Weekly Summary – 136 miles in 14 runs – A big week of mileage mostly due to scheduling and just having two long runs in 7 days, but finally feeling like I’m getting into a great rhythm and adjusting to the altitude well. Also had a great first track session with the Quito Elite group. Can’t wait to work with those guys a lot on the oval over the next couple months. More to come!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter (@TylerCAndrews). And, of course, don’t forget to check out STRIVE’s 2018 Programs – spaces are still available for high schoolers, college interns, and adults! You can come do service work and train with me in Peru or Kenya and for the summer of 2018, we’ll once again have programs for High School and College students, and even 10-day trips for adults and families, so be sure to take a look if you’re interested in an amazing summer experience! Finally, I have a few spots open for athletes looking for custom training plans and online coaching. Check out my site and email me if you’re interested!

 

Lunes, 15 de Enero, 2018 – 11am: First long run in Quito! Started late as it took a while to get going – had to get Mariana the bike from Greg’s then jog down to Rio Coca bus station then bus to Cumbaya. Ran on the chaquinan path which is 20km of dirt bike path over very hilly terrain between Cumbaya and Pifo. Plan was to shoot for 35km with the last hour or so picked up a bit. I had really no idea how this would feel as my training has been so inconsistent for the last few weeks and this would be my first harder effort at altitude. NB the altitude here is a bit lower ~7,700 ft.

Route starts off with a nice downhill stretch for 3km and then it’s gradual uphill for the next 7 or 8k. Running 3’40-50 downhill and 4’00-25 uphill for the most part. Had to stop for Mar around 13km and did a little out/back as she was having some back pain from the bumpy ride and then continued down a very steep down/up section as we descended into a canyon and up the other side. Made it to the train tunnels which are like 400m and not lit at all so pitch black in the middle. On the way back, some dude’s pitbull was running towards me which was somewhat terrifying.

A bit tired on the climb up on the way back around 25km but felt pretty good from there until the last 3km which is very tough way to finish up a huge constant hill. Ran the last 3km in like 4’30s but effort was very hard. Just missed getting drenched as it started to drizzle when we were about 1K from the finish.

NB: Took gels at 10k and 20k.

Total was 35km+ in 2’22’58 (4’05 avg).

Overall, fairly pleased with the effort. Definitely a good place to start, especially after only 6 days at altitude. Kind of a clusterfuck getting home as it was raining and we got on the wrong bus and had to hop off on the side of the highway and then grab another bus, hop off on the side of another highway, play frogger to the other side, take that bus back to rio coca, and then get a taxi because the ecovia wouldn’t let us bring the bike on. Probably easier to just pay to rent the bike down in Cumbaya next time.

6pm: Easy shakeout with Mariana to start. A bit rainy still, but not so bad. Did about 3 quarters of a lap with her and then she was doot doot so ran solo after that. Felt surprisingly decent thanks to the very slow start probably. Finished with 3 shorter accelerations and then walked home from the park. Total run 6km in 30’.

 

Martes, 16 de Enero, 2018 -10am: Ran to the park and then 3 laps, 16’56, 58, 45, and then stopped for strides (4x) and 200m in 35. Felt pretty tired today. Finished with long cool down to La Marin for a long day of grocery/household shopping in old town. Total run 19km in 1h27.

5:15pm: Rainy afternoon again! Planned to do 10km but felt really tired after being on my feet all afternoon and yesterday’s long run. Did just 1 big lap very slow (17’53) and home. Finished going up portugal which is brutally steep – avg’d 5’59/km for those 350m and HR was 178-188! Total run 7km+ in 35’.

 

Miercoles, 17 de Enero, 2018 – 10am: Ran up to metropolitano. Nicer day with no rain but very deep fog on the north side, very cool running through the woods on narrow trail with like 3m of visibility. Really cool. Opened up on the other side. Still a bit muddy so ran on the main wide trail and then tried to make a big loop on some of the smaller trails back north which more or less worked. Really fun running but it’s so slow in there. Partly GPS because the trails are winding but mostly just because it’s so damn hilly. The first km alone up to the park was over 6’00! Door to door from home the average was only like 5’25/km for the first hour or so and then ran down to Carolina to finish up, 1 lap in 16’38 and then strides (8x) and 200m in 33.x. Felt very good on these! Total run 20km in 1h36.

4:30pm: Easy run to Carolina and 2 laps, 16’55, 16’20. Kept pace very relaxed. Finished with 4x strides and 200m in 35. Much nicer day today – no rain! Jogged home with stop at Greg’s. Total run 10km+ in 45’.

 

Jueves, 18 de Enero, 2018 – Sparknotes: 10x [on grass: 200m+ @ 2’40-50, 100m jog, 100m+ fast, 90s jog] + 2x400m @ 70.6, 64.9

7am: Ran down to the estadio for first workout with the UIO Elite guys. Met up with Coach Franklin Tenorio and the team which consisted of Miguel Angel Almachi among others. It will be great to have him to train with as he’s an absolute beast, especially up here at altitude. Did a nice warmup with lots of drills and about 15’ of very slow jogging. Workout was kind of like a fartlek with the first bit on grass on the outfield of the track where we’d run 200m+ , jog 100m+, then stride 100m+ before taking about 90s slow jog between laps and repeating. We did this 10x and then took about 2’ jogging and then did 2x400m with the first one relaxed (70.6) and the second basically all out. I went out way too hard and was right behind MA at like 120m before the whole field blew by me as I crashed into a wall of oxygen debt. I passed 200m in 29.x in last and then ate shit the whole way home for 64.9. Short cooldown about 15’ very slow around the outfield and then stretching and walked home.

