So you have 15 weeks to Eugene. Really, not a lot of time considering you haven't run much (i.e NOT AT ALL 8), but totally doable. We'll just have to make sure the runs we do do are quality (This means I'll be on the RMRF plan: "Run More Run Faster" 8). I'm going to aim for 5 days/week running and one xt day. If something flares up and all then we'll bump down to 4 and do a lot of core work.
Monday: rest
Tues: 3 miles + 4x8 sec hill sprints + 20 minutes core work
Did 3.3@9:26m/m. This was easy...I also did 2x20 eccentric heel lowerings for each leg separately ..the first 20 with straight knee, the 2nd set with bent knee.
Wed: 7 miles w/6x50 sec @ 10-5K pace
10-5k pace means 7-8 min/miles for me. This was tough...I felt each interval taking a little more out of me and really had to concentrate on good form in the last mile. During the day later I was feeling a bit 'jazzed' up by the adrenaline I burned up..not used to that after 6 weeks off. Did 7.28@9:58m/m
Thur: 6 miles easy + "myrtl" hip girdle routine
The easy pace was very welcome after yesterday! But even so this was a tough run near the end..'easy' pace became slower as the miles ticked by. 5.21@10:27m/m
Friday: 6 miles, last 10 minutes moderate pace
I felt much better today, I started the 10 min pickup at mile 4..what's a 'moderate pace'.?..well I decided around 9:00m/m..by the end of the 10 min I was ready for the cool down. 6@9:58
Saturday: rest running; video link + 20 min core work
Went into the gym to do this...also did some upper body weights and leg lowerings. Felt even better today (got two solid 8+ hour sleep nights)
Sunday: 8 miles, last 20 minute moderate pace (some hills in here, if possible)
Did a route that picks up 200' of up down. For some reason the pace on the first mile split was wrong...crazy GPS reception? Trust me, I was not running an 8:56 pace at a HR of 116. Anyway, things felt most excellente and so I picked it up to a 9+ m/m pace for the last 3 miles plus 1 cooldown mile
The overall averages, 9:30 pace with 125HR for 8 miles is pretty good. At my peak for CIM that number would probably have been 9:10 or so. (I should go check but that's my gut feeling) I checked. NOTE: I did check my conditioning ...that posting shows 14 weeks before CIM I was in very similar aerobic shape to now). So I have a ways to go but I actually think I'm ahead of the game vs 14 weeks out from CIM (as I have more strength training under my belt already this time!)
One problem looming is that I'm probably going to have to travel to Ireland for work for a couple of weeks in late March..this is only 6-4 weeks out and so will be a pretty high mileage time to try to find routes in a suburb area of Dublin...could be fun though! I'll also be working pretty hard and it's not clear how much time I can spare but since they'll be nothing to do but work, eat, sleep and run I think I can pull it off ;)
If you look at my race schedule on the side, I've signed up for the Santa Cruz half marathon on April 1st. I have run this race one time before and set my PR half time at an 8:30 pace, which I would dearly like to improve if the race gods are with me.
This is 4 weeks out from Eugene and that's when you do a half time trial to see test your fitness for race pace as well as help with pushing up the LT before race day. Hopefully I'll be back from Ireland by then, if not I'll have to do another solo time trial, which is not nearly as much fun as a race.
Total: 30 miles for the week.
Not bad considering it's my first week...it started with me feeling rusty but ended very well.
No niggles to speak of so far...did the 2x20 heel lowerings twice this week.
| Split | Dist | Pace | HR | % WHR | Cad | Elev+ | Elev- | YPB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.00 | 8:56 | 116 | 57.4 | 88 | 3 | 0 | 1.700 |
| 2 | 1.00 | 9:44 | 125 | 64.8 | 88 | 16 | 0 | 1.447 |
| 3 | 1.00 | 10:10 | 127 | 66.4 | 86 | 121 | 24 | 1.364 |
| 4 | 1.00 | 10:03 | 126 | 65.6 | 85 | 53 | 15 | 1.391 |
| 5 | 1.00 | 9:15 | 121 | 61.5 | 87 | 11 | 132 | 1.571 |
| 6 | 1.00 | 9:03 | 127 | 66.4 | 87 | 0 | 19 | 1.532 |
| 7 | 1.00 | 9:05 | 134 | 72.1 | 87 | 0 | 12 | 1.446 |
| 8 | 1.00 | 9:47 | 126 | 65.6 | 85 | 6 | 6 | 1.428 |
| 9 | 0.06 | 9:52 | 119 | 59.8 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 1.534 |
| Summary | 8.06 | 9:30 | 125 | 64.8 | 86 | 210 | 207 | 1.481 |
The overall averages, 9:30 pace with 125HR for 8 miles is pretty good. At my peak for CIM that number would probably have been 9:10 or so. (I should go check but that's my gut feeling) I checked. NOTE: I did check my conditioning ...that posting shows 14 weeks before CIM I was in very similar aerobic shape to now). So I have a ways to go but I actually think I'm ahead of the game vs 14 weeks out from CIM (as I have more strength training under my belt already this time!)
One problem looming is that I'm probably going to have to travel to Ireland for work for a couple of weeks in late March..this is only 6-4 weeks out and so will be a pretty high mileage time to try to find routes in a suburb area of Dublin...could be fun though! I'll also be working pretty hard and it's not clear how much time I can spare but since they'll be nothing to do but work, eat, sleep and run I think I can pull it off ;)
If you look at my race schedule on the side, I've signed up for the Santa Cruz half marathon on April 1st. I have run this race one time before and set my PR half time at an 8:30 pace, which I would dearly like to improve if the race gods are with me.
This is 4 weeks out from Eugene and that's when you do a half time trial to see test your fitness for race pace as well as help with pushing up the LT before race day. Hopefully I'll be back from Ireland by then, if not I'll have to do another solo time trial, which is not nearly as much fun as a race.
Total: 30 miles for the week.
Not bad considering it's my first week...it started with me feeling rusty but ended very well.
No niggles to speak of so far...did the 2x20 heel lowerings twice this week.
Your HR is really good for those paces. I would be around 160!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a nice solid week, and a good start on your build-up to Eugene. The trip to Ireland does sound like it could present challenges, but also so cool opportunities for interesting runs in a new location.
ReplyDeleteI would tend to agree with you that even though you "appear on paper" to be at about the same place that you were 14 weeks out from CIM, that you are ahead of the game. Not just in strength training, but I'll wager that your aerobic capacity increases more quickly relative to the CIM buildup. Should be interesting.
Yes, we shall see!
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