Charlotte Marathon Training - Week 8 of 18

Almost the same as last week.

Week Beginning Thoughts: I finally did it! Guess I'm really doing this thing.

I realized last week that I have a trip for work scheduled Nov. 8-10. I'm planning to fly in and out of Charlotte, but hoping that I don't get back super late on Friday night. Eeeks!


Monday
Planned: strength
Did: strength
Good lifting today. Felt strong, nothing really hurts or feels bad from the long hard efforts this weekend. Is that weird?

Tuesday
Planned: 8 m run
Did: 8.02mi @ 9:19/mi avg - Paris Mountain run
Had an afternoon dentist appointment and the weather was decently cool (YAY), so I took the opportunity to run up Altamont / Paris Mountain. So you could call this a singular hill repeat? Started from Furman bookstore lot, around the back of campus, and up Altamont.

To the top of that! 

Immediately when I started, my legs were sore from lifting on Monday... I wasn't sure how well I would do with the climb since I've not run a lot of hills this training cycle. I made the decision that, whatever the pace, I was not going to walk at all. From the turn onto Altamont to the "You Made It" line is 2.15 mi and an elevation gain of 738 feet (based on Garmin's data this time around). It climbs 80 feet in the last ~0.15 mi alone, which is a nice kick in the butt when you're already d.o.n.e.

Ascent - 24:00
Descent - 18:18

Done!

Big Hill.

I felt really good that I did this! Will need to plan to work it into more of my training runs.

Wednesday
Planned: 4 m run
Did: 4.07 mi @ 8:41/mi avg
Just a regular ol' run today. Felt nice outside at lunch - overcast and not too warm. Hoorah! It appears my "whatever" pace is getting faster... loving this sub-9 default pace. :)

Also exciting...

Do you see those yellow leaves?!

Thursday
Planned: 4 m run #SpeedworkThursday
Did: 1 WU, 1200/800/800/400 @ 6:30/mi, 400 rest between each, 400 CD = 4.0 @ 8:00/mi avg
Rainy morning didn't matter much since I'd planned treadmill speedwork. Hopped on and warmed up for a mile, then got into the ladder workout. Decided to go hard and target 6:30 pace for all speed segments... achieved with no trouble! Felt good and strong in each speed segment, only started to feel a little fatigue towards the end of the second 800. The final 400 flew by. Maybe need to go even faster next time?? Whee!

Friday
Planned: rest
Did: yoga
#yogaFriday

Saturday
Planned: 8 or 17 m run
Did: 17.02 mi @ 9:44/mi avg
Whoa this was a tough one. We're at my parents' lake house at Lake Wateree for the Labor Day weekend, and I knew this run was going to be hard because I was going to be solo on the rolling hilly roads near the lake house. I was 100% accurate in my estimation, though pleasantly surprised at my overall pace! Did not think I'd hit sub-10 on these roads and it definitely didn't feel like sub-10 most of the time.

The elevation was wonky because it was an out-and-back course...
but you can still tell the rolling nature of the road!

I woke up without an alarm (🙌) a bit before 7, took my time having a small breakfast and getting myself out the door. I was running by a little before 8. I told myself to keep it slow and steady and not try to hit any kind of speed records. The temps were nice when I started out, though the patches in the sun were already a little warm.

 

I ran Lake Road (the road that basically circles the entire lake) with my target turn-around point at the Wateree Damn. I had to make a few extra loops because the Dam was only a bit over 7 miles from the house, so I took a side-trip down to the boat launch nearby. Had a nice view of the top side of the dam... the bottom, which I'd hoped to see, ended up being down a sketchy looking gravel/dirt road that I didn't feel like tackling solo.

Wateree Dam

Black Vulture Effigy

The vulture effigy was an odd thing to see. The vultures like to hang out near the dam because of the fish that get chopped up in the turbines. Apparently there's a problem with vultures attacking peoples' cars, so they installed a few effigies at strategic locations to ward them off. There was only a vulture leg hanging at this one, but usually there's an entire dead vulture. Lovely.

 

Country roads and tiny lizards.

I must have been eager to make it home ASAP because I had a STRONG negative split between the first 8 miles (10:01/mi avg) and the last 9 miles (9:39/mi avg) of this run. I was definitely glad when it was done, and very happy I only ("only") have 8 miles to do tomorrow. 

Sunday
Planned: 8 or 17 m run
Did: 8.06 mi @ 9:21/mi avg

Heart rate graph is a better representation of the elevation changes.

Another hilly run today, thankfully much shorter than yesterday. The legs were definitely tired, though as a whole I was much more rested because of a 2 hour nap yesterday plus 9 hours of sleep last night. Halleluia, that #lakelife. Nothing significant about today, just a nice easy 8.

More pretty lake views

Total Weekly Mileage: 41.17 mi

Week ending thoughts: Oh yes, still feeling that increased training volume with another 40+ week. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, considering my normal/baseline training rarely touches 30 mpw. This week's solo long runs reminded me how hard solo running is! I haven't done this kind of distance on my own at all so far this training cycle. I got some nice long hours inside my own head, but I definitely miss the company of my normal training buddies. I've also learned that I need more sleep. Physically I'm fine with whatever, but mentally I'm much more on my game and positive in general if I've gotten the right amount of Zzzs. Definitely a challenge, but something I need to focus on. Also, I'm glad I *only* have one 13-mile run next weekend. 😊