Week in Review

74 Miles
12M MLR
15.6M with 5 x Broken 2K repeats (1000m with 200m float, 800m fast, 400m jog rest)
     84/87/43 (57) 81/82 (2:08)
     87/86/43 (57) 81/82 (2:15)
     84/84/42 (59) 80/82 (2:03)
     84/84/42 (65) 81/82 (2:03)
     84/84/42 (53) 81/81
18M with 10 miles at 601/602/558/601/602/601/603/601/604/555

Phew, what a week! I'm definitely ready for a solid taper! And after Saturday's workout, Terry emailed me that I get the best (and worst!) present of all:  a really nice taper.  But first, let's start with Wednesday.  My trusty training partner, Jonah, and I headed out to the track near El Camino to run the broken 2K repeats workout.  Ironically enough, the last time I did this workout was back in late March in Durham when my marriage was crumbling apart in front of my eyes.  For more reasons than one, I wanted to really crush this workout, and I did just that!  Also, it's a really fun way to do a track workout.  Typically I cringe when I see that Terry's created a workout that logistically works better on the track, but I knew that this one would be more interesting than just doing 400m repeats or countless mile repeats.  

On Saturday, Jonah and I headed out for my final big marathon workout.  It was a bright and sunny day, and I gave Jonah strict orders that we should run 605 pace.  Instead, we were running low 600s to high 550s.  By mile 9, I watched as Jonah pulled away from me and I maintained my pace.  I didn't go with him because mainly I felt like crap, but I also didn't consider trying to go with him because I know that I've got a marathon in two weeks and he does not.  It was so cute because at the end of the workout, when Jonah rounded back for me, he immediately asked "Are you okay?!" because it's the first time he's seen me do less than how the workout was written.  I'm used to having workouts where I feel like poo-poo, but he's never really seen that happen yet.  After reading my log about how tired my legs feel, Terry immediately responded with strict instructions to take my slower runs even easier and to reduce my mileage.  I am happy I get to take a step back from running, but I also loathe taper weeks because they get so boring and tedious. I also typically feel super bloated during taper because I'm not running as much and because I'm eating more carbs than normal.

Terry also said that my tempo workout gave a good indicator as to what a good target pace is for Chicago - and I agreed with his assessment.  We both recognized that the best way to PR at Chicago is to run 605 pace through at least halfway or even 18 and then to try to run faster after that.  At least now I have a goal that my own coach also believes I can achieve!

Week in Review

74 Miles
14M with 2 x 2miles @ 602/600 (2:00 jog), 559/5:59 (2:03 jog), 4 miles at 602/553/552/556
12M MLR
20M at 7:00 average
2 days in Pacific Palisades

I'm sooo far behind on my blog, but this was my first full week back to training after the SF half!  I shuffled my long run to be on Friday so that I wouldn't have to worry about knocking out a 20-miler when I was in LA with Peter.  It all worked out quite nicely because I helped out Max on his last long run before Santa Rosa while, at the same time, getting in a solid effort for myself.  I also found a new workout buddy - Jonah - who has proven to be in quite stellar shape!  He kept me company for the 8 mile workout at Marathon Pace and  I was so excited when he blasted past me on the final mile.  I FINALLY found a dude that I can run with and together we can help each other achieve our running goals! #WINNING

Week in Review

75 Miles
12M with 4M tempo via 544, 541, 539, 534 and then 800m jog rest for 5 x 1 minutes in 502 - 516 pace
9M with 2 x mile of 30s on off with mile splits of 543/542 with 800m jog rest
17M long run at 654 average
0 days off
1 new friend!
1 rock climbing session

Whew, looking back on this week, I feel somewhat exhausted knowing what I accomplished.  Yet the odd thing is that I feel completely energized.  I haven't felt this good since the summer of 2005, before I headed back to Wake for my sophomore year.  I firmly believe that my latest running fitness mainly is due to 1) injury and time off during the months of October - January, 2) the ridiculously good (read: low humidity) weather, and 3) unintended weight loss.  I'm slowly building up my crew of guys to run with by stalking strava and it has proven so successful! I've met Ted, who lives less than half a mile from my house, and then also Tom, who will certainly start hitting some massive PRs if he continues running long with me.  I'm so impressed with these folks and I hope that we can continue to push each other to achieve goals together.  I've also done my last two long runs with Heather, which has been such fun since we've gone through similar life situations over the last couple of years.

