I haven't had much luck running in August over the last couple of years, in fact, I have logged 9 and 0 miles in the last two years in the month of August due to injury.
In 2009 I slipped on a curb in Houston (an event that is now referred to as the 'Houston Shuffle' in our house), tweaked my right ankle and stretched my Achilles tendon. I tried running on it, made it worse and eventually had to take a break from running.
In 2010 I fell foul to the "too much, too fast, too soon" mistake when I attempted to train for the Marine Corps Marathon and hurt my left Achilles tendon and then my right shin and calf muscle. These injuries started in May and by the time I got to August I had deferred my Marine Corps entry and stopped running to allow my body to heal.
So, we are now just a few days away from August 1st, 2011 and I am hoping that I get to September 1st, 2011 in one piece!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Marathon Training Week 3
Monday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
My body felt great after the 11 miler the day before apart from a callus/corn/blister that seemed to have developed on the bottom of my left little toe. I have nearly constant problems with this toe as it underlaps the toe next to it even when I don't have shoes on. This means that part of the toe is "squashed" with every step that I take and the pressure eventually creates a callus/corn that becomes painful. I haven't managed to find a solution to the problem yet although band-aids do provide some help and eventually the pain goes away. Unfortunately the band-aids don't stay on during long runs (I have tried lots of different types, but they all eventually work their way off). My toe pain didn't stop me from doing a upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers, 30 press ups) and lower body (2 minutes eyes closed single leg balances, crazy feet) work out.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I knew this would be the last morning for a while where the temperature and humidity were tolerable (it was 72F with 77% humidity) so I made sure to I got out early and enjoyed the run with Jack.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:41, 8:08/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 6 miles - Actual: 6 miles (Baby Jogger)
The heat (77F) and humidity (93%) were awful, combined with the fact I had to run the Greenway from end to end twice to get to 6 miles made this run uncomfortable from the start (it is mentally challenging to get so close to home only to have to turn around and run another 3 miles). I ran in my Nike Free's for the first time in a while to give the little toe callus/corn some extra padding.
Stats: 6 miles, 49:39, 8:16/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I arrived a little late to the NCRC Social Run and had to run on my own as everyone else was doing a 5K route and I wanted to do 5 miles. I actually enjoyed a break from the humidity (45%) and the high temperatures (97F) didn't bother me too much. Jack and I went through the first mile in 7:24 and then relaxed a little for miles of 7:44, 7:50, 7:55 and 7:52. I wore my Nike Free's again as they certainly didn't make the callus/corn on my little toe any worse the day before.
Stats: 5 miles, 38:47, 7:45/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
In hindsight, I shouldn't have pushed my legs as hard during this workout as I did (because I really felt it on Saturday and Sunday). I did 3 x 10 forward lunges, 3 x 10 backwards lunges, 3 x 10 toe raises, 3 x 30 seconds balance on one leg, 3 x 10 single leg heel drops, 3 x 10 single leg squats, 3 x 10 straight leg lifts, 3 x 10 single leg bridges, 3 x 10 hip abductors, 3 x 10 dumbbell curls, 3 x 10 overhead presses, 3 x 10 standing rowers, 3 x 10 press ups, 3 x 10 squats and 3 x 25 sit ups for a full body workout.
Saturday: Planned: 6 miles - Actual: 6 miles (Baby Jogger)
The temperature (80F) and humidity (77%) combined with the full body workout the day before made the last three miles of this 6 mile run harder than they should have been. Jack woke up early, so we managed to get out the door 30 minutes earlier than normal but it was hot and muggy and I was covered in sweat nearly immediately. I ran the same 6 mile route as on Wednesday and it was mentally hard to push up the hill towards the halfway turn around with my legs screaming that they had had enough. I pushed through though and completed the run.
Stats: 6 miles, 50:11, 8:21/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 8 miles - Actual: 8 miles
80F with 80% humidity made this 8 miler seem like 16. My legs felt heavier than they did on Saturday and both Steph and I were very glad when it was over.
