A few weeks ago I shared that I am coaching Rob for the Cleveland Marathon in May. He has now completed week 9 of training so I thought I would give another update.
A Peek Into Cleveland Marathon Training Weeks 5-9
My last post about this was written after week 4, and at that time he had completed all workouts as scheduled. He has still been doing well with getting all the workouts in, but some snow and ice last week meant we had to move things around a bit.
We also realized the other day that he had been doing additional core work on his lower body workout day. This is great, of course, but I had been wondering why he always said that workout took so long. Of course 2 days of core work is better than one, but this is someone who has done ZERO core work since he started running 5 years ago.
I also think he was really excited to get a “cut-back week” in week 8. In the past he never trained consistently enough to take a planned cut-back week, so this was almost like a reward for other weeks of hard work.
I asked him to share some feedback about how things have been progressing so far in his Cleveland Marathon training:
Lisa asked me to give another update on my training for the Cleveland Marathon. I have a few set questions she asked, but overall I’d rate the training as a B.
What has been tough or challenging about the last month of training?
I’d say getting going on my speedier workout day has been a challenge recently….this past weekend’s long run was also pretty annoying (it snowed on Tuesday here and most of the sidewalks were ice-covered). I ended up doing the last 3 miles in the neighborhood (1 mile loops).
What is your least favorite and/or most favorite part of training?
Least favorite right now is layering up! I’m usually good to wear shorts any temperature above 30, but we’ve had a few mornings the past few weeks that have been really cold and windy. My favorite running workouts are Monday and Friday (my scheduled days off:))
How have you been feeling physically?
Physically, I’ve felt great except my last long run on Saturday and I started to feel tightness in my left leg. Hopefully it’s a one time thing and I’ll get back on track.
What do you think you need to focus on more moving into the next phase of training?
The next month I’m hoping to not feel the tightness in my left leg. Overall it will be about increasing the length of my workouts while remaining healthy. The final month of training I’m hoping the weather starts getting really warm, so I can get used to the hot weather just in case I get a warm weather day on marathon day. I’ve managed to run two races that I’ve trained in cold weather the whole time only to have race weekend be about 25-30 degrees warmer than any other day I’ve trained.
At this point, what would you say is a reasonable marathon goal pace?
My goal is still to break 4 hours. I think if I had to go out and start a race I’d try to run my first 10 @ around 8:55 pace and see how I feel from there. Still a long way away to think about a goal time and getting to the finish line.
Lisa here again. When Rob mentioned his leg tightness after Saturday’s run I suggested it could have been from running on the cambered part of the streets because of the icy sidewalks. (I had also run on that part of the street and it felt weird, but I only did 7 miles.). I’m making sure he gets in lots of foam rolling to loosen up that leg, and if needed we will adjust this week’s workouts.
Anyone else have issues from running on cambered roads?
Who else is training for a spring marathon?
Anyone else have issues from running on cambered roads? Who else is training for a spring marathon?
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Well, I did talk a bit on the blog on how I tried to train for this half — the low will be about 20 degrees higher than our highest highs lately! Mostly just overdressing a little & trying to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I’ve had a long string of races that sucked because of sudden heat waves!
Thats a good idea to overdress for training runs! Its always tough to race when there is a sudden heat wave.
GO ROB GO!! (insert cheerleader emoji here). YOU ARE KILLING IT!
He says thanks!
Hooray for consistent training Rob! That’s going to make a huge difference on race day for sure. The Indy Marathon was on lots of very cambered roads and it really wore on me. Especially in the late miles.
Consistency is so important and I really do think it will make all the difference for him!
When I ran that Panama City Beach half last December, the cambered roads really bothered me. A lot. It got to the point where I ran on the shoulder, which was flat.
Rob’s training looks good so far! Great job, Coach!
It’s always better when you can find a flat part of the road. Around here the shoulders also seem to have a slant to them.
Rob is gonna do awesome!
I often get the tight calves too!
