All Tricks and No Treats: My Biggest Workout(s) Ever

AM: 2 mile w/u Target: 10k @5:45 pace (35:45-35:50) Actual: 35:46 1/2 mile c/d Total: 8.5-9 miles PM: 1 mile w/u Target: 8-10 miles @6:10 down to 6:00 pace Actual: 10 miles @61:00 1/2 mile c/d Total: 11.5-12 miles I don't have much time to blog, because I (finally) made it back to Boston and we are (finally) headed to NYC for the marathon weekend that almost never was (not racing, obviously, just here for work/birthday shenanigans/spectating/revelry and merriment).  So let me just say this: on paper, executing these two relatively difficult...

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Week in Review (and Obligatory Hurricane Sandy Post)

101 miles 2 doubles 15-mile long run 5 days in Dallas 1 hurricane At some point on Saturday, I found myself adding up the week's miles and being perplexed by how difficult (and tiring!) it seemed to hit triple digits as opposed to other weeks. Then I realized I'd only doubled twice--as opposed to four or even five doubles in a typical week--had started the week with a 15-miler on tired legs and then knocked out possibly my most challenging workout of the cycle on Wednesday morning before hopping a flight halfway across the country. Now it all...

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13.1 Dallas Race Recap (by the Karhu Bear)

2 mile w/u Target: 13.1 miles @goal MP (6:00-6:05) Actual: 1:19:04 (6:02 pace); 2nd place female Results; Dallas Morning News article I could write my own report of this race, but why bother? That's what I keep The Trailer's Jon Gugala around for! His article, which recounts his own experience of racing in the Karhu bear costume and details Karhu Airstream driver Joe Moore's dominant half-marathon victory, is far more entertaining than reading about how I ran marathon pace for 80 minutes. (On the other hand, my efforts netted me $500 and all Jon...

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3x5k Success

2.5 mile w/u Target: 3x5k @18:15, 18:00, 17:45 w/3 mins. rest Actual: 18:08, 17:56, 17:39 (slowest 1k @3:44; fastest @3:27) 1 mile c/d Total: 13 miles No time to blog, but I want to note a few points before it slips my mind. Going into this workout, my legs were particularly tired and sore, no doubt residual effects from Sunday's hard 10-mile race effort. Usually if my legs are sore after a race or hard workout it always feels most pronounced in my calves, rock-like. To my surprise, this time my calves feel totally normal but my quads are absolutely...

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DC Morning Run Sites/Sights

The Capitol, the White House, the Mall, Lincoln, Washington, Arlington National Cemetery, Teddy's Island, the Key Bridge, Georgetown, the C&O Canal towpath, the Capital Crescent Trail, the Kennedy Center, the Arboretum. Aaaand that's how an easy post-race recovery run turns into 25k....

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Week in Review

90 miles 3 doubles 3 PRs (5 mile, 10k, 10 mile) 2 days in DC A successful week on all counts. I got to spend time with Jilane and Caitlin, two of my all-time besties, nailed my workout on Wednesday, scratched and clawed my way to a big PR on Sunday and enjoyed some gorgeous fall weather in one of my favorite cities. I'll be spending one more day in DC before traveling home on Monday evening, and I'm already sad to leave such a great weekend behind... ...but now it's time to look ahead to my ultimate goal for the season: four weeks to Phil...

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Army 10 Miler Race Recap

1 mile w/u Target: 10 miles @57:00-57:30 Actual: 57:21 (5:44 pace); 6th place female Results Splits that I remember (gun): 2 miles @11:11; 3 miles @16:52; 5 miles @28:20; 10k @35;23   2 mile c/d Total: 13 miles Ever since having such an awesome time running this race together last year, Caitlin and I have been planning to return. In 2011 I entered the race feeling relatively unfit and unprepared after taking some time off due to injury...

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Early Morning Workout Improvisation

2 mile w/u Target: 8 mile wave tempo alternating every 800m: 2:50/3:10 (48:00 total); 2 miles @11:40 Revised Target: 13k wave tempo alternating every 1000m: 3:33/3:58 (or 5:42/6:23 mile pace = 48:50 total) Actual: 3:39, 3:57, 3:32, 3:49, 3:29, 3:50, 3:29, 3:52, 3:23, 3:53, 3:31, 3:52, 3:31 = 47:47 for 13k (8+ miles); 4 min. rest/jog; 3k @11:00 1 mile c/d Total: 13 miles I was up dark and early this morning for another solo marathon workout. My favorite! At 35 degrees, it was one of the coldest mornings thus far this fall, and I was barely adequately...

