These two midweek runs were rather uneventful. Some days running is just running. It always feels great once I get out there and I’m done like all types of exercise. However, midweek runs are where the work happens. They aren’t glamorous or have beautiful scenery or fun routes. They are miles on my feet, air in my lungs and endurance building workouts. They are the bread and vegan butter to any marathon training plan.
Midweek long’ish run: Day 51
Don’t get me wrong, I really love my morning runs and I look forward to them. This week on my midweek longer run I ran 7 miles at a conversational, easy pace. I’m still training my gut so I took in a Huma gel at around mille four.
I missed the street that I was going to turn at in order to make a big neighborhood loop on side streets, so I found myself on busier streets with more cars and traffic. However, it was light out because I started my run a little later in the morning, so that helped. I just had to be more alert and continuously run up onto the sidewalk as I saw cars approaching. This always makes me nervous because I’ve had so many friends that have twisted ankles or broken their foot while going up and down curbs. I much prefer to stay on the flat street whenever possible.
My pace was on target and actually slightly slower than my top easy pace. Conversational pace can be different on different days. Some days when I’m tired my pace needs to slow down even further to stay in a conversational range. Sleep, stress, nutrition can all also have an impact on pace and effort.
I was able to finish my 7 mile conversational pace run almost completely in my aerobic zone. I never strayed up over that zone during the whole run, so I think that’s a successful run.
Midweek shorter run: Day 52
On Wednesday’s I have a shorter conversational pace run and I add 8 strides after the easy run to get my legs used to turning over faster. It’s a fun drill and I’m noticing improvement. I don’t take in any gels or additional fuel on shorter runs, so I just focused on getting in the miles. It was back down into the low 40’s this morning, so I was all bundled up for this short run.
I ran the distance slightly faster than my conversational pace max by 3 seconds per mile. It’s not much but I know that my easy pace goal should be my max, so I try to keep these runs below that number. Other than that, my heart rate was low and cadence averaged 177.
Following the run I set up in the cul-de-sac to run my 8 strides. They are fun and I like running fast for short periods of time. On the other hand after a run I just want to be done and get on with my day, so switching to strides can also feel like a chore. They only take about 11 minutes, so at least it’s a short chore on days I’m feeling antsy to be done.
Looking forward
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day. It’s the first time I’ve ever been in the middle of any type of structured training plan while preparing for and hosting a holiday. It’s been a bit crazy but I truly think the consistent running has helped me stay focused and eliminate of the stress that holiday seasons can bring with them.
I have a 7 mile marathon pace run on the training schedule tomorrow and I’m still determined to get it done before starting the days cooking activities. Here’s to hoping I can get it all accomplished!
Workout
- 4 mile run at conversational pace
- 8 20 second strides with one minute recovery in between