Last good workout today of this marathon training program -- 10 miles, supposed to be at marathon pace but for the second time this week several or more seconds per mile faster than I had planned. 35 degree temperatures and a flat stretch of the Mt. Vernon trail can't have hurt. It felt phenomenal.
I'm not going to get faster between now and Sunday, when we start in Folsom, California and run downhill 26.2 miles to Sacramento. Gotta stay loose, gotta keep from gaining weight, and gotta get excited, but not too excited.
Ted, whatever you did in both of your big fall races worked. Any thoughts would be most welcome.
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ReplyDeleteFor the half, nothing special. I just took the day off beforehand.
ReplyDeleteFor the Marathon, well, I don't exactly recommend a five week taper, though that's what I did. Too late for that anyway. Mostly I tried to rest as much as I could without going crazy.
Here's what I did in the week before the marathon: Saturday: 13 miles at an easy pace. Sunday, no run, swam a mile. Monday, one hour spin class (kept it light), short run (couple of miles) after. Tuesday, light spin, half mile swim. Wednesday, light spin, three mile run, easy pace. Thursday, light spin, half mile swim. Friday, 4 mile run moderate pace (30 seconds slower than marathon pace). Saturday, rest. Sunday race. I did a moderate carb load starting with pasta Friday evening. Saturday for dinner, I had sushi and a plate of pasta. Followed by a few horsdoeuvres at a friend's fiftieth birthday party. . .
The most important thing is that I stretched a lot, all week. Lots of foam roller too. I had a nagging hip/hamstring thing that finally let go on Thursday. Can't stretch too much during the taper in my opinion.
Good luck next week. You'll do great!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a much more intense week than I had planned! But the running is about spot on what I'm envisioning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great thoughts re: stretching and self-massage. Being loose at the starting line sounds like a great idea, and if I'm not running I tighten up. I even plan to bring the roller with me to California, silly though I will look in the security line.
And thanks for the vote of confidence!
The cross training was just to stay loose. Actually, I need to revise. My memory is faulty. 13 mile run Saturday. Swim Sunday. Nothing Monday. short run (2-3), and swim on Tuesday. Spin and 3 miles Wed., Spin and swim Thursday. 4 miles Friday. Nothing Saturday.
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