Miles: 42.86 (L2=35, L3=45)
Days Run: 6 (but one of those was only 0.83mi as transit)
XT: 1 (cycling)
Rest: eh, I'm counting my 0.83mi run day as rest
Injuries: clear :D
Feelings: strong and capable
Monday
Scheduled: 4-6
Did: 4.19 @ 9:46/mi avg, HR=152, FR rehearsal for chorus
B and I always have the most beautifully perfect progression/negative split runs when we do our four mile route on Mondays or Fridays. It just happens, without any thought or intention. This morning's was no different. Run felt good. No leg issues. No hip trouble.
Finished up the day with a two hour FR rehearsal for my show chorus. Can't really say this was a workout for me in the least bit, but I did some decent push-up and plank time waiting for it to begin. ;)
Tuesday
Scheduled: 8PRO
Did: 8.44 @ 9:26/mi avg, HR = 148 (totally erroneous; graph has me down in the 90bpm zone for over a mile-- bogus)
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| the aforementioned jacked-up HR graph I DON'T BELIEVE YOU |
I needed this run. So badly. After Saturday's LSD, I needed a confidence booster. Something that would tell me "hey, you can keep a 9:xx on distance". Today was that run.
B and I started early (4:30, because that's totally normal, right?) and got our two miles in. We went quite a bit faster than usual to start off (first mile was under a 10), which meant that every other mile would have to be faster than that. D'oh, the double-edged sword of progression runs. The faster you run, the faster you HAVE TO RUN THE NEXT MILE.
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| Pace worked out really well, though. Dropped it almost continuously until the 1/2mi cool-down at the end |
Turns out, we were pretty prepared to do that. We took a short pause after m2 to catch the rest of the 10KTuesday crew, and the set off again (I'll give us a break on the +1s from split 2 to 3). Mile 4 was really way too fast, though. We made the mistake of forgetting that the lead pack was doing a tempo run at that point and didn't let ourselves drop off the back enough from them. Oops. But, hey, on the bright side: we pretty much kept that pace for three miles... and then dropped it some more.
So proud of myself. :D
Also, this run was made even better by the fact that I worked from home today and, thanks to that, could go inside, shower, eat breakfast, and then go back to bed for an hour and still be at my desk at 8:00am. #winning
Wednesday
Scheduled:
Did: 1mi run, 1mi walk... to/from PT
I recently learned that this XT day in our training plan isn't supposed to be strength training. It's supposed to actually be a cardiovascular cross-training activity. We're supposed to be doing strength in addition to our easy day runs. Well, oops. >_<
I didn't really have a plan for today, and, as with everything in my life, if there's no plan, it doesn't happen. I had a physical therapy appointment, so I ran there from the office, and then power-walked back. I didn't do the 30XT, and also didn't even get 10,000 steps for the day. Instead, I ended up working late (cool current project), and making it home just in time for bedtime story and song for the munchkin.
Definitely need to do a better job identifying what I want to do for XT and how I can fit it into my schedule. Cycling sounds good, but I can't do it during the week. Perhaps I'll end up switching Wed XT and Sun Rest...
Thursday
Scheduled: 1WU, 5x1200/400, 1CD
Did: 1WU, 5x1200/400, 1CD
My confidence is back. I'm back.
I know for sure that last week's pace struggles can be attributed to lack of sleep and sickness, because today ROCKED.
I forgot to look up my split again before leaving this morning, but recalled a 7:20/mi pace and had the number 5:29 in my head as a goal. (that ended up being correct)
Splits:
5:05 went out a little fast because I wanted to start this workout off on a good foot; felt comfortably uncomfortable (probably right in line with where it should have felt since it was too fast)
5:20 felt better; hit my 400 and 800 splits right on
^I was the lead for both of these 1200s. I think this helped me maintain pace and also gave me something to "hold"
=water break=
5:18 I used B as a pacer for the first two laps, then went rogue; liked this strategy a lot
5:27 let B go first while I walked the last bit of the recovery, then tried same approach, but ended up worrying that I was going too fast towards the end and didn't push as much
5:21 felt like a total boss on this one; was able to mentally focus on the first lap as a "warm-up", the second one as the meat of the workout, and then last one as a "closer lap", where I pushed (see those spikes?)
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| pretty pace graph |
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| not a bad HR graph either... besides the beginning inaccuracy |
I felt really proud of this workout. It wasn't easy, and I really relied a lot on my "teammates". Even though two people were doing a completely different workout, one was far off from my goal pace, and B an I only really ran two repeats "together", just having other people out there with me helped sooooo much. I'm so grateful for my #10KTuesday crew.
Friday
Scheduled: 4-6 easy
Did: 4mi @ 9:49/mi avg with stroller
I was torn about whether or not I wanted to get up early and run with Brandi or take advantage of my day off (daycare's closed so I'm home with the potato), sleep in, and take the baby down to the river for a stroller run. Multiple wake-ups on Wed night/Thurs morning convinced me to sleep in, and it was glorious.
