I upped my mileage by 10% this week and I plan to do the same next week! If i can keep it up and consistently run 30-35 miles a week I should be able to get back to racing weight and set myself up for a half marathon PR this year!
I've eyed up a few more races and am tentatively thinking of signing up for 11 more races! I need to find out what's going on with my husband's job though first! I figure if a race every other week or once a month keeps me motivated and healthy than it is worth it! oh and of course a new pair of running shoes now and again...
Monday: 1.43 mile hike to keep my legs fresh after a lot of miles last weekend! It was a beautiful day and I had to really keep myself from running because I had a hard workout planned for ...
Tuesday: 35 min tempo with a warm up and cool down made for 7.10 total miles on my favorite trail! It was such a beautiful day and this run made me feel fit and strong :-)
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: 6 X 400m with a warm-up and cool-down made for 4.5 miles total for this beautiful snowy run! After dinner I got a shoulder/back workout in and felt great.
Friday: 2.5 miles before work.. I really meant to run more but my new book (about women's mood swings and hormones and how we need to be affirmed as women to be successful in this crazy world!) took precedence at 6am! haha
Saturday & Sunday: OFF due to a quick trip to my hometown! I was planning on getting in a run Sunday morning but being on our feet 8 hours (standing, walking, dancing at the Bruce Springsteen concert (!!)) on Saturday made me just sleeeep in and do a little sight-seeing on Sunday. Here's hoping for a solid 25 miles this upcoming week!
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Week 3 Pittsburgh Half Training!
I am feeling it today! Too much ramping up of the mileage in the past few days. This week was a lot with being on-call for work so i didn't really have a chance to be anything but a weekend warrior!
Monday: Had another chiro appt and he told me to "take it easy" which I took literally and didn't get off the couch all evening. I watched a lot of "Fixer Upper" though and now have a ton of ideas for when I buy my own fixer-upper :-P
Tuesday: Ran 3 miles in the gym at camp and then did 25 minutes of lower body weights and supersets.
Wed/Thur: OFF
Friday: 20 minute upper body lift in the AM.. PM 2.4 mi trail run... (23:00. Hard on the slushy trail.) Ended up staying later at work than I wanted to (when will i just force myself to become a morning runner??) so I only had time for this before going home and making dinner. I did make us a really healthy dinner though and same with all my meals this weekend. I am trying to make Brad's life better but you would swear I'm hurting him making him eat all these veggies!
Saturday: Managed 8.55 mi (1:22:19) which is the longest I've run in awhile! My hip flexors were acting up a bit afterwards but I did some yoga and stretching to allow me to get a run in on Sunday, too.
Sunday: 4.55 mi in 42:54, rounding out the weekend to a 13.1 in 2:04:13. I'm still pretty sore today! This is what I want to avoid by increasing mileage so these weekend runs don't knock me out for the rest of the week.
This week coming up I'm hoping to increase my mileage by about 20% to get where I need to be. I really need to lose 10ish pounds for me to be back to where I was with speed and hopefully crush this half. I can do this by adding mileage (obviously) because I can't see how I can possibly make my diet any better (unless I just add more protein and POSSIBLY cut out wine.. but that's a last resort). We are heading to Rochester for a very quick trip this weekend to see Bruce Springsteen and to celebrate 3 years of being together! Hoping I can fit in a good run on Sunday even though we will be travelling that day.
Monday: Had another chiro appt and he told me to "take it easy" which I took literally and didn't get off the couch all evening. I watched a lot of "Fixer Upper" though and now have a ton of ideas for when I buy my own fixer-upper :-P
Tuesday: Ran 3 miles in the gym at camp and then did 25 minutes of lower body weights and supersets.
Wed/Thur: OFF
Friday: 20 minute upper body lift in the AM.. PM 2.4 mi trail run... (23:00. Hard on the slushy trail.) Ended up staying later at work than I wanted to (when will i just force myself to become a morning runner??) so I only had time for this before going home and making dinner. I did make us a really healthy dinner though and same with all my meals this weekend. I am trying to make Brad's life better but you would swear I'm hurting him making him eat all these veggies!
Saturday: Managed 8.55 mi (1:22:19) which is the longest I've run in awhile! My hip flexors were acting up a bit afterwards but I did some yoga and stretching to allow me to get a run in on Sunday, too.
Sunday: 4.55 mi in 42:54, rounding out the weekend to a 13.1 in 2:04:13. I'm still pretty sore today! This is what I want to avoid by increasing mileage so these weekend runs don't knock me out for the rest of the week.
