Oy!!! I made it to halfway through my training!!!!
This week had a few challenges, first on Tuesday evening the weather was brutal- so I opted for the free admission I had left for a gym. I figured it was the best possible scenario for a treadmill run because I could at least watch my favorite show - The Biggest Loser!
I hopped on the treadmill with the intention of completing 9 miles... By mile 2 I didn't care WHAT was on tv I just wanted to be done. It was nice to see my show don't get me wrong, but oh man was it ever hot in there!! I managed to complete 7 miles before I decided enough was enough.
My Thursday run moved up to Wednesday so that Greg and I could get to the Red Wings game - and it was great that my Thursday running partner agreed to meet me a day early! We had a slow and steady 5 miler which worked just fine for me!
Overall I was happy with my week of training and nutrition and was actually looking FORWARD to the challenge of a 16 miler Saturday.
That Saturday run was BRUTAL. the weather was cold and very windy, but all that was irrelevant when I started mile 8 with a splitting headache. I have never run with a headache before and at mile 12 I keeled over and broke down in tears because I just couldn't take the constant pain and pounding. Thank god my mom was there with me otherwise I would have panicked for sure! The only thing really getting me to the end was knowing my poor best friend was waaaaayyyyy ahead of us not knowing at all what was unfolding with me. She had to have been freezing in that car waiting for us with the key.
Needless to say it was Advil and a LONG nap afterwards just to recover. After all - I still had hills to run Sunday!!
Just goes to show ya.... Training will prepare you for SO MUCH MORE than just the distance of the run.
I read a quote that I loved: "if you want to win something run 100 meters. If you want to experience something run a marathon"... I would like to change that a bit... If you want to experience something- TRAIN FOR A MARATHON!!
Happy and healthy running!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Training for my first Marathon: Week 6
Week 6 was officially my highest mileage week EVER. 38 whoppin' miles including a 9 miler while most of my friends were on romantic Valentine's dinners.
On that note I want to take a moment and say a huge THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to my boyfriend Greg. With his support I am able to run while my son is sleeping, and on most occasions I return home to a cleaner house than I left it. My running girls have been my rock on the pavement, but man oh man this training challenge would have been immensely more difficult without his support, love, care, and amazing understanding.
Ok enough of the sappy stuff...
On that V-Day 9 miler I made a decision: I AM COMMITTED TO ENJOYING EVERY TRAINING RUN and if that means the pace on my running app doesn't have the numbers I want to see, then OH WELL!! I do not run for numbers. I run for my life.
My long run was 15 miles on a windy windy Saturday. Mom and I headed out on the Greenway and luckily dealt with almost all cross-wind. It felt good to do the distance, but at the tail end of the run I thought to myself "now imagine adding 11 more miles..." - - - I have a LOT more training to do!
Sunday's hill training was SO fun because I got to have my 2 best friends along with me. Thank goodness for the laughs and good conversation because after the 15 miler the day before, my legs were jello!
I also decided that my Monday 3 milers will be taken off my schedule. I need the three days of rest: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.
Next week's schedule looks to be quite like this one, so we'll see how my legs feel after 2 heavy mileage weeks!
STAY TUNED!
On that note I want to take a moment and say a huge THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to my boyfriend Greg. With his support I am able to run while my son is sleeping, and on most occasions I return home to a cleaner house than I left it. My running girls have been my rock on the pavement, but man oh man this training challenge would have been immensely more difficult without his support, love, care, and amazing understanding.
Ok enough of the sappy stuff...
On that V-Day 9 miler I made a decision: I AM COMMITTED TO ENJOYING EVERY TRAINING RUN and if that means the pace on my running app doesn't have the numbers I want to see, then OH WELL!! I do not run for numbers. I run for my life.
My long run was 15 miles on a windy windy Saturday. Mom and I headed out on the Greenway and luckily dealt with almost all cross-wind. It felt good to do the distance, but at the tail end of the run I thought to myself "now imagine adding 11 more miles..." - - - I have a LOT more training to do!
Sunday's hill training was SO fun because I got to have my 2 best friends along with me. Thank goodness for the laughs and good conversation because after the 15 miler the day before, my legs were jello!
I also decided that my Monday 3 milers will be taken off my schedule. I need the three days of rest: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.
Next week's schedule looks to be quite like this one, so we'll see how my legs feel after 2 heavy mileage weeks!
