#BeMonumental {Weeks 10 & 11}

Fear.

It seems like fear and marathon training run hand in hand. There's the pressure of hitting race pace an tempo miles; the unknown when hitting personal distance records; and the pure magnitude of the work. I've felt some apprehension when training for shorter distances but there was always the intrinsic belief that I could do it. I haven't run enough marathons to know that.

A little bit of fear is good. It keeps you humble. It keeps you working. It gives you a push, in my case, to overachieve and break through.

Some fear, though, can be paralyzing. It can make you doubt yourself and tempt you to give up before trying. It's that kind that I'm working on. I'm really working on getting my head in the game, focusing on the days I feel good and channeling that sense of accomplishment when I tackle the next workout.

And there are good days.

My 18-miler in week 10 helped, during which I was able to keep the pace controlled and run my fastest split during the last mile.

My run with both race pace and tempo miles during week 11 showed me that race pace is feeling easier and a controlled, patient tempo effort can leave me feeling accomplished.

My midweek long runs where, barring ridiculous weather, are feeling the way 5-milers do during half marathon training.

And I'm telling myself that I don't have to be the best. I just have to do my best on that day and that best might look different than the week before.

highlight: Running in the Pacific Northwest – obviously. Otherwise, feeling great during my tempo run and surviving the swamp fest that was week 11.

lowlight: Falling during my interval run. I thought I'd be OK in the early morning without lights but I was wrong. During the recovery interval, my foot got caught in a pothole or divet or crack and I was on my hands and knees before I could even think about it. Thankfully, I was fine but I did adjust my effort for the remainder of the run.

week 10

monday, september 5
distance | 3 miles
time | 29:34
pace | 9:51

wednesday, september 7
distance | 6 miles
time | 55:11
pace | 9:09
notes | time intervals; fell during run

thursday, september 8
distance | 8 miles
time | 1:22:22
pace | 10:14
notes | hot as balls, early as fuck

saturday, september 10
distance | 18 miles
time | 3:02:24
pace | 10:07
notes | strong finish

sunday, september 12
distance | 3.3 miles
time | 32:06
pace | 9:40

week 11

monday, september 12
distance | 5.2 miles
time | 48:23
pace | 9:17
notes | early; tight legs

tuesday, september 13
distance | 7 miles
time | 1:02:32
pace | 8:56
notes | tempo on treadmill

thursday, september 15
distance | 2.8 miles
time | 28:57
pace | 10:17
notes | shakeout in Seattle; trails

friday, september 16
distance | 6.6 miles
time |  1:23:17
pace | 12:37
notes | ragnar trail

friday, september 16
distance | 2.6 miles
time |  30:15
pace | 11:25
notes | ragnar trail; night leg

saturday, september 17
distance | 6.7 miles
time | 1:30:39
pace | 13:29
notes | ragnar trail; early morning

#BeMonumental {Week 1}

When I registered for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on Jan. 1, running marathon was just an idea. A seemingly good one but, nonetheless, still just a thought. I could tell people that I was running a marathon in 2016 without the actual pressure of doing the work.

Well, my friends, that has changed.

On July 4, 18 weeks out from M-Day, the work began ... with an easy 3 miles with strides. Oh, how I love the first week of a training plan.

For this cycle, I am did something different – I paid for a training plan. I didn't hire a coach; rather, I signed up for the Train Like A Mother Club and its fall marathon challenge. I have been lucky enough to follow along with my BRF and the TLAM half plan and my BFF and the 5K plan. Both schedules have helped me get back my speed (and then some) after having Si, and I credit the TLAM plan for my PR at the Carmel half. Not only did I feel like I owed the mother runners some of my money but I felt confident that the workouts would be challenging yet manageable.

And I was right. There's one to two quality workouts a week, and I have the option to hit 20 miles twice (or just once if I am feeling not so into it). I will max out around 40 miles during weeks 14-15. The challenging aspect will be race pace miles during long runs and midweek long runs that buildup from easy pace to race pace to tempo and then climb down.

I'm not going to lie – when I put the plan into a larger spreadsheet, which I printed out and put on the fridge for Mark, I got scared. It's a lot. But, one day, one workout at a time.

Here's how my first week shook out:

monday
distance | 3 miles
time | 28:25
pace | 9:28
notes | hotel treadmill, humid and icky

wednesday
distance | 5.1 miles
time | 45:39
pace | 8:56
notes | tempo

thursday
distance | 4.1 miles
time | 37:00
pace | 9:00
notes | strides

sunday
distance | 10 miles
time | 1:35:15
pace | 9:30
notes | seriously consistent splits {for me} – 9:43, 9:29, 9:33, 9:25, 9:32, 9:25, 9:19, 9:31, 9:28, 9:39

And snow it begins

Give me a snow day or give me death!

Or you can give me a two-hour delay and ruin my life.

Dramatic much? I think ... maybe.

Anyway ...

My training for the Carmel half marathon began this week. Sure, it's a bit early for an April 16 race, especially as I have a solid base of 8-mile long runs. However, I'm following a "Train Like A Mother" plan, and they tend to be a bit longer. It appealed to me for myriad reasons but mostly it gave me the chance to cut the crap and focus.

And focus I wanted to.

I was ready. I was willing. I had a plan for the plan. Tuesday morning, I would drop off the boys and head to the Y. (The weather was beyond frigid, and I have yet to put on my big girl winter running tights.) I would run 5 miles total with 1.5 miles at tempo. I'm still trying to nail down what my paces should be but I was hoping for 8:35.

I rehearsed the run in my head. I repeated self affirmations that I was able to hit those numbers and even if I couldn't on that day, I could and have on others. The run wouldn't determine the training cycle.

I'm really hoping the latter is true because the run didn't happen. Those frigid temperatures prompted a two-hour school delay and thus eating into my golden hour of running.

When I would have been through the warm-up, I was packing up the car. When I would have been bumping up the pace, I was nursing Si at daycare. When I would have been showering at the Y, I was waiting in the drop-off line. (If you have ever waited in a drop-off line with the hordes of rabid mini-van driving moms, you know I needed the run at this point.)

And, maybe the worst part, the regular door monitors weren't even there so they didn't see me dressed in real clothes! Gah!

Oh well.

It all worked out. Sort of. I ran a quick 3 miles after my Tuesday night class, aiming for that tempo pace. I didn't feel satisfied, stopping to fidget with my hair and tank, so I might try it later in the week. Or I might not.

It will be what it will be what it will be. Ya know? And until then, dear weather gods, I'd prefer closures. The running options are much better under those circumstances ;)

Athens Half Marathon: Final Countdown

My first "A" race of the year - the Athens Half Marathon - is a mere four days away. I think I'm in a state of denial or, maybe, ignorance with all that has gone in the past week that it will actually happen. Either way, I feel so separated from the quality training I've put in that a hard-earned time seems almost out of reach.

And then I ran today.


I had 3 miles, with 2 at race pace, on tap, and I set myself up for success {insert sarcasm font}by deciding last night that I would take advantage of warming weather, sleeping in and taking Miles in the BOB. Stroller running is tough - period. Running a race pace workout is tough - period. Together, well, it was sure to be interesting.

