Sunday, March 1, 2009

Treadmill Simulation of the Boston Hills



Here is what week #12 on the Road to Boston looked like:

3/1- 24 miles
2/28- 8 miles
2/27- 16 miles (4am/12pm)
2/26- 10 miles (6am/4pm)
2/25- 15 miles
2/24- 11 miles (6am/5pm)
2/23- 10 miles (6am/4pm)

Total: 94 miles


I had a great workout today and a great week of training! I need to reflect on where I stand right now with 7 weeks to go until Boston. I'm definetly in position to run a sub 2:40 but I need to make sure I'm doing the right things to get to the start line in great running shape and injury free. I just ran my first ever 90+ mile week and I feel pretty good. I'm hitting my workouts with this higher mileage, but I'm definetly feeling like I need those recovery days. My fitness is getting so good that I have to make a conscious effort to run slow on the recovery days. It's hard to run over 7 min. pace, but I need to know that it's in my best interest to do so.

My legs are feeling really well, with the exception of my feet. My feet feel like that have been taking the biggest toll with this new mileage. They ache a little in the evening and when I wake up. I almost need to warm them up before I begin running. I'll roll them a little on a can of corn in the evening and morning to get them loosened. Once I'm warmed up they feel a lot better.

I just finished Mesocycle 2 (Lactate Threshold + Endurance) in the Pete Pfitzinger "Advanced Marathoning" program. Next in Mesocycle 3 is considered "Race Preparation". It lasts 4 weeks with a total of 4 VO2max workouts and 2 8-15K tune up races. I planning on running 10K's for both of them. I'd like to set them up in the dome.

Today I had a 24 miler. I did the first 15 miles outside. I ran the south loop w/service extention and added on 3 miles at the end. Lots of hill on this route. I quickly changed clothes and hopped on the treadmill for the last 9 miles. I ran 1 mile pretty easy then I did the Treadmill simulation Boston Hills workout. I found this on the internet. Here it is:

Treadmill equivalent of Boston Marathon Hills.

Hill 1: +96 ft, 0.6402 miles long~ 2.83% Grade (use 3%)
Hill 2: +78 ft, 0.3363 miles long~ 4.39% Grade (use 4.5% or 5%)
Hill 3: +75 ft, 0.4698 miles long~ 3.03% Grade (use 3% or 3.5%)
Hill 4 (HBH): +100 ft, 0.4788 miles long,~ 3.96% (use 4% or 4.5%)

Between hill 1 and hill 2 the distance is about 3/4 mile

Between hill 2 and hill 3 is slightly over 1 mile. Like 1.1

Between hill 3 and hill 4 (heartbreak) is about 1/3 to 1/2 mile


The last 4 miles I gradually picked up the pace and was at 6:08 pace when I finished. My legs were a little tired, but I felt great. I wasn't wearing a heart rate monitor, but I felt like I was barely breathing. I finished the workout with a nice 12 minute Ice bath. 7 more weeks until Boston!


4 comments:

Hone said...

I wont be able to hang with you but the more fast people you have on the track with you the harder you will push. I have not run fast in months but I think I am still good for a 36 minute 10k or so.

Also congrats on your first 90+ mile week. That will boost the confidense going into Boston.

Hone said...

The first part of my comment did not show up..............

I was letting you know that I would love to come out and join you on your 10k races. If you want let me know when you are doing them and I will show for them. I can also most likely find some other guys to show up as well.

Anonymous said...

I am upset because I have an artic to indian run planned sturday morning with some friends.

It looks like you will have quite the crew lined up. Please let me know if you plan anymore in the future. I need to start suffering with some speed. I never run fast and it shows in my race results.

Also if Jeff H is there tell him I have a Cali magazine that has a picture of him running the Carlsbad 5000 last year. I have no way of contacting him but grabbed a copy for him while I was in L.A. last week. It is cool because he is wearing an Alaskan singlet in the pic.

Evan

ShutUpandRun said...

Interesting to watch your progress. I'm hoping to qualify for Boston this year. I just ran my first marathon in January. I've got to shave 13 minutes off my total time to qualify. Looking at what you did last week (94 miles??) is inspiring...