Week 12 of Marathon Training: Oct 26 – Nov 1

Time to reset – I ended up making a revised 7 week plan to take me to the marathon.  I doubt I will be able to break the 4 hour mark, but hopefully I will be able to complete unlike last year.  Once I take the pressure off (of the Sub4 goal), everything gets easier.  And I’m sure the cooler weather helps!

Monday – 5 miles (44:53).  I went out with the plan to run 5 miles easy.  My stride was somewhat choppy in the beginning and it felt like I was moving super slow, so I was extremely surprised by my times.  9:17, 9:00, 9:00, 8:53 & 8:42.

Tuesday – Elliptical: 30 minutes and Body Pump!

Wednesday – Lunch: 3 miles (26:53).  First mile was a warm up in 9:37 and the last two miles had some speed work thrown in at an 8:00 pace with a 9:20 recovery pace.  Group Run: 4 miles (39:18 – the first 2 were 10+ min pace and the last 2 were at around 9:15 pace).

Thursday – Rest Day.

Friday – Unplanned Rest day.  I was supposed to run 3 miles, but it was raining and I didn’t feel like it, so I didn’t run.

Saturday – Ran the 3 miles I skipped on Friday.  Nice and easy, no watch.

Sunday – Ran 17 miles!  I completed the DRC half (13.25) and finished up with another 3.75.  I was actually extremely pleased with my half marathon.  I haven’t done a long run in several weeks and the ones I had done were a run/walk.  I started off going nice and easy and was just hoping to run as much as possible and wanting to be under 2:06.  I was able to run the whole thing (except water stops because I still have not mastered running and drinking without choking) and ran a negative split!  2:02:14. The first half of the race was completed in 1:02:18 and the second half was completed in 59:56.  After the race I did an easy 3.75 while cheering on the runners still out on the course.

 

Half:  9:48, 9:24, 9:38, 9:30, 9:07, 9:15, 9:14, 9:05, 9:09, 9:10, 8:54, 9:11, 8:47, & 8:12 to finish.

Extra miles: 9:51, 9:50, 9:50 & 9:40 to finish.

 

Total miles = 32 miles for the week!

Week 9 of Marathon Training: Oct 5 – Oct 11

Monday – A glorious 5 mile run in the evening.  The weather was cool (still tank top weather, but not sweltering) and I decided on no watch – just my music.  It felt great!

Tuesday – Had another work dinner so I hit the gym for a quick 2 miles (16:37 – 8:19 pace).

Wednesday – Group run: 4 miles (37:05 – 9:16 pace). 9:56, 8:53, 9:06 and 9:08.

Thursday – Rest day

Friday – Ran 4 miles

Saturday – Run/walk 7 miles.  My heart wasn’t in it!

Sunday – Off Day – went for a 45 minute walk at night to get my steps in.  I guess these fitness tracker things are motivating

 

Total miles: 22 miles.  Wednesday I got notified of a large loss on one of my work accounts and being stressed out absolutely kills my motivation for working out.  All weekend I was down, anxious, and stressed out over it that I didn’t do much….

 

Although I am half through marathon training, I have skipped some long runs and haven't done perfect, but I still have a solid 2 months before the race.  That is 6 weeks of work, followed up with 2 weeks of taper, so I should still be OK.  Last year I tried to do a bit too much and that along with life just caught up to me.  I am trying to mimic my first (Chicago) marathon training plan and am ahead of schedule on that one.

Week 8 of Marathon Training: Sept 28 – Oct 4

Monday – Lunch: 3 miles!  Home: 6 miles.  The weather is finally only hitting highs in the low-90s, so most of the time it was only been in the 80s when I get my run in.  So much better!

Tuesday – Had a work dinner, so hit the gym in the basement of the building between work and the dinner.  2 miles (17:30 – 9:10 & 8:20), then lifted arms – bent over row, shoulder press, bicep curl, chest press, triceps extensions, and leg raises.

Wednesday – Lunch: 3 miles.  Evening: Group Run: 4 miles.  Followed up with some (Chicago) 312 Beer!

Thursday – Top Golf and sand volleyball sort of day. There was no running and no ‘true workout,’ but I woke up super sore on Friday!

Friday – Off Day

Saturday – 16 miles (2:44:02 – 10:15 pace).  This run went extremely well.  I did 10.5 miles and ended up back at the house, had to charge the watch/iPod for 30 minutes then went out for the last 5.5 miles.  Ran the full 16 in new shoes and had no problems.

