2/4-2/10: 88 Miles/Week

I lowered the mileage a little this week and it payed off.  I also got in a pool run.  I feel ready to go into the next few weeks of quality training.  The track-workout was solid, and it boosted my confidence of where my fitness is.  I am exactly where I need to be right now.  My workouts and long runs are getting faster each week.  My long run this weekend was probably one of the best feeling long runs I've ever had.  I started off quite slow-7:30 for the first few miles, but picked up the pace slightly each mile, gradually working down to 6:00's and by the end was running 5:20 miles.  It's a great feeling when you run a long run like that.  The body responds well to it.  The 2K repeats got into "familiar territory" of threshold work.  My interval workouts are improving the most rapidly now that I have gotten to more specific race pace workouts.  I am really happy that I did not race on the track in January.  I have not raced since November, and my body and mind needed that break-and it enables me to get in really great training!            

Monday: PM: 10 miles easy + strength training

Tuesday: AM: 10 miles easy

Wednesday: AM: Pool Running 45:00/
PM: Track Workout: 3.5 mile warm-up, 6 X 2K w/ 1 lap jog recoveries(3-4 min rests total),
2K splits: 6:23, 6:18, 6:17, 6:15, 6:16, 6:20, 1.5 mile cool-down

Thursday: AM: 12 miles easy

Friday: AM: 4 miles easy/PM: 6 miles easy

Saturday: AM: 20 miles(2:07:00) Progression Run: 1st 10 miles: 70:00, 2nd 10 miles: 57:00

Sunday: AM: 13 miles easy + strength training


TOTAL: 88 Miles

1/28-2/3: 98 Miles/Week

98 miles this week.  Skipped the pool but will get that going again next week.  Had a nice long run.  I really enjoy long runs more as they get closer to 20 miles.  The track workout went well too, and workouts will progress in distance/volume/quality as the weeks go by.  I am ready for a hard training month of February.

Monday: PM: 10 miles moderate 64:00, + strength training

Tuesday: AM: 12.5 miles easy

Wednesday: AM: Track: 3 mile warm-up, drills, strides,
5 x 1600m: 5:08, 5:01, 4:58, 5:00, 5:02, 3 mile cool-down
PM: 7.5 miles

Thursday: AM: 8 miles easy

Friday: AM: 4.5 miles easy
PM: 8 miles easy

Saturday: AM: Long Run 19 miles 2:03:00

Sunday: AM: 12.5 miles easy
PM: 4 miles easy

TOTAL: 98 Miles

January 21-27: 109 Miles

This week was lots of volume, pure endurance training.  All about getting time on my feet.  Totaled 109 miles, plus a pool running workout.  I am building a good base.  Training in the cold + lots of miles toughened me up this week.  Feels good to be running a lot again.  I am aiming for another 100 this week, with some faster paced runs.  I probably won't go much higher than 110 throughout this winter/spring.  It's just all about consistency and getting enough mileage while gradually working into more demanding workouts and then bringing the mileage down as I get towards racing season.  For now, I continue to toughen up my body and mind.

Monday: AM: 10 mile progression 68:00 (Edwards Ferry/Whites Ferry Loop)/
PM: 5.5 mile progression @ Pennyfield Lock

Tuesday: AM: 14.5 mile hilly run in Boyds

Wednesday: AM: Pool Running 45 minutes/
PM: 3.5 mile run, then fartlek intervals on track: 2x200m(39, 35) w/ 200 jog, 2x400m(73, 69) w/ 400 jog, 2x800m(2:32, 2:30) w/ 400 jog,  2x1200m(3:56, 3:48) w/ 400 jog, + 4.5 mile run, Total 13 miles

Thursday: AM: 17.5 miles (Sycamore to Whites Ferry Loop in snow)

Friday: AM: 8 miles on roads/
PM: 6 miles @ Riley's Lock in snow

Saturday: AM: 16 Mile progression 1:45:00 @ Riley's Lock in snow/
PM: 4.5 miles on roads

Sunday: AM: 14 Miles @ Capital Crescent Trail (Bethesda to Georgetown out-and-back)

TOTAL: 109 MILES   

1/14-1/20: 91 Miles/Week(again)

Hit another solid week that came out to the exact mileage as last week.  Runs are continuing to progress and did some 800s on wednesday, which was a start to more specific goal pace.  Nothing crazy yet though-just getting stronger.  Looking foward to another solid week with improved workouts.  It feels good to have not raced in the past 2 months, and just train right now.