Stats: 8 miles, 1:15:19, 9:24/mile average pace
Total for Week 3: 30 miles
My body felt great after the 11 miler the day before apart from a callus/corn/blister that seemed to have developed on the bottom of my left little toe. I have nearly constant problems with this toe as it underlaps the toe next to it even when I don't have shoes on. This means that part of the toe is "squashed" with every step that I take and the pressure eventually creates a callus/corn that becomes painful. I haven't managed to find a solution to the problem yet although band-aids do provide some help and eventually the pain goes away. Unfortunately the band-aids don't stay on during long runs (I have tried lots of different types, but they all eventually work their way off). My toe pain didn't stop me from doing a upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers, 30 press ups) and lower body (2 minutes eyes closed single leg balances, crazy feet) work out.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I knew this would be the last morning for a while where the temperature and humidity were tolerable (it was 72F with 77% humidity) so I made sure to I got out early and enjoyed the run with Jack.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:41, 8:08/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 6 miles - Actual: 6 miles (Baby Jogger)
The heat (77F) and humidity (93%) were awful, combined with the fact I had to run the Greenway from end to end twice to get to 6 miles made this run uncomfortable from the start (it is mentally challenging to get so close to home only to have to turn around and run another 3 miles). I ran in my Nike Free's for the first time in a while to give the little toe callus/corn some extra padding.
Stats: 6 miles, 49:39, 8:16/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I arrived a little late to the NCRC Social Run and had to run on my own as everyone else was doing a 5K route and I wanted to do 5 miles. I actually enjoyed a break from the humidity (45%) and the high temperatures (97F) didn't bother me too much. Jack and I went through the first mile in 7:24 and then relaxed a little for miles of 7:44, 7:50, 7:55 and 7:52. I wore my Nike Free's again as they certainly didn't make the callus/corn on my little toe any worse the day before.
Stats: 5 miles, 38:47, 7:45/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
In hindsight, I shouldn't have pushed my legs as hard during this workout as I did (because I really felt it on Saturday and Sunday). I did 3 x 10 forward lunges, 3 x 10 backwards lunges, 3 x 10 toe raises, 3 x 30 seconds balance on one leg, 3 x 10 single leg heel drops, 3 x 10 single leg squats, 3 x 10 straight leg lifts, 3 x 10 single leg bridges, 3 x 10 hip abductors, 3 x 10 dumbbell curls, 3 x 10 overhead presses, 3 x 10 standing rowers, 3 x 10 press ups, 3 x 10 squats and 3 x 25 sit ups for a full body workout.
Saturday: Planned: 6 miles - Actual: 6 miles (Baby Jogger)
The temperature (80F) and humidity (77%) combined with the full body workout the day before made the last three miles of this 6 mile run harder than they should have been. Jack woke up early, so we managed to get out the door 30 minutes earlier than normal but it was hot and muggy and I was covered in sweat nearly immediately. I ran the same 6 mile route as on Wednesday and it was mentally hard to push up the hill towards the halfway turn around with my legs screaming that they had had enough. I pushed through though and completed the run.
Stats: 6 miles, 50:11, 8:21/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 8 miles - Actual: 8 miles
80F with 80% humidity made this 8 miler seem like 16. My legs felt heavier than they did on Saturday and both Steph and I were very glad when it was over.
Stats: 8 miles, 1:15:19, 9:24/mile average pace
Total for Week 3: 30 miles
Monday, July 18, 2011
Marathon Training Week 2
Monday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I wasn't sure how my body would react to the slower than normal pace during Sunday's 10 miler, but I felt great when I woke up and decided to take Jack and the dogs for a walk. Later in the day I did an upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers), core (30 press ups, 50 sit ups and 30 squats) and lower body (30 forward lunges, 30 backwards lunges, 30 one-legged squats and 30 toe raises) workout.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
It was hot on Tuesday morning and I decided to see how running without a top on would feel. I love my technical shirts that "wick moisture" away from my skin but even they don't work very well when the heat (80F) and humidity (85%) are as high as the were for this run - I end up wearing a top that is full of sweat for the majority of the run and still being covered in moisture once the shirt reaches its saturation point. I felt a little cooler without a shirt but I really enjoyed not having to wear a saturated shirt of 40 minutes! The run itself was uneventful apart from the fact that I passed the 700 mile mark for 2011!
Stats: 5 miles, 41:13, 8:14/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
With the temperature being about the same as yesterday (78F) and the humidity a touch higher (88%) I ran topless again and enjoyed it. I wore my Nike Free 3.0's again to give my feet a little break from my New Balance Minimus Road's and ran at about the same pace as yesterday.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:52, 8:10/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles
I had planned to run at the NCRC Social Run this evening but after a minor car accident occurred on our driveway (no injuries, but the Subaru is now in the shop), I didn't really have time to get to Crabtree Valley Mall for the run. I took out my frustration in the best way possible - with a hard run. The sun was out at 6:30pm with a temperature of 86F but lower than normal humidity at 38%. I left Jack at home with Granny, took my hand held water bottle with me to make sure I stayed hydrated and went out on Durant Road and ran to Capital Hills and back. I took half a mile to warm up and then put in miles of 6:58, 7:03, 7:23 and 7:18. I certainly felt better after my run.
