Training Rundown Week 11-MS Run The US

Happy Humpday! I am less than 75 days to go until my MS Run The US start line (and only about 5 weeks away from the Salt Lake City Marathon)! I hit my first 60+ mileage week this year and had strong training runs throughout the entire week! I fit in two strength training sessions on my own, hit all of my goal paced workouts, and only did one run on the treadmill. I gained a total of 2, 137' of elevation (my highest ever recorded), including over 500' in my long run on Saturday morning of 16 miles. 

Monday: 1.5 warm up; 8 miles @ tempo 8:20-8:35 (actual: 8:20); 1.5 cool-down. Felt strong and relatively easy & Yoga & 15 minutes strength training

Tuesday: 8 miles easy @ 9:58 pace

Wednesday: 1.5 warm-up; 6 x 1 mile @ 8:00-8:10 (actual: 8:14, 8:05, 8:01, 8:06, 8:10, 8:01) with 400R between sets; 1.0 cool-down. 10 miles total & 15 minutes of foam rolling/ strength training

Thursday: 8 miles easy @ 10:00 pace on the treadmill

Friday: 8 miles easy @ 10:13 700'+ elevation gain. & foam rolling

Saturday: 16 miles long slow pace @ 9:03-9:18 (actual: (9:13 pace)) 500'+ elevation gain & foam rolling

Sunday: Rest Day

Positive Splits:

• Hit my paces on all workouts
• Fit in 2 strength training sessions
• Fit in yoga
• Remained hydrated
• All but one run outside
• Some very hilly runs!

Negative Splits:

• Strength training sessions were not as long as I would have liked
• Nutrition could have been better (overall)

How's your Wednesday going?!

How's your training going? 

How do you fit in strength & foam rolling?!

Training Rundown- Week 5 MS Run The US

Week 5 is done and gone! Last week went really well (for the most part). It has definitely been challenging to run and train during the month of January (normally I take this month off from any serious training programs and begin in mid-to-late February). I've also been working a BUNCH on the weekends and week nights teaching skiing, so that has not left a lot of room for any sort of flexibility. I got in 4 outdoor runs and 2 treadmill runs, so I'm pretty proud of that ratio and try to keep a few of my runs a week on the treadmill (just to keep my pace extra easy). I fit in 3 strength training sessions (including one Jumpboard Reformer Pilates class) and also was able to Epsom Salt soak twice/ foam roll a few times. I haven't gotten sick yet this year, so that is also a HUGE step in the right direction because normally this is where I start to get a week or two of a cold during marathon training as my body adapts. 

Monday: 7 miles; 1.5 warm-up; 6 x 1 km @ 4:24 (actual: 4:38*, 4:33*, 4:24, 4:24, 4:21, 4:20--> *done outside in single digit temps (too cold for me to do speedwork & did the remaining on the treadmill); .5 cool-down. I just became frustrated with this run (having to do some indoors & some outside) and ran out of time and just was ready to be done so cut it a mile short. Finished with 7 miles. 60 minutes of Jumpboard Pilates Reformer at lunch. Taught a ski lesson at night..so tired!!

Tuesday: 6 miles easy @ 9:40 on the treadmill. Slept in a bit too much (thanks to the kittens for being WAY too cuddly) and had to go at a faster easy pace than I normally like to between my speed & tempo days. 

Wednesday: 9 miles; 1.5 warm-up; 6 miles @ tempo 8:35 (actual: 7:51? I think my garmin was off and thinking my pace was more around 8:05/8:10); 1.5 cool-down. 30 minutes of strength training afterwards. I waited to do this run in the afternoon when the sun was shining and temps were right around 30*. It was beautiful and gained 202', which was pretty good for a tempo run! Epsom salt bath to recover at the end of the day. I also saw a bald eagle during the start of my tempo run and this was so important to propel me forward because the day that my grandfather passed, I was out on a run and saw a bald eagle and decided that that was his spirit animal! It was so great to know that he was watching me run. 

Thursday: 7 miles easy @ 9:55 on the treadmill. Kept the pace easy and felt strong on my run. 

