Nate Jenkins: Training July 20 to 26–Back on the Horse!!Monday
AM speak at a running camp
PM 22+, in 2:24:48, starting easy but getting down to 6:00 and faster after the first half hour, which got tough with the temp pushing up in the high 80’s and some good humidity. Then 1:44 light jog to track, then finished with 1 mile on the track at about marathon pace, 5:17. Was going to do reps but I was completely finished. tot. 23+
Tuesday
AM 4 with Melissa, 33:53, around reservoir, tot. 4+
PM 4 at Keene State Cross Country Camp with campers, 32:46 tot. 4
XT stretching
Wednesday
AM 3+ warm up, 22:01, 10K progression run around reservoir trail (2500m a loop), 33:00, 8:38.6, 8:23.8(17:02), 8:15.4(25:17), 7:42.6(33:00) Huge improvement over last few progressions. Last time my last lap was 8:06, the first time my last lap was 8:36-basically the same as my starting loop this time. My total times on those runs were 34:55 and 33:45. 4 cooldown, 26:23, tot. 13+
Noon chiro and other treatment with Mika
PM 8+ at Battle Road trail, 1:02:43, first 50 mins with Melissa, would normally do short hills but not after getting body work done, tot. 8
XT stretching
Thursday
AM speak at camp
1PM 50:09 with Melissa at Walden Pond trails, lunge warm up before, tot. 6++
6PM Reservoir 4 solo, 29:43 tot. 4
XT Lunge warm up (Jay Johnson video), stretching
Friday
Noon 3 warm up over to Harvard track, a couple light strides, 24×1K with short rest (34 to 53 seconds avg.42 seconds) reps avg. 3:13.8, legs very tired after, but this was 15 miles of work at 2:16 marathon pace on a windy track (20 to 25mph). I’d rather this workout have been a month ago but I’ll take it. I tried to do this a month ago and ran 2 reps and was done so the improvement is huge! 3 cool down home- 23:58- tot. 21+
PM 50:00 easy with Melissa around reservoir. Again would have liked short hills here but my legs, which haven’t been getting much work because of my inability to go hard for the last few months, were so shot that there was no way; the easy jogging was about all I had in the tank, tot. 6++
XT stretching
Saturday
AM Reservoir 4 solo, 29:37, tot. 4
PM 39:50 at Battle Road with Melissa, tot. 5+
XT lunge warm up
Sunday
Noon 22+ at Mines Falls, 2:18:00, last 18 miles sub-6:00 pace. Was going to do reps on track after but my water bottle got snagged and with the 88 degree heat and a good bit of humidity I was pretty done after the 22. tot. 22+
XT lunge warm up, stretching
Summary 122 miles, 2 solid long runs, 2 solid workouts, one huge step in the right direction. Everything didn’t go right this week but man was it a reversal from how things have been going with my training. The iron I’m taking in huge amounts is kicking in and I was able to get quite a bit of good work done this week. What is above is what I consider good marathon training. I have in the past done bigger easy days but I’m not worried about it. I would like to see short hill reps but they didn’t happen this week, that is OK. I’ve been getting them in up to this point and I’ll get in next weeks I’m sure.
The question, of course, is time but I am a pure marathoner so my fitness very quickly equals marathon fitness. I have been keeping my miles at an OK level for the last month and before these hiccups I averaged well over 100 miles a week for the 18 months before. Huge goals may have gone out the window at this point but I think I can go and run a respectable marathon.
Now, they say it take about two weeks for iron to complete replenish everything, I started taking the large doses last Thursday so I have 5 more days and may have one more jump in fitness; that remains to be seen but even if I don’t I got in more than 20 miles of work this week at under the World Championship A stardard marathon pace so I’m at least back in the ball game. I hope your week has gone well as well.
nate
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