38:58 10k By Myself

Oct. 19-25. 12th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 105km. Actual Run: 105km (65 mi.)
Had to do a "race' on Friday, which went well.

Monday
PM: 14k w/ 5 x 600m @ 5k race pace
AR: 14k. 11.6k@5:12, 3 x 800m @ 2:52/57/3:03.
3k warmup easy, good 800s with varsity girls, the rest in Nogawa park - may have been a bit short.
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 20C/68F, 55%


American School in Japan varsity girls x-country.
Miyuki, Emiri, Kana, Aki, Arisa, Bessie, Miki
Far East champs (international schools). As are the boys.

Tuesday
PM: 23k@4:48-5:14
AR: 23k@5:23
5.5k to school, 4k in park, rest, 3k ASIJ Fun Run, rest, 5k in park, 5.5k home. Quads a bit sore.
Time: 2:30
Temp/humidity: 22C/72F, 40%
Weight: 60kg

Wednesday
PM: 16k. 10k w/ 6 x 100m pickups, 6k
AR: 16k. 10K @5:33 (inc. 6 x 100m), 6k@5:32 in evening at track
Quads a bit sore. Also core workout at home.

Thursday
PM: 8k@5:30-6:00
AR: 8k@6:00
Legs a bit tired. Easy because tomorrow is a "race."

Friday
PM: 14-21k w/ 8-15k race
Planned: 15k w/ 8-10k all out in Koganei Park (measured course)
AR: 15k. 3.5k@5:50, stretching, 10k@3:53 (38:58), 1.5k@6:42.
10k splits: 3:51/54/53/4:01/55/57/59/00/50/35
Planned 8k @ 3:55 and if feeling good, 2k more. Felt good, so ran 10, planning to pick up last 2k, which I did. Very good run by myself, I think. Felt good last k. Charts say this equates to a 31:30 10k for a runner in his prime.
Time: 4:30
Temp/humidity: 18C/64F, 50% - perfect temp, no wind.
Weight: 59.4kg
Shoes: 192g light racing shoes
Also weights and core at 11:00am in gym

Saturday
PM: 29k@4:48-5:14
AR: 29k@5:05 (5:12/4:57). 2:27:04 (1:15:18/1:11:46).
Felt ok. Legs getting sore last 6k, but not bad. Picked up last 2k.
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 18C/64F, 60% (rain last 3k)
Weight: 59.5kg
Shoes: 300g

Successful Long Week

Oct. 12 — 18. 11th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 113km. Actual Run: 113km (70 mi.)
This was the longest week of the program (although 2 weeks from now is 112km).
It presented no problems.

Monday
PM: 10k + 6k @5:30-6:00
AR: 10k@5:45, 6k@5:32.
At 12:00 and 5:00. Felt ok.

Tuesday
PM: 24k@4:48-5:14.
AR: 24k@4:54
Consisting of 5.5k to school, rest, 2k easy, 3 x 800m (3:05/10/30) with girls, 1600 in 6:03 with slower varsity boys, 6k@5:03 in park, 5.5k home.
Time: 3:00
Temp/humidity: 20C/68F, 50%
Weight: 59.8kg
Shoes: 300g
Also weights and core work at gym at 11:00.

Wednesday
PM: 10k@5:30-6:00
AR: 9k@5:38. Felt ok, only had time for 9k. Lucky because just after I got into the locker room at the track there was a torrential cloudburst with hail. Everyone stopped; apparently the rain was so hard you literally could not run.

Thursday
PM: 20k with 11k@4:00 (Lactate threshold; half marathon pace)
AR: 3.25k@5:36, 11k@4:02, 2.25k@5:42, 3.5k@6:00 (later with team)
Splits: 3:59/4:02/3:58/4:07/02/06/03/03/04/58/56 (44:22)
Legs a bit tired, stomach a bit full from big, late breakfast, but felt ok and ran ok.
Time: 12:30
Temp/humidity: 21C/70F, 40%
Weight: 60.1kg
Shoes: 192g (old lightweight 5k racing shoes)

Friday
PM: 8k@5:30-6:00
AR: 9k@5:54
Legs tired
Also weights and core work at gym at 11:00.

Saturday
PM: 35k@4:48-5:14
AR: 35k@5:02 (5:06/4:58)
2:56:14 (1:29:17/1:26:57)
5k splits: 25:58/33/35/30/06/05/23:23. Last 2k: 8:57
Time: 3:00
Temp/humidity: 19C/66F, 60%
Weight: 59.7kg
Shoes: 240g
Legs felt good from the start. They were getting tired and a bit sore the last 5k, but picked up the pace and felt strong the last 2k. Legs did not feel bad after finishing. Had some rain for about 45 minutes, but it did not bother me. Drank 4 160ml/6oz bottles of water and ate 3 carbo gels.
Quite a good run after the hard run on Thursday.

