CSWS: Week 7

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

**********

 

This week, I needed to figure out how to arrange my training with a random 5k on Tuesday. I didn't want to replace my steady state or fartlek workout because they are important to my training. Amanda helped me decide to just put it in place of one of my easy runs. Since this week is a 50 mile week for me, I turned race day into a 10 mile day to pack on the extra miles.

James earned a "guys night" since he pooped in the toilet and didn't have any accidents. Part of guys night was going with daddy to get a hair cut. Love my handsome boy!!

This week was also a struggle of the mind. Negative thoughts started creeping in about my ability to BQ. Am I going to be ready for this by September 10th?! UGH...I still don't know. You bet your ass I'm going to try, but there's still that part of me that doubts my ability to make it happen. In the midst of my mental struggle, I decided to look for a half marathon to run in the next few weeks (this was some advice received from Amanda). The thought was that it would give me an idea of my abilities and help me figure out areas of weakness.

At first, the thought was nauseating. I really didn't want to run a half marathon. When I started stressing about my ability to BQ, I was on board for a half. I actually found a half that I was interested in running. I kept the registration page opened on my computer and kept looking at it over and over trying to make a decision. After a few days of thinking about it, I realized the race is the same day as Ruthie's birthday party! BOO!!! Now I'm back to just trusting my training and hoping for the best. If I don't get it, there are still hundreds of other marathons!

This little sweetie is now 11 months old!

**********

 

• 7/3: 6 miles, 9:34/mile. I met with some ladies in Westerville for an easy stroll through I'm not sure where because I was lost the entire time. Sarah D has a way of throwing me off in a place I thought I knew like the back of my hand! I was hoping this run would have felt amazing and easy since I had a race the next day...Umm...it did not. It was awful. I will gladly welcome the same company, but I would love to forget the way I felt! All I kept thinking the rest of the day was the fact that the 5k was going to suck if my legs didn't feel better.
  

  

  We love America! [Elizabeth, Tracey, Katie, ME, Sarah D.]

• 7/4: 2.13 mile warm up, 9:45/mile; 3.06 mile race, 7:11/mile; extra 4.86 miles, 9:04/mile. My goal was to get 10 miles for the day.
  

  

  Post-race smiles with Sarah K.

  After the race, we had family time at the Gahanna parade followed by Taco Tuesday at Local Cantina. No better way to celebrate the America than with tacos and margs. Not running related, but my heart freaking melted seeing James at the parade. He had a blast. He did such a good job sharing candy with the other kids. I think his favorite part was the marching band...be still my heart!
  

  

  He's so excited to see the marching band coming down the street!

• 7/5: Bis/Tris/Abs, 45 minutes. No running for me today. I was so sore from that race! I couldn't believe it!!
• 7/6: 9.16 miles, 9:09/mile. It was track day again! This week, my fartlek intervals were increased to 3 minutes (with 2 minute recovery). In my quest to respect the appropriate training paces, I was targeting 7-7:05/mile pace rather than dipping into the 6's like I did the other weeks. Since I am distance-minded, I used a calculator to determine that I needed to run 683 meters (to be exact). I hit my target distance range each interval and tried not to pay too much attention to my watch. Thank goodness I was joined by some of my New Albany running group friends so that I could stay motivated. As you can see in my splits, I wasn't super motivated during my warm up and cool down!
  

  

  
  
• 7/7: Shoulder workout, 45 minutes. I got to workout with my boo. I was in a bad mood, but the workout made me feel better.
• 7/8: 17.01 miles, 8:45/mile. This week's long run called for 5 race pace miles. I ran 9 easy, 5 faster, and 3 more easy (faster splits: 7:48, 7:56, 8:11, 8:05, 8:05). My target race pace range is 8:12-8:15 so my first two were way too fast. I got into a good groove the third mile and was almost perfect. I tried to feel the same groove on the last two rather than look at my watch, but they were just a tad fast. I felt so much better during this run than I did during my 15 miler last weekend. LR factoids: My first run EVER with Lindsey...we heard a tree snap and fall into the river (sounded like fireworks and/or guns) SCARY...the first time I've had to poop during a long run in YEARS, and, thankfully, there was a toilet!!
  

  

  We had to stop for a photo with The Shoe. [Tamara, Marion, Lindsey, ME, Dani]

• 7/9: 8.4 miles, 8:23/mile. I met up with some friends in Dublin for my last run of the week. Although I felt great yesterday, my legs were so tired this morning. I had to do my steady state run which is faster than my easy pace, but not quite as fast as race pace. Fortunately, it was a nice cool morning, but the humidity was still up there. My legs were tired the entire time! If it hadn't been for the company and the Spanish lesson, I would have given up on trying to stay in my pace range. I'm looking forward to my rest day tomorrow!
  

  

  Post-run multi-tasking...coffee, kiddos, stretching!

 

**********

 

I had a pretty solid week of training. My legs are tired after this weekend...as they should be! I hit my first 50+ mile week since I was training for Carmel. Next week, I cut back just slightly on total weekly mileage to end Block 2 of my training program....that means 9 more weeks until race day!