Twin Cities Marathon Training Summary

So where the hell have I been?!  Well, I have no excuse for not posting over the past month and a half... other than that I have been very busy with work, kids, and training.

And now, the Twin Cities Marathon is 6 days away... so I thought I'd update you on my training with a very high-level summary.

Total Miles (June 18 through Sunday, Sept. 30): 373.4
Total Running Time: 2 days, 9 hours, 4 minutes, 59 seconds (57:04:59)
Total Missed Workouts: Lots... more than I want to count or admit
Longest Run: 21 miles (Sept. 15), 3:16:25 (9:21/mi)
Fastest Long Run: 8:51/mi (10 mi marathon pace run on Sept. 30).  Fastest non-marathon pace run was a 9:13/mi 15-miler on Sept. 9.
Slowest Long Run: 11:02/mi (20 mi run on Sept. 2) (it was very hot and humid that day, so I don't really feel too bad about it)
Toughest Runs: There were two 10-mile marathon pace runs that were scheduled on the same day of the week as tempo runs.... meaning I had to get up at 4 in the morning and run for 10 miles before breakfast... TWICE!

That's pretty much it.  This will probably be the last post until I write a race recap (hopefully completed within a couple weeks after the race).

Twin Cities Marathon Training - Week 2

As you will recall, last week, I ended up skipping three workouts (including my first speed intervals workout).  So, my primary goal for Week 2 was to get all of my run workouts in... and I achieved that goal.  I still missed both of my cross-training workouts, but I'm hoping to get back into those next week (including a swim workout with my new toy)

Mon. June 25 - Rest - Another Monday, another skipped cross-training workout.  However, after the disastrous long run the day before, I couldn't bring myself to do anything.


Tues. June 26 - 4x800 m Intervals (3.79 mi, 37:13, 9:49/mi avg) - My first speed workout of the training program, and this one was actually pretty easy.  Only four 800s go by pretty quick.  My goal for each 800 m interval was 3:37
Splits
1) 800 m - 3:35
2) 800 m - 3:32
3) 800 m - 3:31
4) 800 m - 3:33 

Twin Cities Marathon Training - Week 1

It's finally here... I'm now (sort of) officially training for a marathon.  And it wasn't a great start to my training.  Oh well, that's why the program is 16 weeks long.

Mon. June 18 - Rest - I ran 11 miles on Sunday, so this is was a rest day (alright!  First day of the training program, and one workout skipped already!  Great job, Mike!)


Tues. June 19 - Rest - This was supposed to be a 3x1600 m interval workout... but a HUGE storm hit the South Metro of the Twin Cities (where I live)... and it hit just before I was about to go out for my run.  This storm ended up flipping FREAKIN' PLANES over just a few miles from my house, so it's probably good that I didn't run.

Wed. June 20 Rest - OK, so I could have worked out this morning... and I don't really have an excuse not to... but I couldn't really bring myself to make up the previous day's missed interval workout or the cross training workout I was scheduled to do this morning.  Ugh.  Three days in, and I've missed ALL three workouts so far.

Thurs. June 21 - 2 mi Short Tempo (5.60 mi, 51:24, 9:14/mi avg) - phew, I finally got out for a run... and for a very tough and fast tempo run too.  Thankfully, the "tempo" part of this workout was only for 2 miles.  My goal for the tempo portion was 8:05/mi
Splits
Warm up - 2 mi, 18:48, 9:24/mi
2 mi Tempo Run - 15:45, 7:52/mi
Cool Down - 1.6 mi, 16:52, 10:32/mi

Fri. June 22 - Rest - This was actually a scheduled rest day.

Sat. June 23 - Rest - My wife and I have been busy getting the house ready for guests next weekend, and after a long day of yard work and other chores around the house, plus playing with the kids, I decided to push this workout to Sunday morning... BIG MISTAKE.

Sun. June 24 -10 mile Long Run (reduced from 13) (10.32 mi, 1:44:24, 10:07/mi) - This was a TERRIBLE RUN.  It started out OK, with the first four or five miles being right on target, or even a little faster than my goal (9:29/mi)... but then the hills started coming, and the temperature and the humidity started rising.  I ended up cutting the run short and calling my wife to pick me up along the route.

Total Running Miles for Week 1: 15.92
Total Running Time for Week 1: 2:34:58
Total X-training Time for Week 1: 0:00:00 
Total Training Time for Week 1: 2:34:58


Total Running Miles for TC Marathon Training: 15.92
Total Running Time for TC Marathon Training: 2:34:58
Total Training Time (Running + X-training) for TC Marathon Training: 2:34:58

Twin Cities Marathon Training Plan

It is almost that time!  Starting next week, I will start my training program for the Twin Cities Marathon.  I am excited, nervous, scared, nauseated, and I think I have to pee a little bit.... but no matter, starting on Monday, I will be exercising for the purpose of running 26 miles and 385 yards.

Here is my current training plan (with some explanation after the jump):
 

Back in the Saddle

It's been over two weeks since I ran last... but this morning, I dragged myself out of bed early and ran an easy 3.5 miles.  It went mostly fine, but my plantar fascia (PF) is still hurting me... I really hope I can kick this before I get into heavy training for the TC Marathon.


Enjoy your Tuesday!

Updates

You may have noticed a lack of posts about training since I ran the Lincoln Half Marathon earlier this month... Well, that's because I haven't run (or done anything physical) since that race.

As you may have surmised from some of my posts, I have been very busy with work all Spring, and I've been using the past couple weeks as a chance to get in a bit earlier to work and to rest up and (hopefully) get my plantar fasciitis and my ITBS mostly healed before I start training for the Twin Cities Marathon.

Here are my blogging and running plans for the next few weeks... in case you cared:

1. Start running again  - I'm going to do a couple easy runs this week, (hopefully the first tomorrow morning), and then a long-ish run this weekend (7-8 miles).
2. Injury Updates - sharp-reading fans of the blog will notice I slipped in references to plantar fasciitis (PF) and illiotibial band syndrome (ITBS) above... yep, I've been suffering from these two maladies, which are two of the most common suffered by runners (other than sprained ankles).  I've already done a pretty extensive post on PF (back when I experienced it back in 2009), but I plan on writing a follow-up on what I've been doing to try and treat this condition this spring and summer.  I'll also do a similar, semi-detailed write up on ITBS.
3. TC Marathon Training Plan - this will be a bit more in the future (mid-to-late June), but I want to write up my training plan for my first marathon (eeek!).
4. Running Goals - finally, I started the year with some running goals for 2012.  I want to see where I stand with them (hint, I've already achieved a couple of them), and I want to reevaluate and modify them as necessary.

Thanks for sticking with me so far... I hope you enjoy the "ride" (the boring, long-winded, ride)