I am loving my training plan, for once. Usually training plans ask too much from me too fast and I abandon ship soon after starting. For most of my past races, aside from my first marathon, I have made up my own plan as I went, but not this time. I am on week 6, day 1 of Hal Higdon's intermediate 1 plan and it is progressing slowly enough that I feel strong and capable on most runs and unlike other years, it has not been a struggle keeping up. This weekend I completed a total of 18 miles and the only side affect was a bit of crankiness, and not even the usual soreness the next morning.
For my 2 days off during the week I am totally taking the day off completely, no guilt, no cheating, just rest 100%. Over the years I have grown to value of these days off as essential parts of all training plans. Only with proper rest in between intense training periods is one able to come back stronger each time. Most of my speed PR's we've earned on days I took 1-2 days off running. I tend to liken these days off to pauses in all songs, they are just as essential as the song, yet, any song would not sound right without these gaps of no song; song and no song, they each complement one another just as running days and non-running days; they each make up a part of a whole.
What plans do you use?
Showing posts with label marathon trainings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon trainings. Show all posts
Monday, July 24, 2017
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Week 3, Day 6
I got to see the lake today.YES!!! That alone is enough to make me smile all day today. Here is where I stopped to stretch my legs a bit over some bench acing the lake. This was a relatively easy week of running. I have one more run tomorrow, a 6-miler. As much as I like the trails, I think I will do my 6-miler on pavement tomorrow, for my ankles are totally beat from navigating over all the loose rocks and mud from the rain on this particular trail.
My compression shorts ripped where my thighs meet mid-run and it made me think that for any long run, like a race, I would have to take with me a threaded needle for occasions such as these. To avoid getting chafed, I simply rotated my sweaty shorts pant leg around to the front of my tight a bit so that the hole did not meet my other leg, it worked. Although every runner coming towards me got to see a weird hole in the front of my shorts. Luckily, few people are on the trails early on a Saturday morning. I got home and sewed up the hole and the shorts are back in circulation.
Surprisingly, I ran without music for the second time this week, and in a long time. It seems almost wrong to go into a rich, lush forest and put on earphones to hear pop music, my heavy synthetic running tunes heavily clashes with the more natural feel of the forest.
Surprisingly, I ran without music for the second time this week, and in a long time. It seems almost wrong to go into a rich, lush forest and put on earphones to hear pop music, my heavy synthetic running tunes heavily clashes with the more natural feel of the forest.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Week 2, Day 3 of marathon training
So I am giddy with excitement.....I am following Higdon's intermediate 1 18 week plan, starting at week 2. They have this app that I had uploaded and paid for over 2 years ago and just now using. I don't like the app that much, it's very simple. But, it makes it easy to know what days I will be doing what. For a busy mom, these little apps as a lifesaver.
The app tells you how many days until your race and gives you a daily pep talk slash info about your training. Again, very basic, but sometimes frills can also be annoying.
Today was 5 miles.....felt great to run more than 3 miles.....and here we go again.....another marathon season started. I also went ahead and reserved a room with 2 queen beds for the Rehoboth Marathon in the fall, came to $145 for 2 nights, not bad. Now, if only the weather cooperates it will be a beautiful race day at the beach.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Week 7 done!
This was a great run! I got up at 4:10am and got ready. Luckily I went to bed on time and getting up required no effort. I got dressed, lubed up, filled my water, and out the door I went. The air was so humid....88% humidity at 4:50am. How is that for hot? Of course I began to sweat immediately.
To make the runs go faster, well not GO faster....to make the runs FEEL like they are going faster I always listen to podcasts on the first half of any run. It forces me to slow down and also keeps me occupied on thoughts and not my body. I listened to a total of three posts from Spartan Up podcast.
.
This is one of my earliest runs for a long time and I realized that initially I was a bit spooked running on my own, but soon regained the confidence I have always had in the dark mornings. Soon I eased into my run and relaxed and most importantly, stopped turning to look behind me as if someone would jump out any minute.
Again, my friend, the shadow. I should do an art work with these shadow shapes. There is a comfort that seeing them give me. I don't need to turn around to check for anyone, for shadows don't lie, omit or change facts....I will surely see anyone sneaking up behind me thanks to shadows.
This is right before sunrise...maybe another 40 minutes to go before the sun fully shows itself.