As it turns out, interesting was a surprise run that felt hard but not as hard as it should have for the splits on my GPS: 9:07, 8:37, 8:30, 2:13 for 0.25-mile (8:54 pace).

Admittedly, I was pushing the pace out of fear, fear that I wouldn't nail the range I had in my mind for the race pace miles - 8:45-8:50 - but I didn't feel dead. I didn't feel defeated. I didn't feel like goals were out of reach. I had a bit of "help" with a couple stops, meeting requests for suckers, tying shoes and following traffic laws. But still, I was faster than goal pace and pushing 23 pounds of stroller + 28 pounds of toddler.

Does it mean that I'll smoke the course on Sunday? No. Of course not. It's the work I've done that will give me the edge then - and the work is what gave it to me today.

Training, in summary:

Plan: "Train Like a Mother" Half Marathon: Own It plan

Miles logged (thus far): 271.86

Farthest run: 14.6 miles, at 9:22 pace, on March 23 (three weeks out from race)

Fastest run: 8:34 pace for 5.75 miles (total time 49:16) on March 12. The workout was 2 x (1-2-3-2-1) intervals with 2 minutes recovery and 5-minute recovery between sets.

Most challenging run: Recently, it was my failed intervals on Friday but I think my long run on March 2 takes the cake. There was 4 inches of fresh snow, and I just could not get into it. I would have called it quits after 2 miles if I hadn't been with Joe. We manged 8.1 miles in 1:30:57, an 11:14 pace.

Shoes: I've been rotating between a pair of Brooks Ravenna 4 and Altra Provisioness 1. Both have less than 200 miles on them, and I'll be wearing Brooks on race day.

Fuel used: Rough estimate - 24 Gus (Salted Caramel and Chocolate Outrage) and 3,421 tubes of Nuun (currently using Nuun Energy Wild Berry - so good)

Biggest hurdle: No doubt, it was the weather. While I was able to stick to the weekday runs in my plan, thanks to the treadmill, I did not fulfill the long runs. Indiana was covered in snow and ice for the entirety of three months - no joke - and it made going far very challenging, if not impossible.

Greatest success: Toughing out the quality workouts. This cycle is the first time in a long time when I've put in some hard miles week after week. Even when I felt sluggish or tired, I made myself attempt the workout and only twice did I not make it through.

Goal working toward: A strong half, hopefully beating my post-baby PR of 1:58:56 at Fort4Fitness last year and coming as close to my life PR of 1:54:12 (from F4F 2010) as I can.

Weekly Training Update: 3/31-4/6

Bam!

Proof I run with people. Also proof that it was warm enough to wear shorts on Sunday, that I cannot be serious in a photo, need better posture and LIKE bright colors.

This week, as it turns out, it was all about the group runs. For three out of the four, I had at least one person with me and I was actually scheduled to have all of them but  life, drama, life kept me out till 10:30 p.m Thursday and I canceled my 5 a.m. Friday. Blah, blah, blah.

I know I've said it before but I'll say it again, I can't tell you how much running with people has changed the sport for me. I've learned to push harder, stay stronger and laugh more than I ever had. I've found enthusiastic cheerleaders and sympathetic ears.

All of these came into play as I set out for my long run on Sunday. It was a fairly large group of us - six - and we "agreed" to start the run at an easy pace around 9:30. We set off down the towpath, a space we hadn't gotten the chance to explore this snowy winter, and it all felt so new and fun. I got a minute (or half mile) to vent and then it was on to the chatter of a run. The miles seemed to blow by - maybe because the closest we got to 9:30 was in the third mile when one of us had to adjust a slipping car key.

The pace started creeping up faster as we turned around, and my body and taper brain desperately wanted to slow. I started thinking about dropping back as my breathing became more labored.

"Endure."

The word began to play on repeat in my brain, not surprising as it's been stuck there since listening to a Runner Academy podcast with Jacqueline Hansen. I could fall back or I could endure. I chose endure. I tucked in behind Joe and just kept going, following the speedy legs ahead of me.

The last mile was 8:42. An 8:42 after a week of training and a Saturday spent cutting down trees (seriously). I wouldn't have done it on my own.

The week, in training:

Monday, March 31
RUN | 3.26 miles
I ran with Mark, Miles and Denali. I pushed the BOB for the first 1.25 miles and then Mark took over. I wanted to keep the pace easy but somehow we ran an 8:39. He said it was my fault, I said it was his. So he was the culprit.

Tuesday, April 1
RUN |  4.05 miles with Joe
Early morning run with the bud. It was fairly warm, almost 50, and quite foggy out. I am so glad he has a head lamp!

Wednesday, April 2
CROSS TRAINING | Indoor trainer ride, 20 minutes
I was super proud that I got up early to ride on the bike but Miles came down 18 minutes and told me to get off. Nice, eh? I got annoyed by 20 minutes and got off. We sort of made up for it by going on a family walk after breakfast.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

Thursday, April 3
CROSS TRAINING | Ripped

Friday, April 4
RUN | 5.25 miles, intervals
I had a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 interval workout on tap, and I was tired. With a capital exhausted. I was also peeved that I had to cancel my run date (to sleep in) and was doing the workout alone. I managed the warm up fine but couldn't find a rhythm in the first 5-minute interval. I cut it at 3.5 minutes and decided to try again. Nope. I ended up with two half-assed intervals and then did a 1-2-3-2-1 (in minutes) with 2 minute recovery jogs.

Saturday, April 5
CROSS TRAINING | Boot camp-type class

CROSS TRAINING | Yard work
Normally, I wouldn't count this but I used a chain saw for the first time (yee haw!) and cut down two trees plus some bushes. I'm not sure if it was class or the yard work but my entire posterior chain was sore for two days.

Sunday, April 6
RUN | 10 miles

Weekly Training Update: 3/24-3/30

The home stretch of Athens Half Marathon training is so close I can almost taste it. Almost because I haven't researched my post-race meal options.

But that's another story for another day.

This week's workouts were far less intimidating and a lot more manageable. Even with a bad race trying to test my resolve and self efficacy, I know I'm getting stronger and have put in the work. 

WEEK'S WINNER: All of my runs were outside! I think the weather is finally turning, making the great outdoors less daunting. My Tuesday run was on the cold side but having scheduled a run date, I wasn't tempted to punk out.

WEEK'S LOSER: Can I say the weather? I was still in tights for two of four runs, and the wind this week was quite ferocious. Beyond that, I would have liked to log some miles on the bike but a race on Saturday + traveling on Sunday threw a wrench in my typical routine.

HONORABLE MENTION: I took two rest days last week. I cannot tell you the last time I did that but wow. What a change of pace! Since my long run was Saturday's 20K, Mark and I took off for Indianapolis. By. Ourselves. We went to REI (a first for me), bought some cycling gloves and had an awesome brunch. I need more brunch in my life.

Monday, March 17
REST

Tuesday, March 11
RUN | 4.23 miles
I had the awesome chance to meet reader/twitter friend/now working in Indiana T for an early morning run. It's always fun to meet someone new. Sort of like a first date. Thankfully, the conversation flowed and the miles flew by.

