Tempo Running

Marathon training continues into its sixth week this week.

I'm easing off on my easy runs some-- adjusting to 65-70% efforts on easy days, down from 70-75%. I find that it's easier these days to maintain a nice, even effort on these days, and that I don't have to work as hard to keep my HR down as needed.

Last week's mileage was 35, with a nine-mile tempo run as the Saturday effort. After a mile warmup, I held seven miles at 8:15 pace, which is 20-30 seconds slower than my 5K pace. At first, I was concerned about being able to hold the pace, but the half-mile splits kept clicking at 4:05-4:10. So I was pleased. Total running time 1:18:28.

Also from last week, I did ten two-minute intervals at 7:45 pace, with a minute's rest in between. This was good, solid work.

Yesterday I did the same tempo run. This felt like a harder effort, with some different terrain and a couple of difficult inclines. TRT was 1:17:17, or 71 seconds (:08 per mile) faster than Saturday. So I was really pleased about the effort and the result.

This week's scheduled mileage is 39, with a 16-miler on tap for the Saturday long run.

So I continue to feel really good about training. It's the middle of December, and I ran in shirt sleeves and shorts one day last week, and it's low 60s right now as I head out for an easy four-miler.