Monster Month Week 2 - On Track for Boston

Nothing too exciting this week. No monster hilly trail runs, no crazy fast speed work, no stellar race report. No pictures. Just a solid week of mileage, capped by my first 20.

My monster month for this cycle (weeks 2-6 before race day) meant 40-43 miles per week. Not a lot for marathon training, but considering my last 4 months of reduced running, a very solid base of mileage. The good news is the injury problems are 99% gone. I'm running without the knee strap, and not feeling any abnormal pain (just the normal fatigue and aches). I'm guessing my knee problem was just tendonitis, and eventually got better with more rest. Yay.

So this week I did 7 on Tuesday and felt good. Last 4 miles at sub 8 pace. Then 8 on Thursday on my hilly course and felt really good. Averaged 8:10 with the last 4 at 7:49. Saturday was 6 easy, at 8:22 pace, but I felt a bit tired, and a little worried about 20 on Sunday.

Sunday was LA Marathon day, and the 1-year anniversary of my BQ run there last year. I watched the start on TV and got psyched up, then let the DVR catch the rest and headed out for 20. I wore my Boston race day outfit, black shorts, black singlet. Perfect weather,  50-55, overcast skies, no wind. I can only hope Boston will be so nice.

Plan was to go easy for the first 7 and ramp up to pace, then find a good cruising pace for the last 13 at the beach, and hope it was close to 8 minute pace. I expected 8:05-8:10 would be reasonable and I hoped to not die at the end.

First 7 went to plan - felt pretty good. 858, 907, 842, 829, 819, 830 up the hill, 815 down to the beach.

Then I found my groove and cruised. 804, 756, 819 (had to go through a soft sand detour here), 757, 753, 749, 754, 752, 748, 802, 755, 801, 804.

BOOM! 2:43:55, 8:12 pace, last 13 at 7:57

Felt pretty darn spiffy at the end. I faded a little, and thought about pushing it to get every split under 8, but sensibly decided that was silly and would be better off relaxing and maintaining effort. Yet the pace did not drop much at all, and I could have kept going! So I finished very, very encouraged and excited for race day! Even started considering I may have a shot at getting a BQ in Boston if conditions are good. I didn't think I would be making so much progress after my December and January. I even did a Bangle Pump during my cool down walk. Life is good!



After my recovery, ice bath and shower, I settled in to watch the LA marathon, and got excited all over again. Ready to be out there doing that marathon thing!