Good Week

Last week was probably one of the better weeks of running I've had in a while...possibly ever. With about 7 weeks until the Chicago marathon, I like where I'm at right now. Last week went down like this:

Mon: 7 Miles Easy
Tues: 14 Miles w/ 2 X 3 Miles in 16:54 & 16:58
WedAM: 10 Miles @ 6:29 Pace
WedPM: 7 Miles Easy
Thurs: 10 Miles w Pyramid workout of 200 (33)-400(70)-800(2:28)-1200(3:47)-1600 (5:06), 1600 (5:03)-1200(3:49)-800(2:31)-400 (71)-200(33). Good tough workout
Fri: 19 miles w/ 9 @ 5:53 Pace. Humid and dead legs.
Sat: 9 Miles @ 7:39 Pace
Sun: 15 Miles @ 6:34 Pace

Tuesdays 2 X 3 mile at a 5:40 pace was surprisingly difficult. For some reason I have problems with the repeat tempo runs. Once I finish that first one, my body just doesn't want to restart for the second one. Plus it was a hot and humid day, which didn't really help things.

Thursday's pyramid workout was a really good workout for me. I was able to keep most of the repeats down around 5 minute pace and finished feeling tired, but not wiped out like I was really expecting.

Friday's marathon paced run was what was really worrying me all week. It's not that I don't think I can hold a 5:50 pace for the marathon, because to be honest, I'm pretty sure that I can. However, after yesterday's tough workout and the brutal humidity that was in the area on that day, I had my doubts about doing it on that day. The workout proved much tougher than it probably should have been, but I was able to tough it out. It would have been ideal to do this workout with a rest day the day before and to have nicer weather, but do to some scheduling constraints, I had to do it Friday. If nothing else, it gave me some confidence that if I can handle the last 9 miles of a 20 miler at 5:53 in the heat and humidity, that's at least the low point for my marathon pace (which would still be a PR).

Today was 16 X 400 in 80 seconds each with a 200 interval at a decent jog in between. This is a nice workout as it's fast enough to get your heart rate up, but not fast enough where your legs are ever in that heavy lactic acid accumulating stage (or whatever it's called). I wound up averaging 77 per 400 for the workout, which was a little fast, but it felt very comfortable. I think some of it had to do with the cooler temps that hit the area yesterday.