Week fifteen was my last intense set of workouts before beginning to taper. The week had three fantastic runs. Thrown in was one “easy” run that felt junky, with noticeable shin pain. It caused me to take an unscheduled rest day, which helped. Closed the week out with an amazing set of intervals and a lovely longish run. To which I say: it’s taper time! Three weeks left until Chicago Marathon!
Monday
Rest Day.
Tuesday
Run: Tempo.
Weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for a run. Squeezed this workout in with just enough time. Tightly scheduled day.
Tempo miles felt fantastic. Better than the warmup and cool down, actually. I just love that verge between comfortable and uncomfortable that tempo runs afford. It’s when I’m happiest on the run.
Legs felt more than decent after Sunday’s 20-miler.
Conditions: Sun – 65F – felt like 65F – 34% humidity – 5mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 4 mi @ 7:10-7:15; 20 min cd
- Actual = 9.00 mi – 1:09:42 – 7:44 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.5 mi – 20:03 – 8:01 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – 7:07
- (2) – 7:08
- (3) – 7:09
- (4) – 7:07
- (cd) – 2.5 mi – 21:03 – 8:25 min/mi avg pace
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Eh, what a weird evening run.
A) My shins felt like crap. They were suddenly sore and bothering me. They loosened up a few miles into the run, but overall, I was irritated they were irritated.
B) Ran in the park at dark: spotted several raccoons darting around, and was swooped at by a bat. Also, there were at least 30-40 cop cars roving through the park, and stationed at 102nd Traverse. Why?
C) Got bored with my surroundings, so took my cranky shins down Broadway from 59th street to 18th St/Union Square for a change of scenery.
D) Miles 7 & 8 were down Broadway – Times Square was a mob scene and I kept losing the bike path somehow. Looking at my splits, can you guess which mile was in Times Square?
E) Cut the run by 10 minutes thinking: “That was enough for today. I get the point.” But, it was certainly an adventure!
Conditions: Not recorded.
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 hr 20 min easy @ 8:20 – 8:35 pace
- Actual = 8.02 mi – 1:08:39 – 8:33 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:45; (2) 8:42; (3) 8:35; (4) 8:32; (5) 8:27; (6) 8:16; (7) 9:13; (8) 7:56
Thursday
Run: Canceled.
Schedule called for 60 min easy; however, shins were still achy from Wednesday’s run. Checked with Coach, who okayed an unscheduled rest day.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: N/A
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 0.00 mi
- Splits = N/A
Friday
Run: 800m Intervals.
Thursday’s rest day helped immensely.
No shin pain meant I ran my Yasso 800s feeling great!
Coach had said by the time I worked up to 10 x 800m, the workout would be more about endurance than speed. This run absolutely confirmed that.
Was quite happy with the relatively consistent pacing on these. Also adding to the happiness: my interval pace matched my 1-mile race time at last year’s 5th Avenue Mile. And, here I did 5 miles worth of distance at that pace!
Conditions: Sun/Wind – 70F – felt like 70F – 51% humidity – 10 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 5 min drills; 10 x 800m @3:20-30 (2:30 walking RI); 5 min cd
- Actual = 8.99 mi – 1:18:21 – 8:42 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.84 mi – 15:03 – 8:10 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – .5 mi – 3:20 – 6:40 min/mi
- (2) – .5 mi – 3:16 – 6:33 min/mi
- (3) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (4) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (5) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (6) – .5 mi – 3:17 – 6:35 min/mi
- (7) – .5 mi – 3:16 – 6:32 min/mi
- (8) – .5 mi – 3:14 – 6:28 min/mi
- (9) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:36 min/mi
- (10) – .5 mi – 3:15 – 6:30 min/mi
- (cd) – .67 mi – 5:24 – 8:06 min/mi avg pace
Saturday
Rest Day.
Sunday
Run: Long
After Friday’s intervals, and spending most of Saturday on my feet, I didn’t think my legs would have it in them today.
Woke up late and had a hard time getting out the door. Started around 8:30 AM, and my legs felt stiff the first mile. Thankfully they loosened up and the run fell nicely into place.
Gorgeous morning, with lots happening in the park – people warming up for 5th Ave Mile, people doing long runs, and a triathlon. It was a nice diversion.
Did majority of the run in the park, both on the drive and around the reservoir. Finished last 4 miles along the Hudson, which was quite windy.
Conditions: Sun – 66F – felt like 66F – 48% humidity – 14 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr – 2hr 15 min @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 16.01 mi – 2:11:48- 8:13 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:31; (2) 8:12; (3) 8:13; (4) 8:08; (5) 8:26; (6) 8:19; (7) 8:15; (8) 8:15; (9) 8:14; (10) 8:10; (11) 8:12; (12) 8:02; (13) 8:16; (14) 8:11; (15) 8:08; (16) 8:04
Weekly Totals
- 5 hrs 48 mins
- 42.02 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