And here comes another day. There is something so sacred about ushering in the sun and being there to witness it. Perhaps it's because it brings to mind the idea of hope, possibilities, promise, so much can happen in a day.....bad OR good. I know this is super morbid, but this may very well be my last day and I am privileged enough to see THE moment the sun broke through the horizon and aware enough to really appreciate it to the bottom of my heart. Again, so much can happen in ONE day, for example, yesterday was Victoria Marten's last day. Victoria was a 10-year-old that was drugged, raped, strangled to death and dismembered by her mother and her boyfriend just hours before her birthday party. Today, during my whole run I kept going back to this poor girl's last day, last hour, last breath and cried and prayed as I ran and sent her little soul amazing love and dedicated all my painful miles to her short life and her innocent soul. Moments like these I know that running will be with me until I die, I will be that old lady who shuffles out daily for her morning run. Running has helped me process my life in an emotionally healthy and productive way. We might not be able to change what's going on out there but we can work on ourselves, and make our little circle of connections the best, most loving community we can create. Unfortunately, and no matter what we do though there will be many more Victorias just as there are millions of innocent animals in slaughterhouses living miserable lives just to feed us all or how there are thousands upon thousands of dogs pressed in cages by the dozens in North Korea ready to be cooked alive...but if we can conquer this hill before us through pain and/or tears, we might also be able to conquer jealousy or greed, discontent and boredom.....life is so much richer through running.
You know it's super early when your shadow is super LONG!
And I'm back home!!
Tried out my new bra today.....no, I did not chafe in the old spots where my old bras would hurt me.....now I have a new spot where I chafe.....how funny is that? Even trying to escape chafing mirrors life. You think all your troubles will go away with something new and shiny only to find a host of new problems.....I had to laugh.....and when I got into the shower I had to cry.....
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Mental chatter.....churning and updates
I am keenly aware of how little interest MOST people have in talking about running. I only need to mention anything above a 5K and most people's eyes check out and quickly throw the focus on other more common topics. For this reason alone I pretty much hold back all running talk with all people in my life. With even my husband, who also happens to be a runner, but not a race guy, I find myself thinking, "oh this is way too boring to bring up with him."
My latest craze has been searching and finding a destination race worth a mother's sacrifice and enormous planning effort that it will surely entail. I am searching for a race I would not hesitate to spend a good 2 grand on and leave my kids for two plus days for....one I could daydream about for hours on end every week of training and tear up occasionally thinking of crossing the finish line. The dilemma for a solitary runner like myself is who to share this with? I brought up the subject with my hubby and his initial response was of course the cost. I've got to admit, this response was not the supportive response I envisioned but it's one I understand well. Change is tough for all of us. It;'s not up to him to believe in my dreams, that is my job. I learned that long ago and as soon as he began to rationalize MY whole dream into an impossibility I decided I did not need his understanding, not now.....he'll come around I reassured myself...he always does.
Yesterday, I was at Whole Foods and every month they have a free running magazine at their exit, which of course, I grab and devour while eating my lunch. This article about group running and how they are 'all the rage' made me sneer. I've had my try at group runs and as a slower runner they pretty much suck. Most women who run my pace are doing intervals and intervals just does not work with me AT ALL. How does one manage to zone out and relax into ones run if you need to stop and walk every....what.....30 second!? nope, not for me. There, that is where I came to realize I am a solitary runner and I like it that way.
I also wanted to give an update on the non-running workouts as I heal from this injury that does not seem to be subsiding. I emailed the podiatrist and asked about my x-rays. Waiting to hear form him hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, I am having a hell of a time working through my irrational shyness at the gym. I am proud of how far I've come. I can now choose to do the weights and use every machine in the place without feeling self-conscious. I've got to say choosing angry music helped tremendously with this endeavor. One day I will need to write about the benefits of music on ones energy and mood. Surprisingly I have been going to the gym from 6-7:30 every day since my teacher vacation began. I will either walk for an hour and half uphill or do weights for 1/2 an hour and walk uphill for 45 minutes. The elliptical has burned me. I would seriously rather cut my tongue than use one of the things. Let's just say they are NOT made for short people and most of the time I find myself feeling too uncomfortable. The uphill walking is exhausting but at least I can readjust my body as needed when uncomfortable.
I need to check the calendar and see when I need to start marathon training...the 20 week mark will be here in a bout a week and I may just need to continue to do other forms of cardio and once I heal I can find some short 16-week plan to follow that will help me accomplish my goals. So far I only have the MCM for October but if I can train better I MAY be able to do the 50K leg of the West Virginia Trilogy also around the same time. It just all depends on how my body heals and it's no sense fretting about it now, but, as weeks go by and my foot feels the same dull pain I get more and more nervous.
My latest craze has been searching and finding a destination race worth a mother's sacrifice and enormous planning effort that it will surely entail. I am searching for a race I would not hesitate to spend a good 2 grand on and leave my kids for two plus days for....one I could daydream about for hours on end every week of training and tear up occasionally thinking of crossing the finish line. The dilemma for a solitary runner like myself is who to share this with? I brought up the subject with my hubby and his initial response was of course the cost. I've got to admit, this response was not the supportive response I envisioned but it's one I understand well. Change is tough for all of us. It;'s not up to him to believe in my dreams, that is my job. I learned that long ago and as soon as he began to rationalize MY whole dream into an impossibility I decided I did not need his understanding, not now.....he'll come around I reassured myself...he always does.
