Boston Marathon Track Workout #4 - Faster

On Tuesday, I ran six miles at marathon pace (6:52) or better. A week ago, I only ran five at marathon pace. I consider these "tempo" runs to be the hardest workouts of the week. So with only 48 hours to recover from my tempo run, I headed over to the track this morning for my fourth speed workout.

Is this the last bit of snow for this winter?

Track was crowed, three whole people...

and a dog!

In the middle of my intervals

Graffiti Wall near the Track

As mentioned in previous entries, in the Hansons Brooks marathon training plan the speed training calls for me to run interval distances at 10k pace for a total of three miles. But, no single interval can be greater than one mile (i.e 1600m). Instead of running the minimum number of intervals as I had done in the past few weeks, I decided to change things up a bit. Here are my results:

Last Week:

1.75 mile warm-up

1600m @ 6:18/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:17/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:07/mile pace

1.75 mile cool-down

Average Pace: 6:14/mile

Today:

2 mile warm-up

1200m @ 6:09/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:01/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 5:59/mile pace (400m recovery)

400m @ 5:49/mile pace 

1.75 mile cool-down

Average Pace: 6:02/mile  

Ducks in the morning

Waterfall

My version of "Seen on a Run" 

Ducks on the move!

North Branch sunrise

Rockwell "L" Stop

Analysis: For the last few weeks I was stuck on an average pace of 6:14/mile at the track, and today my average plummeted to 6:02/mile. I simply added an extra, short interval at the end of my workout and more importantly, I cut back the first interval from one mile to .75 miles and presto! I am magically faster. I have always struggled with my first interval at the track, as it takes a while for me to hit my stride. So, I theorized, why not make the first interval a little shorter? I guess it worked. A few thoughts:

1. The McMillan Running Calculator, says the 10k pace is for a 2:59:59 marathon is 6:10/mile. So my 6:02/mile pace this morning would indicate I have arrived. Realistically, I am not 6:02/mile 10k runner, but I would say I am on my way!
2. The weather was not very cold nor windy today. Track was 99% clear of snow and ice, so the conditions were more favorable than last week.
3. I ran 50 miles last week and am on pace for 60 miles this week, so I am adding distance along with this speed. This may have helped me hold the faster pace.

These signs have sprung up around town
 and make crossing the street on my runs a lot easier, as
some cars actually stop now!

One More Thing: .Could not find my heart rate monitor strap to measure my effort at the track. Still looking...

The Start of Boston Marathon Training Week #5

I'ts hard to believe week 5 out of 18 is already here! There are less than 100 days until the Boston Marathon. Anyway, here's how the first day of week 5 went:

Morning Run: I got out late for my Sunday morning long run, and about 1.5 miles in I started seeing bright orange spots when I closed my eyes, I realized about 1/2 mile later that I had already hit the "hunger wall" about 2 miles into my run.  I was about two blocks from the Lakefront Trail and I had a "Gu" along in my belt, which I ate, but I felt I needed something of more sustenance. Luckily, I was in the city and there is a convenience store seemingly on every corner. The one in Park Place Tower had a tremendous assortment of candy and energy bars. I opted for a chocolate Nature Valley granola bar and a bag of Skittles. After eating said items, I felt completely normal again and continued on my run! Lesson learned: If I run after 9am, I need to eat breakfast before my run, (oh yeah, and thank God for Skittles)! 12 miles @ 8:03/mile

Eagle Statue near Diversey Harbor

Skyline from Diversey Bridge

Sunny Path

Runner and Lake

Evening Run: An easy run around Welles Park. No "bonking" this time! 4.25 miles @ 7:08/mile

Welles Park

A Favorite Spot of Mine Along the Lake

The far east side of Belmont Harbor is one of my favorite running spots along Lake Michigan. Most runners bypass this area entirely, since it is not on the Lakefront Trail. However there is a gravel path perfect for running. It is a good place to see the sunrise in the morning, see waves crashing during storms or get a view of the skyline. I took some pics of the area on my run this morning:

Looking North near Belmont Harbor

Sunrise

  

Ducks on the icy water

One of my favorite things about the area, is that it is kinda old school with absolutely no guardrails to prevent wayward pedestrians and bikers from falling into some sharp rocks or freezing cold water. The only things preventing certain doom for people close to the edge are some spray painted stencils to serve as warnings not to dive into the rocky shore below:

The rock isn't very "submerged" now is it?!

