I know some of you get bored with training posts, so, if that is the case, instead of reading the below post, read THIS, about the time I missed the bus in Argentina due to an unknown time change and met a local in the process. Week 1 - 4 and Week 5 - 8 can be found by clicking the links <----.
Santa Rosa Marathon Training -- Week 9 to Week 11
Week 9: Luckily this was a step-back week, because I was really not feeling it. I had to go to the city on Thursday and it threw off my run for that day. Saturday was a stress ball day of broken cars and Sunday was the drive to Oregon, which meant 8 hours in the car. This week was a lot of trail running, which some may consider "junk" miles, but I call them hill workouts!
Monday: 1 hour of P90x Core
Tuesday: 13.1 mile trail run @ 10:20 pace
Wednesday: 8.5 mile trail run @ 10:13 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 8.2 mile trail run @ 10:09 pace
Saturday: 6 miles @ 8:20 pace
Sunday: Rest
Total Miles: Goal 35.6 / Actual 35.5 / Long Run 13.1
Week 10: This week I was in Oregon until Friday, which I thought would cause me to have LESS miles, but in fact, with three ladies trying to get ready plus a baby to get ready, feed and give naps to, there ended up being extra free time, which I used to run. Also, my friend is trying to get back into running, so I also did run/walk intervals with her. I put them in parenthesis.
Monday: 7 miles @ 7:40 pace (+ 3 miles @ 12:53)
Tuesday: 2 miles @ 7:15 pace (+ 3.5 miles @ 13:36)
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:03 pace
Thursday: 9.5 miles @ 8:43 pace (on Peterson Ridge Trail -- mostly flat)
Friday: (3.75 miles @ 14:14 pace) Flight home
Saturday: 19 miles @ 8:40 pace (8:20 - 9:20 is the pace suggested by McMillan for my long runs)
Sunday: Rest
Total Miles: Goal 47 / Actual 56 (*my highest ever!) / Long Run 19
Week 11: This week was a difficult one, physically and mentally. First of all, I went out and had a few drinks on Sunday, so I took Monday off. Then there was 4th of July and more drinks, so I took Thursday off. My schedule calls for 6 days of running, but I often combine the two shorter ones (this week it was 4 and 5) so I can have two rest days. This week I needed them! Wine + little sleep Does Not = happy runner.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 10 miles @ 9:05 pace
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:22 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 6 miles @ 8:26 pace
Saturday: 20 miles @ 8:58 pace
Sunday: 8 miles @ 9:54 pace (my legs were SO tired from the long run. Remind me to keep Sunday as my rest day if my long run is going to be on Saturday. This was NOT a fun run. McMillan suggests a recovery pace of 9:20 - 9:50, so I missed my mark on this one).
Total Miles: Goal 54.5 / Actual 53 / Long Run 20
Luckily this means next week is another step back week because I will be traveling again and who knows what the conditions will be. I have to admit, I know that I am SUPER lucky to be training in a place where the high usually doesn't reach the 70s. I am a bit worried that the marathon is going to be HOT and I am going to keel over because I am not accustomed to it. So this weekend there may be a few hot training runs just as a test to see how I will do. Wish me luck!
Verdict? 20 miles is not that bad anymore. What IS bad is the run the day after. I think I need to have a short run on Friday (or a rest day) and a rest day on Sunday (or a shorter run). I also don't know how some people can run 100 miles a week when training. I am pretty tired. My feet are tender. I have listened to all the This American Life episodes and 3 audio books. What keeps me going? Views like the one in the photo above. If I was running 20 miles on the street or a bike path or in the heat, I would be an emotional wreck.
A quick note on fueling. Jelly beans? Too sweet, but good because I can take one by one when I want them. Gu? Sticks in my belly UNLESS I eat it over the course of several miles which is okay but can get messy (I fold it and tuck it into my wrist band). Nuun? So far, so good, but I think better to take before or after rather than during, since I just don't like sweet stuff while I am running. I also found that watering it down a bit helps. I have a new favorite fuel, but I think it deserves it's own post, so stay tuned!
Also, congratulations to Amber, a fellow marathoner and blogger who just got married yesterday!
Are you training for anything? When you travel, do you exercise less or more? What is your favorite distance to run?
Santa Rosa Marathon Training -- Week 9 to Week 11
Week 9: Luckily this was a step-back week, because I was really not feeling it. I had to go to the city on Thursday and it threw off my run for that day. Saturday was a stress ball day of broken cars and Sunday was the drive to Oregon, which meant 8 hours in the car. This week was a lot of trail running, which some may consider "junk" miles, but I call them hill workouts!
Monday: 1 hour of P90x Core
Tuesday: 13.1 mile trail run @ 10:20 pace
Wednesday: 8.5 mile trail run @ 10:13 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 8.2 mile trail run @ 10:09 pace
Saturday: 6 miles @ 8:20 pace
Sunday: Rest
Total Miles: Goal 35.6 / Actual 35.5 / Long Run 13.1
Week 10: This week I was in Oregon until Friday, which I thought would cause me to have LESS miles, but in fact, with three ladies trying to get ready plus a baby to get ready, feed and give naps to, there ended up being extra free time, which I used to run. Also, my friend is trying to get back into running, so I also did run/walk intervals with her. I put them in parenthesis.
