Training Run: Long

Distance: 6.68 miles
Time: 1:09:04
Pace: 10:20 min/mi

Comments: The long run today consisted of two out-and-back laps of the Gatlinburg Trail. Even though we went early when it was still very chilly, there were a number of folks out walking. Only one or two runners, though. Perhaps they got their workouts in early.

I ended up doing this a bit faster than the required long run pace. That's partly because of the cold and partly because it's tough to hold pace with the changing elevation. Still, I never got to the point of pushing fatigue, the effort was very constant.

The scenery on this trail is really very nice but I still wish I could have done some of the more challenging trails while in Tennessee.

Training Run

Distance: 4.04 miles
Time: 42:31
Pace: 10:32 min/mi

Comments: Usually when I travel, my running regimine goes out the window. For this trip to Gatlinburg, I wanted to make sure to take advantage of the trails in the Great Smoky Mountain National Forest.

The Gatlinburg Trail isn't deep in the mountains. It's a rather basic walking trail along the main road through the forest and gets a lot of walkers mostly. There are a few uphills but no crazy climbs.

It was a little bit chilly so this got delayed to the afternoon. I tried to get the training requirement in (sprints) and did alright but trying to figure out the distance threw me off. Still, a really pleasant run and a nice change of pace.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.04 miles
Time:45:29
Pace: 11:15 min/mi

Comments: One of my resolutions this year was to run another marathon. After reviewing my progress thus far it seems about time to decide what one exactly. If I start training now, I should be set to take on the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon which is in late May.

So I got hold of Billy at Blaser Coaching Services to see about coming up with a plan and he said it seems reasonable.

This approach will inevitably result in doing a lot of runs slower than I usually do. So today I deliberately went out trying to keep the pace under 11 min/mi. I achieved that but it was a major pain in the ass.

And, even though it was far slower than my usual runs, I spent almost 60% of the effort with Zone 5 heart rate. So this will be fun.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:05
Pace: 10:15 min/mi

Comments: I was pretty sore the day after the race but it certainly wasn't as awful as I was fearing it might be. By the end of the day I was getting around pretty well. I felt a bit stiff this morning but nothing that really impeded my run.

The one thing I'm really needing to focus on as we enter the last phase of training for these January races is slowing the hell down. I did great with that in the first half of the race. Now I need to do it consistently through training.

Today I started out a bit on the fast side but deliberately focused on keeping it in check the rest of the way. My last mile was about a minute slower than the first (mainly downhill) one. That feels weird but it's what I need to keep doing.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 16

Distance: 30.57
Time: 4:36:47
Pace: 9:03 min/mi

Comments: The final taper week was an anxiety-filled delight. I got one run in an then had to battle a low-grade sinus infection. I felt like butt but not that absolutely awful of a full-on sinus infection-level butt. So I focused on lots of sleep, forcing fluids and not moving too much.

Over the course the week I made it a point to keep eating well and, on Thursday, I commenced with carbo-loading. I chose to use Maurten Drink Mix 160, downing eight packets over the course of the  day. This follows a method a runner I know used for the Chicago Marathon the week prior. Did it work? Well, it certainly didn't hurt.

The race was rough. I will think about the details of the effort later. Bottom line is I hit my goals of 1) completing it 2) running the whole way and 3) sub-four hours. The brutal exhaustion at the end wasn't fun but, at least I know I left everything I had on the course.

Injury update: The right lower hamstring and upper Achilles tendon ached consistently over the course of the race, particularly after the halfway mark. I was really worried they might become something critical by the end but that never materialized. Still, while I ache all over now, they -- and my hips -- are the most sore in the post race.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 15

Distance: 16.02 miles
Time: 2:31:27
Pace: 9:27 min/mi

Comments: Taper week. But I still slacked off a bit more than proscribed. Skipped the "long run" because I was feeling blah and the weather/events conspired against me. Still, I don't really think it will have an enormous impact given the quality of miles I have over the last three months.

Now it's race week. I have a couple of runs planned but nothing fast or intense at all. I've got carb loading to do. I've decided at the last minute to do something a little different. Hopefully, it goes as planned.

Mostly this week is a matter of packing and watching the weather forecast with trepidation.

Injury update: Nada

Marathon Training Summary: Week 14

Distance: 30.06
Time: 4:34:22
Pace: 9:08 min/mi

Comments: First week of the taper down. I ended up taking an extra rest day on Saturday because I felt really dragged down. That worked out well, though, with the strong pace effort on the Sunday long run. I've shifted the runs around next week to give another four-day run of workouts before the next off day.