Wednesday, March 12
RUN | 4.5 miles

I was judging a cooking competition at the health fair of one of the universities and took advantage, running a new-to-me loop. The last 1.5 miles were on gravel, which was interesting. I didn't mind it for a half-mile but I was over it by a mile. The plan called for strides at the end but I wasn't trying it on gravel. Thankfully, I had a pretty strong pace so I felt fine.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

Thursday, March 13
CROSS TRAINING | Ripped


Friday, March 14
RUN | 6 miles, negative split
The workout was to run the last three miles faster than the first three but with some hyper awareness to pace, I negative split each mile. It was a windy day, and I hoped to give myself an advantage by running into the wind at the start but apparently every way was into the wind.

Saturday, March 15
CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

RUN | Nutri-Run 20K
I'm done whining. Read the recap here.

Sunday, March 16
REST | Travel to Indianapolis

Weekly Training Update: 3/17-3/23

A ridiculous and shameful selfie. I am so sorry. I pledge to make an effort of taking workout photos for these posts.

WEEK'S WINNER | I challenged myself to lift a bit heavier this week, and it was nice to know that I can do it and not feel ridiculously sore. I think I (or we, as runners) sometimes shy away from heavier weights as to not wreck our legs and affect workouts. However, an interesting study reports that endurance-type training - like Bodypump - does not improve athletic performance. Runners, rather, will see gains from heavy weights (think four to six reps per set) and explosive movements, such as plyometrics.

WEEK'S LOSER | The treadmill. I realized during my tempo run that no matter how scared I am of not hitting prescribed paces outside, the benefits (mental, especially) of being outside far outweigh the fears of not measuring up. On the upside, my co-worker was waxing on about the benefits of Garmin's virtual pacer and how much he enjoys using it. I had to laugh because he got his Garmin for Christmas and is using these features; I've had a Garmin for four and not done one thing but locate satellites and press start.

HONORABLE MENTION | An attempt at an early morning workout. It's been ages since I've gotten up at 5 a.m. - and oh do I have excuses - but I set the alarm and tried to get on the bike. I had the tires pumped and my Kindle ready. I even had 10 minutes at a low cadence before I heard the screaming of, "MAMA! I WANT MY WAFFLE." The workout (and a great early run today) made me realize that I'm far happier and more positive when I'm active earlier, and I'm not trying to cram shit in between daycare and work.

Monday, March 17
REST

Tuesday, March 11
RUN | 3.3 miles
I had some scheduling issues so I headed out on an evening run with the dog. Denali decided it was drag ass night, and I seriously could not get him to pick up the pace. It's time from him to do the Rug to 10K plan.

Wednesday, March 12
RUN | 4 miles (failed tempo)
I had 6 miles, total, on tap with 4 at tempo. I managed the warm-up, 2 miles at pace but couldn't hack it. I finished the fourth mile with intervals and called it a day. I tried this on the treadmill at the Y, and it was unbearably hot. So that's my excuse.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

Thursday, March 13
CROSS TRAINING | Indoor trainer, 8 miles
I tried to get up early and do the workout but I swear Miles heard the moment my foot hit the pedal. I did 10 minutes before making his breakfast, and I finished up with him playing the basement. I tried to coax him to ride his trike down there but he wasn't in it. So I gave him the Kindle with Diego and stared at myself in a mirror. Totally rad.

CROSS TRAINING | Ripped
I went a bit heavier and totally tweaked my back. Apparently, I shouldn't be doing bentover rows with a 45-pound bar. Time, my EvoFit enso roller and a gracious, accommodating husband have been the only thing to ease the knot and soreness in my mid back.

Friday, March 14
RUN | Hill(ish), 7 miles
My plan called for 6 x 4-minute hills, which don't exist in Fort Wayne. I could do it on the treadmill ... or just run the hilliest route by my house. Easy choice. I took advantage of Mark being home from school, and I did this about 8 a.m. I tried to keep a strong pace to make up for my scrapped tempo run, and I feel good that I held sub-9 for the run.

Saturday, March 15
CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

CROSS TRAINING | Chasing Miles at Target
No nap = no trainer ride. We shopped instead, and Miles charmed teenage girls by pushing a toy princess grocery cart around the store.

Sunday, March 16
RUN | 14.6 miles
This will be the longest run of this half marathon cycle, and it might have been the best. I met my buddy Joe, who was using this run as a gauge as to whether to run a spring full. The conditions were, by far, the best all winter and only a headwind on the first half. I felt like the miles ticked off and fairly strong through the first 12 miles.

Weekly Training Update: 3/10-3/16

This week was about commitment. Getting it done in the face of adversity.

There was the 7 inches of snow on Wednesday that required a push to the YMCA and a push out to get in the interval ride. There were crazy winds and cold for a long run on Sunday that made it feel like running against a wall.  There was a busted tube on my bike just as I was about to start a nap time trainer ride.

There was also the realization that if you stick it through that you will feel stronger - or at least feel like a bad ass. Well, except for the burst tube on my bike. My reaction to that made me feel more like a drama queen and a bit incompetent.

Note to self: Learn how to change a tube on the road bike or you'll never make through a triathlon this summer. Also, buy some tubes so you're not rooting through old ones in the basement. Oh, get some swim lessons, too.

Monday, March 10
REST

Tuesday, March 11
RUN | Easy 4 + strides
This run was how you want running to feel. It was delicious. was in capris and short sleeves, and the air was crisp. There was no ice or slush to navigate, and the pavement felt nice underneath my feet.

Wednesday, March 12
RUN | Z5 intervals (5.75 miles total)
I totally underestimated this workout. It called for, in minutes, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1 in Zone 5 with 2 minutes recovery between interval. I had a 5-minute break and then I got to do it all over again. The intervals seemed so manageable on paper but I really had to fight for it.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump
Fun class! I had a new-to-me gal in class - a runner - and some regulars. It was a good confident boost to have some (relatively, speaking) better numbers.

Thursday, March 13
CROSS TRAINING | Indoor bike, 7 miles
A quick ride after taking Miles to daycare. I zoned out and watched "Chopped" on my Kindle.

CROSS TRAINING | Bands, balls and bar
The highlight of this class was me falling ... wait, no ... smacking my back on the wood floor after slipping off a stability ball. 

Friday, March 14
RUN | Tempo, 6.25 miles
I did it! I did it! This workout was the toughest one yet - 2 x 2 miles at tempo pace with a quarter-mile recovery - but I did a good job of not psyching myself out before. I managed the first interval just fine and when I started struggling in the second, I decided the faster I run, the faster I'm done. I started picking it up every quarter-mile and finished at an 8:00 pace or maybe slightly faster.

Saturday, March 15
CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump

CROSS TRAINING | Indoor trainer, 15 miles
The ride that almost wasn't. Miles took a bit to get down and then a tube busted on my bike when I was pumping up the tires. Of course, my bike knowledge/skills are limited and I was sure I broke my bike big time. Tears were nearly rolling when I called for my cycling-seasoned husband, proclaiming something was effed up and I needed help. A big thanks to Mark for coming to the rescue and guiding me through a tube change. Well, more like doing it. I kept the ride steady and easy while I watched "Chopped."