Friday: 12 miles @ 9:03-9:18 long-slow pace (actual: 9:08). Gained 266' during this run and started before 6am. It was SO cold and most everything I had ended up freezing, but I got it done! 

Prep for my long run the night before! Getting up at 4:30 is definitely NEVER easy!

Saturday: 6 miles easy

Sunday: Rest Day

Positive Splits:

• Hit my long run pace
• Hit my tempo pace
• Fit in three strength training session
• Fit in two epsom salt recovery baths
• Foam rolled a bunch
• Nutrition was pretty good & hydration was on point!

Negative Splits:

• That speed workout was terrible. Total disaster!

Happy humpday! I hope your training is going well! 

MS Monday- A Closer Look At My 175-Mile Segment

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend full of play and NOT working (.....like me....). I am coming at you today from beautiful Denver! It's a crazy week ahead of me, but I am still planning on getting in my runs no matter. The extra challenge is what makes me a stronger runner! I got to the gym at 5:30 this morning (and even did my warm-up outside) so I could get my speedwork session in before meeting my co-workers at 7 to hit the road (which ironically I will be running in 120 DAYS!)...Alas, perfect segway to my topic today- previewing my running route for MS Run The US relay! 

I have several major climbs through my 7-day running streak, all of which go to around a 7% grade. My biggest challenges will be the peaks that you see ~mile 15 & ~mile 100. I've slowly started to do the following with my training:

• Not shying away from a hill. I NEVER used to run a hilly route (like ever)- mainly due to my achilles tendonitis, but also because they would leave me feeling so defeated. So I've learned to 'embrace the hill'
• Tempo runs done on a slightly hilly course. Yes, trying to hit my paces on something that is not completely flat is definitely hard, but that is what I will be faced when it comes to my relay (and SLC marathon in April) so better start training for it now!
• Building up my leg strength. Helllloo squats with kettlebells, one-legged squats, split squats, bridges..yup! they are ALL in my strength training routine. Look out for a feature of what strength exercises I'm incorporating in my training coming up SOON!
• Running on the treadmill at an incline. I used to never bump it up even 0.5% grade, but now I am consistently running at either 0.5% or 1.0% on my easy days and throwing in a few minutes at 2% or 3% incline (not typically on my easy days). I'm working my way up to a 10% incline, but slow and steady progress wins the race!
• Once-a-week picking a VERY hilly route for an easy run. Paces are thrown out the window and I focus on my running form and getting up and over each hill.
• Incorporating a trail run (when the weather gives me a dry trail...). Not so much right NOW, but trail running when I can because my relay segment is a mix of dirt and road trails.

I have also hit 35% of my fundraising goal thus far! I'm super excited and have a GREAT fundraiser coming up for the month of February and can't wait to announce the details with you all very very soon (stay tuned)!

I hope you have a wonderful Monday and don't worry... the week isn't going to be nearly as terrible as Monday is! 

What are you up to today?

Weekend plans- anything fun coming up?

Training Rundown- Week 4 MS Run The US

How does a month go by so quickly?! I seriously cannot believe that I'm already over 4 weeks into my training for MS Run The US. I've accumulated over 130 miles during this training cycle already, but will definitely need to bump that number up since I'll need to cover 175 miles OVER 6 DAYS in May! Overall, my schedule is still feeling really good and I'm super happy that I've still been able to fit in strength training 3 times a week through this cycle (one of my New Years Resolutions). I've also been able to keep up with Yoga once a week, which I think really helps stretch me out and not keep me so tight. I fit in a massage session on Friday, which really helped loosen my leg/ foot muscles up. This week had a lot of miles done on the treadmill because we had a crazy amount of snow/ice and it was just a bit too dangerous to run outside in the morning. 

Monday: 7.5 miles; 1.5 mile warm-up; 6 x 800m @ 3:35 (actual: 3:37, 3:35, 3:35, 3:33, 3:33, 3:32); 1.5 mile cool-down; I actually did a 2 mile warm-up run in the morning before work with a hard 40 minute strength/ foam rolling session then did my remaining .5 warm-up/.5 cool-down with my 800s over my lunch break to fit it all in. Felt strong and was happy with those later splits! I did this on the roadway since our track is totally snow-covered.

