Training Recap for the week:
Monday - 5 miles @ 9:44 pace starting at 8:00 am
Tues. - 3 miles easy on the treadmill am
pm - Tues track - woo hoo - finally - 5 miles total - 1 mile w/u, 6 X 200 with equal recovery, 1 lap recovery and then another set of 6 X 200 with equal recovery and 1 mile c/d.
Wed. - 3 EASY recovery miles - 10:25 pace - feeling that first night back at the track (1st track workout since the fall)
Thurs. - 4:45 am out of bed to meet Dawn, Vicki, and Terri for some EARLY training. It's also been a very long time since I have been out on a run this early. So tough to get out of bed. I enjoy the feeling when it's done, but I noticed again this time, when I do really early runs, I seem to eat more, the rest of the day.
Thurs. pm - trying to get my tempo mileage up, and didn't want to miss a tempo this week, so I decided to run my tempo on the treadmill. I ran 4 miles - 1/2 mile w/u, 3 miles @ 8:20 pace, and 1/2 mile c/d.
Fri. - a nice lunch with therunningartist, and a 6.4 miles on my hybrid bike on the hills - avg. 12.4 mph - (again let me remind you - I'm not a biker and just to remind you - it's a hybrid bike, not a road bike - lol :) )
Sat. - need 9 miles to meet my goal of 35 miles for the week, so I planned to join the crew for another early run. This was a good solid July run around 9:32 pace, but the last 2 miles were 9:07 and 9:04. The weather has been really weird here this week. The tropical storm out in the gulf has made it seem like Sept., not July. So, we had a nice breezy treat this am.
Sun - needed some extra recovery so today was an easy 2 mile walk.
A good week of training which included 35 miles of running, 6.4 miles biking, 2 miles walking, a yoga class, 2 days of arm weights, and some sporadic stretching/yoga poses.
Random thoughts!
*today was an easy 5 mile run - while running I was thankful for having an easy, breezy training run. I started the run just after 9:00 am - I was thankful for being able to start late too. My mind also ran across the thought that I am thankful that I can "have, and fully enjoy" my easy days of training. I read, hear, and see people who train hard every day, or maybe they do have an easy day, but they HATE it. I am VERY thankful that I really enjoy my hard days, and I LOVE my easy days too. Thankful for balance in my training.
*this weekend I spent some time planning my fall schedule. It's an optimistic schedule for several reasons. It's optimistic in that I am hoping I can afford to go to and travel to a Dec. marathon. It's also optimistic in the plan itself. I am once again upping the training. If my life allows (????), I will go up to 70 miles this fall, and run several 70 mile weeks. I wonder why as a 40 something year old runner it seems that I am SO VERY driven to run higher mileage, more quality, and apparently seeking "the fine line." That, to me, is the sad part of running. If you are "driven", it seems that you keeping driving until you finally go off the cliff. I am hoping for very mild "signals" and "the common sense" to cut back before going over the cliff. BUT, I am also excited about the possibility of reaching new training heights.
* found my "like" of the treadmill again. I think it was back in 2007 that my brother and sister-in-law were SO nice to give me their treadmill. That year, I used it fairly often and enjoyed the change of pace. Then in 2008, we did a total remodel of our house, so we totally emptied the house, and we remodel the house from front to back, ceiling to floor. It took a full year to complete the remodel. When we finally moved back in, I hated running on the dreadmill. I used it from time to time, when it was lightning, or if it was dark and I didn't want to go outside to run, but it was a total struggle to use it. Now that I am upping my mileage again, I am finding it nice to have another resource for training. Sometimes it is nice to get involved in a show on TV, and just let the miles pass, or to try to get involved in a show so a tempo run quickly passes by. I am totally excited that my dreadmill is now back to my treadmill, once again - a useful tool.
*this summer I have learned to run later in the morning and it's not bad at all. I will be honest, I learned it because I have become lazy and I need more coffee before I get out the door, but at the same time, I am excited that I can run at a later time in the morning and not suffer. Today, I started my run at 9:10 am. It was 82 degrees with the real feel at 94. It was a great run. It was partly cloudy, breezy and nice.
I love this time of year. I have totally adjusted to the heat, and I started planning my fall marathon plan/race. I totally get excited about the training ahead. I am drawn to the marathon. It has a strong pull that most of you will identify with. I keep saying I will concentrate on my 5k training and try to PR in the 5k, but I always get pulled back into marathon training before I can get the 5k training done. I do plan to continue July and most of Aug., with my shorter speed work, and I will run some 5k's, but I already feel my marathon training will take over, before I have the opportunity (with cooler weather) to PR in the shorter distance. And you know what....that's OK.
As my friend over at Frayed Laces says:
(I just love it!)
So I will continue with my aggressive marathon plan until I need to adjust.
So I will continue with my aggressive marathon plan until I need to adjust.
13 comments:
I love that quote, too. I know at my age, I question my racing upon the completion of each marathon. I know I can still do them, but can I do them at the ability I know my body must endure to do them well? I never know for sure. But when I returned from Boston and in the couple months since running with a bum heel, my friend reminded me of the gospels of the good Dr. Sheehan:
Was I ready, then, to have my heart weighed? Was this as far as I would go? Was I ready to rest, to obey the commandments and await my reward?
The plane was bringing me back to earth. Without thinking, I took my pulse. A slow, steady 48, and only a day after a marathon. And I knew then, as every runner knows, my heart is capable of anything. All it asks is the time to do it.
When I have run my best marathon and written my best piece and done my best deed of love for myself and my neighbor, I know the cry will still come from my heart: "There is more, there is more. I who have made you know." What else is a heart for, then, but to be uneasy, to ask for what seems impossible, and never be satisfied? So my heart will be restless until it finds its final rest.
Then they can weigh it.
You're marathon heart is not ready to rest yet. :)
Hi Ginny,
Wow, you had a great week of workouts! I hope that you are able to do your 70 mile weeks coming up in the future! I admire your determination:)
I love being able to meet with bloggy pals...I hope that you had fun!
I love that quote too. It makes me appreciate everyday that I am able to run....even if it is a mile or two:)
That is a great week! Which marathon are you doing in December? And I am like you--love having the easy days to balance the hard days! Keep up the great work.
I agree with you, the marathon calls to us and despite the fun of running and racing the other distances, there is nothing like training and running 26.2 miles. You are very inspiring!
Excited to hear about upping the miles! I've never run more than 55 in a week, but the idea is intriguing (and if that's what I need to do to get to Boston, I'll do it!!)
Every day is a day to love! I am too lazy to ever run 70 miles in a week. LOL! Truly. And I thought the Dreadmill was the real name for the treadmill??? :-) Have a great week!
K
WOW!!! You are doing awesome :)
Excellent week Ginny. Lunch was great, it was fun to catch up and make some potential race plans for the fall. I am hoping it all works out as we want! Your training looks very good and getting up 70 mile weeks, wow that will be fun to read more about, you go girl!
Great job on the training! I need to find my like of the mill again, too. It is SO hot here that the mill is the way to go.
Running is so fun! :)
And I know what you mean abut 5k vs marathon training. I keep peeking around to see if there's a 5k I can run...but they always seem to get in the way of my long runs on the trails.
wow 70mi weeks!! take me with you! i hope to get my mileage up too in the coming months... hopefully we will both stay dedicated :)
You never know, stay committed to your marathon training and a 5K PR might just pop up naturally without the specific 5K training.
I love how you doubly emphasize your "SLOW" 12MPH pace on the bike. Seems like a nice pace to me on a hilly route.
And great picture to end your post.
It's lovely to read your great attitude about the weather and life and running - very inspiring. As for the 70M - why not? Try it and see? If you can do it without getting injured I think you'll get great results - the only thing is that you need to ensure even more rest!
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