CSWS: Week 1

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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Ruthie loves the sprinkler!

Warm weather fun.

It's back!! Hot weather training!! I just love it. SO much better than the stupid winter. I hate layers...clothes are overrated...SPORTS BRAS RULE! I am so excited to start week one of my marathon training. My four week break was glorious, but I'm ready to have structure again.

 

Since I'm following the CRC Advanced Training Program, I get to choose my weekly mileage. They give you the option to run as many days per week as you'd like, give you a specific workout for every day, and guide you as to which workouts are the most important to include each week. My weekly mileage starts conservatively and gradually builds to the 50s. In the past, I've peaked at 58-60 miles, but I want to listen to what my body is telling me this time. This week I planned just 34 miles and will add a couple/few each week.

 

Going into this training season, I feel most confident about the endurance part. It's the speed I would like to focus on. I need to get faster and feel better at that faster pace. I will follow the workouts on the CRC program, but try to strategically place them to help improve my weaknesses. EEEK!! Can't wait!!!
 

 

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• 5/22: 6.2 miles, 8:17/mile; Chest/Back/Glutes, 40 minutes. My first marathon training workout called for a steady state run (running a certain amount of miles 10-20 seconds slower than race pace). My goal training pace for this session is 8:12. I was supposed to run no more than 4 miles at steady state pace. Obviously, I went a little fast. Splits were as follows: [8:57, 8:21, 8:06, 8:05, 8:00, 8:10]. In the future, I will try to be more disciplined with these runs. The run felt good, but I don't want to wear myself out during week one! I have a body that needs the rest so I'm certainly going to respect it!
  

  

  How awesome is it that the sun is rising at the end of our 5 a.m. runs?! [Amanda, ME]

• 5/23: 8 miles, 8:40/mile. Track Day! Today's workout called for Fartleks. I opted to do them on the track so I could keep up with my distance per interval more accurately. Workout: 3 mile warm up [9:15, 8:58, 8:46], 10x1 minute hard with 1 minute easy recovery, 2.5 mile cool down. I don't have a fancy watch to tell me my pace for my intervals but I do know that each of them was 250-275 meters. After doing some math, that meant my pace was between 5:50 and 6:25/mile. Naturally, I was tired when I finished, but I felt really good about how I did.
  

  

  Just me and the track.

• 5/24: Bis/Tris/Abs/Yoga/Rolling, 1 hour. I spent 30 minutes on my arms, 15 on abs, and the other 15 doing some yoga and taking care of my tight bum. I was happy to rest from running today! My quads were like WHOA from that speed workout.
  

  

  My poor tight butt.

• 5/25: 4.26 miles, 9:02/mile. I met with Sarah again in Gahanna. It's so nice to drive just 3-5 minutes from my house! We knocked out a short, easy, wet run.
  

  

• 5/26: 12 miles, 9:09/mile. I was presented with another opportunity to do my long run on Friday. Meg was gracious enough to join me for the first seven miles until the sun came up. I finished the last 5 miles solo. I didn't feel that great the first 7 miles...not sure why. I guess my body felt warmed up afterwards and I was able to pick it up just a bit. I've officially run my shortest long run for the next 16 weeks! EEEK!!
  

  

  I needed a run with this girl. [Meg, ME]

• 5/27: REST. Absolutely, positively nothing.
  

  

  I had to bail this one out of baby jail.

• 5/28: 2 mile warm up, 9:21/mile; 3.14 mile race, 7:22/mile; 2 mile cool down, 9:19/mile; Hatha Yoga Class, 1 hour. Field of Heroes 5k. I will type a separate race report soon!

 

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I suppose week one was a success. I didn't stray too far from my plan. I replaced one of my easy runs plus strides with my race since it was a last minute registration decision (not totally a comparable trade. LOL.). Because of the my warm up and cool down for the race, I ran 3 more miles than I had planned. Surely that won't make or break me.