Chicago Marathon Training - Week 14

All week long I had total apprehension about the long run scheduled. 

20 miles loomed over my head. 

Even morning of the temptation to just stay in bed was oh, so, great. But I did it! 3+ loops of Central Park and the confidence has been built back up. I felt pretty strong the entire time. Recovery wise I have a little soreness (but you know, those hills + a mile race on Saturday kind of call for it regardless your conditioning I believe) but a nice boost. I was tempted to give up at 18 but had to run a couple more miles to get to the south side of the park anyway so, I ran. Bagel and apple in hand post race. 

One more week of a crazy long run (18- 22 depending on how I am feeling) and then it is time to taper taper taper away!

Monday - 3.17 @ 9:27 - nothing special just a shake out from going long Sunday

Tuesday - 10 miles total - Double Day! Morning: 1.5 mile w/u 8 x 400 avg 1:57 with 400 @ 10:00 recoveries .5 mile c/d 
I was inspired to do speed work out of run boredom. I feel I had more in me but I was honestly feeling kind of crappy. Was on the cusp of a sick day. But then I want to workout and if I can get up for that I can go to work.
Was feeling better at night - go figure so ran easy again (and had to kill time before an 8pm massage in the city) 4 miles @ 10:23

Wednesday - Day. Of. Rest. did some weights but other than that I took rest day seriously

Thursday - 6.6 miles total. Another day of doubles. Morning: 4.1 miles @ 9:05 - 5 min w/u 2-3 mins hard / 1 easy Evening: 2.5 miles @ 10:04 - easy miles before 20 minutes of lifting. Woo hoo a tiny bit of strength. I am so slacking on this. 

Friday - Cross train - 60 minutes mostly zoning out on the Arc - resistance 30 - 55

Saturday - 5.5 miles - Had the NYRR 5th Ave Mile on tap. I had no idea what to expect - ran there as a warm up and home as my cool down. Ran the mile in 7:22 - I am happy enough with that considering. I shouldn't expect to be any speedier since I don't work on it THAT much. 

Sunday - 20 miles @ 10:11 - NYRR 18 Mile Tune Up - I woke up sore from the race Saturday, tired and unmotivated. Surprised once I started running how amazing it went. Never pushed kept it easy and on 3+ loops of CP hills that was a confidence booster. Only had gu in the house for fuel and a fun reminder that my stomach and gu do not mix. 
Splits: 10:15, 10:20, 10:17, 10:38, 10:27, 10:09, 10:09, 9:55, 10:01, 10:14, 10:07, 9:53, 10:24, 10:12, 9:59, 10:01, 10:22, 9:32, 10:21, 10:13

Total Miles: 45.27 !!!! yup. a pretty big week mileage wise. 

Chicago Marathon Training - Week 13

I am at the point where one minute I am feeling confident and marathon ready and the next I am totally worried I will not be prepared. I feel like I should PR but then have a crap 3 mile run and am like ahhhh I am going to run a personal worst!

I think that I progressed with training in a way that was better this time. I feel like things are coming together closer to the marathon versus last year when I think I peaked and then just tired myself out. 

Although tired out seems to be the name of the game lately. I know I have Vitamin D deficiency and low iron the last time I got blood work, but I am going in for another round this week. I have such pangs of lethargy each day and just feeling "off" that I want to see if something is wrong or if those have gotten worse. After last weekend's long run of death that I quit after 10 miles on then slept the rest of the day I honestly didn't feel back to normal until I ran long Sunday this week. I listened to my body and really had an easier week overall.

Monday - Cross Train - biked 20.21 miles + 30 min full body strength circuit. Was up at the crack of dawn due to sleeping so much on Sunday and the humidity was around 85%. I said hell no to running!

Tuesday - 5 miles @ 9:26 - stomach was off for the first time in a long time.

Wednesday - 3.25 miles @ 9:13 felt harder than it should have.

Thursday - Day of rest!!! aka forced because 4 maragarita Wednesday night had me feeling craptastic and there was no way in hell a workout was happening in any way shape or form. Date night SUCCESS!

Friday - 3.25 miles @ 9:13 (treadmill) honestly wanted to skip running when I felt the humidity but knew it would not happen after work since I was heading down to the beach house right after...decided to test out the new Mizuno Wave Rider 17's on the treadmill as a compromise. Legs felt rested finally, torn on the shoes though they felt good as far as the right amount of cushion etc. but the toe box feels more narrow and the arch support more present than the 16's. Time will tell, but not sure this will be my marathon shoe. 

Also evening strength + core work.

Saturday -  After reading everyone's tweets and posts about awful conditions - I turned my planned few miles (really just "junk" miles) into a 90 minute swim session. I did 10 laps easy free, 1 hard free, 2 breast, 2 kicking - repeat a bazillion times. Felt so good to be in the water! 

