Happy with my week. Good workout Tuesday and good 400 TT Friday. Going to run an 800 on 5/20 so have about a month to build some additional fitness. Traveling the next two weeks (Disney for vacation then SF for work) so just going to focus on staying consistent.
Good luck to all the Boston people Monday!
M - 6 @ 7:35
T - 9.5 w/ 8x800 w/ 60s off + 4’ off + 4x200 w/ 75 seconds off. 2:46/2:47/2:45/2:45/2:42/2:41/2:38/2:34 + 31/29/31/30.
W - 6 @ 7:24
Th - 4.5 @ 7:00 w/ 3x150m strides
F - 4 w/ 400m TT in 53.2 + 1 mile jog + 4x25ish second hills
Sa - 9 @ 7:51
Su - TBD
Total - 40 miles at the moment
M38, 5’10”, low 160s
Road bests | 2023
5k 15:20 (2006) | 16:10 (split)
10k - 31:15 (2008) | 32:21 (split)
10M - 51:52 (2009) | 52:31
Half - 1:09:01 (2009) | 1:10:36
Full - 2:25:14 (2019) | .
Upcoming
5/21 - 10k
10/8 - 10 mile
10/29 - 50k
3/16 - Half
Mo: 8 @ 5:54, 3-2-1*
Tu: 8 @ 6:49
We: 8 @ 7:26, hill reps**
Th: AM - 8 @ 6:44; PM - 2 stroller
Fr: 10 @ 6:39, 8x800***
Sa: 8 @ 7:49, stroller
Su: 8 @ 5:34****
Total: 60 miles
*3-2-1 on bike trail in 15:59 (5:20, 5:20, 5:19), 3’ jog, 10:37 (5:15, 5:22), 2’ jog, 5:15.
**2 x 8 x 30s hill reps
***8 x 800m (avg. 2:30.6) with 200m (avg. 75s) jog: 2:29.9, 2:30.7, 2:31.1, 2:30.9, 2:31.7, 2:29.5, 2:30.6, 2:30.6.
****Similar to last Sunday: 5:55, 5:31, 5:33, 5:33, 5:35, 5:31, 5:26, 5:25.
Traveling to Kansas City Monday-Thursday. Never been. Looks like the area around the WWI memorial might be okay for doing some intervals. Main goal is to run across the state line into Kansas, just because.
Friday’s workout seems to have produced a ganglion cyst on my the top of my right ankle. Not really causing any problems, just looks goofy. The new Adidas Bostons’ tongue/upper system has been putting a bunch of pressure in that area and may be to blame. Already tried Lydiard lacing, which helped somewhat. Made some cuts today to make it more like a normal tongue, which relieved the pressure on the top, but now I’m getting some heel slipping. Will try some other lacing strategies. Just hate it when shoe companies mess up a model that’s been reliably solid since I started running in the late ‘90s.
Sub 6:00 wrote:
Friday’s workout seems to have produced a ganglion cyst on my the top of my right ankle. Not really causing any problems, just looks goofy. The new Adidas Bostons’ tongue/upper system has been putting a bunch of pressure in that area and may be to blame. Already tried Lydiard lacing, which helped somewhat. Made some cuts today to make it more like a normal tongue, which relieved the pressure on the top, but now I’m getting some heel slipping. Will try some other lacing strategies. Just hate it when shoe companies mess up a model that’s been reliably solid since I started running in the late ‘90s.
I have had exactly that problem with all of the recent Adidas shoes (Takumi Sen 8 and Adios 6/7). My workaround has been to buy some make-up sponges (the circular ones) at the local CVS and insert them under the tongue at the top to pad it some there.
HHW - nice week for you.
And yes, good luck to everyone running Boston! By my count that is Beers and Miles, Average for Fun, WinorLose#WhyD3, and RunnerSam
Female, 48, 5'4", 107
PRs 5:25/18:51/38:56/1:02:28/1:24:08/2:57:42
Recent best times: 5K in 21:08, 10 miles in 1:10:19, half-marathon in 1:33:20, Marathon in 3:24:40
Next races: Broad Street 10 Miler (April 30th); Brooklyn Half ?(May 20th)
My week:
50 miles running, ~1000 yards swimming and 4.5 hours pool-running.
M: 90 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.
T: 11 miles, including a track workout of 2x800, 2x1200, 2x800 in 3:15, 3:16, 5:01, 4:56, 3:13, 3:11. Recoveries between 2:2x and 2:4x Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.
