Hump Week - Derby Training Week 13

It's Hump Week...

So why is Week 13 of a 18 week training schedule Hump Week? Well, it's the middle week of the "meat and bones" 50 mile training weeks - the weeks where the long run peaks out at 20 miles. There are three of them on the schedule - Week 11, Week 13, and Week 15. It's all a downhill taper after Week 15. Thus, Week 13, this week, is Hump Week.

I've discovered that one of the advantages of actually following a training schedule and logging my runs is that I can actually look back on my training and see where I was in the past. So where was I at Hump Week last time around? I was a Train Wreck.

Last time at 13 weeks, I bailed on a 20 miler and did 9 the following day. Tried my 20 miler again and bailed out at 12. Bagged a couple more runs but capped off the week by running a 1:53 half marathon. I think I'm in better shape this time around but I haven't proven myself in any long runs. Last time around I had more races including a half and a 15K. This time around I'm running my half after my marathon. Do I have enough fast runs in me to run a faster marathon?

So here's how the week has panned out so far...

Sunday - 10 miles. Finally outdoors on rolling hills.
Monday - kettlebells. Worked 9-5:30.
Tuesday - 10 mile pace run...

... so THIS IS WHY I NEED A PACER... looking back at my Train Wreck week, I still managed to pull out a 1:53 half marathon - so 13.1 at 8:37 pace. Am I in shape to do this on my own without a race? I psyched myself up and felt I could run 8:45 pace for 10 miles. I can do this! Off I went...

Mile 1 - 8:22,  I knew it was too fast but I was feeling good
Mile 2 - 8:32,  trying to be more reasonable
Mile 3 - 8:34,  I really shouldn't be going this fast
Mile 4 - 8:39,  this is the really tough mile that goes uphill
Mile 5 - 9:06,  paying for it now plus all my insides feel like they're going to drop out

So I had to stop after Mile 5 to "fix myself." I was back home at this point and made a sprint to the bathroom, drank some fluids, and decided I felt really crappy and light headed. I set out on my 5 mile loop again at a pace my body liked.

Mile 6 - 10:20
Mile 7 - 10:34
Mile 8 - 10:38
Mile 9 - 10:06
Mile 10 - 9:25

Truth is, I'm capable of running a 8:39 average pace for 5 miles but my body likes to run 5 miles at 10:12 pace.

After that fiasco I went to work and got home at 3 am on Wednesday.

Wednesday - 20 miles on the schedule. I woke up and had to go to the dentist. I was going to run
                      after that but I just couldn't do it so I bagged it.

Thursday - 20 miles. Actually felt pretty good and even managed a "fast finish" the last 2 miles. It
                   felt good to run 20 without a problem and have enough energy at the end to finish fast.
                   Taught dance in the evening, then went to work from 10 pm to 7 am Friday.

Friday (today) - bagged my 5 miler. My legs are dead.

Saturday (tomorrow) - Going to try to run a sub-24:00 5K then a 2 mile warm down at the Plainfield
                                    Spring Fling. I've run this once before. The course is similar to the race 2
                                    weeks ago in that it starts out in a parking lot then funnels onto a paved trail.
                                    I think the distance around the parking lot is longer though and I am going to
                                    try and not freak out in the beginning and pace myself better!

If all goes as planned...

Week 13 Total Miles: 45

... and I'll be over the hump!