This is my 5th time around for training for a half marathon. The half is hands down my favorite distance. I haven’t trained for anything else since my full marathon in 2014 (in November it’ll be 2 years since I did it!) and this time I am so pumped. In October I had my best finish time for a half, it was 2:23 and I was gunning for a 2:20. I had trained well for that time, but race day is unknown. I suffered pain in my ankles in the last 2.5 miles and it was hard to put pressure so I did my best. I still had PR and this April I want a 2:15.
Today concluded my first week of training, and boy am I tired. My legs are feeling a little heavy, but I know with time they’ll get used to it. So here is my recap with the past week of running. Enjoy!
My beloved Greenway was damaged on Sunday. We had rain/ice/snow/HURRICANE WINDS the week before and although the sun was shining, the aftermath was ugly. I did manage to cross this on the make-shift balance beams to the left, but I was a little scared. HA! I’m sure the kids were having no issue having the guts to cross, but my 27 year old self was like “please don’t fall.” I ran 5 miles in 52:46, averaged 10:32.
Monday I was up for 3 miles, but I had no time. I know, its an excuse, but I attempted to make it up Wednesday.
Tuesday I was off so I did my speed-work. I have a love-hate relationship with speed-work. I love the feeling of really pushing myself, but I hate that it takes so long to finish. Say what? Each one of my speed sessions is for a long-ish distance. I mean running hard for miles at a pace that is uncomfortable for you gets annoying. But I love the results. I seriously do!
This workout was 1 mile warm up, five repeats of 800m at 9:30-9:40 pace, with 3 minutes or 400m recovery jog, 1 mile cool down. I messed up my laps. I was so good about tracking them, and then for some reason I missed one and it shouldn’t of messed me up, but nope. So I don’t know what I was pacing for my repeats. But I finished in 54:45, average pace of 9:57.
Wednesday I attempted my missed Monday run, it was 3 miles at easy pace. I started this so late. I was losing daylight and I was running on a different trail around the park because the track was completely taken up with a high school. So after my first loop, I was done. I was not having it. I told Zach that it wasn’t feeling great, so no need to finish. I ran 1.8 miles in 19:04, averaged 10:46.
Thursday I had 3 miles at easy pace with four 20 sec strides and 10 sec rest between each stride. Again, ran in the evening. It was windy so I ran kinda fast because I wanted to be done. I hate running in wind. The trail was still covered in mud puddles from it flooding the week before, and I saw this tree just hanging across the trail.
By the way, this trail always floods. And each year when I run the Georgia Peach Jam, this puddle is deep and I always have to run through it. Maybe this year it’ll be dry.
When I was finishing the run, I went to the track to finish my strides. Now, my heart is still full from this moment. I was running my stride at 7:28 pace (which is like WAY fast for me) and this coach had asked if I could pace his student for her strides, she wasn’t maintaining pace. So I said “YES!” And she and I went out for the strides and cool downs and it was a blast. I couldn’t believe it. I am beyond proud of this moment. I ran 3.2 miles in 33:01 at a 10:19 pace. I did not for some reason keep my watch going for my last cool down lap..? I was tired.
Friday was REST. Glorious rest.
Saturday I ran 3 miles, did it on track and at night. I met Zach there after work because he brought me my clothes, best husband ever. And I ran at a pretty good pace. I was a little tired at the end because 1. I was working all day and 2. I ate at 12:00 and nothing since then. So this was good in the fact that I was able to run this pace with no energy. 3.15 miles in 31:13, average pace of 9:55.
Today was my long run, 7 miles. I ran 7 miles 11 weeks ago. Since then I’ve hit 5-6 miles as my longest run. I was super excited about this run today. I knew my legs were tired, but I wanted to take it easy but if I ran a little hard that would be ok.
I ran decently. Until I didn’t. I started easy, too easy. First mile at 11:39, second mile at 11:10. I maintained 10:55 for miles 2-6 which is good. My stomach cramped like something fierce at at 5.5 miles and I had to stop. I had to figure out my next step, because I hadn’t experienced this in a hot minute. Well…one bathroom stop later I felt great. I did however suffer in the last mile, I could not pick up my pace. I was just…over it. My last mile was 12:18. So, that was that.
I was tired. I finished with an average pace of 11:15. There is always another run. Next week will be better. But let me tell you, so I finished and started walking to meet Zach at the top of the hill on the other side of the park. I told him I was tired and my legs were done, but he’s like “I’m waiting for you.” UGH. So this was in front of me and I could of cried.
Nope. Was not going to happen. I just wanted to share what my husband wanted me to walk up to get to him 😉 but I forgot about the other path way so I took that. Still uphill but not so steep.
Man that is one long post. Maybe I should do mini recaps? HA. I don’t blog enough for that 😉
So I had a great week of training, it was good. I ran each scheduled run minus Monday. Total miles (minus the 5 mile run last Sunday) was 20.6 miles, I was scheduled for 21.5.
Thanks for reading!