Sunday, March 16
RUN | 11.69 miles
As one of my running partners said, just when you think winter is done and you've run through the worst, the Old Man smacks you in the face. There was no snow, mostly, but the thermometer read 21-23 degrees and with 23 mph winds, the "real feel" temp was 9 degrees. Three of us ran a relaxed three miles at the university and went back to the cars to pick up a fourth. The first part of the nearly 9 miles wasn't bad - we were with the wind - but the last half was a struggle. S-T-R-U-G-G-L-E. All of us were more than willing to stop the watch at 11.69 when we got to the cars rather than looping to hit our goal of 12.

On jealous, normalcy and choices

It was one of those dinners that, even years later, I remember clearly. I was at Applebee's with my good friend, and we were enjoying a girl date. We laughed and chatted freely, without our partners to stunt the conversation. And we ate.

But it wasn't this all-you-can-eat celebration. Not at all. We were both finding success with Weight Watchers and had selected Applebee's because of its lighter fare options and listing of Points. My meal was good, as was hers - which I knew because we split them down the middle to share.

I was happy with it ... until a server walked past with a tray full of burgers and onion rings.

"Don't you wish you could eat normal like that?" I asked, salivating at the sight of the greasy goodness.

"No," she replied pointedly.

Her answer surprised me. As with any weight loss journey, it comes with ups and downs with food and we had both had our fair share. I was certain that she would be able to relate to my jealousy.

She had already made a connection, though - one that I hadn't yet accepted. Eating a 1,200+ calorie dinner is not normal. Stuffing your belly to sickness is not normal. The people eating those meals were not normal. (Sorry for the judgy McJudgerson there. It was an accurate observation.) She was not jealous of the food because she knew eating like that was not conducive to how she wanted to live.

As years have passed, I've had fleeting moments of that jealousy. I drool at the sight of nachos at the hockey game when I'm sharing a bowl of frozen yogurt three ways. I want to hate Mark when he gets the mac and cheese at Panera, and I have my black bean soup. The feeling is usually quelled when I remember an important thing: I choose to eat this way. I could choose to eat those things. I eat the way I do because I expect certain things out of myself and my body. And, bottom line, I like the way my food tastes.

Come on, the black bean soup at Panera is the best.

I was surprised, though, this week when this feeling surfaced at the gym.  I was on the treadmill (of course) completing the hill workout on tap from Train Like a Mother. Hills are tough - there's no way around it - and I was bumping up the speed as I was running late. Sweat was dripping into my eye, and I was flinging it across the room during ill attempts to wipe my brow. I was powering through but, waking up early and with a niggle in my throat, I was tired.

A woman stepped onto the treadmill and punched her workout. The belt sped up and she broke out into a run. Being the competitive person I am, I looked at her settings to see whether I was going to be coerced into going faster.

But I wasn't.

She was running without an incline and at a pace that would be far more manageable than what I was doing. As I looked at those numbers on the display, I nearly longed to run at that pace. To just trot along. It would feel so much better than the way my run was feeling in that moment.

In that moment. I would feel more relaxed running at that pace, it was true, but I wouldn't feel better. I would feel unhappy if I gave up on a workout. Pride has swelled when I leave the gym and mark off a workout on the plan. I wouldn't be happy not pushing myself - even if it seems easier not to.

I wouldn't happy being "normal" and that's my choice.

Weekly Training Update: 2/24-3/2

There's two choices when it comes to training: Complain or conquer.

Complain that it's cold out, complain that there's still ice on the path. Complain that pace is suffering, ego knocked. Or you can conquer. Conquer a workout, conquer the negative voices. Conquer the snow, conquer the doubts.

This week, I did a little bit of both. I conquered the tempo run. I sucked it up, got my head together and pushed through my negative split run.

But I complained. I was not a fan of the new on Sunday and the way it made my legs and head feel. I was not a fan of the cold and outdoor ventures requiring two pairs of socks. I was frustrated, again, that early morning workouts are not happening as Miles' wakeup time creeps earlier and early. (Hello, 4:30 a.m. today.)

Here's how it shook out:

Monday, February 24
REST | Cincinnati
I had hoped to try a group fitness class in Cincinnati but child care fell through, and I was tired.

Tuesday, February 25
RUN | 6.5 miles, negative split
After returning from Cincinnati and dropping off Miles at daycare, I had the rare opportunity to run in the afternoon outside. Even if it was cold (the high teens), there was no snow and I couldn't pass up the chance. The goal of this workout was to run each 2-mile block faster than the previous. My plan was start at 9:30 and hit 9:15 for the second block and 9:00 for the third. When I hit 9:15 for the first mile, I knew I was in trouble and would have to really lock it down to make it through. I ended up around a 9:20 average for the first block and 9:00 for the second. The fifth mile was an 8:45 and the sixth was 8:07.  I was really pushing it at the end, afraid to not nail the workout, and ended up gassing myself.

Wednesday, February 26
RUN | 3 miles + 8 strides
Strides are fun and a great way to add mileage but I need to plan for it. I didn't expect to hit 4 total miles for the run, and I was late hitting the showers at the Y.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump
Participation was at an all-time low - none. I was a bit disappointed to say the least but opted to do the workout solo. I had a bit of company from a familiar face - a beefy and friendly guy - who wanted to use the group ex room to jump rope. He gave me some great encouragement and his presence gave me the motivation to try some heavier weights on my own.

Thursday, February 27
CROSS TRAINING | Spin class
I was so excited to make it to a lunch time cycling class and have a more traditional ride than the advanced class I used to take. The music was good, and I enjoyed some of the hovers.

CROSS TRAINING | Bands and balls
I'm working on revamping my class for the Y, and I tested out a workout using stability balls and resistance bands.

Friday, February 28
RUN | 5 miles with three at tempo pace
If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now: Tempo runs are the one workout that intimidate the shit out of me. Intervals seem manageable because there's rest but tempos are sustained threshold workouts. I reminded myself that I had done it before and really surprised myself.

Saturday, March 1
CROSS TRAINING | 45 minutes on indoor trainer
By some miracle, Miles took a nap and I was able to hop on the trainer for a little spin. I've rediscovered my Kindle and thanks to our recent Amazon Prime membership, I had a bevy of things to watch. I just had to figure out how to watch the Kindle on the bike. And figure it out I did - using Mark's music stand as  aprop.

Sunday, March 2
RUN | 8.1 miles
We had 4 inches of fresh snow but I was meeting my beast of a running partner, so I knew I wasn't going to bail. This run was the most difficult winter run I think I've had. I was slow and frustrated, feeling defeated for most of the miles. We ran for 90 minutes and really just tried to take pride in time on my feet.

Tell me: Complain or conquer?

Learning to run harder: The neuroses of training

I have a pit in my stomach most days when I think about running. It's not that I am not looking forward to the miles or that I don't want to complete them - even if it's the treadmill. Rather, the unsettling feeling comes from fear.

Fear that I won't be able to handle it.

Fear that I can't do it.

Fear that I will fail.

Fear that it will hurt.

