October 13 - 19 Training

Mon: AM - 8.3 miles easy with 6x30s pickups (6:56).  PM - 4.2 miles easy (7:21)

Tue: AM -  10.1 miles moderate (6:35).  PM - 4.2 miles easy (7:20)

Wed: AM - 9.2 miles easy (7:08); PM - 2.5 miles easy (8:05). short run; got hungry and felt a lack of energy.

Thu: AM - 11.6 miles with 6x1mile Tempo. Goal was to start at 5:35 and slowly work down to 5:30. Splits: 5:32, 5:34, 5:31, 5:28, 5:23, 5:23.  Felt much better hitting the pace compared to last week's 2x3M tempos. Getting adjusted to the altitude;  PM - 4.1 miles easy (7:33)

Fri: 8.1 miles easy (7:13)

Sat: 20.2 miles long run (6:48). Workout was 16 miles at normal long run pace and then the last 4 miles at 6:20-6:00 pace.  Ran in the very early morning hours (3:45am) because I had to be at work by 7:00.  The first 10 were nice and easy in 70min and the next 6 miles at 6:45ish pace.  When I got to the last 4 miles, it was harder than I thought to hit 6:20-6:00 pace. Last 4 miles were 6:24, 5:55, 6:22, 6:43.  Thought that my GPS was messed, but later realized that I was crashing as my shoulders and arms started to tighten up.  

Sun: AM - 5.5 miles easy (7:30); PM - 5 miles easy (7:28)

Weekly Total: 93.1 miles on 12 runs/ 7 days
Another 90+ mile week while working long hours at Fort Bliss.  I've been thinking a lot lately on which marathon I should run.  My initial plan was to run Philly Marathon, but I wasn't sure if I'll be able to put in the marathon training while I was away for work.  Instead, I've decided to run California International Marathon (CIM) on Dec 7.  It will actually give me a few more weeks of marathon specific training, which I'll start this week.    

Mar 28 - Apr 3

Mon: 8.7M easy run
Tue: AM - 5M easy run;  PM - 10M including 10 x 1' @ ~5k effort w/ 1' easy @ brisk pace  (15M tot)
Wed: 13.2M easy run
Thu: AM - 4.5M easy run;  PM - 10M easy run  (14.5M tot)
Fri: 12.2M including 4 x 2000 tempo intervals (6:38, 6:36, 6:32, 6:28) w/ 400m rec + 3 x 200m (30, 30, 30)
Sat: 8.8M easy run
Sun: 12M fast-finish long run; first 6 miles easy then 10K (Parelloop) in 34:50

Weekly Total: 84 miles on 9 runs/7 days
This week was the start of the peaking period for Rotterdam.  I decreased the total weekly mileage, but kept the quality workouts intense to keep the engine revving.  The fartlek workout of 10 x 1' on Tuesday felt shorter than what I'm used to, which is a very good sign. On Friday I did 2K tempo intervals on the track, each 2K faster than the previous one.  Sunday was my last fast-finish long run and dress rehearsal for the marathon.  Because my girlfriend was running a race in Parelloop Brunssum, I decided to enter the 10K and run my fast-finish long run as part of the race.  I ran the first 6 miles easy before the race started, and then jumped into the 10K (don't worry, I registered) to run the marathon pace portion of the workout.  I actually ended up exceeding my marathon pace speed limit.  However, I still ran controlled and practically kept the same pace throughout the race.  My 10K time in the Parelloop recreation run was 34:50 with 5K splits at 17:30 and 17:20.

24-30 August; 3 Weeks till Berlin

It was a good week of training with 3 key workouts and 90+ miles. Tuesday was a 10k progression run, Friday was tempo intervals of 4 x 3K at half-marathon pace and today was a long hard 20 miles at about 20 seconds slower than marathon pace.

Friday's run was tough. There was almost no motivation before the warmup and it was very windy. Planned pace for the 3K tempo intervals was 3:27-28/km or 5:33-35/mi. I was right on target for the first two, but a little too fast on the last two. 3K splits were:

10:21 (3:27/km or 5:33/mi)
10:21 (3:27/km or 5:33/mi)
10:16 (3:25/km or 5:30/mi)
10:10 (3:23/km or 5:27/mi)


This morning's long run was also a tough one. 20 miles consisting of a mile warmup, 18 at MP +:20 per mile (~6:10 pace), and then concluding with a cooldown mile. I ran the first 9 (miles 2-10) in 55:29 averaging 6:10 pace. The 2nd 9 (miles 11-19) was in 53:53 (5:59 pace), maybe a little too fast than I wanted. Average pace for the entire run was 6:09.

