Let's (hurry up) and do this

Week 9: 

11/16: Rest

11/17: 4 miles, easy. 38+ min

11/18: Rest. Hamstring pain

11/19: 5 miles 

11/20: Strength, 1 mile TM. 35 min

11/21: 8 miles

11/22: Rest

Not exactly the high mileage week the plan called for but whatever. I've actually only hit the prescribed weekly mileage for this half training cycle, maybe... twice?Most weeks have been hovering around 20 miles/week, which feels comfortable. 

However comfortable, the steady (low-ish miles) have translated into less than stellar paces for most of my runs. My legs were very heavy for most of my morning runs, although my long runs were... Decent. Not great, but not sucktastic. 

Let's be real, I'm kind of ready for this Sunday to just come already. I won't be breaking or making any speed records but it's ok. 

I was able to run with two of my Beast Runner ladies on Saturday, and it was wonderful. We met at the trailhead at 6:55 bright and early. It was a balmy 27 degrees and perfectly clear and crispy. Pace was the last thing on my mind. I just wanted to get some miles on my legs, and i ended having a wonderful conversation with my running buddy. It was one of those pleasant, perfect runs - ideal weather (once we warmed up a bit), lovely conversation, and a pristine crisp morning. I felt like I could have kept running for miles. For a moment, I almost wished i was doing a really long run a  how insane does that sound. It was the kind of moment that makes you cherish the ability to run. When the run was over, J was so kind to treat us to hot cups of green tea. I have the nicest friends. A perfect way to start the weekend. 

Whatever happens this weekend at the race,  I'll be ok. I will do the best I can, and that will be good enough.

So. Now it's taper time. Starting the week strong with a rest day. 

Two weeks left

Week 8: 

11/9: Rest

11/10: 4 miles, speed work/hills. 37 min. Strength. 15 min 

11/11: 4 miles. Abs. 50 min ttl 

11:12: Strength (1 TM miles) - 40 min (mc fit)

11/13: Rest

11/14: 13 miles. It's complicated 

11/15: Strength 35 min

I'm pooped. 

I woke up this morning to extremely tight hamstrings, and I could picture them snapping with one wrong move. Good thing I took a rest day but some serious stretching is in order tonight. 

I didn't fit in any longer weekday runs last week. Looking back at the last couple of weeks, I don't think the added mileage was beneficial at all, not in the way I was running them anyways. I wasn't pushing myself or using the time wisely, instead just trying to bank the miles. Last week I just decided to run a couple of four milers - short but smart: they weren't spectacular or exceptionally fast but they were workouts with purpose. I felt good about the two sessions, and then added a pretty solid strength session on Thursday. Friday's are usually rest days if my long runs fall on Saturdays. 

Saturday. 

It rained.

Like, A LOT.

All. Day. Long. 

Normally for a longer run, I wake up early and try to get out the door before 8, but this time I decided there was no rush. We had no plans, there would be no break in the rain showers and it would most likely be dark-ish and colder the earlier I started. 

I let myself sleep in until 8, leisurely enjoyed my coffee and pita bread w jam and almond butter, and strolled out into the steady rain around 9:20. 

For the next two hours, I would pound the soggy pavement, step in a massive puddle, get sprayed at least four times by passing cars, and run up and down the same strip of neighborhood 3.5 times. Also, I would forget to start my garmin after a stop light, and proceed to run the next 1+ mile with the watch on pause.  

It's funny how a stupid watch and silly numbers can really mess with your mind because I almost quit after seeing that I hadn't received "credit" for miles 8.5 to 9.75. But then, how ridiculous is that. It's not like I didn't actually run those miles, I most certainly did! 

Proceeded to bust out the rest of the miles at a steady pace. There would be no fast finish: in fact, this training cycle had been filled with anything but fast anything. 

I don't know the exact time of my run since my garmin and I are not currently on speaking terms but the data suggests my pace was 9:35 overall. Decent. I'll take it given the circumstances.

Oh, and I took an immodium before I started my run. I sipped on two Gu's at miles 5 and 10 (jet blackberry, and salted watermelon) and had no water. Thirsty! I experienced very mile stomach distress about an hour or so after finishing but much more mild than usual. No other ill side effects from the run, aside from being frozen solid the rest of the day. Brrr.

