Wave Tempo

AM: 3 mile w/u Target: 13k/8 mile wave tempo alternating 3:35/4:00 per k (~5:45/6:25 per mile); 4 min. rest/jog; 3k @11:00 Actual: 3:41, 4:02, 3:31, 4:01, 3:33, 3:57, 3:35, 4:00, 3:35, 3:59, 3:33, 3:58, 3:32; 3k @10:50 1 mile c/d Total: 14 miles PM: 3 miles easy Daily total: 17 miles I did this exact same workout at the same relative time (~six weeks out) before Philly last year, to great success. On that occasion I was actually supposed to be alternating half miles, but I was running solo and as a timepiece novice was clearly outsmarted by technology....

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Week in Review

80 miles 3 doubles 2 successful workouts 2 chiropractic appointments After two scheduled down weeks--the days before and after Hartford--I'd planned to ramp back up to triple digits beginning this past Monday. Thanks to my hip injury scare, that didn't exactly happen. In fact, I'm actually surprised I hit 80 considering I felt like I did virtually nothing from Wednesday to Friday, and had no long run to speak of unless you count Saturday's workout. Assuming my body continues its quick mending process, I hope to return to full-blown marathon mileage...

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RepliCAITing the Down Ladder (4-3-2-1)

3 mile w/u + strides Target: Mimic Caitlin's workout of 4mi-3mi-2mi-1mi 4 mile @6-6:05 pace; 3 mile @5:55-6 pace; 2 mile @5:50-5:55 pace; 1 mile faster all w/4 min. jog rest Actual: 24:01 (6:00 pace); 18:30 for 5k (5:57 pace); 11:00 for 3k (5:52 pace); 5:35 for 1 mile 2k c/d Total: 16 miles See what I did there in the title...I wanted to repliCAIT the workout...because her name is Caitlin...anyway. So, basically this almost went off the rails before it even happened thanks to the hip situation that abruptly developed in between my workout and...

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Beverly High School Benchmark, v2.0

3 mile w/u + strides Target: 10x3 mins. @3:23-3:25/k pace w/1:45 rest Actual: Above 2k c/d Total: 10.5 miles If you read my blog regularly (and who doesn't), you'll know that I frequently do three-minute intervals around the Beverly High School parking lot just a stone's throw away from our office. Working out in a parking lot may sound silly, but it's actually one of my favorite workout venues, as described here. While I've done variations of this workout at least a half dozen times, I've never done 10 intervals and I've always been afforded...

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Week in Review

77 miles 3 doubles 2 days in MI 1 day in WI 2 days in IL I generally try to be positive in my blog posts. Nobody wants to read about someone else feeling sorry for herself because she missed a few workout splits or had a less than stellar race when that person is clearly dealing with the epitome of first-world problems. And don't get me wrong; there are plenty of times throughout the course of a given week when I feel pretty darn good about myself. But to be completely honest, Dad (and the other nine people who are reading this), I'm fairly discouraged...

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Witch City 5k

AM: 2 mile w/u Target: win, don't get outkicked by old guy Actual: 17:46, first female, second overall (to Jordan, not old guy) Results 1 mile c/d Total: 6 miles PM: 5 miles easy Daily total: 11 miles The 11th of 12 installments of the YMCA North Shore Race Series took place right here in Salem, starting at the Willows and essentially traversing the Thursday night Wicked 5k course. As per usual, Jordan and I were planning to set up the Karhu tent...

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Fast Finish Mile Repeats

2 mile w/u + 1 lap of stride the straights, jog the curves Target: 6-8 xmile w/2 min. rest; first 3 laps at 1/2 marathon/marathon pace, last lap @5k pace Actual: 5:44 (last lap 80), 5:43 (79), 5:44 (79), 5:43 (80), 5:42 (79), 5:40 (80) 1+ mile c/d Total: 9.5-10 miles This workout came about somewhat unexpectedly as I was in the midst of an epic Michigan/Wisconsin/Illinois work trip. (I think I was even in Indiana for a few minutes, although I can't be certain.) On Wednesday morning I did a light fartlek as prescribed by Jordan to wake up the legs...

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Week in Review

72 miles 3 doubles 3 days in Hartford 13.1 miles of misery As I said in my race recap, I've still got a long way to go before I'm ready for CIM. Fortunately, I've got plenty of time! Eight weeks is more than enough to round into shape if I keep plugging away. After yesterday's rough race, I plan to take one more slightly down week before ramping things back up for the bulk of the marathon segment. First things first: a relaxing Sunday and a beautiful...

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ING Hartford Half-Marathon Recap

~2 mile w/u Target: 13.1 miles @1:17:30 or faster; first place New England's Finest division Actual: 1:17:37 (chip), 1:17;40 (gun), first place NEF, fifth place overall Official results; Race day results  Total: 15 miles On paper, this race looks like a success for me, and I suppose it was. My time and place were both respectable, and I can tuck away the fitness gains as a step in the right direction toward a successful marathon in two months'...

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Mile Repeat Tuneup

2.5 mile w/u + strides Target: 5-6 x1 mile @5:40 or faster w/3 mins. rest Actual: 5:38, 5:39, 5:38, 5:36, 5:31 1.5 mile c/d Total: 15k Another early, chilly morning with Jordan on the roads. The objective today was to get in some quicker--but not ridiculous--mile repeats; enough to tax the legs but not so much as to leave them exhausted for Saturday's race. I accomplished this well enough and felt pretty good. I could've probably recovered enough after #5 to bang out one more rep in the 5:35-5:40 range, but instead I opted to leave a little in...

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Week in Review

98 miles 5 doubles 5 attempts for 2 workouts no long run This wraps up a five-week streak averaging 100 miles (105, 100, 96, 100, 98). This week's workouts posed particular challenges, albeit for very different reasons, but ultimately I was able to execute the quality work. I'm looking forward to a massage tomorrow night, another solid workout on Wednesday morning, and then a two-week mini-taper before the Hartford half on Saturday. ...

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Sunday Redemption: It's Not Just For Church

Saturday, 10/5 AM: 3 mile w/u Target: 10k @MP (37:30, 6 min/mile); 5 mins. jog; 5k @HMP (18:15, 5:50/mile) Actual: 5k @~6 min. pace 2 mile c/d Total: 8 miles PM: 5 miles Daily total: 13 miles Sunday, 10/6 2.5 mile w/u Target: Above + 1k @faster Actual: 10k @37:25; 5k @18:15; 1k @3:23 1.5 mile c/d Total: ~14 miles Saturday morning, I laced 'em up and headed out to do this workout by myself. And failed miserably. I'm not really sure what it was; a confluence of factors, probably. One, I was absent my stalwart queenmaker, who was busy at a work...

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Losing the Battle(s), Winning the War

Tues, 10/1 AM: 5 miles easy PM #1: 4 miles + strides PM #2: 7 miles moderate Wed, 10/2 AM: 3 mile w/u + strides Target: 4x400 @80 w/60 sec. rest; 4x800 @2:44 w/90 sec. rest; 4x1000 @3:30 w/2 min. rest; 4x400 @78 or faster w/60-90 sec. rest Actual: 79, 79, 78, 79; 2:44, 2:44, 2:44, 2:42; 3:27, 3:27, 3:27, 3:27; 76, 77, 76, 74 1.5 mile c/d Total: 11 miles What is it they say about the best laid plans? Attempt #1 for this workout was Tuesday at lunch. I jogged an easy warmup to the Beverly High track, did some strides and drills, and was just about...

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