2022 Marathon Training Season

I'm excited to be in the 2022 marathon training season. My big marathon event of the year is the Hartford Marathon which takes place on October 8th. Last year was my first marathon and I finished with a time of 4:26:22. My goal had been 4:00 but I ran into several issues and underperformed. This year I am looking to break 4:00, 3:45 would be amazing, but I am considering anything under 4:00 success.

Condition going into the season is less than ideal.

• I had COVID a little over a month ago. With that I took a long break from running, my longest break since I started running now that I am thinking about it. My performance as I have gotten back out has been less the ideal. My HR is running higher than it was prior to getting COVID. With that my V02 MAX had gone down 3 points. I have since regained a point but still have some work to do to get back to where I was.
• Last season I ended with IT band issues in my right knee. Physical therapy helped but I still experience soreness and tightness in the knee. I have a well established stretching and massaging routine that keeps it at bay but I will need to keep a close eye on it as I stack on the miles.
• I just started a new job a couple weeks ago. This is a job I am really enjoying but is consuming a lot of time as I ramp up and onboard. As with any new job it can be a bit more stressful than a job you have been in for a while. I have been trying to be mindful of the stacked effect of the mental stress from work and physical stress from training. I think this is something I will need to pivot on as needed.

I am using a free training plan from runners world as a basis for my own training plan. Below is the training plan so far. I will continue to add to it as the season progresses.

Pace Legend

Easy Pace = 10:00

Marathon Pace = 9:00

Tempo = 8:30

Race = 8:00

Week 1 (19M)

Mon - 3M Easy

Tue - Rest

Wed - 4M Easy

Thu - 2M Marathon Pace

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 7M Easy

Week 2 (25M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 5M: 1M Easy, 2 x 1.5M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Wed - 4M Easy

Thu - 1M Easy, 2M Marathon, 1M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 8M Easy

This week was a busy one with work so I had to alter the schedule a little. On Tuesday I substituted 5 miles of marathon pace to compact the run a little. Then an easy 5 on Thursday. Rested Friday and Saturday and did my 8 miles on Sunday. The Sunday run wasn't an easy one. I ran a little faster pace and incorporated a lot of hills. Overall I am happy with this weeks training and nothing is feeling sore or needing extra attention.

With the weather warming up I am carrying water on longer runs again. Currently I only have a full vest for carrying water which is total overkill for runs shorter than a half marathon. I have resorted to just carrying a water bottle in my hand but that is getting old. Looking at the Nathan's Trail Mix hydration belt. It has two insulated 10 oz water bottles on it and storage for my phone and some snacks.

Other than that I have been thinking about trying other nutrition and electrolytes this year. Last year I used cliff chews and LMNT electrolytes. A friend of mine has been pushing UCAN so I am going to give it a try.

Week 3 (29M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 6M: 1M Easy, 3 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Wed - 6M Easy

Thu - 1M Easy, 3M Marathon, 1M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 9M Easy

Week 3 has gone shockingly well. I hit every run on the day scheduled. Not without its difficulties in fitting into the schedule but it happened. That's a win for me! Only issue I ran into was Wednesday I got dehydrated at the beginning of mile 6. Ordered the new hydration belt and hope it serves me well.

This year I have been trying to get better at listening to and understanding my body. In the past I have been generally reckless and pushed through any pain. I am trying to turn that upside down this year and pay attention to what my body is saying and respond. This week I have felt the fatigue set in of all the miles and started eating more to combat it. So far it has worked out fairly well. I also noticed some slight tightening in my right knee. To counter I have increased stretching and added more massage gun time to my IT band. Only time will tell if this strategy works.

I also changed out the 3M on Saturday for a rest day. With my knee feeling tight and having an extremely busy weekend I need to take some strain off the muscle.

Week 4 (27M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 5M: 1M Easy, 3 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Wed - 7M Easy

Thu - 1M Easy, 2M Race, 1M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 1M Easy, Sub 53:00 10k - Tempo, 1M Easy

Week 4 has been great. Weather is getting a little warm so I have been using the new hydration belt a lot. The bottles are definitely very bouncy when full. Filling them a little under the max is the sweet spot I have found.

My legs are finally adjusting to the mileage. Starting to feel like 5 miles is a short run again. Woohoo! Right knee is doing surprisingly well. I have been very disciplined with stretching and using the massage gun. I also added in a few rounds with an ice pack when I will be stationary for a period of time.

I missed out on the runs scheduled for Thursday and Saturday. Things got busy on Thursday and we went to a theme park on Saturday. Missing Thursday was not ideal but I feel all the walking at the theme park made up for the run on Saturday.

Long run was swapped out for a 5 mile race this week. Most of our group wasn't able to make it but we still had a lot of fun. I did fairly well and am happy with my performance given the heat. The course has almost no shade and a couple big hills.

This week I have been thinking a lot about how marathon training impacts me and the people in my life. Putting things into perspective was the fact that the annual 16 week training program is 1/3 of the year. I had not thought about it that way before. My wife and kids accommodating my commitment to that training schedule is not a small ask.

