Marathon Training Recap Week 13

Posted by hellyontherun in Family, Running and tagged with Inspiration, Marathon Training, Running, Struggles September 22, 2014

I’m on that roller coaster again.

It’s like I have a good week and then a bad week and then a worse week then an okay week then…

Ugh, last week was bad. I was coming off a great week and hoping that it would carry over. But, it didn’t.

I’m blaming no one but myself. I haven’t been following my plan as closely as I should. Even though I know that leniency is okay and life prevents you from following a schedule to a tee, there should still be some consistency. And there hasn’t been with this training. Totally. My. Fault.

I didn’t start my week until Wednesday at the track. Coming off a 3 days of nothingness, I didn’t have high expectations but still fared pretty well.

The next day, Thursday, I joined my run club for an Adventure Run at our local RoadRunner Sports shop. It was way harder than it should’ve been…

That beer stayed full. I couldn’t even drink it.

And then the Worst Run of Marathon Training Award goes to…… Saturday!!!

It was absolutely awful. My legs felt so heavy and I was just tired.

To be honest with you, that’s how I’ve felt this entire training. Tired. I think I severely underestimated the commitment it takes training for a marathon, being a mom, and working full time. Holy shit, I’m tired.

This run sucked even more because a girl from my run club is pacing a race soon and wanted to maintain a 9:30ish/mile for 13.1. I told her I’d be her guinea and I completely effed things up for her. I felt so bad and she of course was super nice and told me that we all have those days. I honestly was surprised I had even offered because I usually don’t like running long runs with others. I’m always so worried I’m messing up their pace and that anxiety messes up mine and it’s just overall bad news bears. Why I had offered to be her running buddy, I don’t know, but I feel horrible that I ruined her training run.

Anyway, while I was running/slogging, I told her that I was hoping the reason I was doing so bad was because my extra energy was being sent to my sister who was running HER FIRST MARATHON that very morning.

I’ve written about my sister before and how inspirational she is to me; she is the reason I run in the first place.

About 10 years ago, her running career took an abrupt break though, when we were in a pretty terrible car accident, one that left her with little feeling in the left side of her body due to three broken vertebrae.

Yet, after months of therapy she regained enough strength to walk again and months after that, run! She’ll never be able to be the runner she was before but she doesn’t let that stop her from doing what she loves.

She finished her marathon on Saturday in 4 hours and 58 minutes! Killing her goal of finishing under 5! When I got off the phone with her, any woe-is-me feelings about my run that morning vanished. I was so freaking happy for my sister–all that mattered was that she had accomplished a life long goal and accomplished it like a total badass.

That was my week and here’s hoping 14 is my lucky number! One more month for MCM!

ETA:
Total mileage–19.22
Soda count–2 Big Gulps, 2 cans

–How was your running last week? Did you race this weekend?

–Do you have someone that inspires you?

Marathon Training Recap Weeks 11 &12

Posted by hellyontherun in 10k, 5k, Running and tagged with Long Run, Marathon Training, Roadblocks, Running September 15, 2014

I missed my training recap of Week 11 somewhat not coincidentally.

It was a bad week.

Monday, September 1, I spent our Labor Day out on the trails for almost 9 miles of awesomeness.

Then I didn’t run the rest of the week.

😦

It was just one of those weeks where life happened, excuses happened, anything that could/would deter me from running happened….

By Saturday, the guilt had creeped in and I got myself on the treadmill for 10.

and I totally deserved pizza after 10 treadmill miles

Total mileage for the week: 18.8

Week 12

I was determined to have a better week and I felt like I did.

Monday, I got on the treadmill and ran a 5k x2 benefitting a virtual run a #RunEatTweetAZ buddy had organized. She was helping raise money for her friend who is battling cancer. I decided to run my 5k and run a 5k for my IRun4 little guy for a 6.2

I was back with my run club on Tuesday and one of my running buddies pushed me to negative split and finish with a fast mile.

Speed work on Wednesday and I was feeling the heat and running consecutive days. I still managed negative splits and a last fast mile though

Thursday and Friday I took rest. (I’m supposed to cross train on Thursdays….yeah….)

Saturday I had 16 miles on my agenda. I hadn’t really long runned in a while and was starting to feel super anxiety. I needed to long run.

I woke up at insane o’clock in the morning and got ‘er done.

My Olson response to anyone asking if I’m a morning person…

Surprisingly, I felt relatively good. I did start to feel my body begin to crumble towards the end of the run though and I had a flashback to my first marathon where I hit the wall at that exact mileage. I know that’s a mental roadblock I need to learn to get through.

Sunday rest.

Total mileage: 30.2

Much better.

Soda count: 3 (<—woo hoo!)

–How was your running week?

–At what mileage do you start to feel your body crumble?

Whoa lateness! Week 10 marathon training recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Running and tagged with Long Run, Marathon Training, Run Club, Running September 3, 2014

The day off this past Monday through me for a loop! Anywhoo, here’s last week’s numbers:

I took off last Monday since I had done my re-scheduled long (short) run the day before.

But I was back at it with my run club on Tuesday going for 5. This run felt so good! I started off at a good warm up pace, not going out too fast. I kept it easy the whole way through and at the end, felt like I could’ve kept going or gone faster. It’s funny because this pace seemed like such a struggle in previous runs and today felt so comfortable.

I skipped the track on Wednesday and caught up on grading. This English teacher business is no joke.

Thursday, I headed out for a run in the ‘hood and got in a ~~great~~ amazing 6. I wanted to push myself and whoa nelly! My splits: 9:41, 9:34, 9:18, 9:21, 9:19, 8:07

Yes, that last mile was AWESOME. I wanted to channel my inner Kristina and finish with a fast mile. It did wonders for my confidence 🙂

Friday=REST.

Saturday, I woke up even earlier than usual (4 a.m. anyone?) since I knew I was going long. I had 14 on my agenda.

Several of my run club friends were going at this earlier start time and I joined up with them. Like a newb, I forgot my head lamp so I stayed with two that had lamps to help me not fall over myself.

We kept a nice and steady pace and before I knew it, we were 5 miles in.

At this point, we had gone back to the start to meet up with those who running at the usual start time.

After a quick pit stop, we were back at it and this time I joined some other friends for the next 9. Again, a steady pace that felt oh-so-good. I have no idea what was becoming of me but again, I felt like I could’ve kept going or done the run faster (I’m glad I didn’t do the latter though as I didn’t want to ruin what had been an awsome run).

Isn’t it funny how running plays with us emotionally?? It reduces me to tears, anger, and frustration one week to complete euphoria the next. Oh running, how I love thee.

And Sunday was a rest day 🙂

Total miles Mon-Sun: 25

How was your past running week?

Ever been on the emotional running train?