No Diving! Gee you think?! 

Ice formations on the rocks

 

Skyline view and a bench on the edge of another"cliff"

Skyline View

Sunrise through the trees

Belmont Harbor is a nice place to put me in a peaceful state during my morning run. Even when it is the height of marathon training season in the summer there are very few people. It is out of the way enough that for the two mile loop, I may share it with only a handful of people. Or like on today's run, have it all to myself.

Boston Marathon Track Workout #3 - Getting Faster?

On Tuesday, I ran five of ten miles at marathon pace (6:52) or better, which I consider a kinda big deal, since perhaps the key of marathon training is to get used to running lots of marathon pace miles. So, two days later, how would I fare with my track workout?

Tuesday, I ran 5 marathon pace miles

Well, for starters, what should have been my fourth track workout, was only #3. I skipped my track workout last week, but I was in Florida, taking a short break from running. While there, I did manage to lift weights and swim laps to maintain my fitness. Anyway, this morning, I got a late start, so I had to run quickly to the track and not mess around once I got there.

The Hansons Brooks marathon training plan, speed training calls for me to run interval distances at 10k pace for a total of three miles. But, no single interval can be greater than one mile. Again, as in workout #2 two weeks ago, I chose to run the minimum number of intervals (which is three). Here are my results:

At the track two weeks ago...

Two Weeks Ago:

2 mile warm-up

1600m @ 6:22/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:12/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:08/mile pace

2 mile cool-down

Average Pace: 6:14/mile

Today:

1.75 mile warm-up

1600m @ 6:18/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:17/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:07/mile pace

1.75 mile cool-down

Average Pace: 6:14/mile

Analysis: I am always amazed at how similar my interval times are week to week. Average pace for both workouts was exactly 6:14/mile. Solely based on my times, it may appear that I'm not making progress. However, if I look at the big picture:

1. I'm logging more weekly miles this week vs. two weeks ago
2. I ran more marathon pace miles this week, than I did two weeks ago
3. It may have been slightly colder/windier today. The track also had a little ice/snow.

So even though I am still running the same 6:14/mile in my speed workouts, I am doing so on more tired legs in less speed-favorable conditions.

One More Thing: I looked up on the McMillan Running Calculator, what the 10k pace is for a 2:59:59 marathon and it's 6:10/mile. So, I just need to drop four seconds/mile to be on target! I have five more weeks to get there, because at that time speed training switches over to strength training.

My 2012 Running Lowlights

Not everything that happened to me running-wise in 2012 was a highlight. I did not make the leader board every time I raced! In fact, I had my share of running struggles and hardships. The trying times really made me appreciate the few times when things all seemed to click. So, with that in mind, here are my bottom five running 2012 lowlights, ranked in order from mild to major:

5) Rock and Roll Half Marathon Chicago (July)
I love this course, but it was hot. I wore a wool technical shirt for the first time in my life, which got soaked within the first two miles. I started too fast and paid for it with a painful, fatiguing final 3.1 miles. This was my worst half marathon result since, well, March!

RnR Chicago 2013. Sweaty hot.

4) Dennis Krzykowski 5k (July)
I like this race, it's hilly, it's in Wisconsin and I usually do well. This time I didn't. It was hot. My worst 5k finishing time in over three years.

This finish line pic really says it all..

