Hansons Marathon Method Week 15 Rundown

738.05 miles in this training cycle thus far and another week is done! This was my final peak week and it went really well. I took a lot of time to focus on recovery and nutrition (and getting a good amount of sleep)! 

Monday: 10 miles; 1.5 warm-up; 3 x 2 miles @ 8:34-8:36 (17:06; 16:49; 16:47); 1.0 cool-down. I cut a mile off of this work-out so I could get 18 miles in on Friday for my long run (rather than the 16 on the schedule). Felt strong at the end. 

Tuesday: 8 miles easy @ 10:06

Wednesday: 1.0 warm-up; 10 miles @ GMP 8:46 (actual: 8:44); 1.0 cool-down. This one was definitely one of my stronger goal marathon paced workouts. Holding that pace for a longer period actually felt possible; 60 minute Barre class at lunch

Thursday: 8 miles easy @ 10:20 on the treadmill (catching up on How To Get Away With Murder)

Friday: 18 miles @ 9:29 (actual: 9:24). Started before 5AM and finished just before 8. I was feeling pretty mentally tired going into this run, but knowing it was my last long run made it MUCH more manageable. 

Saturday: 7 miles easy @ 9:50 (a little too fast) on the trails. I'm always too fast the day after a long run (at a faster pace), but I think it's also knowing that tomorrow is a rest day is a BIG motivator

Sunday: Rest Day

Sunshine Goods:

• Peak week is done and gone!
• Hit all my paces this week
• Felt strong in each run
• Kept easy runs at a very easy pace
• Made it to one Barre class
• Did two strength training sessions
• Foam rolled several times throughout the week

Gloomy Goods:

• Nothing is complain about here! Finished out the week strong

Tips for getting through those long runs

Long runs. We sometimes love 'em and sometimes hate 'em. I used to really reallly dislike them. I would actually stress myself out over the fact that I had a long run to do this week, until I found a few ways to make the mileage seem less daunting. Surprisingly, I actually wake up EARLY on my long run days so excited to cover the distance. 

• Break up the mileage into something more reasonable. For me, 2.5 miles seems really manageable. So I would do the same 2.5 mile stretch out-and-back several times. It could seem boring, but it was actually really nice to know that after 5 miles I would be back at my car and able to switch up my gear (if needed) or grab some fuel or reassess. Having a route that you're confident with and shorter makes it both safer and easier to concur. 

• Tell yourself it's only 'x' amount of miles 'x' amount of times. I know that 5 miles for me seems like a piece of cake during marathon training or 3 miles during half marathon training is do-able. If I'm running 15 miles that day, I'll just keep repeating to myself that it's just 5 mile stretches repeated 3 times or if I have 9 miles on the schedule, it's just 3 mile stretches repeated 3 times. Use that marker after each stretch to reset your mind and just focus on that shorter mileage. 

• Do your run both indoors and outdoors. I did this when I was training for my downhill run because I needed to alter my elevation profile to mimic the long downhill stretches of the race. I would begin my run outside for a few miles, hop on the treadmill inside, then finish it up outside for the final few miles. It gives your mind a break and something to look forward to on the various profile changes. 

• Try a loop trail. Loops are a great way for longer runs to seem less monotonous. You'll get to see a lot of various scenary before you hit your starting spot and do it all again. I would do a 3 mile loop and see different things every time I went by (or see the same things/ people and use that as a reassurance). 

• Vary your paces. Having a plan for your long run days are a must (at least for me)- you have a plan for race day, so why shouldn't you practice the same for long runs?! When I get really bored or tired (especially on the treadmill), I like to play with my paces. I'll run at a faster pace and try to hold it for several minutes then drop the pace back down. I may also throw in a faster finish (say, around goal pace), to make those miles fly by and also seem more challenging. 

Enjoy those long runs! I know when I'm not training for something, I really crave a good long run (sometimes). 

What techniques do you use to get through a long run?

Hansons Marathon Method- Week 14 Rundown

Less than 30 DAYS until the Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas Marathon! Eeeek! I cannot believe time has gone by so quickly! This week is my LAST 60+ mileage week and then I begin to taper. This training cycle has gone SO well and I'm just focused on finishing it out strong and remaining positive. Also I'm really trying to work on my mental game as well, since this was my weak part of my Revel Rockies Marathon. I want to stay in the moment and fight through the tough parts (NOT give up on myself). 

This week I hit both of my SOS (something-of-substance) workout paces and kept my easy runs at a conservative pace. I did half outside and half of my runs on the treadmill (it snowed on Monday and the temperatures were SO chilly during the mornings). 

Monday: 11 miles total; 1.5 warm-up; 2 x 3 mile repeats @ 8:36 (actual: 8:34) w/ 1 mile recovery between sets; 1.5 cool-down; 20 minutes of strength training. This training run was pretty difficult, but it always feels harder on the treadmill rather than outside ???

Tuesday: 6 miles easy @ 10:06 pace

Wednesday: 12 miles; 1.5 warm-up ; 9 miles @ GMP 8:46 (actual: 8:43); 1.5 cool-down ; 60 minute Barre class at lunch. I felt SO strong during this run and really needed it as a confidence booster. 

Thursday: 10 miles easy @ 10:10 pace on the treadmill (6.5 on the treadmill in AM; 3.5 outside after work)

Friday: 10 miles easy @ 10:20 pace on the treadmill; 60 minute Barre class after work

Saturday: 7 miles easy on the trails around the lake @ 9:36 pace (a little too fast, but I'm SO ready to crush my last long run pace!!!)

