My "Non-Training" Training Plan

Three full marathons in a four months, you'd think I'd be totally ready for a break, right!?!

Well yes and no.

Yes, I am ready to take a break from trying to BQ.  I obviously need to take a step back for now to figure out what I'm doing wrong in my training and of course on race day.  And of course just give my body and mind a break from all that entails.  I'm thinking of either trying again this Fall or waiting until the following Spring.

But no, I am not slowing down by any means.  I actually just signed up for my first ultra marathon this April.  It is a 50k trail race here in Central Florida and I am excited and nervous as can be.  My goal for this 50k (it's suppose to be 31.1 but it's a long course and is actually 32.6) is simply just to finish.  So my goal for training is to just get in my miles in, stay healthy and enjoy this new endeavor.  Kinda like when I embarked on my first marathon journey.

What better way to keep my mileage up for my upcoming ultra than to pace a full marathon!?!  So yes, I will be running yet another full, but this time I will not be racing rather I will get to be helping out fellow runners with their marathon goals.

And if that wasn't quite enough for me, I've decided to add a few other races to my schedule between now and May including a 10k, half marathon and sprint tri.  I haven't raced a 10k in almost three years.  I haven't raced a half marathon in over a year.  And last year was the first time I had done a tri in almost 7 years.  So I'm anxious for these three events and am definitely going to be shooting for some PR's!

So with all that being said, here is a look at what last week of training went like for me and what's in store.

MONDAY Spinning + Lift
Hunter took the boys to school and I was able to sneak in a quick lift before teaching my spin class.  This was the first opportunity in weeks to work lower body so I figured I'd give it a whirl.  I went a lot lighter than were I left off but still got in some multiplanar lunge rotations, goblet squats and single leg RDL's.  I threw in a few upper body exercises as well then taught my class.  By the afternoon, I knew I was going to be "feeling" my leg workout but I had no idea how sore I would turn out to be!

TUESDAY 8 Easy Miles
Without anything to specifically train for, other than keeping up the miles, I figured I would just lace up, throw my head phones on and hit the trail to see how far I felt like going.  My sore legs really loosened up out there and I felt great, like I could go forever.  There was just one issue that kept me from running much further.  I was given a pair of inserts for my shoes to test out/review and they did NOT work for me!  I'm sure many a runner including their sponsored Olympic athlete absolutely love them, but I wasn't impressed.  I took the time to ensure they were measured out, cut down and placed in my shoes correctly, but they just not feel right at all.  They irritated the crap out of my feet causing a few new blisters, and also caused my Achilles and runner's knee to act up.  So there was a lot of stretching and foam rolling over the next several days to correct it.  Needless to say, the inserts came out, my old ones went back in.  I may try to give them another shot but I wasn't sold after that first day at all, so I think I'm going to stick to what has always worked well for me.  Live and learn.

WEDNESDAY MetCon
Before all my marathons this Fall/Winter, Wednesdays were my big days in the weight room.  I would usually lift heavy, throw stuff and jump.  But as I got deep into marathon training and running back to back races, I scaled way back on those MetCon workouts.  But without any major running goals other than keeping up my miles, I figured now is as good as time as any to get back after it in the weight room.  My legs were a little sore from Monday and from my inserts fail the day before, so I was a little anxious to see how body would react to a high intensity workout.  It was definitely a challenge but it was equally AWESOME!  I managed 5 rounds of 8 potent exercises including swings, hex bar squats, box jumps, ropes, sprints and more!

THURSDAY 8 Easy Miles
Very similar to my run on Tuesday (minus the inserts) I just wanted to see how far I'd go Thursday (with the limited time I had of course).  I was definitely much more sluggish and slower to get started.  But once I got going, I felt great.  It was much warmer that day and I was sweating and breathing much harder, but I felt good though as my legs loosened up and I got into a good stride.  I knocked out another solid 8 miler that day too.  I am definitely thinking 8 is my magic mileage for my "non-training training plan."

FRIDAY  Upper Lift + Core
Hunter was heading out of town to speak at a conference all weekend, so I wanted to get my workout in early to get him off to the airport.  He rushed home after his early morning class and I hit Planet Fitness up for a quick upper and core.  I spent the rest of the day getting some work done in peace in quiet in my office then it was off to pick up the kiddos!

SATURDAY 8 Miles at HMGP
My Ahcilles was feeling much better after my insert fiasco and overzealous workouts of the week, but my knee was still a pinch tweaky.  I rolled out all my quads and adductors on Friday night in hopes to help alleviate the issue for my Saturday morning run.  It definitely felt a lot better waking up that morning but I didn't want to push it too hard (and because I don't have to) so I decided to shoot for 5-8.  If it didn't go well, I could cut it short and get some laps in the pool.  Because Hunter was gone, I had to wait until the Kids Club was open at the gym and do it on the treadmill there.  I didn't mind though, I got to sleep in, snuggle with my babies and enjoy a full cup of coffee before heading in.  My run actually went better than expected.  I felt a little discomfort in my knee early on but once I got going, it felt much better and by the last few miles there were no issues with it all.  I ended up doing 8 progressive miles with my average pace ending up around HMGP.  All in all it was a great way to finish out the week of training.  I was pleased with my Saturday run and all my workouts of the week, but I was definitely ready for some much needed rest.

SUNDAY Rest Day + Meal Prep + Laundry
Young children have no concept of sleeping in on the weekends so we were all up with the sun, ready to take on the day.  We went to the grocery store, to see the Lego Batman movie, grabbed some lunch, then the rest of the day was spent cleaning, playing superheroes, meal prepping and laundry.  Then it was off to finally pick up daddy from the airport and then hit the hit to start another big week!

I'm really digging on this anti-training program I'm currently on.  It is a much needed change from the last several months of my life.  I know that when I'm read get back to work on my ultimate goal again (BQ), I'm going to have to get focused and committed.   But it's definitely nice to get to go freestyle on my fitness and running for the time being.

