Las Vegas Half Marathon Training RECAP

Happy Thursday! Hopefully I’ve made it to the Grand Canyon by now (I flew into Vegas yesterday and pre-wrote today & tomorrow’s posts so I could be 100% enjoying our trip) with my Mom & Grandmother. We spent the night in the Grand Canyon last night and are driving back to Las Vegas this afternoon. Expo for the race is TOMORROW! YAY! Let’s recap my 16-week training cycle shall we?

• I ran 627.89 miles this training cycle.

• I climbed 30, 764’ in elevation!

• I paced a 100-miler for 19.41 miles through the middle of the night on the trails here in Steamboat at the Run Rabbit Run

• I peaked at 46.68 miles in Week # 16

• I switched from the marathon to the half marathon after week #5, where I started feeling burnt-out from marathon training and wanted a new goal

• I started out running 3/4 mile repeats at my Half Marathon goal pace (7:42-7:47) on August 28th with splits of: 7:47/ 7:47/ 7:41/ 7:41/ 7:35/ 7:30. I completed my last speed workout with 1 mile at Half Marathon goal pace (7:34), 3 x 1 mile at 10K goal pace (7:22) splits were: 7:14, 7:17, 7:19, 2 x 1/2 mile at 5K goal pace (7:04) splits were: 6:55, 7:11

• I ran a Half Marathon PR during a workout and placed 3rd in my Age Group (first time ever doing this!!)

• I ran early in the mornings, in between teaching skating, after work, in the heat, in the rain, overnight.

While it wasn’t the perfect training cycle, I feel like I definitely gained some speed and am excited to test my fitness on Sunday! BRING. IT . ON.

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 12: 10/1-10/7

Happy Humpday! What do you have on the schedule today? Today’s a rest day for me and I’ve also got a haircut scheduled for this afternoon which makes me giddy like a child going into a candy store (which I also still get really excited for as well). I haven’t had my haircut/ highlighted since June when I cut about 7 inches off so I.can’t.wait. I also go to Comb Goddess here in Steamboat - Erika is amazing. I have so much trouble finding a good hairstylist who stays around town so very thankful that she’s still here!

Last week I switched up my rest days from Sundays to Wednesdays and I kinda really love this new schedule! I normally always use Sundays as my rest days, but it was really nice having a morning during the week off from rushing about from my run to the shower to breakfast to work (and also sleeping in a bit longer too….. ; ) …..). I hit all of my workout paces and had an unbelievably killer (confidence-booster) speed workout on Tuesday- isn’t it always amazing when things come together?!? When my paces started to feel hard, I envisioned the sun directly above my head filling me with positive feelings and energy (something I took from my current Headspace meditation pack). —> it REALLY helped!

Also, sorry I’m not sorry for all the watch + ring pictures. I just had to.

Monday, 10/1: 5.85 miles easy @ 10:16 340’ up / 60 minute Jumpboard Reformer pilates class during lunch. I’m working on slowing down on my easy runs even more to really push harder on my workout days.

Tuesday, 10/2: 7 miles. 78’ up. I did this workout almost ENTIRELY on feel. I looked at my watch only small glances and I’m SO happy about that. After all —> finding goal race pace should be done on feel anyways, right?

1 mile warm-up @ 10:24

2 miles @ 7:37

3 min rest

1 mile @ 7:21

3 min rest

1 mile @ 7:19

3 min rest

1/2 mile @ 7:06

2 min rest

1/2 mile @ 7:01

2 min rest

1 mile cool down @ 9:55

Wednesday, 10/3: REST DAY. Hot Cocoa & Run Fast Cook Fast Eat Slow Peanut Butter Cup. Oh yes, definitely #restdaybrags

Thursday, 10/4: 6 mile progression run 113’ up with 6 x :45 strides at the end. Pace splits: 10:20 / 9:57 / 9:40 / 9:17 / 8:56 / 8:35. 6.74 miles and 20 minutes of strength / recovery yoga. I wanted to get this run done with in the morning, but when I made it to the trailhead there was crazy amounts of lightning so I turned around and tried again later in the afternoon after work around 6pm (not ideal, but I got it done)

Friday, 10/5: 7.02 miles easy @ 9:53 73’ up. I didn’t go quite as slow as I would have liked, but it was pouring rain this afternoon and I was also a bit crunched for time so this is what I got. I also slept through my THREE alarms so Friday afternoon run it was.

