Training Recap
After a difficult week of training last week, which necessitated some extra downtime in the form of cutting out cross-training this week, I feel like I'm back to full strength. If the past few non-recovery runs are any indication, I may be stronger than ever. Here are a few highlights from the past week:
- Wednesday evening, my friend and running mate, Drew, and I took to the track for some 800-meter (1/2-mile) repeats. I hadn't previously taken my speed work to the track -- I'd done 800 repeats before but out on the open road -- so this was a new experience for me. Drew had previously suggested my doing Yasso repeats, which is ten 800-meter repeats, to provide a guide in estimating my marathon pace. I ended up doing eight repetitions, averaging 3:03 per 800. My "newbness" showed on the first two, which I did entirely too fast (2:50 and 2:55, respectively), but Drew got me straightened out by pacing me on the next four before letting me do the last two on my own. Had I started at the more measured pace of the last six, I am confident I could have done the full ten at an average of somewhere between 3:05 and 3:10 per 800. Assuming the pessimistic end of that range, that suggests a marathon time of 3 hours and 10 minutes, which would be 20-plus minutes faster than my time from last October.
- Armed with the new data from Wednesday's speed work, I took to the road for an eight-mile pace run. Not fully ready to accept that I have improved to the point where I'll run a 7:15 pace, as opposed to the 8:03 pace I ran in October, I set a more conservative pace goal of 7:40, roughly splitting the difference. After running the first mile at 7:30 and feeling pretty strong, I adjusted my target pace to 7:30. I ended up with a 7:24 pace, running none of the remaining seven miles any slower than 7:26.
- Saturday, I posted one of my strongest-ever long runs of any meaningful distance when I ran 16 miles at an average pace of 8:06/mile. (NOTE: By design, long runs are generally done at much slower, 45 to 90 seconds, than targeted marathon pace.) This was done on a fairly hilly course, and I ended up with plenty of fuel in the tank, running the last split in 6:55.
Here's my customary summary of the full week's activities:
| EXERCISE | TOTAL MILES | TOTAL CALORIE BURN |
| Running six runs, including a long run of 16 miles, two 8-mile runs, two 5-mile treadmill recoveries, and eight 800-meter track repeats that, with warm-up, recoveries, and cool-down, totaled 8.15 miles | 50.15 | 4,300 |
| Other not applicable | N/A | N/A |
| TOTALS: | 50.15 | 4,300 |
The coming week, which is week 19 of 22, will be my final high-mileage week and will feature the last 20-plus mile long run in my training plan. I expect to log 59 miles for the week, and then the three-week taper period begins. I'll drop down to 39 miles, my first sub-40-mile week since late December, in the first week of the taper, though I will be running a hard half marathon at the end of it. Feeling as strong as I ever have, both physically and mentally, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm fully energized and ready to push hard for one more week. Then I can finally allow the significance of what I'm about to experience to hit me!
That's a Fact, Jack!
I'm back, baby, and clicking on all cylinders ... but the best news of this past week was that Jack Bruce, the three-year-old I've mentioned previously, who is battling cancer (for the second time), got great news on his latest MRI: No signs of any tumors!!! This little guy has had a rough go of things, far surpassing even my worst day of training, with chemo and radiation. When I heard the news from Katie, Jack's mom, I was moved to the point of tears. Jack's fight isn't over -- he still has a couple months of chemo remaining -- but this is wonderful news! Please keep him, his family, and his physicians/nurses at St. Jude in your prayers. It's unfortunate that Jack has been fighting this beast for more than half of his young life. He deserves a normal childhood. Many of my DFMC teammates in the Northeast participate in the DFMC Partner Program, where they are matched with a pediatric patient at the Dana-Institute's Jimmy Fund Clinic. Jack is sort of my adopted partner and, though I've never met him, I hope to someday soon. He's worthy of the label "hero", and he's one of mine!
Fundraising Update
With contributions from Kim Fink, Katie Bruce and Tonya Bender, my fundraising total has climbed to $1,998 (including $120 of check/cash contributions, which haven't posted yet). Thank you for your support, ladies!!! I'm still well short of the $3,250 minimum, however, so if you're out there and have been waiting to make your donation, now's the time. Please click here to give, and join a team that is thousands strong in its support of finding a cure for cancer. Together, we will succeed!
This Week's "Title Track"
 | Back on the Road Again A track by REO Speedwagon from the release The Hits |
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