18 MILE LONG RUN @8:55 AVG PACE

Plan for today was 18 Miles:
3 @9:00
12 @8:30
3 @8:10 or faster

Brought 32oz of gatorade fuel belt & carried 20oz of gatorade w Nuun (I know, a big no no, but didn't have time to place it on the course). Didn't get on road til 10:35. Temp said 73F and 43% humidity. Just perfect conditions for a long run. Ok, a tad hot at times, but loved NOT running in humidity.

Before the run I had 1/2 an egg & cheese sandwich & a banana, and coconut water. About 20min before the run I took a Gel. I took fluids and gel at the times you told me too. Btw, by the end I wanted to puke from injesting that 4th gel. Was really hard to get that one down. HAHA

Legs felt strong throughout, but as you'll see, I didn't hit your recommended paces. I didn't get great sleep last nite. Kids woke me again. GRRR.... So my plan for today was just get in a grove and FINISH under a 9min pace (wanted to beat last weeks 16mile avg pace of 9:05) So, tho I didn't hit the faster paces, I'm thrilled with the overall time I finished in, as I've never run 18miles before:)!! and I broke the 9min avg pace I wanted to:)!!

18 miles in 2:40:38 (avg pace 8:55) Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 163

Garmin showed these as my splits:
M1-9:00 Avg HR 144 Cardiac Drift: 154
M2-9:03 Avg HR 149 Cardiac Drift: 157
M3-8:53 Avg HR 147 Cardiac Drift: 153
M4-8:59 Avg HR 152 Cardiac Drift: 163
M5-8:44 Avg HR 151 Cardiac Drift: 160
M6-8:50 Avg HR 151 Cardiac Drift: 157
M7-8:47 Avg HR 151 Cardiac Drift: 155
M8-8:49 Avg HR 152 Cardiac Drift: 157
M9-9:01 Avg HR 152 Cardiac Drift: 156
M10-9:02 Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 151
M11-8:59 Avg HR 149 Cardiac Drift: 155
M12-9:01 Avg HR 147 Cardiac Drift: 153
M13-8:58 Avg HR 149 Cardiac Drift: 154
M14-9:03 Avg HR 147 Cardiac Drift: 153
M15-8:56 Avg HR 147 Cardiac Drift: 153
M16-8:50 Avg HR 145 Cardiac Drift: 152
M17-8:52 Avg HR 149 Cardiac Drift: 156
M18-8:51 Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 156

TEMPO RUN: ROUND 2; 6 MILES IN UNDER 51:00, OH SO CLOSE, BUT BETTER THAN LAST WEEKS(ROUND1) WOO HOO!!

Today's Plan:
Tempo Run- Your mission ... Round 2: complete this 6 miles in under 51-minutes!

Well, I didn't hit under 51:00, but I did better than last weeks Round 1 (51:49) Hahaha, granted I only beat it by 8 seconds, but I'll take it!! It was hot as hell out there today, Temp said 80% w 72% humidity.

45 min before the run I ate 1/2 an egg & cheese sandwich, with coconut water, and then 15 min before the run, I took a Gel.

Legs felt heavy again for the first few miles, but then opened up. I'm pleased with this run because when I wanted to push the last 2 miles, my legs responded. FINALLY, and by the last mile I was sprinting for darn close to the whole mile. Woo Hoo:)!! So, I'd say in this heat/humidity, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:)!!

6 miles in 51:41 (avg pace 8:36 ) Avg HR 151 Cardiac Drift: 168

M1-8:53 Avg HR 145 Cardiac Drift: 153
M2-8:55 Avg HR 152 Cardiac Drift: 157
M3-8:41 Avg HR 151 Cardiac Drift: 154
M4-8:55 Avg HR 150 Cardiac Drift: 155
M5-8:32 Avg HR 153 Cardiac Drift: 160
M6-7:45 Avg HR 161 Cardiac Drift: 168

My HR avg/max for M5 was 153/160 My HR avg/max for M6 was 161/168
Finally, I pushed at the end and my legs responded. Haha, Josh, I heard you whispering in my ear, push, push, push:)!!

6 MILE RECOVERY RUN @ 10:08 PACE

Plan: 6 miles @ Maintenance & Recovery

Legs felt OK, not great in the beginning, kind of like clearing out the cob webs, but by mile 3 things were all good and overall great run. Nothing hurt, just heavy.

6 miles in 1:00:52 (avg pace 10:08) Avg HR 129 Cardiac Drift: 147
M1-10:21 Avg HR 120 Cardiac Drift: 138
M2-10:02 Avg HR 130 Cardiac Drift: 140
M3-10:04 Avg HR 130 Cardiac Drift: 140
M4-10:02 Avg HR 133 Cardiac Drift: 147
M5-10:18(up a hill) Avg HR 131 Cardiac Drift: 143
M6-10:05 Avg HR 129 Cardiac Drift: 140

INTERVAL WORKOUT

My youngest woke with pinkeye, and a subsequent doctor's visit revealed she had a double ear infection on top of the pinkeye, hence no camp, and no babysitter, so my run had to wait til hubby got home. No biggie, kids always come first!

