Pace Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 33:16
Pace: 8:19 min/mi

Comments: Out a little earlier but still not at the usual time. So it was a little cooler but not a lot. Wanted to push the pace the whole way but didn't look at the Garmin except at the end of each mile. Did the first one faster than I thought but then seemed to lock into that pace range the rest of the way.

This probably was a little closer to 10K race pace than HM or marathon. I could really tell on the third mile when my breathing got substantially more labored. Still, it was my first faster effort in a week or so. The key was holding the effort all the way through.

Training Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 56:30
Pace: 9:24 min/mi

Comments: Didn't get out the door as early as I wanted but still beat the rest of the runs this week. The temperature difference was substantial although the peak humidity with sun still posed a formidable challenge.

This was another 'no peeking' run in regards to the Garmin. I just focused on getting it done. That said, my heart rate was in the higher levels a lot for the course of this one. That's not optimal.

Tomorrow will be a pace effort. I'll definitely try and beat the sunrise for that.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:59
Pace: 9:29 min/mi

Comments: Sloppy and unpleasant. Got out late so it was very hot and very humid. Add to that a dollop of dehydration and this was a challenge the whole way. I deliberately ignored the Garmin and just focused on getting this one over with.

The good news is that my legs seem to have recovered pretty well from the long run. There was a lot of discomfort on this run but no soreness in my legs at all. With luck, that's going to translate into strength for the next long attempt.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:05
Pace: 9:15 min/mi

Comments: My intent was to put a short and slow recovery run in the day after the long run. I was still feeling sore when I got up the next day so I decided to err on the side of caution. I was still a little stiff going out today but felt much better than the morning prior.

This wasn't fancy at all, just trying to get a comfortable, easy pace. I ended up with a slightly faster pace than I was really aiming for though. But there weren't any major issues with the effort. Finished feeling pretty good, not worn out.

Long Run

Distance: 18 miles
Time: 3:05:55
Pace: 10:19 min/mi

Comments: I bumped the long run back a day out of an abundance of caution and it seems that was the right thing to do. I did pretty well through most of this effort but the last few miles were seriously tough.

I meant to get going at 5 a.m. but let myself sleep a bit longer. I was still out pretty early but I got more sun at the end than I really needed. The first few miles went well except for the water bottles. It was clumsy carrying them but I knew it wasn't an option.

I felt pretty good on the way out but the humidity had me sweating hard. At the turnaround I tried to up my cadence but not my effort in order to keep my momentum going. It worked for just more than five miles. The last three and a half miles were an exhausted slog that got worse every step. Somehow I gutted it out and got it done.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 9

Distance: 34.03 miles
Time: 5:31:19
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: This was an very unsatisfying week of training. I pushed last week's long run to Monday and it was a shambolic mess. I finished it but was completely wiped out afterward. Recovered for a nice run the next day but then had a forced day off due to work/travel.

So instead of an interval workout, I did a regular training run to follow. Got in a second training run and then hit the weekend malaise again. Saturday turned into another unexpected rest day. The intention was for a Sunday long run but, getting up, that didn't seem like the best idea and the big miles will wait for Monday once again.

I don't think this inconsistency has affected my conditioning or performance... yet. I'm more than a little concerned about the mental side of it, particularly the lack of focus. My enthusiasm has lagged a bit and I find myself dreading doing the workouts.

Some of this is probably the sheer amount of miles at this point. And some of it is the growing load of other responsibilities in my life at the moment. But I am really close to this race now and I need to get my shit together for the final push of training.

Injury update: No issues.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:15
Pace: 9:18 min/mi

Comments: The training plan called for a long run today but I decided to push that effort to Monday once again. I found myself concerned about it yesterday and I was mentally not ready for it when I got up this morning.

After completing this run I'm thinking I did the right thing. This was a good effort but I wasn't particularly dialed into it. It felt more like a recovery effort than a training workout, something that would have become a real issue on a long run.