Berlin Marathon Training in Stadtwald Giessen: 4 Weeks Out
Last week I had quite the runner’s high: 3 mid-week runs at great paces and a virtually spotless 20-mile run. This week, all that came crashing down. After my 12 miler on Wednesday, I had a blister on my ankle caused by deterioration in my shoes. They are unwearable. The run on Friday in my first running shoes (am I really on only my second pair of running shoes?!) was painful, and I ended up running/walking the 5 miler on Saturday and walking only on Sunday. It was depressing, especially since I am so close to The Big One.
But I have hope for the coming week. I found new shoes at ZBSports (thanks, Lifestudent) today and I’ll get them in a couple weeks. I’m icing the places that bother me and taking an NSAID daily. I will run this race.
The weekly schedule will start to get a little wonky from here on out–no long runs on the weekends, but during the week–because we’re going to Virginia so I can do some research for my dissertation and we’ve adjusted all of our runs so that nothing too long happens right before I have to spend 8 hours on a cramped plane. With all that being said, let’s move on to the report of this dismal week that I shall not dwell on any longer!
Wednesday, 27 Aug 2008
run type: long run
route: Seltersweg to the end of Stadtwald Giessen, down to the Blue Arrow, out to Watzenborn-Steinberg, back to the railroad tracks, out a 1/2 mile, back home
feeling: :|
time: 2:26:48
distance: 12 miles
pace per mile: 12:12
additional notes: I took gels at 4 and 8 miles. I had a very sharp pain in my left foot pad which started in the last 1.2 miles, and it hurt bad again once I took off my shoes at home. I don’t like the sound of that. The first three miles sucked! Walked 4 1/2 minutes in those first three miles and only 3 more minutes in the last 9 miles, including one 2-minute gel walk. Read more about this run by clicking here (When You Don’t Want To, You Gotta).
Friday, 28 Aug 2008
run type: training run
route: same as last week’s 10 miler
feeling: :|
time: 2:00:00
distance: 10 miles
pace per mile: 12:00
additional notes: My Pearl Izumis are out–the plastic heel support has broken through and gave me a blister. I ran in the Sauconys today instead and I never really felt like I found a comfortable gait. I took a PowerBar Gel at 4 miles. Started the run with a sharp pain in my right hip/groin area for the first 1/3 mile or so, then that went away. But my left quad got to where it hurt REALLY bad three times, so I had to stop and stretch it several times. Not the best run.
Saturday, 30 Aug 2008
run type:
route: Seltersweg to the 1-mile marker in Stadtwald Giessen and back
feeling: :|
time: 1:15:00
distance: 5 miles
pace per mile: 15:00
additional notes: I don’t really know what to do about that sharp pain my hip/groin, so instead of completely resting, I ran 1/2 mile, then walked 1/2 mile. My right knee hurt some too. Don’t be getting an injury now, body!!
Sunday, 31 Aug 2008
run type: not a run. I only walked.
route: Around Giessen
feeling: :|
time: 1:20:00
distance: ? miles
pace per mile: Probably about 4?
additional notes: We walked around and ran a couple errands. Tried to walk quickly so that we’d get our heart rates up.
Totals
Total Weekly Mileage: 22 miles running (at least 27 including walking)
Total Minutes: 267 minutes running, 155 minutes walking
Overall Mileage: 327.7 miles
Overall Time: 67.03 hours
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Tagged as berlin marathon, marathon training, stadtwald giessen + Categorized as health, running log
Hi there!
Thank you for sending me the link to your blog. I am as excited to follow your marathon adventure as you were mine. It’s very important that you get yourself a nice new pair of shoes. Running on old shoes is dangerous at this point. It would be awful if you were to get injured now.
I think your goal for your first marathon is excellent. I was wondering-were you aware of some exercise researchers’ advice that when you run a marathon over 4 hours you should consider walking for a short period of time on regular basis? (The same for a long run and for the race). So, for example, you run one mile and you walk 30 seconds (you can refuel during this walking time). It really is something I would consider especially during the first 20 miles. You won’t “lose” as much time as many people do who end up having to walk the last two-three miles of the marathon. Anyway, it’s just something to consider…
Good luck with your training and getting new shoes (if you are in love with a specific pair, I’d perhaps consider buying two pairs so you always have one pair of nice, fresh, new shoes waiting for you on your shelf :)))
Best of luck,
Zuzana
I’ll have new shoes tomorrow, hopefully!
I was not aware of the exercise researchers’ advice that you mentioned, but I was planning on walking during my gels every 4 hours anyway. Plus, I’m pretty good about walking when I need to (my husband/training parter might say too good!). So I should just plan on doing it regularly, huh? Sounds good!