Boston Marathon #127 Training (Week 8 of 16)

A somewhat normal week except for Monday (school holiday = working from home + kiddo care).

Monday
Planned: off/XT
Did: 3 mi @ 9:31/mi avg

Took D out at lunch for a loop through Furman. He rode his bike while I ran. Gorgeous day!

Tuesday
Planned: intervals (800m @ 3:27)
Did: 6.29 mi @ 8:10/mi avg w/ 4x800m

Track Tuesday at Furman, got a late start so only did 4x800m but all were right on target. Felt somewhat sluggish but finished it out alright.

Wednesday
Planned: 9 mi EZ
Did: 9.02 mi @ 9:49/mi avg

Got out midday for this run in the WARM SUNSHINE oh man. What a beautiful day, though it was also pretty breezy. Felt amazing though!

Thursday

Planned: hills
Did: 5.22 mi @ 8:14/mi avg

Ran faster than planned during lunch through the hills of USC Upstate. Not exactly an Altamont climb but definitely enough ups and downs to feel the work!

Friday
Planned: off/XT
Did: 3.28 mi @ 9:01/mi avg

Ran the Earth Run 5k course at lunch and man, what a warm day it was! Crazy February weather. Took it nice and easy, course is in good shape for the race in a couple of weeks.

Bradford Pear trees are blooming at work - smells like cat pee 😝

Saturday

Planned: 18 mi
Did: 18.04 mi @ 8:54/mi avg

I was not sure how this run would go... really didn't make plans ahead of time but it worked out great. I knew there was a group 5k run from Run In at 9am where I could get a free pair of Goodr sunglasses after running, so that was my target for the final 3 miles of my planned 18 total. I got a bit later start from the zoo (very close to Run In) than I'd had in mind, so I set out around 6:40am. Solo run on the trail towards downtown, had a bit of an interesting time navigating around a partial trail closure, then was on my way north. Went almost to the crossing at Watkins Bridge before turning around and heading back south. The Swamp Rabbit Half Marathon was this morning, and started in TR at 7:30. I knew I'd have the leaders catch up to me as I ran back south, just wasn't sure when. I crossed Blue Ridge Drive and the police men stopped traffic for me... then asked "are you one of the runners?" Me, happily trotting along at a solid 9:00 pace... no, sir, I am not currently winning this race. 😂 Anyway, I did get passed by the top 5 runners before I peeled off of the race course to get back over to Run In. 

Was right at 14.2 miles or so total when I got there, hung out a bit, then we were off! I ended up doing about a 7:20-7:30 pace for the 5k and was the first female to finish (not that it was timed/ranked)... pretty pleased with that! And I got some sweet new sunnies. 😎

After hanging out a bit more, I headed back to my car with one more loop around the parking lot to get my total of 18 miles. Felt pretty awesome considering the number of miles! Really happy with the run today.

Sunday
Planned: 9 mi MP
Did: 2 mi walk + 9.74 @ 8:02/mi avg + 60 min hot Vinyasa yoga

Run planned for the afternoon, so did a walk before church in the morning. For the tempo run, was able to coordinate a one-way run from home to downtown in time for yoga class. Ran easy from the house until I got to somewhat flat road and then kicked off the speedy miles heading down the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Had to take a pit stop at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, but otherwise felt pretty good for the 9 miles and kept a consistent pace! Only one mile above target, so pretty happy with that.

Hot yoga was much needed and welcomed after this tough week!

Boston Marathon #127 Training (Week 7 of 16)

In Germany for the week, so getting to do some international runs!

Monday

Planned: off/XT

Did: 3.1 mi @ 9:50/mi

Got up early before starting the workday in Germany. There's an incredible network of cycling/pedestrian paths including a loop around the lake where the hotel is located. I did a loop almost around the lake (except for when I discovered a bridge was closed, so had to return back around the way I'd started.

Tuesday

Planned: #10kTuesday

Did: 6.7 mi @ 8:24/mi 

Managed to get up early and run despite staying out until nearly midnight the night before. Felt great to do a quick 10k with some work colleagues before heading in for another busy day at the plant. 

Wednesday

Planned: 9 mi

Did: 10.13 mi @ 9:06/mi

Ran in the evening from the plant back to the hotel. The great thing about Germany (and most of Europe) is the amazing network of bicycle and pedestrian paths! The route went down a 2-lane highway before peeling off to the west and crossing just barely over the border to the Netherlands. Turned from paved pathway to a hard-packed earth trail through the woods, far from any traffic or roads. It was beautiful! And of course I didn't take any photos... oops. But eventually got back to the paved path and through the city center back to the hotel. Got there just in time to shower and meet my colleagues for dinner!