Mon: AM: Pool Running 45 minutes
PM: 10 miles 67:00(Edwards Ferry/Whites Ferrry Loop)

Tues: AM: 11.5 miles(hilly run on roads in Boyds)
PM: 6 miles(Treadmill)

Wed: PM: Track: 2.5 mile warm up,
8x800m: 2:35, 2:30, 2:28, 2:28, 2:30, 2:29, 2:30, 2:30, 2 mile cool down

Thurs: AM: 11 miles(towpath)

Fri: AM: 17.5 miles(Sycamore-Whites Ferry Loop), 6:30-6:40 pace

Sat: AM: 7.5 miles(road)
PM: 4 miles(road)

Sun: AM: 15 Miles(towpath)
PM: Strength Training

TOTAL: 91 MILES

1/7-1/13: 91 Miles/Week

Last week I missed 2 days because of an awful stomach virus.  I'm not sure if it was food poisoning or just remnants of the flu I had last month.  Either way, it sucked, and I lost weight in the process and got weakened.  Nevertheless, I still managed 66 miles in 5 days, and am certainly getting my mileage up again.  It has also taken me a little while to get my pace back, and I've been doing plenty of slow 7:30 pace runs.  However, this week I got back into 6:00-7:00 pace on more runs, and am feeling better and stronger again.  I also totaled 91 for the week, which I'm happy about-my highest mileage since this past fall.  On Saturday I did Jake Klim's 17.5 mile loop: starting at Sycamore Landing Road in Poolesville, heading North on the towpath to White's Ferry, and looping back to Edward's Ferry and back to Sycamore on the towpath.  It's a really nice loop all on soft surface.  I also got in some hill repeats this week which I think got things going again.  I have done a few track workouts(10x200m and 8x400m), but nothing that says I am ready to race yet.  Thus, I am not racing the MD Indoor Meet next weekend.  I am not ready to compete yet and I'd rather concentrate on the Shamrock Half in March as my 2013 opener.

1/7-1/13:

Mon: AM: 8.5 miles easy/
PM: warm up, Hill Repeats: 5 x 90 second hill, cool down, total 6.5 miles

Tues: AM: Pool Run 45 minutes/
PM: 8 miles easy

Wed: AM: 5 miles easy/
PM: Track: warm up, 10 x 200m, cool down, 6 miles total

Thurs: AM: Med-Long Run 15 miles 1:44:00

Fri: PM: 11.5 miles easy

Sat: AM: Long Run 17.5 Miles 1:57:00

Sun: AM: 12 miles easy

TOTAL: 91 Miles

The 2013 Race Plan

I have thought very hard about the year 2013, and because of that I have been unable to post for quite some time.  In addition, I had a rough time a few weeks ago, when I got hit with the flu.  Although I actually only missed 4 days of running, and rebounded pretty well.  But it was a pretty rough sickness, and it has taken another week for myself to get back on track.  These past few days I was up in the mountains of Westchester, NY visiting family.  Running up and down the steep, mountainous hills up there "woke" my legs up a bit.  I hit 78 miles this week, and got my first long run of close to 2 hours since the marathon.  Most of my runs have been slow though.  I have not done any speedwork except a few fartlek intervals.  But it will come back naturally as I get back into the swing of things.  I am also still pool running once a week and will continue to do so-I think it will help my training.

I was quite tired after I finished the Philly Marathon, and quite frankly, I needed some rest.  It was the finish to a 2-year drive-the way I look at it now.  2011 and 2012 were now, as I look back, a long continuous drive of training and racing.  The start of 2011, a 15:26 indoor 5K(a PR at the time), was the spark that drove a string of hard-earned races that followed throughout the next 2 years.  Coming out of 2012, I have shed another layer of skin, with new personal bests in all distances I have raced.  Some are stronger PRs than others, but at the end of the day the way I coach myself and the way I train is all about getting myself better as a whole to my utmost potential.  As I observe my performances, I have developed tremendously in 5K-13.1, but still just moderately in the marathon.  This to me, says something.

