Week four is in the books, and overall I am happy with how it went. The weather was good, I got in a complete set of workouts, and nearly hit my mileage target.
Fall Temps Are Here… Just Kidding!
We had a couple of days this week where the high only reached the upper eighties, the humidity stayed below 50%, and the mornings almost felt cool. It was a nice break while it lasted. I had forgotten how much easier it is to run when you don’t feel like you’re breathing underwater and what it felt like to not start sweating after stepping out the door. By the end of the week, though, the weather reverted to hot and humid conditions reminding me that summer will be around for another month or so.
When the heat came back, my youngest son and I came down with another cold that the two of us have been fighting for the past few days. I’ve still been able to run, but it’s made the last few days tough. Luckily this fell on a down week without an official long run so I could slog through my ten miler as best I could.
Hitting the Target
Despite the challenges I felt good about my training this week. I hit my target splits for speed work within a second or two of one another, and I held a consistent level of effort through my tempo run. This was the first week I could do both and I felt good about that.
I also feel the pace of my easy runs dropping a little and I have to hold myself to a slower pace more often than I used to. I hope that means the training is starting to have its intended effect.
Initial Thoughts on Training Plans: Hansen vs. FIRST
So far I like the Hanson’s Marathon Method training plan. I like being out on the road more, and the paces for speed and tempo work seem more realistic for me than what the FIRST method set. For the same target marathon pace, I would run my speed work at near 100% effort under FIRST while in the Hansen plan I am usually at 90% or so. I’m also able to keep my splits for the repeats
The paces for tempo runs don’t jump around, either. Under the Hansen plan they keep you at the same pace throughout but change the distance, since they want you to get a feel for marathon pace. FIRST switches distance and pace. While I liked shaking things up last spring I like that I am starting to get a better feel for my goal pace on the Hansen tempo runs.
I’m still struggling to work in flexibility and strength routines on the Hansen plan. Since I was already in the gym twice a week for cross-training under FIRST last spring, it was easier to work in the strength after my cardio. With Hansen I am on the road more, but that plus the cumulative fatigue they’re instilling in my legs limits the motivation I have for these at the end of the day.
Next Week
If I can keep to the plan, I will run 50 miles in a week for the first time. When I selected a training plan for Richmond, running 50 mile weeks was a criteria. I’m nervous about fitting it in, but excited as well. I am also setting a hard goal for doing one strength and two flexibility sessions this coming week. I really need to add these in, and will be disappointed in myself if I don’t.
Mileage 8/21-8/28
| Goal Mileage | 47 |
| Actual Mileage | 45.9 |