A very lovely first workout and great to find guys who are better than me to train with. Very excited to work on the speed and get pushed by these guys to some great results over the next few months.

Total run 17km.

4pm: Easy run to the park, 1 big lap slow in 17’15 and then to the track, 4x light strides, 200m in 34, and 12’ jog home. Total run 10km in 46’.

 

Viernes, 19 de Enero, 2018 – 11am: Spontaneous morning run/hike up past the teleferiqo since it was quite clear. Took the cable car up and then jogged all the way up to the edge of the rocky part of Rucu with a quick detour into the valley on the south side as some big and dark clouds were coming in. Luckily we waited it out and those passed and we were able to continue on a new route to the north on a separate ridge all the way out to the mountain where the antennae are. We’d planned to walk or jog down the dirt road from the antennae back to the city but were lucky to find a pickup truck who gave us a (bumpy) ride down the road which we thought was only 2km but ended up being like 11km. Oops! Lovely morning though and back in time for a bit of rest before a second run. Total run 11km.

5pm: Ran with Mariana and Brittany down to Carolina and 2 big laps very easy. Nice to run with company. Legs felt quite good with the long run/hike this morning. Total run 10km- in 46’.

 

Sabado, 20 de Enero, 2018 – 9:30am: Easy run around the park, 3 big laps 17’01, 16’40, 16’36 and then to the track. 8x strides and then 200m in 33.x Felt good and weather was lovely and sunny after a few raindrops on the way out. Shorter and easy today with long run tomorrow. Total run 16km+ in 71’.

4:30pm: Easy run down to Carolina and 2 big laps in 16’47, 16’14. Much quicker than I thought based on effort was quite easy. Think I might be getting in shape and getting acclimated a bit here! Finished at the track, 4x strides, and then jog home. Total run 10km+ in 45’.

 

Domingo, 21 de Enero, 2018 – Sparknotes: 40km in 2’41’01 (4’02 avg) in Quito (hilly, 9,300 ft)

8am: Ran on the ciclopaseo for long run today. Had black coffee and a couple galletas marias and then headed out. Carried two gels. Goal was to do at least 2h30 and maybe up to 40km if I felt good. Wasn’t sure how pace would compare to last week as this is 1600 ft higher which, up here, makes a pretty serious difference. This run was all on pavement, though, which should have made it a bit faster, so maybe about even overall.

Started out from the house down to Amazonas and then headed north all the way to the end of the ciclopaseo (about 10.5km), which includes a monster uphill around 8-9km (like 100m of gain) and then back down. Felt very good after that and was running pretty close to 3’50-4’00 for a while as I headed back south. I went way further than I have before, past the panecillo and way into the neighborhood on the other side. Turned around at 28km and took 2nd gel there – I think this was basically the other end of the ciclopaseo as there was water there, luckily, and it didn’t seem to go any further. Quite hilly in this section between old town and the other side of the panecillo, especially coming back up towards alemeda, but then it was pretty smooth sailing the last 5km or so. Left outside forefoot started to hurt a bit between like 34-37km somewhere, so didn’t push too hard. Finished with a half lap around the park to get to 40km as I still felt quite good.

Total run 40km in 2’41’01 (4’02 avg).

Overall, this was a very solid run and definitely a step up from last week: higher altitude, faster, and probably just as hilly. Very hood to not bonk, especially given how dehydrated I felt at the end and only had two gels for 2h40 of running.

On to the next one.

Splits:

1 km   4’15.0   (4’15.0)
2 km   8’52.0   (4’37.0)
3 km   12’57.0   (4’05.0)
4 km   16’48.0   (3’51.0)
5 km   20’55.0   (4’07.0) 153   (20’55.0)
6 km   25’06.0   (4’11.0)
7 km   29’06.0   (4’00.0)
8 km   33’46.0   (4’40.0)
9 km   38’15.0   (4’29.0)
10 km   42’15.0   (4’00.0) 157   (21’20.0)
11 km   46’15.0   (4’00.0)
12 km   50’12.0   (3’57.0)
13 km   53’58.0   (3’46.0)
14 km   57’47.0   (3’49.0)
15 km   61’44.0   (3’57.0) 148   (19’29.0)
16 km   65’36.0   (3’52.0)
17 km   69’27.0   (3’51.0)
18 km   1’13’16.0   (3’49.0)
19 km   1’16’59.0   (3’43.0)
20 km   1’20’54.0   (3’55.0) 160   (19’10.0)
21 km   1’24’51.0   (3’57.0)
22 km   1’28’51.0   (4’00.0)
23 km   1’32’52.0   (4’01.0)
24 km   1’36’52.0   (4’00.0)
25 km   1’40’50.0   (3’58.0) 165   (19’56.0)
26 km   1’44’41.0   (3’51.0)
27 km   1’48’34.0   (3’53.0)
28 km   1’52’43.0   (4’09.0)
29 km   1’56’45.0   (4’02.0)
30 km   2’00’38.0   (3’53.0) 159   (19’48.0)
31 km   2’04’57.0   (4’19.0)
32 km   2’08’50.0   (3’53.0)
33 km   2’12’44.0   (3’54.0)
34 km   2’16’49.0   (4’05.0)
35 km   2’20’43.0   (3’54.0) 163   (20’05.0)
36 km   2’24’36.0   (3’53.0)
37 km   2’28’32.0   (3’56.0)
38 km   2’32’43.0   (4’11.0)
39 km   2’36’46.0   (4’03.0)
40 km   2’40’49.0   (4’03.0) 168   (20’06.0)

6pm: Easy shakeout with Mariana, 1 lap of the park to the track, 4x strides, and back to Portugal. Legs felt pretty good by the end and strides felt nice to open up. Total run 5km in 22’.