Week in Review

74 Miles
10M MLR
13 miles with 4x400m, 1M, 4x400m, 1M, 4x400m
Tobacco Road Half Marathon Race in 1:16:27, 2nd place, $600

This week marked my first race of 2015! As exciting as that may be, starting it off with a half marathon is a daunting task.  After taking a week off in late January, I had no idea what my fitness would translate into in a race, so after seeing the result, I'm very excited about this year.  Despite having a crazy travel schedule for school, I'm able to put in the miles and hard work to still find success in my running.  It's been a really positive experience all around! It just proves that just because you have a busy life, you can still find time to do the number one thing you love!

I started off the week with a solid workout solo on the Dilworth Speed Loop in Charlotte. I definitely miss doing the road loop because it is just so much easier mentally for me to focus.  I hit all the times and even though it felt pretty hard, I came away feeling ready for the half.

In the half marathon, I ran about 75 seconds faster than I did here last year.  This is because I raced smarter (read: ran slower in the first half) and because I had Michelle Lillienthal for some enjoyable company.  Long story short, Michelle and I raced together through about 8 miles side-by-side and then she took off and ended up beating me by about 40 seconds over the last 5 miles.  I wasn't actually that far behind her until we hit around 11 miles, and the legs started to feel really fatigued.  By mile 12, on a slight uphill, I questioned whether my legs would even be able to make it up the hill.  It felt like I was very close to hitting the wall, where my legs just would not go any more.  My glutes and upper hamstring were tightening up FAST and I had nowhere to go but to that finish line.  Fortunately I made it without walking or collapsing.  I spent the rest of the time cooling down with Michelle and hanging out with her until the awards. I hope I can get fit enough to run the Trials next to her because she's a really positive presence and a smart racer.

Week in Review

75 Miles
1 Workout
11.5 MLR
8K PR in 26:45
16 miles Long run
$750
0 Days Off

This week was absolutely perfect as I ended it $750 richer and one whole minute faster in the 8k.  My workout on Wednesday was really tough, but I gutted through it and proved that I can indeed run faster than 5:25 pace for almost 5 miles.  CIM is only two weeks out and I'm feeling optimistic about the race!

Week in Review

75 Miles
1 Speek Workout
~12 Mile MLR
HM race in 1:18:45
8 Runs
0 Days Off
1 Massage
1 Greenapple ART Session

This was a little bit of a down week since I had a sore Achilles coming into the week.  Fortunately, all worries dissolved away after I completed a speed workout and a half marathon race without a ruptured Achilles.  I got in an extra run for the week by jumping in the Noda Brewing run in support of the 2014 CRC Board Candidates.  Just when I thought that I wouldn't have any running partners for my workouts or long runs any more, Laurie jumped right in.  She helped me with my workout on Tuesday and also the half marathon.  I know that next week she's planning on being my trusty sidekick as I grind out these last couple weeks of marathon specific training.  All in all, I am very pleased with where my fitness lies and am excited to toe the starting line of Cal International Marathon in just four short weeks (and very excited to bask in the Hawaiian sun shortly thereafter)!

Week in Review

76 Miles
16.7 mile long run
7 Runs
0 Doubles
2 Core Sessions (unloading week)
10x1000m @ 3:34 average
10k race in 37:12

On paper, this was a pretty tough week with a long workout on Wednesday morning, a race on Saturday and a semi long run on Sunday.  Oddly enough, I felt good for six out of the seven runs this week!  The worst day was my 10k race at the OrthoCarolina Classic.  I just didn't have it in my legs to go as fast as I would have liked (was aiming for around 36:30), indicating that Wednesday's workout must have taken more out of my legs than expected. I forgot how hilly this course was and how there's never really a chance to recover from the previous hill before another one appears.  I had two mile splits that were over 6:00 pace, which really threw my time over 37:00, but all my other splits were 5:45-5:55 which is good considering the terrain. Today's long run was absolutely wonderful as the temperature has cooled down significantly.  In fact, this entire month of August has felt more like September, but I'm definitely not complaining!

