Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 14)

It's March 3rd, and this is what things look like in my 'hood:

Schools, the DC government, and the Feds are all closed today; my office has a very nice work from home policy, which I'm taking advantage of for the second half of the day.  

The snow is beautiful, but these cold temperatures are enough to make me worry about marathon day conditions.  Here's hoping for a sunny, 50-degree day...

I'm into the second week of my taper.  So far, it's been very nice to run fewer miles and not stress out about having the "right" conditions for a long run.  I know, I know...you're supposed to train in everything but, after many weeks of long runs in freezing temperatures, I'm looking forward to packing away my running tights.

Here's what things look like for this week:

Monday - Off, stretching 

Tuesday - 4 miles

Wednesday - 3 miles

Thursday - 3 miles

Friday - Off

Saturday - 8 miles

Sunday - 3 miles

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 13)

I must say that I've really lucked out with the weather on my 20-mile runs.  Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous -- about 40 when I started, clear, and eventually reaching 60.  Hopefully, things will be just as lovely on race day.

Of the three 20-mile runs, yesterday's was by far the hardest.  I ran over to the U.S. National Arboretum, which is one of my favorite parts of D.C. It's a little out of the way (great for a long run), but it's beautiful.

History lesson! These columns were part of the original east portico of the Capitol.

Looping back downtown and heading back to my apartment (basically miles 15 through 20), I started to overheat and felt sluggish.  It was a feeling that I really hadn't experienced on the other longer runs that I did.  (Granted, last week's feelings of just wanted to be at home was caused more by the fact that it was freezing and raining more than being actually tired.)  Of course, with this last 20-miler, the hard part of training is over.  At this point, I start my taper and just have to focus on recovery, nutrition, and getting to the start line injury-free.

Here's what the week looks like:

Monday: 3 miles

Tuesday: X-Training

Wednesday: 6 miles

Thursday: X-Training

Friday: Off

Saturday: 12 miles 

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 12)

Half-way through Week 13 is a great time to write the recap of Week 12, amiright?  

This is it -- the last "hard" week of training.  Honestly, I couldn't be happier because it means that I'm about a month out from race day.  I feel prepared, and I'm excited to see how it goes.  Last week, I don't think I ran nearly as many miles as my training plan says, but I did a few of my runs much faster (and felt good so there's that).  I did my long run on Saturday between binge watching House of Cards. It was a cold, rainy, generally miserable-looking day; around the Capitol, I ran into the Cupid's Undie Run.  Considering that I was wearing far more clothing that a lot of those runners, I figured that things could have been much worse and kicked myself into gear.  

So far this week, I've done a tempo workout and an easy three mile run (outside and in shorts!). Tomorrow, I'll run four miles, and, on Saturday, I'll run my last 20-miler of training.  And, it looks like the weather is going to be perfect this weekend.  Spring feels so close!

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 11)

Last week, I planned to run 36 miles.

Last week, I ran 20 miles.

And, I'm okay with that.  Because it was so cold this weekend (that, and I'm losing interest in layering up and sticking warmers to my feet and hands), I did my second long Yasso 800 workout: 10 half-mile intervals (with recovery intervals) switching between a 4:10 and 4:20 pace (per 800 meters).  It was challenging, but I felt strong throughout the workout; it's a nice confidence booster to know that, assuming that everything goes well until race day, I can likely finish between 4:10 and 4:20.

Since I ended the week with a 10 miler, I'm going to move my 16-miler to this weekend and follow with my last 20-mile run next weekend.  During the week, I'm going to run easy.  I went to the Y this evening to run on the indoor track, which was actually nice.  I mean, it must be one of the tiniest tracks in DC (21 laps on the inside lane for one mile) but it beats running outside.

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 10)

I don't know about you, but, at times, January seemed to slog by.  I love winter, and I love snow, but the bitter cold and short days are starting to get to me.

This weekend, we got a nice break from winter in DC.  I did my second 20-miler with temperatures in the high 40s, and it was amazing to not have to wear layer upon layer to go out running  I'm looking forward to spring -- wearing dresses/skirts with bare legs, rooftop lounging, and ideal running temperatures.

After running my second 20-miler, I feel very good about my progress.  Here's the plan for Week 11:

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 6 miles (speed workout)
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 16 miles
Sunday: 6 miles (easy)

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 9)

This is the story of Week 9 of my marathon training, or "How I Ran 16 Miles on the Treadmill."

