So-called Stamina

Here we are in the "Stamina Phase" of this marathon training. So far, not so good as one would hope.

The major change in this phase is the Wednesday run. Quarter mile intervals are replaced by tempo runs. Week 9 (last week) I ran the requisite 4 miles on Wednesday, but at about 30 seconds faster pace than called for. Well, better than that much slower, I guess!

This week's "tempo run" was to be 6 miles at a pace of 8:45-50. I am also trying to get in some "hills" so I chose to do this run in a nearby neighborhood with an interesting terrain. Around here we'd call it "hilly." My trouble, vis-a-vis the pace, was that after mile 2, I wasn't sure how my distance was doing, so I couldn't monitor the pace. The run ended up being only 5.5 miles, and the pace well over 9 minutes per mile. OK, as far as that goes (I reasoned to myself and my Karen), at least it was hilly. Then I clicked "show elevation" in Map My Run, and was reminded how hilly this part of the state isn't! Oh well.

My other hilly run was the previous Saturday (one week today). I planned a ride from part of a cycling route, and knew I'd get a little terrain. A 6-mile route, which as an out-and-back would give me 12 miles. A 13-mile day on the training schedule, I'd get that last mile in the neighborhood. The run was a nice course. There was still snow crowding the shoulders, so with traffic it wasn't great. But it worked. I got into a neighborhood I hadn't seen (horsies!), and did that loop twice - nice, rolling mile or so each time. But about 2 miles from home my quads started to give out, and I walked about 1/2 mile of those final 2 miles. And didn't put in the 13th mile. So much for stamina.

And these are nothing like the hills we'll see in the Big Sur run. Gotta get out more!

On the plus side, this week Friday I put in my long run. 15 miles (flat miles!) at the end of the afternoon. My longest, and I survived, and this morning feel pretty good.