Eugene Marathon/50 Miler Training RUNdown Week 10: 2/25-3/3

Another recovery is behind me! You would *think* that after running almost 60 miles the week before, I would welcome the recovery with open arms, but honestly it was TOUGH. I love my schedule and when I have these cut-back weeks I don’t know what to do with all the extra time! I feel like I should be RUNNING, not lounging about or cross-training. It feels like the taper except that I’m especially tired, but restless at the same time (I guess that’s normally how I feel in the taper too TBH).

I was SO HUNGRY at the beginning of my recovery week and probably ate something like 5 meals a day and my legs felt tired, but still not too bad. By mid-week, my legs felt dead and had no pep —> AKA why my speedwork on Friday felt especially amazing (…completely sarcastic). It’s also been really hard to see all these other runners on social media posting their ‘monthly mileage’ / hitting ‘x’ amount of miles / hitting ‘x’ paces (all OUTSIDE too? Does it not snow and ice and hit below 0* temperatures there or something?!?), while I’m over here on my recovery week waiting for my muscles and brain to feel ‘normal again’.

Janae posted this the other day and it really resonated with me. I just need to keep reminding myself of how much fitter and stronger I feel overall this training cycle than I ever have before and that the results will FOLLOW.

Monday, 2/25: 5.06 miles easy @ 10:03 with 120’ up during my lunch! Decided to get some extra sleep this week (one thing I do love about recovery weeks! All the extra sleep) and got my run in outside in the sunshine. It didn’t feel as challenging as I anticipated it feeling.

Tuesday, 2/26: Rest day. Opted for a rest day because I started to feel a cold coming on and I really want to avoid getting a full-blown sickness.

Wednesday, 2/27: 11 miles with 1.5 warm-up / 8 miles @ goal marathon effort (8:16) / 1.5 cool down. It was mentally challenging, but I felt oddly really strong. Also got in 30 minutes of strength

Thursday, 2/28: Rest Day / Yoga. Another rest day! Did some yoga to not feel like I was completely out of shape (ha —> isn’t it crazy how your mind always goes to that after taking an extra day or two off?)

Friday, 3/1: 6.1 miles with 1.5 warm-up/ 3 x 1 mile (7:52/ 7:45/ 7:30)/ 1 mi cool down & .5 mile cool down hike @ 12% incline 3.7 mph & strength. My legs felt completely dead and it was a struggle from the start. Glad I never completely gave up even my paces just were not there today.

Saturday, 3/2: Cross-training day! HIked up our ski mountain in Stagecoach (1 mile —> 800’ up). Was oddly VERY sore after this!

Sunday, 3/3: Still sore from skinning up the day before. Also a blizzard outside with sneaky snow-covered ice in spots and unplowed several inches of snow. 6.36 miles at 11:30 with 811’ up. Kept my pace easy and had to walk several spots because I kept slipping (didn’t want to wear any spikes today) on the ice-covered uphill sections. Still so beautiful out. 30 minutes of a new strength training program!

Total Mileage: 28.51 miles

Total Elevation: 931’ up

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How do you stop the comparison game when social media makes it so challenging?!

Favorite cross-training activity?

Eugene Marathon/50 Miler Training Week 9: 2/18-2/24

Happy Hump Day! I’ve felt a bit of a cold coming on, so I’ve opted to get the majority of my runs this week in the afternoon (so I can get more sleep). I was still on the fence on whether to get my 8 miles at marathon pace in the morning (on the treadmill) or try to get it in this afternoon (it could be sleeting)- so still up in the air as of last night! I WILL be getting it in regardless though. I’m also getting my haircut today! I was still trying to decide if I should get some bangs (they looked so cute on me in High School, but are also a super pain-in-the-butt!), but I’m definitely excited to get some fresh highlights (it’s been since October!) and shorter hair again. Photos to come tomorrow ; )

Last week really tested my patience with the weather. It was in the negatives every.single.morning and a high of low 20s the entire week. I had a crazy busy work/personal life week, so mornings were the only time I could run (for the most part), so I was on the treadmill a bunch (hoping to only be on it ONCE this week!). Not ideal- but do what you can right?

Monday, 2/18: 5 miles easy on the home treadmill while catching up on the news.

Tuesday, 2/19: 1.5 mile warm up / 8 miles at goal marathon pace (8:15) / 1.5 mile cool down. 11 miles & strength. Felt really good even after getting kicked off the treadmill for 10 minutes. Gotta love the 6AM treadmill rush that lasts 10-15 minutes. Sigh.