Core Training For Runners

By now I'm sure you have heard of the importance of core training for runners.  A strong, stable core helps with posture, form and running economy.  But often times I find that many runners associate the term "core" solely with abs, thus their core training consists only of crunches and sit ups.  

But the core is more than just the abdominal region, and proper core training involves much more than the aforementioned exercises.  The core is defined by the structures that make up the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex, including the lumbar spine, pelvic girdle, abdomen and hip joint.  So along with the transverse abdominis (aka your tummy), the muscles you'll want to focus on during core training also include the hamstrings, glutes, hips, lower back and oblique muscles.

Below are a few of the core exercises we have our athletes do here at The Athlete Factory, I prescribe to my Strength2Run clients, and that I too incorporate into my own workout routine to build core strength and stability.

Plank
One of my absolute favorite baseline core exercises is the plank.  There are several progressions to this exercises, but it is important to master the basic plank before moving on.  Begin lying prone with your elbows underneath your shoulders, palms together.  Come on to your toes and engaging your abdominal as well as glute muscles, pull your body up, parallel to the ground.  Tuck your pelvis towards your rib cage, pulling your belly button towards your spine.  Be sure to break steady for the entire hold.  Attempt to hold for 20-30 seconds for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Tall Planks with Shoulder Taps, Plank Walk Ups, Elbow Planks with Legs Lifts]

Bridge
As stated above, core exercises are not just for the abs.  Here is a great one to engage your glutes, inner and outer thighs.  Begin lying on your back with your knees bent, your arms by your side and your toes pointed up towards the ceiling.  Tilt your pelvis towards your rib cage and squeeze your glute muscles as you draw as much of your spine off the ground.  Press your hips up high continuing to engage the abs and squeezing the glutes.  While doing so, engage the thigh muscles by working hard to keep them parallel to each other.  Hold for a 3 count at the top and slowly release to the bottom position.  Do 10 reps for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Single Leg Bridges, Stability Ball Bridge, Bench Hip Thrusters]

Bird Dogs
Begin in an all-four position with your palms beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath our hips.  Draw one arm forward, parallel to the ground and the OPPOSITE leg back and parallel to the ground.  With the belly button pulled into your spine and keeping the back flat, pull the knee and elbow together (or at least towards each other, they do not have to touch) then release back to original position of arm and leg extended.  Repeat 10x's on one side then perform on the other side for 3 sets each.
[Progressions: Bird Dog Holds, Banded Bird Dogs]

Clam Shells (Band)
Beginners may omit the band while getting used to this exercise and add it in for the challenge.  Begin lying one side with shoulders, knees and ankles stacked on top of each other.  Draw the knees up in line with the hips so that hips and knees are both at a 90 degree angle.  Place top hand on top hip to help keep it in position.  Engaging your the outer glute and thigh of the top leg, lift top leg up (keeping ankles together) and squeeze for a 3 count at the top.  Slowly return to start position and repeat.  Do 10-15 reps on each side for 3 sets.
[Regression: Not Band; Progression: Heavier Resisted Band]

Roll Out (Stability Ball)
This exercise kicks the basic plank up a notch.  Begin in a plank position (see above) on a stability ball.  Keeping feet in place and engaging abs and glutes, slowly roll the ball forward then slowly return to original position.  Do 10-20 reps for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Pot Stirs, V-Presses, Hands on Ball Roll Outs]

Squat Chops (Med Ball)
Begin in a standing position with feet slightly wider than hip distance a part.  Holding a light to medium weight medicine ball in front of chest with arms extended straight out, lower hips down and back, weight in to the heels, lowering ball straight beneath body.  Return to standing position bringing ball overhead.  Repeat 10-15 reps for 3 set.
[Progressions: Heavier Weighted Media Ball, Med Ball Slams]

Of course there are several other exercises and progressions to build a strong, stable core that do not involve trunk flexion (aka crunching), but these are just a few simple movements you can begin incorporating in to your programming.  For additional information or guidance on core training, as well as strength and conditioning programming for runners, feel free to contact me today!

Celebration Marathon Race Recap

Whelp, I can officially check "run a marathon in the freezing cold rain" off my to do list!

About a week or so ago, the weather forecast for yesterday's race was absolutely perfect.  Upper 40's and mostly sunny.  I could not have asked for better racing conditions and was fired up ready to crush my 8th full marathon, and maybe even finally get that BQ I've been hoping for.

As the week went on, however, the temps, the rain chances and of course my emotions were up and down.  By the end of the week, it became apparent what we would be facing on Sunday and it didn't look good.  Low 40's at the start of the race, windy and a 90% chance of rain.

I don't mind the cold.  In fact, temps in the 40's make for my favorite running conditions, especially for a full marathon.  And the rain wasn't expected to be that bad, mostly a drizzle, not a torrential downpour or anything.  But what I was most concerned about because of the weather was the fact there were several boardwalks on the course that have been notorious for people slipping on them during past races.  So I knew I would have to make some adjustments to compensate for my time lost running cautiously on those.

This would be my third marathon in four months.  So I was physically and mentally prepared for whatever would come my way.  So despite the weather, I was ready to go out and give it my best shot.

THE EXPO

The Town of Celebration is a quaint, planned community just outside of Orlando, right across the interstate from Disney.  There are golf courses, beautiful homes and gorgeous landscaping, an adorable little downtown area as well as schools and community buildings.  The expo is held in their town hall, which is no bigger than an average high school gymnasium, if that.   Due to the size of the venue, it's an incredibly small expo, but it is very well organized, efficient and there were still some great vendors in attendance.

Packet pick up was an absolute breeze, the swag bag was full of great goodies, there was a fun photo both and the location of the expo made for a great afternoon with the family.  My sons had a blast running around in the baseball and soccer fields near the expo and afterwards we headed to the downtown area for a late lunch at the Avocado Grill.

The clouds started rolling in as we were finishing up lunch and we could feel the temps start to drop.  We were all getting a little chilly and I still had some race day preparations to make, so we headed back to our side of town about 45 minutes away.  I vaguely remember the parking situation from the first time I ran the three years prior.  So I scoped it out for the next morning and felt confident I should have no problem finding a spot if I got there early enough.

