Road Racing & Training Thread: Week Ending 2/4/2024

Male, 30, 6'4", 150 lbs
Goals: Increase Mileage to 75+ mpw, Strides and Strength Work x3/week
Races: 5 Miler 2/17/24

Mn - 11 @ 7:45s + 4 Strides/Strength
Tu - AM: 3 @ 8:40s, PM: 3x1mi, 600, 400 + WU/WD = 11
Wd - 11.5 @ 7:45s + Strength
Th - 10 @ 7:50s
Fr - 15' Tempo (6:00s) + 5x(1' @ mile, 2' ez) + WU/WD= 10 mi + Strength
Sa - AM: 3 @ 8:45s, PM1: 1.5 @ 7:45s, PM2: 6 @ 7:20s + Strength
Su - AM: 15 @ 7:40s, PM: Ride 83min

Total - 82 (running)

Tu - 5:54 pace for the miles with 1:45 recovery and 600 (which was a ditched mile rep) then jogged over to the track and ran a hard 400 in 74.5. Wasn't feeling great but it was something.

Notes - Something that looks like training this week, lacking on the stride goal but happy with the workouts and strength work (probably only ~75min total). Doing banded hip bridges, variety of jayjohnson clam shell exercises, pushups, planks and some stretching to try to get open up the hips.

My effort to start posting in here again.

M-46, 6'1", Fat

Goal - Mesa Marathon 2/10

Taper Week

M- 3.5 easy

T- 5 easy

W - 3.5 easy

T - 10.5 w/ 3x2miles @MP (6:25)

F - 3.5 easy

S - 10 Moderate

Return to running for me after a long time off and a couple start stops due to injuries. Started a build roughly 18 weeks ago that saw mileage average around 70mpw with a peak of 80. Everything was rolling along great until 4 weeks ago when I got nailed with some sickness, not sure if RSV or Covid. Knocked me down for a solid week and a half, kept some running volume going (down to around 50mpw) but couldn't even touch pace work for a couple weeks. Last week started feeling decent again but as of today still have a ton of junk sitting in my chest causing constant coughing fits, exacerbated by running pace. Hoping I can get through it come Saturday. Result of this sickness has been a really abysmal last 4 weeks of training when I should have been hammering MP and rolling into my normal two week taper. Instead it's been 4 weeks of reduced volume and limited pace work.

Few key sessions prior to getting sick. 18 mile long moving from 80%GMP to 105%GMP. 20 mile long run averaging 7:10 with 4x5k at 6:25 (GMP). 20 mile long run at 90% GMP (6:48). 15 miles with 18k of 1k on, 1k off where on was 105%MP and off was 90%MP.

Everything prior to getting sick put me at what I feel would be roughly just under 2:50 shape but now all bets are off. Hoping for some magic this weekend as I can't quite talk myself into dialing it back and taking it easy.

@RunnerSam - that looks like a really solid week with some good work in it! What's your goal for that 5 miler?

Thanks for the thread bump.

M35, 5'10/155

In the midst of a down week (mileage-wise) to focus on hopefully running a nice 4M time on Sunday. Conditions look pristine.

M: 5R with wife
TU: 10x600m w/ 1' rest ave. 2:05 (~5:35 pace)
W: 6.9R pacing wife in a workout
TH: 3x1.7T w/1' rest (first rep has hill/some sharp turns) ~ paces 6:27/6:13/6:12. Where I did this unfortunately had some construction so was slowed by some mid-segment audibles and so on, but happy with the effort
F: 5.9R
SA: 17.2 @ 7:31 with a 3.6 tempo segment in the park @ 6:37. Legs were feeling pretty tired, but good enough to do the pickup.
SU: 8R with wife pacing her LR.

Overall: 59 miles and change.

Fitness seems good and getting more quality in than in previous builds (13-16 mpw via 2 workouts and tempo running in long run). In the past done more like 8-10 miles of that.

Working Harder - Tough getting sick before the race, I've had two longer than intended tapers into goal marathons due to getting sick 3 weeks out. Hopefully you can rally for the race, most of the training was completed so as long as the physical sickness doesn't linger into the race (as it did for MrsRunnerSam at Boston last year.)

Re: I ran 29:31 (52nd) and 28:54 (37th) at this tough but competitive 5M the last two years. I figure I'm in about about the same shape as last year.

Thoughtsleader - Looks like a productive week, good luck at the 4 miler!

I'll post my full week in the next thread, but for now a quick re-introduction.

M55 living in Taipei.
After a great run of good health and steady improvement from 2015-2019, chronic heel pain got to me and everything dropped off the table. I could "run," but I couldn't train. Nothing, it seemed, would ever cure the issue. Then, suddenly, it wasn't so bad and then, really suddenly, the pain disappeared at the beginning of 2023 and I could train again.

In December 2023, I ran a very conservative marathon. Definitely the only time I have ever underestimated my race goals! With 10km to go and feeling way better than expected, I still couldn't mentally go all in.
So I'm recovering my fitness and trying to recover some of the mental grit, too.
Currently preparing for a 4/21 10k. 10k training feels like what I need right now. I’ll attempt another marathon in December, with probably a few other buildup races in the fall.
Great to catch up with everyone.
Working Harder: Looks like a good build despite the sickness! Hope you have a strong day!
Sam: Thanks for the motivation to jump back in here.
Thoughtsleader: Good luck with the 4M