2016 Chicago Marathon Training Week 6

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.

Hoping everyone had a good week!

Chicago Marathon training is here!  I am excited (and nervous) to be training using the Hansons Marathon Method.  In a nutshell, this training is based on the concept of cumulative fatigue. You train your body to run often so that you are frequently running on tired legs.  The idea is to run this way so that during the last miles of a race you are prepared to push through the final miles. These plans are 18 weeks and have you running 6 days (easy, speed/strength, tempo, and long runs) a week with one rest day. 

Week #6, July 11-17

Monday:

• PLAN – 6 miles easy, 10:15-11:30 pace
• ACTUAL – 6.02 miles @12:02 average pace

A late start to my run and it was HOT.  Ran slow but faster than Sunday’s run.  Afterwards I took my nephews to see “Finding Dory”.  Have you seen it?  It is a very cute movie.  Yes, sometimes I match my socks with my running outfit.  Don’t you?

Tuesday:

• PLAN – 4×1200, 9:04-9:27 pace
• ACTUAL – Total 6 miles @10:44 average pace

W/up @12:00 and c/d @11:45.  Recovery @13.02.  Each interval was done at a different pace-9:23, 9:14, 9:05, 8:57.  Pleased with this workout.  I had to go slower with my speed workouts because I had been doing them too fast due to a lofty marathon finish time but now I feel much more comfortable with these paces.

Wednesday:

• PLAN – OFF
• ACTUAL – OFF

We had some crazy weather in the evening; check out my picture below of two rainbows.  I’ve never seen anything like it.

Thursday:

• PLAN – 7 tempo miles, 10:18 pace
• ACTUAL – Total 9 miles @10:24 average pace

W/up and c/d @11:07.  I did this run on the treadmill.  I alternated a different song with paces of 10:22, 10:10, and 10:00 and was soaking wet when I was done.

Friday: 

• PLAN – 6 easy miles, 10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL – 6.02 miles @11:16 average pace

Ran in the new Brooks Launch 3 shoes.  Love them!  Even Lola thinks they’re cool.

Saturday:

• PLAN – 10 easy  miles, 10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL – 10.31 miles @10:46 average pace

I decided to switch my run and do Sunday’s run today because I knew tomorrow would be an even busier day.  Felt great during most of the run then during last 2 miles I could not keep up with my group. Felt bad because I made a commitment to be a pacer for that specific group and felt like I have failed.  After the run I spoke with one of the coaches and told him how I felt and suggested to move me to the 11:00 group.  He agreed.  I am afraid that as our runs get longer, I will not keep up with my group.  I was a pacer during the fall and winter seasons and did OK but our longest run was 12 miles.

I forgot to stop my watch during our water breaks but overall it was still a great run.

I did a few errands with my mom and stopped at two Office Max to buy pencils for school.  I must have bought about 30 packs. I am obsessed with Ticonderoga pencils.  If you have kids in school, please buy these pencils for them.  Their teacher will thank you.

Sunday:

• PLAN – 8 easy miles, 10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL – Did not run.

The plan was to get up early and spectate the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.  Did not happen.  I slept in till 8 and then did a few things around the house and got things ready for my nephew because he was heading back home to San Antonio.  We were invited to my cousin’s house for his birthday.  We had a great time but had to leave the party early to take my nephew to the airport.  It was 10:00 by the time I got home and I went straight to bed.

Week 6 went well.  My tempo run went well (again) and I missed another workout on Sunday.  Oh well, life happens.  In week 7 I have a ladder workout (400-800-1200-1600-1200-800 with 400m jog recovery) which should be interesting and another 7 mile tempo run on Thursday.

Total mileage for the week: 37.35 miles

Total mileage for this training cycle: 200.56 miles

Total mileage for the year: 683.62 miles

Here’s how training has gone so far:

• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5