THE NIGHT BEFORE PREPARATIONS

I had goals for this race from several months back.  The key word here being "had."  Realizing that many races in that short period of time could really go either way for me, and recognizing I would be running in less than desirable conditions, I was pretty indifferent about the race as it approached.  So the night before Celebration was one of the least stressful race preps in as long as I can remember.  Probably the only frustration was trying to figure out how I was going to stay somewhat warm and dry for 26.2 miles!

I made a yummy salmon, quinoa, mushroom and spinach bowl for me and my family.  Took a bath in peppermint oil and Epsom salt to loosen up my muscles.  Then laid out all my clothes and packed up all my race day essentials.  After all the preparations were done, I relaxed on the couch with a nice hearty IPA, watched some NBA and then headed off to bed.  Pretty much a normal pre-long run evening as far as I was concerned.

RACE DAY

My alarm went off at 4:37, just a few minutes earlier than a normal work day so I wasn't in a cloudy haze when I heard the sound.  I hopped up, got dressed, poured me some coffee and was ready to go all before 5am.  As I opened the garage door, I could feel the chill in the air and see the drizzling rain. I realized the weatherman was, for once, in deed correct.  It was going to be a cold and wet one and there was nothing I could do about it.

Just as I suspected, my early (maybe too early) of arrival made race day parking a breeze.  I found some street parking less than 100 yards from the start and finish lines.  Because I was still pretty early and it was raining I waited in my car.  I had already eaten one of my bars and went to grab my second one only to realize I had forgotten it.  Trying my best not to freak out, I ate my post race snack instead.  Not ideal, but it would have to do.  Plus, I knew there would be course nutrition if I needed it.

I made my way over to the MRTT meet up inside the Grand Bohemian lobby around 6:20ish and found several of my buddies.  It's always nice to see a familiar face before a big race, it helps to calm the nerves.  With the race start about a 2-3 minute walk from our warm, dry location, we waiting until as late as possible to make our way over.

Find my adorable friend Kristen, we were staying warm/dry inside the lobby!

As we walked over to the start, the rain had let up, the air, although chilly, was no where near as cold as I had anticipated, so I was excited and feeling good.  The crowd was much smaller what was projected, so it was clear several people decided to forgo due to the conditions.  I found the 3:35 pace group, introduced myself to the pacer and fellow runners, ditched my poncho and was ready to go.

MILES 1-8

The race is set up so that the half and full marathoners all go out together and branch off after mile 12.  It was pretty congested in the beginning plus, it seemed as if everyone was rather nervous about the slippery conditions, so the first mile was kinda slow, probably around 8:30ish.  Our pacer had us make up some time in the next two miles, but we were still conservative holding around an 8:16 minute miles.  She told us because we would have to slow down a bit on the boardwalks, she would have us picking up the pace soon to compensate.  The sun was trying hard to make its way out through the clouds and the rain was pretty light if at all at this point, so when we ran the next few miles in the low 8's and even broke into the upper 7's, I was feeling great!  But I knew it would continue the entire time, so I tried to hold back my excitement and not get ahead of myself, or the pacer for that matter.

The first set of boardwalks came up and we had to slow down a bit.  My GPS signal went a little haywire with all the trees around so I wasn't exactly sure of my pace at that point, but based on feel, it hadn't dipped that much.  I could feel a few heavy drops of water fall on me while running through the boardwalks under the canopied trees.  I just assumed it was just rain from earlier finally make its way off the leaves.  But as we left the tree covered boardwalks, I had learned the rain had started to fall again.  I could also feel a little drop in the temperature.

Still keeping a great pace, the rain and suddenly cooler temp didn't seem to bother me too much.  I even found myself several strides in front of the pace group with a few other runners who had broken away too.  We kept it up together for the next several miles.

MILES 8-14

The rain had continued to steadily fall and didn't seem as if it had any intention on letting up any time soon.  I realized at this point my husband and kiddos would not be meeting me at the finish line.  We had discussed them not coming if the conditions were not favorable, so I was ok with the fact I they wouldn't be there.  I didn't want anyone getting sick!  I also realized these conditions were going to make for a tough second half, but the faster I ran, the faster I would be done.  Plus, if I could keep this pace through to the finish, that BQ would be as good as mine!

As we twist and turned through neighborhoods and over another set of boardwalks, I could start to hear those voices in my head filling me with doubt.  Around the same time, I could feel my hamstring, the one that has been giving me issues since Chicago, and low back start to flare up.  I pulled back a pinch on the pace and stuck back with the pacer.  I did so for a few miles right after the branch off point and then things started to deteriorate from there.

MILES 15-20

I was able to keep an eye on the 3:35 pacer for a mile or so, but soon lost her.  At this point I decided to make a decision.  Do I try to fight to catch her, probably wasting way more energy than I had to spare or just continue to run my race and do the best I can?  I chose the later and surprisingly did not regret doing so.  I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could just settle down and cruise.

My pace dropped from the low 8's to the high 8's at this point.  Even at the slower pace, my legs felt incredibly heavy, my lungs burned from the cold air.  I could feel my start slipping physically and mentally.  I made a commitment to myself at this point that regardless of my time, I had two goals for the rest of this race.  Do NOT stop running and finish as strong as I could without beating myself up over it.  So I pressed on at my much slower pace of around 8:45-8:55.

The 3:40 pace group passed me right before the boardwalks but I did not let it defeat me.  My head, heart and body were just not in it from the get go so I accepted my fate.  I kept up a steady pace on the boardwalks and shortly thereafter.  But around mile 20, I caught a terrible side stitch.  I made the mistake of chugging some course Gatorade and choking down one of their nasty Gu's.  I slowed down and even limped for almost a half a mile coming upon a bathroom.  My jog slowed to a shuffle and I came insanely close to stopping.  But since I had let go of almost all of my pre-race goals, I felt as if I had to at least honor the ones I made for myself just a few short miles back.  So I pressed on even picking up my pace a pinch.  The side stitch mostly worked itself out but I was still moving pretty slow with my pace breaking into the low 9's at this point.

