weekly recap / May 16-22

42 miles for the week

Monday
6 miles, 51:25, 8:32 pace
my back was KILLING me as I ran – on my left side, into my hip and down my leg. It loosened a bit as I ran but not much. Scrapped plans for PLYO. By bed time it was BAD :(

Tuesday
back definitely better than yesterday – rolling on tennis balls seemed to help!!
6.2 miles, 50:05, 7:47 pace

Wednesday
6.2 miles, 48:48, 7:53 pace
last .4 miles ran HARD
10 minute core workout

Thursday
Body Attack class – 60 minutes of jumping, coordination, core, etc – killer awesome workout!

Friday
5.13 miles, 41:22, 8:04 pace
body tired/sore from yesterday!

Saturday
18.2 miles, 2:34:24, 8:29 pace
16.2 miles was on railroad grade downhill, which is just so slight that you don’t notice. Clicked off 7:40s and 7:50s and felt great! Last 2 miles dropped 1000 feet on single track trails, so pace was erratic and slower.  Quads were jello by the end but GREAT run!! And afterwards, I’ve never felt so great after 18 miles!

Sunday
rest day

weekly recap / May 9-15

Last week was a solid week! – 41.2 miles

Monday
6.05 miles, 50:18, 8:19 pace
BodyPump* at the gym

Tuesday
8 miles, 1:01:46, 7:43 pace
(it sure is easier to run a bit faster at 9am not 5am and on a flat trail not our hilly neighborhood!)
CxWorx** core class at the gym

Wednesday
4.1 miles, 34:29, 8:24 pace

Thursday
8 miles, 1:03:44, 7:57 pace
(great run for 5am in the ‘hood!)
75 minute hot yoga
(it was 106 in the yoga studio – I was struggling! 8 miles + yoga may have been a bit much in 1 day!)

Friday
off – had a doc appt that I had to fast for, so took the day off :)

Saturday
15 miles, 2:07:19, 8:30 pace
gravel roads and trails, lots of hills

*BodyPump is a 60 minute weights class
**CxWorx is a 30 minute core class that focuses on abs, quads and glutes

week 5

My plan was to back off ever so slightly this week … but that didn’t seem to happen!  Next week is my last week before the TAPER starts!!!  My body is R E A D Y!  Actually, my mind is even more ready.  I am tired.  Hard to believe Fall 2012 was the last time I trained for a marathon. I forgot how worn out marathon training makes me.   It really is like adding in a part time job.

Another solid week of 50+ miles :)  51.4 miles

Monday
6.1 miles, 8:17 pace (I had tummy “issues” during the night, and had to swing by the house after 4.5 miles to use the bathroom but then finished the run. I think my body was MAD at me for what I splurged on aka Easter Candy / bread)
yoga

Tuesday
10 miles – speed on the ‘mill
2 miles w/u
5 x mile w/ .25 jogs
6:59 – 6:57 – 6:54 – 6:51 – 6:38
2 mile c/d

Wednesday
8.1 miles, 7:40 pace – intentionally ran hills
it’s amazing what having a Gu before a run does – that little bit of caffeine for this addict and just a big of energy to get me going
yoga – it was a sub teacher and really was more stretching than yoga.  I was bored but it was also probably really good for me :)

Thursday
8 miles, progressive tempo, on the ‘mill
2 miles w/u, then dropped pace each 2 miles
18:02 – 16:00 – 15:00 – 14:11
CXworx core class (knees were achy during the squats/lunges part)

Friday
3.3 miles, super easy, 8:37 pace

Saturday
16 miles, 8:41 pace
“Best of Seattle” loop
I ran slower than normal so I wouldn’t get lost! :)  It was good to have a relaxing long run though!

it’s a lifestyle

I’ve been running with a local running club on Saturday mornings.  I have really enjoyed it – it’s great to run with people, and the group rotates through locations, so I’ve run in so many new places that I wouldn’t go on my own!

