5 Weeks to go - Hansons Intermediate Week 13/18
10/4/21 - M - OFF
10/5/21 - T - 3 x 2 mile @ M Tempo - 10 sec (Hansons Strength)
10/6/21 - W - 1.1 mile @ run/walk with G + 4 miles @ Easy
10/7/21 - R - 9 miles @ M Tempo
10/8/21 - F - 1.1 mile @ run/walk with G + 5 miles @ Easy
10/9/21 - Sa - 5 min @ Easy w/ strides
10/10/21 - Su - 16 miles @ LR (in 3 parts due to lightning)
Total Run Miles - 55.3 miles
Total Run Time - 7:40 hours
Total Run TSS - x TSS
Total Biking Time - 0:00 hours
Total Biking TSS - 0 TSS
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Strength TSS - x TSS
Total Training Time - 7:40 hours
Total TSS - x TSS
Tuesday
Conditions -
Mostly Cloudy, Wind 9mph to 13mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 68°F + 60°F; FL - 68°F
End: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 59°F; FL - 68°F
The goal was a 3x2 mile run at M Tempo - 10 sec. So based on the temps and recent M Tempo fitness, this should have been around a 7:22 min/mile. That didn't happen. I wore the Saucony Pros which have been causing issues with my knees on downhills, so today's workout was going to be kept on my flat route. The change worked and I had zero issues in these shoes. So I think I've nailed down the Pros use.
So last weekend's use of the Garmin 245's workout feature led me to believe that "laps" intervals longer than 1 mile were being displayed separately. So when I saw a 7:15 for mile 1 and a 7:10 for "mile 2" I thought that's because 7:10 was my pace for the second mile. Not that the actual pace was 7:05 for an average of 7:10. So last week's data misled me and the watch is indeed showing the average lap pace for the whole 2 mile lap. That led me to running these a little too fast overall. I thought I was increasing pace by 5 sec per lap, but I was increasing pace by 10 sec. So I ended up running a 7:14, 7:04, 7:03, 6:52, 6:47, and 6:48. The legs felt really good throughout the workout. I got that nice burning feeling in my stomach as I was hitting those 6:40s. Despite the temps and the pace compared to where I had last evaluated my fitness, the pace felt right. Too fast to be M Tempo, for sure. But not an unreasonable workout pace given the 0.5 mile resting intervals. Overall, I'm happy with it. Ended up as 10 miles, 78 min, 7:50 pace with HR of 140.
Wednesday
Conditions -
Partly Cloudy, Wind 11mph to 15mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 70°F + 58°F; FL - 70°F
End: Temp+Dew = 69°F + 58°F; FL - 70°F
G and I had an enjoyable run. I don't remember our topic of conversation. It mostly revolves around how her day at school went. We did 1.1 miles at 30/30 at 13:25 pace.
I took it super easy on my easy run. I was pretty sore from Tuesday's workout. And I still had Thursday's workout on tap. So I ended up shuffling my way to 4 miles, 38 min, 9:29 pace, and HR of 128.
Thursday
The forecast was calling for rain all day. So I took the day off from work to try and find 90 min of rain free running. It didn't work. I waited several hours in the morning and it looked like there was going to be 60-75 min break in the rain, so I took it.
Conditions - 🌧 Light Rain, Wind 8mph to 14mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 63°F + 61°F; FL - 63°F
End: Temp+Dew = 64°F + 62°F; FL - 63°F
Well the rain held for a little bit. Like I feel like Mile 2-3 it started back up again. Maybe even sooner. And it went from a light rain to an absolute pour. So... so much for that.
Rain not withstanding, the run was excellent. I felt really comfortable from the start and the 7:15 GAP pace felt really natural. So I just kept up with it. I never really felt strained until I started to move the pace into the 7:03 and 7:00 during the last two miles of M Tempo. Then I could start to feel the effort. So the 7:15s felt really good at this T+D. The final average M Tempo was 7:14 and HR of 147. Adjusted for T+D is a 7:05 min/mile, and adjusted for grade makes it 7:03. Nice! The total run was 12 miles, 91 min, 7:35 pace and HR of 143. Body felt really good after the workout. I mean look at my 1.5 mile CD at 7:51 and 8:22 pace. Even after the 9 miles M Tempo, my body still was moving pretty good at an easy pace.