MILES 20-25

In true marathon style, everything was a blur for those last several miles.  Everything hurt, my form was starting to go, I stared at the ground to avoid the rain in my eyes and I just putz along at my annoyingly slower and slower pace.  But I did not stop.  With each passing mile, I gained a new sense of confidence in myself.  It was a little odd considering I was failing at my goal.  But if I could just keep running, no walking, no stopping and no (more) excuses, this would make the first marathon out of eight that I actually ran the entire time.  It would certainly not be a PR, definitely not a BQ, in fact it would be one of my slower times in recent years.  But pushing through and running for the entire 26.2 miles is something I have never done, so in doing so would be a huge accomplishment in itself.

So I pressed on through winding neighborhood streets, sidewalks and boardwalks.  I maneuvered through half marathoners still working their way to finish and gave them pats on the back with words of encouragement.  I passed by full marathoners who were struggling more than I was that day offering them a comforting smile over my shoulder.  I continued running through water stops, folding my cup, sipping my water and tossing it away like I meant business.  Though slow, nothing was stopping me now.

THE FINAL PUSH

Coming in a close second to seeing the finish line is seeing the 25 mile marker.  It is a beautiful reminder of how far you have come and how little you have left to go.  Because the course is a double loop, I knew exactly where that marker was, but it was even more glorious than I had remembered it when I passed it around mile 11/12ish.  I ran down a tiny little bridge onto a sidewalk that would take us around a pond.  There were trees to my right and beautiful homes on the other side of the water.  The sidewalk was narrow and crowded with half marathon walkers.  I'm a little to nice at times to shout out "on your left" but I was at this point in no mood for pleasantries.  Taking over the left side of the side walk, I began my final push to the finish line, shouting out to anyone and everyone in my path.  Building my pace back into the 8's, then into the 7's, my legs and lungs were on absolute fire.  I came to the final boardwalk where the race marshals were directing me to the right where I would soon find the finish line.

I saw the 26 mile mark and to my excitement and relief, I accidentally said allowed "F*CK Yeah" in which case I apologized to the people around me as I sprinted by.  Not being able to see the finish but knowing exactly where it was, it was time for me to give it my absolute all.  Yes, I had let go of my original goal several miles ago, and even goals B and C had slipped on by shortly thereafter.  But I was holding on hard to my D goal which required the two new goals I had established for myself mid-race.

I dialed into one of my favorite aspects of training and saw that last quarter mile as any other 400 I would crush on any given Track Tuesday.  Last one best one came to mind.  Pushing my pace to suicide pace, I dead sprinted towards the finish line unaware of anything going on around me.  I saw nothing or no one but the finish and pushed as hard as I could, until...

I saw a tall, handsome man with a small child in his arms and another loosening his grip on his pant leg to come my way.  They were smack dab in the middle of my path to the finish.  Just as I was about to dart around them and/or shout at them to move, I snapped out of my laser focused push and realized it way my husband and children!  I had not expected them there at all.  I experienced about every emotion possibly within a few split seconds.  Initially, I felt horrible they came all this was to stand in the cold rain to see me come short in my goal.  But their smiles and cheers immediately erased that and I could just feel there excitement as I was about the cross the finish line for my eighth marathon!

Nolan, my oldest, came next to me and we ran side by side to the finish.  I was crying tears of joy as we crossed the finish line together and he shouted "yey mommy, you won" as they handed me my medal.  Of course I didn't have the heart to tell him I was far from the race winner, but in his eyes I had accomplished a huge feat.  And you know what, he was right!  I let them put my medal on him and he grabbed the finish line snacks and poncho as if he had just ran the whole marathon.  His pride and excitement diminished any disappointment and regret I had experienced.  And sharing a finish line with him is a moment I will NEVER forget!

 
POST RACE

I came out of the shoot to find my husband Hunter and our youngest son Lincoln.  I opened my mouth to apologize for my time and their inconvenience, but he stopped me before I could even speak saying he wouldn't have missed my finish for the world and was proud of me no matter what.  Of course I started to cry all over again, hugging him and my babies.

Because it was so cold and still raining, we both agreed it best he get the boys home so we didn't risk them getting sick.  We snapped a couple of photos, hugged and kissed, then said our goodbyes.  I then made my way through the thinned out crowds to see if there was anyone left there I knew.  I caught up with a few friends to recap our race experience, with the common complaint of course being the weather and the boardwalks, but all in all we did our best that day.

Lee CRUSHED her first full and Beata ran the half marathon (she was smart to bring a thick jacket to change in to!)

The rain had also really put a damper on the post race activities and it seemed like the few vendors that were there were hoping to pack up sooner than later.  Everyone left just seemed so miserable and over it at this point.  Not realizing how insanely cold I was until a friend informed me my lips had actually turned white and I was shivering uncontrollably, I figured it was probably about time I dry off, change and head home.  Luckily the fine folks at the Grand Bohemian allowed me to change in their bathrooms.  The concierge, noticing my medal, gave me an incredibly big smile and said "congratulations on your race, you must be very proud!"  And you know what, I damn sure was!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I suppose I could dwell on the fact that I missed my original goal by 10 whole minutes and failed to BQ yet again.  No this wasn't my best race by any stretch of the imagination, but there were some great accomplishments out there I should be proud of.  I ran the entire race without stopping.  I pushed through in less than ideal conditions.  And I crossed that finish line with no regrets and my head held high!

Until next time Celebration, I will see you again next year!
(Probably just the half in 2018 though, and fingers crossed for better weather!!!)

Marathon Training Week:???

I have been marathon training since June 2016.

No, I haven't been putting all my time in effort over the past 8ish months of my life into just one marathon, though it often feels like it.

