This training cycle was similar to my last (Air Force Marathon) where I spent the first 8-10 weeks of the cycle focusing on getting into the best half-marathon shape I can and then transitioning into marathon specific workouts. The difference was I wasn't as fried from the first microcycle and also had a slightly longer marathon specific microcycle (by 2-3 weeks) this time. Along with much better race day conditions, I was able to translate all this into a PR of about 5 and a half minutes.
Below I will summarize my training by noting the total mileage for the week and describing the key workouts I did that week:
A few things to keep in mind about my training:
1. Unless otherwise noted, these workouts are done either in Colorado Springs (elevation about 6200-6300 feet) or races in Denver (5200-5400 feet).
2. I do a lot of my workouts at Monument Valley Park (MVP) on a dirt loop that's about 0.97 miles. Since it's about 10 seconds short of a full mile, it's just about enough to offset the altitude handicap and I refer to these as "sea level equivalent" miles.
3. In general Q1 is done on Tuesday or Wednesday of the week, but in weeks where I think number of days between workouts is important. (such as how many days before a race I did a tuneup) I'll note the days of the week that the workout was done.
Things I did this cycle that I thought worked well for me:
1. During the marathon specific portion of the cycle - I introduced a few 20-23 mile runs where I inserted a 5-10 mile MP segment late in the run. This was by design to teach myself to run hard when I have been on my feet for 1.5-2 hours.
2. I did a few midweek MP (or long tempo) workouts that really taught my body what marathon pace effort felt like. It's a little hard to describe, but towards the end of these workouts I felt much more in tune with that specific level of effort than I have in training before. I would like to believe that it also made my body more efficient at that effort level / pace, which allowed me to get closer to that "red line" feeling during my last marathon than I have been able to in any prior marathons.
3. While I didn't adopt the latest Jack Daniels Running Formula schedule where he had his runners do a long/hard workout every 4-5 days instead of the traditional 2-workouts-a-week schedule, I took the concept of recovery to heart this time around and didn't try to force workouts until I felt like I was sufficiently recovered to at least be able to complete 75-80% of the workout. Note: this may sound contradictory to the concept of "cumulative fatigue" that those who know me may have heard me preach about in the past, but I said I felt "sufficiently" recovered, not fully recovered before I try to tackle the next workout. This worked late in the training cycle (i.e. week 15) where I would cut out two medium effort workouts and try to nail one solid workout instead.
Things I thought I could work on more:
1. The first half of the cycle was actually somewhat dedicated to breaking 67:00 in the half-marathon so I can qualify for the USA Half-marathon championships. While I felt like I was in shape to do so going into Rock n' Roll Las Vegas, a combination of various factors derailed me that day. (mainly a ill-timed cold and not fueling properly for a night time race which led to my body rebelling about halfway through the race). Regardless, when I run another marathon I would like to have a dedicated 12-15 week cycle where I am doing long runs and marathon paced workouts every 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4 weeks.
2. One of my friends pointed out in one of his recent blogs that he felt like he should have done more long runs / workouts at 95% of marathon pace to stimulate utilizing fat as a fuel. I think this is a good point and something I probably could have done more of as well. Again, if I had a longer marathon-specific microcycle within my training period I think I could have fit in some of these runs.
Houston Marathon Training:
Week 1: 12 miles. (Took first 6 days off, and then ran 12 easy on Sunday)
Week 2: 63 miles
Q1: Midweek I ran 11 miles easy, with a 2-mile pickup in 5:34 and 5:22. (elevation about 2000 ft)
Q2: On Sunday my wife forced/talked me into running a half-marathon in South Dakota - I ran hard enough to break the old course record, which was a bit harder than expected since the lead bike led us the wrong way in the first mile and I lost about 30 seconds, and I somehow gained 12-13 lbs in the last 2 weeks since my marathon. 13.2 miles in 74:27.
Week 3: 103 miles
Q1: Midweek - Ran on the "sea level equivalent miles" loop at MVP. Did 3-3-2 at 5:30, 5:30, 5:32. (it was actually supposed to be 3x3 but I bailed a mile early)
Q2: Raced the Tiger Classic 5K - 17:11. Not excited about the time, but it was close to a minute faster than the year before.
Week 4: 102 miles
Q1: Midweek - 3x2 miles - 5:41, 5:31, 5:30 pace with 3 min rest between intervals.