Okay, actually, there isn't much of a story.  I spent this morning checking the temperature and whining about how cold it was and how I didn't want to run until it hit at least 32 degrees.  Eventually, I gave up and decided to run inside.  I've done extended speed workouts on the treadmill, but I changed the speed and incline so much that it broke up the time nicely.  Today, I started out thinking that I would run 6 miles easy and then run a few mile-long intervals before calling it quits.  I got to Mile 12 and, after that, just kept telling myself one more mile until I got to 16.  It was a challenge mentally, but it was great preparation for the marathon.  (Hey, look, I can do the same thing over and over for hours!)

Week 10 is up, and there are six weeks to go until the race.

Here's the schedule:

Monday: Stretching
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 20 miles (second of three)
Sunday: Off

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 8)

After running 20 miles last Sunday, I slacked off more than I should have last week.  Of the 25 miles I had planned, I finished Week 8 with 18 miles.  It's not a huge deal, and it may be a good thing that I didn't run as hard.

This week will be a little busier than usual with work, so my plan is to spread my miles across a few days (usually I run twice during the week and have a weekend long run).

Week 9:
Monday - 5 miles (easy)
Tuesday - Cross-training
Wednesday - 7 miles (speed work)
Thursday - 4 miles (easy)
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 16 miles
Sunday - Rest

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 7)

My first 20-mile run of this training cycle actually was okay.  I felt good up until Mile 18, at which point I told myself to keep running because there was a cheeseburger waiting for me in Eastern Market.  (I ran with my coworker who is training for February's Miami marathon, so we started and ended our run in her neck of the woods.)  The best part? I still have two more 20-mile runs on my training plan....

...yay?

Week 8 (the mid-point) is actually pretty relaxed compared to last week.  I have a total of 25 miles planned, spread out over three days.  Here's what it looks like:

Monday: Rest, stretching
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: Cross and strength training
Thursday: 8 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 9 miles
Sunday: Cross and strength training

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 6)

This comes somewhat belatedly, but happy new year!

It’s funny – when I graduated from college in 2009 and thought about returned for my five year reunion, 2014 seemed so distant. But, it’s here – which also means that I’m also at the half-way point in my training.

Week 7 includes my first of three (planned) 20-mile runs. Thankfully, this weekend will be much warmer than it has been. I’m not going to say that I enjoyed running 17 miles in below freezing temperatures last weekend, but the temperature did provide a nice incentive to keep moving and finish as quickly as possible.

Here’s the full plan for the week (most of which is already done):

Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 3 miles
Wednesday – Stretching and foam rolling. (I started physical therapy and learned that I am dealing with ITBS in my right knee, but it’s largely due to weak gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles. I have a plan and, hopefully, will be able to correct the problem without too much difficulty.)
Thursday – 6 miles (speed workout)
Friday – Cross-training and strength training
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – 20 miles (eeeeeep!)

Marathon No. 5: Weekly Round-Up (Week 2)

Two weeks down, 14 more to go...

So far, following the more difficult of my training plans has worked out well.  (It's still early, so we'll see if I'm singing the same tune when the mileage starts to increase.)  Having the break between running workouts has really helped me feel more rested.  The one thing that I did learn, though, is that I need at least one more day between my speed workout and my long run.  By the end of my 13-miler on Saturday, I felt more tired than I should have and had to will myself not to hop on public transportation.

This is what things look like for Week 3:

Total miles: 25
Tuesday: 5 miles (easy)
Wednesday: 6 miles (speed workout)
Saturday: 14 miles
(Stretching, cross-training: Monday and Thursday)

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (10)

The race is this Saturday! Holy cow!

I plan to take things easy this week in preparation for the race: Monday is for cross-training, Tuesday and Wednesday are for easy runs, and then that's it.  With any luck, the weather next Saturday will be as gorgeous as this past weekend.  I'm getting pumped!

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (9)

I think I might be ready for something new. 

I never thought that I would say this, but I don't feel the same about running as I used to.  It could just be that I've been doing the majority of my runs on the treadmill and that running on cold, windy days isn't exactly pleasant, but I haven't looked forward to a run in weeks.  Training is starting to feel like something that I have to do not something that I want to do. 

I don't want to stop running.  There are days when all I want to do is run, and running has helped me in so many ways over the last three years.  But, I guess I'm starting to feel...stuck.  Hopefully, my upcoming race will reignite all of the warm fuzzies that I used to have toward running.

(In other words: whine, whine, whine, first world problems, whine, whine.)

So, with the race 11 days away, I guess it's time to taper.  I took yesterday off from running and did a 25-minute hill workout on Tuesday.  Here's the plan for the rest of the week:

Wednesday - 4 miles
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 6-8 miles

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (8)

Three weeks to go, and I'm feelin' good!

On Saturday, I hit the treadmill for a nine-mile speed workout. I wanted to do more, but I figured that I should end the run feeling like I could run more instead of exhausting myself.  On Sunday, I went out for a four-miler. Again, I wanted to run more but thought it would be best to take it easy and avoid injuring myself.

