Tapering?

Week of Nov, 16 - 22
16th Week of 18-week marathon program
Program Menu: 88-92km. Actual Run: 80.6km (49 mi.)
Less mileage, but two pretty hard days.

Monday
PM: 11k w/ 8 x 100m striders
AR: 11k @ 5:56 w/ 8 x 100m striders
Wt: 60.6kg

Tuesday
PM: 19k@4:48-5:14
AR: 16k@ 5:09 (5:23/4:55)
No time to run 19k. Felt very stiff going out (into cold breeze). Coming back felt better, but still not smooth. Managed to run last 4k ok (in rain).
Wt: 60.2kg

Wednesday
PM: 8k w 6 x 10m strides
AR: 6.6k @ 5;21 w 6 x 100m (good striders at track)

Thursday
PM: 8k recovery
AR: 0 Had to go to Epson in Nagano pref. Decided to rest.

Friday
PM: 14-18k w/ 8-10k race.
AR: 20k. 7k@5:21, 13k@ 4:21 (marathon pace)
Splits: 4:22/22/29/19/16/19/22/18/21/24/20/23/22
Race effort is too hard - decided to do MP run. Felt easy for 10k, but legs a bit sore last 3k
Time: 5:15pm
Weight: 59.6kg
Shoes: 220g
Temp: 11C/52F

Saturday
PM: 27k@4:48-5:14
AR: 27k@5:06 (5:14/4:58)
Felt stiff going out but ok coming back. Legs getting sore last 5k. Two hard days! Does not seem like a taper....

Sunday
Rest

Nice Runs, Nice Tanuki Family

Week of No. 9 to Nov. 15. 15th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program menu: 110k. Actual Run: 110k (68 mi.)
Good week highlighted by sighting of 4 tanuki (Japanese raccoon dogs).

Monday
PM: 16k. 10k + 6k @5;30-6:00
AR: 16k. 10k@5:45, 6k@5:56
Just recovery runs.

Tuesday
PM: 18k w/ 5 x 1200 @ 5k race pace
AR: 23k@5:04 (5:19/4:50)
Did wrong workout - did last Tuesday's by mistake (looking at wrong column).
Bought and wore new Nike shoes - Air Zoom Speed Cage+. They felt good. Legs also felt good.
Time: 5;30
Temp: 18C/64F
Weight: 59.6kg
Shoes: 240g (new marathon shoes)

Wednesday
PM: 23k
AR: 9k. 2k warmup, 5 x 1200 (200m jog in 2:30) in 4:38/36/33/39/27 (at night on track).
5k race pace (18:30) is 4:26, but that was impossible due to fairly hard rain, cold and running alone. This was a good pace and a good workout. Actually better to have done the 1200s today on the track.

Thursday
PM: 13k w 8 x 100m strides
AR: 22k @5;22 (5:27/5:18)
Felt ok, although quads sore last 5k. Made up for missed 9k yesterday. Didn't need 100m strides!
Saw two tanuki behind the fence in the woods surroundingt Tamako (Tama reservoir). Then on the way back, four were there! Quite surprising, thought you would have to go much further up into mountains around Tokyo to see tanuki, if at all. Nice to know that there are some wild animals still around. They looked just like the one in the photo.

Friday
PM: 8k@5:30-6:00
AR: 8k@5:55

Saturday
PM: 32k@4:48-5:14
AR: 32k@4:59 (5:07/4:50). 2:39:18
Felt stiff and tired before running, but laid down for an hour and then felt ok. Felt fairly good out and better coming back, although legs pretty tired last 5k. Last 2k in 4:40, 4:35.
Drank 1/2 carbo/protein gel before the run and carried one.
Time: 3:00
Temp, humidity: 16C/61F, 75%
Weight: 59.5kg
Shoes: 240 new Nikes

Slow Start, Fast Finish

Nov. 2 — Nov. 8. 14th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 96-103k. Actual Run: 84.3k (53 mi.)
Zero k Monday but good runs on Friday and Saturday.

