As promised, this one is going to be more of a running-centric, training update post. It helps me keep notes of the marathon build-up memories... oh memories (tired, achey, fatigued, hungry, and tired-just to reiterate). Actually, this is usually the case, but back to my title, I am just rollin' and runnin' ready to put on the pressure the next 6 weeks.
The last 4 weeks have included some good stuff. I have been at sea level 2 of the last 4 weeks and enjoyed the oxygen flowing through my veins.
MPW for past 5 weeks:
3/3-3/9: 84
3/10-3/16: 79
This was the Hanes Park track where I had the luxury of running, 10 x 800s in some warmer morning weather. Being a pretty hilly town, Winston-Salem, NC (here for a conference), I was fortunate to find this gem for the 800s as well as for part of my steady run for a controlled environment. The 800s ended up being a moderate 6:20-30 pace with 45 second recovery to try mimic continuous effort. Sea level and sunlight make a difference and I just loved being off the mill for hot minute.
I managed an 18 Miler around the relatively flat Winston Lake. A 7 Mile dirt packed loop was incredible with the last 3 fast miles around 6:40, to finish strong.
3/16-3/21: 46, this was a tight foot and pre-cautionary low miles pre-France
3/22-3/30: 77, while touring Spain and France
The first few days were easy miles on the Barcelona boardwalk.
Followed by the short, flattish, coast line of Cadaques, Spain where I managed a 4 x 10 minute stint at ~6:25 with 90 seconds recovery. The locals thought I had gone batty as I paced back and forth.
The last of my running was done on the boardwalk of Sete, France which stretched out around 10 Miles, which boded well for the 20 Miler. Prior to the long run, I managed a steady state at ~7:20 and then some 6:00 pick ups during the 20 Miler. All in all, running in Europe was a success.
3/31-4/6: 88, back in Steamboat.
With a race on the agenda for the weekend, I worked hard but still tried to keep the legs, relatively fresh. Hmmm. Not so much. Tuesday, I had a hill workout followed by a 4 Miles tempo @6:50s. Finally, outside. Thursday, I got on the treadmill for 7 Miles Steady at ~7:15.
After running easy on Saturday, the tune-up half was on the calendar. Adam and I drove to Denver and tried desperately to get into the race mindset. The race was around 5500 ft, ending at about 5300 and was on a running path, a little flat and rolling the entire way. It was hard, I was breathing, I wanted to quit in the middle miles, but crossing the finish line, I wasn't spent. It was an effort and I finished in 1:28 (my fastest at elevation) and I was content where my fitness lay. With in the field, I landed as the 12th woman. Just another step towards the big doozy!
4/7-4/13: 80, Back to work and 4:20 wake-up calls.
Proceeding the race, I had only a steady state run on dock for Friday before the 20 Miler. I took the week relatively easy and ran my Steady @ 7:20s before getting dropped off 20 Miles up the course in Steamboat on Saturday. The goal was, 6 of the last miles sub-7 within the 20. I made it, but legs weren't recovered and there is a beast between 22-23 on the course that needs to be conquered. Now, I enter that foggy state of marathon training where my mileage climbs for a few more weeks. Consistency is my mantra right now; I have seen the good, bad and ugly. But better yet, I have been religious about stretching, foam roll and massage. Each workout building on the next.
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