Week 14: BQ Training with Run Less Run Faster

Oct 28, 2013 by Greg Fowler

Here is my report for week fourteen of sixteen of my Outer Banks 2013 marathon training. I am following the 3:25:00 Boston Qualifier plan outlined in the book Run Less Run Faster.

To review past weeks, click here.

Short version: Another good week. I hit all targets (5 weeks in a row!).  The 13 mile long run seemed easy.

For the long version, keep reading.

Cross Training. Wednesday and Saturday

Successfully completed the two prescribed swim workouts:  3 x (1 length fast, 1 length slow; 2 lengths fast, 2 lengths slow; 3 lengths fast, 3 lengths slow; 2 lengths fast, 2 lengths slow; 1 length fast, 1 length slow) with 1 minute rest interval between sets.

Grade: Pass

Run workout #1. Sunday

Headed to the track on Sunday again.  Tough workout called for 8 x 800m in 3:08 with 9o second rest intervals.

Results:

• 800m #1: 3:04
• 800m #2: 3:02
• 800m #3: 3:03
• 800m #4: 3:04
• 800m #5: 3:04
• 800m #6: 3:04
• 800m #7: 3:04
• 800m #8: 3:04

Grade: A+. Maybe my most consistent speed workout so far in the program.  Was extremely happy, and maybe a bit surprised, with these results coming off the twenty miler two days before.

Run workout #2. Tuesday

This week’s tempo run called for an easy mile warmup, then five miles at a 7:19 pace, then one mile easy cool down.

Results:

• Mile #1:9:01
• Mile #2: 7:23
• Mile #3: 7:15
• Mile #4: 7:13
• Mile  #5: 7:16
• Mile #6: 7:16
• Mile #7: 9:25

Grade: A. Solid run.  That’s a 7:16 pace for the five fast miles.

Run Workout #3. Friday

This week’s long run called for thirteen miles at a 7:49/mile pace, which is my target race day pace.  I felt pretty confident about this run.   Not only had I done ten at 7:31 two weeks ago, some much cooler weather had rolled in.  At 45 degrees, the temperature was 25 degrees cooler than last weeks run.  Unfortunately, the wind was pretty brisk, too.  Had to bust out a long sleeve shirt for the first time in a while.

I felt really good the entire run.  At the halfway point, the pace screen on my watch said 7:49.  Right on track.  Time for one more test.  I switched my iPhone over to the playlist I’m working on for the last 10K of the race.  I guess it has potential, because between it and being down wind for much of the second half, I cruised the final 6 plus miles at a 7:40/mile pace.  Probably a tad too fast, but I promise I was not pushing hard.

My PR in a half marathon is 1:42:40, set in spring of 2012.   I decided to stretch this run out to 13.1 just to see where I’d stack up against that.  Wouldn’t you know it, I came in at 1:41:32 for the 13.11 miles.

Grade: A.  7:45/mile pace.  Unofficial PR.

Week Fourteen Summary

Here’s a graphic showing hit or miss on the workouts throughout the training. For the tempo and long runs, I included mileage and pace targets (not including the easy warm up and cool down miles for the tempo runs). The actual pace result is in parentheses:

Up Next

Here’s what is in store for week fifteen. The taper continues!  Less than twenty miles of running this week.

Run #1: Track work. 5 x 1000m in 3:56. 400m RI between each.
Run #2: 2 miles easy warm up, 3 miles @ 7:04/mile, 1 mile easy cool down.
Run #3: 10 miles @ 7:49/mile.

Cross Training: Swim 10 x (1 length with kick board 15 sec RI);  20 laps free

 

Stay tuned and POFIFOTO!

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