Monday - 14.8km including 6 x 4 mins @ 5km pace. Managed to get a km split on the first rep of 3.30 and while I maintained that effort for the full set, I don't know if I maintained the pace. I hope I did.
Tuesday - 21.5km in 1 hour 37 mins (4.30/km pace). Didn't push it at any stage as I had run reasonably hard the day before and I knew what was coming on Thursday.
Wednesday - 8.4km recovery run. 44mins average HR 137. HR a little higher than normal.
Thursday - marathon predictor, killer speed/threshold workout. This workout is a Hanson's Distance Project workout performed as a late speed workout. According to former Hanson's runner Mike Reneau (who regularly provides positive comments and encouragement on my Strands site), the Hanson's runners usually do this workout 2 weeks before. That's way too close to the marathon for me and while I will be doing a lot of MP running in my taper, it won't be anything like this volume-wise at that pace.
The workout is basically 2 x 6 miles at 5 secs faster than marathon pace per mile with a 10 min jog recovery between reps. For me this worked out as follows:
2.8km warmup
10.55km in 41.50 (3.58/km pace) (10.55km is a "big" lap of the bridges ie running under the Narrows and over the new Narrows before coming under again).
10 min jog
10.55 in 41.50 (3.58/km pace)
2.8km warm down
Total - 28.7km
Got up at 5.30am to make sure I got this in before work and headed out at 5.50am.
Ran down to the Causeway to commence first rep and completed it in 41.05 (!!). Pleased with that, although I was unable to run an even pace all the way. Took a couple of km splits after coming over the Narrows at 3.53/km and 4.03/km. Bit windy as I got closer to the Causeway but also a bit of fatigue and may have gone out a little too hard.
Simon met me as I got back to the Causeway and we ran up to the Marathon Club and back (2km) in the 10min jog recovery.
Set off for 2nd lap, Simon was taking some km splits on his Nike+ and I think we hit one of the early ones in 3.50. Again, it got harder once we came off the Narrows (for me anyway) and the 3.53 split became a 3.58 this time. Not sure of the second one, possibly 4.06.
We must have banked a bit of time though because I completed the second lap in 41.06. I actually lost a few seconds as we got on the Narrows where a Tour de France size peleton of cyclists held me up so if not for that the second lap may have even been slightly quicker than the first.
Pretty knackered at the end of it all and after a quick chat with Simon (he is running the Freo Half this Sunday as a tune up for the Melbourne Marathon on 11 October), it was a gentle jog back home as a warmdown. All up 28.7km in approx 2hrs 2 mins (running time).
41.05/41.06 works out to 3.53/km which is a bit quicker than my goal marathon pace (by about 7 secs/km). Still not sure I can run 4 min/km all the way yet. The Fremantle Fun Run on 4 October will be another good predictor but because I couldn't do the Freo Half, this workout is the next best predictor I have. Basically, this morning I ran a half marathon in 1.21.11 (although the 10 min break in the middle is pretty significant) so it was a hard workout for me.
Sorry for the gap between posts. I'm in a new and much busier role at work. No time for blogging/surfing generally although I have got to the bottom of my tray and the phone has momentarily stopped ringing.
Rox and I are off to see Chris Isaak tonight. This will be the fourth (maybe fifth) time we have seen him. He always puts on a great show and we have good seats (although I'm sure we will be standing). Out to dinner beforehand to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary (17 years on the 19th).
Recovery run tomorrow (phew) with another 35.3km scheduled for Saturday. Last week of soccer this Sunday so will switch my long runs to Sunday until the marathon from next weekend on.
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