NYC Marathon Training: Week 4
Photo license: © All rights reserved
Week four introduced the first of five (5!!!) scheduled 20-milers, according to Run Less Run Faster. A hectic schedule, including weekend travel, meant I couldn’t attend spin class; also, rearranged my long and tempo runs. Body is actually feeling good and cooperating with the increasing mileage. Happy to report no noticeable soreness in legs the days following long runs.
Monday: Rest day. After last Saturday’s 17-miler and Sunday’s spin class, Monday was a recovery day.
Tuesday: Intervals. Late evening run meant intervals on treadmill. Pacing always feels faster to me on treadmill than the setting indicates. I took belt speed as fast as possible without compromising my form. Result was nice, evenly paced 1000m intervals. But, by the numbers, appear slower than plan.
- Total = 7 mi – 1:06 – 9:25 min/mi avg pace
- Plan = 5 x 1000m @ 6:52 min/mi
- Actual repeats = (1) 7:24; (2) 7:24; (3) 7:24; (4) 7:24; (5) 7:24
Wednesday: Cross-training. Yoga for 1:15. Free evening yoga session on Pier 25 hosted by Lolë Women and YogaWorks New York. Great workout with poses focused on arm and leg strength. Made me realize just how overly tight my shoulder muscles get from running.
Thursday: Stretching. 30 minutes of stretching focused primarily on piriformis and hip flexors. Extra stretching seems to help keep these aches & pains under control.
Friday: Long run. First 20-miler of the training schedule. Went better than previous week’s 17 miles. Adjusted gel intake to every 4 miles (rather than every 50-minutes). Helped maintain higher energy levels. Felt a bit mentally tired nearing mile 15. Broke through the barrier by telling myself the remaining five miles were manageable. Miles 15-20 felt great. Had hard time maintaining slower pace, per plan. Kept most mile splits near 9:00 min/mi. Let myself drop pace in the last 4-5 miles to 8:45-8:30 min/mi.
- Total = 20.01 mi – 2:59.59 – 8:57 min/mi avg pace
- Plan = 20 mi @ 9:23 min/mi
- Actual = 20.01 mi @ 8:57 min/mi
Saturday: Rest day. Traveling.
Sunday: Tempo run. This run came after an evening wedding, another day of travel, and less than an hour after dinner. Not ideal conditions! Still, was able to pace close to plan despite feeling tired. Body felt good.
- Total = 6.01 mi – 48:14 – 8:00 min/mi avg pace
- Plan = 4 mi @ 7:50 min/mi
- Actual splits = (1) 8:00; (2) 7:43; (3) 7:57; (4) 7:50
Total weekly mileage: 33.02 miles
See all weekly training recaps here.
LV runs NYC 
awesome week of training keep it up!
Thanks, Joe!
Amazing. Lora, WOW!! You are incredible. I love reading your amazing schedules.(what’s a tempo run btw?) xx
Thanks, Sam! So far, so good, eh? Intervals and tempo runs are speed workouts to help your body adapt to running at a certain pace & to help the body learn to utilize oxygen more efficiently. Intervals are usually short distances, tempo runs are a bit longer. Vs the long slow distance run, which builds endurance. x