I Can't Wait For This, A New Tradition, & Effort vs Pace?

Happy Friday-eve! While I anticipated that this week was going to move at snail-speed, I honestly cannot believe that tomorrow is Friday. I can’t wait for the weekend- we’re planning to go ski at a new-to-me mountain here in Colorado! Yay! I love a good adventure. I’m also equally excited for Spring- it’s felt warm(er) here (aka it’s getting to the low 30’s during the day here) and I can’t wait to get out on some trails to explore again! Spring races cannot come soon enough. Plus, I also can’t wait to not take an extra 15 minutes putting on all layers, shoe cleats, mittens, hats, hand-warmers. Going out for an early morning winter run takes so much work. Honestly that’s why I also really love the treadmill in the winter- ha. It’s so freeing to just run with shorts and a t-shirt.

I have incorporated a new habit before my harder weekday runs- getting up a bit earlier to enjoy some coffee while watching the news and cuddling under my heated blanket. It really is so fantastic and honestly worth it to get up a bit earlier. Anyone else do this or am I just crazy getting up at 4am rather than 4:30 just to snuggle downstairs instead of in my bed?

I also hit all of my paces on my speedwork on Tuesday and have a 6-mile goal marathon pace effort run this morning with a 1.5 mile warm-up and 1.5 mile cool-down. I’ve switched my mentality from having it be a “pace-specific” run to an “effort-specific” run because maybe it’s icy outside or maybe there’s a few hills or maybe I’m just a bit off today, BUT if I’m still getting to the effort (aka what marathon pace should feel like with my body) then I consider it a success. It’s all about working on that mindset for me this training cycle. Plus I’m reading this book (finally got it after being on the library waitlist for over 7 weeks!) and loving how she describes building her confidence.

Alex and I had a lunch date yesterday at Winona’s (they literally have the BEST buffalo chicken salad in town) and it was amazing. We used to do this all the time when we first started dating, but since living together it hasn’t been as often. I’m so glad we got to enjoy their salads again.

Also Stella had a very healthy lunch yesterday as well.

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Marathon Pace vs marathon effort- what do you think?

Best lunch spot where you live?

What’s the last book you read?

Eugene Marathon Training Week 2 RUNdown 12/31-1/6!

Back to above 40 miles per week! Also last week was SO COLD. Multiple negative temperature mornings, which meant getting a bit creative with when I could fit my runs in. I did my best to run outside when I can, but I generally do not run outside when it’s below 5* (give or take). I also have determined that it takes FOREVER to get all those layers/ stabil icers on my sneakers/ hats/ mittens/ hand warmers on, so sometimes sheer laziness wins out and I hit the treadmill. What can I say- somedays it’s just pretty nice to wear just a sports bra, shorts, and binge watch some Gilmore Girls. I’m human.

just too cold to really be doing anything besides cuddling with the cats and heated blanket.

Also got a belated Christmas gift from my mom- looove these lush bath bombs. I’m trying not to use them all at once (also trying not to take a bath every single night to save on our water bill, but it’s HARD because cold temperatures + soothing warm water + great smelling bath soaps = baths are so necessary).

It’s finally starting to quiet down a bit at work (so needed), but I also found that taking a runch break last week really helped de-stress me. Most days I’m unable to take a lunch break (due to teaching skating lessons in the afternoons), but when I can get out it feels pretty amazing. Let’s recap last week shall we?

Monday, 12/31: planned 6 miles easy, but wanted to get in a good ‘end of the year mileage number’ so I ended up with 6.81 miles at 10:45 pace on the treadmill because I just re-did my treadmill run and wanted to take advantage of it!

Tuesday, 1/1: planned 1.5 mi warm-up, 12 x 400m, 1.5 mi cool down, but actually did my strength and then called it a rest day. I was feeling really exhausted and had the complete day off of work so just decided to take advantage of it and listen to my body. It was amazing and so glad I did that. Not every run needs to be perfect and sometimes listening to your body will do wonders.

Wednesday, 1/2: planned rest day, but since I took my rest day on Tuesday I ended up doing 1/2 mi warm-up, 5 miles at goal marathon pace effort (because it was 5* outside at 2pm) 8:38 pace, 1/2 mi cool-down. Avg pace was 8:54 78’ up & also fit in some yoga. Felt pretty good until close to the end of the run, where I got so cold I had to check to make sure my nose didn’t fall off. Don’t worry it was still there.

