Eugene Marathon Training: Week One
Photo license: © All rights reserved
Week one of marathon training went well. Had an extra rest day to kick off. Met with Mike, who will be coaching me this training cycle. He’s armed me with a training plan, based off my goals and taking into consideration my past injury. Have some new drills to try which aim to get my knees up, my forward lean better, and get me off my heels! This training cycle focuses on speed work in the form of hills and slower long runs to build endurance. More strength training, more yoga, less spinning. Coming out of week one feeling quite good.
Monday: Rest Day.
Tuesday: Run – Hill Work. Met with Mike to review my running form and for first hill workout. Form drills by skipping up Cat Hill to encourage me to lift knees higher and to move off my heels as I run. Also focused on arm swing back to help drive forward. Did several drills up Cat Hill and also on the west side of the lower loop, that latter focusing on form with a bit more speed.
- Plan = 2 mi easy; 6 x 2 min Cat Hill; 1 mi easy
- Actual = Form drills; 2 mi easy; 6 x 2 min Cat Hill; 1 mi easy; sprint drills (est. distance: 4.5 mi)
Wednesday: Anusara Yoga for 60 minutes. After several weeks away from yoga, this class was a nice return to strength & flexibility routine. Poses focused on arm strength, using back muscles to draw shoulders/shoulder blades back for support, and to open chest.
Strength Training for 30 minutes. Leg presses on machine after yoga.
- Single leg presses = 10 each leg, x2
- Double leg presses = 12 x2
- Calf raises/presses = 12 x2
Trigger point release with softball after – glutes/piriformis, hamstrings, adductors, and IT bands.
Thursday: Run – Easy. Goal was easy effort (pace ~ 9 min/mi or slower). Effort felt comfortable (conversational pace) for duration of run. However, paced a bit faster than plan.
Slight DOMS in upper legs from Tuesday hill work. Tightness in shoulders and upper arms after yoga. No foot pain.
Foam roll pre- and post-run.
- Plan = 6 mi easy (9+ min/mi pace)
- Actual = (1) 8:56; (2) 8:30; (3) 8:34; (4) 8:29; (5) 8:42; (6) 8:48; (7) 8:11 (for .53 mi)
- 6.53 mi – 56:24 – 8:38 min/mi avg pace
Friday: TRX for 60 minutes. Cross-training for glutes, core, back.
- Step ups with high knee on chair, down into reverse lunge (12 x 2)
- Single leg squats using chair (12 x 2)
- Pushups (12 x 2)
- TRX squats (12 x 2)
- TRX squats w/ jump (12 x 2)
- TRX single leg squats (12 each leg x 2)
- TRX low row (20 x 2)
- TRX low row single arm (20 each arm x 2)
- TRX T deltoid fly (12 x 2)
- TRX standing rollout (12 x 2)
- TRX kneeling rollout (12 x 2)
- TRX crunches on hands (12; 20)
- TRX oblique crunches on hands (12 each side x 2)
- Stretch
Saturday: Rest Day. Stretching & trigger point with softball.
Sunday: Run – Long. Beautiful run along the Hudson River path and back. Kept pace easy and close to 9 min/mi. Ran negative split, dropping pace to 8:30 or a bit faster in the last few miles. Warm (but windy) weather for mid-January – shorts, tank, gloves – didn’t need long sleeves about half-way through. Tendons in right foot felt a twinge in the first two miles, but then eased up and caused no further trouble. Was mindful to relax my shoulders and hands, especially in later miles. Felt this made a big difference.
Fueled with protein-enhanced UCAN pre-run; had steady energy throughout the 12 miles. No need for any additional fueling during run.
Longest run since Pensacola Marathon. Felt fantastic!
- Plan = 12 mi easy (9:00+ min/mi pace)
- Actual = 12.14 mi – 1:50:52 – 9:08 min/mi avg pace
Weekly Totals:
- 6 hrs 17 mins
- 23.17 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
LV runs NYC 
Exciting news about the coach! 🙂
Thanks, Kristy! Am really excited to see how this cycle goes 🙂
Shew! He is working you HARD. What a great week of training. ANd totally agree about this Sunday. I wasn’t going to run, but the weather was just too gorgeous that I couldn’t resist. Seems like every person was running in the neighborhood today! Loved it.
Thanks, Emily! Yes, I’m liking the coach’s approach to training – conservative, but working hard even on my non-running days. Which, I love!
So happy to get a run in today while the weather was nice. I see the temps are about to drop … a lot!
you are on TOP of that training. sounds like you have a great coach! i might have to give that UCAN stuff a try. i use gels every five miles if i’m running over 10 – 13.1 miles…. a bit much!
Yes same! I had been taking gels every 4 miles to keep my energy levels up. And taking that many gels would eventually make me feel queasy. The UCAN keeps my energy level steady!!
Gentleman, we can rebuild her…
awww man, quick submit killed my joke…anyway…you’re a machine.
Hi Lora! I found your blog through Ali’s, and I’m excited to read about your training for Eugene! I’m trying to BQ at Eugene this year myself, so it’ll be fun to follow a similar endeavour 🙂
Hi Robyn, it’s nice to meet someone else who will be running Eugene and also pursuing a BQ!! Hope training goes well for you and looking forward to following your journey also!
Pingback: The Road to Boston Goes Through Eugene :: By Lora Vaccaro | Generation UCAN
Pingback: The Road to Boston Goes Through Eugene :: By Lora Vaccaro | The Generation UCAN Blog