the week in running
Nov. 11th, 2013 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ilanaramaThis week I ran 67.9 miles, which beats out last week's 66.7 as my new biggest mileage week! I may or may not exceed it this week, but if I do it won't be by much. And then comes taper. HOORAY.
Monday - 8.2 miles at 8:40 average pace. I started out easy, threw in some strides, and then just got 'velocitized', as my friend Barb calls it, and maintained a faster pace with no difficulty and a nice, low heart rate.
Tuesday - 12.4 miles as easy, easy with strides, 7 miles at GMP (7:43, 7:45, 7:44, 7:43, 7:40, 7:49, 7:59), and easy home. Because of a conference call I had to be in on I couldn't run until the afternoon, so it was quite windy, and the last miles had uphill into the wind, which, ugh. At least, that's my excuse for the blow-up. Overall was 8:11 pace.
Wednesday - 8.1 trail 11:00 pace, very low HR for this somewhat fast trail pace.
Thursday - 10.5 hilly miles, easy uphill and a little harder downhill, averaging 8:56.
Friday - 6.2 trail 10:57 pace.
Saturday - 16.1 that was intended to be 4 easy / 4 harder / 4 MP / 1 HMP / easy, but the wind kicked up and I still haven't figured out how to choose the proper route to run such that the second half is not into the wind. First 4 averaged 8:44, next 4 averaged 8:04; then I turned around. Mile 9 was 7:51 (aiming at 7:45) and it was HARD going into the wind. Mile 10 was 8:03. I gave myself permission to just run 8:00-8:15 but I couldn't even make that and mile 11 was 8:17. Also, I was getting sore (see next paragraph). At that point I gave up, dispirited, and just jogged home. The last 5 miles averaged 9:17. Average for the 16 was 8:38 pace.
I think part of the problem was that I was wearing my Saucony Kinvaras, which are light and not very cushioned. I wear them typically for speedwork, and for racing half marathon and shorter distances, but I wanted to do a longer run to see how they held up, with the idea of wearing them for the marathon...the answer is clearly NO. My feet were aching badly, and my legs were really sore. They were sore the rest of the day - I felt worse than I did after last weekend's 20 - and I could not stay awake past 9:30 that night. A tough run!
(And on the subject of shoes - my most recent marathon was in the Mizuno Elixir, but this shoe has been discontinued now, and although I have two pairs, one unused, they are both a half-size smaller than my usual size, and I'm concerned about running that long a run in them. I will probably wear a pair of Brooks Pure Flow 2 shoes, which I have just started using this cycle but like a lot. I have been running most of my LRs in them.)
Sunday - an easy 6.4, first part with Britt. I had an idea of throwing in some strides but it felt awful, and I quickly realized I was in need of an easy-easy run. 9:05 average pace.
Saturday's run has me second-guessing my marathon goal, a bit. Though in the past, I have also had difficulty with running GMP other than in the taper, so I'm not too concerned. Just a little. We'll see how the next few weeks go.
Monday - 8.2 miles at 8:40 average pace. I started out easy, threw in some strides, and then just got 'velocitized', as my friend Barb calls it, and maintained a faster pace with no difficulty and a nice, low heart rate.
Tuesday - 12.4 miles as easy, easy with strides, 7 miles at GMP (7:43, 7:45, 7:44, 7:43, 7:40, 7:49, 7:59), and easy home. Because of a conference call I had to be in on I couldn't run until the afternoon, so it was quite windy, and the last miles had uphill into the wind, which, ugh. At least, that's my excuse for the blow-up. Overall was 8:11 pace.
Wednesday - 8.1 trail 11:00 pace, very low HR for this somewhat fast trail pace.
Thursday - 10.5 hilly miles, easy uphill and a little harder downhill, averaging 8:56.
Friday - 6.2 trail 10:57 pace.
Saturday - 16.1 that was intended to be 4 easy / 4 harder / 4 MP / 1 HMP / easy, but the wind kicked up and I still haven't figured out how to choose the proper route to run such that the second half is not into the wind. First 4 averaged 8:44, next 4 averaged 8:04; then I turned around. Mile 9 was 7:51 (aiming at 7:45) and it was HARD going into the wind. Mile 10 was 8:03. I gave myself permission to just run 8:00-8:15 but I couldn't even make that and mile 11 was 8:17. Also, I was getting sore (see next paragraph). At that point I gave up, dispirited, and just jogged home. The last 5 miles averaged 9:17. Average for the 16 was 8:38 pace.
