Solo Workout Demons

Workouts are the filling of the training plan, sandwiched between some quality easy runs. I'm a regular at our club Wednesday night workout, as well as the Saturday morning workout and Sunday long run. I'm also notorious for being a slave to the pace- not slower, not faster, but on the dot. 

90-95% of my workouts are done with a posse. Sometimes it's 1, other times 6+. Usually there are 3-4 people training for similar distances and races, so it works out. It's that 5-10% of the time where the work gets hard. All I need is the foot strike behind me to keep me honest. Without? My attention wanes and my mind seizes the doubts sending the workout into a spiral of doom.

This morning I got a chance to slay the solo workout dragon. It was 4 easy leading into 12 miles at 5:52, and 2 easy. After the first 2 miles and a shoe switch, it was continuous. Last fall I hit this workout in 1:11:40 for the 12, caveat being that is moved the workout back 3 days due to a nasty cold/sinus issue. Nonetheless, I remember that fall workout as miserable, uneven, gutsy, and deflating. It was only gutsy because I didn't quit at mile 8 like I wanted to.

This time was a big difference. I started in 5:52 and 5:48, after floating between 5:50-5:56 for the next 9 miles (most 5:52-5:54), I closed in 5:42. What changed? Well, I'm fitter and healthy. Those make workouts go a little easier. I had hydration. I had 2 mini water bottles filled with Nuun Lemon-lime, plus a 3rd if I needed it. Hydration is a big factor in ensuring pace maintenance. I also did the workout in the morning when I was fresh compared to the evening when I was tired. Makes a huge difference.

3 weeks to go. More work to be done. But the work is way easier when you've slayed the dragon of workout's past.

Respect the Technique

Since the Valentine's Day 5k, training has been clicking off. I kicked off March by racing the Hot Chocolate 15k in a reasonable 53:38 for 4th overall. Being that it was 4+ miles of uphill, I'm pleased. But I opted to shift out of a plan to race a half marathon this weekend, instead choosing to get in a solid block of training.

At this point I know where I've been. Since January I've consistently hit 2 workouts a week, completing a speed cycle that led me from a 16:08 5k down to 15:58. In the last 9 weeks, 6 have been 70+, with 2 in the mid 60s and 1 55 mile week. The base is in place unlike prior springs where mileage is inconsistent (teaching, darkness, fatigue, excuses...). Now it needs a direction.

Next up will be 6 weeks of training leading into the Vancouver (BC) Marathon. The goal is to be fit... Just how fit is to be determined.

I'm training with Nuun. Their hydration is great. If you're looking to stay hydrated, use the code LuckyNuunFriends when you go to http://shop.nuun.com/

Keep running!

Reflections Eternal

on 1st Ave in NYC en route to 2:39:21, photo cred Lisa Kenyan.

Since the year is about up, its about time to take a look back at 2014. I'll start with the quick and dirty...

MILES: Currently at 3,178 miles, but should be at 3,323 miles by the end of the year.

RACES:
-Valentine's Day 5k: 16:11, 12th place
-Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon: 1:14:42, 7th place
-Seahawks 12k: 42:30, 7th place
-Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon: 1:14:14, 5th place
-Fremont 5k: 16:17, 7th place
-Shore Run 10k: 33:23 (PR), 5th place
-Seafair 8k: 25:58, 7th place
-Railroad Days 10k: 33:51, 7th place
-Labor Day 1/2 Marathon: 1:13:14, 6th place
-NYC Marathon: 2:39:21, 110th place (39th US, 95th Male)

Plus an indoor 5k time trial in 15:58 (new PR) in March, and another in December in 16:28.

Not a bad year for me. Apparently I have a stranglehold on 7th place. So when I race, just pencil my name in. Overall I can see lots of improvement. My 5k was right around 16:15 on the roads, with a nice PR indoors (just need an official one now). My 10k was a PR of 25 seconds, and my 1/2 marathon moved down another 43 seconds. Marathon wasn't what I hoped for but there were some extenuating circumstances with that aggressive wind.

Looking at those times, I need to make the next leap from 15:58 to under 15:40, from 1:13 to 1:11-1:12 low. You can't run 2:29 with the PRs I have, even with the mileage I put in during marathon cycles.

Thanks to Brooks Running for the support of the Fanatics, and onward to working with Team Nuun in 2015!

Super goal pace all the way.

Eat run nap rinse repeat

Run, run, run, and run some more.

Miles: 95.8 on singles (no double days!)

Wednesday Workout: 13 miler w/ 6 @ 5:50-6:00 (5:56 avg), and 1 @ 5:14, all continuous.

Saturday Workout: 6 (5:50 avg), 1 (5:35), 1 (5:17)- part of a 13 mile day.

The average number of miles I've run in the last 5 weeks has been 93, which is pretty great. Overall, I've taken to napping a little more and getting to the foam roller. I did get in one core workout consisting of leg lifts, planks (straight, and both sides), side leg raises with the foot turned, and push-ups. I want to do more, but just don't have the willpower to force myself to work on my core after running or in the evening.

The upside is that most of the runs are feeling really good. I'm out in the morning at 6:30 or 7:00 and beat the heat. The first mile or two is a drag, usually 7:30-7:50 min/mi, before it settles into a comfortable 6:40-7:00 min/mi pace. The goal is to make 6:50 feel comfortable so that dropping down to 5:50 for the marathon feels like less of a jump. 

Coming Up: Marathon training has started, and kicks off with a kick in the pants week of 105 miles and two workouts. The original plan was to do 8x1k on Wednesday and a longish race simulation on Saturday. I might keep the race simulation in there for Saturday as my club (Club Northwest) has a series run that includes a half marathon. It would be a good chance to get in 10 at marathon pace and kick the last 5k while getting some fluids support that's more challenging otherwise. But Wednesday I've shifted to a morning run away from teammates for the day, making 3:10 per K a tough ask. Instead it will be 4x2miles at 5:32-5:36 pace and 2 minutes rest. Still hard, but more appropriate for the time of day!