Less than 2 weeks to the TCS New York City Marathon: Last week's training

With less than two weeks to the NYC marathon, the big workouts are in the bank. This last week was one that I was slightly dreading as we had scheduled two threshold type workouts following the hard 22 miles from the previous Sunday. I was quite surprised with how I felt in the Wednesday workout, but it did help being in Seattle and having some support from the Beasts. I didn't have to go into the well on the Sunday workout (15 x 1km), but it was definitely dragging. That's the big difference between training for the marathon and training for something like the 10km. Before a hard 10k workout, I have to get myself pumped up and be mentally ready for the intensity, but before a marathon workout like this, I have to prepare my brain to be bored, patient, and ready to focus on the latter reps when fatigue starts kicking in. I would say they are both equally challenging, but in very different ways. With that said, I am looking forward to some shorter workouts this winter!

With the race rapidly approaching, now is the time to put my extra energy into dialing in all the little things. That's not to say I'm not trying to do that all build-up, but I am naturally hyper-focused at this point. I'm doing my best to distract myself rather than toil in thoughts of whether or not I hit all the training I needed to to have my best race. I have to believe that I put in as much work as I was capable of while staying healthy and be confident in my consistency. This is the best round of training I have had in a long time, and I am looking forward to putting it to the test when it matters on November 4th!

Thanks again for reading and feel free to check out last week's training below.

130	Monday	10/15/2018	AM: 14 + strength PM: 6
	Tuesday	10/16/2018	AM: 12.5 + drills and strides PM: 6
	Wednesday	10/17/2018	AM:  4 mile-1-1-1 @ @ 4:44, 4:40, 4:37: 4:26, rest = 4 min, 1 min PM: 6
	Thursday	10/18/2018	AM: 11 + strength PM: 5
	Friday	10/19/2018	AM: 12.5 + drills and strides PM: 5
	Saturday	10/20/2018	AM15 x1000m @ 2:55 (slowest 2:57, fastest 2:52, 1 min rest PM: 5
	Sunday	10/21/2018	20 miles, finish at marathon pace

Less than 3 weeks to the TCS New York City Marathon: Last week's training

I'm getting this out a bit late this week, but here it is. Coming off the tough 16 mile tempo the previous week, we stuck with a long Fartlek mid-week. Still high volume, but only effort based on the soft and hilly Leif Erikson trail in Forest Park. This had me feeling decent heading into the 22 mile long run where I was looking to run press most of the way. The goal was something slower than marathon pace, but faster than normal easy run pace. After two fairly slow warmup miles, the next 20 averaged 5:20 with a 5:27 overall average. The effort was right, and had this been a little farther out from race day, I think I could have managed a bit faster or longer. It was a good confidence boost at the end of another big week. I'm now slowly tapering, and it will get a bit sharper the last 1-2 weeks. Time to start feeling fresh again! Hard to remember what that feels like.

Thanks again for reading and feel free to check out last week's training below:

135	Monday	10/8/2018	AM: 12.5 + strength PM: 6
	Tuesday	10/9/2018	AM: 14 PM: 6 + drills and strides
	Wednesday	10/10/2018	AM: Fartlek, 3 x 1-2-3-4 PM: 5
	Thursday	10/11/2018	AM: 14 + strength PM: 6
	Friday	10/12/2018	AM: 1 hour run + 12 x 200 meter hills
	Saturday	10/13/2018	AM: 13 PM: off
	Sunday	10/14/2018	Long run: 22 miles moderate with last 4 miles at sub-5:00, 5:27 overall avg.

Less than 4 weeks to the TCS New York City Marathon: Last week's training

We're down to less than a month before the big day, and I survived what I consider one the toughest workouts of the marathon training block. I did 16 miles, slightly slower than what I think is my current marathon pace, but the course was very difficult. For those who have trained in Portland, the loop is Fairmount Blvd, just below council crest. It is runable, but there is no flat section. My wife and I both decided to give it a shot for a long tempo to mimic the NYC course and beat the legs up in a different way than our usual flat Sauvie Island loop. This tempo is also challenging because I went into it with another 140 mile week and a fairly high volume Wednesday workout. The pace wasn't blazing, but the effort was right, and I'm glad I went with the more difficult terrain.

There is really only time for one more big long run effort before starting to bring the intensity and volume gradually down on the way to November, 4th. I'm looking forward to utilizing what should be a perfect fall Portland day to get aggressive in a 22 mile run this coming weekend.

Thanks again for reading, and feel free to check out last week's training below.

140	Monday	10/1/2018	AM: 13 + strength PM: 6
	Tuesday	10/2/2018	AM: 14 + drills and strides PM: 6
	Wednesday	10/3/2018	AM:15 x 1000m @ 70, 1 min rest PM: 6
	Thursday	10/4/2018	AM: 14 + strength PM: 6
	Friday	10/5/2018	AM: 1 hour run + 15 x 200 meter hills PM: 6
	Saturday	10/6/2018	AM: 12 + strength PM: 6
	Sunday	10/7/2018	3 mile warmup, 16 mile tempo @ 5:05 on hilly Fairmount loop, 3 mile cooldown

Less than 5 weeks to the TCS New York City Marathon: Last week's training

With exactly a month to go before the NYC marathon, I'm happy with my current fitness level. A month is still plenty of time to continue making ground, but the trajectory is where I want it. The mid-week workout was a typical threshold type effort, but the long run was something a bit different than what we have done in the past. It was 15 miles of work, starting a little faster than marathon pace, but a bit slower than half pace, with generous rest. I am hoping it will make the upcoming 16+ mile tempo at marathon pace feel as comfortable as possible. The times weren't outstanding, but they were on the road and coming off another 140 mile week, and shortly after 15 x 200 meter hills. In a non-marathon training week, the hills wouldn't be treated as much of a workout, but with all the building fatigue of marathon training, they're just one more weight on your shoulders heading into the long run. That is exactly how marathon training should feel. I'm looking forward to the final few weeks of training when the volume starts to come down and I start to feel a bit poppy again.

Thanks again for reading and feel free to check out last week's training below:

140	Monday	9/24/2018	AM: 14 + strength PM: 6
	Tuesday	9/25/2018	AM: 14 + drills and strides PM: 6
	Wednesday	9/26/2018	AM: 4 x 2 mile @ 4:45, 1-2 min rest PM: 5
	Thursday	9/27/2018	AM: 14 + strength PM: 6
	Friday	9/28/2018	AM: run + 15 x 200 meter hills PM: 6
	Saturday	9/29/2018	AM: 18.5 + strength PM: 6
	Sunday	9/30/2018	Tempos: 5 miles, 4, 3, 2, 1 starting @ 4:52 and working down to 4:40, rest = 5 min, 4, 3, 2