Monday: 7 miles @ 7:40 pace (+ 3 miles @ 12:53)
Tuesday: 2 miles @ 7:15 pace (+ 3.5 miles @ 13:36)
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:03 pace
Thursday: 9.5 miles @ 8:43 pace (on Peterson Ridge Trail -- mostly flat)
Friday: (3.75 miles @ 14:14 pace) Flight home
Saturday: 19 miles @ 8:40 pace (8:20 - 9:20 is the pace suggested by McMillan for my long runs)
Sunday: Rest
Total Miles: Goal 47 / Actual 56 (*my highest ever!) / Long Run 19
Week 11: This week was a difficult one, physically and mentally. First of all, I went out and had a few drinks on Sunday, so I took Monday off. Then there was 4th of July and more drinks, so I took Thursday off. My schedule calls for 6 days of running, but I often combine the two shorter ones (this week it was 4 and 5) so I can have two rest days. This week I needed them! Wine + little sleep Does Not = happy runner.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 10 miles @ 9:05 pace
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:22 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 6 miles @ 8:26 pace
Saturday: 20 miles @ 8:58 pace
Sunday: 8 miles @ 9:54 pace (my legs were SO tired from the long run. Remind me to keep Sunday as my rest day if my long run is going to be on Saturday. This was NOT a fun run. McMillan suggests a recovery pace of 9:20 - 9:50, so I missed my mark on this one).
Total Miles: Goal 54.5 / Actual 53 / Long Run 20
Luckily this means next week is another step back week because I will be traveling again and who knows what the conditions will be. I have to admit, I know that I am SUPER lucky to be training in a place where the high usually doesn't reach the 70s. I am a bit worried that the marathon is going to be HOT and I am going to keel over because I am not accustomed to it. So this weekend there may be a few hot training runs just as a test to see how I will do. Wish me luck!
 |
| Taken from Running Ahead |
Verdict? 20 miles is not that bad anymore. What IS bad is the run the day after. I think I need to have a short run on Friday (or a rest day) and a rest day on Sunday (or a shorter run). I also don't know how some people can run 100 miles a week when training. I am pretty tired. My feet are tender. I have listened to all the This American Life episodes and 3 audio books. What keeps me going? Views like the one in the photo above. If I was running 20 miles on the street or a bike path or in the heat, I would be an emotional wreck.
A quick note on fueling. Jelly beans? Too sweet, but good because I can take one by one when I want them. Gu? Sticks in my belly UNLESS I eat it over the course of several miles which is okay but can get messy (I fold it and tuck it into my wrist band). Nuun? So far, so good, but I think better to take before or after rather than during, since I just don't like sweet stuff while I am running. I also found that watering it down a bit helps. I have a new favorite fuel, but I think it deserves it's own post, so stay tuned!
Also, congratulations to Amber, a fellow marathoner and blogger who just got married yesterday!
Are you training for anything? When you travel, do you exercise less or more? What is your favorite distance to run?
Wow, you are getting in some big mileage over the past few weeks! Will be curious to see what your new favorite fuel is.
ReplyDeleteYou are staying right on target with your goal mileage and getting some seriously awesome running! Your post is making me nostalgic for marathon training....
ReplyDeleteI still can't say 20 miles isn't so bad! That distance is always tough for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm not great at exercising when I travel but I definitely try to get in more long walks and other cross-training (sightseeing by bike, etc). I'm impressed at your mileage!
ReplyDeleteHoly moly, nice mileage! Now I want to know what your favorite fuel its:) I can't do gu or any type of gel. Makes me gag. Depending on where I go, I usually exercise less when I travel. Unless walking counts, I usually do a lot of that.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty good at exercising when I travel if I'm alone or just with my husband. Throw in the kids and things get...a little tougher. We're taking a week-long trip to Durango and staying in a cabin next month. I'm wondering how that's going to go.....
ReplyDeleteYou're doing great with the training! I'm living vicariously!
You ARE doing great with your training. Your paces are outstanding! I would suggest taking a rest day Friday. I believe it helps the day before your long run, and then, run on Sunday a shorter distance. As you go along, you find/figure out what works for your body, but you don't want to injure yourself either. I never eat on long runs, never. I don't like anything in my stomach. Sometimes, I don't even drink a lot of water (I know...stupid), however, this is what my body is used to. New fav recovery drinks are Lemonade Ultima Replenisher and I also like Hammer Nutrition Mango FIZZ.
ReplyDeleteWow. Awesome training and I have pace envy! It drives me crazy how so many of the fuels for running are too sweet. Yuk! And Gu? Can't even go there. I like 6-8 miles training runs and 10K and half races. I'm training for my sub 2 half in September. Yikes...it's getting close!
ReplyDeleteI run less when traveling... I seem to travel to places that are not conducive to lots of running. Like at the lake, there is no where good to run. And then at the resort I stayed at, once again there was no where good to run. Oh well! I had low expectations going into this vacation and am pleased with the # of miles I fit in!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so well on the training! I am envious of your cooler temps. This heat and humidity is killing me. It was so lovely to run in cooler, less humid temps last week!
This looks like three solid weeks of training to me. I feel like I am constantly commending you for being so speedy! All this cool weather on vacation is going to spoil me.
ReplyDelete