In 2011 and 2012, I split each year into 2 parts: the first part(Spring) was concentrating on 13.1 on down to the 5K, and the second part(Fall) was working on 10 miles on up to the Marathon.  This has brought me success and I have PRed in every event doing it this way.  However, my marathon continues to be the weakest(although I have brought my time down to at least a "decent" performance).  What I have been able to do is actually pretty incredible, now that I look at it.  I have been able to race and run personal bests in other events and still be able to run a marathon at the same time, during the same training cycles, and run a decent time.  But now I realize that I have gotten to a level where if I want to run a marathon "on par" with my other current bests, I must concentrate on only 26.2-and not throw in too many "distractions" during the cycle.  The day I do that I will be able to race the marathon up to my ability.

Well, I am not ready to do that right now.  

"Do what works."

I talked to Lucinda's husband, Andy(who trained under Brad Hudson and clocked 13:38 for 5000m during his competitive career) about what races to train for.  He said, "Do what works, Chris.  Do what you're good at right now."  This knocked some sense into me.

I felt an immediate sense of relief when I realized what I wanted to do this year.  It was very much a freeing feeling.  I need to do what works for me right now.  At this time it seems that the right thing to do is to devote a year towards training for nothing longer than 13.1.  If I concentrate on that, I can put ALL my energy into perfecting my current prime range.  I can really go all out now.  Anyone who knows me well knows that if I toe the line with them in a 10K, 10 Mile, or 13.1 Mile race, they best be running very hard to beat me.  And this is what I continue to immensely improve in.  I have more left in me to show on the track, and in the 10K-13.1 distances.  I can become dangerously better at these distances.

There is another reason. The Olympic Trials half marathon standard of 1:05:00 is something I am aiming for, and feel is attainable if I really focus on getting my speed down.  I have the schedule pretty much figured out, although there may be slight changes.  Certainly, I have the spring figured out.  I plan to open with the Maryland 3000m in January.  It'll be a good race to get my turnover going and my competitive edge back.  The prime races will be shamrock half, cherry blossom, and pikes peek.  The swarthmore track 5000m is always a great finish to the season and I'm able to hold my spring peak through that race.  I would like to do the USA Half Marathon Championships again, but I am nixing that to give hierarchy to a fresh fall season, concentrating on the Philly Rock N Roll Half in Sept, along with peaking for the Army 10 Miler and Philly Half in Nov.

2013 SCHEDULE

1.19.13 University of Maryland Indoor Track 3000m

3.17.13 Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon

4.07.13 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

4.21.13 Pikes Peek 10K

5.13.13 Swarthmore College Outdoor Track 5000m

7.12.13 Midsummer Night's Mile

7.20.13 Rockville Twilighter 8K

8.31.13 Kentlands 5K

9.15.13 Philadelphia Rock n Roll Half Marathon

10.20.13 Army 10 Miler

11.24.13 Philadelphia Half Marathon

Rebuilding

As I began to gain life in my legs again just before thanksgiving, I realized that I hadn't done pool running for quite some time.  I used to do it when I was injured a lot, but also did it in college as a supplemental workout to improve cardio without the pounding.  I like to run freestyle without a belt.  After just my first run in the water, I felt 50% better.  Since then I have been doing it twice a week, with my running slowly coming back.  Recovery is relative.  For me actually running a few easy miles 3 days after a marathon helps clear out the gunk.  All my runs have been slow right now, easy miles.  It has taken about 2 weeks for me to feel more "normal" again.      

Week 1
11/19: Rest
11/20: Rest
11:21: Pool Running 40 minutes
11/22: 3 mile run
11/23: Pool Running 50 minutes
11/24: 6 mile run
11/25: 10 mile run

Total: 19 miles, + 90 minutes pool running

Week 2
11/26: AM: Pool Running 50 minutes, PM: 5 mile run
11/27: 5 mile run
11/28: Pool Running 50 minutes
11/29: 6 mile run
11/30: 5 mile run
12/1: 10 mile run
12/2: 8 mile run

Total: 39 miles, + 100 minutes pool running