Earlier in the week when I decided I wasn’t going to run Athens, I started to really focus on the marathon(s) I was going to run this Spring.
Both Boston and Cincy are hilly courses. For all the running I’ve done this year, what have I not been doing much of? hills.
So I endeavoured to change that this week.
Wednesday: 10 miles on the treadmill, first 4 were on the “random” setting. Level 8 – Max grade 6.3%
1: 9:21 – avgHR 156
2: 9:31 – avgHR 165
3: 9:30 – avgHR 163
4: 9:30 – avgHR 165
I then did the next 6 miles on 0 incline, at a bit faster speed.
Friday: 3.5 miles at Highbanks in 34:46. I did the bottom loop backwards (hence the slowest last mile with the highest heart rate)
1: 9:58 – avgHR 158
2. 9:33 – avgHR 154
3. 10:09 – avgHR 166
.5 10:14pace – avgHR 174
And today I hit it hard: a full 18 miles at Highbanks. That’s 3 full loops (~5.64 each loop), with 1.26 cooldown at the end. I stopped for water between each loop. It was nice out, but it got muddier and muddier as the day went on. After the first loop, I made an effort to finish each faster than the previous.
Loop 1: 51:40
Loop 2: 50:29
Loop 3: 50:04
1: 9:28
2: 9:21
3: 9:23
4: 8:51
5: 9:15
6: 8:40
7: 9:16
8: 9:31
9: 9:04
10: 9:31
11: 8:33
12: 8:58
13: 9:27
14: 8:46
15: 8:37
16: 9:23
17: 8:44
18: 9:57
My average heart rate was 166, my max was 186 in the 12th mile and 185 in the seventeenth (when I was trying to finish a loop strong!) TIme was 2:44:53, which is a 9:09 average pace. My last mile was an easy jog around the parking lot. I did stop and walk up part of the last big hill on the last loop, but overall I felt really strong and good. I know I’m the best trained for Boston as I’ve ever been. This may be the year I BQ there 