This week coming up I'm hoping to increase my mileage by about 20% to get where I need to be. I really need to lose 10ish pounds for me to be back to where I was with speed and hopefully crush this half. I can do this by adding mileage (obviously) because I can't see how I can possibly make my diet any better (unless I just add more protein and POSSIBLY cut out wine.. but that's a last resort). We are heading to Rochester for a very quick trip this weekend to see Bruce Springsteen and to celebrate 3 years of being together! Hoping I can fit in a good run on Sunday even though we will be travelling that day.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
1 c Spinach, 1 c kale, 1/4 cucumber,3 mini bell peppers, 1 can tuna, 1/4 red onion, 1/4 cup red quinoa, and a little bit of crumbled bleu cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.. yum!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Pittsburgh Training Week 2
This was a lighter week of training since we travelled the weekend and this week I was just exhausted from work but there are people who work harder and train harder than me so I need to chill out.. ;)
Monday- 40 minutes lower body lifting and 20 minutes (3800m) on the rowing machine. My favorite way to start my week!
Tuesday- 3 trail miles in 28:05 plus 20 or so minutes of upper body
Wednesday- 3.3 miles on the treadmill. I did five 800m repeats in the midst of slower running and it felt good to go fast again!
Thursday- Dinner and tv night with my boo..
Friday- Upper body lift before we left for our road trip!
Saturday- In between breakfast with friends, lunch with family, hanging out with other friends, and a dinner date and another hang session (we are booked up every hour when we are out East haha!) I squeezed in a good 5 mile workout on my MIL's treadmill (that is STUCK in the uphill position!). An episode of Law & Order was necessary for my sanity...
Sunday- A quick 2 miles on that blasted uphill treadmill because I stayed in bed a bit too long before church! Trying to remember that something is better than nothing! 13.3 miles for the week.
On another note, I've been feeling a lot of back pain recently and just a lot of neck and back tightness. A couple of days (not simultaneously) have been so bad I can barely bend down and tie my shoes! I hate going to the doctor so I kept putting it off but it was really affecting my mood, energy level, and my motivation to run (but not to lift, strangely). My fingers were getting "tingly" too, especially when I woke up in the morning which made me feel like I had carpal tunnel! I was off yesterday so I finally went to the chiropracter, and he did an assessment and told me a) my scoliosis is pretty bad (worse than I thought when I was younger) but there's nothing I can do about it b) my neck is messed up.. I have something called "subloxation" ("one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves") which LEADS to problems in the finger tips and general soreness and could also be the cause of my sinus issues (which relieves me) and c) If I weren't an athlete I probably wouldn't have experienced this to this degree because it happens from long-term use of muscles and falling and catching one's self. That on top on scoliosis means I'm pretty messed up! He gave me an adjustment, told me some ways I can better lift that wouldn't cause additional stress to the muscles, and wants to see me a couple times a week until I feel better. I think nipping this problem in the bud and learning how to manage it will allow me to continue to do the things I love and stay healthy! He also talked to me about he never recommend that anyone run a marathon because the extreme amount of stress it puts on your body. Just when I was considering signing up for a fall one! ;)
Monday- 40 minutes lower body lifting and 20 minutes (3800m) on the rowing machine. My favorite way to start my week!
Tuesday- 3 trail miles in 28:05 plus 20 or so minutes of upper body
Wednesday- 3.3 miles on the treadmill. I did five 800m repeats in the midst of slower running and it felt good to go fast again!
Thursday- Dinner and tv night with my boo..
Friday- Upper body lift before we left for our road trip!
Saturday- In between breakfast with friends, lunch with family, hanging out with other friends, and a dinner date and another hang session (we are booked up every hour when we are out East haha!) I squeezed in a good 5 mile workout on my MIL's treadmill (that is STUCK in the uphill position!). An episode of Law & Order was necessary for my sanity...
Sunday- A quick 2 miles on that blasted uphill treadmill because I stayed in bed a bit too long before church! Trying to remember that something is better than nothing! 13.3 miles for the week.
On another note, I've been feeling a lot of back pain recently and just a lot of neck and back tightness. A couple of days (not simultaneously) have been so bad I can barely bend down and tie my shoes! I hate going to the doctor so I kept putting it off but it was really affecting my mood, energy level, and my motivation to run (but not to lift, strangely). My fingers were getting "tingly" too, especially when I woke up in the morning which made me feel like I had carpal tunnel! I was off yesterday so I finally went to the chiropracter, and he did an assessment and told me a) my scoliosis is pretty bad (worse than I thought when I was younger) but there's nothing I can do about it b) my neck is messed up.. I have something called "subloxation" ("one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves") which LEADS to problems in the finger tips and general soreness and could also be the cause of my sinus issues (which relieves me) and c) If I weren't an athlete I probably wouldn't have experienced this to this degree because it happens from long-term use of muscles and falling and catching one's self. That on top on scoliosis means I'm pretty messed up! He gave me an adjustment, told me some ways I can better lift that wouldn't cause additional stress to the muscles, and wants to see me a couple times a week until I feel better. I think nipping this problem in the bud and learning how to manage it will allow me to continue to do the things I love and stay healthy! He also talked to me about he never recommend that anyone run a marathon because the extreme amount of stress it puts on your body. Just when I was considering signing up for a fall one! ;)
Monday, February 15, 2016
on being unplugged...
