Training for the week went, for a second week in a row, according to plan. With Ocala Marathon, a B-race, coming up at the end of next week, my goal was to recover from lat weekend’s Fat Ass 50K enough to get in a mid-week speed work sesion, and that’s what I did. I am hopeful the next week, with some down days — nothing long, no speed — will bring back spunk to my legs.
My goals in Ocala are not to race – I have no business racing a marathon with little-to-no training, as I decided to do this marathon only a few weeks earlier as a destination race as I visit my mother for a few days — but to put myself in position in the event an opportunity presents itself.
Previous year’s results were a mixed bag of talent, a few years with winners going well under 2:50, but also a year or two of the winner only going 3:03. With in mind the idea that I could win this race if the talent stays away, I want to run honest for the first half, maybe going through 13.1 in 3:05 to 3:10 pace (half in 1:32:30 – 1:35:00), then see where my competitors are so that I would be in position, should the field be weak, to make an attempt at winning. It all depends on who shows up.
Week 1/9:
Mon: 3.5 miles, very easy – roads
Tues: 5.65 miles, social easy – roads
Wed: 10.5 miles, speed work, TM – 4 x 12 min @ 6:15 pace w/3′ jog (TM @ 1%)
Thurs: 4 miles, easy – snow & icy roads
Fri: 6 miles, tempo – icy roads
Sat: 13 miles, social, moderate — roads
Sun: 10.5 miles, “with the big dogs”, honest pace – trails
Total miles: 44 miles
Wednesday: Workout (TM set to 1.0% incline):
o WU – 10 min @ ramp up to 7:30 with several strides at 6:00
o 4 x 12 min @ 6:15 w/3 min jog
o CD – 3 min jog
*To break monotony of 12 min long stretch, each interval was broken up with eevation increases from 1 to 2% for one minute, back down to 1% for another minute or two, and back up for a total of 2 to 3 times.
Next week…
Focus of the coming we be to rest up for Ocala Marathon on the weekend. That’s it!