Sunday: Rest Day

Sunshine Goods:

• hitting my SOS paces & feeling strong in them
• fit in 3 workouts of strength training
• 55 mileage weeks feels really do-able and EASY!
• 2 epsom salt baths this week

Gloomy Goods:

• 3 Treadmill runs this week = ugh so much harder than running outside

Hanson's Marathon Method- Week 13 Rundown

32 DAYS UNTIL VEGAS!! ONE MONTH! This is seriously SO crazy to me. I cannot believe how fast time has gone and now I only have one more peak mileage week left (above 60 miles) and have run 620.05 miles during this training cycle. I'm still feeling really strong and not burned out/ injured, which is amazing! I'm still really loving this training plan and definitely think I will try it out again for my next race (regardless of how this one goes). It's getting harder to fit in these longer runs in the mornings before work, but I knew that October would be rough to fit in the mileage so I'm just taking it one day at a time and know that after-work runs is always another option. I'm thinking I may try my tempo run after work this week since the cooler weather really seems to be putting a damper on my paces (my legs just cannot seem to warm up for some reason even with lined tights)- unless it is expected to be warmer, then I'll re-assess. But I think it's always good to switch-up whenyou run (especially since the race starts at 4:30pm anyways! 62 miles for the week and 620.05 miles in the bank for marathon training!

Monday: 10 miles total with 1.5 warm-up, 3 x 2 mile repeats @ 8:26-8:36 (800 R), 1.5 cool-down. I did this run back in Maine and the weather was PERFECT for it. I felt amazing. Splits were: 17:06 ; 16:49; 16:47 . Negative split them and hit my paces. I had to cut my cool-down 1 mile short (due to time constraints), but that was fine because I wanted my long run to be a mile longer anyways.

Tuesday: 8 miles easy on the treadmill after work since I got in at 11pm the night before. Pace @ 10:01. 

Wednesday: 1.5 warm-up; 9 miles @ GMP (8:45-8:55) actual: 8:54; 1.5 cool-down. This run felt better than the week before, but my legs still felt frozen and just not able to ever warm-up fully. Did a 60 minute Barre class at lunch

Thursday: 8 miles easy on the treadmill Pace @ 10:20

Friday: 17 miles (planned was 16 miles @ 9:27-9:35) @ 9:33 with a few hills to concur. This run was AWESOME and I definitely could've kept going for the remaining 9 miles. I really wasn't too sore afterwards, which was also a huge bonus

Saturday: 7 miles easy on the trails by the lake @ 10:08. I was really realllly tired on this run and could feel it. It was warmer out than I expected and my legs felt like lead.

Sunday: REST DAY! This was my first complete rest day in 13 days and was SO needed. I tried to limit my activities (we stacked wood and went kayaking), but I iced twice and took an epsom salt bath. 

Sunshine Goods:

• Strength work-out went really well
• Long run felt awesome
• Kept my easy runs at a slow recovery pace
• Nutrition was strong this week
• Sleep was a priority
• Did a 60 minute Barre Class

Gloomy Goods:

• Tempo run didn't go so well (but is improving...)
• Only fit in one strength session this week
• Foam rolling was limited

Hanson's Marathon Method- Week 12 Rundown

We are officially less than 6 weeks out from Race day! I cannot believe how time flies. I always feel like training weeks go by really slow in the beginning and then it somehow goes from 70 days left to 30 something days left! We are 39 days out and I am starting to cut out sugar from my diet until after the race. Overall, training this week went really well (it felt so nice to have a cut-back week too) and I was able to fit it all in despite all the traveling I did. I ran a total of 55 miles and ended up not taking a day off from running (since my plane was delayed 3.5 hours, no running was done when I finally arrived at 9pm that night)!

Monday: 11 miles total; 1.5 warm-up; 4 x 1.5 mile repeats @ 8:29 (800 R); 1.5 cool-down

Tuesday: 10 miles easy @ 10:00 pace

Wednesday: 12 miles total; 1.5 warm-up; 9 miles @ GMP 8:46 (actual: 8:53); 1.5 cool-down. I really think the cooler weather has been putting a damper on my slower goal race paces! Hoping it warms up soon or I may need to try this later in the day instead!

Thursday: 1.25 miles @ 3 am before my flight; was expecting to do the rest of my mileage after I landed @ 4pm, but ended up not getting in until 9pm and decided to do the rest of the mileage later in the week (needed 6 miles total)

Friday: 6 miles easy @ 9:41; whoops! was a little too fast on this one, but the air felt so great and I got to run at 8AM!! Dream come true

Saturday: 10 miles easy @ 10:10. I kept slowing myself down on this one, but felt strong and it was nice and cloudy/rainy out. Also got to do this one on the Rail Trail in Fryeburg, ME with my MOM!! She did 6 miles and is a rockstar. 

Sunday: needed 4.75 miles more to get to 6 miles. Ended up splitting it up to do 3.25 in the morning and 1.5 in the afternoon for a total of 4.75 (not sure on the paces- too fast I do know that!!)

Sunshine Goods:

• Hit my paces on my strength work-out and easy runs
• Fit in all my runs even when traveling like crazy
• Focused on drinking more water than normal
• Less chafing this week!
• Fit in one barre class
• Fit in one Hot Yoga class
• Took 2 Epsom Salt Baths!

Gloomy Goods:

• Didn't get a rest day
• Foam rolling was not a priority (bummer)
• Strength training sessions were little to non
• Ankle was feeling pretty stiff on Sunday, but it got better after icing/legs up the wall