Boston Marathon Training 2018 {Week 17}

Week 17!

Weekly Miles:

Running: 54.58 miles, 7:55:39 hours

Cycling: 0 miles, 0 hours 

Yoga/stairs: 00:31:00

Total Miles for this cycle:

Running: 890.60 miles, 125:53 hours

Cycling: 186.63 miles, 14:42 hours

Yoga/stairs: 05:16 hours

Summary

I’m ready for Boston. I’m ready to run this race and move onto the next things- Copenhagen marathon for funsies and IM Louisville. 18 weeks is a long time to focus on one event, and I’m reaching the end point of my mental endurance for this training cycle. I need more sleep which I’ll get this week during my 10 day taper (which started Thursday after my last hard workout.)

Everything went well this week minus when I slipped on ice. I’m down 6.5lbs since I started this cycle (a constant roller coaster of up/down) but down now due to eating well and no beer - except the handful I’ve had in the past 6 weeks. 

Ze and CB have asked to have a photo session once every 4 months so they can just reuse those stale pictures instead of creating new content for their social media channels. I said that’s lame. People will notice and not take them seriously. 

Lowlight

I had to document where I fell. It was .25 into my 2nd interval. 

Slipping on the ice during 10 miles worth of intervals at goal pace and almost going for a swim in the lake Thursday. I got too close to the ice-I should have known better. By the time my foot hit the ice I knew I was toast. Luckily I only ended up with a bruised elbow and some soreness in my neck and side for a few days. I’m ok now. And I’m sure people are sick of me talking about it- but it was the most *exciting* thing in my life this week. Lol 

Highlights

Running 6x1 mile repeats outside. I also chatted with another runner out on the path during one of my recoveries which pumped me up. 

The 10 miles of intervals at goal pace on Thursday despite the fall. I felt good and In control and my splits were right on target. 

Running 8 outside on Sunday. I stayed away from the ice. 

Running with my run club on Saturday. They are amazing!

Another massage!

Getting a new camera with the money I won from getting 1st in the March madness bracket at work! I know 0 about basketball. 

Thoughts

I still feel there’s no way I’ll be able to maintain 7:15’s for 26.2 miles. (I said that about the half marathon too and I slayed that goal). The weather is looking pretty much ideal minus some rain, so luckily it won’t be a factor this year. I feel like the 3:10 is a stretch probably because I’m tired and my legs need to fully recover- which what taper is for. It’s also because I haven’t been able to fully adjust my mindset from being a 3:30 marathoner with all the paces (easy/hard whatever) associated with that to a 3:10 marathoner wannabe even though I know my paces are much faster than all my previous cycles- despite feeling great. 

 Looking Forward 

I need to make sure I get more sleep this week. My weight is at a good place and I’m sure I’ll lose another pound or 2 during the week from eating well.  I just need to continue to take care of myself- can anyone recommend self care tips? (JK, I’m good!) Hot baths have been helping with recovery too. I’m so blessed I can sneak away from my dog mother runner responsibilities so I can soak in salt and essential oils. 

The countdown is on for Ze to start running with me- after Boston when he is one year old. (Fun fact, his birthday is 4.16, the date of the Boston Marathon this year- he was born on Easter last year, the day before Boston) I ordered Ze  a running leash which connects to me at the waist vs handheld so that I will have more control- I spoke with 2 dog parents at MRC who recommended this leash so I hope it will be good and I won’t get knocked on my ass and break something due to Ze Pequeno. I also ordered Ze a no pull harness because he’s crazy and won’t listen outside. It’s my fault for not being more consistent- taking time in the winter to work on walking properly was not a priority- getting him to go to the bathroom outside was bigger. 

For this next week I’ll be doing more yoga, going over my race day plan, and making sure I eat appropriate amounts of food - my problem is that I eat way too much. Closer to Wednesday I’ll check the weather and decide what to pack- but I’m set on race day kit regardless. I’m really excited for this race!