Stats: 5 miles, 36:32, 7:18/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I did an upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers), core (30 press ups, 50 sit ups and 30 squats) and lower body (1 minute eyes close single leg balances, 30 one-legged squats and 30 toe raises) workout.
Saturday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles @ Marathon Pace
I took the opportunity to run without Jack on a cooler than normal morning (67F, 78% humidity) and went for a Marathon Pace Run along the new Upper Neuse Greenway. I had run on this Greenway (which is still under construction) a couple of months ago, so I wanted to see what progress had been made. I set out with 8:30/mile in mind but passed the first mile point at 8:16. I had been running very conservatively and even checking my watch frequently, but I still couldn't seem to settle in to an 8:30/mile rhythm. I completed the next two miles both in 8:16 and laughed to myself that at least I was consistent. The Greenway had only been extended by about half a mile in the two months so I still had to backtrack twice (who knows when they'll actually finish it and I hope it was a fixed price contract!). I finished out with miles of 8:25 and 8:11 and hardly even broke a sweat! It really was a nice change to have such a cool morning.
Stats: 5 miles, 41:28, 8:17/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 11 miles - Actual: 11 miles
I ran my long run with Steph and Christopher again this week at Shelley Lake. The cooler weather was still around (72-75F, 65% humidity) and we enjoyed the chance to get 11 miles in. We ran a slightly different route this week and used the Alleghany Trail which has a small area that is unpaved and a large set of stairs that you have to use to get from the Trail along Crabtree Creek up to the road. It also has more hills than the route that takes us along behind Crabtree Valley Mall (which we ran last week).
Stats: 11 miles, 1:54:05, 10:22/mile average pace
Total for Week 2: 31 miles
I wasn't sure how my body would react to the slower than normal pace during Sunday's 10 miler, but I felt great when I woke up and decided to take Jack and the dogs for a walk. Later in the day I did an upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers), core (30 press ups, 50 sit ups and 30 squats) and lower body (30 forward lunges, 30 backwards lunges, 30 one-legged squats and 30 toe raises) workout.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
It was hot on Tuesday morning and I decided to see how running without a top on would feel. I love my technical shirts that "wick moisture" away from my skin but even they don't work very well when the heat (80F) and humidity (85%) are as high as the were for this run - I end up wearing a top that is full of sweat for the majority of the run and still being covered in moisture once the shirt reaches its saturation point. I felt a little cooler without a shirt but I really enjoyed not having to wear a saturated shirt of 40 minutes! The run itself was uneventful apart from the fact that I passed the 700 mile mark for 2011!
Stats: 5 miles, 41:13, 8:14/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
With the temperature being about the same as yesterday (78F) and the humidity a touch higher (88%) I ran topless again and enjoyed it. I wore my Nike Free 3.0's again to give my feet a little break from my New Balance Minimus Road's and ran at about the same pace as yesterday.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:52, 8:10/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles
I had planned to run at the NCRC Social Run this evening but after a minor car accident occurred on our driveway (no injuries, but the Subaru is now in the shop), I didn't really have time to get to Crabtree Valley Mall for the run. I took out my frustration in the best way possible - with a hard run. The sun was out at 6:30pm with a temperature of 86F but lower than normal humidity at 38%. I left Jack at home with Granny, took my hand held water bottle with me to make sure I stayed hydrated and went out on Durant Road and ran to Capital Hills and back. I took half a mile to warm up and then put in miles of 6:58, 7:03, 7:23 and 7:18. I certainly felt better after my run.
Stats: 5 miles, 36:32, 7:18/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I did an upper body (30 dumbbell curls, 30 overhead presses and 30 standing rowers), core (30 press ups, 50 sit ups and 30 squats) and lower body (1 minute eyes close single leg balances, 30 one-legged squats and 30 toe raises) workout.
