Forums >Racing>2020 Marathon Training and relevant COVID 19 discussion echo chamber
Problem Child
Omr
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
VDOT 53.37
5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22
3 months til Masters
Did the some reading and getting caught up. Glad to see not much has changed. Looking forward to races next year. Hopefully racing returns soon rather than later. Real winter has started in MN. So easy days are forced easy cause there is no traction to run sub 7:20/mile. I'll check back in after the new year. Been logging the miles. Kids are good. Sleep still lacking. Who is up as the new fearless leader?
2023 Goals
Marathon Sub 2:37 (CIM) 2:41:18
10k Sub 35:00 (Victory 10k 34:19)
5k Sub 16:00 (Hot Dash 5k in March (16:48), Brian Kraft in May (16:20), Twilight 5000 in July and August (16:20/16:25 Both heat index 102-103F)
Sub 1:16 Half Marathon City of Lakes Half Marathon 1:15:47)
Sub 56:30 in 10 mile (Twin Cities 10 mile, Canceled due to weather, 56:35 as a workout)
2024 Goals
Sub 2:37 Marathon
Sub 1:15 Half
Sub 34 10k
Sub 16 5k
dps: Good to see you back. Definitely true about the impact of snow and ice on pace.
My week:
S: 5.3M @ 8:37 Trail RunM: 5.3M @ 8:53 Trail Run (running on trails is less slippery than icy roads)T: 10.3M @ 8:22 O/A, Long Hills: 3 x 3:00, 2 x 2:30, 1 x 2:00W: Rest (Blizzard)T: Rest (Frigid: -30°F wind chills)F: 6.0M @ 8:40ish, everything about this run was bad, including my watch not recording itS: 14.0M @ 8:36, mostly on gravel (also less slippery than icy roads)
Total: 40.9M
OMR: Looks like a rough week weather-wise for you. Seeing what you MN guys have to deal with makes me realize I should not complain about winter here in CT. Good job getting the miles and the work in despite the conditions. Based on your request to DW to borrow Fluffy, I guess you don't have a treadmill; any plans to get one?
DPS: Glad all is well with you. You asking who will run the thread in 2021 suggests you're interested in the role...I would support you as threadmaster. To me the key for that is the person has to stick around, post their week each week, and give feedback to the others on the thread. I'm confident you'd check all those boxes so you have my vote!
The lads on the sub 1:30 half thread do an exemplary job posting their weeks and giving feedback.
We had a foot of snow on the ground at the start of the week, but a warm-up to 60 deg F and 24 h of non-stop rain melted it all. Thus I should be able to get to the track this coming week. I copied OMR's short hill reps workout from last week, though stopped at 8 reps. Also bumped the long run up to 16 miles this week. If I'm going for a 3 month training block for my mid-April target marathon, there's not too much time left until that cycle starts. Not sure how much I'll be able to do for a respectable 2 mile time trial until then, but the first track session this week should give me an idea of what's possible.
2:52:16 (2018)
Mother of Cats
OMR - I think everyone needs a Fluffy. I do wish I could lend Fluffy out, but the shipping costs would be prohibitive. Sounds like a brutal week out there.
DPS - good to see you checking in!
JTReeves - I'm shocked that you got up to 60 degrees. I don't think we got that warm. Though we also got a ridiculous amount of rain on Christmas eve.
60 miles, 1000 yards swimming, and 2:30 hours of pool-runningM: 50 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga.T: 5 miles very easy (9:42), upper body weights/core, 5 miles (8:40), drills and 2 hill strides.W: 12 miles, including a track workout of 2x1200, 3x800, 400, 2x200 in 4:43, 4:40, 3:10 (fell asleep), 3:05, 3:04, 88, 43, 41. 400m recovery after each in between 2:2x and 2:5x. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.Th: 50 minutes pool-running and streaming yogaF: 8 miles very easy (9:08), drills and 2 hill strides, upper body weights/core, streaming yoga (very short session), 4 miles very easy on treadmill (9:00),Sa: 12 miles on the treadmill, including a ~4 mile tempo in 27:03 (4 miles at 6:46 pace according to footpod; treadmill said this was actually between 6:36-6:40 pace). Followed with leg strengthwork, streaming yoga, and 500 yards recovery swimming.Su: 14 miles very easy (8:51), drills, and streaming yoga. Later did 50 minutes of pool-running.
Since I had some extra time this week, I split some of my easy runs into doubles so that my legs could be a bit fresher for my speed workouts.
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
dps glad you came back. Unsure if we can have a leader if there are no marathons. Seems like everyone will be jumping into the sub 1:30 half marathon thread to discuss training as it's a much faster paced thread and this thread kinda died out with COVID 19 and no marathons. Feel free to start one though.
my week
0.0 miles.
JT: Normally I can use the college's equipment, so there's no need for a treadmill at home...except when there's a pandemic, I guess. Anyhow, we don't really have room for a treadmill. Basement ceiling is too low, and the single-car garage isn't insulated (and barely holds a car with other things like the snowblower in there). We do have an elliptical with variable resistance, so I'm going to experiment with that a bit when it's too icy or cold for outdoor hard workouts. Today was supposed to be another round of long hill repeats, so I tried transferring it to the elliptical after running my easy run outside. Not quite the same, but there's probably some benefit. Nice week for you. When you hop into a plan, what sort of plan are you hopping into?
