Log for October 4, 5, & 6 – Training for Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 9th. Goal for the fall and winter marathon season is to break 3:15 for the first time.
Tuesday
- 3-Mile Moderate Run – Nathan, Paxton, and I did a moderately paced 3-mile run using Paxton’s “figure 8” loop on the streets of Bellevue. The temps were cool, but felt good, and my legs felt fresh and strong. I picked up to goal marathon pace for the final 1/2 mile just to keep myself sharp, and to continue to ingrain that pace into my mind.
- Cross-Training – Tonight I did P90X: X-Stretch to work out any last minute kinks before Sunday. Even though stretching is not strenuous, it can cause muscle fatigue, so I wanted to make sure I gave my legs plenty of time to recover.
Wednesday
- Rest – With taper in full force, I took today off from running and cross-training and even slept in bit. I’ve been trying really hard this week to get extra rest, knowing this will help a lot come race day on Sunday.
Thursday
- 5.25-Mile Track Workout – Even though this was technically at track, the “workout” consisted of a 3-mile tempo run at goal race pace. Marc, Paxton, and I did most of the laps together, and finished with an average pace of 7:25 per mile. This is 1 second faster than my goal pace, but it felt very comfortable (even slow at times). I’m pleased with how good I felt, and feel ready to give 3:15 a shot on Sunday. My biggest concern at this point is the weather forecast. Ideally I would like to see race temps in the 40s or 50s, but it looks like it will be in the mid 60s at the start and rising into the 70s.
- Cross-Training – After track, I did P90X: Shoulders and Arms. I had not been able to do this workout recently due to my hand injury, but those wounds are getting much better.