We met up with the riverside crew for 4 easy miles. I was at the front of the pack the whole time, which was a surprise since most of that crew runs low 9s. Clearly, I was FLYING, and with a stroller to boot. Nothing like that to make you feel like a total BA.
That said, the rest of the run was seriously baller for pushing a 20lb kiddo. I'm sure I lost some time by not stopping my watch at the turn around (I cut off early because I didn't want to take the potato on the road at all), so, really, today's run with a stroller was TONS better than last Saturday. More evidence that my pace was due to sickness, and not because I suck at running.
Closed strong and felt really proud of my last bit at a sub-9 WITH. THE. STROLLER.
Saturday
Scheduled: 18 (OMG, 18)
Did: 18.06 @ 9:50/mi avg
Man, oh, man, did I need this run. I feel so freaking strong this afternoon. SO. STRONG. I am going to OWN Chicago, and I cannot wait. :D :D :D
This run was broken into many parts.
Early Miles:
The early marathon crew met up again at 5:45 this week, for anywhere between four and seven extra. I made a four mile route for the group and planned on doing loops of Armour for whatever extra. We took off as a group, which meant the pace was a bit slower than usual, but it was totally worth it to stick together. Eventually, a faster participant and I split off (after going back to make sure the rest of our group made the turn) and I found the high-9 pace much more comfortable than the high-10s we'd been doing. We finished the four miles easily, and then I had a mental struggle getting through a few loops of Armour. I cut off early the second time I passed Armour, just after 7am. I was only at 6.3 (not the 7 I needed), but just didn't feel like taking a chance on going around Armour again and still making it back before my pod took off.
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| Glad I didn't do another loop-- I would have missed the group marathoner pic! |
I joined up with the 9min pod again, and, after a week of GREAT runs, felt really confident in my abilities to sweep it this week. Unfortunately, our participants didn't get the message. We only had TWO participants who weren't running right with the 9:00 leads. Since we had a crapton of RLs with the 9:45 participant, I felt obligated to stick with the penultimate participant, who was running 9:15s.
I felt good for the first two miles, and then we hit the hills of Sherwood Forest. Oof. Those hills are no joke. I was so grateful when we finally hit the water stop, because my last three miles had all been sub-9:15. I knew I could NOT keep that pace for another 8 miles, and told my pace pod captain I'd be waiting at the water stop for the next group to come through.
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| Before I dropped off the 9s, I made sure to get a group picture :D |
The 10s weren't too far behind. I joined up with them and made it about half a mile before one of our participants stopped due to some popped blisters. I stopped with her, called home base, and waited with her until the runner transport car arrived. When I was able to resume running, I was behind all of the 11s. I was tempted by the transport car's offer of taking me up to my pod, but, since I needed the miles anyways, I declined. I knew I wouldn't be able to catch the lead 10s, but figured I'd see how far I could get.
Without participants or any running buddies, I was free to run whatever pace I felt like. It was glorious, even moreso because that pace was around a 9:30-40 (and this was on mile 9-10 of my own run). Eventually, I caught the mid-10s, realized they could use some help, and stuck with them the rest of the way home.
I ended up back at the track club office with 17.48 on my watch. Ughhhhhhh. I really thought about stopping. After all, it was 90-something degrees, almost full sun around the Armour loop, and 17.48 was already 2.5ish miles beyond what the L2 plan needed today.
...but then I saw Brandi, and I knew I could get through the last half mile if she was with me. She ran me out and back to hit 18.0 on my watch, and then had to go back out again for three more loops of Armour herself (her RL responsibilities made it so she couldn't run before practice). I couldn't possibly go with her, but I did tail her around her last loop with the top of the Mustang down, blaring music for her and dancing. :D
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| so freaking proud of these splits |
We ran 18 miles today. I ran several miles of it run leading for the 10:30s. Our run ended with a "feels like" of 94 degrees.
...and I did it with an average pace of 9:50/mi and zero hip troubles. #winning
Sunday
Scheduled:
Did: 8+ mi cycling @ 14mph avg
After Wednesday's kinda sorta XT, but really not much of anything day, I decided to be more intentional (this week, at least) about truly cross-training. I don't swim*, and getting to a class at a specific day/time (and paying for it) wasn't really an option, so that leaves cycling.
With the exception of one pregnant bike ride last August, I don't think I've been on my bike in over a year. It's not because I don't enjoy riding; it just seems to take a backseat to everything else. Today, I made time for it, and remembered just how much I love riding my bike.
I had a super easy warm-up to the greenway (almost entirely downhill), and then enjoyed about 5-6mi of pushing the pace as much I could comfortably do on a windy trail with lots of pedestrians... and then I had to get back home. I dread the climb out of the greenway and through the neighborhood. It's got three awful hills (read: I am not a cyclist), and I'm really proud to say that I didn't have to walk any of them, and only needed to get up out of the saddle for one. :D
All in all, a great success. I'm definitely going to try to make this a regular thing for the rest of marathon training. It's much better crosstraining than any of my half attempts so far. ;)
*yeah, I did a sprint tri once a few years ago and swam for that, but laps and I just are not friends... I still hate putting my head in the water >_<
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