Hanson’s/NYC Marathon Training: Week 7

Whoof, Hanson’s fatigue has officially set it in. Plus, I think my husband’s travels have had a good part in me feeling like I’m dragging sand bags…

Marathon Goal– 3:50
Marathon Pace/Tempo Runs– 8:45
Easy Runs–9:40-10:40
Long Runs–9:29

Monday, August 15th– Easy 5 miles, 10:13 avg

I’ve been working really hard on making my easy runs even easier. I’ve usually been closer to the 10 minute range and I really want them more in the 10:20-30 range. I’m getting there.

Tuesday, August 16th–1 mile WU, Ladder: 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400 @7:30 pace (w/400R), 1 mile CD

I met up with my run club and luckily, I had my buddy (the amazing pacer from last time) and another friend agree to do this workout with me.

We nailed it.

Goal pace for each was 7:30 and here’s how it went:

400—7:15
800—7:24
1200—7:30
800—7:30
400—7:32

I wore new these new super cute shorts I had been coveting, and I think they had a lot to do with it 😀

My “I swear I’m not posing” pose. Shorts: Senita Athletics

I did modify this workout. The Ladder is not in the Beginner Program; for Week 7 it had 8×600 and I had already done that a couple of weeks ago. I really wanted to to do this workout but was worried about over-doing it so I eliminated the 1600 after the 1200–there would’ve been another 1200 after the mile too. But it’s all good. I thought it was still a good, productive run. I’m keeping the speed work for the Advanced for the next three weeks as I don’t want to repeat and I kinda really want to do the 3x1600s it has (who says that, right?).

Oh, and that night, we went to see Adele!! She was amazing.

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All cleaned up!

Clever sign on our way to the concert, lol

Mom, Adele’s face, and Me 😀

Wednesday, August 17th– Glorious Rest Day

So much rest.

Thursday, August 18th–1 mile WU, 5 Tempo miles, .5 miles CD

My route shortchanged me a little on the cool down but the important thing was getting in the tempo miles. The goal pace was 8:45 and I’m still trying to get closer to that range but it was close enough.

8:30
8:34
8:43
8:32
8:34

Friday, August 19th–5 Easy Hill Miles, 9:57 avg

I didn’t do so well on getting to my easy range with these miles but it was a good run nonetheless.

5 smiles 😀

Saturday, August 20th–6 Easy Miles, 10:23 avg

Much better getting these in my easier range. I did 3 with my Moms Run This Town group and 3 solo.

Sunday, August 21st–8 Long Run Miles, 9:30 avg

This was supposed to be a 10 miler but I couldn’t muster up the desire since I was on the treadmill and it was late in the evening. And I wanted to make it back home for kids’ bedtime. #excuses

8 miles, didn’t die.

It was a good 36.14 mile week. I feel a lot better about the lesser mileage (plus, this is still a lot to me). I did start to feel the niggle on my shin a bit towards the end of the week but it wasn’t constant like it’d been before. I’ll be keeping an eye on it and making changes throughout the week if need be.

On to Week 8!

–How was your running week?

–Do cute shorts make you run faster? Some guys chimed in on my Instagram how unfair it is that girls have such cute running clothes, lol!

–Are you an Adele fan?

–When was your last treadmill run? Is it death for you to run on the ‘mill? I don’t mind it but draw the line at 10 miles.

Hanson’s/NYC Marathon Training: Week 6

Posted by hellyontherun in Uncategorized and tagged with Hanson's Marathon Method, Marathon Training, Moms Run This Town, NYC Marathon Training, Weekly Recap August 15, 2016

Week 6 sucked.

It happens and it’s over and I’m moving on–but I’ll give a quick recap in case you’re wondering what the hell happened.

Marathon Goal– 3:50
Marathon Pace/Tempo Runs– 8:45
Easy Runs–9:40-10:20
Long Runs–9:29

Monday, August 8th–Rest Day

You read that right. I didn’t run. So after the previous day’s 12 miler, I started feeling a little niggle in my right shin. I iced it and continued my usual rolling and stretching but in the evening, I could still feel it. My husband was leaving Monday morning for an out-of-the-country work trip (for the whole week!) but I’d planned on running before he left for the airport. I couldn’t though. I could still feel a little throb when I woke up and even though it was insignificant, it was significant enough for me to say rest. So I did.

I iced throughout the day and felt a little better. But that night, I hardly slept. I’ve always been a horrible sleeper but it intensifies when my husband’s not home (Michelle, you are my hero). I must have gotten maaaaybe 3 hours of not continuous sleep.

Tuesday, August 9th– 1 mile WU, 2×1200 w/400 R, 1 mile CD

I modified the day’s workout from 4 x1200 to 2 x12oo for a few reasons. One, my shin. Two, I was completely exhausted from not having slept the night before. Three, I had to do this workout in the evening in 100+ degree weather. Not an ideal time to do speed work. Nonetheless, I was able to nail it.

