Georgetown Branch Trail / Capital Crescent Trail Fartlek

Time: 88:30
Distance: 14 mi.
Map

Workout: 2 x 5:00, 2 x 4:00, 2 x 3:00 with half rest; shooting for sub-tempo (5:00?) pace

I decided to explore the north side of the Capital Crescent Trail, which is actually (for the moment?) called the Georgetown Branch Trail (named after the railway line which used to pass along this area) for the first few miles. The beginning is located just north of Rock Creek Park in Silver Spring, Maryland. For some reason the mile markers begin at 0.3, but I went a little ways beyond the 7 mile mark, near the Potomac and just before the Capital Crescent Trail meets up with the Chesapeake and Ohio Towpath.


Start of the Georgetown Branch Trail (and eventual Capital Crescent Trail) in Silver Spring, MD

Running out I got down to about 6:15 pace and was feeling fairly good despite it being a chilly day. Changing gears to 5:00 pace was a bit of a challenge, though and I ran about 5:10 pace for the two 5:00 intervals, and probably something similar for the 4:00 intervals. By the 3:00 sections I got down to 5:00 pace (judged by the half mile markers). I didn't feel fantastic, but given the that I have done very little anaerobic running, I was happy just to work through it. I did have to stop to lose my thick running shirt, which seems to be too much if I'm doing a hard effort regardless of how cold it is outside.

Central Park Fartlek

Time: 85:00
Distance: 13.25 mi.
Map

Workout: 6 x 4:00 hard / 2:00 easy; shooting for some sub-tempo pace for the hard sections

Morning run in Central Park from Craig's apartment. As I headed out the door snow was coming down just lightly, but in the park there was more serious snow with significantly more wind which made the going a bit difficult. For the Fartlek, I focused on the effort, rather than trying too hard to figure out my pace. For one of the slightly uphill and windy sections I believe I split a 2:40 (5:20 pace) half mile, which is obviously a bit slow for this type of workout, but I was working fairly hard to be there.

I finished the run feeling a bit tired, but looking forward to an afternoon to relax and the New Year's Eve festivities.

South East Street Fartlek

Time: 47:00
Distance: 7 mi.
Map

Target: easy fartlek to get the legs going a bit
Workout: 8 x 2:00 hard / 1:00 easy

After driving back to Amherst, I got in another run. My parents had my running shoes, however, so I had to throw on some old Streak XC flats for this one. That turned out to be fine, and it was fun to have some lighter shoes on for the harder effort. I don't know how fast I was running in the hard sections, particularly because I'm fairly tired from the last few days with friends and family, but it was definitely sub-tempo pace at least. I started out trying to run on the bike path, but unlike during the last snow, it had not really been cleared. As a result, I just ended up going out and back on South East Street.

Longhorn Fartlek

Time: 84:00
Distance: 12.5 mi.

Target: 6-8 x 1k or 3:00 fartlek, w/3:00 jogging rest
Workout: 6 x 3:00 w/3:00 jogging rest

I met the guys at the track to crash their workout. My options this week were to run something with a little less recovery than I would've liked, or to do it alone. I opted for the former, as I'm sick of working out by myself. The original plan was to hit Morris Williams for measured 1ks, but there was a golf tournament (?!) so we headed to a trail near a housing development across the street and turned it into a fartlek. We worked into it, and by the 3rd and 4th ones, we were running fairly hard. I was beat and dehydrated from the heat and travel yesterday. Some of the guys went all the way through 8 of them, but I was definitely ready to be done at 6.

Fartlek in the Squan

Time: 64:50
Distance: 10 mi.

Target: Two sets of a fartlek ladder - 1:00 (1:00), 2:00 (1:00), 3:00 (1:00), 2:00 (1:00), 1:00 (1:00)
Workout: Good sub-tempo effort throughout

Fairly happy with this workout around a loop near Craig and Corey's place in Manesquan on the Jersey shore. Craig was worthless to do the warmup with me, as he told me he would try to do, but I did rope him in for the cooldown. A total of 28 minutes of workout time, with 18 minutes at sub-tempo pace.

Pratt Corner Speed Play

Time: 81:00
Distance: 12.5 mi.
Map (approximate)

Target: 8 x 3:00 sub-5:00 effort, 1:00 rest
Workout: hit it pretty well, but rest after 4 was much longer as I had to hit the woods

I started at Puffer's and got in 25 minutes of warmup on Market Hill and Cushman to Pratt Corner. The first half of the farlek was almost completely uphill and I was working pretty hard. Due to an ill-timed snack this afternoon I started getting a side stitch and had to stop to hit the woods after four intervals before I turned back down the hill. Running down wasn't quite as aerobically taxing, even though I was running hard, but I think my legs got a pretty good workout.

I had some mild workout stomach afterwards. I should really stop putting runs off to the afternoon when I have nothing to do all day.

Rosen Loop

Time: 65:11
Distance: 9.5 mi.
Map

Morning run on a cool, rainy morning in Amherst. At 30 minutes in I put in an easy fartlek of 10 x 30 sec. hard with 60 sec. easy. My hamstrings were fairly tight while I was doing that, but my legs did loosen up as it went along. I finished heading on the bike path and all the way back Woodlot to get over an hour.

4 Mile Tempo, Fartlek

Time: 66:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.