Thursday, 1/3: 1/2 mi warm up, 5 miles goal marathon pace, 1/2 mi cool down, but did that yesterday so I stuck with 8.06 miles easy at 10:13 548’ elevation gain over my lunch break! Also fit in my strength (started a new strength routine on Tuesday and will stick with it until March then do a whole new one to prevent becoming stagnant) that morning before work. Sunshine + hills + 20* weather felt incredible.

Friday, 1/4: 12-14 miles easy, but had my first back-to-back long runs on schedule so to the treadmill it was (considering how it was -5* outside and I could only fit it in early in the AM)! Goal was anywhere from 12-14 miles and ended up with 12.5 miles. I varied the incline from 1% for the first 60 minutes then rotated through 1% -> 2% -> 3% rolling hills for the next 55 minutes. 9:40 avg pace. Also working on my nutrition! I tried out Huma Gels and LOVED them. I’ve got some Spring Energy gels coming too to test out. I also have found that sweet potatoes right before a run makes me feel AMAZING. I’m going to try out some sweet potato toast with almond butter before my runs this week and will let you know how it goes.

Saturday, 1/5: 4 miles easy- ended up with 4.10 miles easy at 10:31 453’ elevation gain. We went snowshoeing in the morning (great crosstraining) and my butt was SO sore from my incline treadmill the day before/ hiking in the morning.

Sunday, 1/6: 1.5 mi warm-up, 12 x 400 (400R), 1.5 mi cool-down & strength- 1.5 mi warm-up, did my strength, did 6 x 400 then called it because I felt my knee starting to feeling a bit not so great (and our treadmill isn’t the best for speedwork), .75 mi cool down. I came up short, but I’ll get it next week!

Total Mileage: 42.74 miles

Total Elevation gain: 1, 079’ up

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Favorite Bath bomb scents or bubble bath?! I’m obsessed.

Coldest temperature you’d head out for a run? Am I a big baby over here?

Favorite crosstraining activity?

Eugene Marathon Training Week 1 RUNdown 12/24-12/30

If there was a theme last week, it was probably ‘survival’. I knew it would be a super crazy week in both my office job and teaching skiing at the mountain, so I just wanted to fit my runs in regardless. I did manage to get them all in (besides cutting down Sunday’s scheduled 6 miles to 5.25 instead), so that’s a success. More runs were on the treadmill than I originally wanted, but it was COLD early in the mornings and since I had zero flexibility to run outside most days, it was indoors for my only option. Oh well- new year, new week right!?!

Monday, 12/24: 6.5 easy miles on the treadmill

Tuesday, 12/25: 6 Christmas miles easy 788’ up & strength

Wednesday, 12/26: REST DAY

Thursday, 12/27: 7 miles with 4 miles @ goal marathon pace (8:11) & strength

Friday, 12/28: 6 miles easy at 10:45 pace early

Saturday, 12/29: 8.15 miles easy @ 9:58 66’ up. I only planned for 6, but had the opportunity to run outside (despite the 15* temps) so I took advantage of it and went a bit longer!

Sunday, 12/30: 5.25 miles easy with incline varied 1% up to 5% and then worked my way back down to 1%. 10:10 avg pace & strength

Total mileage: 38.9 miles

Total Elevation: 825’ up

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How’s the weather where you are?!?

What’s the temperature outside where you decide to take it to the treadmill?

The Race That Was The Most Fun

OK. So when I was looking back at my races for the year, this one really stood out to me. It wasn’t so much that I PR’d or how well trained I was, but everything about it was just FUN. I would absolutely have called myself crazy a few years ago just imaging that a marathon could be considered anything other than pure torture, but here we are. Don’t get me wrong, the race course was challenging (crazy hills in the second half of the course), but I raced so much smarter than I had in any other race (I actually really held back on the crazy downhill that the first portion of the race has)- which is why I think the outcome was so enjoyable.

I mean, honestly- who else would be smiling this big at mile 25 of a marathon?!? Plus this photo makes me look like a total Bada$$ with the motorcycle behind me ; ) It probably doesn’t at all, but I like to think of myself as a Des Linden leading the pack in this picture.

