(not my) Marathon Training: Week 11/18

Week-beginning Thoughts:

It's so absurdly hot and humid right now... uggggh, Hotlanta life.

Monday

Scheduled: rest

Did: nada

So hungry on rest days... 

Tuesday

Scheduled: 2mi WU, 12x[400m up @ 10K pace, 45s rest, 400m down @ MP, 90s rest], 2mi CD

Did: As scheduled. 10.72mi @ 10:32/mi avg (with rest), 8:48/mi avg (moving avg only)

That's a lot of 400s... Loved being able to mentally break this looooong workout down into bite-sized chunks. I opted to take less rest in the first half to save time, but still couldn't take the cool-down quite as easily as I'd hoped due to schedule constraints. 

up should've been around 7:45/mi

down should've been around 8:30/mi

took awhile, but I got there

Wednesday

Scheduled: 4-6mi easy

Did: 5mi @ 10:20/mi avg

fun run with friends

Thursday

Scheduled: 5-7mi solid

Did: 6.29mi @ 8:49/mi avg

Weee.

Friday

Scheduled: 4-6mi easy

Did: 4.15mi @ 10:07/mi/avg

These "easy miles" are getting easier and easier to make 10+ min/mi... 

Saturday

Scheduled: 2mi WU, 10mi @ MP (progression: 8:50-8:15), 2mi CD

Did: as scheduled = 14.08mi @ 8:58/mi avg, Big 5

When this run started, I thought, "there's no way I'm going to be able to execute". After our first mile of MP clocked in sub-9, though, I thought, "well, maybe?"

...but then I couldn't progress at all for the next few miles. I got stuck around 8;45 and couldn't push myself any faster. 

"Alright," I thought, maybe we'll do 5K at 8:45ish, 5K @ 8:30ish, and then go for it on the last bit. 

Surprise, surprise, it actually worked!

8:51

8:43

8:41

8:43

8:30

8:33

8:25

8:28

8:18

8:07

SO proud of this execution!!! 

Sunday

Scheduled: 9-11mi easy
Did: as scheduled = 10.07mi @ 10:32/mi avg, Big 5

This run didn't really go as planned... I'd planned to meet my husband and kids 4mi in, join them for 6, and then enjoy some coffee together. Two miles in, on the greenway, I came across a man pushing a mountain bike with two bum wheels (there are mountain bike trails adjacent to/intertwined with the greenway we run). When I stopped to ask if he was alright, it was very apparent that he was not. I ended up walking his bike back to his car for him, while we talked about the very high probability he'd broken his collarbone...

I was glad to have been able to help him out, and pay forward a similar kindness to what we've received, especially since he was on vacation with his family, celebrating his birthday with a solo ride before his kids woke up... Ugh, what a birthday. :( 

Once I got him set up, I resumed my run, and enjoyed some seriously easy miles today, eventually meeting up with my family and (pleasant surprise coming:) kept my husband at the same crazy easy pace with me for six miles... and then dropped them at coffeeshop and continued to run solo for another couple. I wasn't sure what I was at mileage-wise for the week, but hoped ten would be enough to get me to 50... 

Total Weekly Mileage: 50.4 (yesssss)

Week-ending Thoughts:

• This feels GOOD. So grateful to have my health back again.