For the rest of the day today, I plan on waiting anxiously for the results of the Quebec City Marathon (there is no runner tracking sadly).  John, Matt, Nick and Joey are all racing to get a Boston qualifier.  I helped create John's 8-week plan leading up to the race, and I just want him to come out of his debut marathon with a positive relationship with the distance.

Week in Review

73 Miles
5x1000m @ 3:22 ave
5k Race in 16:46
13 Mile Long Run
9 Runs
1 Mini-Lift Session

For the second week in a row, I broke the 70-mile mark and felt great doing it.  The week was highlighted by my second straight sub-17:00 5k performance on Saturday night, which did confirm that the China Grove 16:36 5k was indeed not a fluke. I am truly strong (or fast) enough right now to run sub-17:00 consistently!  I haven't been at a place like this since my college days, so I undoubtedly am extremely excited about what this means about the other distances I race in the future.  Despite getting a bit too excited in the first mile--where I sprinted out to intimidate the other female racers to blaze through a 5:11--I was able to keep a steady pace for the second and third miles (5:30 for both) to come in at 16:46. This was just ten seconds off my China Grove time and 57 seconds under the previous course record.  Walking away with a check for $500 was the icing on the cake.  I'm really encouraged by these latest developments in my 5k times and I am motivated to get in a good track meet to see if I can break my collegiate PR.

Taking a look back in time, this week last year I was returning from my trip to London to watch the Olympics.  I was also in the middle of hitting 100-mile weeks and feeling like total crap doing it.  The reduction in mileage this year has resulted in more energetic legs but also faster 5k times.  I'm pleased with where my training is headed and excited to get my new plan from Terry.  

Week in Review

75 Miles
Down Ladder on the Track
16 mile Long run
0 Days Off
8 Runs

After a quick turnaround after my stellar track workout on Tuesday, I decided to get my long run out of the way on Thursday morning.  An evening flight to California made it necessary to get this run out of the way before I left for the office.  My long run went by fairly quickly with Laurie and there really isn't much to report from it.  My legs weren't too tired from the track workout, but they didn't feel nearly as sprightly as they have in the past couple of weeks.  After the long run, I went to the Elizabeth Family Practice to get some bloodwork done that Dr. Price had called in for me.  Given that I hadn't taken my iron pills in a while and my poor performance at the NC 10k Champs, I already kind of knew what the results would be.  Sure enough, Dr. Price let me know that my Ferritin level was a 13. This is a bad number for most people, but it's an okay number for me.  So long as I keep my runs, workouts, and races within 10 seconds of my target pace, I don't go into oxygen debt.  Basically, I just need to race really smart and I can still run well.  Oh, and I need to take my iron pills, which I have been doing; I even brought my pills with me to California!

Speaking of California...the trip was amazing.  The weather there truly is unbelievably perfect and every time I go I wish I lived there--that is, until I hop into a car and sit on the freeway for two hours to go two miles.  My college roommate, teammate, bridesmaid, and all around best friend, Merry, flew from Tucson to hang out with my sister and me and we took advantage of our time together.  Every night we went to bed before 9PM, woke up before 7AM to get out the door for a run by 730AM, and hung out the rest of the day.  Our interests are so similar and it worked out perfectly for all parties because when we ran, it gave our gracious host and my sister a chance to relax and get things done around her place. We got the full southern California tour this time around, with a 24 hour stop in San Diego, a shopping excursion in Orange County, and a night in Silver Lake, near where some celebrities live.  We ate so much very delicious food that it saddened me to come back to Charlotte's dismal selection of healthy and local eats.