Monday
PM: 14k with 5 x 600m strides.
AR: 0k
Legs sore last week and did a hard run last Saturday, so decided to take Ryan Hall's advice (pre-New York video) and get enough recovery. It was good advice, but for racing strategy I guess I'll look to Meb for advice.

Tuesday
PM: 23k@4:48-5:14
AR: 23k@5:08 (5:22/4:54)
Legs stiff going out, also into cold wind. Coming back quads were a bit stiff and then sore.
Time: 12:15
Temp: 13C/55F
Weight: 59.6kg
Shoes: 240g

Wednesday
PM: 10k with 6 x 100m strides
AR: 12k. 8k@5:57 (4:30), 4k@6:10 (7:30)

Thursday
PM: 8k@5:30-6:00
AR: 8k@5:48
Easy pace, felt ok.

Friday
PM: 14-21k with 8-15k @ race effort
AR: 14.3k with 10k hard effort in 39:25.
Splits: 3:57/52/56/4:00/03/01/00/3:54/39
Did not feel motivated to run really fast. Also have trouble running fast in dusk/dark. Felt good, though.
Time: 4:45
Temp: 16C/61F
Weight: 59.6kg
Shoes: 192g light racers

Saturday
PM: 27k@4:48-5:14
AR: 27k@4:57 (5:05/4:49)
Felt fairly good. Legs not tired despite yesterday. Last 5k legs getting sore, but also felt strong (a bit strange, but a good feeling). Got in a zone and ran in well (last 2k 4:42 and 4:40).
Fastest long run (continuous) so far, and after a hard 10k!
Time: 3:30
Temp/humidity: 18C/64F, 65%
Weight: 59.7kg
Shoes: 240g

Sunday
Rest

23k Marathon Pace Run

Oct. 26 — Nov. 1. 13th week of 18-week marathon program.
Program Menu: 112k. Actual Run: 102.5k (64 mi.)
Program's longest marathon pace run on Saturday.
This post is a bit late as my entire house is being renovated so I have to spend most of my time carrying things from here to there and back again.

Monday
PM: 16k inc. 6 x 1000m @ 3:34-3:50.
AR: 16k. 6k@5:42. 6 x 1000, 4k easy.
1000s: 4:00/3:55/57/50/51/38 (jog 3:30 after 1st, then 3:00).
Rain and wind, although rain let up after 2 1000s. Wore long-slv and short-slv shirts - not ideal for running fast. But felt very good on the last 3 — legs felt strong.
Time: 3:45
Temp and humidity: 14C/57F, 92%. Rain.
Weight: 59.9kg
Shoes: 235g Saucony

Tuesday
PM: 24k@4:48-5:14
AR: 22.5k@5:20
6k@5:18, rest, 7.5k with x-country team @5:20 (22mins out, 18 mins back), 9k@5:22.
Quads sore - didn't want to go faster or longer.

Wednesday
PM: 16k. 10k + 6k @ 5:30-6:00
AR: 13k. 6k@5:57, 7k@5:02
7k included 3 x 800m with kids @3:00 (jog 3 mins.). Quads sore, so cut down run.

Thursday
PM: 19k@4:48-5:14
AR: 19k@5:26 (5:30/5:24)
Felt ok, but quads got heavy last 5k, so took it easy.
Time: 4:00
Temp/humidity: 18C/64F, 70%
Weight: 59.8kg
Shoes 240g

Friday
PM: 8k@5:30-6:00
AR: 4k@6:00.
No time to run more. 11:00: wts and core.

Saturday
PM: 29k with 23k@4:21
AR: 28k. 5k@5:54, 23k@4:23 1:40:51 (Half in 1:32:18)
Splits: 4:13/22/26/27/19/21/35/36/25/28/19/21/19/19/16/28/27/24/21/22/24/23/10
Had to work hard coming back - pushing most of the way. Right hip and quads a bit sore. It was a hard week.
Drank 4 bottles (small) of sports drink and ate 2 gels. Large lunch 4 hours before, but stomach was ok. Good that I could pick it up the last k.
Time: 4:00
Temp/humidity: 19C/66F, 60%
Weight: 60.5kg
Shoes: 220g Nike Katana Cage 2