With Everything I Had

Marathon Plan - Regressive Countdown - Week Eight
10/06/08 - 10/12/08
Week Total: 32.5

For my standards, I ran this week With Everything I Had.

My speed work (intervals and tempo) where done till exhaustion. Both were around of 6 miles so, I decided to complete a 10K distance and measure how I did on each.

The intervals work consisted of 4 sets (1 mile, RI of 0.25, 2 miles, RI of 0.5, and two half miles with RI of 0.25). The speed pace was between 10 min/mile and 8:34 min/mile. The RI were done walking and jogging at 12 min/mile. The 1oK time was 1:03:27. The tempo consisted of 1 mile easy, 4 miles at mid-tempo, and 1 mile easy. To challenge on getting better times than the intervals, I did 5 miles at mid-tempo for a 10K of 1:02:23. My legs on Thursday felt the work. I did challenge myself big time.

On Saturday the big try. A 20-miler planned on a 11:30 pace. The day was gorgeously sunny, with the most beautiful blue sky. Not a single cloud. Cold as cold could be for Fall. 42F. The run was going to be a "see what happens". Trying to keep the paces I had for my two previous weeks of 13.1 and 16.2, did not go that well. The tempo work really left my legs tired. The average pace was 12:07 for 4h 03m 15s, but still these numbers were a great hit. Three weeks ago I ran the same distance 20.1 mile in 4h 37m 00. This is an improvement of 1:4o min/mile for a total of 34 minutes!!!!

The first five miles were better than last week where I battled the wind, but after mile 6 my legs were asking for help. At mile 14.1 I stopped by my car and sat there for a couple of minutes. I felt absolutely destroyed. I thank that it did not occur to me to quit because I would've. The thought was just not there. I was just recharging myself. After shutting the car door I said to myself, come on, 7 more miles. At mile 15 I had recovered, improving the pace, but it felt back again. I kept going as I knew that I was doing way better than three weeks ago. At mile 19 I said: Lizzie, you made it, just push it. After finishing I drank a lot of water, and almost collapsed. I indeed ran With Everything I Had.

Below the splits:

Mile 1 - 10:33
Mile 2 - 10:31
Mile 3 - 11:20 - This is a portion that is run on uneven grass. I dislike it SO MUCH. For some reason when I arrive again to the sidewalk my legs feel it hard.
Mile 4 - 11:15
Mile 5 - 11:19 - The steep hill
Mile 6 - 11:20
Mile 7.1 - 11:53
Mile 8.1 - 13:32 - Stop by my car to pick a bottle of water
Mile 9.1 - 11:37 - Recovering, I felt good here
Mile 10.1 - 13:02 - Same uneven area
Mile 11.1 - 13:25 - Tie my shoelace
Mile 12.1 - 12:22 - Steep hill - Don't know why this pace. It should be slower because I couldn't run part of the hill. I walked it. I may have pushed it after the hill.
Mile 13.1 - 12:25
Mile 14.1 - 14:40 - Stop by my car and sat there for a while. I felt destroyed.
Mile 15.1 - 11:27 - I pushed it here.
Mile 16.1 - 13:02 - Same uneven area
Mile 17.1 - 12:41
Mile 18.1 - 12:53 - Steep hill, couldn't run it.
Mile 19.1 - 12:40
Mile 20.1 - 12:17

Average pace: 12.07... This is an improvement of 1:4o min/mile for the same distance ran three weeks ago, saving 34 minutes!!!! Last week I also had an improvement of 1.47 min per mile for the same distance ran 3 weeks before... So it seems a PATTERN!!!!

Ten minutes later I was home. I couldn't take a shower, or do anything. I changed my clothes and put on something dry, I crashed in my bed and slept deeply for two hours. It felt good...

Here a graph comparing last 3 long runs (20, 16.2, 13.1) - Same course