Saturday, 10/6: 14.1 miles @ 9:36 880’ up & 20 minutes of strength. Super pumped with my overall pace (I slowed myself down in some parts), but I definitely overdressed during my run (so had to stop to shed some layers around mile 10).I gained quite a bit of elevation as well so that was a confidence booster (especially when running on trails!)

VERY upset that I’m doing my strength instead of throwing her squeaky toy again. I’m SUCH A BAD DOGGY MOMMY.

Sunday, 10/7: 5.15 easy recovery miles @ 10:20 on the treadmill. Wasn’t really wanting to add in too much more elevation gain so I just hopped on the treadmill at home and zoned-out watching This Is Us. Kept the pace really easy which was perfect.

Total Mileage: 45.86 miles

Total Elevation: 1, 504’ up

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 11: 9/24-9/30

This last week of training didn’t go really well, but sometimes we just have off weeks! This was definitely an off week. I ended up getting some sort of stomach bug and a headcold at the same time, so I didn’t get in my speedwork, surges, and less than great tempo miles in my long run. Oh well, this is a NEW week and I’m ready to crush ALL of my goals!

Monday, 9/24: 7 miles easy @ 9:38 298’ up / Barre at lunch

Tuesday, 9/25: 6 miles easy @ 9:56 376’ up

Wednesday, 9/26: Planned for 3 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace with 1/4 mi easy & 2 x 1/2 mile @ 10k pace with 1/4 mi easy. Actual: 1 mile warm-up, 1 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace 1/4 R, 2 x 1/2 mile @ goal half marathon pace with 1/4 R, 1 mile cool down. 4 miles total with 30 minutes of strength

Maple is much cuter than a sweaty post fail of workout photo!

Thursday, 9/27: 6.02 miles easy @ 9:57 317’ up

Friday, 9/28: 4.5 miles easy @ 10:00 32’ up

Saturday, 9/29: REST DAY

Sunday, 9/30: 6 miles easy, 5.12 miles @ goal half marathon pace (adjusted it to ~8:10 pace), skipped the 2 miles easy cool down. 11.12 miles total

Pretty terrible at taking photos last week, so here’s a cute photo of our engagement celebration dinner at Cafe Diva!

Total Mileage: 38.64 miles

Total Elevation: 1, 023’ up

Las Vegas HALF Marathon Rundown: Week 7 8/20-8/26

WHERE did August go?!? I cannot believe September is here on SATURDAY! But I'm also really excited because of how much I love Fall : ) Already looking forward to all the crockpot soups that I'm going to make and homemade bread! What's your favorite thing about Fall? 

So this was the first full week of training where I switched things up and decided to go for the half marathon instead of the full in November and I'm already feeling a million times better about my decision. My training runs went really well and it's getting me excited for what's in-store for the future! 

Monday, 8/20: 4.06 mi EZ @ 10:01 556' up & 60 minute Jumpboard Reformer Pilates class at lunch. I slept in this morning just *barely* managed to get my run in after I got home from work before watching So You Think You Can Dance (my favorite favorite summertime show)!

The leaves are already starting to change (although you can't really tell from this photo...ha)

Tuesday, 8/21: 6.81 mi EZ @ 9:56 346' up. This run felt amazing and I had to keep slowing myself down. The weather is finally starting to feel cooler out there!

Wednesday, 8/22: 4.01 mi EZ @ 9:37 115' UP/ 850 yards of swimming/ 15 minutes soaking in the hot springs/ 20 minutes of strength training in the evening. This was A LOT of varied exercise for me (rather than just running all the miles) and I loved it. I really enjoy following up an easy run with swimming some laps. I always feel looser and more recovered afterwards (compared to just running then showering/getting ready for work)

Thursday, 8/23: 4.61 mi EZ 9:24 336' UP. I did the first 4.1 miles easy then rested for 3 minutes then did 6 x 30 second fast running (I've never tried this before!) with 1 minute recovery (mainly very slow walking/standing still) between sets. The surges I managed looked like these paces: 6:29/ 6:40/ 6:31/ 6:38/ 6:42/ 6:07. I was super surprised with the last one! I think I could have gone faster overall, but glad to see that my last one was the fastest. 