Tuesday: 6 miles easy on the treadmill @ 9:59 pace

Wednesday: 9 miles; 1.5 mile warm-up @ 9:50; 6 miles @ Marathon Goal Pace 8:35 (actual: 8:20); 1.5 cool-down on the treadmill; 60 minute JumpBoard Reformer Class at Lunch

Thursday: 6 miles easy on the treadmill @ 9:40 pace

Friday: 8 miles easy at 9:59 pace

Saturday: 8 miles easy at 9:53 pace

Sunday: Rest Day

Positive Splits:

• Hit my paces during my hard workouts
• Fit in 3 strength training sessions
• Kept my easy runs at a good recovery pace
•  

Negative Splits:

• Not enough foam rolling sessions
• Didn't fit in 3 strength training sessions
• Wasn't able to get in a Yoga session!

How was your training last week? Get in any good runs outside or stuck on the treadmill too?

Here's your daily kitten cuteness photo- how absolutely adorable are they?!?

Training Rundown- Week 2 MS Run The US

Hello friends! Happiest Humpday to you! I'm not sure if it's just me, but I am already so excited for the weekend and honestly feel like I need a week off just to catch up on all my sleep (or else I need ample amount of sugar to get me to Friday...!). How are your New Years Resolutions coming? I started mine yesterday- I booked a massage and ended my evening with yoga to destress! Next on my list is finding a beautiful looking journal to put all my thoughts in : ) Week 2 of training is complete! I managed to get in 41 miles this week and had my first speed session of the training plan! I'm pretty proud that I was able to still get all this running in even when I worked over 50 hours last week AND 2 x 10-hour days. That certainly was NOT easy and I am so thankful for Alex for holding down the fort and getting all the chores done while I was busy at work. It really does make everything better when someone you love is around and able to help!

Monday: Christmas Day! Snowy 6-mile run @ 10:29 pace gaining 302'. I ran this run on mainly unplowed roads and wet feet, so pretty proud that I still managed to get my mileage in!

Tuesday: Track Tuesday is BACK! 1.5 mile warm-up; 12 x 400 @ goal of 1:48 per 400 (actual splits: 1:48; 1:49; 1:46; 1:45; 1:49; 1:49; 1:48; 1:47; 1:43; 1:44; 1:46; 1:44); 1.5 mile cool-down. I had to split this run between outside during my lunch break and then head over to the treadmill to get the rest of my splits in because the roads started to get really icy (that's those slower middle splits), but regardless I got it done and overall paces were pretty great. 

Wednesday: 6 miles easy on the treadmill @ 10:00 recovery pace & 15 minutes of strength

Thursday: 8.22 miles easy on some hilly roads. I got my run in between work shifts (10 hour day) and it was so nice to be able to run during daylight and outside too! 9:45 pace & 541' gain

Friday: 6 miles easy on the treadmill @ 9:59 recovery pace & 20 minutes of strength training

Saturday: 6 miles easy on some hilly roads by my house at 6am before heading off to teach skiing for the day! 10:29 pace BUT 699' elevation gain. After I saw my elevation gain, I gave myself some slack on the slower pace and felt pretty bada** Took an Epsom Salt Bath to recover later in the afternoon.

Sunday: Rest Day! Taught skiing again....

Positive Splits:

• Got in all my mileage, despite having a crazy busy training schedule
• Mileage gain for the week was over 1,500 which was AWESOME
• Got in two strength training sessions
• Finished out 2017 feeling strong and ready to go kick some 2018 butt

Negative Splits:

• Those few splits on my 400s... really wish I could RE-DO them!! #perfectionist
• Did not get to foam roll as much as I would have liked
• Didn't fit in yoga this week, which was on my list to-do

What goals did you crush this last week?

Have you started a new training plan for an upcoming race? WHAT is your race?!?

Favorite way to fuel yourself through a tough work week? Sugar...Candy...always....