I trained so well for it and honestly was in the best shape of my life. I worked really hard in training on hills, so when they came in the later miles they didn’t feel too bad. This was also the first race where I wasn’t dependent on music. I actually didn’t even pop in music until mile 22 or 23! I remember starting to feel a bit tired, but got really excited when I remembered I could turn on my favorite playlist and just zone out for those last few miles.

PLUS the race gave you FREE PHOTOS! I mean, come on- that just makes it all more fun. The weather was hot, but not unbearable and I just had so much to look forward to post-race (I think that helps us mentally as well).

I remember completing the race feeling tired, but not disappointed or exhausted. I actually easily felt like I could have kept running and never once really pushed my pace (which gives me even more confidence going into Eugene this coming Spring- if I can run a 3:52 and not really push the pace, getting that sub 3:40 with more training and a flatter course should definitely be do-able).

This race was absolutely a party for 26.2 miles- plus, passing A LOT of people in the later miles of a marathon was super fun (ha).

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Also a few other things happening right now to catch you up on.

Hot Cocoa & mini marshmallows are still amazing.

Resupplied on my Nuun and hoping it takes me through my Eugene training, but I’m not confident. I LOVE rehydrating with Nuun!

What was your ‘most fun’ race of 2018? WHY?!?

What’s the three best things a race can offer (in your opinion)? —> free race photos, ample opportunity for crowd support, signs/ encouragement when crowds are thin in certain areas of the race.

Last Weeks Training RUNdown 12/10-12/16 & I'm Totally THAT Person

Happy Humpday! I cannot believe we’re less than a week away from Christmas?!? I really love the Holidays, but they can also be difficult being so far away from family. It’s funny how ‘Christmas Day’ doesn’t exactly feel like ‘Christmas Day’ when it’s just Alex and I to celebrate. It kinda just feels like a weekend with a few presents in there. I’m all about creating traditions, so we’ll be doing Chinese for Christmas Eve (it’s been our tradition for the past few years) and hopefully we can create some sort of tradition for Christmas Day. It’s always way too busy to ski at our mountain normally, but a nice little cross country ski or snowshoe will be nice.

Got in my strength yesterday morning after an easy 6 mile run (done by 6:30am?!?). Tuesday & Thursdays are two of my harder workout days for Eugene training cycle, so I’m trying to get in a schedule now. They’ll be harder in the sense that I’ll have some sort of speed or tempo work in my run and then will also be doing strength so I can take my easy run days really easy and recover well. I normally have just fit in strength whenever I can, so I’m excited to create this habit and see if/how it helps me for Eugene!

Monday, 12/10: 5.25 miles easy 9:44 127’ up. Literally “ran” some errands during my lunch break, since it was much too cold to run in the early morning (unless I wanted to freeze).

Tuesday, 12/11: 20 minutes of strength & 7 miles easy 11:05 1, 013’ up. SO cold on this run (single digits?!?). I made it out alive though, so there’s that.

Wednesday, 12/12: Rest Day

Thursday, 12/13: 7 miles (25 min EZ/ 10 x 1 min surges (7:13-6:48 pace) with 1 min recovery between sets / 20 min EZ). 30 minutes strength. First bit of speed since Vegas last month and it felt hard, but a good kinda hard!

Friday, 12/14: 30 min hike on the treadmill @ 3.5mph 10% incline. Originally was all ready to hike up the ski mountain (and then ski down), but when I got to the base it was -10* out and honestly, I draw the line when it’s below freezing (ESPECIALLY double digits below 0!)

Saturday, 12/15: 5.25 miles easy 9:56 316’ up/ 20 min recovery yoga

Sunday, 12/16: 6.19 miles easy 9:30 356’ up/ 30 minutes strength/ 10 minutes on the spin bike

Total Mileage: 30.69 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 1, 821’ up

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Also I’m totally that person. You know, the very messy one at the gym that just leaves their stuff everywhere. I’m completely a neat-freak at home, but get me to the gym and I will sprawl out all over the place. I blame growing up at the ice rink and carrying twenty million things with me (and then proceeding to sprawl out with all my things in between skating sessions). I’m super annoying that was at the gym and maybe this should be resolved in 2019? I’m not optimistic about that.

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When do you like to get your strength work in?

How will you celebrate the Holiday?

Any fun Christmas traditions?!? —> I also heard someone say that they do a scavenger hunt on Christmas day, which sounds like so much fun so I think I may need to do this for Alex. How does one even go about putting together a scavenger hunt?!? Stay tuned..