As I work toward a strong effort at the Athens, Ohio, half marathon, the Train Like a Mother plan has me doing workouts with a purpose. And details. There are miles to be run in a certain zone for a certain time. There are hills to be climbed and paces to hit. There is a challenge.

And, truth be told, I haven't challenged myself in a long time.

Looking back at my training log from this time last year, my workout notes included attempt at intervals, "tempo-ish" and progression. I was running outside more but that means I was running what I wanted at what pace I wanted. In fact, that's pretty much how I ran for all of 2013.

There's nothing wrong with running like that. In fact, it can be quite refreshing. However, it's been an adjustment for me and I've had to find ways to cope as the miles get longer and paces get faster.

Break it down. If I look at week 11 of the plan (I'm on 6), I want to cry. There's a 7-mile run with 5 miles at tempo a pace and an interval workout of 6-7 miles with 6 x 4 minutes at sub-5K effort. It is going to be TOUGH, even with another month of training (and fitness gains) under my belt. Rather than freak myself out, I look at just the week I'm on and only to schedule the workouts. I don't worry about what miles I have to run until the day before.

Track progress. In the middle of a quality run (tempo, intervals, hills), it can feel difficult and like it will never get any easier. But it will, to an extent. You just might not notice because the plan builds on itself, and you won't be doing 2 miles at tempo in week 8 the way you were in week 2. I've been hyper diligent about noting splits on Daily Mile (even if it's a bit self indulgent) so that I can look back and not only see how far I've come but remind myself that I can hit those numbers. The latter was especially helpful today. The workout seemed hard - 3 miles at tempo - but I've done it twice and could assure myself that I could do it again.

Bonus: Keeping a log allows you to compare year-to-year. Not only did I run more during February 2014 than February 2013, I had more runs at a sub-9 pace and was overall faster.

Find a mentor ... even if she doesn't know it. I was lucky to meet some amazing and amazingly talented runners when I ran Hood to Coast. I was in a van with women who race at paces at least a minute per mile faster than me and were working to get even faster. At the time - to be honest - I was more jealous than inspired but the space these women occupy in my heart and running has grown. I often think of them and there dedication to the sport when I feel my mental game flailing. Example: I had a half-mile to go in my tempo run today, and I thought my heart my leap out of my chest. I thought to myself, dig in. Be rUnladylike. And while I didn't swap my legs for her speedy ones, I did feel like I could push through.

I think having this arsenal of awesome runners is especially important when running solo or logging lots of runs on the treadmill.

Extend the warmup. Physiologically, your body needs a few minutes to catch on to the fact that you are exercising.  Hormones are released, blood flow is altered and energy-making systems rev up as the body sources a limited store of energy. It's why the first quarter-mile of a run can suck hard. For me, it's usually the first half-mile. The TLAM plan calls for a 10-minute warmup but I've found that I need 1.5 miles to get myself together and ease up to a decent pace before tackling speed work. Rather than adding mileage, I cut the cool down by a half-mile as I get too bored during them.

Know thy pace. Coincidentally, Jess just wrote a great post this week about how to determine paces for speed work. The right pace for the right workout can set you up for success. Going too fast or "winging it" is detrimental, as I learned the other week during my 4-minute intervals. I picked a round number on the treadmill - 8.0 (7:30 pace) - and planned to bump it up 0.1 per repeat. Let me tell you something. My 800 pace, as this interval basically was, should be closer to 7:40 pace. It doesn't sound like a lot but it is. Also, it's important to know the range and not to be afraid to start at the slower end.

Don't think, just go. The saying isn't just one of the AMR shirts but a good mantra as well. I can fret myself to nausea about a run or I can lace up my shoes and see how it feels.

How do you handle the mental aspect speedwork?

Weekly Training Update: 2/10-2/16

I stepped off the treadmill on Thursday, absolutely drenched in sweat and my legs shaking. As I walked to the locker room, I thought to myself, "This is what it feels like."

It? It is training. Training training.

Sure, I've prepared for races. I've put in miles and some faster ones but it hasn't been since my 2010 effort for Fort4Fitness have I logged the quality miles with such consistency and rigor. For five weeks, I've done tempos and repeats, hills and progressions. Save for weather-hindered long runs, I've followed the plan to a "T" - even when I've thought that I could do just otherwise wing it.

The plan is courtesy of the Mother Runners, the "Train Like A Mother" half marathon Own It Plan. I decided to follow the schedule after running joyfully, yet aimlessly, through the early winter. I just had an itch to do something more, to try for something better - especially after the disappointment of Veterans Marathon.

My goal is the Athens (Ohio) half marathon on April 13, though I'm working less toward a time and more toward a strong effort. I am hoping to see what I can do - really do - and whether I can post a strong time in the fall.

The week, in training:

Monday, February 10
CROSS TRAINING | 50 minutes "Bob Harper Total Body Transformation"
This workout was fairly early, and I wasn't quite ready for such intensity as tired as I was. I also felt like this workout had a lot of shoulders in it, prompting me to go down to 3-pound handweights for some of the exercises.

Tuesday, February 11
RUN | 3 miles + 5 minutes of strides (total of 3.6 miles)
I felt pretty good on this run, and I actually enjoyed the strides at the end. I didn't do it completely as prescribed as I didn't remember the intervals, and I pushed harder to compensate.

Wednesday, February 12
RUN | 5 miles, with 3 at tempo pace
Tempo runs are the most feared by me on the training plan. It seems manageable to hold a difficult pace for a short interval but three miles seems overwhelming. Despite my apprehension, this run went very well. I felt strong and committed throughout, and I kept a fairly aggressive pace for the last mile. I'm almost enjoying the treadmill for these runs as it allows me to stay controlled while pushing me.

CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump
I had a class and I was relieved to have participants (5!), including a person making a second trip. Still, I didn't feel like I was on my game after not teaching for a week and I allowed myself to get distracted by a pair who like to catch up in class.

Thursday, February 13
CROSS TRAINING | Ripped
I had every intention of doing some sort of indoor cycling this day but I couldn't make it work for a number of reasons/excuses. I taught my YMCA Ripped class, which is similar to pump, but stayed very light because my legs were SORE from Wednesday.

Friday, February 14
STRETCH | 20 minutes of Joy of Yoga DVD
My hips. Oh, my hips. I was sill fairly sore from Wednesday's class so I tried to get in some stretching before tackling the day's run. Miles was up early so I could only occupy the TV for as long as he'd allow. I was surprise that he let me go 20 minutes. It wasn't enough but it did help.

RUN | 6 miles, with four 4-minute intervals (with 3 minutes recovery)
I thought this workout would be the easier of the speed days this week but I was wrong. So, so wrong. I was unsure of what pace to shoot for as it was a minute-based interval and I have not raced a 5K (with no snow) in quite some time. I tried to shoot for ideal 5K pace or slightly faster. The first three intervals, during which I got progressively faster, were manageable but I struggled greatly in the fourth. I ended up stepping off the treadmill at 3 minutes and then going for another 1:30.

Saturday, February 15
CROSS TRAINING | Bodypump
I almost thought this class would be a wash but one of the regulars made it, even citing that she felt bad the previous week didn't have anyone. We chatted a bit and she thinks it's more the culture of the gym and less me that affects participation. I went fairly moderate with weights as my hips still felt tight.