This week will probably be the hardest of this training cycle.  I don't see a need to do a full taper, but I don't want to run much the week before the race.

Here's the plan:

Monday: Stretching. foam rolling
Tuesday: 4 miles (easy)
Wednesday: Tempo Run
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 14 miles

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (7)

I'm down to the last four weeks of this training cycle.  More and more, I'm starting to feel more confident about being able to reach my time goal.  Still, I have a lot more work to do.

Here's what I have planned for Week 9:

Monday - Hill workout
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Tempo run: 7 miles
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 13 miles

In other running news, the New York Times Well Blog published a piece about retiring old running shoes.  I usually go about 400 miles in my shoes or start a new pair after I run a big race.  It's a worthwhile read.

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (6)

I'm happy to report that after last week's rough start, my week (and running) improved. 

Here's the plan for Week 8:

Monday: Rest Day, with a focus on stretching and foam rolling
Tuesday: 3 miles, easy, and strength training
Wednesday: Hill intervals (45-minutes)
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 13 miles
Sunday: 4 miles

With just a little more than a month to go until the half, I've started to think about how I can target my last few workouts so that I'm prepared to finish in under two hours.  As always, I will be more than thrilled if I cross the finish line in 1:59:59.

I've run this race twice now (for the inaugural RnR Half and in 2011 when it was the National Half) but, this year, the course is slightly different. Before the run, I want to run the course at a relaxed paced.  I'm obviously familiar with the area, but a trial run could help me plan how best to pace myself during the race.  I'll have to take a look at my training plan and make a few adjustments.  It's time to put in serious work.

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (5)

Running is off to rough start this week.  I'm going to avoid coming off as whiny - because, after all, I'm doing this by choice - but I've felt incredibly exhausted.  (Yesterday, I skipped my workout and was in bed by 9 PM.)  I ran three miles this evening, and the workout was much harder than it should have been. Hopefully, I'll be at 100 percent soon.

Here's the plan for Week 7:

Sunday: 3 miles
Monday: X-Training and Strength
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Speed Workout
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 13 miles

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (4)

Did you hear?  It's been cold.  In fact, on Wednesday, it was warmer in Anchorage than in DC.

I managed to get a few runs in, but I didn't run nearly as much as I had planned.  I was able to get in a few short runs during the week. Stef and I ran about eight miles yesterday (when we started, the temperature was around 25 degrees); it felt good, but I think staying out any longer than that would have been miserable.  

The temperatures this week are expected to be much warmer.  Here's the plan this week:

Sunday - X-Training and Strength
Monday - 5 miles
Tuesday - 4 miles
Wednesday - Speed work, 6 miles
Thursday - 4 miles
Saturday - 13 miles

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (3)

Last weekend's temperatures were perfect for running. I'm not looking forward to the cold snap that is on its way to the region -- unless, of course, it leads to snow.

Here's my plan for this week:

Sunday: X-Training and Strength
Monday: 4 miles (progression run)
Tuesday: 4 miles (easy)
Wednesday: 6 miles (tempo run)
Thursday: 3 miles (easy)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 13 miles

Operation Sub-2 (Redux) - Weekly Round-Up (2)

My SmartCoach plan is working well so far.  Last week, I ran all of my runs as intended (meaning I didn't quit because I was bored or tired, and I even managed to wake up at 6 AM to run before work).

I'm worried, though, about doing so many runs on the treadmill.  It's fine, but it's really not the same as running outside.  This week, I'm thankful that Stef and I are going to meet up after work to run hills.   I'm also curious about the logistics of running during my lunch break.  If I can run and shower in an hour, it might be the way to go during the winter months.

This is the plan for Week 3:

Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - 5 miles (easy)
Wednesday - Hill workout with Stef
Thursday - X-Training and Strength
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 5 miles
Saturday - 5 miles

MCM 37: Weekly Round-Up (6)

Twenty-five days to go!

I received my MCM eCard today, which included my bib number and information about the expo.  I can't believe that it's almost here -- which is also to say, where did the last four months go? 

Last Saturday, I had one of the best three-and-a-half hour runs ever.  It may have been the fact that the weather was gorgeous, that I tried a new route, or that I was looking forward to baking this chocolate stout cake.  Whatever it was, I felt great.  I was able to run for 45-minute intervals, stopping only for gels and restroom breaks.  Finishing 19 miles and feeling like I could run more was a huge confidence boost.

This is my last week before the taper period.  Already, I've done a short hill workout, cross-trained, and ran 4 miles.  Left for this week are a speed workout and a 22-miler for Saturday.  Here's hoping that it goes well.