3) North Shore Cupid's Dash 10k (February)
It was the second year in a row that the race organizers got the course distance wrong. This year it was 6.1 miles, last year it was 5.6 miles. The 5k runners actually ran 3.6 miles. Lots of unhappy campers. Also, I had cleaned my camera before the race and it was taking purple pictures. I had to buy a new one after this.

I just ran a short 10k, and I'm purple!

2) March Madness Half (March)
Yeah, everyone said this would be hilly. But come on, 75 degrees + lots o' hills in mid-March makes it feel like a 95 degree day. I wanted snow for this race, not heatstroke! Started the first half too fast and had difficulty breathing the second half. I also parked in a place where I had to wait until the entire race was over before I could leave! Worst half marathon finishing time in three years despite being near the end of my Boston Marathon training.

Hot and waiting to move my car after the race...

Drumroll please....and now, my lowliest lowlight of 2012, goes to...
1) Boston Marathon (April)
After 16 weeks of training, I flew to Boston just to hear that it would be 90 degrees for this puppy.  I hadn't yet completely recovered from a bad cold, and I had an ankle that could probably only make it 5 miles. I picked up my bib, but did not start and took the deferral. I rested about 4 weeks thereafter, missed two races and lost most of my fitness. Looking forward to next year's installment to be my #1 highlight of 2013. :-)

My spectator's view of the Boston finish line

Honorable Mention: I signed up for (and paid) but did not start: Indy Mini Marathon (May) and the Soldier Field 10 Miler (May). See #1 above.

Sunny River Run

Catchin' Some Rays along the river..

Yesterday was a lakefront run in the snow, today was a run on the Chicago River North Branch Trail.  Temps were 17 degrees, and I loved every minute of it!  Only saw three other runners for the whole 7 mile section. Said "hi" to each one.

Sculpture Park #1

Sculpture Park #2

River

Icy Trail

Train approaching the Western Brown Line Stop

9 Miles Total

Runnin' in the Snow

Nice and easy medium length run to and from the lakefront. We had a dusting of freshly fallen snow. I'm back from muggy Florida and I am like a kid in a candy store here in Chicago. It doesn't get much better than this for running weather!

Yay, snow!

Ice plant by the lake

 

Wish I'd brought my x-country skis to the lake!

 

Another Icy plant

 

Skyline

Irving Park Brown Line "L" Stop

Cafe 28 Sign

Classic Movie Posters by the "L"#2

Classic Movie Posters by the "L" #1

 

Ravenswood Building

Classic 1950's Chop Suey Joint "Orange Garden"

The neighborhood Bierstube

7.5 miles total.

Boston Marathon Track Workout #2

I had to move up my weekly Boston Marathon track workout to today, as I am unable to do a track workout on Thursday. I wasn't sure how my legs would react to running fast so soon after my race on Saturday. Anyway, this was my first real Hansons Brooks "speed" workout where the goal is to do a total of three miles of 10k paced intervals with no single interval more than 1600 meters. Today, I decided to do the minimum number of intervals to get to the three miles, which was:

 3 x 1600 @ 6:20/mile pace (with 400m recoveries).

Mid workout at the track

So with that goal in mind, I hit the track and did this:

2 mile warm-up

1600m @ 6:22/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:12/mile pace (400m recovery)

1600m @ 6:08/mile pace

2 mile cool-down

Track workouts seem like an uphill climb for the first few laps...

you start chugging along, fighting to get your speed up...

and as they progress, you get faster...

 then they don't seem so bad as you start to fly around the track...

and soon enough they're over, and you're on your way home!

Analysis: Mission accomplished. My legs responded admirably at the track despite having run a 10k on Saturday. My goal was to run all three intervals at 6:20/mile and I actually averaged 6:14/mile. I felt like I could run another mile or two at the end when normally I am pretty fatigued. Maybe I'm getting stronger? Maybe a Tuesday track session suits me better than a Thursday session? Maybe I had a breakthrough at the 10k on Saturday? In any case, I'll see if I can keep this fitness level up. I will run at least a couple of miles tonight in order stretch out my legs and get some extra mileage.