Sunday, February 16
RUN | 12.1 miles

There was actual pavement! Without snow! And no ice! Oh, how I missed it. I met two from the group, and we were able to maintain a decent pace thanks to improved conditions. Some areas still had snow, ice and slush but it was far better than we've had. After all, my near fall total was less than five. Overall, it was a great time and I felt strong.

Weekly Training Update: 1/27-2/2

I like to tell stories. Read them, write them, share them - it's probably why I went into journalism. And when I write a post, even a training update, I like to have a story. A hook.

But, this week, I do not. It was just a week like most others. It was a week where I did what I could to get my butt moving.

There are some anecdotes ... or tidbits. Yes. Let's call them tidbits because anecdotes imply the following are funny. And they are not. Well, maybe one.

Anyway - the things:

• I need to pay better heed to taking rest days. Once again, I did something every day last week. I am blaming my running bud who invited me for run on Friday morning, which I had planned as a rest day. It's hard to find people willing to run at 5:30 a.m. but, more than that, he was willing to come to my neighborhood and it was 30 degrees. Could. Not. Refuse.
• I was so befuddled by the 30-degree heat wave that I didn't know what to wear. I joked that I should have been in my Oiselle strappy bra (a new fave) and a pair of bum huggers. Thankfully, for Joe, I didn't. I was HOT, though, in my long sleeve shirt and flyer jacket.
• The 80-minute trainer ride on Tuesday was quite unusual. I was hoping for 45 minutes but I heard Miles yelling, "Mama! Are you down there?" about 30 minutes in. I was sure he had wandered downstairs and was at the basement door. As it turns out, he was yelling through the heating vent in his room. I had to stop, obviously, to find this out so I coerced Mark into taking Miles to daycare since he had a snow day.
• I am testing out Miles' tolerance for hanging out in the basement while I'm on the trainer. He's good for about 15 minutes - coloring, throwing an inflatable globe ball at my head, asking to run on the treadmill and rocking in the baby swing.
• I had to cut out on my long run group Sunday because I had some form of stomach bug, which had struck Miles on Thursday through Sunday. I felt nauseous at mile 4 and had to admit to my new-ish friends that I was on the brink of pooping my pants at 7.64 miles. #friendsforlife
• I think I've been on the treadmill too much lately because I've reached a point where I don't need/want music during a run. I will start out with Pandora for the warmup but usually yank out my earbuds by the second mile. And it's not even that the earbuds are annoying me or falling out! (Note: I'm wearing a pair of the women-specific Koss buds with Dara Torres on the package. I won them on a giveaway and like them lots.) I am just tired of all the songs.

The week, in training:

Monday: 3-mile run
Tuesday: 80 minutes on bike trainer
Wednesday: 4-mile run, tempo + Bodypump
Thursday: Ripped
Friday: 6.11-mile run
Saturday: Bodypump + 30 minutes on trainer
Sunday: 7.64-mile run

Weekly Training Update: 1/13 - 1/19

I've been very non-committal about racing this year and even more so, if possible, about racing in 2014.

Don't get me wrong - I'm going to go out there and run. I'm going to sign up for some events. I'm even hoping to do my first triathlon. However, when it comes to saying that I want to PR in a certain distance or tackle a particular race, I haven't been feeling it.

I think part of it is fear - not being able to do it, being disappointed, getting hurt. I think part of it is being "burned out" after a full year of training in 2013. And, the other part, is how much time I want to give up. I did more longer races than I anticipated in 2013, and it added up to quite a few hours away from my family - not including the training, traveling and post-long run naps. 

With a half marathon in Athens, Ohio, 13 weeks away (with Twitter BFF Alyse), I need to decide what I want to do. I have been logging long runs with the group, and I could continue that and fill in the week. This approach would be known as "winging it," and I'm pretty happy that I'm in a place where I could "wing" 13.1 miles. But ... I could fly. I could follow a plan. I could put in some effort. I could see what I have.

Or, I could sit at Starbucks and drink another Awake tea latte while I think about running.

The week, in training:

Monday: 30 minutes on elliptical + 2.25-mile run
Tuesday: 3-mile run + 30 minutes on indoor bike trainer
Wednesday: 5-mile run + Bodypump
Thursday: Ripped
Friday: 4.68-mile run
Saturday: Bodypump + 13.1 miles on indoor trainer
Sunday: 7-mile run (SNOWY)

Shameless plug: I entered the ZOOMA contest to win a trip for me + a blog reader (!!!) to run the women's race series event in Napa. I very much need running and wine right now so I'd appreciate your vote! Go HERE.

Three Things Thursday: AMR party

To say I'm a fan girl of SBS and Dimity, the writers/runners/mothers behind the Run Like a Mother community, might be the understatement of the day. I have read both their books, follow the blog and subscribe to the podcasts. I tweet them and like their Facebook page, regularly commenting on the status updates. I've found them to be a wealth of information but, more than that, to be the cultivators of a sisterhood that I'm glad to be a part of.

And so when I heard they would be hosting one of their infamous parties in my neck of the woods - or as close as they were ever going to get to northeast Indiana - I twisted the arm of one of my favorite mother runners, Kim, and made the trek to Fleet Feet Lewis Center in Columbus to meet my sole sisters.

1. Fleet Feet was busting at the joists with mother runners when Kim and I arrived fashionably late. It was a bit overwhelming for this slightly shy girl, and I was never so happy to have a friend with me. In fact, Kim and I spent the first 20 minutes discussing the socially awkward things we were/could do at the party. One of which included me creepily waiting for SBS to sign my dog-eared copy of "Train Like a Mother" and then telling her that I've slept with the book under my pillow. It's true but slightly awkward. Or very awkward.

Note: I have to give mad props to SBS and Dimity, who both made an effort to engage the mother runners who were asking them to sign books. It wasn't a sign and shuffle aside, the way I felt like it was with Hal Higdon at the Run the Bluegrass expo. I've also never felt so short in my life.

2. The main event of the party was a reading and the giveaways. They had some seriously awesome prizes - a voucher for free Saucony item, 110% Play Harder gift cards, Nuun and a 24-pack of salted caramel Gu - none of which Kim and I won. I might have been very sad about the Gu.

It was really fun to listen to them read and banter in a way that only good friends can.

3. When I inquired via Twitter whether it was worth the 2.5-hour drive, one of the things I heard was that the swag more than made up for any travel.

People did not lie.

There was a full jar of Nuttzo (which I've been dying to try but too cheap to buy); a 3-pack of Sof Sole socks (awesome since I haven't worn a matching pair of socks in 6 weeks); Skinfare balm; Nuun; Gu; a 110% buff (which I'm wearing right now like I'm on "Survivor"); and full-size Hyland's homeopathic products.

Of course, the best part was road tripping/hanging out with Kim and spending hours chatting about running, children and life.

And being awkward, because that's always fun.

Spring training: Week 17

Spring Training posts document my training for my "A" race, the Wisconsin Marathon half, on May 4.

