Training Summary: Week Seven

Five weeks until Napa!

Monday: off
Tuesday: 6.5 speedwork with Buffalo Chips
Wednesday: off
Thursday: spin- tried to take it easy, but legs still tired
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: 19 miles on the Parkway- Marathon Pace

Miles this week: 25
Training miles: 159
Miles in 2011:109

The painful long run

Yesterday when I woke up for my weekly long run (20 miles-eek), it was raining. No, it was pouring. And foggy. I drove over to Fleet Feet to meet the group, and by the time I got there it was down to a drizzle. Once we started, the rain had stopped. I didn't even need my jacket, but wore it just in case (since the sleeves zip off to make it into a vest).

I was very excited not to be running 20 miles in the rain, but dismayed to be running alone for most of the run. John ran with me for the first 3.5 miles, but then went back to finish his speed workout. I trudged along, at my own pace, for the next 16 miles (i cut it a bit short due to boredom, and because 19 is close enough for me).

I was pretty excited to realize after about 12 miles that I was doing a marathon pace run instead of the prescribed easy/long run. I stayed pretty close to 8:45-9:00/mile for the first 16, which is my modest goal pace for finishing Napa in around 4 hours. I slowed down a bit after 16, (9:30 for mile 17, 10 for mile 18) but I think I could have kept my pace for those two miles if I'd been totally motivated, and not on the yucky rock path.

So not only did I manage 19 miles by myself, I stuck to my goal pace and felt fine. Things are looking good!

I did have one issue that I am bit concerned about- my foot. At 18 miles, the top of my left foot started radiating pain. I don't know if I pulled/tweaked something, or got a stress fracture. It still hurts a bit today, but not unless I am walking or flexing my foot weird. It feels much better either way, so I'm guessing I tweaked something and it will be fine. I am planning to try an easy 5 miles tomorrow to test it.

I hope my foot feels better tomorrow so I can run, since I'll be gone all week and not sure how well I'll do at the hotel gym or outdoors in freezing weather. I have the Davis Stampede Half Marthon to look forward to on Sunday!

Speed work returns!

I had a great time doing a challenging speed workout with the Buffalo Chips on Wednesday. The people were nice, the workout was a challenge, and it was great to have that extra bit of motivation to do speed work (which I've been lacking).

We did a warm up of about 1.5 miles, 2x800, 4x600, 5x400, and a cool down, for a total of 6.5 miles. The speed sections were on the 2:00, but I'm not exactly sure how that equates. I know I was working hard, and maintaining 7:00/mile pace and below for a good amount of the workout.

I will definitely go back, though not next Tuesday due to my conference in North Carolina. I may start going to their Saturday long runs as well, as there are so many fast people who have added me to their email list and send emails back and forth talking about the Saturday workout- and it sounds fun!

Buffalo Chips

To help solve my motivation issues, I am going to try out the Buffalo Chips running club today. One of the guys from the Fleet Fleet group suggested I come to the Tuesday workout, and it just happens to be a speed workout. Just what I need!

I'm hoping that the group is friendly- I know you don't have to be a member to come to a workout- so that bodes well. I would like to have a group to help motivate me- speed work is much better when there are others doing it too!

Training Summary: Week Six

This week was an "easy" week. I'm halfway through training for the Napa Marathon (eek!).

I did the following:

Monday: walk to grocery store and back- 2 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles on the treadmill
Wednesday: off
Thursday: spin- man were my legs tired
Friday: off
Saturday: 6 miles outside
Sunday: 10 miles on the Parkway

Miles this week: 22
Training miles: 134
Miles in 2011: 84

I need to get better at updating this blog. I had a nice slow week, and need to ramp up the speed training next week!

Training Summary: Week Five

Last week, I did the following:

Monday: off
Tuesday: 2 miles on the treadmill
Wednesday: off
Thursday: spin
Friday: 2 miles outdoors with John
Saturday: cleaned the garage
Sunday: 18 miles on the Parkway (8 before the group run, and 10 with the group)

Miles this week: 22
Training miles: 112
Miles in 2011: 62

No longer slacking

I did not manage to do my six miles last Saturday as I had promised myself I would. I cleaned the garage all day, and just couldn't manage to do it. Or I didn't want to do it. Either way, I accomplished two 2-mile runs last week, but redeemed myself by doing a full 18 miles on Sunday.

I will no longer slack off of my training.

I promise.

Slacking again

I had high hopes of getting up and running the prescribed 7 miles (3 at 1 minutes per mile) this morning before work. I did manage to get out of bed by 6:15, and out the door by 6:30. However, the distance and speed just didn't seem worth it this morning.

Maybe I worked too hard at spin last night. My legs just felt heavy, and 9 minutes miles were a struggle.

Whatever the cause, I will now be doing a speed workout of at least 6 miles tomorrow, the day before my 18 mile run. Joy!

Training Summary: Week Four

This week, I did the following:

Monday: light core work
Tuesday: 3 miles on the treadmill
Wednesday: off
Thursday: spin
Friday: off
Saturday: 6 miles midafternoon outside
Sunday: 16 miles on the Parkway

Miles this week: 25
Training miles: 90
Miles in 2011: 40

16 miles...ouch

I mentioned before that  slacked a bit this week, which continued with skipping my 6 mile speed workout. I managed to get the 6 miles in on Saturday (not Thursday or Friday as I should have), but didn't do more than a tempo run (not as fast as called for). I have to pick it up starting this week!

Sunday John and I went to Fleet Feet, and I did 16 miles on the trail. The first 4.5 I ran with John and Bernie, the rest with one of the group regulars, who also did CIM last month (he did considerably better than I did). It was nice to have company again.

I wanted to keep a good pace- close to race pace- between 8:45 and 9. I kept that for maybe 10 miles then slowed to 9:30 or so. Overall a good effort, but I would like to do better on speed.

My goal this next week is to get a good speed workout in on Wednesday (or Thursday, whichever), and do the prescribed 18 miles on Sunday. Judging from how sore my hips are from 16, the 18 will likely hurt. 

Slacking

I really meant to go running this morning at 6AM- I really did. But the alarm went off, and I got back in bed almost as quickly as I got out. My cold is still lingering in my throat, I was tired, etc. I felt a bit bad for bagging my run, but I did run 3 miles last night (when 2 was on the menu), and I don't have another run scheduled until tomorrow.

Plus, it was still foggy when I left for work 3 hours later...

Training Summary: Week Three

This week, I did the following:

Monday: off
Tuesday/Wednesday: sick
Thursday: 4 miles on the treadmill
Friday: 5 miles on the Parkway
Saturday: off
Sunday: 15 miles in the rain

Miles this week: 24
Training miles: 65
Miles in 2011: 15

Rainy Sunday Run

I was sure glad to have company this morning for my weekly long run. We went to Fleet Feet for the Sunday group again, and about five or so people showed up to run in the rain. John and I ran with two of the regulars at the Sunday run, and they were kind enough to join me for my 14 miler this morning. It is nice to have people around in the group who are trained and into running enough to do 14 miles on a whim.

It was raining, but not too cold. It was actually very nice out. I wouldn't have been as happy with the weather if I had run by myself, so I'm glad they have the runs from the store. It really is a nice community service that Fleet Feet does by organizing the runs each week, with coffee to warm us up at the end to boot!

I'm still not a big fan of the rocks on the trail from Sutter's Landing to the H Street Bridge, but the benefit of having company is worth the slight discomfort of the rocks.

Here is the Garmin summary of the route and today's run, since I don't think I've added this route to my blog yet: