The highlight of my training this past week was a remarkable 41:30 tempo run that I completed on Tuesday evening in the Mt. Washington and Pikesville neighborhoods. I was hoping to complete the workout on Gilman's track, as I am accustomed to running long tempos on tracks and tracking my mile splits to ensure that I maintain pace. However, driving to Gilman can be quite the ordeal after work, when the sun is already low in the sky even before I change into my running gear. Thus, I opted for a 40:00 tempo on a fairly flat course in the neighborhoods near my apartment. I've run many long tempo runs off of "feel," meaning I relied on my body, not slavishly checking 400 or 800 meter splits, to determine if I was in the proper zone, though I prefer the track where stop lights, traffic, and hills are not an issue.
My main aversion to running tempo runs entirely on feel is that I have no idea how far I've gone at any given point. During a bad tempo, when my legs are tight and I cannot get into a ryhthem, it is heartbreaking to look at my watch and realize that I have not gone very far or that I have, say, 15:00 of running left when I thought I only had 5:00. Thus, when I began the workout on Tuesday, I determined that I would not look at my watch until I had covered a significant distance, though this can be tricky in the haze of a tough workout. Throughout most of the run, I felt smooth, fast, and controlled; it was a good day indeed. Finally, after running for what seemed to be long duration, I knew that I had to look at watch to establish where I was in the workout and how much further I needed to run. I turned a corner onto a long, flat, straight stretch and slightly increased the pace, taking full advantage of the terrain and linear path. I glanced at my watch expecting to see that I had run for between 25:00 and 30:00. I was elated when the tiny digital screen revealed that I had been running this fast but relaxed pace for over 35:00 and therefore had less than a mile left. I continued to keep the pace controlled and within my tempo range, increasingly slightly the last few minutes, finishing in 41:30 and ensuring that I had covered over 7 miles. My overall pace is irrelevant, but I assume (and hope...) my average mile pace was between the high 5:30s and low 5:40s.
This was remarkable moment in my training because it marked an important progression in both physical and mental fitness. Throughout the run, I stayed relaxed and reflected on past successes - winning the Akron half marathon, a fast progression run in the same neighborhoods 10 weeks earlier - and I was not tormented by the demons of similar workouts gone awry. Thus, in future workouts, I need to practice putting myself in this same mindset that allowed me to complete this tempo so effortlessly.
Aside from this tempo and my Sunday long run, the week was uneventful in terms of running. In the week ahead, I plan to run a different tempo workout consisting of a 20:00 run at lactate threshold pace followed by a series of cruise intervals at approximately the same pace. After completing it, I'll explain my "tempo run" philosophy in more detail, as these workouts are the cornerstone of my entire training regimen and the key to fast races.
January 24 - 30
Sunday - 19.25 mile long run
Monday - 9 miles
Tuesday - 13 miles; 41:30 tempo followed by 6x32-second striders
Wednesday - 7.25 miles, recovery run
Thursday - 3.75 easy miles (AM); 8.5 miles (PM)
Friday - 9 miles, 4x1600 @ CV pace, 5:27, 5:24, 5:24, 5:20 (terrible workout)
Saturday - 3.5 miles (AM); 7.75 miles (PM)
Total Miles: 81 miles
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Company
"The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat."
- Bill Squires
I just completed my first long run of the season that exceeded 1:55. I ran for 2 hours and 12 minutes (2:12) at approximately 6:45-6:50 per mile, thus totaling 19.25-19.5 miles. I felt great for a variety of reasons. In addition to feeling fresh and strong throughout the run, I was delighted to have company, as I joined 4 members of the Falls Road Running Store group. Since graduating college in 2004, I have trained primarily on my own. Although I often relish the solitude that running provides, training alone for 70 to 80 miles each week presents many problems, principally motivational issues. Lacking a team and camaraderie, I've struggled to maintain a consist schedule, leaving long term goals infeasible and untouched. I'll train for several months at a time, often collecting numerous personal bests, and then, once life happens, I become consumed with work or school and lack the motivation to continue my training and pursue long term objectives. I hope that by joining this team for at least one run a week, I'll be able to more easily maintain my training momentum and work through difficult periods of life and running. Indeed, I will share the "trials of miles" and "miles of trials" with individuals who comprehend these issues on a level that a non-runner could not possible conceive. Perhaps most importantly, it will make running a social experience and therefore more enjoyable.
This run is the first of an 80 mile week. I began training this past May after a very long hiatus from consistent running and competitive racing. By September, my fitness was restored to previous levels, and, by November, I was in the best shape of my life. I ran a personal best at the Philadelphia Half Marathon (1:11:40) on November 22. After the race, I slowly built up to a 60 mile in late December. I encountered a rocky start at the beginning of January, when I hoped to ramp up training and increase to 85 mile weeks, long interval workouts, and a 20 mile long run. Like the fates of most carefully constructed plans based on scientific principals, I abandoned my spring training plan when my dog got sick and died. I am a few weeks behind "schedule" but I will be fine for spring racing.
Today's long run restored my confidence and prepared me mentally and physically for the long runs and tempo workouts that lay ahead. I hope to run a 20+ mile long run at least twice each month throughout February, March, and April, with a maximum long run of 23 miles, or 2 hours and 40 minutes. Some of these long runs will contain significant portions at marathon pace and half marathon pace. For example, next week my long run might be shorter (16-18 miles) than today's run, but, if it is, I will spend at 20:00-40:00 at tempo pace. Eventually, I will complete a few 20+ mile long runs that include substantial segments at lactate threshold pace (5-8 miles broken into cruise intervals) or marathon goal pace (10-13 miles). As I begin these workouts later this winter, I will elaborate more on purpose these runs serve in a marathon training regimen.
- Bill Squires
I just completed my first long run of the season that exceeded 1:55. I ran for 2 hours and 12 minutes (2:12) at approximately 6:45-6:50 per mile, thus totaling 19.25-19.5 miles. I felt great for a variety of reasons. In addition to feeling fresh and strong throughout the run, I was delighted to have company, as I joined 4 members of the Falls Road Running Store group. Since graduating college in 2004, I have trained primarily on my own. Although I often relish the solitude that running provides, training alone for 70 to 80 miles each week presents many problems, principally motivational issues. Lacking a team and camaraderie, I've struggled to maintain a consist schedule, leaving long term goals infeasible and untouched. I'll train for several months at a time, often collecting numerous personal bests, and then, once life happens, I become consumed with work or school and lack the motivation to continue my training and pursue long term objectives. I hope that by joining this team for at least one run a week, I'll be able to more easily maintain my training momentum and work through difficult periods of life and running. Indeed, I will share the "trials of miles" and "miles of trials" with individuals who comprehend these issues on a level that a non-runner could not possible conceive. Perhaps most importantly, it will make running a social experience and therefore more enjoyable.
This run is the first of an 80 mile week. I began training this past May after a very long hiatus from consistent running and competitive racing. By September, my fitness was restored to previous levels, and, by November, I was in the best shape of my life. I ran a personal best at the Philadelphia Half Marathon (1:11:40) on November 22. After the race, I slowly built up to a 60 mile in late December. I encountered a rocky start at the beginning of January, when I hoped to ramp up training and increase to 85 mile weeks, long interval workouts, and a 20 mile long run. Like the fates of most carefully constructed plans based on scientific principals, I abandoned my spring training plan when my dog got sick and died. I am a few weeks behind "schedule" but I will be fine for spring racing.
Today's long run restored my confidence and prepared me mentally and physically for the long runs and tempo workouts that lay ahead. I hope to run a 20+ mile long run at least twice each month throughout February, March, and April, with a maximum long run of 23 miles, or 2 hours and 40 minutes. Some of these long runs will contain significant portions at marathon pace and half marathon pace. For example, next week my long run might be shorter (16-18 miles) than today's run, but, if it is, I will spend at 20:00-40:00 at tempo pace. Eventually, I will complete a few 20+ mile long runs that include substantial segments at lactate threshold pace (5-8 miles broken into cruise intervals) or marathon goal pace (10-13 miles). As I begin these workouts later this winter, I will elaborate more on purpose these runs serve in a marathon training regimen.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Day One
I recently established this blog to serve as an online training log as I prepare for my marathon this May. Until this past fall, when I established an account with running2win.com, I was not diligent about tracking my miles and workouts, or detailing the progress, or lack thereof, of my training. Once I began recording my daily mileage at running2win, I found myself writing substantive narratives about my daily runs, describing the trials and successes of workouts or simply reflecting on mundane aspects of my runs, such as animal sighting and bizarre encounters.
Shortly before establishing my running2win account, I began following a few blogs of fellow runners, some of whom I've met and others who are established in cyberspace. I greatly enjoyed following other runners' progress and their "trials of miles" and "miles of trials". In addition, some of the runners wrote with an educational objective, hoping to spark dialogues among the followers of their blogs and to inform blog followers about their training methods. For example, Tim Budic had a series of entries that featured the training programs of elite and sub-elite marathoners and entry about his philosophy on tempo runs. As an educator by profession and a student of distance running, I thought this form of blogging was fantastic, especially given all of the misconceptions and misinformation about distance training to that derails the careers of professionals, college athletes, and recreational runners.
Furthermore, I've been lamenting my lack of reflective writing for over a year. As a graduate of history, I regularly churned out multiple essays a week and, in the process, developed a sophisticated and polished writing style. Since graduating and entering the workforce, in which I hold position that is not writing intensive, my writing skills have atrophied. Since I do not maintain a journal, most my writing is devoted to crafting lesson plans and emails - far from creative expression.
The convergence of these many factors - logging miles with running2win, following runners' blogs, and seeking to sharpen my writing skills - led me to establish this blog. I intend to use it simply for reflective writing about my running in the hopes that others will find the content to be entertaining, informative, educational, and perhaps comforting. This last point is important. Anyone who has devoted themselves to the task of distance training has experienced heart wrenching setbacks, diminished motivation, and, at times, disgust with and aversion to the daily chore, especially during the perfect storms of fatigue, frustration, and bad weather. I certainly found it comforting to read how others struggled with maintaining motivation during the post-collegiate years.
With that being said, I intend for this blog to evolve organically, much like my running, and I do not know what forms it will take nor paths it will follow. I will respond to this stimulus - reflective writing - the same way I do with training, by listening to my body and being introspective. However, this will be a training log. I do not intend to pontificate about political issues, discuss details about my personal life beyond my daily runs, or offer my position on trends in pop culture. This blog will focus on running, specifically my training as I prepare for the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 2.
By this point, you are probably wondering why I have yet to discuss my past and current training or my objectives and goals for this spring. This will have to wait until my next post, since I've already rambled for several paragraphs. Since this is Saturday, and I've already completed my week of training, I'll leave you with my a rundown of my weekly mileage. Peace.
Sunday - 9.75 miles; 9+ mile run and 6x25-second striders
Monday - 17.25 miles; 30:00 up, 5x1600 @ Tempo pace, averaging 5:32 for the set; 50:00 down
Tuesday - 9 miles
Wednesday - 7.75 recovery run
Thursday - 10 mile fartlek run; 7 x 3:00/3:30 on - 2:00 off at 5K pace (effort)
Friday - 9 miles
Saturday - 9.75 miles; 9+ miles and 6x25-second striders
Total mileage: 72.5
Shortly before establishing my running2win account, I began following a few blogs of fellow runners, some of whom I've met and others who are established in cyberspace. I greatly enjoyed following other runners' progress and their "trials of miles" and "miles of trials". In addition, some of the runners wrote with an educational objective, hoping to spark dialogues among the followers of their blogs and to inform blog followers about their training methods. For example, Tim Budic had a series of entries that featured the training programs of elite and sub-elite marathoners and entry about his philosophy on tempo runs. As an educator by profession and a student of distance running, I thought this form of blogging was fantastic, especially given all of the misconceptions and misinformation about distance training to that derails the careers of professionals, college athletes, and recreational runners.
Furthermore, I've been lamenting my lack of reflective writing for over a year. As a graduate of history, I regularly churned out multiple essays a week and, in the process, developed a sophisticated and polished writing style. Since graduating and entering the workforce, in which I hold position that is not writing intensive, my writing skills have atrophied. Since I do not maintain a journal, most my writing is devoted to crafting lesson plans and emails - far from creative expression.
The convergence of these many factors - logging miles with running2win, following runners' blogs, and seeking to sharpen my writing skills - led me to establish this blog. I intend to use it simply for reflective writing about my running in the hopes that others will find the content to be entertaining, informative, educational, and perhaps comforting. This last point is important. Anyone who has devoted themselves to the task of distance training has experienced heart wrenching setbacks, diminished motivation, and, at times, disgust with and aversion to the daily chore, especially during the perfect storms of fatigue, frustration, and bad weather. I certainly found it comforting to read how others struggled with maintaining motivation during the post-collegiate years.
With that being said, I intend for this blog to evolve organically, much like my running, and I do not know what forms it will take nor paths it will follow. I will respond to this stimulus - reflective writing - the same way I do with training, by listening to my body and being introspective. However, this will be a training log. I do not intend to pontificate about political issues, discuss details about my personal life beyond my daily runs, or offer my position on trends in pop culture. This blog will focus on running, specifically my training as I prepare for the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 2.
By this point, you are probably wondering why I have yet to discuss my past and current training or my objectives and goals for this spring. This will have to wait until my next post, since I've already rambled for several paragraphs. Since this is Saturday, and I've already completed my week of training, I'll leave you with my a rundown of my weekly mileage. Peace.
Sunday - 9.75 miles; 9+ mile run and 6x25-second striders
Monday - 17.25 miles; 30:00 up, 5x1600 @ Tempo pace, averaging 5:32 for the set; 50:00 down
Tuesday - 9 miles
Wednesday - 7.75 recovery run
Thursday - 10 mile fartlek run; 7 x 3:00/3:30 on - 2:00 off at 5K pace (effort)
Friday - 9 miles
Saturday - 9.75 miles; 9+ miles and 6x25-second striders
Total mileage: 72.5
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