The week, in training:

Monday: 3.5 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles +  BODYPUMP (taught)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 6 miles, intervals
Friday: 4 miles
Saturday: BODYPUMP (taught)
Sunday: 8 miles

◊ ◊ ◊

Holy effin shoot. It's here. The week I've been working toward for the past 17. It's been forever and yet, I'll be honest, I don't feel 100 percent ready. Like I could use another month of solid training before I toe the line for a half-marathon. 

But, shockingly, I don't have the ability to make race scheduling changes or turn back the clock. It is go time. 

And, as such, it's time to focus on what should happen. Or at least what I'd like to happen. Since I have been following the Train Like a Mother plan, I deemed it appropriate to use the book's model for setting race-day goals.

Good goals: The time ones.

• Goal C (so help me God): Sub-2
• Goal B (attainable yet challenging): Overall pace a sub-9
• Goal A (pie in the sky): Come in at 1:53:59 or faster, which would be at least a 13-second PR

When I started this training journey at the beginning of the year, it was my absolute goal to PR at Wisconsin and to PR in a big way. I was going to do plyometrics every week and nail the speedwork but time, scheduling, motivation and weather played a big factor. I spent much more time on the treadmill than I anticipated and, as such, have focused much of my speed training on effort rather than pace. Even as I am back outdoors, I'm much more concerned about how the work feels than what the numbers say. It makes me feel a bit uncertain about what I'm capable of. My long run paces of late, though, definitely point to a sub-2, if not the sub-9 pace. I feel confident in that. Only race day will tell whether I put in the work for the PR.

Better goals. These are the goals about how you execute the race but not necessarily from a numbers perspective. For me, for this race, my better goal is to pace myself and trust the training. It's so easy to go out too fast too early but very rarely does it work to bank time. I know that I perform much better when I run negative splits, and I need to ease into the hurt.  I also want to knock the Negative Nelly who resides in my post-partum brain straight on her ass. I am not the runner I used to be - the one who was so self assured - but I am a better one. I am stronger and more determined. And I need to remember that race day.

Best goals. The ones that, hopefully, matter most. I want to revel in the accomplishment - not just finishing but sticking out the training. I want to smile so much it hurts. I want to have a good time, soak in the scenes of somewhere new, embrace my friends at the finish line.

And, I'll apologize in advance to Kim, Kim, Bobbi, Sarah and everyone else - I'm a really stinky sweater.

T-minus 4 days.

Spring Training: Week 13

Spring Training posts document my training for the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon on March 30 and my "A" race, the Wisconsin Marathon half, on May 4.

The week, in training:

Monday: 3.25 miles
Tuesday: 6 Week 6 Pack Abs, Level 1 +  BODYPUMP (taught)
Wednesday: 3.2-mile run
Thursday: 4.1-mile run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon
Sunday: Rest

◊ ◊ ◊

First off, can I get a prize for respecting the taper? I totally rocked taking it easy last week!

Highlights of the week: Pretty much every thing. I really enjoyed the extra rest last week as did my legs. My easy runs seemed so slow and yet two of the runs were sub-9 averages, which is really good for me. All of the runs were outside and during daylight, and the weather was just slightly warmer. I also ran two new routes - Run the Bluegrass (race review in the works), which I loved, and the towpath trail near my dentist's office that I wasn't so enamored with.

Lowlights of the week: Pretty much none.

Moving forward: I have just less than six weeks until the Wisconsin half and between reverse taper and taper, I only have a few weeks of real work. Even though I went plan-less, sort of, for Run the Bluegrass and did well, I feel like I need more guidance going forward. Especially in terms of consistent speed work, which I decided was the difference between this cycle and the training cycle that I did when I trained for my PR in 2010. 

There are tons of plans out there, as we all know, but I really like the "Train Like A Mother" plans, and I will be following the last few weeks of the Half Marathon: Own It plan. I was drawn to the fact that it will take me up to 15 miles and and has speed work based on minutes. I will have to include more cross-training that it recommends but I'm not worried as it's been a constant in my routine.

Taking care of business: I finally created a Facebook page for Healthy Strides. It would be great for you to "like" me, and I think it will be a nice way to interact with all of y'all.

Three Things Thursday: Try me, maybe?

Taper. I'm terrible at it.

I'm nine days out from Run the Bluegrass and rather than scaling back my mileage, I keep thinking of ways to add more exercise to the week. Seriously, I was running on the treadmill this morning and I was all like, "I could get up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow, run 3 or 4 miles and still have enough energy to try Piloxing before work."

The workout on the Train Like A Mother plan? Three miles OR cross-train. Womp, womp.

I think I might be feeling thrown off because I punked out on my Monday recovery run but I'm also realizing that my goal race isn't so far away. Six weeks separate me and the Wisconsin start line, and I want to get there knowing I put in the work, the miles and the heart.

But I also want to get to Lexington with healthy legs.

In order to do that, I do need to abide by the taper (sort of) but I can can make some plans and a few changes to build my game.

1. Work on my core. I'll do bicep curls and squats till the cows come home but ask me to do a plank and I get all whiny. I do get in some core work with BODYPUMP but it doesn't get the attention I think it deserves - especially since I know that a strong core could come in handy during Wisconsin. I would like to make more of an effort to strengthen my center in the next six weeks, so I opted to borrow Jillian Michaels' "Killer Abs" from the library. I am not making any promises that I'll do it as regularly as should but it's the thought that counts.

2. Cut out or limit sweeteners. I did so well with the Dr. Fuhrman's Healthy Holiday Challenge between Thanksgiving and Christmas but once Santa came a ho-ho-hoing, the wheels fell off the bus. I've tried with varying success to rein in my sugar consumption but still feel frustrated with the crap calories I'm eating. Last night - after a day that included orange poppy seed loaf, Chips Ahoy thin crisps and a homemade chocolate chip cookie bar - I decided that I needed to stop letting cravings control me. I wrote three goals for today on a sheet of paper and the first was no sweeteners other than natural fruit. (The other two? Run 5 miles and eat 4-5 servings of vegetables.) I'm going to take this sugar attack day-by-day but I'm hoping to feel strong and lean by May 4.

3. Ummm, I totally had a third one when I decided to write this post. I swear I did. I wonder if it was eat more chia seeds? I just ate some lackluster oatmeal and actually missed those flavorless little things. I was going to go to the co-op to pick up some from the bulk bins but went to the library instead to grab "Killer Abs."

Hmph.

For fun: Miles began his singing career with "Wheels on the Bus" and has recently added "It's Raining, It's Pouring" to his set list. This kid cracks me up!

I trained like a mother: A review

If you Google "marathon training plan," you will get 157,000 results; 3.5 million if you search without  the quotes. There are the respected and well-known plans from Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway, pay-to-run plans from Runners World and a dizzying number of free plans from a number of sites sites from MarathonRookie to Harvard to individual race sites.

It's a bit overwhelming to sift through, especially for a first-time marathoner, and I found myself struggling to select a plan (or plans) that would best fit me. I initially looked at Hal Higdon, having successfully followed his plans in the past but felt like I was somewhere in between his levels. Other plans offered a challenge but required a significant time commitment that I feared I couldn't meet.

