Weekly Summary – 84 Miles in 14 runs. A lighter week in volume as I was in Boston to race a 5000m indoor race where I finished 1 second ahead of last year’s time (14’22). A great place to be this early in the season. Looking forward to getting back to Altitude Camp in Quito for one more big winter block!

One more thing – for all my local Greater-Boston readers – if you’re an athlete looking for an exceptional sports-massage therapist who specializes in runners and injury prevention and recovery, go visit Sam Peck at SoarBody Theraputics in Davis Square (Somerville). He was crucial to helping me recover from my injury during the fall and I wouldn’t be running without him!

Don’t forget, you can follow me day to day on Instagram and Twitter (@TylerCAndrews) and my daily training log on Strava. Oh and hey if you’re reading this and don’t know about STRIVE, you should probably check ’em out. I lead groups through the mountains of Peru on a  journey of running, service learning, and adventure. If you’re interested, join us next year for the summer of 2019, when we’ll once again have programs for High School and College students, and even 10-day trips for adults and families.

 

Lunes, 4 de Febrero, 2019 – Sparknotes: 5x [1000m @ 2’50.5, 30” rest, 200m @ 31.4, 90” rest]

08:00am: Ran over to BU for last bigger session before Valentine. Goal was to do 5 sets of 1K @ goal 5K pace, 30” rest, 200m quicker, 90” rest. Jon wanted to keep the rest relatively short between sets to maximize the time close to 5K effort.

Warmed up 6km w/ last 1km on the track in 3’50. Did drills and then 4x strides and 200m in 33.x. Ran the first 3 sets in carbon rockets, last 2 in spikes.

Felt pretty hard right away but I think that’s how 5K reps should feel for an old marathoner. First rep was like 33/67/1’41 and then slowed a bit to run 2’50. Short rest and then 200m felt hard but good (first one was slow at 32.x). 90sec rest felt okay but just hard to get back into the pace.

Next two sets were similar. Going through the half in 1’24ish and positive splitting over the last 400m a bit. 200s felt good at 31.x.

Changed into spikes after set 3. Felt MUCH better on these and after going out too fast in the first 200m, slowed a bit too much but effort felt much more manageable. Still came through almost exactly the same and then 200m in 31.x again.

Last rep went out harder and blew up a bit, like 64-65 first 400m and then struggled in the last 300-400m and ran 2’51.

Last 200m tried to go harder but was exactly the same at 31.x.

Overall, this was a very solid workout, especially to do alone after the week that I’ve had. I think that 14’10 would be a very, very good result on Saturday. I think sub 14’20 would be quite realistic (2’52s) and I think sub 14’00 is probably not in the cards. Still, given that this is a 5K and it’s only February 4, I’m very pleased w/ where I am. I think/hope that 4 more easy days and having some competition around me will make things easier as well!

Finished easy barefoot for about 10’ inside and then jogged home. MUCH warmer today, didn’t even where gloves.

Total run 19km+ in 1’19.

XT: Pedestal, 7x weights, 1kg hands.

16:30: Easy run down to fields and 4 laps 3’47-3’32. Really warm out, like 60F. WTF Boston. Felt a bit tired from the AM but not too bad. Finished w/ drills and 4x strides in 1’20. Jogged back. Total run 5km+ in 21’.

Martes, 5 de Febrero, 2019 – 09:30: Left late to see Mar off on her first day of classes. Ran very easy loop around science museum. Felt pretty good. Lovely day w/ temps in the 50s and sunny (and getting warmer). Stopped at the track at 8.5km and did 6x strides in 1’58 (!) and then 200m in 32. Easy jog back. Total run 10km+ in 41’.

XT: Heel drops (10x each side), toes, glutes (7x weights)

17:00: Trying to run a bit later to get accustomed to it before Valentine on Saturday night (19:50 start time). Ran in the new HOKA secret weapon prototype shoes today to test ‘em out. Felt really good. Definitely an interesting feel that takes some getting used to as it feels to really roll forward onto the toe but even running on grass it felt good and bouncy and doing strides after were very fast (1’17) and easy home. Looking forward to testing these out on some longer, faster runs! (Oh and it was crazy warm today, ran in shorts!) Total run 5km+ in 20’.

