Monday, March 28, 2011

WEEK 12: 16 miles

Monday: Off

Tuesday: TM + core, a bit tight and sore, log 3

Wednesday: Spin class, felt good

Thursday: Elliptical + TM, very tight - couldn't loosen up. Log 4 miles

Friday:  Spin (race profile), elliptical, core/hip, some strenght, TM, stretch. Felt pretty good.  Log 2.

Saturday: Martini Virus.  No miles, but quite the "core" workout!  That won't happen again for a year or so.

Sunday:  Small Lollipop Nash Run in the woods of Pisgah with Griffin.  Meant to do the big lollipop but I got nervous and turned into a trail I recognized when I saw it.  Still so much to see out there!  A beautiful day! Log 7 miles.

Not exactly the mileage I needed, but I did add a couple spin classes and feel alright.  No races planned until James Joyce so I have 5 weeks to get ready for another 10K PR.  We'll see.  Felt good to be in the woods.  Working on new strength circuits and will get to spin friday and plyopower wednesday mornings.  Hopefully  a long run Sunday.  It's a process, and I love it.

Monday, March 21, 2011

WEEK 11: 29 miles and New Bedford HM

Monday: off

Tuesday: 4 miles TM- snappy; followed by a short superset circuit I got out of a magazine.  Good little circuit.  Log 4.

Wednesday:  Wet, slushy run out Old Westport Road while I waited for my car inspection in Winchester.  Felt pretty good- a little sore from that circuit.  1:04. Log 7 miles.

Thursday: Off

Friday:  off, got a massage. Have to treat myself to that more often!

Saturday: Drove to MA to see Hailey's play with Greg.  Ran 3 miles and stretched/dynamics, ate way too  much.

Sunday:   New Bedford Half Marathon.  Well, I did know that I didn't have nearly the training I had last year going into this race this year.  I could see it in my log and feel it overall.  But I like this race and the weather was great so I tried to think I would surprise myself.  Well, I surprised myself, but not in a good way.  I started way back, but worked myself up to mile 1 in 7:37 and felt pretty good- even had visions of holding this until after the big hill at 4 miles and then speeding up! (foolish).  By mile 5 I was gaining confidence that I could pull this off as I was still below 8 minute pace at that point.  And then, how you say? "the wheels came off".  Boy that's a miserable feeling.  I thought that could only happen to people who ran fast!  Bascially I raced 5 miles and then had an 8 mile miserable cooldown.  Finished in 1:51:42/8:32 pace. Six minutes slower than last year. ouch.  and yes, the pace at which i ran 11 miles last sunday. dumbass.

Well, it was the kick in the butt I needed.  This week I go back to 5am spin/plyopower classes and 2 hour circuit madness workouts!  That race SHUCKED!  Greg had an awesome race though (1:10:26- 18th Male Overall) and we got home early enough to enjoy some lazy sunday evening time.

oh yah, I almost forgot...it's a process and I love it!

Monday, March 14, 2011

WEEK 10: 31 miles

Monday: off

Tuesday: Unexpected snappy workout!  My legs feel good!  4 miles TM - ended up being a progression run with a pretty long hill in there...lat pull downs 2 x 15 (wide/narrow/reverse), 4 way hip with theraband 2 x 20; calf raises/lowers 2 x 20, supine march 2x30, dead bug 2 x 30, SL SB crunches incl obliques 2 x 20, SB hamstring curls 2x20; downward dog, lunge stretch, SL reach 5x each side. Good workout- maybe because I had 2 bowls of my recovery chili last night!? Hoping to have a nice long run tomorrow...Log 4 miles

Wednesday: Long run...KSC to Surry Damn.  Good run- started out slow, but got it together and got the much needed long run in.  Sunny morning and then the weather changed to cloudy and some wind in my face, but it was nice to be out!  Medial arch blisters from my new Sole inserts- bummer they totally helped my plantar fascitis.  Negative split on the way back 58 to 55min; total 153:/9:25 pace.  Perfect for what I was trying to do (pick it up on the middle miles of E. Surry Road) and the miles on court street were slower because of ice and traffic. Log 12 miles.

Thursday:  off

Friday: 4 miles treadmill, long hill progression run.  Felt good, even though hammy doesn't.  Hot Tub Friday night- helped hamstring loosen up briefly.

Saturday: 0

Sunday:  Long run "with" the boys.  Alumni Field across Maple to Surry Dam and back around.   Good long run.  Felt like I was going slow, so I picked it up a bit on the part of the marathon course where I could see mile markers and see how I was doing.  Apparently I was doing ok.  If my right hamstring hadn't hurt I'd been doing even better- my left leg wanted to get going.  Log 11 miles, 1:34- 8:34 pace. 

Feeling a little better with New Bedford coming up on Sunday.  Got in a long run - two - and felt good about them.  I have a massage scheduled for Friday- hopefully that's not too close to the race, but that's the only time he had and I have to do something with this hamstring/piriformis.   

Going to take it easy this week.  I don't feel sore after yesterday's run to Surry.  I was surprised by the resulting pace of 8:34ish.  That's a bit fast for me considering my race pace for the half marathon is 8:06...or is it? :)  I guess we'll find out Sunday!  It's a process and I love it!

Monday, March 7, 2011

WEEK 9: 28 miles

Monday: a little sore after my snowshoe adventure with Griffin.  I'm a little bummed my hamstring hurts right away again though- thought the week off was going to be the last of that.  I had plans on hitting the gym but freezing rain and ice encased my car and made it impossible to get out of my driveway for most of the morning.  Griffin accompanied me on a very wet 2 mile run up the road.  It felt good just to do more than walk again.  Log 2 miles + core.

Tuesday:  Treadmill 4 miles + core.  Bit of a struggle, but again felt good to be sweating.  Log 4 miles.

Wednesday: Treadmill.  Very much a struggle.  After 1 mile got off and did some dynamic wamrup.  Had to walk twice for a minute or so.  Played with hills- too tiring and then set up some intervals - that always helps.  8 x 30 seconds at 7.5 with 45 sec at 6.5 for the last mile.  Log 6 miles.

Thursday off

Friday:  Mini circuit madness, 10 x 1 minute@8 minute pace: 45sec 9:15; Log 5 miles

Saturday: 3 miles TM at the gym...

Sunday: 8 miles from hospital to Surry Dam with Ramona

Not a bad week for coming off of a zero.  I'm disappointed that my hamstring hurts even more than before.  I have called and made a massage appointment.  I didn't get that long run in that I desparately needed and the 8 miles felt long!  So I have conceded that New Bedford may not be a new PR for me in a couple weeks.  More like a training run as I look to add the Olesak Half Marathon on April 3rd to my schedule.  So we'll see.  Will try to do that 8 miler a couple more times and maybe a long run next Sunday will work out.  It's a process, and I love it!