Keeping up

It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the demands of work, training, preparing for the move and ... blogging. Unfortunately blogging is one of the first to be neglected when time runs low and you have probably noticed that my updates are getting further and further between. I expect this situation to start getting better in September once the move is done and work lets up a bit. In the meantime, I'll try to stick with a minimum of at least one post a week.

This week in training has been very positive. A planned intervals run on Monday was somewhat successful despite the heat. I managed to keep all my slow laps averaging at 5:10m/km (great!) and my fast laps at 4:48m/km (could have been better). On Tuesday, I ran in to work for my slow long distance run. It was very difficult for some reason but I still achieved a respectable 5:33m/km for the 26km distance. In general, I want to aim for a 5:15m/km or lower on my slow runs but there's no sense in pushing too far and breaking apart. Yesterday's speed play (Fartlek) was all over the place as I believe is required for these types of efforts.
It's good sometimes to get out there and push as fast as possible for short periods of time.

I only have a 18km tempo run to reach my training plan total of 70km this week. This will probably happen Saturday.

Week 4 ?!?

I looked at the calendar yesterday and realized that time has flown by so fast this summer. I counted down from Hamilton marathon and to my surprise, I am already in week 4 of marathon training! I do not think it's a big deal. I've been pretty good about keeping the long runs and doing at least one or two speedwork per week over the summer but I expected I had more time to get ready. I still think there is enough time to get faster and stronger and hopefully have a decent shot at a BQ (3h10) in Hamilton.

This week's training started with an interval that totally blew up and ended up being only 8km on Monday. The heat combined with my eagerness to go fast killed the rest of my workout.

Tuesday's slow long run was done by commuting to work. I thought I needed 29km for week two, turns out week 4 is also 29km so I did well :) At an average of 5:15m/km, I am right where I want to be for the slow runs. It felt funny doing detours on my way to work but the scenic view was much better than the usual concrete jungle I pass through to save time and the streets were much quieter earlier in the morning. I was most impressed with my consistency throughout the workout, staying mostly between 5:30 and 5:00.
Thursday's attempt at intervals was a bit better than Monday's with fast intervals of 4:10, 4:12, 4:12 until it fell apart again with my last intervals at 4:57, 4:49, 4:56. Slow intervals were 4:34, 4:50, 4:57, 5:12, 5:18 and 5:36. I guess I have to slow down a bit more for the slow intervals so I can keep up the fast ones. I should know better by now :)

Today is Friday the 13th so I wanted to even out the badluck and set a goal of 13km at 13km/h. I guess the 13 is not that unlucky for me since I was able to complete this feat within 12 seconds of my goal. Wooohooo. If I can do this 3 times in a row, I can probably qualify for Boston :) I could get used to seeing so much green on the heatmap!
Tomorrow will be another run to catch up to the total of 75km that week 4 requires. Now that I know which week I'm in for sure I'll try to stick with the program...

Page 6!!!

Do you subscribe to iRun magazine? You probably do if you have run a major Canadian race in the last year. If you do, please find this month's issue and turn to page 6. You will see a picture of yours truly in full crowd waving glory :)

This is pure awesomeness and it is giving me the kick I needed to jumpstart my next phase of marathon training. It's funny the way I heard about it, I was talking on the phone to a work colleague I have never met for the first time and she asked me whether I was a runner. Out of the blue. I figured we had colleagues in common and she had heard of me but then she explained that she saw my picture in the magazine and wondered whether I was the same person :) I rushed home that night to find the magazine and found myself!!!

This week's training been almost enough to qualify for week one of marathon training. I had some good speedwork on Monday with a tempo @ 4:43, a slow 24k at 5:35 on Wednesday and a great intervals session yesterday at 4:16/5:05.

I'll have to make a decision on a marathon date soon and while reviewing my choices, I am tempted to do a double again for Hamilton and Miami. Not quite as crazy as RoadBunner's 2 in a row Bear lake adventure but about the same as I did earlier this year with LA and Ottawa. Hamilton because it is close by and rumoured to be a good one to qualify for Boston and Miami because, well, it's Miami! Plus they have an offer on the Miami marathon where you can do a cruise after, how cool would that be!?! The only negative side is that I would be in heavy mileage mode for about 4-5 months again.

Super week

Last week was actually a pretty good week for training for me. I am resetting my training for my next marathon (destination undecided at this point, Hamilton and Miami are both leading contenders). That means that the distances that were tempo runs during my last cycle will now be "long slow distance" runs. I ran to work again last week at a respectable pace of 5:26m/km. It's difficult to slow down but I know in the long run it will pay off :)

I had two off days where I procrastinated and found reasons not to train but then I bounced back with an amazing tempo run (10k at 46m27s) on Friday and then a good interval run on Saturday where I finally reached my 4:20m/km goal for average tempo portions. I could probably have had all the intervals under 4:20 if it wasn't for that hill!

• 4:09, 4:11, 4:19, 4:29, 4:14 (average: 4:17m/km!)

Sunday was a bit of a downer, I attempted a long slow run again but had to cut it short when my left calf started to complain. I can see how 2 back to back speed sessions would do that :)

I'm still not exactly where I'd like to be to start my next marathon training but depending on the date I may already be in the cycle :) I'll have to really put in the effort to bump up my speed if this one will be the one where I try to qualify for Boston (the time I need is 3:10, a pace of ~4:30m/km or 7:18m/mile if my math is right)