It's only been 5 days since I've been off of Facebook and Instagram for lent and it is so calming! I will probably end up downloading them again after Lent but I will definitely be more mindful about how often I'm on them!
The biggest thing I've experienced so far is how far less I compare myself to others which is so important as a young woman/new wife/person in general! If i don't know every meal people are eating or every workout someone is doing than I am better off for it! After all, my only competition is my former self and my goal should be becoming a better future self! I've also been working on replacing my "check social media the second I wake up" with just breathing in the day and then doing my devos while I drink coffee. That way, I'M in charge of how my day begins. Very powerful stuff!!
With that being said, I'm starting my second week of official training for the Pittsburgh Half and I'm just plugging away. I signed up for two races this morning (a 10 mile in March and a 10k in May) and am getting so excited to have those on the calendar. Thinking forward to spring is what I need mentally right now. Today should be mid-30's which will feel like a heat wave and is the perfect weather for outdoor running :-)
Happy Monday!
The biggest thing I've experienced so far is how far less I compare myself to others which is so important as a young woman/new wife/person in general! If i don't know every meal people are eating or every workout someone is doing than I am better off for it! After all, my only competition is my former self and my goal should be becoming a better future self! I've also been working on replacing my "check social media the second I wake up" with just breathing in the day and then doing my devos while I drink coffee. That way, I'M in charge of how my day begins. Very powerful stuff!!
With that being said, I'm starting my second week of official training for the Pittsburgh Half and I'm just plugging away. I signed up for two races this morning (a 10 mile in March and a 10k in May) and am getting so excited to have those on the calendar. Thinking forward to spring is what I need mentally right now. Today should be mid-30's which will feel like a heat wave and is the perfect weather for outdoor running :-)
Happy Monday!
Monday, February 8, 2016
Last week in training.
Monday: Rowed 2000m and got a solid 30+ minute lower body lift in. I'm really seeing sculpting in my hamstrings and glutes which is awesome.
Tuesday: 3 mile trail run in 27:35 (9:12/mi) and an upper body lift.
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run in 32:13 (9:12/mi again). I picked up an extra shift at my part time job this week and immediately regretted it. I don't need the $ and just need to learn to say no!
Thursday: Another disaster of a day where I worked too much and tried to cram a lot in. I needed to get groceries and an oil change and by the time I got home I just wanted to sit! I need to remind myself that that's ok sometimes!
Friday: Woke up and got in a nice lower body lift. Great way to kick off the day! Didn't get a run in in the afternoon due to an emergency at work. This upcoming 4-day weekend cannot come soon enough!
Saturday: While lifeguarding I grabbed some weights and got in a 20 min back and shoulder workout and then ran a quick 2 mi on the treadmill before my crazy day.. 8:10/mi avg with a 16:20 progressive 2 miles!! I felt like i was flying :-)
Sunday: I woke up with a back spasm and it KILLED and then decided to clean my entire house, make 6 pounds of wings, make spinach/artichoke dip, meal prep for the week, and make homemade cupcakes... by the time I was done I had no time for a workout anyway! This morning I woke up and my back felt fine which makes me feel like I just needed to give myself the day off to enjoy hosting the superbowl party :-) The next couple of nights B is at work so I'll have more time to get a good quality workout in. :-)
Only 8.5 miles this week but 4 weight training sessions and one cross training. I'm not mad about it!
Tuesday: 3 mile trail run in 27:35 (9:12/mi) and an upper body lift.
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run in 32:13 (9:12/mi again). I picked up an extra shift at my part time job this week and immediately regretted it. I don't need the $ and just need to learn to say no!
Thursday: Another disaster of a day where I worked too much and tried to cram a lot in. I needed to get groceries and an oil change and by the time I got home I just wanted to sit! I need to remind myself that that's ok sometimes!
Friday: Woke up and got in a nice lower body lift. Great way to kick off the day! Didn't get a run in in the afternoon due to an emergency at work. This upcoming 4-day weekend cannot come soon enough!
Saturday: While lifeguarding I grabbed some weights and got in a 20 min back and shoulder workout and then ran a quick 2 mi on the treadmill before my crazy day.. 8:10/mi avg with a 16:20 progressive 2 miles!! I felt like i was flying :-)
Sunday: I woke up with a back spasm and it KILLED and then decided to clean my entire house, make 6 pounds of wings, make spinach/artichoke dip, meal prep for the week, and make homemade cupcakes... by the time I was done I had no time for a workout anyway! This morning I woke up and my back felt fine which makes me feel like I just needed to give myself the day off to enjoy hosting the superbowl party :-) The next couple of nights B is at work so I'll have more time to get a good quality workout in. :-)
Only 8.5 miles this week but 4 weight training sessions and one cross training. I'm not mad about it!
