Week 6 was a good one, but I deviated from my coach's plan a lot. Part of it wasn't really my fault - I was traveling for work and didn't have control over the fact that I couldn't find a track for my speedwork and/or I just didn't have time to get the workout in. Part of it was my fault for going rogue. But Sunday's long run was one of the best long runs in my running life. I hope that makes up for it. Oh and I got in a swim! At a hotel pool! I was wholly unprepared to swim, so thankfully the pro shop had swim goggles. I was rockin' this look:
No bathing suit. No swim cap. Preeetttty awesome.
I'm in disbelief in a way that I only have three more long runs before Steamtown. And I think one of those long runs is going to be a taper. I could use one more week. OK, two.
Week 6: 5:30:34 hours
Swam: 28:52 minutes ("1,450" yards -- my watch says 1450, but I'm not so sure ...)
Biked: 0 hours (0.0 miles)
Ran: 5:01:43 hours (34.4 miles -- no aqua jogging miles oops)
Workouts:
Monday: 35 minute easy run
Tuesday:45 minute easy run 3 mile tempo run*
Wednesday:50 minute aqua jog
Thursday: Speedwork! (and nice fun easy recovery swim in hotel pool)
Friday: 35 minute easy run
Saturday:35 minute aqua jog
Sunday: Long run: 18 miles
* not approved, or appreciated, by coach (oops again)
Monday's easy run was just that: nice and easy. It was the day after my 16 mile the day before, so I wore my compression socks and enjoyed a nice pace. I ran 3.41 miles and averaged an 8:47 pace. With tired legs on top of a hard run the day before, I was super psyched with this run.
Tuesday I was supposed to do 45 minutes endurance pace. However, I had to pick my kids up at CCD and because it was their first class, it was only 30 minutes instead of the normal 75. So I thought I'd get more bang for my buck and just tempo run that mo fo. I ran 3 miles in 23:45 (7:55 pace). I was pumped! My coach ... was not. He reminded me that 95% of the time, it is a mistake to train really hard. I told him I knew I'd get in trouble and he laughed so we're good. And I'm hopeful that this was one of the 5% where train hard = ok.
Wednesday was supposed to be an aqua jog but I was traveling. I scrapped it.
Thursday I was away for work in the middle of Pennsylvania. I had a pretty challenging speedwork workout which was supposed to be done on a track: 20 minutes endurance + 4 x 1 mile at 7:30-7:45 & 2 minute endurance recovery + 10 minute endurance. I didn't have access to a track and the road that I ran on (partly with Amy) was pretty damn hilly. Plus it was super humid. So rather than kill myself (I'm ascribing to Bill's Ironman mantra of "this isn't a suicide pact, it's a training plan"), I modified it to account for the elevation, which Amy dubbed "nature's intervals". I did 20 minutes endurance + 3 x [as hard as I could do on those effing hills] & 2 minute recovery + 5 minute endurance recovery. The workout took me 53:20 and I ran 6.2 miles.
Afterwards, I hit the hotel pool, which was amazing! It wasn't exactly a 25 yard pool but felt pretty close. The only thing ... I didn't have a bathing suit. Or a swim cap. Or goggles. Luckily, the pro shop outside the pool sold goggles, so I bought a pair and just wore my black sports bra and black compression running shorts. This sexy beast attacked that hotel pool with wild abandon.
Friday was just an easy endurance run. Nothing much to say about it. It was 35 minutes, and I ran 8:40 pace and 3.89 miles.
Saturday was supposed to be an aqua jog, but in keeping with my track record for aqua jogs this week, I bagged it. I had the kids, it was raining, we were scheduled all day ... so the aqua jog didn't happen.
Sunday: LONG RUN!!! Amazing long run!!! It was an 18 miler all at endurance pace (8:45-9:15) and the kids and I visited my parents in South Jersey so I could get it in early on Sunday morning. The run took me 2:40:54 and I was an average 8:56 pace.