I received my guaranteed entry into the 2016 Chicago Marathon early last Spring.  At the time, I was having a phenomenal season.  PR'ing in every distance I ran, including my full marathon (coming within 3 minutes a BQ time), I was on cloud nine and ready to tackle another full just knowing I would crush it.  And what better place to run a big full that year than in Chi Town!?!  So to say I was excited heading into my training cycle was a total understatement, I had never been more ready!

I took the month of May "off" before planning to hit it hard mid June.  Early that month I competed in my first sprint triathlon is several years and despite a rough swim, I finished strong and had a great experience.  Then my family took our annual beach vacation and then two mini vacays in the following weeks.  During that time, my longest runs were around 8 miles max and were all done at a slow, easy pace.  Though my body and mind appreciated the much needed break, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't itching to get back at it.

I kicked off June with a 10 miler, then paced a local half marathon the following weekend, and that was the start of this over half year long journey to get to where I am this week.

The summer of 2016 was one of the hottest seasons I have endured since moving to Florida 10 years ago.  Not only was it the earliest in the summer I had began marathon training, but we also did experience record breaking temperatures, relentless humidity and several stretches without any rain.  We were ALL miserable and fighting to push through training.  Of course I cannot speak for everyone else, but I know for me I was absolutely struggling.  I found myself on the treadmill for most of my speed and tempo workouts and when I finally did hit the trail for a long run, it was BRUTAL.  Clocking horrible times for practically all of my long runs, there was no indication whatsoever I would be able to run anywhere close to the time I had hoped to run in Chicago.

Not wanting to completely let go of my goal for Chicago but being realistic after a rough summer of training, I decided to make a plan that would include two additional marathons following Chicago.  I was already planning on pacing the Space Coast Marathon just 7 weeks after Chicago (or so I thought).  I figured this would keep my mileage and fitness up so I could attempt to BQ at the Celebration Marathon two months after that.

Continuing to prepare for Chicago with my backup plan in place, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and was at peace with whatever came my way race day.

The 2016 Chicago Marathon was a whirlwind of an experience.  Between a Category 4 hurricane, several extra days of travel, the emotional roller-coaster of leaving my babies, hubby and business behind in the path of a storm, struggling with my nutrition that weekend, and then a mid race hamstring pull, I was ecstatic to cross that finish line just a few minutes slower than my PR.  I surprised myself with a better finish time than I had anticipated that summer, I was proud I had fought through the emotional demons I had been battling the whole trip and I proved to myself that Boston is still within reach, though it was going to take some more work.  And after crossing the finish line of one of the most emotional marathon weekends I had ever had, all I could think about was getting back home to my family and moving on to my next adventure.

I learned I would not be needed as a pacer for the Space Coast Marathon after all, but wanting to stick to my original plan of keeping up my miles, I went ahead and signed up.  Initially, I thought maybe I could give it a solid shot and see if I could secure my BQ there.  I had a couple of decent long runs coming back from Chicago and thought it could happen.  But about two weeks before the race, my body and mind just kinda shut down on me.  I was sluggish, moody and felt as if I was getting constantly sick (luckily I never did though).  I realized I was over training and needed to pull back.  So I ditched my goal of a BQ at Space Coast and decided to just have fun out there.  Best decision ever, or so I had thought...

After Space Coast, I had all kinds of emotions.  Part of me was glad I didn't push it out there and just had a good ole time.  I listened to my body, avoided injury and illness and made a lot of new runner friends in the process.  But another part of me questioned why do I continually allow myself to give up on my goal.  Do I just not want it bad enough, am not willing to work hard enough and am I just weaker than I thought when it gets to too tough out there?  I know my body certainly appreciated it, but I can't shake the negative emotions that spawned from that weekend.  Heading into December I realized it was time I make a big decision.  Do I give it another shot at Celebration knowing I could just "fail again," thanks to my over training but mostly because of my own negative self talk?  Or do I just let go of my dreams for now and focus on other things.  I had not yet signed up for my next race, so I figured I had a few weeks to decide.

My next several runs ended up being surprisingly fun, probably because I honestly didn't know what to do at this point so took the pressure off myself.  I ran 16 miles on a treadmill demoing a product at a running convention one day and 6 the next for a total of 22 miles in two days.  Two weeks later I met up with my Moms Run This Town mamas for a long run, running 6 with them and another 12 on my own.  I had some killer speed sessions and some decent tempo runs in December as well.  Despite the physical and mental fatigue of the last two marathons and several months of training, I wanted to stick to the plan I had made over the summer.  So with a little over a month until race day, I signed up for the Celebration Marathon, and here I am just days to go!

I have a lot of emotions heading into this race.  I am not exactly where I thought I would be physically or mentally for that matter.  I've made a ton of mistakes through this whole experience but I have also learned a lot about myself too.  I will likely NOT do things this way again, but I will certainly look back on this journey fondly and with a lot of respect and appreciation for all I have done.  I am just an average runner after all, with a big dream that I refuse to give up on.  I will continue to make mistakes, I'm sure, but as long as I'm learning and growing, that's what's important.

I am as prepared as I'll ever be and am committed to finishing this race, giving it my absolute all.  I've had my sights on this race since summer of last year, so I better give it my all!  Plus this race holds a special place in my heart.  I ran it in its inaugural year and it was my first marathon since becoming a mom.  Having not ran a full in over thee years, I felt like I was totally starting over.  I completely surprised myself with a 35 minute PR, and though I have since beat that time, not much has beat the raw emotions I had crossing the finish line that day!  So many changes had happened in my life in such a short period of time and accomplishing that marathon PR gave me so much strength and belief that anything was possible!

Though I have completely lost count of how many weeks I have been training for this marathon, I have certainly not forgotten how much it means to me and what I plan to accomplish this Sunday.  This also will be only the second time my husband and babies will see me cross a finish line (the first time was at my current PR from Donna last February), and having them there means absolutely EVERYTHING to me!  Yes, I am nervous and yes I know things can fall apart out there if I let them, but I am ready and cannot wait to toe the line in just 6 days.

