Training Recap - May Week 3 & Best 20 Miler Ever
I had a great week! I spent Sunday running and walking around Boston, you may have seen my trip in the last post. My Saturday long run was 20 miles, and it was by far the best I've ever felt at a distance longer than a half marathon. I'm so, so happy and hope it stays that way. More on the 20 miler below. Now, the recap.
Sunday, May 13
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 5 miles
We ran the Freedom Trail running tour for about 3.4 miles, then continued on along the Charles River to Cambridge. It was great weather and so much fun to tour Boston this way. We walked so much after the run (and really, the whole weekend) that my feet hurt a ton! Also, I forgot one of my fave photos from the end of the run in the last post - our matching Freedom Trail Run shirts.
Monday, May 14
Rest and travel
Tuesday, May 15
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 3.5 miles
My jet-lagged and sore feet self did not want to do anything but skip running and head to the mall, but I got out there for a short run with a friend after work. So glad she was there to encourage me. As always, I felt great post run and would have regretted skipping. I was 1.5 miles short, but in the grand scheme of training not a big deal.
Wednesday, May 16
Planned: Core Chaos class
Completed: Core Chaos class
Another fun class with lots of leg work at the beginning, such as black band squats and lunges walking forward & backward. She added in some cardo activities outside too, always a good change. For the first time since starting the class, I was not super sore after.
Thursday, May 17
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 5 miles
I considered upping this one to make up for Tuesday but thought better of it with the 20 miler coming up over the weekend. I ran with a friend again, keeping the pace nice and relaxed. We hit some strong wind - reminiscent of Big Sur - for the last couple of miles and had a good challenge there.
Friday, May 18
Rest
Saturday, May 19
Planned: 20 mile long run
Completed: 20 mile long run!
I've said it a lot this weekend, but I had a great 20 miler and feel good about the marathon right now. Honestly, I was dreading it this weekend and wanted to put it off until Sunday, which of course would not have helped the situation. It took me about 5 miles to feel good and warmed up, and after that I settled in. The hubby and I took an annoying route and had to stop at traffic lights a LOT, but at least it was interesting and a change of scenery. Even with waiting on crosswalk lights, my muscles didn't feel all stiff and rebellious like they have in the past. When I started to feel the mental strength slip, I thought about two of my fave Tweets and pins (as I remember them, I'm sure it's not exact, and I'm not sure who wrote them):
Strong is what's left when all the weak is used up. #findyourstrong
Don't let your mind give out before your legs do.
It's funny how little sayings can help, but it really works for me. I'm aware that my mind is my first problem when I want to stop pushing and I'm working hard to get past that.
Even more interesting, our normal route along the Guadalupe River Trail had a mishap around 10:30 Saturday morning. Volunteers cleaning in the area found a body! If we had gone that route, the route we randomly decided not to take after we'd already started running, we'd have been through before that volunteer crew. It could have been us that saw the body...and that thought scares the heck out of me. Thank goodness for our decision to head to the Alameda.
Anyway, I finished the 20 strong and it didn't even hurt to walk up the stairs to our condo. I'm calling that progress.
Sunday, May 13
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 5 miles
We ran the Freedom Trail running tour for about 3.4 miles, then continued on along the Charles River to Cambridge. It was great weather and so much fun to tour Boston this way. We walked so much after the run (and really, the whole weekend) that my feet hurt a ton! Also, I forgot one of my fave photos from the end of the run in the last post - our matching Freedom Trail Run shirts.
Monday, May 14
Rest and travel
Tuesday, May 15
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 3.5 miles
My jet-lagged and sore feet self did not want to do anything but skip running and head to the mall, but I got out there for a short run with a friend after work. So glad she was there to encourage me. As always, I felt great post run and would have regretted skipping. I was 1.5 miles short, but in the grand scheme of training not a big deal.