Q2: Denver Rock n' Roll Half Marathon - 9th / 72:45. Pretty pleased with this since I raced a 5K last weekend at this pace and this was a moderately conservative effort and equivalent to about 69:45-70:00 at sea level.
Week 5: 101 miles
Q1: Midweek - (bombed workout). Wanted to do 3x2 @ MVP on the "sea level equivalent" loop and bailed after doing the first one @ 5:22 and one mile of the second one at 5:22. Jogged for 4 minutes and then did a fartlek of 6x(2min on, 2min off). The 2min on paces were 5:46, 5:44, 5:38, 5:35, 5:27, 5:27. (Total workout = 2@5:22 (sea level equivalent), 1@5:22 (sea level equivalent), 6x(2min on, 2min off))
Week 6: 78 miles
Q1: (Tuesday) - 3 loops at MVP on the sea level equivalent loop (5:12, 5:13, 5:11)
Q2: (Saturday) - Indianapolis Monumental Half-Marathon - 68:49
Week 7: 82 miles
Q1: (Wednesday) - 3x2miles with 2min rest @ 5:46, 5:12, 5:06. Paces were supposed to be 5:40, 5:30, 5:20, but I felt good when I picked it up on the 2nd interval and just went with it.
Q2: (Sunday) - 5K race in 16:02 in Denver
Week 8: 80 miles
Q1: (Wednesday) - 3 miles tuneup @ 5:14 (5:17, 5:15, 5:10)
Q2: (Sunday) - Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon - Crashed and burned after 10K. 69:35/9th.
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Marathon Specific Cycle Begins
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Week 9: 78 miles - Took 2 days off after the HM, felt this was more needed mentally than physically.
Q1: (Sunday) - Finally felt up to running hard again. Did 18 miles with 10 @ MP (5:43).
Week 10: 110 miles
Q1: (Thursday) - Went to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving with Maureen and our friends Jason/Hillary. We hopped into a 12K Turkey Trot near Hoover Dam. I ran this at tempo effort (7.4 miles @ 5:25-5:30).
Week 11: 120 miles
Q1: I was still feeling run down for some reason so I was just going to do a week of easy miles and then run the HM this weekend as a workout. But I felt good enough by midweek to throw in a 2mile pickup @ 5:21 pace.
Q2: Tucson Half-Marathon - 68:04/3rd. This was an intended MP workout at 5:25-5:30/mi pace that quickly got out of hand when faster runners showed up and I got dragged out way faster than I intended. By halfway, with an outside shot at a PR I decided to just give it everything I had.
Week 12: 150 miles
Q1: (Failed tempo workout of 3x3mi). Got in 3-1.5-0.5 @ 5:35 pace.
Q2: 23 mile long run with a 5 mile "push"/pickup from miles 17-22 @ 5:44 pace.
Week 13: 140 miles
Q1: 10 mile MP run @ 5:40 pace.
Q2: 23 mile long run with a 8 mile "push"/pickup from miles 13-21 @ 5:37 pace.
Week 14: 140 miles
Q1: 4x3miles with 4 min rest between intervals. Paces were 5:34, 5:30, 5:28, 5:26
Q2: 20 mile long run with 12 miles @ MP (5:36.9)
Week 15: 121 miles (felt a bit tired this week so I took a few extra days before the next workout)
Q1: (Friday) - 6 miles tempo @ 5:16 average. Huge confidence booster since I ran the same workout at about the same effort 2 weeks out from Houston last year. (where I ran 68:12 for the half) and I was 8-9 seconds/mi faster this time.
Week 16: 103 miles
Q1: (Tuesday) - Planned to do 10 @ MP but got "greedy" halfway through and pushed it a bit and had to bail at 6.5. (6.5 miles @ 5:35)
Q2: (Saturday) - 5 mile MP/tempo @ 5:31 average (last mile in 5:17). Goal was to run MP for 4 miles and then pick it up the last mile.
Week 17: 81 miles
Q1: (Tuesday) - "Dress rehearsal" run. 3 miles @ MP (5:37, 5:35, 5:32) + 1 @ tempo (5:11). Felt good and ready to roll.
Q2: (Sunday) - Houston Marathon in 2:22:43. PR by 5:32.
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