I ended up making last week my cutback week--my only of this 11 week training cycle. It's probably a bit silly since I should have just done my 20 miler on Sunday and had a longer taper, but whatever. However, Adam and I both had Sunday off together and so I decided that I would rather spend it hanging out with him than running for 2 1/2-3 hours and being a slacker the rest of the day.
I ran 3 6-milers and 1 7-miler last week--a nice little 25 mile week. 2 of the runs were on the TM and I tried to just take it nice and easy. 1 was at 8:34 pace and 1 was a progressive run that I turned up the mph with each mile. I wasn't super hungry for more, but I wasn't feeling spent--I guess that's the point of a cutback week?
The 7 miler on Sunday was outside. It was weird that I was hot because my last Greenway run was snow-covered. I normally walk down the entrance ramp area and then start my run when I get to the path. A girl came running past me on the path and I ended up less than a tenth of a mile behind her when I started. She was running about an 8:00 pace. I debated whether or not I was going to hover behind for a bit and see if she picked up the pace (ugh) or fly past her and then try to make sure she didn't pass me back (ugh). Fortunately, she stopped about a half mile into my run dead in her tracks to adjust something on her phone/music. Woot! I did pick up my pace at that point and felt my mojo come back with my legs working.
See, ever since I started this training cycle after BQing, I've been kind of avoiding true speed work. I did some 800s like the first week or two, but then I've just been running some of my random easy runs at a faster-than-tempo pace and calling that my speed work.
I think because I was feeling so good throughout my training cycle for Rehoboth, I was afraid that I was going to fail this training cycle. And if I lowered my expectations, I wouldn't fail!
Problem is, I do want to get faster this fall and I can't just completely slack on my speed work because I have different goals right now. So after an inspirational post from Mark in Loopville yesterday, I decided I was going to tackle those mile repeats come hell or high water.
Plus, I needed to break in my new shoes before my 20 miler on Friday:
I ended up doing them in 7:01, 6:46, and 6:34.
Not my fastest for a training cycle, but only 8 seconds off so I'm feeling pretty good. Here's the (what I've remembered to collect since marathon #1) history:
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2013B | 2014 | |
| 10 | 8:34 | 9:13 | 7:55 | 7:43 | 8:01 | 7:32 | |
| 12 | 8:36 | 8:13 | 7:44 | 8:10 | 7:50 | 7:52 | |
| 14 | 9:31 | 9:13 | 8:04 | 8:34 | 7:38 | 7:55 | 8:34* |
| 16 | 8:37 | 8:18 | 8:08 | 8:14 | 8:04 | 7:44 | |
| 18 | 8:25 | 8:07 | 8:19 | 8:13 | 7:55 | ||
| 20 | 9:00ish | 9:00 | 8:18 | 8:04 | 8:19 | 8:12 | 8:00 |
| Fastest Mile Repeat | 7:41 | 7:09 | 7:30 | 6:42 | 6:26 | 6:34 | |
| Fastest Tempo | 8:13 | 7:57 | 7:31 | 7:28 | 7:10 | 7:17 | 7:14 |
| Race time | 4:01:09 | 3:59:08 | 3:50:36 | 3:52:01 | 3:43:18 | 3:32:54 |
So now I just have to conquer that one last 20 miler and then it's taper time!
I did do a few things this past week that were picture-worthy. I enjoyed a bourbon-inspired dinner with Adam at our local gastropub:
The younger pookie was excited to help celebrate:
Ah, the happiness of the pups!
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