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.

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?

Hanson’s/NYC Marathon Training: Week 4

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with As Seen On My Run, Marathon Training, Monthly Mileage, NYC Marathon, PR, Recap, Running August 1, 2016

How many weeks is this thing again?

This was a tough week. My daughter started Pre-K this week and we all had to adjust to our new schedules (plus, tmi, I had my monthly lady visitor 😦 ). But, in true Helly fashion, I was able to make it work and get all my runs in. In fact, I didn’t miss a single training day the month of July!!

Monthly mileage PR

I have to admit, I’m pretty darn proud of myself and it motivates me to keep it going as long as I can. I know that life will happen, and I might have to miss a run, but to see me being as disciplined as I’ve been lets me know that I CAN DO HARD THINGS.

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

Monday, July 25th — 3 easy miles, 10:10 avg

This was my daughter’s first day of Pre-K and she handled it like a boss.

I cried, she didn’t.

Afterward, my son and I headed to the gym as I had 6 miles on the schedule. But little guy did not handle it like a boss; he missed his big sister 😦 When I dropped him off at the gym daycare, he was fine and went off to play. I got on the treadmill and started running but was. not. feeling. it. It felt like I was running through mud the entire way–and I usually don’t mind treadmill running at all. Something was not right. So at mile 3 I called it a day and went to pick up my son. When I got there, he looked up at me with tear-filled eyes; he had been crying on and off for sister. It’s funny how mother’s intuition works. ❤

Tuesday, July 26th–1 mile WU, 6×800 @3:50/7:38 pace (w/400R), 1 mile CD=6.5 miles; 3 easy afternoon miles, 9:18 avg

It was an early wake time for this run and I just didn’t wanna. But I did. In my mile warm up, my watched buzzed that I had received a message–it was from my sister. I was surprised because my sister doesn’t usually send me messages so I was compelled to stop and check it. This was what she sent:

With the message: “This made me think of you.”

It was just what I needed to get going–sometimes even in training you need tell your body to shut up and get things done, lol.

My sister and I are not very close (a long post for another day, perhaps) so anytime I get a message from her, I’m overjoyed. Overjoyed that she thought of me to send me something.

I nailed the workout.

3:50/7:38
3:48/7:35
3:42/7:23
3:43/7:25
3:46/7:33
3:44/7:29

Then, in the evening, I made up my 3 miles from the day before with my husband and my running group. It was a hot run, but we survived.

Somehow managed a 9:18 avg. Too fast for an easy run.

Wednesday, July 27th–REST DAY

Oh, happy day.

Thursday, July 28th–1 mile WU, 6 Tempo miles, 1 mile CD

Despite what the average pace says, this was not a good run.

That “WU” mile should’ve been a warning sign

I ran with a super speedy friend and knew that I would have to stay disciplined and totally wasn’t. I was mad myself because I know better. I HATE positive splitting runs–I’m usually so good at pacing and making sure I negative split. There’s just NO room for a 7:50 mile in a tempo run. Not when my speed work is practically that pace. Ugh, Helly!!! I let my friend go at mile 5 and got it together…

Plus, it was effing ridiculous outside at 5 in the morning.

Friday, July 29th–6 easy hill miles, 9:57 avg

Another Friday of hills and me waking up at 4 and driving 30 minutes to them, lol. It was 90 degrees at 5 in the morning. NINETY DEGREES!!

But, it was not a boring run because……

#doggoals

Saturday, July 30th– 7.33 easy miles, 10:07 avg

I missed running with friends in the morning because I had a hair appointment (and I also have a husband who is marathon training–I forget about that sometimes, ja! ) so I did this run in the evening. When I looked at the temperature, it was under 100 so I figured it was *totally* okay for me to run…

Sunday, July 31st–8 easy miles, 10:10 avg

I had plans to meet a friend in the morning for these miles but when my alarm went off at 4:20 it was accompanied by the sound of rain. I was getting out of bed when my husband said, “You have got to be crazy. No, you’re not going.” I sent my buddy a message that I was out and while I felt bad, I knew it was the right thing. That could’ve been one slip and fall away from getting injured (remember my little trip last week?)

So I did the 8 miles on the treadmill.

Woodway treadmills are amazing.

—-42.07 miles—-This was a tough week and a test to my commitment in training, but I got it done. I can feel myself getting stronger and there’s really no better motivation than seeing progress. Here’s to a new month of training!! 😀

I’m also still fundraising and am getting closer and closer to my goal. If you’re in the giving mood, please donate–ANY amount is extremely appreciated, really. ❤

–Have you seen a sunglasses wearing dog before?

–What’s your craziest #AsSeenOnMyRun?

–How was your running month? What’s your monthly mileage PR?