Wednesday, 2/20: 6.5 miles on the ‘mill. Normally I try to break up my goal marathon paced miles & speedwork, but this week was funky and this is when I had time. SO I did the repeats mainly on an incline (same benefits as a faster pace, but less strain on your body).

Thursday, 2/21: 13 miles in the morning on the ‘mill & then had a unexpected free afternoon, so decided to just go for the remaining 7 miles to get 20 for the day! Happy to get some afternoon miles outside : ) Plus some strength afterwards.

Friday, 2/22: 9.37 miles in a BLIZZARD in the morning (I didn’t think it was supposed to snow?!?). I took it slow because I was TIRED and it was icy (didn’t have my spikes). I ended up cutting it short in the morning and then got in the remaining 6.63 in the afternoon on the treadmill (still super icy out), which felt MUCH better. 16 miles for the day.

Saturday, 2/23: REST DAY! Completely lounged and it was amazing.

Sunday, 2/24: REST DAY! Went snowshoeing, did some strength, and a bunch of stretching.

Total Mileage: 58.5 miles!

Total Elevation: 2, 122’ up

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Also LOVING this new shirt I got from Oiselle.

THIS cream cheese (almond milk!) tastes amazing.

It’s finally warm enough here to wear just ONE layer on top & bottom! YAY! Does this mean Spring is coming?!?

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How’s your week going?

What’s the weather where you are?

Favorite ways to pass the time on the ‘mill?

Eugene Marathon/ 50 Miler RUNdown Week 8: 2/11-2/17

Happy Humpday! I’ve got my speedwork on the treadmill this morning, then hoping to get in the rest of my runs this week outside (if the weather cooperates!). How’s the weather where you are? I have no energy left to continue to dress in a million layers, with my spikes outside anymore. I’m perfectly content with just holing up on the treadmill and catching up on shows at the moment. I really do miss those perfect running temps and none-slippery surfaces though….

I ran 50 miles again last week and this is my last week before I have a cut-back recovery week! Yay! I’m feeling strong, focusing on getting a bunch of sleep, and refueling with GOOD nutrients!

Monday, 2/11: 5.3 miles easy at 11:20 851’ up & yoga to recover

Tuesday, 2/12: planned 7 miles @ tempo, but plantar fasciitis was not having it so cut it after 4.5 miles and got in extra strength.

Wednesday, 2/13: 6.15 miles easy @ 9:35 322’ up / yoga. Followed by the best dessert out there. Popcorn & Justin’s Dark Chocolate PB Cups.

Thursday, 2/14: Rest day! Went skiing!

Friday, 2/16: 14 miles split into 2 runs (7.3 miles in the AM / 6.75 miles in the afternoon/ strength to recover). I wanted to get it in all in the AM, but had the kitties vet appointment and ya know- life happens! So I adjusted and got it into two runs. Total elevation gain was over 1, 500’. Also YAY for muddy un-covered legs. Even though it was only one day, I know that spring is just around the corner!

Saturday, 2/17: 12 miles easy @ 10:02 pace with 150’ up. Another blizzard, another treadmill.

Sunday, 2/18: 8 miles with 1.5 warm-up / 3 x 1 miles (7:24 / 7:11 / 6:58) with .37 recovery between sets then 2 x 1 mi @ 5% incline at 8:48 pace? / then cool down until I hit 8 miles. Felt incredibly strong and I think I could have gone faster on those mile repeats, but happy with the results! 15 minutes of strength beforehand.

Total Mileage: 50.01 miles

Total Elevation gain: 2, 823’ up

Eugene Marathon/50 Miler RUNdown Week 7: 2/4-2/10

Happy Humpday! We’re off to our yurt trip this afternoon and I’ll have a full recap for you on Friday. I’m so excited to just completely disconnect for the next 24ish hours. It’s amazing how draining social media/ email/ phones can take out of you. Anyone else feel this way? I think our cats will miss our clothes the most.

Last week I hit a bit over 48 miles and will continue building for the next 2 weeks (working lots of hills!) and then have another recovery week. I’m feeling strong and ready for my upcoming races. Can it be April/May already?!?

Monday, 2/4: 6 mi easy @ 10:34 98’ up. Commuting about with errands during my lunch break. Also sporting my pats hat because ya know they won the Super Bowl or something like that? ; )

Tuesday, 2/5: 1.5 mi warm-up, 7 miles at marathon pace effort (8:18), .65 mi cool down & 20 minutes of strength. I normally would have wanted to get to that 10 miles rather than stop my cool down short (finishing at 9.15 miles), BUT strength is really important and I wanted to get it in. So I adjusted my goals for the day and made sure to make time for strength training.

