I never actually got around to posting a training recap last week, so this week you get two full weeks of running to read about. Consider this my gift to you (try to contain you excitement).
Monday 6/29
Rest day
Tuesday 6/30
Distance: 1.5
Pace: SLOW (not timed but super, super easy)
Supplemental: Strength
Wednesday 7/1
Distance: 5.07
Pace: 9:35
Thursday 7/2
Distance: 10.11
Pace: 9:07
Friday 7/3
rest
Saturday 7/4
Distance: 5.33
Pace: 9:07
Sunday 7/5
Distance 13.5
Pace: 9:59
Total: 35.51 miles
Overall I am really happy with how this week went. I never quite know what to expect following a race, in terms of soreness, etc, but this week I was really surprised with how quickly I recovered. The only small issue I had this week was that Sunday's run was meant to be 16 miles, not 13.5. After an incredibly busy independence day (running, atv-ing, boating) I decided to sleep in on Sunday. It was super hot and sunny, which was miserable for running but made the lake I was running next to incredibly enticing. I bailed after 13.5 miles in favor of going swimming.
Monday 7/6
Supplemental: 2 mile walk
I don't think I've mentioned it, but during Saturday's ATV adventure I got stuck in the mud, twice. Which meant a lot of pulling/pushing/lifting to get my quad out. My back was killing on Monday so I thought it best to skip strength training. I did spend some quality time with my heating pad which seemed to relax the angry muscles.
Tuesday 7/7
unscheduled rest day
Wednesday 7/8
Distance: 10.27
Pace: 3 miles easy, 5 miles at 15k-half pace (7:41), 2.27 miles easy
Thursday 7/9
Distance: 11.02
Pace: 9:23
Friday 7/10
rest day
Saturday 7/11
Distance: 7.07 + 8 strides
Pace: 9:33
Sunday 7/12
Distance: 18.35
Pace: 9:39
Total: 46.71 miles
My schedule for the week called for 10 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday, and 11 on Thursday. Even though I took Tuesday off, I didn't want to miss one of my longer runs for the week. I decided that my skipped run should be made up on Wednesday. I chose not to make up the 4 miles from Wednesday. I kind of thought that 10 miles followed by 11 miles was going to be the most difficult part of the week, but it was definitely the 18 miler that was the worst.
During the final four miles of my long run I could tell that I was getting very tired, very quickly. I thought that the breaks for traffic signals would be a nice chance to rest, but instead they just threw off my rhythm and made it harder to start running again. Miles 16 and 17 in particular were quite rough as the starting and stopping brought on a round of side stitches. This was kind of a blessing in disguise since I was able to try some of the side stitch strategies that I've been reading about. Better to work on this in training than on race day!
Somehow I managed to make it through all 18 miles. Even though I was ready to quit around mile 16, I knew that if I kept running I would be home quicker than if I stopped running, got out my phone, called my husband and waited for him to come pick me up. So that was my motivation to keep running. Since I am still 14 weeks out from my marathon, I am not too worried about struggling through an 18 mile run. Though it does highlight my general lack of endurance (compared to speed). At least I have plenty of time to work on it!
The first time doing a long run of significant distance (aka anything above 14) will always feel hard, because you're not used to it yet. Your body is still learning, remember :) Now each time you do a really long run it will start to feel easier and easier because you are getting accustomed to it, not just physically but mentally as well.
ReplyDeleteEndurance takes time and practice to build. But I think a lot of what separates those who are good at endurance is not so much physical skill, but that they have mastered the mental game. I consider myself better at endurance, even though physically I'm not that much faster or stronger than others, and I think what it comes down to is that I just don't let the long distances intimidate me. I've always been amazed at how many runners are more terrified of running long than running fast, when I've always thought the latter was much more difficult!
Running long vs running fast is such an interesting struggle. In ways I can see how both of them are really terrifying. I can remember when I was running 12 minute/miles, so setting off at 6:XX for a 5k seems impossibly fast (even after having run that time twice!). Right now I am definitely way more focused on the fact that in a few months I will be trying to run my first marathon, which definitely feels equally impossible.
DeleteI found that the 18 is mentally the toughest distance for me. I don't know what it is, but it feels SO far. But, on the other side, once I complete it, 20 doesn't seem so bad. It's weird, but 18 is always, always, the hardest long run of a training cycle for me. Way to push through and get it done! And you still have a LONG time before your marathon. Getting an 18 out of the way now will make the other ones much easier. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It definitely feels nice to have one 18 miler in the bank. And you're right, now that I've gotten through 18, what is the worst that can happen when I go for 20?
DeleteWow! You've jumped right in head first by already tackling an 18-miler! By the end of this training cycle I bet you will be so surprised by how different you feel when running 18+ miles. I remember the first time I ran 15 miles I thought the world was going to end and I would never ever be able to complete 26.2 but then the next weekend 16 miles felt hard but not terrible. It's incredible how fast the body adapts and how things can change from week to week!
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so! I don't think it helped that my 16 mile run was all the way back on June 20th.
DeleteHoly crap I cannot believe you ran over 18 miles! You are a beast! Awesome couple of weeks, lady =)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Courtney :)
DeleteAwesome 18-miler! I should go back and read my training recaps for my first marathon but I'm pretty sure I wanted to die during my 18-miler. It took me a looong time to figure out my fueling. Congratulations on completing and you are going to be more than prepared for your marathon!!
ReplyDeleteI went back to read my training log from my first 18 mile run (last August) and was kind of sad to see that I felt great during it and even managed a fast finish for the last three miles. Oh well, I'll just hope I feel stronger during my next one.
Delete18 miles with 18 weeks this early in training is great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina!
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