So without any further adieu, here are my goals for the 2017 Celebration Marathon:
Goal A: I ordered a pace band.  Other than when I actually pace people, I have never used one.  I would always just assume a pace I should run, go out way too fast, try to hold on to the original pace I should've started with, then just hope to finish.  So on Sunday, I will wear my 3:37 pace band in hopes to secure a 1-minute PR and a 3 minute BQ cushion (which should hopefully be enough based on my research).  So I'm going to try my darnedest to stick to the pace band.

Goal B: Not wanting to deviate too much from my nifty new pace band, I would still consider pushing it just a bit if I felt up for it.  The weather is supposed to be great and the course is flat, so if I'm able to shave a few seconds off per mile the last 10k, I'd be willing to give it a shot.  If I can come in around 3:35-3:36, I'd would be freaking ecstatic.  Plus that would give me a 4-5 minute cushion for Boston.

Goal C: My ultimate goal is to try and stay on my pace at all costs.  I will not go out to fast and when things start getting tough (which they always do, it's a damn marathon after all) I plan to fight hard to stay on pace.  But if heaven forbid it is just not in my cards, I would be happy for a finish time similar to that I had in Chicago of 3:42.

Goal D: Again, I am going to give this thing my absolute all and have no intentions on "giving up" out there.  But thanks to GI issues, a mid-race injuries and severe weather conditions, I've had to pull back before and I recognize that sometimes it's just  an unfortunate possibility.  With that being said, if it all goes terrible out there, I plan to fight for a sub-4 hour finish if need be.

Reflecting Back and Looking Forward

Despite all the other goals I had set for myself in 2016, the one with the utmost importance that trumped any other goal was to reconnect with my joy of running.  The previous two years, I had gotten so caught up in a time goal that I lost a little bit of my love for running along the way and I, unfortunately, lost a part of myself in the process.  But an injury in late 2015 brought me back to reality.  It humbled me and taught me that there are certainly more important things in running, and in life, than just one measly goal.  Granted, that goal was incredibly important to me and something I worked insanely hard in hopes to attain. But at what cost?  So this past year, although that particular goal (which I will get to in a minute) continues to be a top priority, it is not worth totally losing sight on the things that matter most and should not overshadow all the awesome things I achieve along the way.

So first I would like to review 2016, then I'll take a look forward to 2017 and what I hope to do in the coming year...

2016
Starting the year off juuuuust about injury free, my focus was first and foremost on getting healthy.  But with a marathon planned for February 14th, I was still working hard in hopes finally secure my almost 3 year long journey to BQ.  Though I was in virtually no pain by race stay, I had lost a bit of my stamina and mojo and was uncertain what to expect.  I surprised myself with a huge PR, but came up about 3 minutes shy of a BQ (and by time standards, I was about 6 minutes shy of actually securing a spot in the 2017 Boston Marathon).  I was excited for a PR nonetheless and actually went out and PR'ed my half marathon less than a week later!

As the Spring went on, I ran several half marathons as a pacer, which was a HUGE goal of mine for this past year.  I pulled off a PR in my 8k and 15k distances and place in several races.  I attempted to beat my half marathon time in April, but had a rough race day and ended up running one of my slowest times in years!

Early in the summer, I switched gears and focused on completing my first Triathlon since before having kids!  I had a rough time with the swim, but made up for it on the bike and especially the run, I even placed fourth in my division!  All in all it was a great experience, one I was proud of and I look forward to doing more triathlons this year.

I paced another half marathon in June, which was one of the most difficult pacing experiences I have ever had.  It was the fastest I had ever paced and it was one of the hottest and most humid events I have ever been a part of.  But pacing is such an incredible experience and it was certainly an event I will not forget!  Later that month I began my training for the Chicago Marathon.

After a tumultuous summer of training in the heat and humidity, battling nagging aches and pains then suffering from a staff infection the month before the race, I was very apprehensive as to what to expect come race day.  Then the week of the race, a Category 4 Hurricane threatened me even getting up there and I had to leave several days early and travel quite a bit more than expected.  Despite all my pre race "setbacks" and a crazy hamstring cramp after mile 20 or so, I had a great race in Chicago, with my second fastest marathon time.

I had anticipated pacing the Space Coast Marathon about 7 weeks after Chicago, so when I returned home, I jumped right back into high mileage.  When I learned I was no longer needed as a pacer, I decided to go ahead and do the race in hopes to maybe take another shot at a BQ before the end of the year.  But before my last long run of training, I knew it wasn't in my cards.  I had checked out and needed a break both physically and mentally and decided to just let go of any goal for race day.  Best decision ever!  I had a blast out on that course, making new friends, running with old friends and it was just a fun and rewarding experience.

It was a big year of PR's, pacing, new runner friends and incredible experiences, but I am really looking forward to making 2017 even more amazing.  Here is my plan thus far...

• BQ- I will never stop trying to get my BQ, but I will not revert back to my 2014-2015 self when it was my obsession.  I feel I am much more equipped now physically than I have ever been, I just need to get my mind right.  I'm going to give it another shot at Celebration at the end of this month.  Recognizing that three fulls in four months is a lot on my body, I am realistic about the fact that race day can go either way.  I am considering another full early summer or wait until the Fall (which would mean no BQ until 2019, but it is what it is).
• Pace a Full- I absolutely love pacing.  I got to be an official race pacer this year as well as pace a few friends through races.  I am excited that I will get to pace my first full marathon this year at the Albany Snickers Marathon in March, then hopefully again at another one later this year.
• Take My Marathon Total to 10+- If I run three fulls this year, I will hit double digits!!!  I am not sure how I feel about racing 3 or more fulls, so most of those will be as a pacer and/or for run.
• Focus on Shorter Distances- My current 5k and 10k PR's are from 2015, so those would be fun to try and beat this year.
• More Tri's- I really really enjoyed my tri last May and would like to do 1-2 this year, maybe even attempt a longer distance one.
• Help More Runners- This past year I launched my Strength2Run app designed specifically for the strength and conditioning needs of distance runners.  I continue to work out the kinks and get more accustomed to the programming, but plan to spread the word big time this year in hopes to help more runners get stronger, faster and stay healthy/injury free!  I also plan to step up my blog game with weekly posts on useful content for runners.

