Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 13: 10/8-10/14

Happy Humpday! I’ve got 7 easy miles on tap with strides and hoping to squeeze in a swim/ hot springs soak afterwards. I can’t believe that we’re almost to our Powell trip! Yay! Cannot wait for warmer weather and camping and exploring (all of my favorite things all in one) in the desert.

Monday, 10/8: 20 minutes of strength/ 6.01 miles easy @ 10:09 694’ up

Tuesday, 10/9: 7 miles 1 mi warm-up/ 2 x 2mi @10k 7:22 (actual: 7:26 / 7:34) 3 min recovery jog/ 2 x 1/2 mi @ 5k 7:04 (actual: 7:15 / 7:10) 2 min recovery jog/ 1 mi cool down 120’ up. I didn’t hit my paces, but I did get faster every time which I’m calling as a win. I also never gave up, so working on that mental strength!

Wednesday, 10/10: Rest day!

Thursday, 10/11: 20 minutes strength/ 7.65 miles @ 9:23 397’ up—> 7.25 miles easy with 3 x :60 strides. I ran out of time, but originally planned for 4-5 x :60 strides. Some is better than nothing!

Friday, 10/12: 13.1 miles at a steady pace 9:01 438’ up —> first 6.5 miles @ 9:45 / second half 6.6 miles @ 8:47 (last two miles were below 8:15 pace). I’m definitely negative-split this run and pretty excited that my fueling strategy seemed to help (before/ during the run). Also running an 8:05 pace towards the end felt relatively ~easy~.

Saturday, 10/13: 6.13 miles @ 9:48 432’ up. ​Took advantage of the warmer weather and got a nice little run down by the lake. ​25 minutes of strength

Sunday, 10/14: 6 miles @ 10:30 pace on the treadmill

Total Mileage: 45.86 miles

Total Elevation: 2,081’ up

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 10: 9/17-9/23

HUMPDAY! We’ve made it to midweek which is really exciting! You know what is not so exciting? The pool is closed this week so no swimming for me! Boo. I’m looking forward to when it reopens though and it’s all clean and shiny again : ) This last week of training went really well, I nailed my long run, got up earlier (4:30) on Thursday & Friday which gave me more time to stretch/ wake up/ strength train, and still fit my runs in over the weekend’s backpacking trip! I wrote down my goals on a piece of paper that I see everyday (sub 1:42 in half in Las Vegas in November), so I’m fired up and ready to work hard for the next 47 days to get that goal!

Monday, 9/17: Jumpboard Reformer & REST DAY. I wasn’t planning on taking this day as a rest day, but we got in late from the wedding the night before and I was just feeling exhausted/run down so I decided not to run. I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d make it up later in the week, but I did still get all of my scheduled mileage in (minus the strides) so that’s a win in my book.

Tuesday, 9/18: Slept in AGAIN. I managed to get my 7 miles in-between teaching learn to skate in the afternoon. Not what is ideal, but sometimes you just have to make it work. 4 miles easy @ 9:56 38’ up before and 3 miles @ 10:01 39’ after.

Wednesday, 9/19: Pushed myself out of bed to get it done! My legs were definitely still lethargic from the RRR crazy amount of elevation I got and just feeling like I might have a small headcold coming on, so I adjusted my paces a bit and fought for each one. .52 mi warm-up/ 6 x 1200 (7:40/ 7:41/ 7:49/ 7:25/ 7:30/ 7:36); 400R / .55 mi cool down. 7.07 mi total. 20 minutes of strength after work & 15 minutes of recovery yoga.

Thursday, 9/20: 6 miles easy @ 9:50 308’ / 0.5 mi swim.

Friday, 9/21: 6 miles easy, 5.1 miles @ Half Marathon Goal Pace 8:00, 2 miles easy. 13.1 miles total @ 9:04 367’

…more like 8 more miles to go! I think this was from the Marathon course back in June!

Saturday, 9/22: 5.02 miles easy 517’ up & 30 minutes of strength/ stretching

Sunday, 9/23: 4 miles easy 10:09 38’. My legs were feeling tired and lethargic so I took it extra easy just to shake them out from the almost 11 miles of backpacking we did over the weekend!

Total Mileage: 42.19 miles

Total Elevation: 1, 487’

Training Tuesday: 5 Things I'm Doing DIFFERENTLY This Training Cycle

We made it through Monday! I’m just so excited it’s Fall that Monday didn’t even seem too bad for me (anyone else feel this way?!?). I’ve got some easy miles on the schedule this morning and teaching learn to skate classes later this afternoon. Tuesdays & Thursdays are always busy days for me and I typically work 9ish hour days! It’s funny how you just seem to adjust your mileage and running and training around working more hours vs not doing the workout (anyone feel like this?). If I have 6 miles on the schedule, then I’m definitely going to get in 6 miles whether I’m waking up earlier, showering in 5 minutes, or fitting it in between teaching lessons later in the afternoon.

Less than 48 days until my goal half marathon and I am excited! I’m shooting for that sub 1:42 and daydream about it during my runs almost every morning. I’m visualizing that time clock as I come across the finish line and doing everything in my power to make sure that I get it! That means I’m doing a few things differently/ more intensely this time around (don’t you love how each training cycle you learn something new?!):

• Adding in more trail runs on either my easy days or long run days. Getting in some serious booty strength on those elevation gains and changing up the scenery! I may go slower, but on those days the goal is to either get in the mileage and/or keep my heart rate slower. Trail running is perfect for both of those! Plus it’s a beautiful time of year to do it too!

• Swimming one time each week! I have LOVED adding in my weekly swims. It recharges me both physically and mentally. My body feels so much better after swimming post easy run and there’s just something so soothing about the water too!

• Refueling faster after a run AND getting in better nutrition post long run. There’s almost nothing I love more than a cold raspberry lemonade after a long run, BUT it isn’t necessarily giving my body a whole lotta nutrients. I’m trying to be more cognizant of what my body is craving and also how I can make those cravings rebuild my body (rather than not really contributing to it very much)

• Taking my easy days EASY. I’ve always been pretty good at keeping myself honest during my easy days, but I still think that some days I go too fast. I’m focusing on my breathing more versus what my pace is. That will help adapt my body and get it to be stronger for my big race goals come Spring 2019 (<—— where I’m getting that BQ!)

• Stretching before and AFTER my runs. I would normally stretch either before or after my runs, but never normally both. I’m trying to focus more on warming my muscles up and then helping them relax after I finish running. It’s really hard to add this one in for me, but it’s SO IMPORTANT (and I think it’s a BIG REASON why I’ve finally been able to kick my plantar faciitis flare that’s been bothering me since June!)

What are some things you know you should be doing during your training that you have a really hard time actually DOING? —> stretching pre/post run, refueling properly, slowing down on those easy days