January 19 - 25 Training

Mon: AM - 8.5 miles easy with 6x30s pickups (7:02); PM - 4.5 miles easy (7:37)

Tue: AM - 12.4 miles with 10x3:00 on/1:30 off (6:38); Started around 5:45 pace for the first 3 reps and then worked my way down to 5:30 pace for the last 5. PM – 4.2 miles easy (7.43)

Wed: AM – 8.5 miles easy (7:02); PM – 5.1 miles easy (7:15)

Thu: AM – 12 miles with 10 miles medium progression in 63:19, 6:20 pace. Roads were slick from snow, so I ran the workout on the treadmill. Started out at 6:30ish and then slowly increased the pace to 6:15-6:10. The effort felt much easier in the last 5 miles than the first 5. PM – 4 miles easy (7:10)

Fri: AM – 5 miles easy (7:34); PM - 7 miles easy (7:04)

Sat: AM - 20.1 miles long run with miles 16-19 in 23:10, 5:48 pace (6:30 overall avg pace); Ran the first 15 miles easy and controlled on rolling hills averaging 6:40 pace, the next 4 miles (16-19) at sub-6:00 or MP effort, and the last mile easy.  I ran 23:10 for 4 miles with splits at 5:49, 5:47, 5:46, and 5:48.  I thought sub-6:00 or MP effort would feel tough, but it actually felt fast and controlled.  

Sun: AM - 8.3 miles easy (7:16); Expected the legs to be fatigued and heavy, but they actually felt good.  Felt like I was jogging at 7:45 pace.  PM - 3 miles easy (7:51)

Weekly Total: 102.7 miles on 13 runs/7 days
It was my 2nd consecutive week of hitting 100+ miles.  100 miles/week is starting to feel more like 80-90 miles/week.  Definitely a good sign.  

January 12 - 18 Training

Mon: AM - 8.25 miles easy with 6x30s pickups (7:14); PM - 5.1 miles easy (7:52)

Tue: AM - 10.7 miles 4 miles Tempo (22:49, 5:42 pace) and 2x400m (67, 66); Goal was to run the tempo at 5:40-5:45 pace. Mile splits were 5:50, 5:41, 5:41, 5:37.   I ran the 2x400s on a slight downhill.  The intent was to get some quad-pounding and used to running downhill in preparation for Boston's course.   PM - 5 miles easy (7:24)

Wed: AM - 10 miles easy/medium (6:41); Ran easy for the first 5 miles and then at a medium pace (6:15-6:20ish) over the last 5.   PM - 5.1 miles easy (8:02)

Thu: AM - 5 miles easy (7:29);  PM - 6 miles easy (7:14)

Fri: AM - 10.6 miles with 16x60s on/off Fartlek; Plan was to start a little slower than 5K pace and then work my way down.  I ran the first 8 reps around 5:15 pace.  In the last half I felt like I was running close to 5K pace/effort or even slightly faster, but then the actual pace was a little slower.  The legs were probably feeling the effects of a faster day-to-day running (Tue tempo followed by an easy/medium run on Wed).   PM - 4.4 miles easy (7:50)

Sat: 20 miles long run easy/medium (6:37); The first 10 miles were nice and easy at a 6:51 avg pace.  The last 10 miles were on rolling hills at a medium pace/effort starting at 6:30ish pace and working my way down to 6:15-6:10.  Felt really good and was cruising comfortably over the last 10 miles, which I ran in 63:37 (6:21 pace).  

Sun: AM - 6.6 miles easy (7:32);  PM - 4.6 miles easy (7:42)

Weekly Total: 101.3 miles on 13 runs/7 days
It was a good week of training both with volume and intensity.  I did some faster running or quality workouts on back-to-back days, which is a different than what I've done in the past.   I also hit my first 100+ mile week in this Boston marathon training cycle, whereas I only had one week at 100+ miles leading up to CIM.  

January 5 - 11 Training

Mon: AM - 8.5 miles easy (7:07); PM - 4.1 miles easy (7:13)

Tue: AM - 9.5 miles with 6x60s uphill and 2x60s downhill. Ran the workout on the treadmill because the roads were slippery and covered with snow.  I ran the uphills with the treadmill incline at 6-7% grade, which is the grade of the Newton hills.  For the first 3 reps, I started at 5:15 pace and then increased the pace to 5:10 for the last 30 sec.  The last 3 reps I started at 5:10 and increased to 5:05-5:00 pace.  For the downhills, I was only able to run 5:00 pace at a -2% grade because that's all my treadmill was capable of.  While I got the leg to turnover, I didn't achieve the downhill pounding and quad-beating which was the purpose of the downhills.  PM - 6 miles easy (7:58)

