Tag Archives: Marathon Training

Week 7: #itsgoingdownatphx

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

Last week was pretty cray cray–with what was a full week of training and a half marathon PR tacked on at the end!

Monday, December 4–3 miles easy

Just an easy run around the hood. This was supposed to be a tempo run but my heart wasn’t in it for some reason, and I decided to move it to the following day. Which ended up being a great idea.

Tuesday, December 5–6 miles

I met up with my local run club at 4:40 a.m and nailed this workout. Two miles WU, two miles @7:30, 7:25, two miles CD. The two miles were continuous w/o a RI so I was really happy I was able to keep the pace and even negative split (it was a little fast actually, target pace was 7:40).

Wednesday, December 6–Strength train, stretch, roll

The not so fun stuff, lol!

Thursday, December 7th–7.50 miles

This was a doozy. I was NOT looking forward to this run because it just seemed…hard, lol!! But I met up with some buddies (again at 4:40 a.m.) and my pacer friend Tomio agreed once more to take on this workout on with me.

2 mile WU
2x5min @7:10-15 w/RI (7:05, 7:11)
3x3min @7:00 w/RI (7:04, 7:18, 7:34)
5x1min @6:30-50 w/RI (6:33, 6:43, 6:30, 6:26, 6:25)
1 mile CD

I struggled a bit with the 3 minuters, but I was pretty euphoric after this run. It was hard but I did it!

Friday, December 8th–Stretch, roll

I stuck to stretching and rolling and gave myself a rest day from strength, lol!

Saturday, December 9th–4 miles

Easy 4 miles with my MRTT crew.

Sunday, December 10th–13.1 miles (Scottsdale Half Marathon)

Elle made a good point (she’s so smart) on my race recap, in that I didn’t have an actual taper leading up to the half marathon and despite that, I was able to PR. I hadn’t thought about that but she was right. I had a full week’s worth of workouts leading up to the race!

I love this pic.

So far, I’m feeling pretty good post race. I’m excited for the progress I’ve made and I’m excited to continue my training. It is such a difference from the last cycle where I was really struggling–on many levels–but one of which was my job, which I no longer have. I’ve decided to retire from teaching and stay home with my kids a little longer. I’m not sure yet what my future career-wise will look like, but I know from past experience that whenever I’m home, I make running my full-time job, lol! I’m thankful for another go at stay-at-home-status and the opportunity to devote some extra time to training. ❤

–Have you benefitted from marathon training and PRd on a race during?

–Have you walked away from something you once loved? (I taught for 9 years!)

2017 Scottsdale Half Marathon–PR!!

Posted by hellyontherun in Half Marathon, Marathon Training, Uncategorized and tagged with , , , ,

I love this course. I really do. It’s been sooo good to me and Ben and we’ve always done well here. It’s a pretty much a *flat*, fast, loop in Scottsdale, AZ–nothing majorly scenic, but it’s pretty in Scottsdale and even though you’re passing through businesses and residential areas, the landscaping is well maintained and pretty to look at, lol!

My goal was to sub 1:40. I hadn’t really been vocal about that goal (except here), but my marathon training has me doing tempo miles at that pace and I figured it was a good time to give it a go.

And I got close….

So close.

I wore my Shalane F*CK YES! Momentum bracelet because I was on a mission for a sub 1:40 Eff Yes moment . When I crossed the finish line, it was more just like, F******CK. Lol!!!

Turning the corner and looking at the clock tell me I didn’t make it.

And because I’m honest, my immediate reaction crossing the finish line was disappointment– and I wanted to cry. But because my team’s tent was at the finish line, I was immediately met with hugs and congrats and I couldn’t cry. I mean, I PR’d, how could I be upset? I didn’t want to cry and be a baby with everyone so happy for me. So, I put a smile on my face and rejoiced, even though deep down I was sad.

My brother ran it, too!

My MRTT/AZTNT crew

I know PRs are going to get harder now. So after I pity-partied a bit, I truly began to celebrate my accomplishment. I’m pretty damn happy. Sincerely.

I ran fast, and I ran fast from the very start. I went in with a goal and I wasn’t afraid to fight for it from the get-go. From beginning to end, I raced.

That is so freaking awesome to me. I’ve come such a long way in the mental aspect of running. I remember telling my husband after I first ran a sub 1:50, that I didn’t think I could top that. That I would be perfectly okay without bettering that 1:48. Well, here I am, a 1:42 and a 1:40 later!

I’m wanting to get faster. I’m not afraid of running fast anymore. I mean, I still sometimes get freaked out when I see myself running sub 8s, but I’m getting used to seeing them more often and getting used to making it my “new normal”.

It’s insane. I never thought I would run the way I’m running now.