W: 11 miles very easy (9:21) plus drills and hill sprints. Streaming yoga later.
Th: 90 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.
F: 1.5 miles (10:00), break to time team track workout, 9.5 miles very easy (9:27) plus drills and strides.
Sa: 17 miles, with 4, 3, 2, 1 miles at marathon effort with 1 mile float in between. Averaged 7:31 pace for the 4 miles, 7:27 pace for the 3 miles, 7:24 pace for the 2 miles, and ran the last mile in 7:14 (too fast). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 meters recovery swimming.
Su: Streaming yoga and 90 minutes pool-running.
My paces got significantly faster this week, so that was nice. The weather is warming up, and the dystonia/neuro stuff seems much better when it's warmer. Tuesday's track workout was one of the fastest that I've done in some time.
Since I haven't done much (if anything) in the way of strength/marathoner workouts since Houston in January, I threw one in on Saturday. Since I'm not racing longer than a half-marathon until October, I don't think I need many of these workouts, but one or two doesn't hurt when training for half-marathons.
I was mostly happy with it. As the weather gods would have it, my first really big workout in a few months fell on the first really summer-ish day of the year. I was a bit worried about how things would go, but they turned out fine - I was able to hit a nice rhythm for the four and three mile segments.
By the time I hit the two mile segment, I was starting to get a bit dehydrated (I had drained my water bottle), and so I panicked a little and sped up to get the workout over with. Thus the two mile was split as 7:30/7:18 and then I finished with a 7:14. Both the 7:18 and the 7:14 were too hard to be honest marathon effort, so that wasn't great. However, I don't think I dug a hole or anything, so I'll just mark it down as a mistake to avoid repeating.
hhw - Awesome 400! I would not be shocked if you ran a couple of seconds under 2 minutes with that kind of speed.
Good luck to everyone in Boston tomorrow!
Male, 33
PRs: 28.6, 60.5, 2:14, 4:51
Goal race: 800m on 7/22
M - AM 4.9 @ 8:10 / PM gym including 3 sets of 4 squats (130, 140, 145 lbs.)
T - 1.5 wu, 3 x (800, 400, 200) (2:46, 1:22, 39, 2:41, 1:19, 37, 2:39, 70.5, 30.4) with 200+ walk/jog recovery, 1.1 cd. Spikes on for the last two reps.
W - 5.3 @ 8:25 with 8 strides
Th - gym including 3 sets of 6 squats (130, 140, 145 lbs.), 2.0 easy, 2 x 4 x flying 30 (all between 3.71 and 3.97, 3 minutes between reps, 6 minutes between sets)
F - 7.9 @ 8:39
Sa - 5.1 @ 7:11 + extra 2.2 @ 8:48
Su - 1.9 wu, 12 x 200 (38, 38, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 37, 36, 36, 32.0, 31.1) with 200 jog (except for a walk between 11 and 12), 2.1 cd
Weekly Total: 41 miles
YTD Total: 630 miles
I picked up a copy of Winning Running by Peter Coe (Seb Coe's father and coach) to get some ideas for 800 training. The amount of intensity recommended in that book is bonkers. A sample 12-day cycle includes 5 interval workouts (one each at 3k, 5k, 1500, 800, and 400 paces), two fartleks, and a time trial. Plus strength work and circuit training. Brutal stuff but Coe was training to race 800 and 1500 prelims, semis, and finals at the Olympics so I can understand the need for it.
I'm basically doing a much more conservative version of that. Every week I'm going to try to do one workout at each of the following paces (in order of importance): 800/mile, 3k/5k, sprint, tempo. Coe also did a lot of fast finishes (he would run an all-out 400 after a hard hilly run), so I'll finish workouts fast when I feel up to it.
4 workouts a week (plus my two gym sessions) is still a lot so I will try to be flexible with the less important ones. For example, this week's tempo effort ended up being a 6:28 mile followed about a minute at mile pace at the end of Saturday's run. Not a lot but it's something and I was still fresh enough to do 200's today.
Thanks All, goodluck to fellow Bostoners. No JUNK headbands at the expo today!