I Just Felt Like Running

As I spoke quite a bit about in my last training log, I have been contemplating doing another full sooner than later in hopes to secure me a spot in the 2018 Boston Marathon.  The rational coach side of me says I should probably give it at least another month or two to recover, start a new training cycle that I can complete in its entirety, and attempt a late Spring early Summer race.  But the stubborn, strong willed and impatient side of me is saying I have the miles, I have the fitness and I have the burning desire to give this another shot ASAP.

So conflicted with this decision and wanting to make a smart and healthy choice, I sought the advice of a few run coaches who also happen to be good friends of mine.  Their responses, however, were essentially the same things I have been telling/asking myself, leaving me just as if not more conflicted and confused as to what to do, lol!

So there I was last week, about six and half weeks from the race I didn't know if I should run, but really want to, figuring it was about time I make a decision.  So that's what I did and here is how it happened, along with my week of training of course....

MONDAY: Lift + Spin + Run
It may seem like I spend my whole Monday working out.  I do have a busy, fitness filled mid-morning, but I feel like it's a great way to get the week started.  The kids head to school a little before 9, Hunter has a class he teaches at 9 and I teach spinning at 9:15, so I am able to sneak in a quick little lift before my class while I am kid and husband free.  After spin class, Hunter and I are able to run together, which has become one of my favorite runs of the week.  He's not a huge fan of running, in fact he used to absolutely hate it.  But he's been trying to lose a few pounds and figured the cardio would help with that.  He keeps a pretty solid pace in the mid to upper 8's so it is always some great recovery miles for me.  I spent most of the rest of day flip flopping back on whether I should run the Celebration Marathon or not.  I checked their website to see if they still had open registration.  With a teeny, tiny small part of me hoping to see it was full and my decision made for me, I was more so incredibly relieved to see they still had over a 100 spots left.  Back to contemplating...

TUESDAY: 5 mile Progressive Run
Normally I spend my Tuesdays doing speed work, but not sure about what to do moving forward with training, I figured I would take it a little easy on Tuesday.  Also, if I decided to do a long run that week, it would most likely have to be on Thursday.  So pushing it on Tuesday may hinder what I would attempt to accomplish two days later.   The run went pretty well, nothing special or spectacular, just pretty routine and I was happy with that.  In the past, I would have been very frustrated with a so-so run.  I felt as if I had to get better and faster with every single week.  But this was a good "listen to your body" kind of run and I am more proud of myself for that than a super fast track workout.  A "knock it out of the park run" would probably have had me running to my computer to sign up for the race in January.  But I still wanted to wait and see how Thursday, if I decided to run then, would go for me.

WEDNESDAY: Strength Training
Tuesday evening, I pretty much made up my mind I would attempt an 18 miler on Thursday, and depending on how that would go, I would decide if I am signing up for the marathon in January.  I had ran a slow, easy paced 16 miler two weeks prior so I wasn't all that crazy for going for 18.  With that being said, I have really been enjoying my weight room workouts these past few weeks.  Once Space Coast was over, I was ready to get after it and move some big weights.  Not wanting to let go of that momentum but knowing I had a big run the next morning, I still pushed through a pretty tough workout on Wednesday.  Kettlebell swing, box jumps, hurdles, jump rope, slams, all the fun stuff.  I figured I had plenty of time the next day to workout the soreness in my legs as I ran for a few hours.

Thursday: LSR 18 miles
With an early morning wake up call to get my warm up miles on the treadmill, I went to bed a little earlier the night before.  Man was I sleeping like a champ when my 4am alarm went off.  Luckily only the slightest part of me wanted to shut it off and go back to bed, but I didn't.  I got up, got dressed and got going.  I knocked out about 3.5 super easy miles on the treadmill before heading over to the park to meet up with my Moms Run This Town mamas.  I did another easy 4.5 with them before they all had to leave to get their kids off to school and/or go to work.  The sun wasn't quite up yet so I figured it'd be a little safer to do another mile or two around the lighted, crowded park.

With the sun finally up and 10 of my 18 miles complete, I figured it was time I head over to the trail.  Up to this point, my pace had been pretty easy around 9ish.  Although that felt easy and I felt great, I didn't want to push it too much more until later in my run.  My plan was to take the pace down to the mid 8's once I hit the trail and hopefully push it to the finish with a sub 8 mile or two at the end.

It was certainly not as crazy hot as it had been for my previous long runs of the Summer and Fall, but it was warm and humid out there.  I was covered in sweat, it was even dripping from my visor.  Because I did not have enough time to prepare for my run (I like to get my pre-run goodies from Whole Foods), I had not fueled properly and feared that would be a factor.  I also was in need of new shoes (the ones I ordered were on back order at the time but luckily came in this week), so I was dealing with some foot and calf discomfort.  But surprisingly, nothing about that run seemed insurmountable.  I was able to push through, hit my paces and finish strong.  In the words of Forrest Gump, "I just felt like running" so that's what I did Thursday and I was happy with my performance and ready to make my decision about my race.

Friday: Upper Strength Training + Marathon Registration
With little time for a workout that day, I had to knock out a quick one at Planet Fitness before the kids got up.  I was not in the least bit sore or exhausted from the day before, in fact I found it a little odd how good I felt after running 18 miles less than 24 hours prior, lol!  Still, I did not work any part of my lower body and stuck to my "gun show" workout.  I headed into work and as I sat at my computer, I went ahead and did what I know I wanted to do not just all week but for the past several months...I signed up for the Celebration Marathon on March 29, 2017.