Monday, February 1, 2016
On 26.2....
Training run distance
|
5 mi or less
|
6-10 mi
|
11-19 mi
|
20+
|
Avg miles per week
|
Marathon Time
|
|
Marathon # 1
May 2014
|
Number at distance
|
44
|
11
(7, 9, 8, 6.2, 6.2, 6, 8.25, 10, 7.75, 8.82, 7.05)
|
4
(11.5, 15, 12, 11.3)
|
0
|
18.86 mpw
|
4:48 (11:00/mi)
|
Marathon # 2
Nov 2014
|
Number at distance
|
64
*junk miles*
|
14
(10, 6, 7, 7, 8.1, 7.25, 6.2, 9.16, 8, 8.85, 8, 7, 6, 6)
|
4
(17, 12.5, 16, 13)
|
0
|
22.57 mpw
|
4:43 (10:50/mi)
|
Marathon # 3
May 2015
|
Number at distance
|
35
|
22
(8, 6, 10.06, 7, 6.2, 6.2, 6.2, 8.02, 6.2, 6.2, 6, 6, 6.2, 8.5, 9,
8.25, 7.35, 8.5)
|
3
(10, 13.2, 13.1)
|
1
(21.5)
|
24.26 mpw
|
4:34 (10:23/mi)
|
Finally feeling like my running self again!
This was a good training week for me! Considering how busy life is and it being January, I really felt like I got out there and crushed it and am proud of myself. I've spent a lot of time reflecting this weekend on the marathon. I know I said I'd never go there again... but I think I'm ready to after taking nearly a year off. More on that later...
Monday: I work late on Mondays but managed to head to the gym for a rowing session (5k, 28:12) and for a lower body lift (30 minutes). It sucks and it's hard but I KNOW it's paying off!
Tuesday: Had a sneezing attack at work! Really wasn't feeling well and plus I hadn't been sleeping much. I'm on call this week and can really get calls at any point, day or night. I really did not want to work out but I know I've never regretted one so.. I ran 2 mi (18:00) and then lifted arms/back/shoulders.
Wednesday: Off; girl's night!
Thursday: 2400m rowing in the AM (10 min), 3.5 mi trail run in the afternoon (30:10--8:37/mi) and then lower body + supersets in the evening (20 min). Clearly I was feeling a little bit better after two solid night's sleeps!
Friday: 3.1 mi (28:35--9:13/mi)
Saturday: 4.5 progressive miles, 1.7 cool down, so 6.2 total mi! It was beautiful outside. I started at a 9:50 pace and finished my progression at 6:58. I realized how much better I do when I'm running at a conservative pace rather than trying to hit 8:3x or 8:2x for a long period of time. Something to work towards, however.
Sunday: 6 mi in 57:40. Much slower than yesterday but I am proud of my mileage for the weekend! I like back-to-back medium length runs. Now to make Sunday's run longer...
20.8 miles for the week plus 3 weight sessions and 2 cross training!
Tonight is cross-training and lifting! And I can't wait. Just 11 hours of work stand in my way!
Monday: I work late on Mondays but managed to head to the gym for a rowing session (5k, 28:12) and for a lower body lift (30 minutes). It sucks and it's hard but I KNOW it's paying off!
Tuesday: Had a sneezing attack at work! Really wasn't feeling well and plus I hadn't been sleeping much. I'm on call this week and can really get calls at any point, day or night. I really did not want to work out but I know I've never regretted one so.. I ran 2 mi (18:00) and then lifted arms/back/shoulders.
Wednesday: Off; girl's night!
Thursday: 2400m rowing in the AM (10 min), 3.5 mi trail run in the afternoon (30:10--8:37/mi) and then lower body + supersets in the evening (20 min). Clearly I was feeling a little bit better after two solid night's sleeps!
Friday: 3.1 mi (28:35--9:13/mi)
Saturday: 4.5 progressive miles, 1.7 cool down, so 6.2 total mi! It was beautiful outside. I started at a 9:50 pace and finished my progression at 6:58. I realized how much better I do when I'm running at a conservative pace rather than trying to hit 8:3x or 8:2x for a long period of time. Something to work towards, however.
Sunday: 6 mi in 57:40. Much slower than yesterday but I am proud of my mileage for the weekend! I like back-to-back medium length runs. Now to make Sunday's run longer...
20.8 miles for the week plus 3 weight sessions and 2 cross training!
Tonight is cross-training and lifting! And I can't wait. Just 11 hours of work stand in my way!
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