This is the eleventh week of my marathon training plan for the Columbus Marathon. The marathon is October 20, 2019. I’m following the Pfitzinger 18/55 plan again. I’m keeping with the Star Wars theme for calling out the weeks, and this is A New Month!
Monday: 8 miles with 5 x 600m @ 5k pace. Ran this entirely in the park, starting late due to having to clean up after one of my cats. The interval goal was 6:55 – 7:15, my splits were 7:05, 7:14, 7:10, 6:48, and 7:06, so pretty solid. Hydrated with plain water. Overall, 8.05 in 1:07:59 (8:27 min/mile pace).
Tuesday: 11 miles. Ran this at East Fork, which is normally a tough run anyway. It’s worse when GI issues start when you’re 4 miles in (which means about 4 miles away from the nearest unlocked bathroom). Had significant issues for a few miles before relief. Hydrated with Gatorade Endurance. 11.09 miles in 1:49:07 (9:50 min/mile pace).
Wednesday: 4 + 6 strides. Ran these entirely in the township park since it wasn’t a long run, and kept it easy due to the heat and the knowledge of the next morning’s run. 5.08 miles in 44:38 (8:47 min/mile).
Thursday: 12 mile mock race. After a 10 minute delay caused by my watch “updating”. Once I gave it a three-finger salute, I set out FAST. Two laps in the park before venturing into the subdivisions for a few laps (and the gap is now fully paved, so that was good… but offset by stupid people with unrestrained dogs). 12.01 miles in 1:36:25 (8:02 min/mile pace). My correct pace MAY have been faster, it seems there was a GPS issue (see the video below).
Friday: 17 miles. Set out early after some peanut butter toast and making a bottle of Gatorade and a bottle of water. I initially drank the Gatorade every other mile because it was not exactly warm outside. I was sluggish a little, but 17 miles after a day of 12 at pace will do that. Took Gatorade Endurance Gels at miles 6 and 11.6. After mile 11 I started feeling a bit dehydrated and took some of the water, and at one point (maybe mile 15), drank A LOT of the water in one swig. Later, I found that I was pretty severely dehydrated (but nothing a pot of coffee wouldn’t fix!). 17.03 miles in 2:35:25 (9:08 min/mile pace).
That’s it for the week. 53.26 miles. Nothing to sneeze at. It was another tough week. Three weeks left before tapering…
Next Races
September 21: Hudepohl 14k
October 20: Columbus Marathon