Friday, 8/24: 5mi EZ @ 10:00 & 60 minute Happy Hour Barre class after work. I slept in because we were up way too late Thursday night visiting and fit my run in around Barre in the afternoon. I did a mile before class then 4 more miles after class. All done on the treadmill @ 0.5% incline. 

Saturday, 8/25: 10.26 miles EZ on the trails! @ 12:55 1, 736' UP. I offered to pace a girl doing her FIRST 100-miler at the Run Rabbit Run here in Steamboat in a few weeks and will be doing the overnight section on Emerald! I wanted to get used to the trails that we'll be running so I took my 10-11 mile easy hilly run to them! I got lost *several* times (I'll need to do this loop a few more times before the RRR100) and came across a mountain lion track (that I think anyways...) so I turned around. It was STEEP in some sections, but I know I'll be good pacing-wise for her (her goal is do the 100 miler in under 30 hours, so under 18:00 minute/miles). I fell once going down momentum wanted me to keep going, but I had to stop for a mountain biker coming up. I just had to laugh when I somersaulted into a bush. Oh well, at least I don't take myself too seriously! It felt so nice to be out on the trails. I did the first half with my headphones in, but as the trails became busier I went without headphones so I could make sure I heard when someone (or animals) were coming. 

All the dirt lines! Also I need a pedicure. 

Sunday, 8/26: REST DAY

Total Mileage: 34.75 miles

Total Elevation: 3, 087' UP

Anyone else a fan of So You Think You Can Dance? I love all of the top 6 and want them all to win!!

Favorite thing about Fall? --> Apple EVERYTHING. 

Las Vegas Marathon Week 5 RUNdown- The Week That Wasn't.

HUMPDAY! Just a few more days are left between us & the weekend. What are you most looking forward to? This last week of training didn't go so well. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I was coming down with a cold, I was a bit burnt-out from training, the smokey air from the wildfires, but it just didn't go well and it made me reconsider my goals for the Fall (scroll down to read about my new goals for Fall --> I posted about it on Monday). Maybe I jumped the gun, but I'm excited for my new intentions these next few months and think they will set me up for a big marathon PR in the late-Spring 2019. How's your training going? 

Monday, 8/13: 3 mile warm-up; 7.5 mi tempo @ 8:56; 3 mile cool-down (cut-short @ 1.1 miles due to time) 530' elevation gain . 60 minute Barre class at lunch. I slept in a bit this morning and decided to switch around my runs so I could have the (upcoming) weekend free for us to go backpacking. I really dislike kicking off my week with tempo runs because I just never feel fully 'awake' for them. I also gained a ton of elevation so I think that accounted for my slower pace. After this run, I decided to cut-back on everything the rest of this week and give it a try on Friday. 

Tuesday, 8/14: 25 minutes cross-training on the elliptical & 10 minutes of strength

Wednesday, 8/15: 30 minutes of swimming in the AM (~700 yards) & 20 minutes of strength/ 3 miles easy @ 10:25 (on the treadmill) after work. The air quality was really terrible, but I was craving a run so I hit the treadmill at our home and just did some super easy miles. I'm also not the *best* swimmer, but swimming 0.4 miles (without stopping) is a huge win for me!

Afternoon treat

Thursday, 8/16: 3 miles easy on the treadmill after work @ 10:10ish pace?

Gross. Just Gross.

Friday, 8/17: 11 miles easy in 90* HEAT!!! @ 9:56 122' up. I thought it was going to be cooler outside so I did a bunch of chores in the morning (walking up and down the 3 flights of our stairs a gajillion times) and wasn't able to get out until 3pm. It was HOT so I adjusted my pace slower and had to stop a few times for water breaks. The air quality really got to me as well and my mouth felt so dry so I cut it after 11 miles and felt good with that. 

Saturday, 8/18: REST DAY. Slept 12 hours and woke up feeling terrible. Sore throat/ congested/ headache. Gross. Just Gross.

Sunday, 8/19: 10 miles easy @ 10:01 732' up & 20 minutes of strength & 10 minutes of recovery yoga. It was the most perfect weather day outside and I was craving a run around the lake at no specific pace. 70* and cloudy (it had rained most of the day Saturday & Sunday morning so the air was cool and fall-like) --> perfect running weather. 

Total mileage: 38.6 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 1, 384' UP

What do you do when a run doesn't go your way?

Favorite weather to run in?

Treadmill or no treadmill?