Miercoles, 6 de Febrero, 2019 – 09:15: Ran solo on big chuck loop. Cooler today back in the 30s but still sunny and not much wind so tolerable. Kept pace fairly easy 4’10s-4’00s. Finished w/ a lap on the field and then at the track, drills, and 6x strides (2’00) and then 200m in 31.2. Feeling good. Total run 16km in 65’30.

XT: Heel drops (10x each side), toes, glutes (7x weights)

17:00: Ran w/ new Polar Vantage M watch that Josh got me (in less than 24 hours somehow!). Same PM loop as the last couple days just down to fields and 4x laps. Watch read significantly shorter than the Garmin and looking at strava looks like it doesn’t follow corners as well. Finished w/ drills, 4x strides which I fucked up timing. Total run 5km++ in 21’.

Jueves, 7 de Febrero, 2019 – Sparknotes: 3x200m @ 33.3, 1×800 @ 2’13.5, 3x200m @ 30.3 (30-45sec rec for all)

09:15: Easy morning run w/ PM workout at BU. Planned to do field laps but rained a lot last night and things were soaked, so ran out onto mem drive out/back on the gravel part. Felt good and new watch still seems to be struggling w/ GPS signal/keeping up just based on pace on watch/effort. Finished w/ drills and 4x strides on track in 1’19 (I think, still trying to get used to new watch buttons, etc.).

XT: Pedestal, 7x weights, 2kg hands

18:15: (NB had a cup of coffee from ~1600-17:00) Ran over to BU for last tuneup before the 5K on Saturday. Easy 2.5km or so over there and then continued running on the outside of the track. Felt really good running inside and could tell I was running quick and light. Ran last 800m on track in 2’49 to get a sense of pace).

Stopped and did drills and strides (4x) in spikes and then met up w/ a CA kid who was there and doing 400s @ 68, so Jon recommended we coordinate a bit. Worked out well as I was able to lead him on some of my work.

First 3 reps were very easy, just 200m @ around goal 5K pace. Quite relaxed and running in spikes so felt great. Ran 33.8, 33.3, 32.9. Planned to take 1’ rest but felt totally fine after 30 so just kept it at that. Took slightly longer rest after 3rd 200m so I could coordinate w/ Reza for the 800m (he’d run the 2nd 400m w/ me).

Ran something like 67.5/66.0 for 2’13.5. Felt very relaxed the first two laps and just a bit more focused and more turnover the second 2. No problem. Felt way better than the 2’50.x’s that I was running on Monday.

Finished w/ 3x 200 a bit quicker. Still getting used to the track a bit and I think the faster stuff feels the weirdest. Ran 30.x for all 3 w/ < 30 seconds rec. Good!

Very short workout but just enough to feel good and quick w/o beating up the legs.

Cooled down 10’ barefoot and then 10’ in shoes just in time to meet up w/ David.

Total run 12km+ in 49.

Splits
Time
200 m 0’33.8
rec m 0’28.0
200 m 0’33.3
rec m 0’35.0
200 m 0’32.9
rec m 0’48.0
800 m 2’13.5
rec m 0’49.0
200 m 0’30.1
rec m 0’28.0
200 m 0’30.2
rec m 0’29.0
200 m 0’30.5

Viernes, 8 de Febrero, 2019 – 09:45: Ran on treadmill (2%) as it was 38F and raining and David was here and that way we could run together. Legs felt fine, ran from 4’30->4’00/km and felt good, warm. Stopped to use the bathroom at 8km and then did drills and 4x 30” surge and then 400m @ 75. Total run 10km+ in 41’30.

XT: Glutes, no weight.

