Category Archives: Marathon Training

The Little 20 Miler That Could…

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with , ,

You guys (and girls), I had the freaking best 20 miler of my life this past Saturday! Do you remember my shitty attempt at a long run from the week before? No? I don’t either because this 20 miler trumps it from my memory bank!

I had plans to meet my St. George Marathon training buddy Ashley at 4 a.m. to start this 20 miler of ours. I set my alarm for 3:15 and I did actually wake up at 3:15 –ONLY TO TURN IT RIGHT BACK OFF!!

At 3:50 I woke up in panic realizing that I’d overslept. I didn’t even have enough time to brush my teeth so off I went with gorilla breath making it to our meeting spot at 4:05. Luckily, like the true training buddy she is, Ashley was there waiting for me.

We paced ourselves perfectly. Our fueling game was on point.

And the only thing negative about this run were the last 5 miles. 😀

Booyah!

Seriously. When we were at the 13 mile mark, we said that we’d try to pick it up for maybe miles 19 and 20. But we found ourselves picking up speed at mile 15 and we just rolled with it.

It was amazing.

I’m not sure I can BQ at St. George. I’m not sure I can PR at St. George. But this run gives the confidence boost I needed to give both a shot.

Trust the process
I can do all things

Viva la taper!

–Do 20 milers (or long runs) scare you? I hadn’t done a 20 miler in over a year! (Remember, I’m a Hanson’s gal.) And I wasn’t so much scared about this run more than just scared about long running in general. Since the last few have been horrible.

–Are you an alarm runner or do you wake up naturally?

 

 

White Flag

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with , , ,

Well….you might have guessed it….

I imagined this going differently, but I guess that is life.

I’ll still be running St. George; I’ll likely still try for the BQ–but, it will be without confidence, without expectation, without hope.

The last month has been a whirlwind. My kids both started school for the first time–my daughter in Kindergarten and my son in Pre-school. I went back to work, still teaching, but at a new school in a new district. All of this in the midst of the most rigorous training I’ve ever attempted.

I couldn’t do it.

And that’s really what it boils down to. I just couldn’t make it happen.

I know that many people have kids, have jobs, have training plans and somehow find a way to fit it all in. I thought I could be one of those people.

But I’m not.

Not right now.

The last couple of weeks have found me running three times a week. Three. Each week I would tell myself that I would prioritize my runs, each week I wouldn’t.

Last year in August I ran 153 miles. This year, for a “BQ attempt”–84.

After the second week, I e-mailed my coach and told her I was throwing in my white flag. It had nothing to do with her or her workouts. I love her and I love them. I loved the challenge, seeing paces I didn’t think I could..and doing them. But because I wasn’t doing ALL of the workouts, I knew I was only setting myself up for injury.

I’m not sure anymore… what my plans are. I’ll still run St. George, but I won’t be doing CIM. I don’t know if I’ll do Phoenix. I don’t know when my next marathon will be.

What I do know… is that life goes on.

I’ve had some pretty good races in the last year. I think it’s time I took a little break.

❤

 

Week 7 & 8–St. George Marathon Training: I’m still here

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training and tagged with , ,

Whew!! It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, but don’t you worry–I’m still alive, I’m still running. I know all 5 of you reading have been anxiously awaiting my recaps ❤ I’ll keep it somewhat brief since I have two to cover 😀

July was cray. August looks like it wants to give it competition.

Week 7

Monday, July 17th–5 steady miles on hilly route

I met up with a BQ training buddy. Forgot to start my watch but got the 5 miles in. This was the beginning of a cut-back week and I was so thankful for “just” five miles.

Tuesday, July 18th–2 easy miles, strength training

Two easy miles on the treadmill and some strength exercises–squats, core. I haven’t been as diligent on these cross training days, to be honest. I do some exercises, but I know I could/should be doing more.

Wednesday, July 19th–Rest

I switched my Wednesday workout to Thursday so I took today off (which technically, was supposed to be another cross training day).

Thursday, July 20th–2 mile WU, 3 x 800 meters in 3:48 (7:40 pace) 1 minute RI, 3 x 800 meters in 3:28 (7:00 pace), 2 minute RI, CD

It was a very early start (4:45 a.m.) but it got done. I struggled pretty mightily with the second set of 800s (like major huffing and puffing) and was crazy shocked I nailed it.

Friday, July 21st–3 easy miles

In the hood, easy peasy.

Later that evening, I went to the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert (country music folk) and didn’t get home til midnight. That kinda derailed my long run plans for the following morning.

Saturday, July 22nd–Rest

I couldn’t. I had planned to meet up with a friend at 4 to get in a downhill 12 miler but there was no way that was going to happen on three hours’ sleep.

Sunday, July 23rd–12 miles downhill, 8:49 avg

So this was my son’s birthday and we celebrated the day/night before. Despite the craziness (and lack of sleep), I felt really good on this run. Downhill helps, of course, lol!! I went out and did the first 12 miles of the Phoenix Marathon. I think I could run that course in my sleep. I think I kinda did, LOL.

Total Miles: 29.25

Week 8

Monday, July 24th–Rest

It was my kids’ first day of school, so running in the morning wasn’t happening. And when I picked them up after school, I was so excited to hear about their day, the last thing I wanted to do was leave them to run.

So I didn’t run.

Tuesday, July 25th–2 easy miles, strength training

Treadmill miles and core. I texted my coach about the missed workout and she gave me the okay to just nix it and move on.

Wednesday, July 26th–2 miles WU, 3x800UP/DOWN, 1 mile CD

I decided to try squeezing in a run before school drop off….yeah…nope. It was just too much driving to meet up with friends, run, drive home, get kids fed/dressed, take kids to school

Anyway, the workout was tough but the fact I had teammates there helped push me to try a lot harder than if I had been on my own.

Thursday, July 27th–Rest

Nothing. No core, no strength training…nothing.

Friday, July 28th–16 mi les

So my husband is also training for St. George and he always gets one weekend day to long run. I had an event on Sunday (that wouldn’t allow me to run) but I couldn’t take his Saturday. Which meant….long run on Friday!!!

It was insane. I woke up at 3:45, rolled out of bed and headed downstairs. I got on the treadmill for 6 miles–at five a.m. immediately ran out for 7 miles and then came back home to finish off the last 3 on the treadmill.

I don’t usually like running this way (who does?) but I didn’t want to be running in the dark outside on my own at 3:45 in the the morning and I didn’t want to do the entire 16 on the treadmill. It wasn’t conventional, but it got the job done.

Saturday, July 29th–Glorious Rest

Sunday, July 30th–1.5 easy miles

It was my Moms Run This Town chapter’s 3rd Annual Summer Virtual 5k. Each year I’ve put on this event with my co-leaders and each year, it just keeps getting better. I absolutely love organizing it (I think it’s the teacher in me) and I love bringing women together for something so fun–running!

Checking runners in

At the start line

Handing out finisher medals

SWAG

Total Miles: 25.52

Total Miles for July: 149.01

It was a pretty crazy month of hot runs, long runs, bad runs, hilly runs, early runs, and fast runs–but I’m still trucking along. I’m still not sure about this BQ; I’m not sure I’ll ever be confident about it. But I’m proud that I’m continuing to train, continuing to give the best that I can. Two more months! 😀

–Have you ever had to break up runs between treadmill and outside?

–How was your July?

–Can you believe it’s August?!?