I was really proud of this run. I did it solo and felt good despite everything and really wanted to do the full workout but I reeled myself in. I definitely needed this confidence booster though.

Wednesday, August 10th —Rest Day

This is Hanson’s regularly scheduled rest day. I wrote a post on how I decided to modify the plan (and more on why) to ensure I make it the whole way through.

Thursday, August 11th– Rest Day

The lack of sleep was catching up to me and I just couldn’t. Tempo run, not done.

Friday, August 12th–3.75 Easy miles

The modified plan said 4 miles (four!) and I almost got all of it in. I took my son for a run around the block and we chatted the whole way. It was a fun run as I hadn’t done a run with him in a looong time. I’m excited for cooler weather to do it more often.

Saturday, August 13th–6 Easy miles

One of the things I plan on making sure I do better this time around is running my easy runs easy . My easy range is 9:40-10:40 and my easy runs have been around the 10:00 minute range. I want them more at the 10:20-10:30 range from now on. I think this will help my situation. Sunday’s run: 10:16 average pace. Getting there.

(And my husband came home this day ❤ )

I channeled my inner Olympian for this run 😀

Sunday, August 14th–5.8 Easy miles

This was my Moms Run This Town Summer Sparkler 5k . I had been planning and organizing for months for this race and was excited the day had finally come. My chapter co-leader and #brf Foxy Jen (she’s running Chicago for Team Fox) and I ran 4 miles before the race, then we ran 1.5 miles mapping the 5k course.

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We had such a great turnout!

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At the start line!

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Foxy Jen and I ❤

Medal and swag (a “sparkle” towel)

I ended this week with ~20 miles. Quite a down week in mileage compared to previous weeks but I needed it. My leg is feeling SO much better and I’ve been catching up on sleep. I’m def ready to take on the rest of the training plan 🙂

–Have you ever organized a 5k (or any race)?

–Have you changed/modified your training plan mid way through?

–Do you fall asleep quickly? I wish I did. My husband does and I ask him all time, “Don’t you have thoughts?!?”

Mid-Week Musings: Mistakes…They Happen

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with Hanson's Marathon Method, Marathon Training, NYC Marathon August 10, 2016

So far I’m loving the difficulty of the Hanson’s plan. It’s what intrigued me in the first place. I’m the type of person who sees something that’s hard and says, “If it’s been done, why can’t I do it?” I don’t know if that’s the best mentality to have, lol, but it’s gotten me to try a lot of fun, crazy stuff.

Anyway, when I decided to take a break from teaching and become a stay at home mom, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try the Hanson’s 6-days-of-running plan. In my other training cycles, I’ve done 4 days a week with an occasional sprinkle of an extra run or cross training day. I figured, if I was going to try a plan that had so much running, I might as well go for it now that I don’t have a job to worry about (I take care of my kids which is the toughest job ever but you know what I mean).

When it came time on deciding between the Beginner or the Advanced, I leaned towards the Advanced because it got to business a lot quicker than the Beginner. In the Beginner, the first 5 weeks are “Easy” runs which for my goal pace is between 9:45-10:45. I just couldn’t see myself adhering to that for 6 days a week for 5 weeks. The Advanced plan started with the fun stuff– speed work at Week 2 and tempo at Week 3–earlier and I liked that.

Fast forward to Week 5 and I’ve been doing great, nailing the workouts and feeling really confident. Except….my shin is starting to hurt. The shin where I had my stress fracture.

I’m so frustrated because I’ve been doing so well with this plan; I actually like it, and I feel like I’ve improved so much as a runner. And I’ve been stretching, rolling like a good girl and I just don’t understand why my body won’t cooperate. It’s not even fatigue, because I don’t feel tired (miraculously), it’s just the gosh darn shin that’s sore.

If I’m honest, I worried that going from 25-30 miles a week and 4 days of running, to 40-50 miles a week and 6 days of running was going to bring about something. I did my best to transition, to “pre-train,” but I think there’s no avoiding some type of injury-likeness with a jump in mileage like that. Which is what I think is happening with me.

Anyway, what did I do wrong? I think I should’ve stuck with the Beginner plan–modified it, or done something, but starting right away with the Advanced, even though I’ve done “well” with it so far, probably wasn’t the best idea. This is only my 4th marathon, after all.

So, I’ve decided to go to the Beginner’s plan Week 6, which is the week I’m on now. I’ve already passed the 5 weeks of “Easy” running I wanted to avoid, and I’ll get the speed and tempo workouts but just with less mileage. It’s still a shit ton of miles, but less so than the Advanced. I’m hoping that this will help my cause and still keep me happy. I really want to try this plan all the way through.

Of course I’ll continue to stretch, roll, ice, compress the hell out of my shin and if I see that things aren’t getting better, I’ll have to reassess everything. I’m hoping it won’t get to that. I’m proud of myself that I’m addressing it now while it’s simply soreness and not when it’s a full blown I-can’t-run-pain.

There’s the update. Mistakes happens and all you can do is just keep on, keep on.

–Are you good at admitting you were wrong?