#marathonpace

Great workout performance and a trip down memory lane today. I had a #steadystaterun on the schedule today. These are a staple of any @mcmillanrunning plan, the idea being you run hard but not beyond your #lactatethreshold for an extended period of time. For me today, that meant 20 minutes, in between a long warmup and cooldown. Over time, you go longer with these runs and increase your stamina which helps for any distance you are racing. The #mcmillanrunningcalculator gave me target pace range, and I ended up perfectly in the middle of that range. Considering I felt sore from a #longrun and strength workout over the weekend, I was really happy with this. I often think of steady state as #marathonpace and while I don’t do marathons anymore, it’s good to know I can still dial that pace in when I need to. 
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Wait, but what’s up with those wild shoes? The @spirausa Stinger is a shoe that had a nice little run about 5-6 years ago, developing a small but loyal following. It featured something called a #wavespring in the midsole. And it literally was a spring, that propelled you off the ground quickly with less fatigue. Sounds kinda like a carbon shoe that’s all the rage now, doesn’t it? And these didn’t have anywhere near the #vaporflynextpercent pricetag, coming in at about $100. Unfortunately, the company never quite cracked that tough shoe market, and it is gone now. You can’t find these Stingers anywhere. This pair has run a lot of races with me, including my all-time #marathonpr at the @bostonmarathon in 2014. As you can see, they’re still serviceable, even though semi-retired. I brought them out for today’s workout and had a blast running in them! 
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‘Tis the season...might as well get used to it. Actually this was my last race of the fall, the @runpacers #jinglealltheway15k. I had no particular plan for this one as I haven’t done much real training since #richmondhalfmarathon2018. I’ve mainly coasted on that fitness, for what it was at least. But once the gun went off I settled on just dialing in #marathonpace and staying there if I could. It was cold out there, hard to take in air and liquids, and I started to suffer in the conditions at about 10k. I was able to maintain pace really by making myself concentrate and stay focused. On a tough day like today, I am proud of that. Now I will get a short offseason break before spring season begins. The old me is still out there, well ahead of the current version, but I plan to catch him soon. #runblr #fitblr #fallracingseason #15k #dontcallthisacomeback #lifetimerun #dcroadrunners #mcmillanrunteam (at The Washington Monument) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrLRVZYh36K/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uzzqntawl68w

@nafhalf results from today, about what I expected given this was really just a training run and not a race for me. I didn't execute the way I planned. Went out too fast and paid for it in final couple of miles. Had I been more disciplined I might have ended up a little faster and snuck onto the AG podium - something that was explicitly not a goal today. It wasn't even until I got home and checked results that I even knew I had come that close. No rain, just stifling humidity again. Fall and dryer conditions are coming, though. Maybe. #runblr #fitblr #marathontraining #nafhalf2018 #richmondmarathon2018 #stillsohumid #summerrunning #fallracingseason #marathonpace https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnyvb2mF5so/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bgs3qpkocfak

Tough day for #marathonpace running but got it done. Warmed up for the first 25% then ran the middle 50% at least at MP effort, maybe not quite pace. The dewpoint was 76° and I did what I could. Average pace was about 7:55/mile. By the time I hit 5.2 miles or so I was ready to cool down, as if that was possible. I was soaked and the sun was starting to beat down. Best thing about running at the beach - when you finish, just walk right into the ocean. Yes. That is a proper cooldown. #summerrunning #stoneharbornj #marathontraining #richmondmarathon2018 #nafhalf2018 #jerseyshorevacation (at Stone Harbor, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRNas3F-cC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=n8z4cm6rxorj

#postmarathonrecovery proceeds tonight, first time I can say a run has really felt good since before #njmarathon2018. I floated along effortlessly today at near #marathonpace and couldn't help but wonder where that great feeling was last Sunday. It's just how that goes sometimes. Anyway, I'm glad to see I am bouncing back. And as always the post-run beverages at @caboosebrewing never disappoint. Tonight I switched it up and went with the the Rambler maibock. So easy after a run. #runblr #fitblr #springrunning #craftbeer (at Caboose Brewing Company)

Nothing like the epic @bostonmarathon today but with the rain system gone, the cold front has taken up residence again in NoVA. The 51° temperature felt much cooler due to a persistent wind from the west. I have a big #marathonpace workout on tap tomorrow, so I made sure to keep this easy even though I felt I could easily have stepped it up. The two week #marathontaper to @njmarathon is now underway. I always say #marathontraining is like working on a jigsaw puzzle. Everything you do in training represents a piece of that puzzle. Hopefully the few remaining quality sessions are where those critical last pieces drop into place. If I've done my job well to date, they should fit right in. #runblr #fitblr #njmarathon2018 #gwparkwayclassic10miler #mcmillanrunning #mcmillanrunteam (at Mantua, Virginia)

Busy day of meet coaching with #leelancerstrackandfield in the morning and early afternoon. It was a solid meet for the distance team with several PRs, and a couple of my athletes expanding into new distances. Finally after I got back to the school I was able to break off on my own for a run nearby at #lakeaccotinkpark. I did the @dcroadrunners 8k race course, starting easy and finishing at #marathonpace effort. Great run and I am glad I didn't completely miss out on a great day to be outdoors. #runblr #fitblr #njmarathon2018 #gwparkwayclassic10miler #cherryblossomtenmiler #marathontraining #coachlife (at Lake Accotink)

A bit of a forced smile on this one, because I was wet and miserable at the time. It was a "classic" Oregon winter weather day, not super cold but rainy and windy. I was drenched to the bone by the end of this 9.2 mile #steadystaterun. But the key part of the run (5.5 miles) went well. As the second photo shows I stayed pretty consistent around #marathonpace range and even picked it up the last half mile. No benefit from the #netdownhill on the way back, though. That turnaround is precisely when the rain and wind both upped their game. I think I'd still take this over the single digits and teen temperatures we are getting back home in Virginia. One other thing that made today's run special: it was one year ago today that I blew out my knee. It's been a long road back, and I'm not all the way there yet. But I feel the #mojo coming back and I won't be stopped. #runblr #fitblr #winterrunning #oregonrunning #oregoncoast #trainingforsomething (at Siletz Bay Beach)