Yesterday, I was at Whole Foods and every month they have a free running magazine at their exit, which of course, I grab and devour while eating my lunch. This article about group running and how they are 'all the rage' made me sneer. I've had my try at group runs and as a slower runner they pretty much suck. Most women who run my pace are doing intervals and intervals just does not work with me AT ALL. How does one manage to zone out and relax into ones run if you need to stop and walk every....what.....30 second!? nope, not for me. There, that is where I came to realize I am a solitary runner and I like it that way.
I also wanted to give an update on the non-running workouts as I heal from this injury that does not seem to be subsiding. I emailed the podiatrist and asked about my x-rays. Waiting to hear form him hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, I am having a hell of a time working through my irrational shyness at the gym. I am proud of how far I've come. I can now choose to do the weights and use every machine in the place without feeling self-conscious. I've got to say choosing angry music helped tremendously with this endeavor. One day I will need to write about the benefits of music on ones energy and mood. Surprisingly I have been going to the gym from 6-7:30 every day since my teacher vacation began. I will either walk for an hour and half uphill or do weights for 1/2 an hour and walk uphill for 45 minutes. The elliptical has burned me. I would seriously rather cut my tongue than use one of the things. Let's just say they are NOT made for short people and most of the time I find myself feeling too uncomfortable. The uphill walking is exhausting but at least I can readjust my body as needed when uncomfortable.
I need to check the calendar and see when I need to start marathon training...the 20 week mark will be here in a bout a week and I may just need to continue to do other forms of cardio and once I heal I can find some short 16-week plan to follow that will help me accomplish my goals. So far I only have the MCM for October but if I can train better I MAY be able to do the 50K leg of the West Virginia Trilogy also around the same time. It just all depends on how my body heals and it's no sense fretting about it now, but, as weeks go by and my foot feels the same dull pain I get more and more nervous.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
13-week Marathon Training Schedule
Marathon Training Plan
for
GW Birthday Marathon Feb 16th, 2014
Okay, so after exhaustive research, I came up with this training plan to follow for my next marathon. Seeing as I JUST finished a marathon I needed to take 'healing' into consideration. I also suppose I could pay someone to make me a marathon training plan based on my goals. But I feel at this point I know my body enough to know what I need to tweak to meet my goals. My goals being to beat my time in my next marathon. I am adding in some speed work, some hills (Tuesdays) and the back to back long runs will help me get stronger and heal faster. The idea of having three 20 milers scares me a bit, but I know it will provide me with the confidence I need going into a race wanting to PR.
Monday
|
Tues
|
Wed
|
Thurs
|
Fri
|
Sat
|
Sun
|
Total miles
| |
11/18
|
5
|
4
|
8
| |||||
11/25
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
14
|
26
| |||
12/2
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
12
| ||||
12/9
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
R
|
Half
|
25
| ||
12/16
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
9
|
12
|
33
| ||
12/23
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
10
|
20
|
42
| ||
12/30
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
6
|
12
|
30
| ||
1/6
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
10
|
20
|
42
| ||
1/13
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
6
|
12
|
30
| ||
1/20
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
10
|
20
|
42
| ||
1/27
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
4
|
12
|
28
| ||
2/3
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
4
|
8
|
24
| ||
2/10
|
4
|
3 speed
|
5
|
2
|
RACE!!!
|
14
|
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Mile by Mile Recap.....
Here is how I feel....mile by mile....
Mile 1: My ankles and shins are killing me, How the HELL am I ever going to finish this? I feel fat and slow. I feel people are looking at me. I'm too slow. How am I ever going to run 10 miles.
Mile 2: Okay, the pain is going away. Keep on working on my form, keep listening to inspiring songs..
Mile 3: No more pain, finally! Now it's my left foot that feels achy, damn....Hope it goes away too.
Mile 4: All pain has gone away! Music is awesome.
Mile 5: My form is actually much more automatic, like utter, half way there....yes!!! my body moving better, less fragmented.
Mile 6: Nothing hurts anymore, running a bit faster now, enjoying the sun and sweating
Mile 7: I am awesome! Feeling amazing, feeling blessed....I CAN run..smiling at everybody
Mile 8: Speeding even more. I am not even paying attention to people anymore, who the hell cares what I look like, I am doing 10 miles nonstop today...2 easy miles left!, I've got this!
Mile 9: I practically did it!! I am almost there! Feeling amazing, strong, invincible. I love my body, I love everybody. The last mile is smooth and my form is like butter.
Mile 10: This feels great, I want to keep running but also itching for a few stretches.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Need recommendations for which training to do for marathon
I have been researching which training path to follow for my marathon in November. I have some time to figure this out, but the more I learn the more I am confused. I am not a huge fan of cross training and as much as I'd like to do Bart Yasso's method, I don't know if I'll stick to the cross-training part of his plan. A few have suggested Hal Higdon's plans. The Marathon Training Academy with Angie and Trevor also have individualized plans they sell, which sounds really nice. Will check them out and post my findings here soon......what suggestions do you all have?
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