And it might be becoming a problem.
The weekday runs aren't as long as I think they should be - in the 3- to 4-mile range, rather than 5 or 6 - and it's given me an easy way to neglect the long runs. Don't get me wrong, I'm logging decent mileage but I'm not getting in the double digit runs that are part of a half marathon plan. Well, I guess the double digits I was used to.
And I need that. Like, now.
Admittedly, this realization has more to do with what I think I need to be doing and life complicating what I wanted to do - not a lack of endurance. This weekend just didn't lend itself to long runs. Kim and I had to leave by 7 a.m. Saturday to get to the mud run, and Mark was gone most of Sunday. I had wanted to get in a 10-miler but the logistics were just too complicated. And, I'll be 100 percent honest, I didn't want to push the stroller for the tail end of a long run.
Thankfully, I know it won't make or break my experience in Napa. It's going to be a fun, soak-in-the-scenes race and not a push till you puke race. Plus, I still have six weeks to get in the training I'd like - and four weekends of double digit runs to look forward to.
Girls on the Run practice 5K
The week, in training:
Monday, April 28
REST
Tuesday, May 6
RUN | 5.18 miles, 5x3 minutes
Time: 46:45 Pace: 9:02
My goal for this run was to stay in the workout mentally and not allow myself to get defeated or give up. I had one wonky interval but otherwise it worked out. I brought music along to help and kept an eye off pace, just trying to run hard for 3 minutes. I positive split the intervals but whatevs.
CROSS TRAINING | Outdoor boot camp
Rain, rain, go away. I tried to incorporate resistance bands but I'm not sure it worked out. The rain made it difficult to grasp and I had to redo some of the workout on the fly.
Wednesday, May 7
WALK | 2ish miles
CROSS TRAINING | Outdoor boot camp
It was raining. BOO! We took it to the pavilion and utilized the bench. I did a lot of the workout with them for fun.
Thursday, May 15
RUN | 5 miles
Time: 47:29 Pace: 9:29
I have been joking for, like, ever that I was never going to find someone who would meet me to run super early. Joe started to, sort of, but then Tami came into my life. Like a dream, this mother runner is willing to meet me at 5:15. YES. I was a bit tired and sore and it was raining but I was happy to be running.
CROSS TRAINING | Ripped
Rumor has it that I like squats.
Friday, May 16
CROSS TRAINING | Elliptical, 45 minutes
I bribed myself with coffee to get myself to move. Do something physical. Plus, I needed to shake out the legs before the weekend.
Saturday, May 17
RUN | 4 miles + Dirty Girl Mud Run
Time: 37:30 Pace: 9:22
As any mother runners getting together would, Kim and I ran 4 miles before driving to the mud run. It was fun to run my normal route with such a good friend. I was more thankful that we chose to do it as there was very little running during the mud 5K.
Sunday, May 18
RUN | 7.06 miles
Time: 1:10:55 Pace: 10:02
I tried to get in a few miles before running as a buddy for Girls on the Run. I was hoping for closer to 5 but didn't have time for it. I got in just shy of 4 but the practice 5K was longer than 3.1 miles. So it all balances out? I was really surprised to see that my solo portion was sub-9 as my legs were T-I-R-E-D. Better, though, was running with my fourth-grader. I was so impressed with how she rocked the practice race. I can't wait to see these girls do the Diva Dash in a couple weeks.
You are totally in good shape for that half, especially if you just want to do it for fun! Is the speedwork just for funsies too, or do you have a goal race in mind? (Wait... people can just do speedwork for fun?)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it an awesome feeling when you mod a class on the fly? I am always like... "me so sneaky! and no one knows!" ha :)
Do you usually not work out with your boot camp?
Woo hoo for friends like Tami! I love my early morning crew. This am I asked my bud if we could meet at 5:15 and not 5:00. LOL!
Speedwork for fun? Uh. No. I am trying my hand at a 10K plan to try to improve shorter distance speed. I thought it would be a good prequel to my fall training as I am going to *let* Mark pace me for Fort4Fitness. Nice of me, eh? Plus, my 5K PR is almost 4 years old, and I think I can break it.
DeleteI do most of the boot camp workouts. Sometimes I wonder if I should but then I feel lame standing there. I need to figure out how to balance the Y, though, because teaching two classes back-to-back is rough!
Need I remind you that for the last full I ran I had ONE double digit run? And it was only 13.3 miles? And I finished just fine, because the goal of that race after the winter we had was simply survive smiling.
ReplyDeleteYOU WILL BE FINE. Frankly, you'll probably surprise yourself, but that won't surprise us because we readers all know you're a rockstar. :D
PS- please remind me of all this if I freak out next week- I missed my long run this weekend, too, and Sunburst half is on the 31. I keep hoping for a PR this spring... we'll see!
YES! Feel free to call me a rock star whenever.
DeleteP.S. Will do! I sort of wish I was doing Sunburst. But, you are going to rock out that PR. You are so flippin' fast now!
That's still an impressive amount of miles in a week! It'll be fine. Just be prepared for the heat - summer is in full swing here in CA!
ReplyDeleteSummer? What's that? HA! Good reminder on the heat - I hadn't even thought of that. I think I hear some mid-afternoon long runs calling my name!
DeleteI agree with the others. You'll be fine. Plenty of miles and quality workouts. It's funny what creatures of habit we are.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll be fine for the half if your only goal is to have fun and enjoy the race! I have run 3 half marathons but only did 2 training cycles as I ran my 2nd and 3rd two weeks apart. I did 3 double digit runs for my first and only 2 for my second/third and I did much better at those races. Not sure if there's any correlation though.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had an early morning running buddy. I love running as the sun comes up but sometimes it would be nice to have someone depending on me to drag me out of bed!
Woohoo for not being alone for my pre-dawn runs! Hopefully this is the start of a lot of miles together ... and a lot of coffee.
ReplyDelete