Just go with the flow

That's basically what I did in today's long run. The plan was to go 18 miles or 2 hours. Going into the run the legs felt okay, definitely not fresh or rested. As I strolled on the cycle path the Forerunner split my first mile in 6:48. This is about 30 seconds faster than what I normally hit the first mile in my daily runs. I thought that I shouldn't worry too much about pace if it feels easy and relaxed. The 2nd mile split at 6:26 so I decided to just go with the flow. I settled into a good rhythm at low-6:30ish pace for the next 7 miles. To my surprise the pace slowly increased (i.e. faster) for the remainder of the run. I ended up doing 20 miles in 2:08:40, a little over 2 minutes faster than last week's 20-miler. The 5-mile splits for the long run were 32:56 (6:35), 32:35 (6:31), 31:46 (6:21), and 31:23 (6:16). An average pace of 6:26 for the 20-miler.

It was a good run to end the week. In fact, I hit the magical 100 mile/week. I'll have to look back on the logs because I don't recall the last time I had a 100-mile week. Here's a recap of this week's training.

25-31 Aug

Mon: Noon - 6M (42:50 - 7:08 pace); PM - 6.1M (43:20 - 7:07 pace) easy run; 12.1M total
Tues: Noon - 4.2M (30:44 - 7:19 pace); PM - 7M with 1200 & 1K intervals (1200s = 3:44, 3:43, 3:46; 1K - 3:02, 3:02); 11.2M total
Wed: Noon - 7.1M (50:01 - 7:03 pace); PM - 9.2M (1:02:05 - 6:46 pace) surprisingly the HR was consistent in the mid to high 130s at 6:40ish pace; 16.3M total
Thur: Noon - 7M (48:34 - 6:56 pace); PM - 9M (1:01:58 - 6:53 pace); 16M total
Fri: Noon - 6.2M (44:07 - 7:06 pace) easy but legs felt crappy; PM - 10M (1:02:40 - 6:17 pace) including 6 mile tempo in 34:32 (5:45 pace); 16.2M total
Sat: 9.4M (1:05:44 - 7:01 pace) was only planning on 6 miles but it turned into 9+ miles.
Sun: 20M (2:08:40 - 6:26 pace) steady pace; 5-mile splits: 32:56 (6:35), 32:35 (6:31), 31:46 (6:21), and 31:23 (6:16)

Weekly Total: 101.2 miles

Planned workout gone out the window

There are just about 7 weeks of training that remains before the marathon. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at in my fitness. Today, I decided to get on the track to practice some marathon pace. I was sort of concerned about the workout (6 miles at MP), because I had no clue how the legs would respond. The last couple days I had put in 32 miles (16 on Wed & Th); this was following the track workout on Tuesday. Also, I had just finished running 10 km during my lunch hour. The goal was to hit the mile splits at 6:00 pace. After a couple miles of warm-up, I headed off for the first of twenty-four laps. I looked at my watch just as I hit the 400m mark and saw 1:22. I could not believe it. The pace felt very comfortable, but a bit too fast. From there on I decided to just go with the pace which felt comfortable. Feeling relaxed I came through the mile in 5:49. It seemed like the legs were in cruise control as I followed through the next 4 miles in 5:52, 5:47, 5:47, and 5:46. Feeling unreasonably good I made the decision to pick up the pace in the last couple laps finishing off the 6th mile in 5:31. The workout ended up being more of a tempo workout (on the slower end) versus a marathon pace workout. Okay, the initial plan of marathon pace went out the window, but it was still a good workout.

Today's run: Noon - 6.2M (44:07 - 7:06 pace) easy but legs felt crappy; PM - 10M (1:02:40 - 6:17 pace) including 6 mile tempo in 34:32 (5:45 pace).

Yesterday: Noon - 7M (48:34 - 6:56 pace); PM - 9M (1:01:58 - 6:53 pace)

Wed: Noon - 7.1M (50:01 - 7:03 pace); PM - 9.2M (1:02:05 - 6:46 pace) surprisingly the HR was consistent in the mid to high 130s at 6:40ish pace.

