Training Log – Army Ten Miler (Week 1)

With less than 5 weeks to go before the Army Ten Miler, it’s time to get this party started! I’ve been holding off because of my nagging ITB issue and (probably related) piriformis issue, but now I’ve got to focus and do what I can. I also have to navigate through a 10-day, 3-city business trip, but I’m looking forward to working out in the hotel gyms, which will offer a change of scenery from my humble basement gym.  

My main goal for the ATM is to cross the finish line smiling, which is no small feat for this particular event!  Based on past performance, I should be able to keep a 9:00 min/mile pace, even with all my “issues.”

I generally have about an hour in the morning for my workout, depending on how many times I hit the snooze button and what time I need to be at work. I am going to follow the same basic pattern I did for training for the GW Parkway Classic, and the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon, doing weights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and taking a rest day (with yoga or a walk) on Sundays.  One of my weekday runs will focus on speed work or hills (alternating weeks) and the other will be easier (and preferably outside).  Stretching, foam rolling and yoga will continue to be integral to my injury-recovery/prevention program. For the first two weeks, this plan will be subject to substantial modification because of my long business trip.

I hope you enjoy seeing the progression of my training program and get some ideas for your own training. Just remember: you have to run your own race, so my particular program may not be right for you!

September 5 (Labor Day): Long Run 
Total Distance: 8.01 miles
Total Time: 1:13:56
Avg. Pace:  9:14 min/mile
Split Times: 9:43, 9:22, 9:21, 9:00, 9:08, 9:06, 9:15, 8:57
I don’t know where that pace and that negative split came from! My ITB was nagging the whole time, but I was wearing my CWX compression shorts, and they did their job. I followed up with some stretching, an ice bath, and some foam rolling.

September 6: Weights
21 min elliptical
Free Weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
fitball wall squats/lateral raises
bent-over rows/hamstring curls/leg extensions (Bowflex)
side-lying leg lifts/crunches/glute-hamstring bridges (on mat)

September 7: Treadmill
Tempo Run:
0-5 min: walking warm-up (3.5 mph, 1.5 incline)
5-10 min: running warm-up (5.7 mph, 0.5 incline)
10-25 min: running ramp-up (5 min at each of 6.0, 6. 3 and 6.5 mph, 0.5 incline)
25-45 min: tempo (6.7 mph, 0.5 incline)
45-50 min: walking cool-down (3.5 mph, 1.5 incline)
This was a great workout! My piriformis felt sore after last night’s deep tissue massage, but it actually felt better as I warmed up and felt fine by the time I finished. Best of all, my ITB was totally silent!

September 8: Rest Day
I knew I wouldn’t have time for a workout before my 6:40 am cab pick-up time, but had hoped to be able to do my Rodney Yee DVD in my hotel room. As it turns out, my hotel room didn’t have a DVD player (and my new laptop doesn’t have one!). I did trudge through two airports lugging lots of bags, so that should count for something!

September 9: Treadmill + Weights
Rolling Hill TM Program:
0-5 min: walking warm-up @ 3.7 mph
5-45 min: running @ 5.7 mph for incline up to 5%, @ 5.5 mph for 5-6% incline, @ 6.0 mph for “rest interval” incline at 1.5%
45-50 min: walking cool-down @ 3.7 mph
Ah the joys of an unfamiliar treadmill! The program incline profile looks like two hills. I chose level 3 because I did that tempo run on Tuesday and didn’t want to overdo it. With the Lifefitness treadmill I have at home, the program level corresponds to the maximum incline level.  Apparently that’s not how this hotel treadmill works! It held each level for 2:50 with only one “rest interval” in the middle of the program. I thought about switching to an easier program after the first hill, but decided I would be ok since I did keep my pace down.

I also decided to squeeze in a few exercises with the free weights, since I won’t have access to a gym again until Monday:

Quick Weights Workout (3 sets, 12-15 reps of each, 20 reps of crunches):
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips/crunches

September 10: Mountain Hike
About 3 miles in about 2:15, including breaks to take pictures and soak in the view.