Threw in one more strength circuit on Sunday. I probably should have run a few miles to shake out my legs but I just was not feeling the treadmill, and we also woke up to 37 degrees and a dusting of snow yesterday! 

One more long run left, Turkey day, and then it's race time!

And on a Sunday

Week 7:

11/2: Rest

11/3: 6 miles - 1 mi WU. 3,4? 800's. 200m recovery. 1.5 mi cd. 55+min

11/4: 4 miles,  easy 

11/5: 1 TM. Circuits. 45 min

11/6: Strength circuit. 40 min. PM

11/7: Rest

11/8: 11 miles- 1hr45. 

Total weekly mileage: 22

I wish I would have started training a couple weeks earlier than I did. I keep looking back at my training journal from last year and I can't remember hitting those paces, and I certainly don't remember it being as hard as it has been this time around. During yesterday's long run, I had lots of time to think about the race, and decided I may need to revisit my goals. In my experience, I race exactly as I train. There are no race day heroics or surprise performances. What I practice comes to fruition. Every single time. So unless I can (literally) turn it up a couple of notches, I will not be meeting or beating my time from last year. I think I'm ok with that, based on the fact that this training cycle has been so different (especially with the addition of more and heavier weight training. It's funny how I can feel so sloggy while running, but still strong in other times. The other day, I even noticed baby biceps forming on my normally wobbly old lady bat wings. Even J noticed and was pretty impressed. 

So. Baby steps. I don't have everything figured out quite yet (will I ever?) but I think that's ok. I am healthier than I was even a few years ago so at least I have that for which I'm thankful. 

I also think since I am running less weekly mileage - replacing the short 3,4 mile runs w XT- this might also be affecting my endurance/mental strength? Who knows! Just a thought. 

So. Last week. 

This time around I have been working out on Mondays, which normally would be a rest day for me. However, last week I started the week off with a rest and decided Tuesday would be my speed day.

My "speed" session was not easy. 800's are hard! I lost track of how many I did, but even 3 is a lot. I think I definitely need to throw in some real speed work into my rotation on a consistent basis, not just when I'm training. I need to remind my legs what it feels like to move faster than a snail. 

I did try to keep Wednesdays 4 miles easy. I always start my first mile at a 6.0 on the treadmill (10 min/mile) and hovered around 6.3, 6.4. 

Thursday workout details

Workout courtesy of Megan - munchercruncher on Instagram

Um. Way harder than I thought it would be. And took me longer too! Total workout was 45 minutes. Solid. Also. #wobblylegs

Friday workout details: 

     5 rounds

      20 DB cleans #20

      10 squat and press #15

      10 burpees 

      5 rounds

       12 bicep curls

       12 hammer curls

       12 upright rows

       12 push-ups

       12 triceps dips

  

        40 min total

Our scheduling didn't line up this week so I had to postpone my long run to Sunday, which tends to stress me out. I like to get my long runs out of the way first thing on Saturday so I can enjoy the weekend. You know, eat out, have a glass of wine, etc. . But, since I really had no other choice, I decided to try and look positively at the situation.  I took the opportunity to sleep in on Saturday (until 9:15!!!), make pancakes for the kids and just lounge around the house. I took W to a birthday party, made my favorite sweet potato chili, hung out with the kids and then later in the evening we had dinner out for my mom and brother's birthdays. I made sure to carb load on lots of sushi and noodles. 

Sunday I quite literally rolled out of bed at 6:07, had a cup of coffee and two small leftover pancakes w a smear of almond butter, and then was out the door by 7:20. I looped around the adjacent neighborhood twice until I hit 2 horrid warmup miles and then headed out of the neighborhood for 9 more very inconsistent miles. I tried to relax and take it easy but the beginning miles were a struggle (aren't they always). Around mile 4,5 I started to hit the groove. I had a vanilla GU close to mile 6 but no water. I didn't feel thirsty during the entire run but I'm sure I could have used some hydration. I can't stand any water belts so I may have to cave and try a handheld. Anyways. Mile 9 was a long uphill and I managed to keep it 10 minutes although last year at this time I was closer to 9. Womp. Oh well. That was last year. Anyways, I really had to dig for the last two miles. Mile 10 felt very long and then by mile 11 I just wanted to be done. I put my head down, pumped my arms and tried not to implode. 

