Well, I had a pretty good run today to finish the week. An easy 11 km with company at well north of 5:20/km. Then switched to race shoes (the deadly Tarthers) and a singlet for a race pace half marathon. It was a brisk 15 degrees when we first started, but quickly warmed to a balmy 17, so the singlet was a good choice for my solo race pace run.
I went off at a strong pace and got into a rhythm that I thought was about right. The first 2km was 4:12/km, not 4:00/km. And it felt hard enough on the legs so I saw no reason to change it. The pace did pick up over the next 7 km, but only to about 4:08/k, then slipped back to 4:12/km. Heart rate was mid 140s and stayed there pretty much through 17 to 18 km after until I picked the pace up again to 4:05/km and 4:03/km for the last couple of laps (a shade under 2k per lap). Then it got up to 151.
So I did the whole thing at an average of 4:10/km. I wasn't sorry to stop, but I certainly could have kept running a while longer at that pace. The left Achilles was a bit sorer than normal, probably because of some short, sharp hill repeats I did yesterday.
The title of the post reflects the fact that I think with three or four more weeks of this kind of sharpening week, I probably could have a stab at the 4:00/km marathon. I would want a few more longish weeks but with plenty of higher intensity, like the 1600 or 2000 m repeats, a longer tempo run, and a faster long run. Hell, I will do that again this week anyway, though with an eye on tapering as regards total mileage.
Well, gotta cut it short and get some sleep. Week in summary: 107 km, including a tempo run, a 4 x 2000 m repeats, and half marathon at race pace.
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6 comments:
Sub 3 is certainly looking good though.
99% of marathoners I talk to always wish they had one more week, or two more, or another month.
I'm with 2P, my hard earned is on a sub 3 for you.
Now I know why Robert Song is planning his attack on Gold Coast more than six months out!
Too late to change anything now of course, except run the bloody thing, and at least break 2:54 ;)
i guess i am in tesso's last percentile, happy to start tapering soon ;-)
stephen, you can beat your pb, both the interval session and the pace training sounds great. and i am once more impressed by your hr...
see you in ohtawara!
Steve,
Even if you don't hit 4:00/km, I am sure that you will smash your PB. I look forward to reading your recap of a great race.
Dan
P.S. I think that I will try another marathon next year.
had to rethink my comment...
i guess i need another 5-6 months. but for the moment i am fine with starting to take it easy ;-)
my interval session this morning was fine, however, add at least 20 beats to your avg hr...
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