I think part of the problem was that I was wearing my Saucony Kinvaras, which are light and not very cushioned. I wear them typically for speedwork, and for racing half marathon and shorter distances, but I wanted to do a longer run to see how they held up, with the idea of wearing them for the marathon...the answer is clearly NO. My feet were aching badly, and my legs were really sore. They were sore the rest of the day - I felt worse than I did after last weekend's 20 - and I could not stay awake past 9:30 that night. A tough run!
(And on the subject of shoes - my most recent marathon was in the Mizuno Elixir, but this shoe has been discontinued now, and although I have two pairs, one unused, they are both a half-size smaller than my usual size, and I'm concerned about running that long a run in them. I will probably wear a pair of Brooks Pure Flow 2 shoes, which I have just started using this cycle but like a lot. I have been running most of my LRs in them.)
Sunday - an easy 6.4, first part with Britt. I had an idea of throwing in some strides but it felt awful, and I quickly realized I was in need of an easy-easy run. 9:05 average pace.
Saturday's run has me second-guessing my marathon goal, a bit. Though in the past, I have also had difficulty with running GMP other than in the taper, so I'm not too concerned. Just a little. We'll see how the next few weeks go.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-11 08:41 pm (UTC)Anyway, love the term velocitized!
(ah, but I'm still running in pure flow 1. I stocked up on an extra pair before they disappeared. Not sure about the pure flow 2 yet. Tried them on in the store and the fit's not as good even though it's supposed to be the same last...)
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-11 08:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-12 12:16 am (UTC)I'm looking forward to see how all this training pays off for you at CIM.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-12 01:28 am (UTC)And compared to many of my running friends (from RWOL) I run much less. I don't do doubles, and I top out at under 70. Just as an example, my friend Jennifer (who is running Philly) runs 80-100 miles per week and topped out at 115! And she's probably looking at about the same goal as me, maybe a little faster. And Rachel (who is admittedly a sub-elite runner, with a 2:48 or so PR) runs over 100 typically.
But I like to run, and I have the time available, so I enjoy running all those miles. I hope it does pay off!
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-12 10:48 am (UTC)Of course, part of my (and my pace group's) problem is that doing so many miles takes time when you're doing them at an 11:00 pace rather than a 7:30 pace. Most of my pace group PR'd this season. Except me. I have been having a real issue with calf cramps between 15-20. I am thinking of seeing a physical therapist about it.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-12 05:04 pm (UTC)Calf cramps are usually due to running too fast for your fitness, but I have a hard time believing that in your case since you ought to have a good handle on your capability by now after so many marathons. Looking at your Athlinks record it looks like your DC Rock and Roll half lines up pretty well with a 5:10-5:15, so you're not all that off unless you're pacing for 5 hours and then having trouble late....which looking at your Chicago splits, yeah, you ran the first half at your half marathon pace, so no wonder things went bad late.
I mean, it's hard to tell with your times, because you are a Maniac and run so many so close to each other! But repeating this exercise with the Providence half and Wineglass last year, and looking at your half split, suggests you're trying to run way too fast for your fitness. For this one it looks like you were targeting about 4:55, which is what the online calculators suggest for your half - except the online calculators are way optimistic unless you're running ~65-70mpw on average, which you are not.
Also, if you are training at 11 minute pace, that's awful close to your half marathon pace. What kind of training program are you using?
I would be happy to make suggestions by email if you'd like. I think you're capable of a faster half, and also a faster marathon. (And if you want I can screen this - it's a lot of sort of specific stuff out here in public.)
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-12 06:23 pm (UTC)Forgot to mention that my 1/2 pace is actually my marathon pace. I haven't run enough 1/2's to rally know how to pace it correctly.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-13 08:02 am (UTC)You have been putting in some seriously hard work, and very good quality distance, Ilana. All you need now is to just absorb it a bit and be ready to bounce along on race day.
I have worn both the PF1 and PF2. I didn't care much for either! The PF1 felt better... I still only wear the PF2 on occasion, and mostly just for dressing up for town :) The outside edge feels funny on my foot. What I would wear for the marathon would be the Ghosts- if I were running one (as a neutral).
Anyhow, get some comfy shoes and don't second guess yourself. Your runs are looking good, and the HR is too.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-13 10:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-13 12:32 pm (UTC)I was running in the Kinvaras last year while training for the CB 10 Miler and they worked really well, but I had to upgrade to a cushy-er shoe for marathon training. The Kinvaras are nice and light, but really too light for long runs like that!
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-13 10:02 pm (UTC)