Of course when it was done, I was super proud of myself for not giving up its toor letting myself stop, except for one stop light. I managed to finish about a mile from home, so I walk/jogged to cool down and let my body slowly recoup. When I end the run right in front of my house, I tend to rush inside and take a shower  without bothering to stretch or cool down. I've also been more mindful about making sure to refuel right after my hard workouts. I've finally found a protein powder that is gentle in my stomach! Hallelujah. However, running in general is not kind to my stomach, so especially after long runs I tend to use the facilities a few times more than normal. I might try to take Pepto or Immodium before my next long run, to see if that helps any. 

11 miles this past Sunday.

11 miles? Or the peace sign?

Or. Both?

13 this coming Saturday. I can do it. Right. 

27 days left

Week 6: 

10/26: 7 miles. 2 WU. 3x1, 800m jog, 1 mi CD (Did this wrong. HMP, not 10k pace)

10/27: 30 min, strength circuit

10/28: 3 miles, indoor track. Strength. 3 miles, TM. 6 mi ttl 

10/29: Rest

10/30: Rest

10/31: 9 miles. TM. 9:20ish

11/1: Strength (8 rounds)

Something's not working. 

I'm not sure what it is but I have just a few weeks to figure it out. This cycle has been different in that I've been incorporating more weight training but I think that is also what is causing the struggles. I don't think I've quite figured out how to balance the two. Plus, I think not eating meat has come to a point where it really is affecting  me with this increase in miles (and I'm not even running that many!)  I always feel sluggish and heavy, and I know I'm not (any more) heavier than last year. I do feel like I'm more muscular and not skinny fat like I was when I first started running but shouldn't that make me feel stronger? Anyways, I discovered I should be taking a vitamin B12 supplement since I am a pseudo vegetarian. It's supposed to help red blood cell generation and it's something typically only found in animal proteins. I do still eat eggs and some dairy, but I definitely think something is lacking in my nutrition. I feel like I eat a good amount, and a varied diet but maybe with my working out and busy schedule, maybe it's just not enough. So, I'll stuff myself with the vitamins and see what works. 

So. Ok. Running. Last week was mediocre. I decided to do 7 TM miles on a Monday night, but ended up running the miles at HMP, not 10k pace, so the workout wasn't as hard as it should have been. 

Tuesday I thought it would be a brilliant idea to do the crippling leg workout from a couple of weeks ago, and again, I was sore for two days afterwards. I was off from work Wednesday for a field trip with W, but managed 3 indoor track miles (21 laps- hamster time) and some arms on the machine with a friend who met me at the Y! The time was cut short since I had to pick up the kiddos but once I got home, I forced myself to squeeze in 3 very painful sloggy TM miles to get to 6 for the day. 

In more positive news, busted out new Brooks Launch for the treadmill. They are super light and cushy, albeit a tad ugly? But this color was on sale, and the price was incredible so in this case, I was cheaper than I was vain. But juuuust barely. 

Thursday and Friday ended up being rest days (sore cowboy legs!) and then Saturday's 9 mile run was forced indoors due to the blustery winds and sideways downpour. Normally I don't mind running outside in any weather but the vain part of me did not want to get my new shoes sopping wet. Here is where vanity wins. 

Old season of at TBL in the background!

9 ugly miles on the treadmill. 1hr24 min. I stopped the treadmill a good handful of times and had to convince myself to run the extra mile to get to 9. I'm always pretty happy once I'm done but the first 30-40 minutes of any run are an eternity. 

I considered a slow shake out run on Sunday but I settled on some weights and upper body. Aside from the sore leg struggles, I have noticed that my upper body and shoulders especially are stronger when I'm running longer distances. I just need to figure out how to put it all together, this running and weights thing.

A dash of this, a pinch of that.. Boom, crash...Voila?