CSWS: Week 4

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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Crazy about this girl.

My friends really stepped it up this week and volunteered to run with me! It was awesome! I had a busy work week so waking up early was my only choice. Being peppy was quite the struggle.

It was tough fitting in those strength workouts because of my work schedule. I usually have time between seeing my last patient and picking up the kids. This week, I didn't have that luxury. I was still able to get in three strength workouts, but it wasn't as convenient.
 

• 6/12: 8.09 miles, 8:12/mile. Race pace day. Workout goal: 2 mile warm up and cool down, 4 miles progressing from 8:15 to 7:45 (marathon pace to half pace...I'm not really sure what my half pace is right now so I used a few pace calculators to come up with a number). My faster splits were 8:14, 7:53, 7:32, and 7:22. I enjoyed my time with Kimberly and Karen! They always make me feel fast...or slow if I end up way behind them! LOL.
  

  

• 6/13: 5 miles, 9:39/mile; Chest/Back, 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure it's been a bazillion years since I've run with Beth. We had an exchange to make (pie dishes and pot holders for baby diaper covers...you know, normal mom stuff) so we met up for some easy miles. Elizabeth was looking for a partner so she hopped in with us. All I really remember is humidity and bugs...lots of bugs in the mouth.
  

  

  I'm wearing a shirt?! [ME, Elizabeth, Beth]

• 6/14: REST.
• 6/15: 4.35 miles, 9:17/mile. Gahanna with Sarah! So, those strides...I was supposed to do them after my run today, but I had so many excuses!! LOL. I had to poop...my baby was waking up as I was headed out for my run so I was anxious to get back home to her...I'm doing hill repeats tomorrow so that's a good workout, right? Ugh. I'm usually not full of excuses, but today is the day. When it comes to these strides, I need someone to hold me accountable.
• 6/16: 6 miles, 9:29/mile; Leg workout, 45 minutes. Hill Repeats! Workout: 2 mile warm up, 10x30" sprint repeats, 2 mile cool down. It was my lucky day because Ellen and Melissa had hill repeats! They had a different workout, but it's always good to have company when you are going up and down a hill repeatedly. LOL. We warmed up together, knocked out our individual workouts, and ran our cool downs separately. I appreciated the company of these awesome ladies. I did not appreciate the creepy raccoon running from the trash can.
  

  

  Gorgeous, sweaty morning at the dam. [Melissa, ME, Ellen]

• 6/17: 15 miles total including 6 miles solo, 9:04/mile, and 9 more miles (8 with Andrea and 1 more solo), 8:47/mile. Such a hot morning! Oh my goodness. I didn't sleep well the night before and was not-so-wide-awake before 5 a.m. I knew I was meeting Andrea at 7 a.m. so I decided to get my ass out of bed and do the rest of it beforehand. Starbucks is just a mile from her house so I parked there and got 6 miles before our meeting time. We did the 8 miles together before I headed back to Starbucks for a fat passion iced tea. The miles seemed to fly by and I didn't even notice I ran 15 miles until I was by myself the last mile. It was freaking hot outside! I didn't check the humidity, but it had to be in the 80s or 90s. Ick. My legs felt tired...probably from my workouts the day before. Despite this, it felt great to get in 15 miles! My longest run since the Carmel Marathon.
  

  

  I always love meeting new running friends! [Andrea, ME]

• 6/18: Hatha Yoga, 1 hour. I haven't been to my yoga class in three weeks! UGH. Life. I was happy to make it back there.
  

  

  Berry picking with my first born.

 

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This week ended "block 1" of marathon training. The program I am following is 4 blocks consisting of 4 weeks each. Block 1 gave me a taste of the different types of runs in the program: steady state, fartleks, tempo, track, strides, long runs, easy runs and hill repeats. I stayed conservative with my weekly mileage (running between 36-40 per week) so that I could see how my body responded to the speedier workouts. I seemed to do really well, so I'm planning to step it up a bit for this next block (hoping to get my first 50 mile week since training for Carmel). 

 

Block 2 will have the same type of workouts, but will step it up in mileage. It will also start to incorporate race pace miles in my long runs. Up to this point, my long runs have been all easy paced miles. I'm looking forward to the added challenge!