Saturday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles @ Marathon Pace
I took the opportunity to run without Jack on a cooler than normal morning (67F, 78% humidity) and went for a Marathon Pace Run along the new Upper Neuse Greenway. I had run on this Greenway (which is still under construction) a couple of months ago, so I wanted to see what progress had been made. I set out with 8:30/mile in mind but passed the first mile point at 8:16. I had been running very conservatively and even checking my watch frequently, but I still couldn't seem to settle in to an 8:30/mile rhythm. I completed the next two miles both in 8:16 and laughed to myself that at least I was consistent. The Greenway had only been extended by about half a mile in the two months so I still had to backtrack twice (who knows when they'll actually finish it and I hope it was a fixed price contract!). I finished out with miles of 8:25 and 8:11 and hardly even broke a sweat! It really was a nice change to have such a cool morning.
Stats: 5 miles, 41:28, 8:17/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 11 miles - Actual: 11 miles
I ran my long run with Steph and Christopher again this week at Shelley Lake. The cooler weather was still around (72-75F, 65% humidity) and we enjoyed the chance to get 11 miles in. We ran a slightly different route this week and used the Alleghany Trail which has a small area that is unpaved and a large set of stairs that you have to use to get from the Trail along Crabtree Creek up to the road. It also has more hills than the route that takes us along behind Crabtree Valley Mall (which we ran last week).
Stats: 11 miles, 1:54:05, 10:22/mile average pace
Total for Week 2: 31 miles
Monday, July 11, 2011
Marathon Training Week 1
Monday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I certainly needed a rest day after my 13ish miles in Umstead the day before. I had returned from Los Angeles early on Saturday morning (with zero sleep on the red-eye flight) and not slept particularly well Saturday night which combined with a later than normal start (8:45am) meant the heat and humidity really took it's toll on my body. I did do some upper body weight exercises for the first time in a long time and took Jack and the dogs for a walk along the Greenway, but that was about it.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
It really isn't worth the effort of getting up, having breakfast and getting Jack in the Jogging Stroller for just 3 miles, so I ran my usual 5 miles along the Greenway. 5 miles fits nicely in to Jack's morning schedule as he has breast milk at 6am and the breakfast fruit at 8am giving me a nice window between 6:15 and 8am to get some breakfast and out the door (by 7am) and then back in the house when it is time for his 8am food. 5 miles along the Greenway at 7am in July is pretty much the same every day with temperatures in the low 70s and humidity around 80% which I find uncomfortable when pushing the Jogger but I can typically hold a 8:30/mile pace with a moderate level of effort. Today's run was slightly different as I felt like I was dragging for the first 2 miles (8:57, 8:47) before I began to feel better and the pace picked up without my the effort increasing. Maybe my body had forgotten how to deal with the heat and humidity after my week of running in the cooler temperatures in LA.
Stats: 5 miles, 42:52, 8:33/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
Much the same as Tuesday as I felt like I was dragging in the first couple of miles before it suddenly felt easier. I ran in my Nike Free 3's today to give my feet a change from my New Balance Minimus Road's that I run in most days now. I did my lower body workout (balancing, lunges, leg lifts and bridges)
Stats: 5 miles, 42:34, 8:30/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I took Jack to the NCRC Social Run on Thursday evening and we ran 5 miles along the Crabtree Creek Greenway. The temperature was nearer 90 but the humidity was much lower and it felt slightly easier to run at a 9:00/mile pace for 5 miles that it had done in the mornings on the previous two days.
Stats: 5 miles, 45:29, 9:05/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I did my upper body weights workout along with some core and lower body exercises.
Saturday: Planned: 5 miles @ Marathon Pace - Actual: 5 miles with 3 @ Tempo (Baby Jogger)
I had been struggling with how to do a Marathon Pace workout with the Baby Jogger for a few weeks and still hadn't worked it out as I pushed Jack up the hill to the Greenway entrance. I do most of my Baby Jogger runs at what will be my Marathon Pace (8:30 - 8:45/mile) but this Marathon Pace run is meant to train my body how to run at that pace more efficiently - which is certainly not something I can simulate pushing 40lbs! That being said, I didn't want this to be another typical 5 mile Baby Jogger run so I decided to push the middle 3 miles at a Tempo pace (challenging but manageable pace). I warmed up with an 8:10 mile and then increased the effort for miles at 7:55, 7:50 and 7:55 before slowing down for a 8:15 final mile. I'll have no choice but to leave Jack at home when the Marathon Pace runs get longer than 7 miles (Week 6) so I can perform the workout correctly, but until then we will continue to run Tempo runs instead.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:06, 8:01/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 10 miles - Actual: 10 miles
This was my first "Long, Slow Distance Run" with Steph and Christopher and it went really well. Steph picked me up at 6:45am and we drove to Christopher's house before starting our run in the Shelley Lake area at around 7:10am. It was nice to have some other people to run the longer distance with as we chatted the entire 10 miles which not only helped the time pass by quickly but also ensured that we ran at an easy pace (as we could actually hold a conversation). We finished our 10 miles in just over 1 hour 41 minutes at a nice, easy 10:09/mile pace which is a pace that I typically struggle to run at when I am on my own (I always end up running faster even when I am constantly telling myself to slow down).