Tight calves can definitely be annoying!
the hardest part of right now is knowing that races in a few months will suddenly be much warmer and sunnier! it’s always a problem for me with the long island half and even the fitness magazine half in central park in april. one time it just got so “hot” as compared to the recent weather which made it so much harder.
Exactly- that is always my issue with spring races! Running the Raleigh marathon in 2014 was awful- it was the first hot 85 degree day after a terribly cold winter.
Our streets are crazy slanted, so if I can’t run on the sidewalk, I often have to run in the middle of the road. Otherwise I have all sorts of issues. Hope the leg thing settles down.
I run in the middle of the road in my development on weekday mornings…but later in the morning on weekends there are too many cars. Hopefully we can be back to sidewalks this week and his leg will settle down.
Go Rob! and great job coach!
I’m training for a spring half marathon and I’m hoping that the weather won’t be too ht, or humid, on race day.
It’s always a toss up for spring races, you just never know what kind of weather you will get!
Great job Rob!!! You’re going to love it once the sun comes out and it begins to warm up. All those fair-weather runners will be struggling and you’ll fly by like it’s nothing. Go get that sub-4!
Hopefully it will warm up soon so he can start to get acclimated!
I certainly know about tightness in my legs. Since my chiro has given me calf exercises, and she said expect my calves to be tight, I’m not surprised they have been. I see her tomorrow, and will ask for some TLC on both of them. I am stretching and rolling, but they need some extra attention.
Hopefully she can help to loosen them up a bit!
Great job Rob (and you, Lisa, as his coach!).I don’t like running on cambered roads – the detour in my last race was on a cambered road, and my right calf was a mess of knots for days. Lots of foam rolling to undo a few moments on camber!
The cambered roads can be so frustrating! Especially in a race when there is no option to take a different route.
Good luck, Rob! Slanted roads are no bueno for me either.
They can be very annoying to deal with, that’s for sure!
Keep it up, Rob! Way to go! I can’t imagine racing in weather that is 20+ degrees warming than I trained in. I guess we’re lucky down here in a sense since our cold spells never last long enough for me to get used to the cooler weather!
That’s true, you guys are always used to running in the heat!
That is a tough challenge training through one season of weather when the race it self will happen in a different one (alas…26.2 training LOL). I have never done a spring marathon (or any ‘big” spring event that required lots of mileage in colder months)…..the weather would be tough to deal with for training, and I am NOT a treadmill person.
Spring marathons are tough…training in the winter weather and racing in the heat creates all sorts of challenges! Thats why I prefer fall marathons.
He is doing great! When I tried to train my hubs last year for a couch to 5K it did not go as well LOL It’s great that you 2 can train together. I wish my hubs liked to run!
Its going better than I expected! (I really didn’t think he would listen to me:))
Very exciting! I ran the Cleveland marathon a few years ago. It was a redemption marathon, at which I crashed and burned and left with a stress fracture in my heel. BUT, this will not happen to Rob I’m sure 🙂 I agree with Rob on the layering issue. That’s one thing that make it so easy for me just to pick my treadmill sometimes – I know I can just wear shorts and a bra and will be dressed perfectly!
Hope his training continues successfully and he reaches his goal!!
Sorry to hear you had such a tough time in the marathon! You are definitely right that treadmill running is much easier to dress for.
Sounds like he is doing great! I love the plan structured with some biking/cross training. I would love to do CORE two days a week, I just always forget!
I try to do a little bit of core a few days a week, but sometimes it just doesnt happen. It always helps to have it written into a training plan I think.
Hi I am new to your blog and love reading about a runner’s training plan and then also getting his feed back! Awesome! I can relate to his least favorite thing – layering! I am so tired of wearing tons of layers just to run. Looking forward to warmer weather. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed reading this! I am with you both on the layering…Im ready for summer weather when I can just throw on shorts and a tank top and be ready to head out the door!
Great job, Rob! You’re gonna kill it in CLE! Can’t wait to see you guys in a couple months. 🙂 I hope we can make it happen!
I hope so too!