Week 3 Training

I did it! I did it! I was able to get 17 miles in and get everything else done that I had planned too.
Let that impress you for a second....ok, good. Now, here's the kicker. I beat my 17 mile plan and did 19.5 miles!

Whoa.

via oursoleintent.com

How did I do that and how do I keep it up? This has been the question that I will be asking myself from now until the marathon. Next week I start full time grad school. The summer schedule is intense. Intense meaning six hours of classes a day, five days a week, plus homework time. I have a feeling I will either get to pick between training and a social life. If I'm lucky. Maybe. Ok, enough stressing over that and onto what I did for the week:

• Tuesday (6/3): I like food. This is why I made a huge dinner and ate all of it before I decided to run. I thought two hours before running would be fine. It wasn't. I jumped on the treadmill and did 2 miles at a 9:45 pace. After two miles I called it quits and tried not the throw up for the rest of the night.
• Wednesday: I woke up determined to get those 2 extra miles in that I missed out on the night before so I was back on the treadmill bright and early to do 2 miles at a 9:40 pace. Then to celebrate National Running Day (and stay on track for the week) I came home from work and ran 3 glorious miles outside at a 9:41 pace. Can't wait for NRD next year! 
• Thursday: Cross training included of a 25 minute upper body yoga workout that kicked my butt. No, seriously, I could barely move my arms the next day and it hurt to laugh. It was awesome!
• Friday: So...this was supposed to be a 4 miler day. However, I got home from work and the weather was just so...perfect that I made a mixed drink and jumped in the pool instead. In all fairness, I did get my 25 minutes of cross training in by swimming laps. 
• Saturday: Read my last post about bad runs. I had a terrible run. I did get the 4 miles in...but I walked two of them. Boo.I'm not posting my pace. Nope. In better news, my fiance asked me to go with him for a short jog later that night and we put in 2.5 miles of hilly neighborhoods at a 10:02 pace. Sometimes I forget how awesome it is to run with other people...must do this more often.
• Sunday: Long run day! This week was a 10k run at a 9:58 pace. It was hot out (for me, 75 is hot, thank you very much). My first mile went by too fast over too many hills and I was sucking wind for the next two. Oh well. My fiance joined me for mile 5 and took a longer course while I headed back home for mile 6. I'm really starting to appreciate the long runs. Getting to that hour point is such an amazing feeling and I can't wait until I start pushing double digits again (just a few weeks away!). Plus, it sounds so much cooler to say "Hey, I ran twelve miles toady." Agree? 

In other news, my dad has picked up running again! While he usually averages about two miles now, I'm planning on running a 5k with him on the 4th of July and it couldn't make me happier! 

Now, let's see how this week goes (also crazy) before next week...when grad school kicks off (even crazier!).

Bad Run: A Lesson

Today, I ran 4 miles.

Well, I didn't exactly run. I'm almost ashamed to admit that at mile 2, I stopped for a quick walk break. That walk break turned into a 2 mile walk break to finish out the required 4 mile distance I had set for myself. What should have been wrapped up and done with a neat bow in about 40 minutes took nearly 50 minutes and some grumbling. 

Today, I had a bad run.

While I've only been running for oh, 15 months (give or take), I've realized the power in a bad run. Sure, it would be great to have a great run every time. It would be amazing to finish every run with an increased pace, increased distance, and the euphoric feeling that this run was your best one yet! Unfortunately, that is so far from the truth that it can be emotionally, mentally, and even physically painful. To have something that you love so much and that is supposed to be so good for you turn into frustration and disappointment is, frankly and personally, a big slap in the face. I'm a runner, damnit! I'm supposed to be a good one, too! 

via fromheretome.com

However, as I was talking to my dad, who ran cross country in Alaska in high school, I realized that he probably had bad running days too. Then there were days where he was making, and breaking, PRs. Everyone has bad runs. Furthermore, I have never experienced, nor have I heard of other runners, experiencing two really bad runs in a row. Usually, I have one bad run that pisses me off and leaves me fuming for the day. The next day (or next scheduled run), I am ready to go and prove myself. There is no need to prove myself to anyone else (I keep reminding myself that no one but me cares about my pace but me). The only person I have to prove myself to for the next day is...me! And usually, those are some of my best and favorite runs.

I remember the first time I hit the 10k mark. The day before I wasn't able to get even two measly miles in.

The next day I had planned a four mile run to make up some miles. At mile four, I was feeling great for running at a steady pace and tackling some tough hills. I thought, "one more mile." At mile five I finally said "I'm going to do my first 10k today." It was magical and celebrated by a day trip to the coast with some close friends. 

Tomorrow I have a six mile run planned. Instead of focusing on how badly I did toady, I'm excited to run again tomorrow; not only run - but kick butt!  

Week 2 Training

Week two of marathon training is up. I’m exhausted! I’ve trained for events before – a 15k and a half marathon – and I remember being tired after the first two to five weeks. After a few weeks though, I start feeling strong; super strong. That’s until the long runs hit. Don’t we all know that feeling though, right?

Here’s how the week went:

• Tuesday (5/27): 3 mile run at a 10:19 pace. The slower pace came in when I got a phone call around 2.7 miles. I ended up walking the last .3 while talking. Productive? Yes! I got a letter of recommendation sent in for grad school and finished the run in a (fairly) decent time.
• Wednesday: Another 3 mile run, according to schedule, at a 9:38 pace. This one was on a treadmill since it was so cold out compared to the day before. I had too much fun with a good playlist and rocked out.
• Thursday: I have found a way to combine exercise and Netflix! My life is set. I sat in the living room doing resistance core and arm exercise for 45 minutes while watching Supernatural.  Nothing inspires me more than watching two hot actors flexing their muscles against ghosts….well, maybe. It sure did make the 45 minutes go by fast though!
• Friday: Another 3 mile run at a 9:30 pace. I actually stayed home from work this day in order to get stuff around the house done and catch up with everything else in my life. Sleeping in must have paid off because I was quick on the run and then had enough energy to swim. The weather was so beautiful that I did laps in the pool for half an hour and swam around casually for another hour. Thank you, Portland, for finally deciding to be summer!
• Saturday: I had a busy and long day planned but I made sure to get up early and do my required 25 minutes of cross training. 15 minutes of weight lifting and 10 minutes of elliptical. After eating an awesome brunch (and $2 mimosas!), I headed out to the river with a friend for a little cold swimming, followed by heading how to swim casually in the pool for an hour with another friend. Swimming is awesome!
• Sunday: Long run day – if you can call it a long run. Today started out lazy but I eventually got myself out the door for a 5 mile run.  I’ve realized that I start out way too fast for any amount of running and I need to stop this and slow down.  Looking at my splits, my first mile was a good :56 faster than my usual running pace of 10:00/mile. By the time I hit mile 3 I’m a little slower than I should be. Also, let’s not talk about mile 5. It was a lot hotter out than I’m accustomed to, the Gu I took at mile 2.5 wasn’t settling well with me, and it was all in incline (excuses, excuses…I know).

Overall, I’m happy with this week. Lots of work done and 14 more miles of training down! Now next week I must manage balancing more miles (17) with a busy social schedule and calender. It will be a magic trick, for sure.