Next Race: 5x10k relay Saturday
M: 25min run + strides + 90min bike
T: strength
W: 40min run + strength + 70min
T: 25min run + accels + strength + 70min run
F: strength
S: 30min run w 5x20sec hills, 5min temp, 1min jog, 2.5min tempo. Stopped early bc Achilles a little sore
S: 55min run (felt good) + 40min bike
Run total - 175min (23 Badger Miles)
You're 38, right? 53.2 is insane
Male, 23, 6', lankier by the day
Started running in late 2019; PRs: 6:11 mile (2022), 21:37 5k (2022), 1:14:45 (hilly+windy) 15k (2023)
Goals: Focus on consistency, volume, & aerobic work, see what happens in a few months.
M -- Off. Working back into things.
T -- 4.5 ez + 4 hill strides
W -- 5 total w 8x 1' on/off. Went alright.
Th -- 2 ez @ 10 PM
F -- 2 ez @ 6:30 AM (crikey) + 4 strides
Sa -- 5 ez/steady
Su -- 8 in 75', first really hot LR of the year
Total: 26.5 in 6 days
Got my ass handed to me by the yellow haze that descended on VA in the middle of this week, but still forced myself to run 6 days. Happy I did, things felt better by the end of the week, even if the heat on Sunday damn near killed me. Not a great week, but sent me into this one feeling good so I'll take it. Mid/high 30s this week.
Male, 26, 5’9", ___lbs
PRs: 5k 17:24 (2023), 10km 38:27, Half Marathon: 1:17:53 (2021), Marathon: 2:45:27 (2022)
Next Races: Boston Marathon, Fall TBD
Future Goals: Sub 2:45 Marathon, Sub 1:17 HM, Sub 17:00 5k, Sub 5:00 Mile
Mileage: 82-83
A lower week of mileage and a Boston Marathon down. 2:44:16 with lots of wind, cold, and a few other things. But that's an update for later on in the week. It was great seeing my clubmates and others.
Monday Rest
Tuesday 10 Miles - 7:14
WednesdayAM Workout: 9.75 Miles = 3 Up - 7:22, 3.75 Miles = 3 x 1 Mile (6:00, 5:55, 5:50) w/ 400J (8:00s), 3 down - 7:34
Thursday Am Run: 8 Miles - 7:34
Friday AM Run: 8 Miles - 7:59
SaturdayAM Run: 6 Miles - 7:57
Sunday AM Shakeout: 5 Miles
Boston Marathon - 2:44:16
Awesome job to the Boston racers. Excited to see the recaps and it was great going out to the course yesterday from my childhood home. I definitely saw beersandmiles.
M35, 5'10", 155 pounds
Recent: 1:20:53 Half (Tobacco Road 03/23)
Upcoming: Jersey City Marathon (Goal BQ/3:00ish)
Training-wise, last week began the taper and everything went pretty well. Went back home for Boston/my birthday. Going to try to get better sleep this week, as I had a lot of early wake-ups last week and am bad about getting to bed early. Early forecast is rain for Sunday's marathon but manageable temps (~60). Shoes-wise, I was planning on the Next %s but might audible to the more grippy Adios Pro 2 if it's wet. I've run in both, though more in the Next %s (this was set to be the final big race with them). Continental Rubber to me feels like the move even if I'm less used to the shoe.
M: 5.6R @ 8:28
T: 5.8M @ 7:56
W: 7 ft. 2x2mile threshold on lower res (slower surface) with times of 13:06 and 12:52. Tried to keep these under control and not to quick...it was 80 degrees plus. Pretty dry but certainly still hot and a fair amount on wind too.
TH: PLANNED OFF (Biked a bit after traveling home, and got a free gait analysis from Nike, so I guess I got about 3 mins of running in)
F: 5.7M @ 7:36
SA: 5M @ 7:42
SU: 9.9 ft. a 2.4 baby tempo @ 6:39 pace back home.
Total: 39 miles.
This week will be pretty simple. Easy running today and Thursday (~5ish miles), light workout Wednesday (6x2' at MP with 1' jog), and then 15-20' easy on Saturday morning. Friday off and getting the Expo done.
AverageForFun wrote:
Male, 26, 5’9", ___lbs
PRs: 5k 17:24 (2023), 10km 38:27, Half Marathon: 1:17:53 (2021), Marathon: 2:45:27 (2022)
Next Races: Boston Marathon, Fall TBD
Future Goals: Sub 2:45 Marathon, Sub 1:17 HM, Sub 17:00 5k, Sub 5:00 Mile
Mileage: 82-83A lower week of mileage and a Boston Marathon down. 2:44:16 with lots of wind, cold, and a few other things. But that's an update for later on in the week. It was great seeing my clubmates and others.