Sunday - Fasted long run. I woke up at the crack of dawn and realized I needed to just get out there and run and not think about it (aka not talk myself out of running or start dreading it). So in my half asleep daze I forgot to eat or drink anything before running out the door...as that is what I do during the week. 
Luckily 2 miles in passed a Dunkin' on the beach and have the app so was able to grab a bottle of water. But this became a fasted long run. Unintentional. I felt it a lot at times (I hadn't eaten much on Saturday in general)
10.5 miles @ 10:17 - splits: 10:05, 10:25, 10:36, 10:26, 10:26, 10:23, 10:17, 10:27, 10:11, 10:11, 8:55 (.5)

Total Miles: 22 (running only) 

A bit lower but a) this was a planned cut back week - even with the failed 18 last week, I didn't want to mess with the next coming weeks (20 and 22 mile long runs before taper) to adjust to higher mileage b) I only ran 4 days this week. So, it is what it is!

Holy crap 2 more weeks before TAPER! Yay? Maybe? 

Chicago Marathon Training - Week 12

I had a crazy "oh my god" moment at the beginning of the week looking at my training and realizing that I only have 4 more weeks of "hard" running before it is time to taper down. 

This is peak time baby! Get in those miles and bust it out...then try to not go crazy through the taper. I think I will be fine this time because I have so much going on and a wedding the weekend before Chicago so things to keep me occupied!

Another week...how time flies.  

Monday - Cross Train - biked 17.6 miles 

Tuesday - 6 miles (treadmill since I was at the gym for a class) tempo run 9:08 average and Body Pump + extra glutes and core work

Wednesday - umm I am lazy rest day

Thursday - 3.5 miles w/ 2 x .25 hill repeats in the middle. Plus nice progression! 10:17, 9:23, 9:17, 8:55 (.5) + 45 minute strength/core session - 6 weeks before the marathon I am hoping throwing in some hills helps get me stronger. Better late than never?  I'm trying...

Friday - 4.11 miles @ 9:26 - nothing spectacular about this run other than the morning was frickin gorgeous! Oh how I have enjoyed cooler temps the past couple of days.

Saturday - 4 hot steamy miles @ 10:03 late morning beach run. Headed from the city to the beach pretty early but sun was blazing when I finally got out. Splits: 10:15, 10:13, 10:21, 9:24 

Sunday - 18 miles planned. 10 finished @ 10:30. 

Basically hot and humid and I felt like crap. Dizzy and vision was hazy. 

I ran 2 miles and met my friend Faith again and she ran us through a dynamic warmup. We started up again and I felt even worse. I was 10:31, 10:23, 10:59, 10:41, 10:33, 10:36, 10:23, 10:23, 10:14, 10:20

Fingers crossed for some less humid weather for next weeks long run. Officially over it. 

Chicago Marathon Training - Week 11

I felt very solid this week with training. My long run went very well. As did the recovery from it. I felt amazing the day after. My legs didn't feel heavy and I even managed a 20.5 mile bike ride easily. I feel like that is progress - quicker recovery from the miles. I only ran 4 days but put a lot of miles on the bike (47!!!) and feel the cross training is always beneficial. I have 3 BIG runs left before Chicago and slowly but surely that confidence is getting back up there. 

Monday - Cross Train - biked 16.25 miles 

Tuesday - 6 miles @ 9:30 + biked 10.25 miles - this run annoyed me. I started out and in the first half mile looked at my Garmin - I was running easy and figured it was like 10+ pace. It was an 8:20 - so what to I do - get in my head tell myself I am not able to run that pace and spend the rest of the time slowing down. Garmin you make me mental some times.

Wednesday - 3.6 miles @ 9:43 - my legs felt like they were weighed down by serious lead.

Thursday - I was going to do Yoga buuuut happy hour won and rest day was a total rest day minus like 15 mins of core in the morning.

Friday - 4.2 miles @ 9:31 my legs were starting to feel a little better but this was a struggle. dare I say treadmill workouts are starting to feel harder than those outdoors now?

Saturday - 16 miles @ 10:30. This run was pretty perfect. I met up with my friend Faith who is a couple miles from me down at the beach. We each ran a mile to meet and then she put us through a dynamic warm up (she is not only a BQ'er multiple times but a running coach) before we continued on. Average pace was right on as well as we negative split the run (thankful she ran my pace!). Stopped twice for the bathroom but stomach wasn't in pain so didn't bother me. 

Splits: 10:33, 10:40, 10:50, 10:36, 10:43, 10:58, 10:54, 10:30, 10:26, 10:17, 10:30, 10:27, 10:11, 10:03, 10:18, 9:58

Sunday - cross train - biked 20.5 miles. I need to get a bike up in the city. I am really enjoying biking days - minus my rear end isn't quite so used to so much time in the saddle just yet.

Total miles:  29.8 miles (counting running only) 

Long Run Success!

I swear that I approach every long run with equal senses of dread and excitement. 

I wanted to head straight to my beach house after work which meant I wouldn't be able to run with my friend Lindsay again and her group in the city Saturday. 

So I did what any normal person does, I sent out an SOS on Facebook, obvi :)

And I lucked out. My friend Faith who is a super runner and coach (like BQ kind of runner) is summering about 2 miles from me and we arranged to meet up and run together! 

