For San Diego, I would have to say that I followed my marathon training schedule almost perfectly (16 weeks). Though, now looking back at it, I have to disagree with that statement. I followed my marathon schedule almost perfectly if you look at the mileage! When really analyzing it, though, I made some shortcuts! Not intentionally, of course! Some of my Monday tempos were ran on treadmills and most of my Saturday long runs were run at an "easy" pace. I kind of ignored a lot of the "goal marathon pace" or "faster than goal marathon pace" miles at the end. For example, if a 15 mile long run may say: 8 miles easy, 7 miles at 8:00. So, I would run 15 miles. Which . . . leads me to this --> I still pr'ed in San Diego but I had zero kick! After 18 miles at goal marathon pace, my body wanted to resort back to a 9:15-10:00 mile to finish.
My thought is that this time around I will really focus on my tempos (running them outside) and doing my best to run those goal marathon pace (faster) miles at the end of my long run!
My last two workouts were pretty successful:
Saturday: 6 miles easy, 5 miles at 8:00
Actual: 8:34, 8:48, 8:39, 8:39, 8:53, 9:07, 8:16, 8:09, 8:15, 7:54, 7:40
* I started this run at 5:30AM and actually felt pretty good but was nervous that my easy miles were what they were (hence my 9:07)! Hey, I had to save some energy!! Speaking of which, this was TOUGH! Those last five miles kicked my butt ... not quite sure how I pulled off the last two! When I finished I was slightly dizzy and needed some water and chocolate milk asap! It was such a great feeling to finish this run and actually add in those quick miles, despite the 90% humidity!! Total time: 1:32:56 (8:26 average pace).
Monday: 1 mile easy, 8:15, 8:10, 8:05, 8:00, 7:55, 1 mile easy for a total of 7 miles
Actual: 9:13, 8:11, 7:57, 8:04, 7:59, 7:46, 9:37
* I was so nervous about this workout! I watched my garmin like crazy to make sure that I was on pace every half of mile. I won't lie, this one was tough, too! But, it felt nice to start off my week with this run! Total time: 58:51
I think the key to being successful will be to really run easy on Tuesday and Thursdays. It's going to be the only way that I'll be able to keep hitting my times in my tempos and long runs and at track!!
I also wore my heart rate monitor for both of these runs. It's kind of cool to look back at that data. I don't have anything to compare it to for now, but I think will be neat in a month or so to look back at it.
Do you add in goal marathon miles to the end of your long runs or do you simply run for mileage?
I'd say those 2 workouts were successful! I meant to ask you what your plan was for training this time around...
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie...
ReplyDeleteI think "mileage" training is good for your first marathon, or a marathon where you do not intend to have a specific time. But train your body to run faster and well, it will run faster. Train it to run through the fatigue of a marathon, and it will run through the fatigue. It's all about how you train. Now I DO firmly believe you need bookoo miles to crank out an insane marathon, but those miles have to be precisely condusive to what your end goal is. Incorporate threshold training, speedwork, MP pace in the middle of every other long run, wt. training (not just core, but definitely core) and drills and you'll enter the race in the best shape you can be. But our lives are not paid athletes and sometimes life gets in the way of what we have scheduled. And that's ok!!