Week in review: Half Marathon Training Week 2

It's been a little while since my last blog post. It is not for lack of running just the lack of anything of interest to say really. Life has been pretty busy. And I have been working really hard to be flexible with my running schedule. I've had to shift runs around according to my family's needs. I'm not going to lie, it's been annoying. But I am proud to say I hit my mileage last week despite all of the disruptions.

Monday: Rest day. I handled this like a champ.

Tuesday: 3 miles + Strides. Missed this run because I had to take Brent to pick up his car from the mechanic.

Wednesday: Rest day/Strength. I moved Tuesday's run to Wednesday and dabbled for the first time in speedwork. I ran my usual 3 mile pre-work route but every so often added in 30 second bursts of speed. It was fun, but I learned a few things - namely, do not group your speed bursts all in the beginning of the workout if you want to have energy for the end. Rookie mistake duly noted.

Thursday: Speed work (10 min WU; 6x30sec at Zone 4 with 1 min recovery; 10 min CD) I warmed up for a mile at 10:40 pace then hit the intervals, which went a little like this:

9:51

8:19

7:58

7:53

8:33

7:34

I was able to manage a slow recovery run after the first 2 intervals, but after that, recovery slowed to a fast walk. After a cool down (1.2 miles at 11:30) I was done my first true speed session. Conclusion: Speed work is kind of fun!

Do I look any faster?

Friday: Rest. Done and done.

Saturday: 3 miles. I only made it 2.6 miles. I wasn't able to get out until mid day and by that time it was just too hot.

Sunday: 7 miles. Nailed it! I was a little nervous about this run because last week's 6 miler took everything I had and I wasn't sure how I was going to add another mile onto that this week. But the weather cooperated. It was 70, overcast and misty. I felt really strong during this run and had a good time.

And also the post run cupcakes.

All in all I am pretty please with this week. My only major complaint is the lack of any strength/core work. I will have to rectify that this week!

First training run in the books...finally!

I am pretty sure that the universe is conspiring against me.

Or else I am a little punk who is too easily making excuses not to run.

Either one.

My first official week of Half Marathon training is not going so well. I am hoping that this is not a sign of things to come and I am just getting all of the BS out of the way early. Here is a run down of the week so far...

Monday: Rest day. Yep. I started off Half training with a rest day. I am awesome like that. No, seriously, my family schedule deems Monday is a rest day for me since there are too many other obligations on Monday mornings and evenings.

Tuesday: The plan was to run 3-4 miles with some strides before work. I got up and the sky looked pretty daunting. A check of the weather said some nasty thunderstorms were on the way. I bailed. It never rained a drop. Fail.

Wednesday: I had planned to make up for Tuesday's missed run on Wednesday morning. But my phone battery died in the middle of the night and my alarm never went off. Fail #2. I brought my running clothes to work and made an elaborate plan of running during Morgan's karate class when the sky opened up with torrential rains. I almost didn't go but I couldn't stand the thought of Fail #3. By the time I got to the trail it was lightly drizzling and pretty cool. Great running weather. It was a rough run since I have been pretty inconsistent in the past week and a half and it was my very hilly route. But I got it done.

Muddy hills and wet hurdles

I am still waiting to see how the weekend goes since Brent is supposed to go to Myrtle Beach for a bachelor party.  Hopefully this first training week can be salvaged....

Let's Get Serious

Well hello there!

I am back! And I have a plan!

June was a building up month for me. Thanks to the Another Mother Challenge, I was motivated to get in a lot of running and some strength training to prepare myself for the start of Half Marathon Training.

I had a little birthday.

And now I am returning fresh from vacation. The family and I packed up and headed to my hometown of Philadelphia with a pit stop at the family beach house in Wildwood, NJ. We spent 3 wonderful days enjoying the sun, surf and sand before spending an extra couple of days back in PA.

He could have stayed in the ocean the entire time.

  

She preferred the sand.

There was also some running. 

4 early morning miles along the beach.

I will also argue that sea kayaking is a form of strength training. That stuff is no joke on the biceps!

Vacation was wonderful, but we were all ready to come home by day 6.

So after cruising through the month of June with no training plan to speak of I suddenly find myself in the second week of July. My 16 week half marathon training plan starts this week. I have modified the Train Like a Mother Runner Finish It plan to suit my family's schedule. 16 weeks is a generous time frame for the Half and I like that. I like that I will have at least 3 10 milers and a couple of 12-13 mile runs before the race. I think that will give me all the confidence I need.

And I'm going to need a lot because I am doing not one, but TWO Half Marathons this Fall.

First is the repeat of the Ramblin' Rose Women's Half Marathon. I ran this race last year and missed my time goal by 10 minutes. I know now that this course is HILLY, so I can incorporate hills into my training and hopefully crush last year's time.

Second is the OBX Half Marathon 3 weeks later. A friend of mine is coming down with some of her running buddies for the race as well. It will be an awesome girls' weekend. I haven't yet decided what my goal for this race will be other than to have fun and finish it. 

I am a little nervous about running two long races within 3 weeks of each other. Mostly,  this is because last year after the Half I did not run for 3 months due to burnout. I have high hopes for avoiding that this year since I missed out on a lot of great Spring races.

So now I am all fired up and ready to get this party started!