Honestly, I was faster. But I had to stop and walk 7 times because of dogs. Dogs ... why's it always gotta be dogs? I could only see 3 of the 7, but those that I saw were scary. I am, admittedly, afraid of dogs, having had some scary experiences in my life with dogs. So when I see one while I am running, I slow to a walk move away from his territory and stay calmly walking until I'm far enough away. Most of the dogs were ok and just barked, but one (thankfully behind a fence) was growling and snarling at me, which was terrifying.
In any event, when I was done, I was psyched.
And I celebrated in the proper way this time!
This week is more of the same: runs, aqua jogs (please, for the love of God, be the last week of the aqua jogs) and the Philly Rock & Roll Half Marathon on Sunday. I am racing it (my friend's plans changed so I'm no longer pacing her). Hoping for a big fat PR that day.
See you swoon,
Monday: 35 minute easy run
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: Speedwork! (and nice fun easy recovery swim in hotel pool)
Friday: 35 minute easy run
Saturday:
Sunday: Long run: 18 miles
* not approved, or appreciated, by coach (oops again)
Monday's easy run was just that: nice and easy. It was the day after my 16 mile the day before, so I wore my compression socks and enjoyed a nice pace. I ran 3.41 miles and averaged an 8:47 pace. With tired legs on top of a hard run the day before, I was super psyched with this run.
Tuesday I was supposed to do 45 minutes endurance pace. However, I had to pick my kids up at CCD and because it was their first class, it was only 30 minutes instead of the normal 75. So I thought I'd get more bang for my buck and just tempo run that mo fo. I ran 3 miles in 23:45 (7:55 pace). I was pumped! My coach ... was not. He reminded me that 95% of the time, it is a mistake to train really hard. I told him I knew I'd get in trouble and he laughed so we're good. And I'm hopeful that this was one of the 5% where train hard = ok.
Wednesday was supposed to be an aqua jog but I was traveling. I scrapped it.
Thursday I was away for work in the middle of Pennsylvania. I had a pretty challenging speedwork workout which was supposed to be done on a track: 20 minutes endurance + 4 x 1 mile at 7:30-7:45 & 2 minute endurance recovery + 10 minute endurance. I didn't have access to a track and the road that I ran on (partly with Amy) was pretty damn hilly. Plus it was super humid. So rather than kill myself (I'm ascribing to Bill's Ironman mantra of "this isn't a suicide pact, it's a training plan"), I modified it to account for the elevation, which Amy dubbed "nature's intervals". I did 20 minutes endurance + 3 x [as hard as I could do on those effing hills] & 2 minute recovery + 5 minute endurance recovery. The workout took me 53:20 and I ran 6.2 miles.
Afterwards, I hit the hotel pool, which was amazing! It wasn't exactly a 25 yard pool but felt pretty close. The only thing ... I didn't have a bathing suit. Or a swim cap. Or goggles. Luckily, the pro shop outside the pool sold goggles, so I bought a pair and just wore my black sports bra and black compression running shorts. This sexy beast attacked that hotel pool with wild abandon.
Friday was just an easy endurance run. Nothing much to say about it. It was 35 minutes, and I ran 8:40 pace and 3.89 miles.
Saturday was supposed to be an aqua jog, but in keeping with my track record for aqua jogs this week, I bagged it. I had the kids, it was raining, we were scheduled all day ... so the aqua jog didn't happen.
Sunday: LONG RUN!!! Amazing long run!!! It was an 18 miler all at endurance pace (8:45-9:15) and the kids and I visited my parents in South Jersey so I could get it in early on Sunday morning. The run took me 2:40:54 and I was an average 8:56 pace.
Honestly, I was faster. But I had to stop and walk 7 times because of dogs. Dogs ... why's it always gotta be dogs? I could only see 3 of the 7, but those that I saw were scary. I am, admittedly, afraid of dogs, having had some scary experiences in my life with dogs. So when I see one while I am running, I slow to a walk move away from his territory and stay calmly walking until I'm far enough away. Most of the dogs were ok and just barked, but one (thankfully behind a fence) was growling and snarling at me, which was terrifying.
In any event, when I was done, I was psyched.
And I celebrated in the proper way this time!
See you swoon,
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