Stats: 10 miles, 1:41:34, 10:09/mile average pace
Total for Week 1: 30 miles
I certainly needed a rest day after my 13ish miles in Umstead the day before. I had returned from Los Angeles early on Saturday morning (with zero sleep on the red-eye flight) and not slept particularly well Saturday night which combined with a later than normal start (8:45am) meant the heat and humidity really took it's toll on my body. I did do some upper body weight exercises for the first time in a long time and took Jack and the dogs for a walk along the Greenway, but that was about it.
Tuesday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
It really isn't worth the effort of getting up, having breakfast and getting Jack in the Jogging Stroller for just 3 miles, so I ran my usual 5 miles along the Greenway. 5 miles fits nicely in to Jack's morning schedule as he has breast milk at 6am and the breakfast fruit at 8am giving me a nice window between 6:15 and 8am to get some breakfast and out the door (by 7am) and then back in the house when it is time for his 8am food. 5 miles along the Greenway at 7am in July is pretty much the same every day with temperatures in the low 70s and humidity around 80% which I find uncomfortable when pushing the Jogger but I can typically hold a 8:30/mile pace with a moderate level of effort. Today's run was slightly different as I felt like I was dragging for the first 2 miles (8:57, 8:47) before I began to feel better and the pace picked up without my the effort increasing. Maybe my body had forgotten how to deal with the heat and humidity after my week of running in the cooler temperatures in LA.
Stats: 5 miles, 42:52, 8:33/mile average pace
Wednesday: Planned: 5 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
Much the same as Tuesday as I felt like I was dragging in the first couple of miles before it suddenly felt easier. I ran in my Nike Free 3's today to give my feet a change from my New Balance Minimus Road's that I run in most days now. I did my lower body workout (balancing, lunges, leg lifts and bridges)
Stats: 5 miles, 42:34, 8:30/mile average pace
Thursday: Planned: 3 miles - Actual: 5 miles (Baby Jogger)
I took Jack to the NCRC Social Run on Thursday evening and we ran 5 miles along the Crabtree Creek Greenway. The temperature was nearer 90 but the humidity was much lower and it felt slightly easier to run at a 9:00/mile pace for 5 miles that it had done in the mornings on the previous two days.
Stats: 5 miles, 45:29, 9:05/mile average pace
Friday: Planned: Rest - Actual: Rest
I did my upper body weights workout along with some core and lower body exercises.
Saturday: Planned: 5 miles @ Marathon Pace - Actual: 5 miles with 3 @ Tempo (Baby Jogger)
I had been struggling with how to do a Marathon Pace workout with the Baby Jogger for a few weeks and still hadn't worked it out as I pushed Jack up the hill to the Greenway entrance. I do most of my Baby Jogger runs at what will be my Marathon Pace (8:30 - 8:45/mile) but this Marathon Pace run is meant to train my body how to run at that pace more efficiently - which is certainly not something I can simulate pushing 40lbs! That being said, I didn't want this to be another typical 5 mile Baby Jogger run so I decided to push the middle 3 miles at a Tempo pace (challenging but manageable pace). I warmed up with an 8:10 mile and then increased the effort for miles at 7:55, 7:50 and 7:55 before slowing down for a 8:15 final mile. I'll have no choice but to leave Jack at home when the Marathon Pace runs get longer than 7 miles (Week 6) so I can perform the workout correctly, but until then we will continue to run Tempo runs instead.