Thursday

Planned: hills

Did: 3.45 mi @ 9:17/mi

Super easy run this morning with colleagues after a too-late night out. Last day in Germany!

Friday

Planned: off/XT

Did: 3k treadmill run

Another late night, and a flight back to the USA this morning so got in a few quick kilometers on the hotel treadmill before packing up and heading to the airport. 

Saturday

Planned: 16 mi long run

Did: 16.02 mi @ 8:30/mi avg

Decided on a different venue and ran on the Doodle trail with a small group - ended up going a bit faster than I should have for long run pace but felt pretty great considering the jet lag and accumulated fatigue from the week! 

Sunday

Planned: 8 mi race pace

Did: 9.15 mi @ 7:59/mi avg

Got out in the morning right at dawn to run my race pace miles... again, was concerned about fatigue from the week plus the long run the day before, but ended up being a perfectly executed run!

8 goal pace miles 🌟

Wowwwww... hit 50 miles this week!

Boston Marathon #127 Training (Week 6 of 16)

Sure doesn't feel like I still have 10 weeks.... but I know they'll go quickly!

Monday

Planned: off/XT

Did: 1.87mi @ 10:35/mi avg + 20 min strength

Short miles around the neighborhood under a full moon.

Tuesday

Planned: 1 mi repeats @ 6:56

Did: 6.94 mi @ 7:44/mi avg w/ 3 x 1mi

Three repeats of 1mi around the track. Super duper consistent and it felt hard but was able to keep it up for the 3 reps.

Wednesday

Planned: 8 mi easy

Did: 8.05 mi @ 10:05/mi

Loved these long easy mid-week miles! Very calm and meditative... what last week was supposed to be. Good stuff and didn't feel hard at all.

Thursday

Planned: hills

Did: 5.8 mi @ 8:27/mi avg

Had to skip Altamont this morning but got some of the USC Upstate hills done during a lunch run at work. I don't get out to run at work very much these days (my preference is to get the run done in the early morning) but I do enjoy running some of these familiar routes!

Friday

Planned: off/XT

Did: 2.25 mi EZ run

Easy morning miles in TR while waiting for the vet's office to open. Just a quick out and back. 

Saturday

Planned: 14 mi (including GVRR 10-miler)

Did: 2.9 mi run to GVRR, 10.02 mi @ 7:39/mi avg GVRR, 2.35 mi run home = 15.2 mi total

Ran from home up to Trailblazer park for the Green Valley Road Race. Ran the race without much expectation but ended up being first in my age group and felt really strong running all the hills (very familiar ones, as I ran through my neighborhood). Then ran home after the race and stopped with about 3/4 mi to go so I walked the rest. 

Sunday

Planned: 7 mi goal pace

Did: 3.43 mi @ 10:06/mi

Left town Saturday afternoon for a work trip. Overnight flight to Amsterdam, ran through city center after lunch - just a short run to get something done. Looped through a lovely downtown park before getting back to the car for the drive to Germany.

Boston Marathon #127 Training (Week 5 of 16)

This week was absolute insanity with work and stress and blergh. Minimal details because I'm writing it on the Thursday of the following week. 😵

Monday

Planned: XT/off

Did: 2 mi @ 10:29/mi avg

Tuesday

Planned: 600m reps @ 2:26 each

Did: 7.4 mi @ 8:06/mi avg with 8x600m

All 600m reps were 2:24-2:28

Wednesday

Planned: 8 mi easy

Did: 2.26 mi @ 10:56/mi avg

Absolute crash and burn. Just could not muster the physical or mental energy for this one. 

Thursday

Planned: hills

Did: 6.01 mi Altamont run

Morning mountain in the mist. 

Crashed at night, went to bed at 7pm and slept 9.5 hours.

Friday

Planned: XT/off

Did: 3.32 mi @ 9:42/mi treadmill run

Easy on the 'mill at work. 

Saturday

Planned: 12 mi 

Did: 12.68 mi @ 8:51/mi avg

Long morning miles, much better on pacing this week. Looks like the secret is running by myself because I go too fast with other people. 😂

Sunday

Planned: 6 @ goal pace

Did: 6.73 mi @ 7:59/mi avg + 60 min Vinyasa yoga

Afternoon out and back goal pace tempo - pretty good consistency and getting better at pacing closer to the goal.

Third mile = oops. 💥

Not the best week but proud of what I did amongst all the other external factors.