4th in Age Group, what?!?

And to think that I want to run faster! That my race day mantra now is: Make It Hurt.

It indeed was a F*CK YES! moment. Who was I kidding! A 2+ minute PR!!!

Turn and burn!

Love ya, Scottsdale!

The road to Boston continues! And that’s the real goal 😉

–Do you have a favorite local race?

–Do you like running fast?

–When was your last F*ck Yes! moment?

Week 6: #itsgoingdownatphx

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

Here we go, one more week! So many exciting things happened, not so much to me lol, but to running friends near and far .

Monday, 11/27–8 miles

I met up with a friend I met through my coach for this tempo run. She’s faster than me but we had similar mileage. And I’m inspired by faster runners anyway 🙂

I had 5 at Active Threshold pace (7:40) with a 90sec recovery in between each one.

7:34
7:29
7:40
7:43
7:37

Started off a little excited but then settled in to the right pace. Coach says to stay close to pace even though we feel we can go faster. “The goal is to raise your blood lactate to it’s threshold , and then hold it there for the duration of the workout. Training at AT increase the speed at which acidosis occurs, enabling you to hold a faster pace in races. With training, your pace at AT will increase.”

Tuesday, 11/28–Strength, Stretch, and Roll

Did some core and strength videos for 60 min. I’ve been feeling/seeing the benefits of actually doing these things, lol!

Wednesday, 11/29–4.5 miles

Easy run around the hood. I say easy but my overall pace was 8:46. I don’t know who’s easy that is but it’s certainly not mine. But, I’ve been feeling my easy pace start to creep into the 8s. I seriously don’t know who I’ve become. Mile 1-9:20, 2-8:36 <—told myself to slow down –> 3-8:41, 4-8:29 <— I gave up.

Thursday, 11/30–6.5 miles

This was awful. Just, awful. Hills+Speed=Death.

I was not looking forward to this workout at all. But, I knew I had to do it so I somehow (seriously) got myself out the door.

Finished November with 138 miles.

Friday, 12/1–Strength, Stretch, and Roll

I put my easy Friday run in Wednesday since I’d moved that workout to Thursday. I have a way of complicating things.

Saturday, 12/2–16 miles (10+6)

Splitting my long runs isn’t my jam, but breakfast with Santa got in the way so I had to be home earlier than usual. I got 10 in with a friend

then I got 6 in later solo.

This was such a good run and I know I would’ve felt just as good had it been done in one shot, lol!

Sunday, 12/3–TRACKING ALL THE CIM SUPERSTARS

You guys, oh em gee. I had so many friends KILL it at CIM this weekend!!!!! My coach ran a 2:55 like a boss, two BTB teammates ran a 2:50 (PRs for both), another BTB teammate ran a 3:21 (PR), a good friend got a BQ, my loyal training buddy Ashley matched her PR, countless IG friends met their sub 3 hour goals (HOW is that even possible?!), aaaaaaand Elle surprised us all by getting a PR and BQ!!!!!! It wasn’t a surprise that she ran that time, it was a surprise in that SHE DIDN’T EVEN TELL US SHE WAS RUNNING!!!

I was left so freaking inspired. It’s no secret I want to Boston Qualify, and I’ve made my goal very public. I like the pressure. I really don’t mind it. And I like the pressure of having friends Boston qualify at CIM because it just further ignites my fire. I know I want it bad. But their success makes me want it more. I want to run Boston with them. I know for some, publicizing their goals doesn’t work, but for me, I feel like I get to show people my journey, good or “bad”.

Elle made a good point in her blog by saying how “announcing your goals on social media is detrimental to actually achieving your goal because the praise you receive for the attempt fulfills your achievement needs.”

But I honestly don’t think I let it affect me. I mean, I appreciate peoples’ encouragement throughout my training, but I don’t share my journey for the likes or comments. I don’t think I work less hard because I get praise before the actual race.

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you know that I started off this blog with a 4:44 marathon. Four years later, I’ve cut an hour off that time. I’m not a natural runner. I work freaking hard. And that’s what I like sharing. That it’s not easy. That’s there’s setbacks a long the way(hello DNF!)–that would happen if I blogged about it or not.

What I love about Elle is that she did things her way. I LOVE THAT. And I love that she shares her type of journey. I know she’s been wanting a “good” marathon and she went out and did it. Her terms. And freaking nailed it.

People get caught up into thinking they have to do things a certain way, train a certain way, to succeed at their goal. Nope. Here’s Elle sneaking in a BQ like a total badass, and here I am for the world to see me try. She did it, and now it’s my turn! 😀 (And guess what?!? Elle will be in Phoenix to cheer me on!!!! ❤ )

Week 7, I’m ready for you!!