Eugene Marathon/ 50 Miler Training RUNdown Week 3 1/7-1/13

Humpday! How’s your week going so far?!? I can’t believe I’m FOUR WEEKS into training for Eugene/ my 50 miler! I’m honestly loving the blend of the two training plans. I’ve got some speed in there, but also some longer runs where pace doesn’t matter so much. I’m continuing to build up my elevation profile slowly so as to not get injured and trying to fit in some cross training at least once a week. Last week was a bit warmer, so I was able to get in most of my runs outside, but this week we’re back down into the negatives in the mornings so I anticipate most of my runs will be on the treadmill and that’s OK. Treadmill runs are still helpful and in the winter, they’re pretty necessary for me to get in any sort of speedwork (most of our roads are still icy that I need to wear my stabil-icers, which I just do not trust when increasing my speed). I always err on the side of caution in the winter rather than slip on ice because I want to be running into my 90s!

Monday, 1/7: 5.12 miles easy 11:24 pace with 678’ up. 1/2 mile swim at lunch! Had to run through ~3 inches of snow since they hadn’t plowed yet. Definitely a great cross-training for my ultra! Slowed down my pace since I felt really tired this morning and worked on my breathing. If it started to feel hard, then I slowed down. I’m all about listening to my body now especially with a speedwork session on tap the next day.

Tuesday, 1/8: 8 miles! 1.5 mi warm-up, 8 x 600 (7:21 pace worked down to last one at 6:58 pace), 1.5 mi cool-cown & strength. Fit this in on the treadmill. Had to hope around on a few treadmills to get it done, but felt in control and nothing too challenging.

Wednesday, 1/9: Rest day! Fit in some yoga to stretch it all out.

Thursday, 1/10: 8 miles easy & strength. Had to piece this run together throughout the day (due to it being something like 3* outside in the morning and too cold for anything beyond a mile) then a few miles before teaching skating and then a few miles after teaching skating. Sometimes you just gotta make it work with what you have!

Friday, 1/11: 13.05 miles at a steady-state pace 9:24 603’ up! Planned to get in anywhere between 12-14 miles and felt really good with this one. All finished before 7:30am too!

Saturday, 1/12: skied all day! Legs were exhausted, but got in 4.25 very easy miles at 11:03 pace on the treadmill & strength training.

Sunday, 1/13: 9 miles- 1.5 mi warm-up/ 6 miles @ goal marathon effort (8:15 actual)/ 1.5 mi cool-down & lotsa stretching/ soaked in the hot springs post-run

Total Mileage: 47.42 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 1, 359’ up

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Where are you able to run most of the time in the winter?

Do you have an indoor track that you can do your speedwork?! —> If so, I’m JEALOUS!

What are you currently training for?! How’s it going??

Training Tuesday: So You've Signed Up For A Marathon- Now What?

Happy Tuesday! I wanted to share with you some tips that I’ve learned over the course of training for 6 marathons. While I’m still learning every training cycle, I also remember a few things that I read when training for my first that were totally incorrect/ inaccurate! Signing up for a new distance or new goal can be totally scary/ exhilarating (ahem- how I’m feeling about my first 50 miler in May!). You’ve made the plunge to sign-up, but now the real work begins when you have to actually train?!?

So here are a few things that I’ve found helpful when training for marathons specifically!

Find a time to fit in your training runs and be non-negotiable on those times. When you’re working on a new schedule, it can be challenging those first 3-4 weeks adjusting. Be kind to yourself, but also know that once you get on the new schedule it will feel easier! If you’re not a morning person, then schedule in your runs after work (just like a meeting). Or if you can do mid-day runs, then fit them in just like a meeting. Don’t back out on yourself and visualize that finish line when you try to come up with excuses.

Get used to planning ahead. When I was training for my first marathon, I was a terrible planner. I had a ‘rough’ idea of when my long run would be or how I’d refuel after running, but it wasn’t until after a few marathon training cycles that I realized how imperative it was to plan ahead for these things. Now, I know how I’ll refuel post-run, where I’m running the next day (which can always change depending on weather/ poor sleep etc.), and if I need to take in a few extra calories today for tomorrow’s longer run.

Stretching and strength training are necessary and as important as running! I’ve just started to stretch way more than I used to and it has helped me so much. I now switch up my strength training schedule every 6-8 weeks so my body doesn’t become stagnant (your body will actually plateau if you continue to work on the same exercises for an extended period of time (I usually increase weight/reps over 6 weeks then switch to a new routine)- no matter if you increase the weight/ reps). Try not to skimp on these things and make them as much of a priority as running.

Find a training plan that works for your schedule (or hire a coach)! I’ve tried so many various training plans. Some worked great for me, others were not what worked for my schedule or training goals- know that every person is unique and your training plan should be that way too! Don’t expect to get the same results as your BFF from the same training plan- everyone is different.

Anticipate on being tired and know that that’s NORMAL! I cannot tell you how exhausted I was when training for my first few marathons. I couldn’t fathom how people who had full-time jobs and kids trained for marathons because it took up so much of my time! It took me until maybe my 4th marathon where I finally started to feel like training wasn’t kicking my butt. Trust the training process and be kind to yourself.

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What are some types you’d give to a first-time marathoner?!