Week 5 (30M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 5M Easy

Wed - 6M: 1M Easy, 4 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 5M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 11M Easy

Another week down. The weather was really hot this week so workouts were definitely tougher. Did a weigh in before and after Wednesday’s run and I had lost 2.2 pounds after 6.5 miles. For this week's speed workout it called for 3 speed intervals. I swapped out the middle one for a hill. Was fairly punishing by overall a great workout.

Ended up skipping Thursday’s run and moving the long run to Saturday. Ran 13.1 instead of 11 to make up some of the miles. Made the switch because I was up too late on Wednesday. Needed to sleep in on Thursday. Then Sunday was super hot and my schedule was busy so Saturday made more sense.

Saturday’s long run was really hot. Went well until I ran out of water. Had to walk a bit at the end to keep from overheating. Other than that I kept an eye on my knee because this is my first run of this distance in a long time. So far so good!

My BMI finally fell below 25. Have been working hard at trying to lose weight and it

is starting to pay off. Hoping to shed more pounds over the rest of the training season.

Week 6 (33M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 6M: 1M Easy, 4M Hill Repeats, 1M Easy

Wed - 6M Easy

Thu - 5M: 1M Easy, 3M Tempo, 1M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 13M Easy

This week did not go well. Ran on Tuesday and didn't make it out again until Sunday's long run. This week was no more busy than usual so I have no excuse for missing so much training. Need to reaffirm and get back to it.

Long run went well. Weather was much better this time around. Felt good the whole time with no knee issues resulting.

Week 7 (37M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 7M Easy

Wed - 6M: 1M Easy, 4 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 5M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - 3M Easy

Sun - 15M Easy

Retired the Pegasus 38 and strapped on the Pegasus 39 this week. These are a bit lighter than the prior model which I enjoyed. Also noticed some extra room in the shoe which is usually fairly snug. So far I am happy with the new shoes.

 

Swapped out a run this week for a day at a theme park with the family. Between the heat and all the steps at the park I didn't see a reason to push for the extra miles.

 

This week's long run was in more extreme heat. Overall it went really well. Went through a lot of fluids. My left knee started to act up a little which was surprising. Haven't felt any tightness or soreness there all season. Right knee was perfectly fine. Not sure whats happening here.

Week 8 (31M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 7M Easy

Wed - 5M: 1M Easy, 3 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 5M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 13.1M Race

Tried out the new Vaporflys this week with a race pace 5k run. They have a very soft heel and are super firm up front. Took me a few to find my groove but it went well. Ran a 23:49, have not done that since my IT band injury. Other than that runs went well and I am feeling great.

Week 9 (41M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 7M Easy

Wed - 6M: 1M Easy, 4 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 8M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 17M

This week was a total disaster. Had a big event at work and I ended up going into the office 3 days and having after work happy hours for 2 of them. Also finishing up planning and packing for vacation. Only ran twice but I'm not mad about it. Need to have fun too!

Week 10 (38M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 8M Easy

Wed - 7M: 1M Easy, 5 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 5M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 13.1M

Was on vacation this week. We had some great places to run in Vermont. Definitely did not follow the training plan but I got in all the hills and trails I could handle. Again, not on track this week but not mad about it.

We did attend a local 5k race on Sunday. I ran a 23:19. Broke 24 minutes which was my goal. Next 5k race I want to be under 23.

Week 11 (43M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 6M Easy

Wed - 7M: 1M Easy, 5 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 8M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 19M

Got back to a normal schedule this week and followed it fairly well. Moved long run to Saturday to allow a rest day before the New Haven Road Race on the following Monday. Feeling really good this week. Weather is cooling down and I am loving it.

Week 12 (43M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 7M Easy

Wed - 7M: 1M Easy, 5 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 8M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 21M

Ran the New Haven Road Race on Monday. With the relay the first leg is 6.9 miles. I ran it in 56:30. Overall I am happy with my performance. It was very muggy so everyone was sweating a ton.

Runs went great during the week. I ended up skipping a day to help a friend with a project. That left my hamstrings really sore. Took a while to loosen up before Sundays long run. Overall feeling good at the peak of the training season. Next week we start the taper.

Week 13 (40M)

Mon - Rest

Tue - 7M Easy

Wed - 6M: 1M Easy, 5 x 1M Tempo, 3 Min Easy recoveries between sets, then 1M Easy

Thu - 7M Easy

Fri - Rest

Sat - Rest

Sun - 20M

Totally bailed on training this week. Last weekend with the project I helped out on followed by the long run the next morning and spending the rest of the day working on the house I think I overdid it. My body was not feeling up to the task this week. I ran a 5k on Tuesday and that was it until long run on Sunday.

Crash Landing

I am finishing writing this a couple months after the season ended. With my kids returning to school in in September we all started passing a cold back and forth to one another. This was the first year back with no masks and it really hit us hard.

I spent a few weeks before the marathon not training and trying to get better. I think I maybe ran twice in that time period. I was still determined to run though, and I did. It went poorly as you can imagine, but I finished. I had a decent first half with a time of 1:58:40. After that my performance tanked and I ended with a final time of 4:52:11.