I’m enjoying cooking new to me recipes and am currently at 25/52 for 2018. A continually  updated list is 

{HERE}

Days to go: 7!!  One week from today! 🙀🦄 

Boston Marathon Training 2018 {Week 16}

Week 16!

Weekly Miles:

Running: 60 miles, 8:26:42 hours

Cycling: 0 miles, 0 hours 

Yoga/stairs: 00:22:19 

Total Cycle Miles: 

Running: 836.02 miles, 117:57  hours

Cycling: 186.63 miles, 14:42 hours

Yoga/stairs: 04:45 hours </b>

Summary

Another 60 mile week! I also ran 266+ miles for March- another monthly PB. Taper starts soon-although looking at my training for next week, I’ll still be around 50, then the week leading up to Boston will cut to 26. Hanson is a 10 day taper because they believe cutting back too much/reducing too much intensity makes you feel dull. I’m feeling really good lately and excited to run Boston again! 

This week the boys didn’t want to post on Instagram if they didn’t have something “instaworthy” to share. I put an end to that quick. I don’t told them that they should put stuff on the ‘gram that makes them happy, or pics they want to remember and to forget about whatever perceived “audience” they think they have. They should never feel their life isn’t “instaworthy” enough because what good is it to add the pressure of only posting omg curated pictures from photo sessions (and recycling said photos for months)  just to keep up a front of a fake perfect life? (We see through those miserable people anyways). Why make yourself feel bad you don’t have some staged photo to share?  Double tap if you agree!

Lowlights:

The 10 mile tempo turned Into 6x9 minutes at 7:15 with one minute recovery. I  felt tired and hot (and woke up late again). The day before I turned off my alarm and fell back asleep for a while- I needed sleep more than a tempo I guess (can’t be upset at that). 

Feeling guilty if I eat a large portion of food. I’ve worked hard to stop binge eating- mainly by having multiple smaller meals a day so I don’t get to the point where I eat a huge meal due to lack of self control. But with Boston around the corner, and wanting to stay at a lower weight, I irrationally get upset if I eat too much. Whatever. I guess it’s not too irrational- you cannot out exercise a poor diet. I attribute my half PR success to eating well, no beer and being at a lower weight. I’m only being mindful of my food intake for a month, instead of the whole 18 weeks, because balance. 

Highlights: 

Running 4x1.5 miles at 10 seconds less than goal marathon pace OUTSIDE! It was my first speed sesh outside this year and first run before work in a while. I felt really good. 

Running 10.6 miles outside on Saturday. It was textbook easy, nothing special. I had fun seeing the gorgeous sunrise and then running into the headwind for the second half. Luckily I only encountered sleet for the final half mile. Felt like shards of glass cutting my face. 

Dyeing Easter eggs with my boys! Can you believe they’ve all never done that before?! I’m excited to have hard boiled eggs and rainbow egg salad. 

Getting my 2018 Boston jacket in the mail! I love the color combo!

Thoughts

Boston feels months away despite it actually being 2 freaking weeks away! I do know I’m nearing close because I’m ridiculously emotional when I think about the race and the goal I have. When certain songs come on my iPod I get emotional because they remind me of my first BQ, or other highlights of my running. 

I’ve also gotten to the place of incredible self doubt. Like- my new shoes aren’t good and I need to change the brand etc. or I need to get new race day outfit (despite it never giving me problems) and regardless of the weather I’ll be wearing the same thing I already picked out. It’s so dumb. I’ve been re reading my old race recaps (and getting emotional!) to put an end to these stupid thoughts-because what I’ve done in the past works perfect for me. 

Looking Forward

I just need to keep my head down and continue pushing towards Boston. No stupid “taper crazies” here- it’s not like I’m going back to have a significant extra amount of time to obsess about the race (and the slight extra time I’ll have will be for sleep). I refuse to waste energy on things like that. It’s not productive.  I’ll check the long range forecast soon to get an idea of what I’ll need to pack- but I’m set with my race day outfit and that’s the only thing that matters. There’s nothing I can change about the weather.