Stats: 5 miles, 40:06, 8:01/mile average pace
Sunday: Planned: 10 miles - Actual: 10 miles
This was my first "Long, Slow Distance Run" with Steph and Christopher and it went really well. Steph picked me up at 6:45am and we drove to Christopher's house before starting our run in the Shelley Lake area at around 7:10am. It was nice to have some other people to run the longer distance with as we chatted the entire 10 miles which not only helped the time pass by quickly but also ensured that we ran at an easy pace (as we could actually hold a conversation). We finished our 10 miles in just over 1 hour 41 minutes at a nice, easy 10:09/mile pace which is a pace that I typically struggle to run at when I am on my own (I always end up running faster even when I am constantly telling myself to slow down).
Stats: 10 miles, 1:41:34, 10:09/mile average pace
Total for Week 1: 30 miles
Friday, July 1, 2011
Finally, Marathon Training Is About To Begin
I have just a couple more days to wait until I am officially training for the City of Oaks Marathon and I am feeling a combination of excited and nervous. I am excited because I am a step nearer to running my first Marathon and I enjoy running more when I have a goal to work towards, but I am nervous that my body won't be able to handle the strain of running over 650 miles in 18 weeks and that injury will prevent me from lining up at the start line of a Marathon for the second year in a row.
In order to try to avoid getting injured, I have decided to use a more "typical" Marathon training plan than I used last year (when I used the "Run Less, Run Faster" approach of only running three times a week). The year I will be running 5 days a week. The week day runs will range in distance from 3 to 10 miles but will all be at an "easy" pace. On most weeks, Saturday will be a "Marathon Pace" day with a range of 5 to 10 miles at Marathon Pace. Sunday will be "long run" day with distances ranging from 8 to 20 miles (I will run three 20 mile long runs during my training). Here is a link to my Training Plan.
I feel like I have a good base level of fitness (much better that last year) as I have covered over 650 miles so far this year and my last 10 weeks of running (not including this week) have been 31, 38, 20, 36, 20, 33, 32, 25, 34 and 18 miles respectively. I am hoping that the good base combined with a lower number of miles at faster than race pace will help me avoid injury during training this time around.
I have set myself a single goal of finishing the Marathon. Running 26.2 miles will be a new experience for me and I have no idea how I am going to react physically or mentally and I don't want to add additional, unnecessary pressure to myself by setting a time goal. That being said, I have picked a pace (8:30-9:00 per mile) that I will at train to be able to run and at should be able to run the entire distance at.
To put that pace in to perspective, based on my recent Half Marathon time (1 hour 36 minutes), an experienced Marathoner would typically be able to run a Marathon in 3 hours 20 minutes (7:40/mile). I am hoping that that difference of about a minute per mile will give me a better chance of a) getting through the training in one piece and b) getting through the race!
I will try my best to blog weekly updates on my progress but for those of you that want to follow me more closely, you can follow me on dailymile.com here where I will be uploading each of my training runs along with some comments within a few hours of each run.
In order to try to avoid getting injured, I have decided to use a more "typical" Marathon training plan than I used last year (when I used the "Run Less, Run Faster" approach of only running three times a week). The year I will be running 5 days a week. The week day runs will range in distance from 3 to 10 miles but will all be at an "easy" pace. On most weeks, Saturday will be a "Marathon Pace" day with a range of 5 to 10 miles at Marathon Pace. Sunday will be "long run" day with distances ranging from 8 to 20 miles (I will run three 20 mile long runs during my training). Here is a link to my Training Plan.
I feel like I have a good base level of fitness (much better that last year) as I have covered over 650 miles so far this year and my last 10 weeks of running (not including this week) have been 31, 38, 20, 36, 20, 33, 32, 25, 34 and 18 miles respectively. I am hoping that the good base combined with a lower number of miles at faster than race pace will help me avoid injury during training this time around.
I have set myself a single goal of finishing the Marathon. Running 26.2 miles will be a new experience for me and I have no idea how I am going to react physically or mentally and I don't want to add additional, unnecessary pressure to myself by setting a time goal. That being said, I have picked a pace (8:30-9:00 per mile) that I will at train to be able to run and at should be able to run the entire distance at.
To put that pace in to perspective, based on my recent Half Marathon time (1 hour 36 minutes), an experienced Marathoner would typically be able to run a Marathon in 3 hours 20 minutes (7:40/mile). I am hoping that that difference of about a minute per mile will give me a better chance of a) getting through the training in one piece and b) getting through the race!
I will try my best to blog weekly updates on my progress but for those of you that want to follow me more closely, you can follow me on dailymile.com here where I will be uploading each of my training runs along with some comments within a few hours of each run.
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