Sunday – Off Day – surprising how good I felt after 16, no soreness or fatigue.

 

Total miles: 34 miles.  Right on target!

Week 7 of Marathon Training: Sept 21 – Sept 27

Monday – Lunch: 3 miles!  Home: 5 miles (47:58 – 9:35 avg).  My legs were super tired, but I just kept it easy and was pretty happy at the end of this run.  9:36, 9:36, 9:38, 9:39, 9:27.

Tuesday – Rest Day!

Wednesday – Lunch: 3 miles.  Group run from Palio’s 3.09 miles in 28:51 (9:21 pace – 9:44, 9:23, 8:59 & 8:42 pace to finish).  Then pizza and beer on the patio!

Thursday – Lunch: 3 miles

Friday – Rest Day

Saturday – Easy 5 mile run

Sunday – Rest Day

 

Total miles: 22 miles.  Not the best week of running, but I am definitely starting to feel better on my runs!

Week 6 of Marathon Training: Sept 14 – Sept 20

Monday – Rest Day!

Tuesday – Gym: 3 miles in 27:22 (9:07 pace).  0.50 warm up at 9:30, 1.50 miles at marathon pace – 9:05, and then kept picking it up a bit over the last mile!  Then Body Pump time.  For some reason I could not handle the same weight I did last week, so I had to scale is down a bit.  Not sure if the run took it out of me, didn’t eat (well) enough, or just wasn’t my day.  Still managed a good workout!

Wednesday – Lunch: 3 miles.  Group run: 4 miles (38:28 – 9:37 pace).  10:10, 9:39, 9:18, 9:20.

Thursday – Lunch: 3 miles

Friday – Rest     

Saturday – 14 miles.  Ran 1.6 miles before the Tour de Fleurs 20K. The first 6 or so miles of the races went well, the last 6 miles of the race were a struggle!

Sunday – Lake/football day!

 

Total miles: 27 miles and Body Pump! 

Week 5 of Marathon Training: Sept 7 – Sept 13

Monday – Lake Day!

Tuesday – Lunch: 2 miles.  Gym: 3 miles (26:13 – 8:44 pace) – speed interval.  0.50 easy (9:30 pace)/0.50 speed (under 8 pace).  Body Pump!

Wednesday – Lunch: Ran 3 miles.  Group Run: 4 miles – it is amazing what 10 degrees cooler temperatures can do for your run (and confidence)!

Thursday – Rest Day!

Friday – Lunch: 2 miles (17:18 -8:39 pace) – a few speed intervals.  Evening: 2 miles (18:03 – 9:01 pace).  Small hill repeats. 9:08 & 8:54

Saturday – 5.28 mile run (50:07 – 9:30 pace).  I extended my 5 mile loop a bit and it added the nice hill.  Today’s run was supposed to be longer, but my legs weren’t having it.

Sunday – 10 miles.  I did my 5 mile loop twice, stopped at home between just for enough time to switch out my water bottle.  I was still doing my 0.10 walk/0.90 run ratio.  First loop 5 miles in 52:15 (10:27 pace) and my second loop – 5 miles in 50:10 (10:01 pace). I keep reminding myself that my LSD - Long Slow Distance runs are supposed to be 60-90 secs slower than your marathon pace.  The goal is just to get the miles on the legs and your legs used to working for longer periods of time.

 

Total miles: 31 miles and Body Pump!  Overall I am pretty happy with this week: Good total miles, a bit of speed/hill training, back-to-back runs on the weekend, and some strength training.

I’m excited to have a race next weekend (20K) and will add a little bit of mileage before & after for my long run!

Week 4 of Marathon Training: Aug 31 – Sept 6

Monday – Ran 3 miles with a couple of hill repeats. 27:24 (9:08 pace).  9:28, 9:05 & 8:51

Tuesday – Gym Day: Elliptical for 30 minutes and Body Pump! 

Wednesday – Lunch: Ran 3 miles.  Then did some bridemaid's dress shopping.

Thursday – Rest Day.  Played a couple games of sand volleyball 

Friday – Lunch: Ran 3 miles

Saturday – Ran 13 miles

Sunday – Lake Day!!!

 

Total miles: 22 miles and a little bit of strength.  A lot less miles than I wanted, but I did get the long run done!