There’s always, I think, a point in marathon training where the sheer size of the thing starts to bear down on you. The point where the mileage is high, the workouts are hard, and suddenly the race is close enough that you feel like you’re completely unprepared and don’t have time to get there.
Or maybe that’s just me.
And that week was this week, obviously. My highest week of the season, although I only see a few weeks at a time with Coach Matt Ebersole, so I don’t know how much higher it will go. Chicago is six weeks away; I don’t have a big race until two weeks before.
Monday – Eclipse day! 8 miles in the morning, felt good, 64 min/141 AHR. Watched the 96% totality at home with hubs & dog.
Tuesday – speed day on the treadmill because of crazy thunderstorms. I was soaked when I walked into the gym. 10 miles with 4 miles of steady-state plus surges every 2 minutes, 75 min/149 AHR. SSR miles averaged 6:34. Wore my new 1400v5s for the first time since they’ll probably be the Chicago pair.
Wednesday – Early run day with the running group I’m trying to launch, 47 min/148 AHR. Toward the top of recovery zone thanks to a friend. Morgan got in .75 at the end. Massage in the afternoon, taught Pilates, then anniversary dinner.
Thursday – Slept in, ran in the afternoon. 10 miles with 40, 30, and 20 second strides; 80 min/145 AHR. Morgan .40 at the beginning. Taught Pilates after, then agility class with Morgan.
Friday – 6 miles in the morning, .62 with Morgan. Low (HR) and slow, 50 min/134 AHR (thanks 57º weather!).
Saturday – Long run day, 20 miles down to see hubs race and back, 2:39/139 AHR (!!!). First .65 with Morgan. Stayed up too late and had too many bevs watching the Mayweather/McGregor fight on a giant outdoor projector screen at the neighbor’s house.
Sunday – Easy 6 with a friend + her son & stroller, ended at Starbucks, 49 min/136 AHR.
Totals: 66 miles, 2 Pilates classes taught.
Beers I drank: Country Boy’s Cliff Jumper IPA (Lexington, Ky.); Founders Brewing Co. All-Day IPA (Grand Rapids, Mich.); Rhinegeist Brewery Peach Dodo Gose and Cidergeist Bubbles (rose cider) (Cincinnati, Ohio). (I’ve been to both the Country Boy and Founders breweries. I am a dork.)
Cool read: “Dirtbagging,” from Tracksmith.
TGRUNFIT 
Looks like a great week! I like the idea of only seeing a few weeks a time of training, that way you wouldn’t get super nervous about a workout in say, 4 weeks, and worry about it a lot. Plus your coach can adjust as life happens over the weeks and your other workouts progress.
Thanks for sharing that Tracksmith article- reading it now and it’s VERY eye opening.
Yes! I used to feel really intimidated looking at a 12-week schedule all at once. And Matt is great about reviewing every run and then planning the next three weeks based on how the previous weeks went.
Good read, right?!?