Weekend Recap

What a great weekend we had! It’s funny how just doing something out of your normal schedule can really give you that extra boost of energy (or well- if it’s like that all the time then I think it’s pretty draining). We ended up skiing at Snowmass mountain in Aspen on Saturday and it was so much fun. We got the Ikon Pass this year, so we’re able to ski not just at Steamboat Resort (where we live), but also so many other great resorts! This was my second Colorado resort (other than Steamboat) that I’ve skied at, so I was so excited to try something new. We ended up booking a relatively inexpensive hotel in Glenwood Springs Friday night (around an hour and a half drive to get there) so we could break up the drive a bit. Lucky for us, our hotel was right next to a DQ so we just had to get some ice cream once we got there (also it was 40* there at night?!?).

We also researched parking lots so we would know relatively where we were going and came across this review:

Thanks to this review, we definitely knew this was the parking lot for us. Ha. We got there pretty early (it was less than hour drive from Glenwood to Snowmass)- aka had time to drink a latte at the base area before it opened and honestly it was so quiet there!

I’m sure that having 4 ski resorts so close together definitely helped spread out the crowds. It had also snowed there the day before so we go lucky enough to get some fresh tracks (AND skied a few untouched few powder areas).

We also had the best lunch at Base Camp Bar & Grill. SO DELICIOUS and yes, I ate it all.

Plus had the best Bloody Mary around. Pretty much a necessity when skiing.

So grateful to get to experience such beautiful areas on skis! We drove home Saturday night and got in around 4pm (not too terrible). I hopped right on the treadmill (because my quads couldn’t handle the thought of anymore hills- they were so tired from skiing!) and got in 4.25 easy paced miles watching Gilmore Girls then decided to get my strength in since my legs were already destroyed. Needless to say, it was definitely an early bedtime for both of us! Ha. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep at 8:30 and didn’t wake up until 6:45 Sunday morning!

Sunday was a lot of finishing up the laundry, catching some of the Pats game, hitting the treadmill for my 6 miles at marathon effort (my legs were still so tired from skiing that I couldn’t fathom any sort of elevation gain) plus some warm-up/ cool-down miles, and teaching skating in the late afternoon. We also performed surgery on my Noxgear vest! It had snapped when I used it one very cold morning a few weeks ago and they sent me out a new lighted piece with directions on how to replace it! It was pretty easy once we were able to get the screws out and I always love a company that honors a lifetime guarantee policy!

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Best place you’ve ever skied?

Favorite Apres Ski beverage? I promise I won’t judge if it’s Hot Cocoa (normally my second favorite ; ) …)

Three things you did this weekend?!

Being Flexible, I Wish I Were Here, And Needing Travel!

Happy Friday! Welp. Yesterday’s run did NOT go initially as planned. You know how you sometimes just have a feeling that somethings off or you just get distracted a little too easily? Yeah. that was definitely my morning. I didn’t sleep super well because there’s a light outside of our condo that is supposed to be a sensor light, but instead of going off sometimes it just stays on all night (and proceeds to illuminate our entire room). Alex can honestly sleep through anything, but I need basically complete darkness! So needless to say, I was tired when my 4am alarm went off (as well as already partially awake) and then I just took forever to get ready for my run. I drank coffee, cuddled in my heated blanket, ate breakfast, did my strength work, contemplated where I should do my goal marathon paced miles, and before I knew it- Alex was awake and it was 5:45?!?

Yeah, I guess I got very easily distracted. I also should have stuck to my initial plan of leaving at 5am and doing my run on the treadmill.

I finally left our house around 6:15 and got into Steamboat where it was almost 20* COLDER than our home?!? AKA it was 4* and I was NOT wearing the right layers. I did one slow mile (sooo icy out!) and called it.

Luckily, I had a bit of flexibility in my day and decided to just do easy miles and will do my long run this morning (hopefully outside if it’s warm enough!- second week of back-to-back longish runs for my 50 miler training!) and do my goal paced miles on Sunday. It actually works out for the best because I was a bit concerned about getting in 8 miles Saturday morning before we left for our ski adventure and now I’ll have just 5 to get in instead (much more manageable!).

I’m glad I was so flexible about my schedule, but wow did some curveballs try to deter me from my run or what?!? Isn’t it funny how determined we (as runners are)? I know a lot of people who honestly would have just bagged their entire workout plans, but I’m glad that my stubbornness didn’t let me!

ALSO- I’m following along on all those RunDisney marathon weekend posts (and proceeding to be SO JEALOUS). Throwback to the time that I signed up for the Goofy Challenge and then ran 13.1 miles in the dark along a 3/4 mile strip on the road (finishing at 11:30pm) when the half marathon was cancelled due to crazy hurricane-like rain/wind/lightning! I will 100% do the Dopey Challenge someday. It’s on my bucketlist! Hmmm maybe a good ‘last hoorah’ before I turn 30 in 2020?!?

THIS VIEW was by far the best view I think I’ve ever had during any marathon. It was around mile 5? I think and so unbelievably beautiful before the sun came up. I want to go back just to experience it again (even though it was SO COLD and windy the entire race).

I’m super excited to travel somewhere tomorrow (other than Steamboat)- I feel like it’s really easy to get stuck here in town in the winter. It’s so much easier to travel in the Summer and everything just feels more accessible. I miss little things like a trip to Target or Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee or Trader Joes! I don’t think we’ll be driving by any of these things, but just going somewhere else is all I really need! Ohhh TBT to donuts after half marathons….yummm… Also almost complete committed to signing up for my goal half marathon here in CO- still trying to decide! Anyone else plan out their entire racing season like a year in advance?

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Favorite post-race treat?

Are you flexible with your training plans or like to stick to a strict schedule?

Anyone racing Disney or do you also wish you were there?1?

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?