So after hubby got home and I got everyone fed, I hit the road. 7PM, and hot but the sun was already going down, so instead of doing this workout at the track I chose to do it by the pond route over the bridge. It was delightful running at this hour. Never ran at dusk before. Got lots of funny looks, as I repeated this workout over and over the bridge 8 times LOL But legs felt strong and I nailed it!! All my sets were at 7:45 or faster!!! I also wore my fuel belt as it was hot and I didn't want to have to deal with stopping to get my fluids. I believe I drank after the 2 mile w/u, then after the 3, 5, 7th sets, then after the 2mile c/d. and then pounded the remaining gatorade. In all drank 32oz.

Oh yeah, because I was tired, and was running late, at 5:30 after my kids karate class, I had a cup of coffee (I know, a no no before a run, but I was exhausted), and I had a peanut butter on whole wheat bagel with honey. This was about 1 & 1/2 hours before my run. No issues at all during the run.

Today's plan:
2-Mile w/u
8 x 3-minutes @ 7:45/pace w/ 2-minute jogging recovery
2-Mile c/d

8.69 miles in 1:18:55 avg pace 9:05 HR avg 149; Cardiac Drift: 169

Here is the info that uploaded to my computer when I got home:

2.01 Mile w/u- time 20:12 avg pace 10:02 (6.0-7.0mph) (HR avg139; Cardiac Drift: 156)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:45 (7.7-8.9mph) (HR avg159; Cardiac Drift: 163)
.18M - 2:00 avg pace 10:56 (5.5-8.3mph) (HR avg146; Cardiac Drift: 160)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:45 (7.7-9.8mph) (HR avg154; Cardiac Drift: 159)
.20M - 2:00 avg pace 9:53 (6.1-8.7mph) (HR avg150; Cardiac Drift: 159)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:41 (7.8-9.9mph) (HR avg159; Cardiac Drift: 167)
.18M - 2:00 avg pace 10:53 (5.5-7.3mph) (HR avg150; Cardiac Drift: 161)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:45 (7.7-9.7mph) (HR avg157; Cardiac Drift: 160)
.20M - 2:00 avg pace 9:52 (6.1-7.9mph) (HR avg154; Cardiac Drift: 164)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:40 (7.8-8.6mph) (HR avg160; Cardiac Drift: 165)
.19M - 2:00 avg pace 10:46 (5.6-7.9mph) (HR avg153; Cardiac Drift: 164)

.40M - 3:00 avg pace 7:30 (8.0-11.4mph) (HR avg160; Cardiac Drift: 163)
.20M - 2:00 avg pace 10:03 (6.0-7.1mph) (HR avg148; Cardiac Drift: 159)

.39M - 3:00 avg pace 7:45 (7.7-8.7mph) (HR avg159; Cardiac Drift: 163)
.19M - 2:00 avg pace 10:47 (5.6-7.7mph) (HR avg149; Cardiac Drift: 160)

.40M - 3:00 avg pace 7:25 (8.3-9.7mph) (HR avg160; Cardiac Drift: 163)
.20M - 2:00 avg pace 10:01 (6.0-8.4mph) (HR avg148; Cardiac Drift: 159)

Then 2 mile cooldown 18:43 avg pace 9:20 (6.4-7.4mph) (HR avg148; Cardiac Drift: 155)

13 WEEKS TIL NYC, WEEKLY RECAP(7/27-8/2), REST DAY

Week #12 finished.

Overall, my legs feel good. Heavy at times, but strong.

Weekly Recap: 7/27/09 - 8/2/09

Mon- 5.6 miles - 2m w/u, 6 hill sprints w jog recovery, & 2m c/d
Tues - 8 miles easy @9:28 avg pace
Wed - 6 mile Tempo run @8:38 avg pace
Thurs - rest day
Fri - 16 mile progression long run @9:05 avg pace
Sat - 6 mile recovery run @10:05 avg pace
Sun - Rest day

Total miles for Week #12 = 41.60

Total weekly mileage Week #12 = 41.60

6 EASY RECOVERY MILES @10:05

Plan: Recovery Run (9:30 Min/Mile) **NO PACE/RELAX**

Great run with my hubby around the pond. Ran the first 5 miles with him, & the last mile on my own. Legs felt VERY heavy for the 1st 3 miles, but then opened up after that. Hot, but not that bad. Drank Gatorade at miles 3 & 6. Had my coconut water, wwbagel w peanut butter & honey, about 45 min before the run.

6 miles in 1:00:30 (avg pace 10:05) AVG HR 135 Cardiac Drift: 148

Garmin showed splits as:

M1-10:18 AVG HR 130 Cardiac Drift: 146
M2-10:16 AVG HR 138 Cardiac Drift: 148
M3-10:08 AVG HR 132 Cardiac Drift: 142
M4-10:15 AVG HR 135 Cardiac Drift: 143
M5-10:05 AVG HR 135 Cardiac Drift: 147
M6- 9:28 AVG HR 138 Cardiac Drift: 147

Felt great to up the speed for the last mile. Legs feel good, no ill affects from yesterdays 16 mile long run in the heat/humidity. Woo Hoo:)!! Enjoyed Coconut Water right after the run, and then had my COFFEE:)!!