Saturday: Run + Swimming
With my long run done and my decision made, I was excited for a nice easy run on Saturday along with some laps in the pool.  The miles from the week had definitely caught up with me and my run felt like it took a little more effort than necessary, but got it done.  Then in the pool, my darn googles kept flooding, so having to stop and readjust made for a frustrating swim.  Certainly not the workout I had hoped for that day, but a solid workout nonetheless and it closed out a busy exciting week. Spent the rest of the weekend with my favorite boys getting ready for the holidays.

Later that weekend I told my husband, who had been doing his best to help me make and support my decision, that though I know I could not guarantee a BQ (there are always just too many variable on race day for that) but I was more mentally prepared for one than ever.  My mental game is where I have always struggled in the past.  I have always focused so much just the end goal, and an entitled goal at that, taking an "all or nothing" approach on race day.  Going balls to the wall at the start of the race a bit faster than the pace I assume I should be running thanks to an online calculator hasn't really worked for me (I know I should know all this and I do, but this along with my "entitled goal" is a more detailed story I'll save for another post).  Realizing there is a much better course of action along with recognizing what I am indeed capable of, I will take a much more educated and conservative approach to this race, in hopes to at least match or beat my current PR of 3:38:42.

So here's to another (brief) marathon training cycle and another shot at catching my unicorn!

Marathon Training Week 0

Last week was the first week since late May of this year that I was not training for anything specific.  Going into the week I felt like it could go either way.  I would either be relieved to not have any pressure of training or I would feel a little lost without it.  It was definitely a roller coaster of a week with a mixture of both of those feelings along with many more regarding training and my future races.

So here is a little recap of last week's "training" along with my thoughts on my upcoming schedule for 2017.

Monday: Spinning + Total Body
Thanks to racing, traveling and a hectic work schedule, I have been missing my spin crew.  So it was nice to get back into my normal teaching routine and they seemed excited to see me too ;-)  Before class, I always like to try to knock out a quick lift if timer permits.  Because I have been so caught up in the distance running, I have been going pretty light on the legs and been focusing a lot on core and upper.  Well last Monday, I thought it would be fun to hit the legs hard (bad idea lol) with some squats and dead lifts.  Felt good to get after it but my legs were not too happy with me as the week went on!

Tuesday: 5 super easy miles
My legs were pretty cooked from not just the lifting the day before but for the higher than usual mileage they had experienced over the previous few weeks.  I flipped flopped all morning between swimming laps or going for an easy run.  My body kept telling me to hop in the pool but when my break rolled around, so did some nice clouds and a breeze, my heart told me to go for a run.  So that's what I did and it was glorious!  It had been months since I have been able to enjoy some carefree miles in the rain.  It started overcast and breezy, turned to some sprinkles and by the time I was rounding for home, it was pouring down rain.  What an awesomely refreshing run it was!

Wednesday: Olympic Lifting + Plyos + Yoga
"Sure Hunter, I will lift with you!"  Famous last words.  I had planned on doing a light upper and rest the legs a bit that day, but when the hubster asked if I wanted to workout with him, I was like sure it'll be fun.  Ha!  We did some snatch grip dead lifts, jumped on and over things and of course threw heaving things, along with some upper body.  It was a great workout but man was I sore for daysssss!  After work, I taught my usual yoga class at LA Fitness.  I teach so much off the mat but I was able to sneak in a few poses during class for my own benefit too.

Thursday: Swim + 5m Run
Ok, so Thursday would be the day I would dedicate to the pool, except one thing, it also happened to be the most beautiful weather we have had in months!  There was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was in the upper 50's.  How could I NOT run that day!?!  So I got in a few quick laps (around 1600m) and took the rest of my workout outside for a nice and easy run.  Despite how tired and sore they were, the gorgeous weather made me feel great out there and I was able to really pick up the pace towards the end of my run. 

Friday: Upper + Core
I had very limited time to get a workout in on Friday but was able to sneak in a quick one before work that morning.  I went over to Planet Fitness and knocked out some upper and core. 

Earlier that week, I was really enjoying the freedom with my training.  I had decided I was going to lift heavier, swim more and not worry if I got in a run or not.  But as the week went on, all I wanted to do was make sure I got in a run, lol.  Earlier in the week, I had made up my mind that I would NOT do another marathon next month, that I would wait until March.  But by the end of the week, training for Celebration (January 29th) was all I could think about.  I wanted to see how my "longish run" would go the next day and consider what I want to do moving forward.

Saturday: 7 hard-easy-walking-hard miles
With no plan or pressure for my Saturday run, my hope was to do anything between 6 and 10 miles.  I also brought my swim stuff in case I decided to cut the run real short and just hope in the pool.  But I figured if I was really feeling it that morning (which I didn't expect to but you never know), I would push it and have a routine  8-10 mile maintenance run.   I got going and felt pretty good.  There was some tightness in my left hamstring and my right shin was a little upset with me (I need new shoes) but over all I felt OK.  Just OK though, not great, not even that good, just OK.  I knocked out about 4 miles at a pretty steady pace and took a little break for some water and to readjust my ponytail.  Then a friend of mine hopped on the treadmill next to me who I haven't seen in a while, so I took it as a sign to walk and chat.  For the next few miles, I walked and ran at a super easy pace while we chatted.  Once he left, I picked up the pace and went hard to finish out the last mile and a half to take it to 7 for the day.  Although a part of me wished I produced a much better run that morning, I was grateful for the easy miles, I'm sure I really needed them.

The rest of the weekend was spent with my family.  We took the boys to see Santa, went to the park, the Magic game and hiking.  It was quite a busy weekend but so much fun getting to spend  time with my favorite people.

I am still conflicted as to what to do about the marathon in January.  I know my body is not fully recovered from the two I just ran, but I also feel like I already have the mileage and fitness base, so I know I could totally do it.  I guess it's just a matter of what goal am I trying to accomplish (which would ultimately be a BQ), how bad do I want it, how hard am I willing to work for it and how smart  and realistic am I being about it?  So not sure if that is to go for it now or give it a few extra months to recover and prepare!?!  With time running out, it's a decision I will have to make this week so to be continued...