2016 Chicago Marathon Training Week 9

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 #9, August 1-7

Monday:

• PLAN – 8 easy @10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL – 8 miles @11:34 average pace

I cannot believe I am halfway through my training!!!  Time is definitely going by fast.  Did this run on the treadmill.  Alternated a different song with paces of 12:00, 11:32, and 11:07.

The arch in my left foot was bothering me.  Once I got home and showered, I iced it for a couple of minutes.  It felt better but not great.

Tuesday:

• PLAN – 6×800 @9:04-9:27 pace (with 1 mile w/up and c/d) 
• ACTUAL – Total 6.50 @10:16 average pace

W/up and c/d @11:07.  Recovery @13.02.  I was actually excited about this run.  Each interval was done alternating at 9:14 and 9:05. <<A bit faster than last week.  The 9:14 pace felt comfortable and the 9:05 a bit hard but yet manageable.  Overall I am very pleased with this run.

Can you tell I like purple?

Wednesday:

• PLAN – OFF
• ACTUAL – OFF

I had an 80 minutes massage.  I felt so much better after this one.  I mentioned to the masseuse the pain in my foot arch and she told me that it was tight.  The right side was also tight but not as much as the left side.  The chiropractor told me I need to strengthen my feet and suggested a few things to do (walk barefoot around the house and to do toe grip/towel scrunches exercises).  He also told me to make sure I stretch my calves.

After my massage I met a friend for lunch.  I had not seen her for about 15 years.  Wow, we were at the restaurant for 5 hours!!  Obviously we had so much to talk about and catch up.  I am more of a listener than a talker but I think in this case it was 50/50 listening and talking.

Afterwards I took a walk with my nephew to the library to return the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”.  I loved that movie.  On the way home we stopped to get an “elote en vaso” and “raspado”.  I like my corn with everything, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chile, and cheese.  I know the combination sounds gross but is is so good.

Thursday:

• PLAN – 8 tempo @10:18 pace (with 1 mile w/up and c/d)
• ACTUAL – Total 10 miles @10:23 average pace

W/up and c/d @11:07.  Alternated a different song with paces of 10:21, 10:10, and 10:00.  I was a bit nervous because it was 1 more tempo mile than last week.  But overall felt great and managed to finish the 10 miles at the same average pace as last week.  

As you can see from the photo below I was sweating a lot but not soaking wet.  Still gross.

Friday: 

• PLAN – 7 easy @10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL – 7.02 miles @12:40 average pace

I did not want to do this run on the treadmill.  I needed a break from it.  I began my run a little after 12. It was cloudy and not too hot but a little humid.  I did good for the first 3 miles and then it went downhill.  I was tired.  I was too hot.  I had no motivation.  It is weird how I could do this run better on the treadmill.  I ran 8 miles on Monday at an 11:34 average pace. Positive splits galore!  Mile splits are:
Mile 1-11:39
Mile 2-11:36
Mile 3-11:49
Mile 4-12:23
Mile 5-12:45
Mile 6-13:40
MIle 7-14:57

Saturday:

• PLAN – 15 long @10:29-11:05 pace
• ACTUAL – 12.03 miles @11:06 average pace

Today was one of those runs in which I questioned how in the world I would run 26.2 miles.  It was 70s in the morning which is great running weather.  The first 6 miles went well.  However, it was the next 6 that felt tough.  I did ask my running group to stop once for a quick break before continuing.  Then I stopped again in the last mile because seriously I did not want to continue.  It was hot but not to a point in which it was that tough.  I was happy once I was done with my run. 

Sunday:

• PLAN – 8 easy @10:52-12:16 pace
• ACTUAL –8.02 miles @12:30 average pace

I surprised myself by being able to wake up at 5 for this run.  Lately I’ve been sleeping in till 8 leaving me to do this run on the treadmill.

I did this run at Waterfall Glen.  It was nice and cool in the morning.  I love the smell.  I took it very slow. I could not go faster even if I wanted to.  I ran 3 miles when I realized I had dropped my phone.  I ran back and asked various people along the way if they had seen a phone on the trail.  No one had seen it. I was already thinking of how after my run I had to go to the Sprint store to get a new one.  Another mile or so later I saw it.  I then remembered that it was at that spot that I had taken my last picture when I thought I had put in the pocket of my CamelBak Marathoner Pak.  I was so happy to have found it and continued with my run. 

Week 9 went well.  My tempo run went well (again) and I’m glad I did not miss a workout.  In week 10 I have 3×1600 (which I am excited about) and another 8 mile tempo run on Thursday.

Total mileage for the week: 51.57 miles

Total mileage for this training cycle: 349.65 miles

Total mileage for the year: 832.71 miles

Here’s how training has gone so far:

• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
• Week 7
• Week 8