Friday
Woke up feeling good, but about mid-day my right leg was a little sore. Felt like something similar to my stress fracture on the back side of my leg. Although as I was driving home from work, I started to suspect it was a calf issue more than a bone issue. Maybe just a little tightness and overuse on the outside of my leg. So post-run I was going to want to give it some good attention on the foam roller.
Conditions -
Mostly Cloudy, Wind 5mph to 8mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 69°F + 64°F; FL - 70°F
End: Temp+Dew = 69°F + 64°F; FL - 70°F
G and I did our 1.1 mile route in reverse. She saw some boys while we were out running and dropped the hammer on the pace. After we blazed past them, I was like what was up with that. She was like, I just wanted to make sure they knew I'm fast and faster than you.
. LOL! I was like, I can understand that, but make sure you run for yourself and not to always impress others. After that she calmed down her pace and we continued on our easy ways. Did 1.1 miles, 30/30, and 13:04 pace.
Feeling really sore again post-SOS day. I tried to keep it really easy again. The right leg was sore still, but as the run progressed it did feel better. Felt like a confirmation that it was just a little soreness in the calf. Ended up at 5 miles, 45 min, 9:04 pace, and HR of 130.
Saturday
Weighed in at 177 pounds. A little surprising gain of weight in the last two weeks of three pounds. But I'm not going to sweat it because I've been running well lately.
I had to run early because Steph had to work, but not terribly early.
Conditions -
Mostly Cloudy, Wind 3mph to 7mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 58°F + 56°F; FL - 58°F
End: Temp+Dew = 59°F + 57°F; FL - 58°F
My body had no intention of going on the hard side of easy today. So I just settled into a nice and easy effort. Even less of an issue with the right leg today after a good hard foam rolling session the night prior. In all it was 6.1 miles, 54 min, 8:52 pace, and HR of 127.
Sunday
Another day threatening rain. When I woke up there was a slight chance at 7am and then good until at least 10am. So I thought I had a good window for a 2hr run.
Conditions -
Overcast, Wind 12mph to 25mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 66°F + 62°F; FL - 67°F
End: Temp+Dew = 66°F + 62°F; FL - 67°F
I drank my Maurten 320 and then checked the lightning map one last time. I really should have checked prior to drinking the Maurten 320. Because I could see some lightning at the border or WI and ILL and was unlikely to get the whole run in. As soon as I started running, I could see the lightning in the distance without sound (hence really far away). But by the time I hit about 1.5 miles, I could tell this run was going to get cut short. So I headed back home to jump on the treadmill. I did 2.5 miles, 19:30, 7:46 pace, and HR of 135. And then I ran inside to jump on the treadmill.
Part 2! I set the treadmill to 7.5 mph (8:00 pace) and settled into a movie. I asked Steph to keep an eye on the weather for me and let me know when the lightning passed and then I'd head back out. I did one hill at about 15-21 min by increasing the %grade each minute by one. After 4.1 miles and 32 min, Steph let me know things had cleared up and so I headed back outside.
Part 3!! I had done 6.6 miles thus far, and so I knew I needed 9.4 miles to wrap up my 16 miler. Before I started running, I mentioned to Steph how the world felt like it was moving underneath me. I was having some odd after effects from running on the treadmill. It got even weirder once I started running. I was running, but it didn't actually feel like I was moving forward. Like there was a serious disconnect between my mind and body. Thankfully the feeling passed after about 0.5 miles or so. The run felt incredibly comfortable throughout. Never pressing. And just a nice stroll around the neighborhood. Even at the end, I was never really pushed at all.
The sun peaked out a little at the end, but overall the weather was nice. Overall it was 19:30 + 32 min + 72 min (total of 2:03:30). For part 3 it was 7:39 pace and HR of 141. Adjusted for temps and grade it was 7:24 pace. I really like how it went. I'm in a good place 5 weeks to go. My Garmin 245's VO2max was 56 (an increase of one). It now predicts a 3:14 marathon. Body is feeling pretty good. Just have to stay healthy and get good weather on race day. Things are lining up well.
Did you figure out the disconnect on the treadmill? 
Clear, Wind 9mph to 15mph
Clear, Wind 10mph to 20mph