As I tried to mix and match, a copy of "Train Like a Mother" landed on my desk. I was instantly drawn to the orange cover and tagline - "How to get across any finish line - and not lose your family, job or sanity." Sarah and Dimity were describing exactly the plan I needed. Especially the sanity part.

The book offers schedules, designed by Christine Hinton, for nearly every distance - 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon - with two options for each. You can "Finish It" or you can "Own It." And though the "Finish It" plan is the less challenging of the two, it still incorporates speed work, hill work and long runs with race pace. With the option of four or five days a week, I was sold.

I began the plan in earnest in June and, despite a few hiccups along the way, completed it successfully. That is if you call running 26.2 miles a success.

That's not to say the plan is perfect - no plan is - and as I try to stretch out my Columbus Marathon glory, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the plan. Good and bad.

A short training run in Boulder

Good: There is some flexibility. Many of the weeks have five runs scheduled, something I had resisted up until marathon training, but one is always labeled optional. You can call that run a rest day or cross-train if you want. I never skipped one of these runs but it was nice to know I could. (Note: I also liked that it eased me into five days a week running.)

Good: Incorporates shorter runs. Marathon training can feel like a huge time suck. Three hours on the weekend for a long run and another 90 minutes for the mid-week long run. It can be overwhelming. Many weeks included one or two 3-mile runs, which felt blissful and stress-free with the other demands of training. These shorter runs also worked well when I needed to double up workouts to teach BODYPUMP.

Bad: No specific cross-training. While "Train Like a Mother" encourages cross-training and the fifth run can be swapped for spin, there is no specific strength or non-running workout scheduled. I can't stress enough the importance of cross-training and how vital I think it has been to running. I'm obviously partial to BODYPUMP but cycling, Zumba and circuit classes are all great.

Good: There are quality runs - tempo, strides, repeats , hills - but it all seemed fairly manageable. This training cycle was the first time I resumed speedwork seriously since having Miles and it was a nice introduction. I didn't feel like I had to nail 800 repeats at a certain pace or do a 7-mile run with 5 at tempo the way I had pre-baby but I still felt like I was pushing myself, working harder and getting faster.

Bad: Hill work. One, there are almost zero hills accessible to me on regular routes. Two, I think there were only two specific hill workouts in the plan. There's no way that Christine, Dimity or Sarah could foresee the steady climb on the Columbus course but given the structure of the plan, I think they could be more regular.

Good: Aggressive long runs. I've looked at marathon plans, and many of them start off with single-digit long runs and slowly ease past the half mark. I felt like TLAM gave you a push toward being real comfortable at the half mark and beyond. There's a number of runs of 15 miles or more, which help build endurance. There's also race pace/finish strong elements to some of the runs to help mentally prepare you for running harder over distance. I didn't focus on that part of the plan but with strategically planned races and running buddies, I was able to incorporate it.

Bad ... maybe: One of the things that psyched me out most about the plan was the length of the taper. TLAM is a 20-week plan and the longest run, 20 miles, is ran in week 16. Other 20-week plans have the longest run during week 17. I know marathon taper is longer but having my longest run an entire month before the marathon was not good for me mentally.

Good: The goal of the plan was to finish the marathon, and I finished it. I'm not sure I finished it in the time my training runs would have suggested but I'm not sure that's the plan's fault. After all, I did have to pee at mile 18.

By the way, if there is a plan that factors in potty breaks into a projected finishing time, I'll be all over it.

Next time?:  The test of any plan or set of plans is whether you would use it again. Look at Hal Higdon - he's popular because people go back to him time and time again, moving up levels or changing distances.

Looking forward to 2013, with my sights set on getting faster and PRing the half, I've been looking at plans - TLAM, Higdon, Runner's World. No matter how many I look at, though, I find myself going back to that glorious orange cover. Maybe it's because I have girl crushes on Sarah and Dimity. Maybe it's because the plans are challenging without being intimidating. Or maybe, just maybe, it's because the plans are that solid.

Have you used a TLAM plan? What were your thoughts?

Marathon Monday: What's next

I trained for the Columbus Marathon following a schedule based on the "Train Like A Mother" finish it plan. I completed it on Oct. 21 in 4:26:25. These posts document my training. 

The week, in recovery:

Monday: Walk
Tuesday: Walk + teach BODYPUMP
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 2.65-mile run (+stroller) + teach BODYPUMP
Friday: 2-mile run (+stroller) + random basement cardio
Saturday: Teach BODYPUMP
Sunday: 4-mile run

◊ ◊ ◊

Mark said he knew the moment he saw me with my medal. Me? I didn't realize it until a few days later.

It: The Columbus Marathon will not be a one-hit wonder. I will complete another 26.2-mile event.

Some day.

As I reflect on the accomplishment of tackling 26.2 miles and look forward, I can't help but be anxious to experience that challenge and glow again. However, the realities of training are still fresh and life is still busy, and I know that the marathon inside me will have to wait a few years. Or until 2014 as I promised Mark that I'd only run a half or two and local races in 2013.

In the interim, I am setting my sights on a few key goals.

Getting stronger. I would like to think I have good muscle definition and am fairly strong but I am struggling still with upper body strength. I'd really like to increase my weight on biceps in BODYPUMP to one big plate, and I think it would be bad ass to do all 36 of the push-ups in the shoulders track on my toes. I also really, really, really want to be able to do a pull-up. While BODYPUMP is great, I want to incorporate heavier, low rep training into my schedule.

Getting faster. Nearing the end of my marathon training, I was beginning to see some numbers on the MOTOACTV that were reminiscent of my pre-pregnancy days. I feel like my body is on the verge of making some gains, and I'm going to help it with some shorter interval and tempo runs.

Make it through winter. Above all else, I want to keep up a level of fitness and healthy eating when times seem to be most trying. The temperatures are already dipping, near freezing in the morning, and I'm beginning to feel the pangs of mom guilt when I bundle up Miles in the stroller. I'll need to be proactive about planning alternatives or setting the alarm to get in my workouts.

I had been hoping to formulate a plan using the "Insanity" program and the "Run Less Run Faster" approach but without either of those tools in my possession, I decided to wing it.

I scheduled "just" three runs a week, with an optional Sunday run. After a year or more of Sunday long runs, I wanted the chance to go out to breakfast or sit in my jammies and watch "Meet the Press." If the mood strikes, Mark and I might go for a late-morning run or I'll take advantage of Miles' nap time in the afternoon.

In terms of cardio, I picked up a few DVDs from the library including one from Tae Bo master Billy Blanks. (I'm guessing in 10 years that Shaun T. will be on the shelf, too.) I'm also hoping to try out a few classes here and there and maybe become a regular at TurboKick on Wednesday nights at TX.

If I want to. The caveat to this entire plan.

Monday: Interval run - either 400s or 800s, totaling 4 or so miles
Tuesday: Boot camp/weight DVD - getting up early
Wednesday: Tempo run - 4 or 5 miles
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Long(ish) run - getting up early to do it solo
Saturday: Teach BODYPUMP
Sunday: Active rest or easy family run


The goal was to keep it fun, low pressure and flexible, and I think I did OK.

How do you schedule the off season? Any suggestions?