach, Terry, for this cycle. Considering he was the BAA coach for the longest time, I feel like I couldn’t ask for someone else who knows how to train someone for their first ever Boston. When he sent me my plan for the entire cycle last weekend, I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. It was so fun analyzing the workouts and seeing it all plot out over the next 10 weeks. As a quick overview of what’s ahead:
Three total workouts that are a combo of uphill / downhill specific to prepare my quads for the fatigue of the initial downhill portions.
Moderate paced medium long runs on hilly terrain
Several long runs on hilly terrain with marathon pace effort in the middle
I’m really excited to execute this plan! But, first, I must stay healthy.
This week started out perfectly, with a mentally exhausting 8 x mile repeats workout. Fortunately, Jenna and I were able to work out together, even though she’s on single mommy duty this week. And boy did Jenna crush this workout! I’m really excited to see what she ends up doing for a spring marathon because she’s really fit. I was really pumped about how well this workout went, and how fast the paces were, including the rest.
Then, just two days later, I cranked out a moderately hilly medium long run on a route that JOB created through the streets of Los Altos. Liza met us en route and I was able to finish the last two downhill miles in 545 and 550 respectively.
Three days later, I coordinated for a giant group to meet up at Baylands for a variety of workouts (12-20 miles easy or 10 miles easy + 8 miles tempo). I had 20 miles easy and felt pretty good the entire time, except in the last 2 miles, when I began to feel low on energy and was itching for the run to just be over. My left hip, glute, hamstring and achilles started to bother me in the final mile too, which worried me enough that I foam rolled at home. Hoping some treatment like ART and massage will work some magic over the next couple of weeks.