Dwave: Nice week as well, maybe you just need to have "Fluffy camp," and we can all head over there for a week.
RP: If you ran across the street or anything like that, I would round that mileage up to 0.1.
uhhhhhhhh.....sprints to the fridge count as sprints right?
not mentally there. Wrk is just taking it out of me and I discovered the truck has a coolant leak. Again. kind of a minor spot, kind of a PITA to do it the halfass way. Tried a duct tape fix today. Losing coolant isn't exactly a fun thing to deal with and at least it happens when I'm at home. Got to use my new Milwaukee m12 lightbar (while getting paid to sit around and wait for emails) though so there is that.
DW: Nice week; great job on the track workout. I'm thinking about trying something similar but without the 1200s. Just some 800s, some 400s and some 200s. I was shocked it got as warm as it did, but am happy as it got rid of all the snow. The level of the river I run along raised by about 3 feet after those couple days; flooding in some areas.
OMR: That's nice you have the college facilities to use. The elliptical seems to be one of the best non-running activities for runners. A couple of runners I follow on strava seem to get some great workouts in on them. Do you XC ski? I've heard that's possibly even better than running for aerobic demands, but have not done it myself since I was a kid.
RP: There will be plenty of marathons next year; maybe not big ones but plenty of smaller races. They will probably even have CIM by December but I'm sure you can get in a spring race if you look around.
No specific plan for me once I do start. I have never followed a plan but take parts of Pfitz, Daniels and Hanson's plans. The general formula is 6 days running/week (Mondays are always off from running for me, I do strength work that day), with 1 hard workout mid-week, usually an easy trail run on Saturday, and long on Sunday. Mileage is usually between 60-70/week. Hard workouts for me are often 3 x 2 mi, straight tempos of 3-6 miles, 10 x 2 min or 8-10 x 3 min, a block of MP, or an occasional time trial. I sort of make it up as I go. This time I'm trying to not make the cycle as long, since I think I peaked too early last time with a 4+ month cycle.
Thanks. I liked it because it was a 3 miles of VO2Max work (the 800s/1200s with 400m recovery) that then transitioned to faster turnover at the end with the 400 and 200s. All with the same 400m jog which was easy to remember.
This time I'm trying to not make the cycle as long, since I think I peaked too early last time with a 4+ month cycle.
+100 - I think it's one of the most common mistakes to extend marathon training too long. By the time you think you're ready, you're actually past your prime.
RP: If your refrigerator is upstairs and you are downstairs, they count as hill sprints!
JT: The only thing I don't like about the elliptical is the stride limitation. Even though ours has variable stride length, it still feels short, and I have trouble getting the cadence and my heart rate up. But the resistance stuff yesterday did tire my legs out as evidenced today, so I'm probably switching to that for now. We do XC-ski, and it looks like we'll have plenty of snow for a while, so I may have to plan on more of that this year as well. It can make for a great aerobic workout. I'll be curious to see how you feel about a shorter cycle this time around.
Thanks. I liked it because it was a 3 miles of VO2Max work (the 800s/1200s with 400m recovery) that then transitioned to faster turnover at the end with the 400 and 200s. All with the same 400m jog which was easy to remember. +100 - I think it's one of the most common mistakes to extend marathon training too long. By the time you think you're ready, you're actually past your prime.
DW: Looking back at the last cycle (hindsight 20/20) I think I peaked around when I did the 10 mile time trial, which was 4 weeks before the race I planned to do but ended up pushing out 1 week further due to weather, so 5 weeks prior to my race. So hopefully 12 weeks will be just right.
I got to the track this morning and had a humbling session. I'm not sure if sub 11 min is in the cards. Hopefully this was kind of a rustbuster and I'll get better with some more sessions.
I did enjoy the 200m reps at the end, though it is mind-boggling to think that when running basically all out for 200m, I was still WAY slower than the pace Cheptegei averaged for 25 laps. And on my fastest 200, probably only equaling Kipchoge's average pace for... a whole marathon.
OMR: It's great you can XC ski (and know how to do it right). Always good to have some non-running exercise options for winter. I remember Bob Kempainen used a XC ski machine (maybe skiing outdoors as well) for an extended time when he had some sort of serious injury, maybe a stress fracture, which prevented him from running, and ran a great marathon at the trials afterwards, so it can definitely keep you fit.
Dawn Elberta Wells of Reno, Nevada has died. Goodbye 2020.
I'm confident in fall marathons. Grandma's in June is 50/50. I'll likely be on both. Kid 2 is still bad on sleeping, but looks like teeth are coming so hopefully I get more than 7 hours for the first time in 6 months.
dps glad you came back. Unsure if we can have a leader if there are no marathons. Seems like everyone will be jumping into the sub 1:30 half marathon thread to discuss training as it's a much faster paced thread and this thread kinda died out with COVID 19 and no marathons. Feel free to start one though. my week 0.0 miles.
Here is to 2021 being the year for sleep. Kid #2 comes our way in something like 10 weeks. Fall marathons most likely will happen thanks to Joe Biden the vaccine for 2020 COVID 19. I might have to get back into Marathon shape and aim for closer to a 3:10 at Boston 2021.