Wednesday, 2/6: Rest Day. 30 minutes of Recovery Yoga

Thursday, 2/7: 7.02 miles. 1 mi warm-up / ladder workout (400/800/1200/1600/1200/800/400 with 400 recovery between sets) / ? mi cool down. I was feeling really exhausted and slept in rather than getting this in first thing Thurs morning. So I switched my schedule around and was short on time to fit it in during my lunch break. My last 400 was at 6:48 pace and the others were a bit more conservative (7:14-7:20 pace I believe?) since I felt pretty crappy (major sinus headache and stomach was NOT happy). I still got it in and happy with my effort. Not every run is great and paces are sometimes not where you want/imagine them to be, but that is training!

Friday, 2/8: 10.10 miles easy @ 10:00 600’ up & strength. On the treadmill because it was -20 something out again in the morning. Lots of treadmill endurance building over here!

Saturday, 2/9: 12.02 miles easy @ 10;14 1, 332’ up. I was SO surprised with the amount of elevation I gained. My legs were definitely feeling it afterwards and an Epsom Salt bath really helped with it. I also played around with nutrition with real foods (perfect training for my 50 miler!). I brought along bananas, sea salt chips, and a dried pineapple (along with plain H2O & Nuun). It was windy out and the pace included walking breaks to get my nutrition out/ consume it/ put it back.

Sunday, 2/10: 4.01 miles easy @ 10:40 243’ up & strength. Legs were still so tired. My lungs felt great, but wow my legs felt like lead! Also did XC skiing before this, so rather than go up to 6 miles (goal was 4-6 miles easy) I stopped at 4 because of how my legs felt/ lots of other things to get done/ 45 minutes of exercise sounded good. Listening to my body more!

Total Mleage: 48.32 miles

Total Elevation: 2, 273’ up - most elevation gain this training cycle thus far!

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How’s your training going?

What’s your next race?

Training Tuesday: Marathon Fatigue

Happy Tuesday! I’ve got another 7 miles at goal marathon effort on the ‘mill this morning (it’s just too cold/ icy out to do this in the early mornings on the roads in the winter, so I’m building up my mental stamina) and some strength. I’ve come to really look forward to my early morning Tuesday alarms (4am), although when it first goes off I definitely look something more-so like this:

SOURCE

I’ve been wanting to do a post about marathon fatigue for a while now because it’s something that I honestly always forget about (and I’ve ran 6 marathons). It’s those first 4 weeks or so of training (for me, anyways), where everything feels terrible. Your legs feel dead, speed is just not happening, and anything surrounding marathon pace is plain ugly.

Your almost always tired and the fatigue in those easy recovery runs is 100% REAL. I always equate those recovery runs to running through mud, with weights on your legs. Which is honestly how these runs should feel like. They’re getting the blood flowing, your main goal is to NOT work your cardiovascular system too much (save it for those speed/long/tempo runs in your week!), and it’s just working out all those kinks. Which is why it should feel hard/terrible/aweful.

Your body is also adjusting to a new schedule, which is one of the hardest things for me! Getting into a new routine is CHALLENGING. Until I make it a habit, it’s a struggle to get up early, find a good time each week to fit in my strength/ yoga/ rest day/ long run day etc. After those 4 or so weeks, I’ve finally adjusted (mentally AND physically) to training. I know how I’ll feel after certain runs and by trail and error (many marathon training cycles to go off of), and also when running/training works best for you. Unfortunately, if it’s your first or second marathon you may not yet have this down.

Marathon training takes a lot of time and energy. FIguring out how it works into your schedule and ADJUSTING to it takes PATIENCE. It’s not going to magically feel good overnight (or rarely will you ever feel great until after race day) and it takes a few weeks to adjust to ANY new training plan/schedule/routine (like anything in life, right?). I think getting over that 4-5 week training hump is hard with every new training cycle I begin and sometimes I find that it isn’t working and something needs to change. I did this for my goal Fall marathon (LV Rock n Roll) and found that switching to the half would be best for me where I was in life at the moment. That’s OK and sometimes it’s harder to acknowledge where you are versus where you want to be and make adjustments from there. Give yourself time, patience, and grace.

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I’d love to know your tips when beginning a new cycle (marathon or something else!)- do you find to have an adjustment period? How long does it take for you?

Favorite day of the week? —> Almost always Thursdays. You’re on the cusp of the end of the week and by then I’ve got my long workdays behind me!

Where are you able to train right now ? Roads? Trails? Treadmill?