Monday Rest
Tuesday 10 Miles - 7:14
WednesdayAM Workout: 9.75 Miles = 3 Up - 7:22, 3.75 Miles = 3 x 1 Mile (6:00, 5:55, 5:50) w/ 400J (8:00s), 3 down - 7:34
Thursday Am Run: 8 Miles - 7:34
Friday AM Run: 8 Miles - 7:59
SaturdayAM Run: 6 Miles - 7:57
Sunday AM Shakeout: 5 MilesBoston Marathon - 2:44:16
Niiiiiiiiiice running man. Fantastic and can’t wait to read race report.
HHW -- 53? 53?? Geez, man. Geez.
darkwave -- killer long run!
AFF -- Great job in Boston!
And great job to everyone else who ran Boston, too. Here's hoping you had a better day out there than Eliud
highhoppingworm wrote:
I am 38 today actually. Was 37 last week.
and thanks!
It’s truly impressive. Are your plans to do some of those high performance meets at Bentley? Would be cool to see what you can produce in a high-level 8 or 15. If my marathon goes well I’ll be targeting sub-4:40 at 5th Avenue Mile and a sub-17 5k, but the 800 down scares me at 35 ha.
Ya I’m planning on running the battle road track club series (3 out of 4 of them probably because my wife is taking our oldest to NYC for a weekend which means I’m solo with the other 2).
Was going to run one 400 and 2 800s. Was considering trying the masters champs in July if the June races go well.
2:23:27 on Monday for 57th overall and first to the trackhouse. I'll have a full writeup later but for now I'm gonna catch up on work.
beersandmiles wrote:
2:23:27 on Monday for 57th overall and first to the trackhouse. I'll have a full writeup later but for now I'm gonna catch up on work.
Nice work!
Barely cracking top 1000, Total place 991. If I could do anything differently I'd have left my glasses back at the hotel instead of having them fog up or get wet.
Time: 2:44:16
Goals
Goal Description Completed?
A Have Fun Yes
B Sub 2:45 Yes
C PR Yes
Splits
Mile Time
1 6:17
2 6:12
3 6:10
4 6:10
5 6:11
6 6:12
7 6:10
8 6:10
9 6:11
10 6:12
11 6:16
12 6:10
13 6:07
14 6:11
15 6:11
16 6:04
17 6:21
18 6:16
19 6:17
20 6:21
21 6:37
22 6:06
23 6:16
24 6:12
25 6:13
26 6:15
.2 5:57
Training
Training leading up to Boston was no different than what I’d orally done for each other training block. Working primarily in the 10k and HM pace range with once or twice hitting 5k speed in the early early and end of the block. Keeping consistent higher mileage in the 90’s-100’s and doubling on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and one of the weekend days. A long run and a workout inside the long run with shorter speed on Wednesday. Throughout this block we worked in the 6:00-5:50 pace range for HM pace, 5:50-5:40 for 10km, and 5:40-5:30 for 5km. Tune up races during this block were USATF 10km XC champs, Newport News 1/2 Marathon, a 5km TT. A short focus on hills for strength in December/January, but the routes I run are typically hilly enough to where we never really focused on that too much. I also struggled nutritionally in New York for the marathon in 2022, so we practiced taking in LOTS of calories and doing long runs with nutrition this block. I’d pretty much take a gel every 3-4 miles on long runs, and something during my easy runs (10-12 miles). This worked really well and I never once had GI or stomach issues like before.
New York was a big learning experience and training from that to here was a big come back. I’d struggled with probably an ED relapse in the summer and trying to figure out some leg tightness/issues that whole block. Fixing that first and then moving on to training really helped going into this next block.
Pre-race
Pre-race I had woken up at 4:00 am to make sure I could really clean myself out with some coffee and espresso. 4:15 caffeine worked like magic and I lounged around to make sure that I was feeling okay. I typically like to race and feel pretty light but eat very well in the three days leading up. I’d used Featherstone Nutrition’s Carbloading calculator and did a three day carb load, would I use this again for my next race vs. just simply keeping my diet normal and taking lots of fuel on course? I don’t know, but it worked well enough. Taking the hotel bus to the metro and then metroing at 5:30 to bag drop off at 5:45, I met up with two other clubmates who I hadn’t seen in years (or actually met in person yet) outside the buses. I’d already eaten a bagel on the metro and when we loaded the buses I had a pack of pop tarts. We made it to Athletes Village and found other teammates where we sat around and chatted for an hour before making our way to the corals; took a gel 15 minutes before the start.
