Training Update | RACE WEEK, Running Thoughts, and My Latest Approach to Performance
It's Grandma's time...
Greetings!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a training log/training update… but that’s been intentional.
I got injured last year during my build-up to the California International Marathon. I was obviously devastated. It was my first injury in nearly 2 years. And it occurred when I was in some of the best running shape of my life.
It was also an “opportunity” to reset, refocus, and reestablish why I run.
I consider it a privilege to get to share my training and the science of endurance with such a wide audience. But working out started to become performative—I was asking myself what types of runs I should be doing versus what runs I wanted to do or what was best for me at the time.
I’ve always found running enjoyable. At the most basic level. I. Love. To. Run. That also contributes to the “overdoing it” bit… but I digress.
I had to make sure that kept being the main reason. That’s why I decided to “go dark” (private) for this training block and only share some select runs and workouts on Strava and other social platforms. I didn’t really even announce my race formally to anyone but some close friends. The goal of this training block was simple: get healthy, stay healthy, and just enjoy the process of training and get to the starting line.
So, after many, many months of consistent training. I feel healthy and fit, and I’m excited to announce that in less than a week, I’m going to be running Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota.
What’s the goal? I’m not quite sure. I know that I’m in shape to run a 2:25—2:26 on a ~B+ day. I think I can run faster if the conditions are favorable. But one of the stipulations of this race was really just to show up healthy without a goal etched in stone. FAFO, as the kids say these days…
I wanted to use this post to provide an update on the last few months of training—what I’ve been doing differently (or the same) as previous blocks, some gear and technology I’ve been using, and a few key confidence-boosting workouts.
Overview of the last ~3-4 months
COROS has an incredible dashboard and EvoLab metrics that I love digging into for training recaps and to see how I’m progressing. Here’s what the last ~12 weeks of running looked like.
I was nothing this training block if not consistent. Consistently… moderate. Again, that’s all intentional. I set myself a hard cap around 70 miles per week and ended up somewhere between 60 and 70 miles most weeks (some even lower).
What didn’t change was a consistent weekly long run of 20+ miles—I ran a total of eight runs of 20 miles or more in the last 12 weeks, including a marathon-long run (shared later on down).
What changed this block?
Much more cycling volume—This has been huge in terms of getting my aerobic fitness back to a level it was last Fall, without as much running. I’ve tried to ride a bike (Zwift) for at least 7—10 hours every week on top of running miles. Most of it has been easy riding. I also included a few weekly rides of 2.5—3 hours (longer than pretty much any of my runs). On workout days, I often swapped a second afternoon run for an easy spin. Huge win for recovery. It’s free fitness.
“Not easy” long runs—I haven’t done any true long-run workouts this block, but most of my weekly long runs (20+ miles) have been run at an uptempo pace. That often meant averaging 6:00—6:15 minutes/mile for a majority of the run. Several benefits here: I didn’t feel my recovery was compromised the next week from going “too hard” during a long run; I could work on efficiency and form while running fast for a long time (durability); and I was able to practice hydration and fueling like I would during a race.
One “off day” each week—In the last month, every Monday has been an off day from biking/running. But it isn’t a “do nothing” day. I walk to the gym wearing a weight plate vest, sauna for 30-45 minutes, and walk back. Low-intensity activity, passive heat, and some alone time listening to an audiobook during the walk are recovery magic.
FUEL—On and off the run (and bike), fueling has stayed a consistent priority, but I have integrated more fueling during indoor rides and runs (via gels and carb drink mixes). For me, it’s not only been about performance, but also recovery effects. I’ve been feeling so much better the day of a hard workout and the ensuing days after when I’ve fueled and hydrated adequately.
A few key workouts
Marathon long run
I’ve included one of the coolest features of STRYD pods for this run—the footpath visualization tool. It’s a literal biomechanical assessment of how your left/right feet are moving during a run or workout, and it’s a great way to identify deficiencies, point out what might be causing pain or injury, etc. The screenshot below is a comparison of a marathon-long run I completed last fall vs. this May.
10 x 1-kilometer repeat session @ goal marathon pace
5 x 1-mile repeats @ 5k pace
Gear and fuel
I’m still on team COROS, and I’ve been using the brand-new Pace 4 lately (substituting in for my still-fantastic Pace Pro). It’s got all the same features with a lighter footprint and a smaller weight… so I’ll probably be using it on race day. Side note, if you want to “switch teams,” you can snag a new Coros watch + a free extra watch band if you buy one here. Thanks to Coros for the support.
STRYD power meters are still a mainstay (I used these for Boston and CIM builds) for measuring power and other cadence/biomechanics metrics on runs. The guys at STRYD have been so gracious in giving me some analysis on key workouts to help guide training.
I’ve experimented with a LOT of different fueling products, and some of my current favorites include CARBS fuel, Science in Sport Beta Fuel gels, and especially the entire suite of Cadence products, which includes electrolyte packets, a new carbohydrate fuel mix, and tasty carbohydrate fuel bars for pre-, post-, or during-workout. Oh, and of course, post-workout ketones.
I’m happy to be posting about running again, and I hope to keep doing it more often, especially some more posts on how I’m informing training/nutrition based on the latest science.
Thanks for reading.
~Brady~
Ha sorry I see it’s a Pace 4
Great recap. Which Coros are you using. I have a Pace Pro - cracked the crystal and deciding what’s next