Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon Training Week 3

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

Hoping everyone had a good week!

Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon training is here!  I am excited to be training using again the Hansons Method for this race.  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 (I am starting a bit late so I will start with Week 4) and have you running 6 days (easy, speed/strength, tempo, and long runs) a week with one rest day. 

Week #3, December 12-18

Monday:

• PLAN – 4 miles easy, 10:30-11:00 pace
• ACTUAL – Did not run.

I had no desire to run in the snow.  Plus it was slippery and I just did not want to run.  All I want for Christmas is a treadmill.

Tuesday:

• PLAN –12 x 400, 10:30-11:00 pace
• ACTUAL – Total 2.01 miles @11:44 average pace

The first and last time I did this workout was on June 14th.  I did this run on the treadmill and this is what I wrote about it “W/up and c/d @12:00.  400m done at various paces (8:34-9:05). Recovery @12:30.  I remember when 8:34 did not feel hard but today it did.  I did 45 minutes of TRX prior to running so maybe I was just too tired?  Still I am proud of completing this because I wanted to stop after the 4th one.  I don’t think I’ve ever done 12.  Total 8 miles at 89 minutes. Average pace is 11:07.”

My plan was to go to the track but it was too cold.  So I  joined a gym.  I know it will be a very cold winter and I do not want to miss my runs.  I had an offer from LA Fitness for $29.99 each month (multi-club user) and no initiation fee (it is $99).  

I could not finish my workout.  Something felt off so I went home.  I did manage to run 2×400 (2:02 and 2:04) and I am pleased with how I did.

Wednesday:

• PLAN – OFF
• ACTUAL – OFF

A day full of ReadyGEN training (reading curriculum) followed by a building meeting.  Fun times!

Thursday:

• PLAN – 3 tempo miles, 9:09 pace
• ACTUAL – Did not run.

Another cold day.  I thought for sure classes would be cancelled.  Nope.  Seven of my kids were absent so I couldn’t really do much during school.  They helped me move some things around and I was exhausted at the end of the day.  No running.  

I signed up for RnR Denver next year.  Another state to cross off my list next year.

Friday: 

• PLAN – 4  miles easy, 10:30-11:00 pace
• ACTUAL –Total 4.02 miles @11:03 average pace

I did not want to miss another workout.  I woke up at 4:30 to make it to the gym by 5:00.  I wore my Garmin Foot Pod to compare paces/time between that and the treadmill.  A little off.

My watch has an average pace of 11:03 but when I entered the numbers from the treadmill on my Nike+ app, it comes out to a 10:42 average pace.  That is a big difference.  I remember changing up the speed higher but the pace on my watch would not change from 11:xx to 10:xx.  I have run with my foot pod outside twice so maybe I need to do a few more runs so that it calibrates properly?  Who knows but for now I will just go with what it says on my watch.  Splits are: 10:59/10:51/11:13/11:09.

Saturday:

• PLAN – 5 miles easy, 10:30-11:00 pace
• ACTUAL – 5.02 miles @10:56 average pace

My plan was to do my run at the gym but changed my mind once I went to Target and saw that it wasn’t too cold.  So off to the lakefront I went.  I wore 3 layers and was somewhat comfortable. I actually enjoyed this run.  I enjoyed the decent weather because it is rare that we get a day like this in December.  Splits are: 10:17/11:23/10:42/11:25/10:57.

Later that evening I wrapped up presents for my kids.  I have been doing this since I began teaching.

Sunday:

• PLAN – 9 miles easy, 10:30-11:00 pace
• ACTUAL – 9.02 @11:03 average pace

This time I went to the gym.  It was empty when I got there but it quickly filled up.  This run was just blah.  I could not wait to finish it.  During the summer I did many runs on the treadmill but this one was tough.  After mile 5 I stopped after each mile to convince myself to not quit and to keep going.  Yeah, that’s how bad it was.  Splits are: 11:17/10:57/11:02/11:05/11:02/21:56/10:52/11:04/11:11.  Not sure what happened in Mile 6..21 minutes?

Week 3 went OK.  I skipped two runs and did not complete my speed workout.  I joined a gym so I am hoping to not use the weather as an excuse and do my runs on the treadmill.  In week 4, I have 6 x 600 and 3 tempo miles.  Oh, and I will be on winter break beginning on Wednesday at 3pm!!!

Total mileage for the week: 20.07 miles

Total mileage for this training cycle: 57.23 miles

Total mileage for the year: 1,245.41 miles

Here’s how training has gone so far:

• Week 1
• Week 2