Race
The race started with a slight drizzle of rain and fog and only continued to do so for the entirety of the race. I couldn’t see much out of my glasses and really tried to keep myself reeled in with pace and effort the first 5k. My coach had spoken to me the night before and had the plan of going out very controlled the first 5k and inching down to 6:10 pace or so, no miles faster until the half and trying to go a bit faster if I felt okay, giving an equal effort on the hills and then after heart break giving whatever I had left to the finish. Getting through the first half around 1:21 or 1:22 and trying to negative split.
Miles 1-4
Everyone went out very fast, the crowds were congested and I couldn’t feel like I could stay on the road and run the way I wanted to. I was going around lots of people and seeing the pace fluctuate, but wanted to get fairly close to 6:15 or so the first mile and settle in. Getting in the 20’s wouldn’t have bothered me either and I knew my legs could handle the downhill. After situating myself around others and finding my stride I was able to settle into my goal pace and reel in the effort. No water needed, no gels yet, I wouldn’t take anything til miles 6-8.
Miles 5-8
This is where the steady drizzle and rain started to affect my vision, I couldn’t see for about half the race and it all started here. Going on the flats, my quads were no longer taking the brute force from the impact of a huge drop in elevation. I couldn’t find any club mates and anytime I tried to make conversation or a pack around me nobody wanted to talk, so I kept my conversations to myself and my own head. Each mile I teetered on the edge of 6:10, seeing anything slightly faster I relaxed and went slower. Mile 6 I took my first gel and mile 8 I took my first sip of water from the aid stations. I decided there I’d alternate every 2 miles on nutrition and hydration; easy to remember.
Miles 9-14
The scream tunnel never disappoints, and I remember a teammate doing a podcast episode where he specifically said “don’t blow your load when you pass through the scream tunnel”. The excitement and support from here is probably the strongest in my opinion on course and made each mile tick by more effortlessly. One mile dropping below 6:10, I muttered to myself that I hope coach doesn’t mind. A gel at miles 10 and 14, caffeinated the entire way (I’d not realized my Gu’s were 30mg and my Cliff Gels were 100mg). Water at 12.There was no pain and once I hit 13 a hair above 1:21 I’d thought maybe I could let the legs loose.
Miles 15-21
15 and 16 I kicked in some effort, trying to drop to low 6 and knew I’d lose some time once we entered the Newton Hill’s. Still no conversation to be had with others, but around here or a mile later I’d be passed and slapped on the back by a friend of mine who I had no clue was behind me; he’d go on to run 2:43. Once we hit the first and second hill I’d felt like I was doing okay, but I was obviously tired. The real problems occurred once we hit 18, my left quad and gotten incredibly tight. I couldn’t kick into another gear and thought maybe it was only the hills, that once I’d reach the last 5 miles of the course downhill I could fix it and all I’d need to do was hang on til then. The rest of the miles to heartbreak were a steady effort, keeping it in the 20’s and trying to not smash them. Once cresting heartbreak and keeping it still below 7 minute pace, I knew my left quad wasn’t going to let me go much faster than what I’d already been doing the entirety of the race before.
Miles 22-Finish
I just wanted to finish, I’d seen another clubmate of mine pass me (we had similar goals of 2:42-43 range) and she proceeded to kill it and take 47th female overall. Each mile was an emotional grind and still taking a gel at mile 22 I just had to hang on to what I’ve been doing. I wasn’t breathing hard, I could talk to my friends and shout, but my legs were toast. Seeing the very end after mile 26, there was a downpour of rain and I could see 2:43 on my watch, I just needed another 400m or so and do just push to 2:44. I did, my friends did, and we did so we could all break that 2:45 barrier and goto Berlin.
Post-race
I waited for a friend to come behind me, he later said he went to the med tent for hyperthermia or some similar conditions. I made my way to the family meeting area and changed into dry clothes and hid under a canopy to try and stay warm. I’d gotten sick and shivered with blue/pale skin so I met my family and we went back to the hotel. A very long and warm shower, many beers and afterwards and the first time I’d gotten to have a grilled chicken and salad in probably a week left me hungover and happy. This time my dad got to stay the night and not drive home and we got to celebrate together properly for another great time in Boston.
RIP: Former UCLA runner and Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Daniel De La Torre dead at 29
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