CIM Training Week Ten and the World Series, Baby!

Week ten of my marathon training is complete, and things are shaping up well. With the guidance of Footfeathers Coaching, I have increased my training pace slightly and I feel like I am making better use of individual sessions. In addition, it feels like I am better preparing for, and recovering from, my race efforts. Plus, my San Francisco Giants made it to the WORLD SERIES! Here's how my week played out:

Monday: 45 minute walk, <14:00/mile

Tuesday: 60 minutes, 20 min warm up, 30 @ 8:00 effort, cool down

Wednesday: 30 minutes at 9:00 effort (cut short from 60 due to lack of energy and Game 1 of the World Series!)

Thursday: Hill repeats - 15 min warm up, 6 x 4:00 hill (recover on descent), cool down

Friday: Off

Saturday: Falling Leaves 10K (49:34, tenth overall)

Sunday: 1:54 minutes at 9:00 effort

Totals: 37.5 miles, 4239'/4280' elevation gain/loss, avg heart rate: 138

Sunday's long run was on my old training route along Pasquale Road in Nevada City. I love this course because it has minimal traffic and winds through a dense forest as it traverses Deer Creek canyon above Nevada City. It was good to get back to that run.

The icing on the cake, though, is the Giants in the World Series! They have overcome six elimination games in these playoffs, and now they have swept the first three games of the Series. Many people would rather have a competitive Series which lasts for more than four games, but I would be ecstatic with a four game sweep of the Detroit Tigers and a Giants Championship tonight.

Next up: a short taper for the US Half Marathon next Sunday. Across the Golden Gate and back is an awesome course; I'm really excited to be running this one again. My primary goal is to best my 1:48:51 time from Easter Sunday, but really, I'd like to see if I have a 1:40 in me, which would be a feat to beat my Giants Race time. There is more elevation next week as we climb from Bay level to cross the bridge, and then lose and gain a bunch as we cross under Highway 101 in Sausalito before the return trip. Tim has me doing some strides this week for leg turnover. It should be a good week!