Wednesday, May 16
Planned: Core Chaos class
Completed: Core Chaos class
Another fun class with lots of leg work at the beginning, such as black band squats and lunges walking forward & backward. She added in some cardo activities outside too, always a good change. For the first time since starting the class, I was not super sore after.
Thursday, May 17
Planned: 5 miles
Completed: 5 miles
I considered upping this one to make up for Tuesday but thought better of it with the 20 miler coming up over the weekend. I ran with a friend again, keeping the pace nice and relaxed. We hit some strong wind - reminiscent of Big Sur - for the last couple of miles and had a good challenge there.
Friday, May 18
Rest
Saturday, May 19
Planned: 20 mile long run
Completed: 20 mile long run!
I've said it a lot this weekend, but I had a great 20 miler and feel good about the marathon right now. Honestly, I was dreading it this weekend and wanted to put it off until Sunday, which of course would not have helped the situation. It took me about 5 miles to feel good and warmed up, and after that I settled in. The hubby and I took an annoying route and had to stop at traffic lights a LOT, but at least it was interesting and a change of scenery. Even with waiting on crosswalk lights, my muscles didn't feel all stiff and rebellious like they have in the past. When I started to feel the mental strength slip, I thought about two of my fave Tweets and pins (as I remember them, I'm sure it's not exact, and I'm not sure who wrote them):
Strong is what's left when all the weak is used up. #findyourstrong
Don't let your mind give out before your legs do.
It's funny how little sayings can help, but it really works for me. I'm aware that my mind is my first problem when I want to stop pushing and I'm working hard to get past that.
Even more interesting, our normal route along the Guadalupe River Trail had a mishap around 10:30 Saturday morning. Volunteers cleaning in the area found a body! If we had gone that route, the route we randomly decided not to take after we'd already started running, we'd have been through before that volunteer crew. It could have been us that saw the body...and that thought scares the heck out of me. Thank goodness for our decision to head to the Alameda.
Anyway, I finished the 20 strong and it didn't even hurt to walk up the stairs to our condo. I'm calling that progress.
Oh wow!! I had no idea about the body on the Guadalupe! Honestly there's some sketchy stuff going on down there sometimes close to downtown.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the 20 miler - that is really fantastic! Did you just follow the Alameda out and back? I'm always looking for new long run routes so I'm curious. :)
It sounds like we live really close to one another! I'm right by Diridon Station/HP Pavilion. We need to meet up one of these days!
We definitely need to meet up soon. I keep thinking that too. We followed the Alameda (which turns into El Camino) out to Sunnyvale and back. It was a nice change, but be prepared for lots of stop and go with lights. That part was annoying! The Santa Clara section is prettier and nicer because the walk signs trigger with the button, most of the waiting was the Sunnyvale part. There is a cute little duck pond in Santa Clara with a water fountain too!
DeleteGreat job! I'm also curious about your route on Alameda, for future long runs. :)
ReplyDeleteWe followed the Alameda (turns into El Camino) to Sunnyvale and then came back. It was overall good, but lots of stop and go with lights. More detail in the above comment too. :)
DeleteOhhh. Haha, I thought you had gone to Alameda (the city) and done a longer variation of the See Jane Run half marathon course. Maybe you can do that another weekend and then meet us at Fenton's. ;)
DeleteFeeling strong after a 20 miler is a great accomplishment! Freaky about the whole "found a body" thing - so glad it wasn't you who found it!
ReplyDeleteI love that quote: Don't let your mind give up before your legs! Such a great analogy. When runs get tough, often times its your mind that's the first to want to give up. Great job on the 20 miler!
ReplyDeleteYou are going to do GREAT on your marathon. It's all mental (well mostly-hehe) so having a great 20 mile run is such a fabulous feeling. Great job! It means your training is working.
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes - so much is mental, I agree!
DeletePaulette, you are such an inspiration! 20 miles is awesome. And... Super scary about the body. Love reading your updates!!
ReplyDeleteVery nice week Paulette!
ReplyDelete