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24-30 August

Mon: Noon - 6M @ 7:02 pace; PM - 5M @ 7:10 pace
Tues: Noon - 5M @ 7:10 pace; PM - 10.5M with 10k progression run in 35:14
Wed: Noon - 6M @ 7:04 pace; PM - 9M @ 6:57 pace
Thur: Noon - 6M @ 7:07 pace; PM - 6.5M @ 7:15 pace
Fri: 13M including 4 x 3K @ 1/2-marathon pace w/ 3' easy rec; splits - 10:21, 10:21, 10:16, 10:10
Sat: 7M @ 6:59 pace
Sun: 20M @ 6:09 pace

Weekly Total: 94 miles

21 August

The middle of the week here in Holland was very warm compared to the normal summer. Temps reached low to mid-90s on Wednesday and Thursday. Today was a whole lot better with the high only peaking at 75 degrees. It made for a good workout on the track. I did 10 x 1K tempo intervals with 200m easy for recovery. I was initially shooting for 3:22-3:25/km because the legs were feeling a little tired from a combination of Sunday's race and the last three days at 11 miles including a fartlek, 15 and 14 miles. But when I went through the first couple 1k repeats in 3:21 feeling comfortable and steady, I decided to just continue on with the pace. The 10 x 1k splits were 3:21, :21, :21, :19, :20, :20, :20, :19, :19, and 3:18. I think the pace was perfect because I finished the workout feeling like I could have knocked a few more. Tomorrow will be an easy short run and Sunday a long steady 24-miler.

Today: 13.5M including 10 x 1k w/ 200m recovery.
Thur: AM - 5M @ 7:04 pace; PM - 9M @ 6:52 pace
Wed: AM - 5M @ 7:00 pace; PM - 10.2M @ 6:43 pace
Tues: 11M @ 6:55 pace including 10 x :30 w/ 1' easy

Back in the Netherlands

I'm back in the Netherlands and enjoying the running weather. It's been raining a lot since my arrival a couple days ago. I don't mind it though because I'll take the rain and mid-70 degree weather over the 90+ degree temps I was running in on Guam. I must say though that the last 2 weeks of running in Guam has improved my fitness, evidence of today's workout.

I wasted no time getting back into training after a DNR (did not run) due to travel. Yesterday morning I did 11 miles at a steady easy pace. That afternoon I did 5 easy miles. Today, I ran another easy 5 miles in the morning and a workout, 13 miles with 3 x 2M @ ~10k pace + 4 x 200m, in the evening. My legs and body felt surprisingly good in tonights workout. The initial plan was to run the 3 x 2M at half-marathon pace. However, when I came across mile 1 of the first 2M in 5:30 and feeling comfortable I decided to run according to how I felt. I ran each 2-miler faster. Splits were

10:55 (5:30, 5:25)
10:43 (5:21, 5:22)
10:41 (5:23, 5:18).

I also added 4 x 200 meters, all in 32 seconds. It was a good workout and a sign of improved fitness.

Today: AM - 5M @ 7:12 pace; PM - 13M including 3x2M (10:55, 10:43, 10:41) + 4x200m;
Thur: AM - 11M @ 6:53 pace; PM - 5M @ 7:10 pace

15 July

Yesterday I completed my first key workout since I arrived on Guam. I did an easy 6 miles in the morning and then 11 miles, which included 3 x 2 miles at half-marathon effort on the track, in the late afternoon. Because of the tough running conditions, 93 degrees, I decided to focus more on effort than pace. I ended up surprising myself running each 2-mile faster: 11:22 (5:43, 5:39), 11:15 (5:39, 5:36) & 11:00 (5:36, 5:24). I took 2 minute rests for recovery in between the 2-miles. It was a good workout, but I was completely empty and dead-tired afterwards.

This morning I ran 11 miles in the sweltering heat, about 97 degress RealFeel. It was so hot that I took in 40 ounces of fluid (20 oz Powerade & 20 oz water) during the 81-minute run. In the late afternoon/early evening, I ran an easy 4 miles on Tumon Beach (see photo below - 5 July post). Just as I was ending the run, I bumped into my running friend Fred, who ran the length of Japan back in 1983. I tagged along with him for 6 miles chatting the entire run, of course, about running. A total of 21 miles for the day.

Today: AM - 11 miles easy; PM - 10M easy
Tues: AM - 6M easy; PM - 11M including 3 x 2-miles @ half-marathon effort