Week 8

Monday - rest

Being a holiday off work, I easily could have fit in some cross-training or something, but all I really wanted to do was clean up the house post-party, eat too many leftovers, see a movie and relax with hubs. Perfect day...




Tuesday - 24K medium-long (2 runs) with 10K tempo

lunch: 10K tempo @ 4:42/KM


12.1KM (7.5mi) - 59:17 - 4:54/KM (7:53/mi)

After work I headed out for part 2. I was meeting a couple of friends and we were ecstatic that it was still somewhat daylight as we set out after 6PM. What a treat!

My legs felt really dead for the first few minutes, but I was soon able to settle in. My friends (hi Kelly) were running hill repeats (I certainly was not) on two separate hills so I dilly-dallied around at the bottom of each one, looping back and forth and around and around as they completed their repeats. It worked out really well, actually, and it was great to have the company.


12.4KM (7.7mi) - 1:11:18 - 5:45/KM (9:15/mi)



Wednesday - 10K recovery

Discipline was the name of the game as I concentrated on keeping a true recovery pace, a.k.a. s-l-o-w. I stuck to the back of the pack for our group run, monitored my Garmin carefully and reeled myself in as needed. This turned out to be the slowest run I have recorded in as long as I can remember - exactly what I set out to do and I know I needed it between two very tough workout days.

10.8KM (6.7mi) - 1:08:11 - 6:19/KM (10:10/mi)



Thursday - 12K with 5 x 1000 at 5K Race Pace

Clinic night! The group was running 4-6 x 800 so we weren't exactly in sync, but were able to warm-up and cool-down together, and I enjoyed seeing others out on our usual speed work loop. It's worth noting that these intervals were not completed on a track, but in a residential neighbourhood - with intersections, cars, uneven surface, slight inclines/declines, etc.

My legs felt tired through the warm-up, but snapped out of it once I got going on the repeats.

My goal was 4:25 or better per 1000
4:21
4:19
4:22
4:23
4:19

The first 3 felt really good - I won't say effortless, but not that difficult given the pace. Last summer I could barely run 1000's at 4:30 so I was pretty impressed with myself! I was getting tired by the end of the 4th repeat and everyone else seemed to be finished their workout and were rallying to job back to the store. My original schedule only called for 4x1000; I had decided to bump that to 5, but could easily justify finishing with 4. Coach asked if I was done and I admitted that I was trying to "psych myself up" for one more. He very simply said "Go do it. I'll be here." That's all I needed to hear, so off I went for one more convoluted lap in the darkened streets. And of course, I didn't regret it!

13.0KM (8.1mi) - 1:09:51 -  5:22/KM (8:39/mi)



Friday - 5K easy rest

On Friday I actually packed my bag to run over lunch, but made the decision part way through the day to move my long run to Saturday and take the day off Friday. I knew my legs could use as much rest as possible after Tuesday's and Wednesday's workouts before a long run.



Saturday - bootcamp 35K long

I win!

35.0KM (21.75mi) - 3:12:40 - 5:30/KM (8:52/mi)



Sunday - 35K long 5K recovery

It was sooo nice to wake-up leisurely on Sunday and enjoy my tea knowing that my long run was finished, especially when I looked out at all the fresh snow! I eventually made my way to the gym for a short recovery run on the treadmill. My legs actually felt pretty good and 3 miles flew by.

5.0KM (3.1mi) - 29:53 - 5:59/KM (9:37/mi)


Total Weekly Mileage: 88.3KM (54.9mi)
Total time: 8:11:10
Average pace: 5:34/KM (8:57/mi)


11 weeks to Mississauga Marathon!