Sunday
Rest

Recovery Week

Oct. 5 - Oct. 11. 10th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 93km. Actual Run: 89km/55mi.
Decided to take a bit more recovery on Saturday.

Monday
PM: 14k@5:01-5:28
AR: 11.5k@4:57 (5:15/4:42)
With ASIJ x-country girls. Knees very stiff first 4k, then ok. Nice pace coming back. Rain got heavy so did not run more after returning to school.
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 19C/66F, rain
Weight: 60.2kg
Shoes: 275g

Tuesday
PM: 14k with 6 x 800m @ 5k race pace (3:00)
AR: 14k. 2.2k@6:00, 6 x 800m @ 3:05/2:53/52/54/52/43 (walk between abt. 3:45), 7k@4:56
With Kana, Arisa and Bessie. Felt quite good. Felt good on 7k also.
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 19C/66F, rain
Shoes: 270g
Also weights and core at gym at 11:00.

Wednesday
PM: 10k@5:30-6:00
AR: 10k@5:40
At the track in the evening.

Thursday
PM: 18k@4:48-5:14
AR: 18k@5:14 (5:27/5:01)
Quads a bit sore coming back. Probably from 800s on Tuesday.
Time: 5:15
Temp/humidity: 22C/72F, 35%
Weight: 60.1kg
Shoes: 300g

Friday
PM: 13k@5:01-5:28 with 10 x 100m pickups
AR:13.5k@5:44 + 10 x 100m pickups (100m jog)
Legs tired, quads and knees a bit sore, so took it easy. Striders also easy.
Time: 12:30
Temp/humidity: 21C/70F, 31%
Also weights and core at gym at 11:00.

Saturday
PM: 24k@4:48-5:14
AR: 20k@5:05 (5:15/4:54)
Decided to take a bit more recovery, as next week is the longest week. Legs felt good, quads were fine, but getting a little sore last 2k, so 20k was good.
Time: 4:30
Temp/humidity: 20C/68F, 50%
Weight: 59.6kg
Shoes: 240g

Up to 19k at Marathon Pace

Sept. 28 - Oct. 4. 9th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 108km. Actual Run: 107km/66mi.

Monday
PM: 16k. 10k in am, 6k in pm at 5:30-6:00.
AR: 16k. 10k@5:45, 6k@5:51.
Ran at 12 noon and 6:45. Legs feeling a bit tired.

Tuesday
PM: 24k@4:48-5:14
AR: 24k@4:59 (5:16/4:42). 1:59:43
Knees stiff most of the way out. Ok coming back, legs tired last 4k.
Time: 11:30
Temp/humidity: 23C/73Fm, 73%
Weight: 60.3kg
Shoes: 300g
Core work in afternoon with ASIJ team.

Wednesday
PM: 10k@5:30-6:00
AR: 10K@5:19
On the track in the evening. Legs felt ok.

Thursday
PM: 21k@4:48-5:14
AR: 20k@4:54 (distance approx.)
Warmup in Nogawa Park (next to American School), then 6 x 600m hills at a pretty good pace with team members, then 11k@5:08. Legs tired at end.
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 25C/77F, 40%
Weight: 60.1kg
Shoes: 270g

Friday
PM: 11k@5:30-6:00 with 6 x 100m pickups
AR: 9.8k@5:56, 6 x 100m pickups (100m jog in between)
Legs kind of tired, felt only so-so.

Saturday
PM: 26k. 5k warmup, 19k@4:21 (marathon pace), 2k warmdown (cooldown?)
AR: 26k. 4k warmup, 20k@4:22, 2k@5:48
Splits: 4:10/30/21/26/19/24/34/36/22/27/25/15/24/19/17/28/19/17/16/11.
4:34 was up 600m hill. 4:36 was a shock, but it continues slightly uphill and looking at past training logs, I often run this k slow. 4:19 was down the hill. 4:28 was when I slowed a bit to run with a guy who stayed with me after I passed him and we were talking. Looked to be in his 50s.
20k time: 1:27:21 (44:10/43:11)
Once again I mistook the distance! (2nd time in 3 weeks - disturbing pattern - haha.) Started the MP portion at 3.6k mark on the bicycle path instead of 4.6. Getting there was a bit complicated, but not THAT complicated. Anyway, felt tired and thighs were sore during the warmup, but felt ok after a bit of stretching. Felt like I could have run another 2k at that pace, but on the 2nd k of the warmdown legs got very tired and sore. A mental letdown. Interesting - shows that your mental state is very important.
Used water belt and drank all four bottles (Aquarius sports drink) not only for the hydration, but to get used to using it at marathon pace. Had a cup of sports drink/ with chia before running.
Time: 4:15
Temp/humidity: Start-24C/75F, 40%; Finish-22C/72F, 75% (interesting how the humidity always goes up around 5-6:00. I never knew that before.) No wind. Didn't feel at all hot...very nice for running.
Weight: 59.7kg
Shoes: 220g Nike Katana Cage2