Training Recap: Week 13, Jan 16 - 22

Another busy week. It doesn't get any less interesting, I will say that. Here is how it went:

M: 5mi in 35:29

T: 7.5mi tempo: 1.35mi warmup, 4x {1mi at goal half marathon effort 6:31/mi, 3 min recovery jog}, 0.8mi cooldown. That was the plan, but Mother Nature said we had to run through an inch or two of snow on the roads so the tempo intervals were slower. All four intervals were between 6:44 and 6:57/mi so not wildly off.

W: 10.1mi beginning at recovery, then progressing to aerobic pace. The progression was more sudden for me, again with the urge to go faster than plan kicking in. 7:45 first mile, then a few 7:20s and speeding up, by mile 8 it was 6:54. Slowed down to about 7:05/mi for the final two miles due to fatigue and also running directly into a stiff headwind on some stretches. 40+ degrees at the start but windy - and temperature dropped before we were all done with this one.

T: 7.85mi tot: 5.85mi of steadily increasing paces 7:40, 7:20s, 7:10s, 6:34/mi for the last .85mi. And then 15x {15seconds "up" hill sprints, walk down recovery taking approx. 1 min.}, with .4mi cooldown home. We mixed up the start of the sprints by leading with the "wrong" foot, then facing backward, and finally (the master stroke) lying prone on the ground (hello pavement!) to begin our sprint. It's tough to do that and press the watch lap button (try it at home!). I didn't mention yet it was only about 10 degrees that day (hello pavement!).

F: off
S: 14mi. The BallardVale Runners hosted friend Scott Graham for an early a.m. long run (especially) up and down and around town. Scott, we like and respect you a great deal but this is the way you have to treat your running guests I think :-) Perhaps you owe me one. Just not up Mt. Washington please - like everything we do in this sport - that's just crazy!
S: off

Next week it's challenge time on the long run - first 20 miler is coming up. And that one is not going to be ordinary. We'll be going for a "marathon specific workout" inspired by Dick Beardsley, via Nate Jenkins blog and adapted for our use by my training partner Joe Loureiro.

Summary after 10 weeks of training for Boston: