Training Week Eleven + 19 mile long run!

This week ended with a 19 mile long run, my final long run before the Big Sur 21-miler. I'm so excited! It went really well - I was tired but not struggling to make it to the end like in my 17 mile long run. I'm feeling good about this race, even though I know the crazy hills are going to kick my butt. Here is my week overall, plus detail on the 19 miler.

Sunday, April 8

Rest

Monday, April 9

Planned: Strength & Stretching

Completed: Strength & Stretching

I worked burpees and jumping jacks into the first two rotations to warm up and break a sweat. After that I went through 2 sets of each exercise for legs, abs, and arms. Legs (single-leg hamstring raises on roller, calf raises, hip/glute raises, ball squats.) Core (frog crunches, twist with ball toss, lowering legs with hip raise, reverse crunches, 1 min plank.) Arms (push ups, bicep curls, skull crushers, pec fly, shoulder press, one arm rows.)

Tuesday, April 10

Planned: 3 mile run

Completed: 2.7 miles on the Elliptical

It was raining by the time I finished work and could work out, so I took it easy on the elliptical. This worked out well because I was still feeling Saturday's 17 miler.

Wednesday, April 11

Planned: 3 mile run

Completed: 3 mile run + Hatha Yoga

I had a good, easy run and the weather was great. I wore my new Oiselle arm warmers for the first time and loved them! I'm new to using arm warmers, but it's fantastic to be able to have short sleeves and convertible long sleeves when the weather is in between. When I returned to the gym to stretch, there was a Yoga class starting in 15 minutes. I stayed for Yoga; this class is beginner and a great cool down from my run.

Thursday, April 12

Planned: 3 mile run

Completed: Rest

Friday, April 13

Planned: Rest

Completed: 3 mile run

I swapped my plan between Thursday and Friday this week because I wasn't feeling great on Thursday. Hopefully it's just allergies with the wet weather. Please don't let me get sick! Run was good but uneventful.

Saturday, April 14

Planned: 19 mile long run

Completed: 19 mile long run

With this, I end the ramp up for the Big Sur 21-miler on April 29. And it went so well! I focused more on hydration and nutrition this week, and it made a huge difference. I felt better at the end of the 19 miler than I did at mile 13 of the 17 miler the week before. That said, of course I was still very tired at the end. 

Kev and I ran together, starting out from our condo and taking the Guadalupe River Trail again. This time, I felt excited and ready to go pre-run unlike last weekend when I was nervous. I wore my new favorite arm warmers with a sleeveless shirt, and this worked well for me. I can't believe how much more comfortable I find the arm warmers than a long sleeve shirt.

Showing off my newfound Oiselle & armwarmer obsession.

We left earlier in the day so it was cooler and much nicer for the body. I even talked Kev into taking Nuun in his water bottle this time and now he's a believer. Last long run, he was feeling dehydrated and I gave him my Nuun...aren't I a nice wife? My new Oiselle shirt even has a little pocket that I used for extra Nuun tablets.

The Nuun pocket.

We went about a mile past the Alviso stop we refilled water at last time, coming to a really nice trail and park along the bay right at 9.5 miles. A quick restroom and water refill break later, we were heading back toward home. The sun was heating everything up now so I took off the arm warmers and stashed them neatly in the zipper pocket on my capris. Easy, nothing tied around the waist. 

We saw two snakes across the trail on the return trip, and I was hissed at by a goose! The ducks were enjoying the newly-filled waterbed along the trail and kept splashing around for our entertainment. It was overall a beautiful day to be outside, and the trail was filled with runners, walkers, and bikers. We made it back home and stopping hurt more than running - this is the first time I have really felt that way. Maybe that's progress? Not sure. I am so happy with how I held up on this run!

Look how happy I am!

But I was very, very tired too.

How I really felt...

Now, it's time to taper until Big Sur. I hope everyone had a great run weekend - and good luck to all of the Boston runners tomorrow!