Last Saturday I ran with 2 guys – it was a 14 mile loop ALL THROUGH Seattle (it was AMAZING – and if I had gotten separated from the group I NEVER would have found my car again!!!).  During the run 1 of the guys asked if we were training for any races.  The other guy is running Boston for his 1st time in April.  I said I plan to run Eugene (rates go up Sunday – TIME TO REGISTER!).  I asked him if he was training for anything, and he said he had a few races planned but “it’s a lifestyle.” Meaning, staying in shape, keeping up with long runs – it’s a lifestyle choice even when not specifically training for something.

YES!!!! It is my lifestyle too. A lifestyle I choose and am committed to.  

It’s a lifestyle I want to maintain long after my days of setting new PRs are over.  I run because I like how it makes me feel, clears my head, I love the camaraderie of other runners, and so many more reasons that sum up my lifestyle. 

peak

I can hear the Hallelujah Chorus beginning.  Today marked the end of my peak week and my longest run I’ll do before the marathon.  22 miles for the day, 48.5 miles for the week – I am happy the taper is beginning!!  Despite fighting a cold this week, it was a good week …
Monday: 5.2 miles easy (8:40/pace)
Tuesday: 7.3 miles with 6×800 in the middle.  The schedule had 10 miles for the day, but I figured getting the 800’s in was most important and since I wasn’t feeling well, I cut it back some.  800’s were very solid though.  Goal time was 3:15-3:20. My 1st 2 were slow (3:27 and 3:28) thanks in part to having to jump off the road to avoid cars but the last 4 were ALL 3:09! How’s that for consistency?! :)
Wednesday: rest day
Thursday: 10 miles with 8 miles at marathon pace – averaged 7:32 pace for the 8 miles – PERFECT.
Friday: super easy 4 miles (8:43 pace)
Saturday: 22 miles – 3 hours – 8:14 pace. NAILED IT.

As I mentioned, it feels good to know I’m on the downhill side.  In hindsight, I picked a bad time to train for a marathon in terms of family busyness … but at the same time, as my amazing husband said last night – training for this marathon has been the perfect stress reliever for me.  On top of work, school, and studying for the FE exam (if you don’t know about the engineering world, think MCAT or LSAT type test) he has been so amazingly supportive of me.

good things

Since my last post, things have mostly gone well and I’ve had 2 light bulbs go on (well, they’ve been on, I was just stubbornly ignoring them).

Last Saturday was a HOT but solid 14 miles, averaging 8:09 pace.  For the 1st time ever, I ran with my belt style water bottle carrier.  I definitely did not love wearing it, but it saved the day for me.  Sarah had an 8am soccer game, so running before the game was out of the question.  SO, I left from the soccer fields to run home.  Thus, I couldn’t hit up my normal water stops.  And with the heat of mid morning, I drank a LOT of water on my run.

Tuesday was my low point of the week.  The 2 light bulbs I decided to acknowledge are that …
1) I have got to get 8 hours of sleep most nights which means I need to be in bed by 9pm on nights I run
2) I need to stretch and use my trigger point roller most days to help flush out the soreness

Tuesday was actually a rough run … I was supposed to run 8 miles of hills, but just felt sluggish, tried and flat so cut it short at 5.6 miles.

After rest on Wednesday, Thursday’s run was good – 3 miles easy + 4 miles at MP (averaged 7:25).

This morning I ran 16.2 miles.  It feels good knowing I ran only 10 miles shy of a marathon.  Definitely makes it feel like things are possible!!  I hadn’t run this far since Spring 2008.  I also feel like my mental toughness is coming back … 16 miles on your own … it is mental!  I started very conservative and finished very strong – averaging 8:10 pace.

13 miles

Today’s long run felt like a key stepping stone.  After 11 miles 2 weeks ago and 10 miles last week, I jumped to 13 miles today.  Next week is 14, then 16.  So I really wanted today to be good. And it was :)  I ran with my running partner for 7.5 miles, which helped tremendously.  I averaged right at 8 min pace – started slower, finished with my last 4 miles right around MP.

marathon pace

One of the [many] things I am striving to do differently in training for this marathon than in 2008, is to do more training at my goal marathon pace – 7:35/mile.  Starting this week in my training plan, Thursdays are designated for MP (“marathon pace”).  Today, I ran 6 miles, with the last 2 miles at MP.  I’ll build to running 10 miles, with 8 miles of it at MP.

There is also a lot of debate over the standard long run.  The typically piece of advice I’d always heard was to do your long runs about a minute slower per mile than your goal pace.  The newer advice I’m hearing is to start your long run easy, and then about half way through, build to marathon pace.  Some say to do an easy long run 1 weekend, and then a build to MP long run the next.  I’m planning on trying that.

So today, a measly 2 miles at MP … (the idea to run MP after several miles of running is to teach your body to run at MP when tired) … I actually averaged 7:19/mile for my 2 miles.  I’m sure as the miles build, physics will kick in and aiming for 7:35 will be enough of a challenge!

partner

I had several great running groups/partners before we moved.  The last 2 years here in FL have been some lonely running.  In 1 sense, I think it has made me a better runner.  Doing 12 and 14 miles on your own is TOUGH … yet amazing sense of accomplishment.  In early 2010, our first few months here, I was running FAST.  I channeled my stress of moving and all that it entailed into my running.  While I missed meeting up with people and fun conversations, it was also nice to be able to “carve my own path” in terms of course and speed.

Since Andrew was born and I’ve been getting back in shape, it’s been a much tougher road to be running alone.  I’ve struggled with my speed, and at times my motivation.  After Saturday’s race, the winner and I were talking and turns out we live very near each other.  We exchanged numbers.  We decided to meet for a run this morning.

I told Jon last night that I felt like I had a “first date” in the morning! :)  A running partner is serious business … you need to enjoy talking to each other, have good understanding of expectations, be similar speeds … I could go on and on.

I hardly slept last night.  I kept waking up with a start, only to look at the clock and see 12:30 … 12:55 … 1:30 … etc.  Then at 4:15, Andrew cried.  My alarm was set for 5am, to meet her at 5:15am.  I got Andrew settled, and was going to crawl in bed for a few more minutes, but as I reach for my cup of water, I spilled it. Thankfully, it was almost empty, but it still landed on the baby monitor and my clock.  My clock is now spiraling through numbers and every time I pushed a button, it spiraled faster.  The baby monitor is beeping in protest.  I got all that cleaned up, and just decided to get dressed.

I thought about making coffee.  Instead, I ate 1 of my “Gu” packets.  A good opportunity to get my body used to it before the Half next month.

So I met Lisa at 5:15am.  We had a great run – almost 9 miles at an 8 min pace.  The conversation was good.  I think this could work well!

a race

I just registered for my 1st race since having Andrew – a local 10K on Saturday.

This is the longest “post having a baby” race I’ve done.  When Sarah was 4 months old, I loafed my way through a 5K.  When Cora was 4 months old, I ran did a 5 mile trail race and was in decent shape.  So it’s about time I run a race since Andrew is 10 months old!!!

I’ve been getting in a good rhythm, getting ready for the half marathon on March 4, so this is good timing for a tune up/reality check.  I honestly am not sure what to expect out of myself.  Ideally I’ll hit 43:30 (7 min pace), but as long as I’m under 46 minutes I’ll be happy.

Last week was another high – 30.8 miles.  Saturday’s long run was 12 miles – longest run since before Andrew.  And already, January is my best month since he was born.  It’s been encouraging to have some good weeks.

This morning, I did a bit of a different workout … 10 minutes warm up, and then 5 minutes hard, 5 minutes normal, 4 hard, 4 normal, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1 and then cool down.  I got progressively faster in each interval (the goal) and stayed solid during my normal segments (the other goal).  It was good.

So tomorrow I’ll do a recovery base, take Thursday off, easy Friday and race Saturday.  I’d long to get a long-ish run in on Sunday (8 miles or so) but we’ll see.