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Week in Review

95 miles 8 runs 21-mile long run 17-mile medium long run 7 days at home After opening up with a 21-mile Monday and another planned 16-18 miler come Sunday, this could've easily been one of my highest mileage weeks ever. Instead, my coach had other plans. A firm 90-95 was written as the upper limit on my schedule, and once I acquiesced and allowed myself to relinquish my 100+ streak, it was actually quite enjoyable. In fact, to ensure that I didn't go over the prescribed mileage, I found myself having to cut back a ridiculous amount during the...

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Lazy Sunday Long Run

Target: 5k easy; 15k alt. 400m hard, 600m easy; 5k easy Actual: 30 mins. easy; 58 mins. w/1:30 hard; 3:00 easy, 25 mins. uptempo Total: 17 miles @1:52:35  For the first time in as long as I can remember, my weekend approximated that of a normal American. Last night we hosted friends from the city who came over, joined us for a great dinner out and then spent the night. This morning we slept in, refusing to set an alarm, then awoke at a leisurely 8:30 and started the day with some pumpkin spice coffee. I'd planned to depart for my long run...

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Another Fun Solo Marathon Workout

2.5 mile w/u Target: 4 miles @6:30 pace; 3 miles @6-6:10 pace; 2 miles @5:50-6 pace; 1 mile @5:40; all w/2 mins. rest Actual: 4 miles @6:40, 6:24, 6:28, 6:16; 3 miles @6:18, 6:05, 6:11; 2 miles @5:53, 5:46; 1 mile @5:42 0.5 mile c/d Total: 14 miles Given that this workout was solo, cold, windy and early in the morning--are those enough excuses??--I'm pleased with how things went. I utilized a familiar route, running from our place in downtown Salem to the Marblehead rail trail, to and around the Neck, then back the way I came. Section 1: 4 miles...

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First 20-Miler of the Training Cycle

Target: 20 miles w/last 3 @6:00 pace Actual: 1-8 @6:50-7:00; 9-16 @6:30-6:45; 17-20 @6:00-6:10 Total: 20 miles @2:15, then 1 easy All things considered, I'm really pleased with how this run turned out. By "all things," I mean a hilly weekend of running in Atlanta, a 14-hour work/travel day with no dinner on Sunday and an uptempo half-marathon "workout" sandwiched somewhere in the middle. Without a doubt, this inaugural long run attempt could've unfolded much worse had I been on my own, which initially looked to be the case. Jordan's hip/leg/quad...

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Philly Training: Week #2 in Review

103 miles 11 runs 15-mile "long" run 4 days in Atlanta 5 AFDs This week wasn't quite as successful as week #1 in terms of following my prescribed training to the letter; I only earned a (self-assessed) B- for my workout progression on Wednesday, then completely missed a scheduled wave tempo and long run that were supposed to take place over the weekend. This could hardly be helped given my hectic travel and event schedule which involved me working late on Friday and Saturday and starting well before sunrise on Sunday morning, but unfortunately...

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13.1 Atlanta Race Results

1:23:35; 3rd place; $250 Results Total: 15+ miles  Realized early on in this easy run that I was in third place so decided to run a bit faster than planned and take home some cash! Note: Not endorsed or approved by my coach. Must buy him a cheese tray at Gulu Gulu tonight to apologize....

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Eight By Mile By Moonlight

2.5 mile w/u Target: 8xmile w/1 min. rest: 2x5:50, 2x5:40,2x5:35, 2x5:30 Actual: 5:47, 5:48, 5:38, 5:39, 5:37, 5:36, 5:34, 5:32 0.5 mile c/d Total: 11 miles Actually, there wasn't much moonlight. I just liked the alliteration. In reality, this evening was just as drizzly and cloudy and gloomy as the handful that have preceded it. The only bright spot was a metaphorical one, the opportunity to work out with a strong contingent of BAA ladies. For the first time in many months, I made the trek down to Harvard for the Wednesday night workout and ended...

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