CANYONLANDS HALF MARATHON RECAP!
Happy Thursday!
Today’s post is short and sweet because I’ve got my Canyonlands Half Marathon Recap for you over HERE.
Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think about fueling for races!
Feature Friday: Goals For My Race!
Happy Friday from Sunny, warm Las Vegas! How was your week? Anyone else traveling to Vegas this weekend or running another race somewhere else?!? I can honestly say that I’m missing the snow 0%. ; )
Anyways, let’s chat about my goals for the race on Sunday. I’m running the 5k on Saturday to just shake out my legs and hope to keep it at a controlled 10:xx pace (expending as little energy as possible). I’ve always had the goal that if I break 1:42 for the half, then I will miraculously be ready to get a BQ in the marathon. I’ve since come to the realization that it may not happen right away and that I’ll also probably need more like a sub 1:40 time to qualify for Boston, so with that my goal is still to get as close to 1:42 as I can (my original goal). I’m not 100% positive that I’ll be able to run a sub 1:42, BUT I will absolutely give it my best shot and I also want to definitely PR my half (plus have fun ; ) …). I also want to mentally stay in the race the ENTIRE time (which can be hard! especially when things get difficult). I want to PUSH when things get hard and not give in to the pain. I would also really like to negative-split.
Flashback to the Marathon last year!
SO with that in mind….here’s my goals laid out with some nice bulletpoints:
“A goal” - Half PR
“Also A goal” - HAVE FUN
“B goal” - STAY MENTALLY IN IT
“C goal”- Negative Split
“D goal”- Get that Sub 1:42
Flashback to my medal collection last year!
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What are you up to this weekend?
A, B, C, D goals- how many do you like to make?
Ever ran the #StripAtNight?
Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 14: 10/15-10/21
Happy Wednesday! I’m really beginning to love Wednesdays since I’ve switched to having them as my rest days. Sometimes it’s really refreshing to just do a simple switch like this. I’m looking forward to sleeping in a bit, cooking a full breakfast (eggs/ avocado toast/sausage), meditating, reading (I took a book out at the library and when I tried to renew it, I saw that someone has it on their wait list sooo…looks like I’ll be finishing it by tomorrow night!- definitely the biggest drawback to library books, but it does also get me to read more which is pretty great), and hopefully some yoga.
Last week I had a GREAT week of training, exploring, racing, and just in general. I’m finally starting to feel fitter, faster, and gaining more confidence in my goals (after a few weeks of feeling “meh”, I’m really glad that I stuck it out through them). I hit my highest mileage week since I switched to the half (46.28 miles) and have just one more week of higher mileage to go before I begin tapering?!? I know I keep saying it, but time has gone by way too fast!
Monday, 10/15: Speedwork on the treadmill. 1 mile easy to warm-up/ 2 mi @ Half Marathon goal pace (7:45), 2 min rest, 1 mile @ 10k (7:22), 2 min rest, 1 mile @ 10k (7:16), 2 min rest, 1/2 mile @ 5k (7:10), 2 min rest, 1/2 mile @ 5k (7:02), 2 min rest, 1 mi cool down. 7.54 miles total. I definitely still have some work to do on the 5k times, but otherwise felt really strong throughout and pretty pumped to have gotten it done on the treadmill (which sometimes feels harder than outside (except that it was 9* out so yeah…indoors it was!)) - also on a Monday which is HARD. 60 minute coreBarre class at lunch
Tuesday, 10/16: 5.05 miles easy @ 10:16 715’ up
Wednesday, 10/17: 7.56 miles —>7 miles easy progression miles (splits: 10:39, 10:27, 9:39, 9:30) with 4 x :30 surges 413’ up (originally planned to do 5-6, but ran out of time!). I forgot how to use my watch (eye roll) and didn’t hit it for one of my splits, so I’ve got just the four - oh well! It was also still very dark when I finished, so no photos today!
Thursday, 10/18: 4 miles easy @ 9:43 36’ up / taught skating for an hour/ 4 miles easy @ 9:57 77’ up. 30 minutes of strength. I slept in this morning because I was feeling a bit worn-out, so I had to fit my 8 miles in around running errands/ teaching skating/ strength after packing up the car… it isn’t always ideal, but we still make it work!
Friday, 10/19: REST DAY —> travel day to Lake Powell!
Saturday, 10/20: RACE DAY! 1 mile warm-up @ 11:26 (included some running drills on the grass), 13.1 miles with first 1-6 miles easy @ 8:48, miles 7-13.1 working towards Half Marathon Goal Pace avg @ 7:58. Splits: 9:16, 9:03, 8:40, 8:27, 8:58 (singletrack trail), 8:26, 7:25, 7:58, 8:02, 8:23, 8:25, 8:01, 7:32
Sunday, 10/21: 4.03 miles easy at 11:22 113’ up at Capitol Reef National Park! My legs felt a bit sluggish so I just went out without music while the sun was just beginning to rise and enjoyed the quietness of the park. I stopped to take some photos (kept my watch going) and relish in the opportunity to experience a National Park by foot! How lucky are we (runners) to see places by our feet when many others cannot? It was really nice to not care at all about the time on my watch and just be present in the moment.
Total Mileage: 46.28 miles
Total Elevation: 2, 298’ up
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Ever ran in a National Park?
Ever used a race as a workout?
Ever read How Bad Do You want it?
Library books- yay or nay?
Training Tuesday: 13.1 Thoughts Had During A Half Marathon
1. THIS IS AMAZING. I FEEL AMAZING. WE ARE AMAZING. LIFE IS GREAT!
2. Why is that person wearing that Wheres Waldo costume and how can they be running so fast?!?
3. Why is everyone passing me. My feet are still moving right?!
4. First Aid Station already?!?. I don't need water. I feel great. I'm just going to keep on moving!
5. Wow runners are really terrible at getting things (water cups, gels, etc.) in that trash can. Good thing we aren't expected to make any sort of goals while running this fast because we would all definitely lose!
6. The sun is really warm. Did someone pull it closer to us? I'm sweating my weight out here!
7. Pass the halfway mark- score! I've totally got this. I'm way under my time goal. PR I'm coming for you!
8. 5 more miles left?!? There is NO WAY I'm going to make it. WHERE is this next aid station? I think I may die out here. Cue I Think I'm Dying face.
9. Wow that is a really big hill. I don't remember seeing THAT on the course elevation chart.
10. 3 miles left. I got this. Just put one foot in front of the other. Running is really hard.
11. I want some pizza after this! Oh, and ice cream and candy and pasta and a burger. I burned all of these calories right?!?
12. One mile left....one mile is so far. There's no way I'm getting to that finish line in one piece.
13. *crosses finish line* Oh look, bling!
.1 I'm definitely doing that again!
What thoughts do you have while running a half marathon?