A streak of Tuesday track intervals

Today was the second consecutive Tuesday linking up with the Dutch runners at the Sittard-Geleen track for intervals. The running group is coached by an older guy (Will - about mid-40s) who has a marathon PR of 2:25, so I'd say he knows how to coach. After a couple miles of warming up we do some stretching followed by drills, some of which I'd never done. Will yells out in Dutch the workout for the day. Just as I give him the lost-man's look he begins to explain the workout to me in English. The Dutch people speak fairly good English, so it's easy to carry on a conversation. Will tells me the workout: 1200, 1000, 1200, 1000, 1200 - each followed by 200m recoveries. Immediately, I try to calculate what I should be running the 1200 and 1K intervals in. With the legs feeling a bit heavy from the 20-miler on Sunday and 12 miles yesterday I thought I'd shoot for 3:50 for 1200 and 3:10 for 1K. I end up running the workout in 3:44, 3:02, 3:43, 3:02, & 3:46. It was a good workout, but the legs were certainly done.

Today's run: Noon - 4.2M (30:44 - 7:19 pace); PM - 7M with 1200 & 1K intervals (1200s = 3:44, 3:43, 3:46; 1K - 3:02, 3:02); 11.2M total

Yesterday's run: Noon - 6M (42:50 - 7:08 pace); PM - 6.1M (43:20 - 7:07 pace) easy run; 12.1M total

8 Weeks till Amsterdam Marathon

I'm finally situated and have internet access so I hope to post updates more frequently. Training the past three weeks has been fairly good. Felt good in today's long run as I was cruising along at 6:30ish pace after 4 miles. Oh, I'm officially entered for the Amsterdam Marathon on 19 October. The Dutch runners I linked up with on Tuesday's track workout all claim that the Amsterdam course is fast. I must not forget that the training must be put in first.

Here's the training log for the last 3 weeks.

18 - 24 Aug

Mon: 8.4M (58:20 - 6:58 pace)
Tues: AM - 5M (35:54 - 7:11 pace) short and easy run
Tues: PM - 7M including track workout; 4 x 300 (46, 49, 46, 49) + 5 x 400 (68, 68, 70, 70, 68) + 4 x 300 (50, 50, 51, 51); my first speed workout on the track in ages. legs were done in the end.
Wed: AM - 4.2M (31:18 - 7:27 pace) very easy; legs tired from yesterday's track workout
Wed: PM - 9.1M (1:02:31 - 6:52 pace)
Thur: AM - 8.4M (57:24 - 6:50 pace) easy on trails
Thur: PM - 6.6M (46:33 - 7:05 pace) easy run
Fri: 11.1M (1:13:06 - 6:35 pace) including 5 x 2' at 5k pace with 1' easy
Sat: 7.2M (50:37 - 7:01 pace)
Sun: 20M (2:10:56 - 6:33 pace) steady long run; last 10 miles in 64:02 (6:24 pace);

Weekly Total: 87 miles

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11 - 17 Aug

Mon: AM - 6.5M (44:07 - 6:47 pace)
Mon: PM - 4.3M (29:25 - 6:50 pace)
Tues: AM - 9.1M (59:49 - 6:33 pace) including fartlek 12 x 1' hard/easy
Tues: PM - 6.1M (41:19 - 6:49 pace)
Wed: 5.5M (39:11 - 7:07 pace) short and easy
Thur: AM - 10.1M (1:05:14 - 6:28 pace) middle 4 miles at 5:50 pace
Thur: PM - 6.6M (45:43 - 6:57 pace) easy; legs felt a bit heavy
Fri: AM - 7.5M (52:35 - 7:00 pace)
Fri: PM - 7M (47:41 - 6:48 pace)
Sat: 11M (1:13:53 - 6:43 pace) easy with a couple miles at 6:00 pace
Sun: 15.1M (1:36:22 - 6:23 pace) long run with miles 7-12 at 6:02 pace.