Spike and I are ready for Marathon Monday!

My run club meets this week- so I’ll drink one beer with them. Because it would be sacrilegious to not partake in post run beer. It will be nice to see everyone.  Then I’ll refrain from beer until the afternoon of April 16- or if the Boston College kids have something good around mile 22, I’ll drink that.  

I cooked new recipes again!

I made honey glazed carrots and split pea with ham soup yesterday!

I’m enjoying cooking new to me recipes and am currently at 25/52 for 2018. A continually  updated list is 

{HERE}

Days to go: 14! 🙀🦄

Shamrock Shuffle 8k 2018 {Race Recap}

On Sunday I ran my 7th Shamrock Shuffle!

TL;DR version- I PR’d and ran a great race despite tired marathon training legs. 

We went to the expo on Saturday to get our bibs. I was shocked at how few vendors were present. I kept thinking- where’s the other room of booths? I remember when the expo was full of booths way back in 2011- I’d imagine if people only want free shit, and never buy anything, that there’s no incentive for vendors to return. 

Race Morning:

I woke up early to run 4-5 miles pre race. Boston training doesn’t stop for non goal race shuffles. I felt good, albeit a little rusty since I ran 16 miles (with a few hard miles) the day before. The 4 miles helped me feel a bit less rusty pre race. 

We walked over to the start area and took a group photo with our MRC team. We had a record 6 teams, and 27 people running for us this year!

Best run club ever!

I got to see Anne!

We made our way to the bag check area and I took off my jacket and pants and just ignored the fact it was cold and windy. I could complain incessantly about the weather- but that is mentally exhausting. I was here to run a decent effort and not let dumb stuff out of my control get in my way. 

I ran into Pete in the corral and hung out with our MRC team for a few min pre race.  I got my iPod ready and took a caffeine SiS gel 10 minutes before the start. Soon, the gun sounded and we were off. My goal was to try to break 35, so running high 6’s, low 7’s was the pace I was trying to hit. We ran together as a group for the first mile- which I clocked at 6:46. I felt fantastic.  

Eventually my MRC teammates pulled ahead and I just kept a steady effort. I was feeling good and didn’t want to push too hard since this was not my goal race - I just wanted a good, simulate the last 5 miles of the marathon, dig deep, kind of feeling. 

Photo: WolfpackChi

I got to the 5k in 20:59, beating my stale PR from 2015 by 1 second! 

I was trailing behind my MRC peeps by 20-30’ for a while and by mile 4 I decided to try to catch them- but they also sped up! The headwind on Michigan ave didn’t help me scoot faster. I never caught them- they finished 20 seconds ahead of me. 

I was ecstatic that I had just finally broken my 8k PR by 1:30 AND unofficially broke my 2015 5k PR by 1 second. On tired legs. 

We took another group photo post race and waited for everyone to finish. 

Obvs not this photo- this was from the expo. 

I had a beer in the park and then we went to Kaiser Tiger to refuel. I had one more beer there before swearing off beer until Monday afternoon of April 16. 

I feel like I executed this race perfectly. I was also incredibly encouraged to see all my hard work pay off- I wasn’t training for an 8k and at the bare minimum hoped I would run low 7’s and break 35- but I did even better by averaging 6:47 and breaking 34!  

I put the 33:42 into McMillians running calculator and it said a comparable marathon time would be 3:19. (Which I would be more than happy running in a few weeks) Had I run on fresh legs, I’m sure I could have taken 15-20 seconds a mile off of my time- which would have put me at the equivalent of a 3:10 marathon. 

It’s also crazy to think I’ve taken almost 9 minutes off of my time since I first ran this race in 2011! 

Housekeeping:

Oatmeal a few hours pre race.

SiS caffeine lemon gel 10 min pre race. 

No water or anything during the race. 

Wore long sleeve + MRC Shirt, shorts and racing flats. Temp: 33, wind 20+mph.