I woke up at 5 ate a Clif bar and chugged a bottle of water then dozed off again for a while before getting up at 6 to get ready. 7:00 I was out the door and on my way. 

The weather was perfect. Slightly cloudy and overcast. A tad windy. Only like 70% humidity. Fantastic conditions at the Jersey Shore! 

I ran a mile or so to meet up and then Faith had us do some drills for a dynamic warmup. I never really do them and it is definitely something I should add in. And then we were off. 

Luckily she was willing to run my pace and also kept me highly entertained throughout the run. I was feeling pretty good for the most part. My hip has been bothering and she stopped to help me stretch out when it was getting bothersome. 

I had to make a couple bathroom stops this week but it was a difference between stomach pain and stomach being in shambles. So I wasn't upset by that. 

At 14 I left her and finished the last 2 on my own and was super happy with my splits. Negative split the run as well as nailed an average 10:30 pace - goal marathon pace is 9:30. I aim to be at least 10:30 if not slower, but want to do some with a strong finish to mimic pace on tired legs. 

Splits: 10:33, 10:40, 10:50, 10:36, 10:43, 10:58, 10:54, (10:30), 10:26, 10:17, 10:30, 10:27, 10:11, 10:03, 10:18, 9:58

After the run I walked home and hopped into the pool to chill the legs. (I forgot to unpause my Garmin one mile prior to the turnaround so missed mile 8. Oops)

Then proceeded to shower and eat all the food...errr or eat not much since there is barely anything in the house. Sad pants time a million. Runger nightmare. 

Never fear.  Delivery to help me out for dinner at least! 

I swear there is grilled chicken under all that mozz on the chicken parm!

Now super happy to have the long run done with and another 3 day weekend ahead of me. 

Hope you had a great Saturday! And Chicago Marathoners - I can't believe how soon it is!!!!

26.2 x 3 for the Fall

Yesterday this conversation happened:

My sister and I were apparently having an identical thought process about finding a race near my parents. Low and behold one that I have always been interested in running was the weekend (Sunday not Saturday I later realized) of Thanksgiving – when I plan to be in Florida for the holiday.

I got excited, yay. Half marathon and the parents would be close by!

Then I went to the site registration to the lovely message: Half marathon: full.

I immediately text to my sister relaying that…and that I guess I was running marathon number 3 for the fall (she was already planning to run the full).

Made it official this morning. With a slight panic of…umm what have I just done?

So first I will be running the streets of Chicago inOctober!

Then I will be fundraising and running NYCM with Team forKids 3 weeks later…

And topping it off with Space Coast Marathon 4 weeks after that.

And as it was pointed out to me, if I complete each, I will meet the qualifications for Marathon Maniacs.

Never any intention of mine. I kind of just want to survive at this point. And I get race registration happy. It’s a big problem for me.

On top of the fact that I am still not loving marathon training! So why don’t I just run 3 instead of 1. Sigh.

So now I have a rough idea of what “training/taper” will look like between each but will definitely need to come up with a more formal plan. 

I really had no plans for time goals for this fall. I am just really running. Trying to enjoy the run. I am in a tough spot at the moment - I have had a couple weeks of just tired and slow legs. Some days running a 10 min mile pace seems like the effort of attempting repeats. 

Then other days I look down and see a pace in the 8's that feels comfortable and psych myself out that I should slow down because I won't be able to sustain it. 

But those are issues for a different post. 

For now, woo hoo to marathoning! 26.2 x 3 here I come (god willing). 

Chicago Marathon Training - Week 10

Let's see this week was pretty uneventful - minus I had absolutely no speed any day whatsoever. But continued the trend of getting off the treadmill and outside! Did a yoga class but slacked on strength. Did some random core but not much else. Thank you work for making me miss classes. Life is tough. 

I also finally met up on Saturday with my friend Lindsay for her long group run and it was great to not only have a pace leader but to also not have to think about the route and just run! Gorgeous day out there. The fall like temps have been appreciated as well! 

Apparently the first marathon is a couple months away. Or so the calendar tells me. I am not feeling 100% ready but need to focus the next 4-5 weeks on the long runs to gain some more confidence. I know I will get through but I also know I would prefer to not struggle through. 

Monday -  3.55 miles @ 9:45 

Tuesday - Hour L2 class at Yogamaya with Bridgette - great class + easy 3 miles @ 10:00

Wednesday - day of rest

Thursday - 4 miles @ 9:30 total strugglefest 

Friday -  4.1 miles @ 9:46

Saturday - 14 miles @ 10:46 - we did the Queensboro Bridge + summer streets - good run and great company. Will never ever drink sangria + wine + Mexican the night before. My stomach was in shambles when I woke up. I have no clue how I made it through the run without stopping - again seeing glimmers of hope for my stomach issues! Even when I was a total asshole and definitely tested it. Would have liked to have gotten to 15 buuuut the beach weekend was calling my name #priorities 

Sunday - cross train - biked 15 miles - was going to run but trying to keep running down to 5 days - this was a nice change of pace. And I planned out a nice long run route. 

Total miles:  29.6 miles (counting running only) 

Bring on another week!