Target: 2 x 4 mile tempo in 5:15-5:20 (21:00 to 21:20) with 3 minutes rest (like this workout from last fall)
Workout: 1 x 4 mile tempo in 21:47 (5:21.9, 5:24.8, 5:24.7, 5:36.3); 10 x 45 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy

The humidity owned me. When I was warming up I tried to convince myself that it wasn't that bad and that I would feel fine once I settled in. That did not happen. The first mile was rough, the second mile was rough, the third mile felt terrible and the fourth mile I packed it in. It was definitely the day, not me, as last week I put in a similar effort over 10 miles on a relatively cool morning. I didn't want to totally stop, and after a few minutes of standing recovery I didn't feel awful, so I did the fartlek back around Town Lake and to Zilker where I parked the car.

Barton Springs afterwards hit the spot.

Barton Springs Loop Speed Play

Time: 72:00
Distance: 11.5 mi.
Map

Target: fartlek with 5 sets of 3:00 hard, 1:00 easy, :30 harder, 2:00 easy (based on this pre-Big 12 XC workout)
Workout: felt a bit stiff getting started, but we were rolling by the last two sets



Ran from Joe's house down to the road loop at Barton Springs. The loop is about 1.25 miles, so I figured that each set would be close to one loop. It came a bit short on most of them, but we did get closer near the end as we were running harder. The total workout was 4+ loops. I was happy with the effort that we were able to get in. We headed out to Town Lake for a slightly longer cooldown.

Zilker Speed Play

Time: 83:40
Distance: 13 mi.

Target: 8 x 3:00 hard with 1:00 steady jogging rest
Workout: 6 x 3:00 hard, bathroom break, 2 x 3:00 hard

Meh... overall it was a good long-ish effort, but plagued by annoyances: digestion issues and serious wind out on Zilker. We ran down to the park from the track, did very big loops around the perimeter for the Fartlek, and ran back. The wind was pretty serious, similar to what Jordan gets on a bad day in Oklahoma. Right knee was quite sore afterwards.

IF Speed Play

Time: 66:00
Distance: 10 mi.

Target: 3 sets of long interval (4 min), 1 min jog, short interval (60, 45 or 30 sec), 2 min jog
Workout: ran hard throughout keeping the top group together

Ran up to IF (despite it not having "good workout grass") for a fartlek doing loops of close to a 1k loop on the field. It was a little weird because it was the first time we've ever worked out up there and it was very windy, but we ran well just on effort. My hips felt very tight and my right glute is sore.

I wish I could find someone who would pay me just to not get fat between now and next spring.

Morris Williams Speed Play

Time: 56:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.

Target: 3 sets of 3:00 (1:00) :30 (2:00) - long intervals at just under 3 min 1k pace and short intervals in about 32 sec 200m pace
Workout: Ran decently hard together and felt good, completed the fartlek


Morris Williams Golf Course

A chilly and clear morning in Austin. Got up early to finish an exam and while I was pretty tired heading to the workout, I'm happy to be done with everything up to Big 12s. Did the fartlek approximately on the 1k loop that we've used earlier in the season which at least gave us an idea how hard we were running... from what I could tell we were just about on the target pace. Everyone ran together well. Stomach continues to be an issue, but I was able to run through it fine.

RCP Beach Drive

Time: 77:36
Distance: 12 mi.



Headed out pretty early up Beach Drive, enjoying the fact that they close the street down over the weekend. Good to stay on a flat and even surface. Went out 41 minutes and then did a bit of a fartlek on the way back... 10 x 1 min with 1 min rest. Good to get the legs going and definitely helps the time go by faster on solo runs. No major physical complaints, though some general stiffness in both knees and tops of feet. Knees at least felt better after running hard.

RCP South, C&O Towpath

Time: 81:30
Distance: 12 mi.

Headed south in RCP on the paved path down to Georgetown where I got on the C&O Towpath for about a mile out and back. Feeling pretty sluggish on the way out and both knees were annoyingly stiff and sore, but on the way back I decided to get the legs moving a little bit with a fartlek. Did 12 x 30 sec with 1 min rest, which didn't feel too bad. In fact, afterwards I felt looser and more awake than I had on the way out.

Still pretty hot and humid, but hopefully some rain today will clear things out.

RCP Beach Drive

Time: 53:50
Distance: 8 mi.

Another early morning, which was a little rough, but given how hot and humid it's been recently I guess I can't really complain. Decided I was due for an easier day and didn't want to feel as crappy as I did last monday. Headed north on Beach Dr. for 4 miles and then turned around. On the way back, I did a mini-fartlek to get the legs going... 10 x 30 sec. with 1 min. rest. Felt surprisingly good, and the Tangents are good shoes for this kind of stuff. Trying to get some work in gradually for the lower leg muscles.

Nat'l Mall, White House, Tidal Basin

Time: 62:00
Distance: 9.5 mi.


The Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial from the Tidal Basin path

Morning run from NGA because... we don't have water at our house. Pretty chill pace through 30 minutes out past the White House and to the Tidal Basin, then threw in 10x1 min hard, 1 min easy to continue my one-week old tradition of switching the pace up a bit on Fridays. Form feels a little off... back and hamstrings are tight, but no specific physical complaints.

Pine Branch, Hazen, RCP North

Time: 62:24
Distance: 9.5 mi.

Found a better route down to the park up in the Pine Branch Park offshoot. Then ran through the Hazen Park offshoot on the other side to Connecticut which I took to Tilden which led me to the main RCP north trails for the rest of the run. At about 40:00 I included the classic 15 x 30/30 fartlek on some pretty hilly sections. Somewhat glorified strides, but it was good to get moving. Only physical complaint is my glute/lower back on the left side which has been feeling very stiff and a bit sciatic-ish. Good stretching seems to relieve this somewhat.