Madison Marathon Training: Week 11 Recap

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Week 11 was to be my first ever week in the 60+ weekly mileage territory.  To say I was a little freaked out was an understatement, but as with all marathon training, I just focused on each day at a time.  And I did it.  Logged every one of those 61 miles.  

Sunday Sept 23

Plan says:  Easy 8 miles

What I did:  8.1 miles, 1:08:49 (8:30 avg pace).

Monday Sept 24

Plan says:  1.5 mile warm up, 6 x 1 mile with 400m recovery at marathon pace minus 10 seconds, 1.5 mile cool down

What I did:  Overslept.  We had plans to watch my niece run cross country in the afternoon so there was no fitting this workout in given that I missed it in the morning.  I took my rest day a day early.

Tuesday Sept 25

Plan says: Off

What I did:  Mile repeats!  I am now in the "strength" section of the Hanson's marathon training plan.  This is all familiar to me - starting with the mile and work up to 3 mile repeats.  My goal for this section is to pace everything at a 6:37 mile pace.  I don't know if it was the rest day, if it was the cooler weather, the fact that last week I had to do mile repeats at a speedier pace, but I ran all of these way too fast and felt good doing it.  I've learned not to put a lot of stock in a single workout, good or bad, but I do think having a really good workout is good for confidence building. 

1.5 mile warm up, 12:32 (8:21 avg pace)

My miles were: 6:08, 6:10, 6:16, 6:12, 6:20, 6:20

1.5 mile cool down, 13:01 (8:37 avg pace)

Wednesday Sept 26

Plan says:  easy 7 miles

What I did:  switched my Thursday and Wednesday so I wouldn't have two big workouts in a row.
7 miles, 56:45 (8:06 avg pace)

Thursday Sept 27

Plan says: 1.5 mile warm up, 8 miles tempo, 1.5 miles cool down

What I did: Decent tempo run.  It was my last 8 mile tempo run - next week these get bumped up to 9.  The 8 mile tempo runs were good.  I actually got every single one of them in at/around goal marathon pace (6:52). 

1.5 miles, 13:13 (8:50 avg pace)
8 miles, 54:40 (6:50 avg pace)
1.5 miles, 12:47 (8:31 avg pace)

Friday Sept 28

Plan says:  easy 8 miles

What I did:  8.4 miles, 1:13:03 (8:42 avg pace)

Saturday Sept 29

Plan says:  long 16 miles

What I did:  The longest run you do on a Hanson's plan is 16 miles and you do 3 of them.  This was my first one and it went very well.  I felt good.  Overall I felt tired, but my legs had enough pep where this wasn't awful.  I took that as a good sign.

16.01 miles, 2:05:14 (7:49 avg pace)

Plan Total: 61 miles

What I did: 61.04 miles

SIXTY ONE MILES.  I am proud of this week.  We can do hard things!!