Weekly Total: 88.8 miles

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04 - 10 Aug

Mon: AM - 9M (1:01:44 - 6:51 pace)
Mon: PM - 6.3M (46:17 - 7:21 pace)
Tues: Did not run
Wed: Did not run
Thur: AM - 8.1M (55:28 - 6:50 pace)
Thur: PM - 10M (1:04:15 - 6:25 pace) progression run; last 5 miles in 31:19 with the last mile in 5:43
Fri: AM - 8.6M (1:00:27 - 7:01 pace)
Fri: PM - 8.4M (1:00:05 - 7:10 pace) easy run on treadmill
Sat: 10M (1:07:03 - 6:42 pace) mostly easy with the last 4 miles progressively faster
Sun: AM - 16M (1:47:26 - 6:42 pace) steady long run
Sun: PM - 7M (48:07 - 6:52 pace)

Weekly Total: 83.4 miles

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands. South Limburg, the southern-most Dutch province, will be called home for the next three years. The region is beautiful and offers a great deal of places to run and bike. It's a runner's dream place to run with tons of trails. Unfortunately, there are not much runners as cyclists. I’m lucky if I cross paths with another runner during my runs.

Here’s how the last 3 weeks of training went.

14 - 20 Jul
A frustrating week of running as the right ITB and knee was acting up again, probably from all the pounding on asphalt and concrete over the past couple weeks.

Mon: DNR; giving the ITB and knee some rest
Tues: 6.5M (48:39 – 7:29 pace)
Wed: 7.1M (50:03 – 7:04 pace)
Thur: 7.3M (51:04 – 7:00 pace)
Fri: 8.6M (1:00:48 – 7:04 pace)
Sat: 5M (37:55 – 7:35 pace); still feeling some pain on the right leg.
Sun: DNR;

Weekly Total: 34.5 miles on 5 runs/5 days
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21 - 27 Jul
Lots of flying early in the week. The 2nd half of the week of running went well. Trying to get in more double runs. The right leg felt fine this week. Hitting the core exercises hard again.

Mon: DNR; an entire day of flying from Guam to NC.
Tues: 7.5M (52:15 - 6:58 pace); easy run + 3 x hills
Wed: DNR - travel day to the Netherlands
Thur: 9.3M (1:06:10 - 7:07 pace)
Fri: AM - 6.5M (45:33 - 7:00 pace) lots of core and stretching
Fri: PM - 6.2M (42:36 - 6:52 pace)
Sat: AM - 9.1M (1:04:10 - 7:03 pace) drills and core exercises
Sat: PM - 7.1M (50:02 - 7:01 pace) on treadmill; weights and core
Sun: AM - 13.5M (1:34:17 - 6:58 pace)
Sun: PM - 4.5M (33:12 - 7:22 pace) very easy

Weekly Total: 63.7 miles on 8 runs/5 days
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28 Jul – 03 Aug
A much better week of running. Almost an increase of 30 miles each of the last couple weeks. Definitely not a mileage increase I’d normally do, but I think the base fitness is there.

Mon: AM - 9M (1:03:31 – 7:03 pace)
Mon: PM - 3.5M (24:45 – 7:04 pace) on treadmill and core afterwards
Tues: AM – 10M (1:07:44 – 6:46 pace) with 10 x 1’ fartlek w/ 1' easy
Tues: PM – 5M (37:26 – 7:25 pace) easy run; core exercises
Wed: 9.5M (1:06:43 – 7:01 pace); drills, strides and core afterwards
Thur: AM – 10M (1:07:54 – 6:47 pace) avg'd 6:26 pace for last 4 miles
Thur: PM- 6.4M (45:00 – 7:01 pace)
Fri: PM - 8M (54:31 – 6:48 pace) last couple miles at 6:20 & 5:50
Sat: 8.7M (1:01:13 – 7:02 pace)
Sun: AM – 16.2M (1:48:47 – 6:42 pace) last 5.2 miles at 6:34 pace
Sun: PM – 4.7M (33:01 - 7:01 pace) easy; core afterwards

Weekly Total: 91 miles on 11 runs/ 7 days