17:00: Ran very easy w/ David outside. Cool and windy but not too bad. Ran out to the river and light was particularly beautiful. Came back and stopped at the track and did 4x strides which felt very good (1’17) and then easy home. Total run 5km+ in 22’30.

Sabado, 9 de Febrero, 2019 – Sparknotes: Valentine 5000m, 14’22 (2’51, 5’42 (2’41), 8’34 (2’53), 11’29 (2’55), 14’22 (2’53).

10:00: Managed to sleep a bit later finally! Got up around 09:00 and ran inside w/ David since he was here and it was brutal outside (25mph winds and temps around 20F). Easy 5km only w/ no strides. Pace mostly around 4’10 w/ little bump up to 3’30 for about 500m at the end. Finished w/ light drills inside and stretching. Total run 5km+ in 21’.

XT: OFF.

20:30: Got to BU around 20:00 and got the lay of the land – meet was running a tad early surprisingly. Ran easy indoors as it was clearing out which was nice, not having to go outside. Legs felt very good and smooth. Ran about 22’ total and then changed into spikes, used the bathroom, did some drills, and then grabbed hip number. Did I think about 4x total strides of 15-20 sec in lane 8 while the last few heats of the 3000m were running.

I was hip 9 and starting on the main line. We got off well w/ no collisions and quickly started to string out. I knew the ZAP guys had a 13’50 pacer so a pack formed around them and then a secondary pack formed running more or less 34/68s (2’50 pace). This felt really good for the first 2km or so and I was just tucked right on the train and was sure I was going to run much faster than last year.

Jon had told me the two mistakes I could make would be going out way too fast or having to do a lot of leading early. After 2km (5’41-42), I could tell we were slowing a tiny bit, but forced myself to be patient and not push the pace yet. I said if it still felt slow and I felt good, I’d go to the front of our group at 3K.

And so just before 3000m (8’33.9), I made a move to the front of our group and tried to accellerate. I’m not sure if I did at all or if I was just working harder and running slower, but that 4th K was the slowest of the day. I thought I’d be leaving all the guys behind me but was surprised to see them all still there and then I started getting passed maybe just before 4k.

Then it felt like the whole train rushed by me and I felt pretty stupid for leading the 4th km. Argh! Frustrated as I could see guys pulling away from me but just couldn’t turn my legs over. I finally made a move at like 300m to go but it was too little, too late (my last 2 laps were only 34, 33).

I leaned at the line to run 14’22 – one second faster than last year!

Overall, this was still a good race. In thinking about it afterward, I realized this 5000m comes well before (in the calendar year) the race I ran last year and my target race is a few weeks later. I’m over a month ahead of where I was when I ran my 5K last year!

And with that, I simply didn’t have the time to put in real 5K workouts. I had several longer interval workouts last year (5×1600, 6×1200) that I just didn’t have time for this year b/c the race was a few weeks earlier.

Lastly, the last 2 weeks have been really crazy – between going to MIA to run that marathon and then the mountain day it was just a really draining week coming into race week. I was glad not to completely embarrass myself.

I was lucky that Jon had come to help take splits, etc., along w/ Lola, Mariana, and my folks. Good to chat w/ all of them and then finally got a nice cool-down back home (3km easy). Had a lot of caffeine late in the day so went out to dinner at like 11pm and then came home and hang around and finally crashed at like 01:30. Long day!

Total run 14km.

Domingo, 10 de Febrero, 2019 – 10:30am: Late start after sleeping late last night. Time to get back on the early schedule!

Ran easy on big Chuck loop. Surprised by how quick pace was given the effort and the race last night. Kept it easy w/ a last sea-level workout planned for tomorrow. 13km+ to the track aat 4’08 and then drills, 6x strides in 2’03, 200m in 32. Jogged home via target to get more cookie dough ice cream.

Total run 16km in 65’.

XT: Glutes (7x weights)

3pm: Ran easy from home to Maggie’s house in Chestnut Hill for STRIVE meeting. Easy but very much net uphill! Finished w/ drills and 4x strides on the road. Total run 7km+ in 30’.