Wed: AM - 5.3 miles medium (6:32); Planned run was 10 miles at an easy/medium effort. I woke up late and didn't have enough time to put in 10 miles, so I hopped on the treadmill for a quick 5 miles before I had to get ready for work.  After a mile warm-up, I ran the next 4.3 miles in 27:07 (6:19 pace) starting at 6:30ish and then working my way down to 6:10.  Pace felt very comfortable and steady;  PM - 6.2 miles easy (7:20)

Thu: AM - 5.1 miles easy (7:25) treadmill; PM - 6.1 miles easy (7:06)

Fri: 8.6 miles with 6x30s pick-ups (7:00) treadmill;

Sat: 18.3 miles long run with 6x1/2 mile at marathon effort with 1/2 mile easy; Ran the first 12 miles averaging 6:48 and then alternated 1/2 mile at marathon effort with 1/2 mile easy for the last 6 miles.  Splits for the 1/2 mile at marathon effort were 2:56, 2:56, 2:55, 2:53 and 2:57.  

Sun: AM - 7 miles easy (7:12); PM - 4.6 miles easy (7:36)

Weekly Total: 89.3 miles on 12 runs/7 days
This week was a little rough with the freezing temps, but I still got in some pretty good volume and a couple decent workouts.  I just hope that there isn't any more snow days.  

December 29 - January 4

Mon: 10.1 miles easy (6:50)

Tue: AM - 6.6 miles easy with 4x30s pick-ups (6:59); PM - 3.6 miles easy (7:49). Wanted to try my wife's new treadmill, so I hopped on it for my 2nd run.  The advantage of owning a treadmill is that I can run when the weather is bad. The disadvantages are that I have no excuses for not logging the miles and that I might get soft and choose to run on the treadmill versus on the roads.  However, I don't see the later happening because I love running outside. 

Precor TRM 425 (iPad not included)

Wed: 11 miles with last 3 miles in 17:31. Plan was to do 10 miles with the last 3 at 5:50-6:00 pace.  I ran 11 (last mile was cool-down) because I didn't want to stop at a major intersection during the 10th mile.  First 7 miles felt very easy and comfortable. For the fast-finish I was hoping to run 6:00 and then slowly pick up the pace to 5:50, but instead I ran the same pace at 5:51, 5;50, and 5:50.  Last mile felt much harder than 5:50 because of 8-12mph headwinds and a slight uphill at the end. 

Thu: AM - 4 miles easy (7:27); PM - 7 miles easy (6:55)

Fri: 8.5 miles easy (6:59)

Sat: 17.3 miles long run (6:58). Plan was to run the first 9 on rolling terrain and then the last 8 on the flat downtown loop.  However, I missed a turn and had to change my route, which ended up being all rolling.  Felt pretty good the entire run.  Was hoping to keep the pace above 7:00, but I ran mostly 6:50ish, which felt very easy.  

Sun: AM - 8.5 miles easy (6:59); PM - 3.8 miles easy (7:49). I was bored so I got on the treadmill and ran an easy 30' while watching the finish of the marathon record in Berlin.

Weekly Total: 80.4 miles on 10 runs/7 days
Good week of volume considering it's only been a month from CIM.  Wed was a good sign that I was able to bounce back to marathon pace fairly easy.  

2014 Year in Review

2014 was a pretty busy year marked by parenthood and travels. My wife and I had our first baby in February. The summer and remaining months of 2014 were filled with travels.  In June, we moved from North Carolina to Maryland as part of my military change of duty station.  In transit we took a road trip to the northeast making stops at New Jersey, Connecticut and Boston before coming back down to Maryland.  We then traveled to the Dominican Republic for a Herbalife all-expensed paid vacation.  In July we traveled to Chicago for the annual Herbalife Extravaganza and then a couple weeks later drove up to Niagara Falls for a friend's wedding.  In September we traveled across the country for my brother-in-law's wedding.   In October I traveled to Fort Bliss (El Paso), TX for 5-weeks for work and got in some altitude training.  Travels that included running were Boston in April and California International Marathon in December. 

Herbalife Vacation in Dominican Republic

2014 by the numbers:

• 3416 total miles
• Avg'd 65.6 miles/week 

• 3 Marathons 
• Boston Marathon - 2:53:34
• Worst marathon performance; cramped badly and literally jogged the last 10 miles
• All-American Marathon - 2:48:03
• 3rd Place Overall
• 13 days after Boston
• California International Marathon - 2:32:29
• Personal Best & Guam National Record in the Marathon

CIM - 2:32:29 (PB)

• 8 races (4 wins)

• 6 pairs of Saucony Kinvaras