I'm feeling like the strength to complete the race is there and the stamina is in the ballpark of hitting the four-hour goal. The latter is going to be a near thing though. I'll have to be very careful on the first half of the race to make it work. I need to sit down and do a little research to be ready for what the course throws at me.

Injury update: There has been tightness and various muscle aches in my upper right leg for awhile. None of it has blossomed into anything severe, but I don't want any surprises now I am in the home stretch.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 13

Distance: 43:43
Time: 7:03:48
Pace: 9:45 min/mi

Comments: That's it for peak week. At the end of it, peak week turned out slightly shorter than week before last. But when you compare 20 mile long runs, I had a far better performance this week. Not just faster but much more in control the whole way. That's partly due to more agreeable temperatures but it's also a bit of training.

Now beginith the taper. Next week will be a lot like the week before last. Biggest difference is a longer pace run on Saturday before a more reasonable long run next Sunday. I might add an extra off day depending on how I feel.

Injury update: My right knee, quad and IT band have been achy this week. Nothing major but sore and unhappy. If it keeps up into next week I'll start regular icing.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 12

Distance: 35.31 miles
Time: 5:37:23
Pace: 9:33 min/mi

Comments: A little bit of a pull-back week from the previous seven days. This made even more sense after the extra work and fatigue due to the move. This week had a ton of scheduling issues that complicated running efforts but now everything is done and I hope to be able to focus on my performance in each workout much better.

I had a rough time the first runs of the week due to the lingering soreness from the 20 miler and the formidable humidity that has arrived in the area. The soreness has pretty much disappeared but the humidity shows no sign of relenting any time soon.

Next up is Peak Week with a lot of miles topped with the second 20 miler. I'm reserving the right to ease up on some of the mid-week workouts if the distance starts to make itself felt but I'd like to get everything I planned if at all possible.

Injury update: Regular aches and soreness but no major issues.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:21
Pace: 8:49 min/mi

Comments: So, this one got pushed to the mid-afternoon by morning rains and internet service stupidity. I got stuck at my home because the morons that cut off my service were too busy to come fix it. Sayonara, Spectrum.

The result was I started this one still WAY too pissed and, instead of getting in a good recovery run in the wake of a tough 20 miler, I went for pace. Brilliant. I did try to keep on top of things but there was just too much adrenaline in play.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 11

Distance: 43.65 miles
Time: 6:52:52
Pace: 9:27 min/mi

Comments: I finally got back on track and put in a full six days including the speed work, the pace work and the long run. I also moved this week and averaged about 30 floors worth of steps over the course of four days. My quads were really sore after that, but, perhaps that helped overall conditioning.

The long run went much better than my previous 'big push' for longer miles. Part of that is just getting stronger but the weather helped quite a bit too. I'm hoping even more favorable temperatures will push me over the edge to achieve my goals in the race next month.

For these last few weeks I really have to stay focused and crank out the proscribed workouts. Eating and sleeping well need to be prioritized also.

Injury update: A few aches with all the additional mileage but nothing alarming.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 10

Distance: 36.03
Time: 5:50:46
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: Not the best week of training, to say the least. I haven't been focused at all. I've been getting up late, changing the planned runs and really having a hard time keeping my enthusiasm up. A big factor has been my personal and work schedules over the past two weeks but that's only part of the problem.

It's been more than two months of training now and that has involved getting up at 5 a.m. to go out and run in 80 degree heat and 80 degree humidity. Every damn day. There has been a ton of progress but I'm a bit weary of the grind at this point.

This next week will be a problem as well due to my planned move. I'll get the miles in but it won't be fancy at all. But there is just six weeks left. I need a strong September to get me ready.

Injury update: Lotta little sore spots but nothing major.

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.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 8

Distance: 23.53 miles
Time: 3:30:51
Pace: 8:58 min/mi

Comments: A good week of work that ended on a lackluster note. I got up late today and, as a result, decided to put off the long run. The plan is to do it tomorrow, which will make this week look pretty lacking. Of course next week will start with a long run and, depending on how things work out, might have a second. We'll see how the legs respond to moving things around.

Overall the week went well, though. Got a lot of solid runs in and really kept to my intended goals the whole way. I kept closer to my target paces and my heart rate stayed in the ranges I was hoping. The temperatures are still a bit warm for the mid-morning runs though. Need to work on eliminating those if at all possible.

Injury update: Nothing really.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 7

Distance: 37.56
Time: 5:40:15
Pace: 9:04 min/mi

Comments: This was the first full week of work in two weeks, really. Last week was a recovery week and the week before that was abbreviated due to travel. I really wanted to get a solid effort the whole week and feel pretty good about that.