STAY TUNED!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Training for my first Marathon: Week 5
Well you may notice that I missed a week.... week 4 I was so sick I could barely run... and the thought of blogging about a seemingly "failed week"only made me feel worse.
................. so on to week 5!
Week 5 was a "cut back" week - only 20 miles! It was perfect timing considering I'm still trying to recover from my cold/flu and my legs were in a permanent state of fatigue. The cut back week felt almost like a vacation! My long run was ONLY 10 miles!! I'm looking forward to getting healthy, but to be completely honest, doubt is creeping in that I'll be able to finish this marathon anywhere close to 4h 30min.
I'm so glad to know that I'm not in this alone. Having friends to struggle through this has made this whole experience a lot easier to process.
I'm also realizing that registering for a race between the half and full distance is a nice stepping stone. When I get overwhelmed thinking about the full marathon, I tell myself that that race is sooooo far into the future and the only one to focus on at this point is the 30k Around The Bay in Hamilton. Its only just over a month away, and its distance in mileage is still in the "teens"... eighteen to be exact. The thought of running 5 miles past a half marathon with proper training is a lot easier to mentally digest.
Now if only I can keep this darn cough and cold away!!!
................. so on to week 5!
Week 5 was a "cut back" week - only 20 miles! It was perfect timing considering I'm still trying to recover from my cold/flu and my legs were in a permanent state of fatigue. The cut back week felt almost like a vacation! My long run was ONLY 10 miles!! I'm looking forward to getting healthy, but to be completely honest, doubt is creeping in that I'll be able to finish this marathon anywhere close to 4h 30min.
I'm so glad to know that I'm not in this alone. Having friends to struggle through this has made this whole experience a lot easier to process.
I'm also realizing that registering for a race between the half and full distance is a nice stepping stone. When I get overwhelmed thinking about the full marathon, I tell myself that that race is sooooo far into the future and the only one to focus on at this point is the 30k Around The Bay in Hamilton. Its only just over a month away, and its distance in mileage is still in the "teens"... eighteen to be exact. The thought of running 5 miles past a half marathon with proper training is a lot easier to mentally digest.
Now if only I can keep this darn cough and cold away!!!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Training for my First Marathon: Week 3
Training week 2: 27 miles run
Week 3 was NOT fun. I somehow logged 25 miles but it sure wasn't pretty!! It started with the chills and a horrible cough and turned out to be 3 days with a fever, and some bouts of vertigo. I did everything I could to get runs in but thankfully I have amazing running friends that strongly suggested I rest and not risk injury or prolonged illness.
For the first time in training I missed a run. I had a horrible feeling about it but also knowing that my weekend run was to be 12 miles I simply HAD to relax.
My long run was on a horribly windy day. It's days like this I'm so thankful to have running partners like my mom to help me push through.
My pace suffered as expected but I'm glad to have gotten out on the pavement and get any mileage in at all.
As the week progressed I noticed many of my running mates suffering from viruses so here's a friendly reminder for us all: get healthy FIRST for the sake of quality training!! And if you're determined to get out there, Steph and I realized Thursday that whether you're on the couch or on the road, you still feel just as sick so ya might as well try to sweat some of it out if you can!
On a weight loss note, I'm feeling the excess few pounds from the holidays finally starting to melt - so for anyone that wants a killer workout 'just in time for bikini season' - TRAIN FOR A MARATHON!!
Happy running :)
Week 3 was NOT fun. I somehow logged 25 miles but it sure wasn't pretty!! It started with the chills and a horrible cough and turned out to be 3 days with a fever, and some bouts of vertigo. I did everything I could to get runs in but thankfully I have amazing running friends that strongly suggested I rest and not risk injury or prolonged illness.
For the first time in training I missed a run. I had a horrible feeling about it but also knowing that my weekend run was to be 12 miles I simply HAD to relax.
My long run was on a horribly windy day. It's days like this I'm so thankful to have running partners like my mom to help me push through.
My pace suffered as expected but I'm glad to have gotten out on the pavement and get any mileage in at all.
As the week progressed I noticed many of my running mates suffering from viruses so here's a friendly reminder for us all: get healthy FIRST for the sake of quality training!! And if you're determined to get out there, Steph and I realized Thursday that whether you're on the couch or on the road, you still feel just as sick so ya might as well try to sweat some of it out if you can!
On a weight loss note, I'm feeling the excess few pounds from the holidays finally starting to melt - so for anyone that wants a killer workout 'just in time for bikini season' - TRAIN FOR A MARATHON!!
Happy running :)
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