The Tuesday recovery run sucked but I rebounded for a strong interval workout and a series of very good training runs. The tempo run was faster than I expected but, upon review, in line with the one I did the week prior. The long run was substantially better than my last time at the distance almost two weeks ago.

Next week is going to be almost exactly the same with a slightly longer tempo and long run. I'm hoping for similar consistency.

Injury update: My quads have been sore since the interval effort but not in a particularly bad way. The balls of my feet were not happy at the end of the long run but that could be from using the shoes two days running.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 6

Distance: 30.21 miles
Time: 4:36:02
Pace: 9:08 min/mi

Comments: The recovery week worked out pretty much like I hoped. I not only eased up a bit on the workouts during the week, I allowed myself an additional rest day before the weekend tempo/long run effort. The fitness chart (below) really shows how the decrease in intensity but the overall level of fitness remains very stable.

Next week will be a return to big miles. I'll up my mileage during weekly runs a bit, completely eliminate additional off days and get restarted on the serious long runs. This will very much be a test on how ready I am for the heart of the training program. I feel pretty positive about it given the last month of training but there's a good bit of anxiety hanging around as well.

On another front, I have been doing regular upper body workouts for most of the year. Nothing fancy, pull up, chin ups, push ups and planks. The goal is 1) better posture and 2) enough strength to handle holding my arms up for a full four hours. I've laid off for the last week or so but intend to pick that back up this week.

Injury update: My lower back is still stiff but got noticeably better over the course of the week. I had soreness in my left quad after the tempo run and a little bit in my right knee after the long run. Neither lasted particularly long.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 5

Distance: 31.43 miles
Time: 5:27:16
Pace: 10:25 min/mi

Comments: Oddball week due to travel and weekend plans. I ended up taking an extra rest day and moving my long run up to Friday. The result was a slightly shorter distance week despite the longest long run thus far (and my weekly pace took a hit as well).

The 15 mile long run was extraordinarily slow but that's on purpose. I was only concentrating on the distance. Right now the priority is putting in a 2.5 hour plus effort. I'll worry about getting faster later on in the training program. Maybe.

I've been going pretty hard since the start of July so it is time for an "easy" week to recover a bit. I'll probably reduce next week's planned mileage a bit to help with that effort. I've been pretty lucky thus far in terms of injury. There's no need to tempt fate this early in the game.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 4

Distance: 35.2 miles
Time: 5:25:55
Pace: 9:16 min/mi

Comments: Stacked six runs in a row this week for the first time. I wasn't sure if the lack of rest days in the week would leave me fatigued to the point of exhaustion but it actually worked out pretty well. The upshot was a weekly max for mileage and time running while still keeping my tempo in the right range.

The big event this week was finally registering for the Hartford Marathon in October as well as the Walt Disney World Marathon in January. I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to add the half marathon to the latter and go for the "Goofy." Not the smartest thing I've ever done.

In terms of training it doesn't change much for now. The strategy is to stay on track for the October race and, after that, look at what needs to be done for the January races. One big factor for my going all-in for WDW is the fact I don't feel compelled to go for a record time in either of them. It's a matter of just getting the miles.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 3

Distance: 29.04 miles
Time: 4:34:53
Pace: 9:28 min/mi

Comments: I was a bit concerned starting out this week due to to the workload of Week 15. I saw a lot of improvement last week as the miles increased but that was accompanied by a sharp reduction in recovery days. I responded well, but I'm certainly concerned about overload.

The idea was to dial it back a little this week, and I actually did somewhat, but it was still pretty intense when compared to my efforts as recently as June. But I have continued to feel pretty good even as the efforts have intensified.

One tool helping me with this is the Stravistix charting system that uses heart rate exertion to track fitness and fatigue (see below). After a few weeks of toying with it, I'm starting to grasp how it expresses the work I've been putting in. Hopefully, it'll be a way to keep my legs feeling strong through this training effort.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 2

Distance: 31:31 miles
Time: 4:46:38
Pace: 9:09 min/mi

Comments: The second week of marathon training is in the books and I'm pretty pleased with the progress. The week started with a clumsy 10K effort but I regrouped and put in some quality running after that. I finally feel like I am back in control of my running again.

The goals this week were to get a clearer idea of pacing times, put in consecutive runs and crank up the mileage to prepare for the training plan workload. The bungled 10K left the first one up in the air but I feel pretty strong about the second two.

As for the week, I had a 20% increase in overall mileage but felt strong through all of the workouts. My overall weekly pace dropped considerably as well. I don't think this is because I am suddenly faster, just finally strong enough to start to show the consistency I need for this training effort.

Since my training was pretty aggressive this week, I will probably dial the intensity back a bit next week. I still want the miles but recovery and training runs will be just that, no creeping up into the race pace range like I did this week.