14 WEEKS TIL NYC, WEEKLY RECAP:7/20-7/26

Week #11 finished.

Great week, but was forced to miss Tuesdays run because it rained and the kids didn't have camp. No babysitters, so run was cancelled. So, I pushed Tuesdays run to Wednesday, and missed out on 6 easy miles. But overall, not bad. First missed workout this training and if I'm going to miss a run, better it be an easy run then a speed workout or long run. Also a bit of a milestone this week by going 15 miles for my long run. Woo Hoo, great week!!

Week @11 Weekly recap: 7/20 - 7/26
Mon- 8 miles easy @9:29 avg pace
Tues - Forced rest day
Wed - 7.5miles: Gauntlet track workout
Thurs - rest day
Fri - 15 mile easy progression long run @8:57 avg pace
Sat - 6 mile recovery run @9:43
Sun - Rest day

Total weekly mileage Week #11 = 36.5miles

Saturday, July 25, 2009

6 MILE RECOVERY RUN @9:43 AVG PACE

Plan: Recovery Run 9:30pace

Legs felt heavy today, but not sure if that was due to PT yesterday after the long run (they up'd the weights on the leg press machine), or the 15 miles, but after the 1st mile they felt better and all was good.

6 miles in 58:20 (avg pace 9:43) Avg HR 135 Cardiac Drift: 150

M1-10:05 Avg HR 120 Cardiac Drift: 141
M2 - 9:38 Avg HR 137 Cardiac Drift: 148
M3 - 9:41 Avg HR 137 Cardiac Drift: 146
M4 - 9:40 Avg HR 139 Cardiac Drift: 148
M5 - 9:40 Avg HR 140 Cardiac Drift: 150
M6 - 9:36 Avg HR 137 Cardiac Drift: 148


M1-10:05 M2-9:38 M3-9:41 M4-9:40 M5-9:40 M6-9:36

Friday, July 24, 2009

Plan: 15 mile progression long run
4 miles @ 9:20
8 miles @ 9:00
3 miles - no slower than 8:20

Fluids @ mile 3, 9, 11, 13
Gels @ mile 7 & 12

Legs felt good. I was excited for this run, as I'm feeling stronger, and I wanted to test out my Nuun that I bought to drink. I ate oatmeal and a banana one hour before my run, and 30 minutes before my run I took a Hammer Espresso Gel (never tried this before, and I liked it, and it didn't seem to matter with my system that I never had it before; no issues. YAY)

I wore my fuel belt, and filled the 4 8oz bottles up with water/mixed with Nuun (orange/ginger flavor). I also filled my hand held 20oz bottle with orange gatorade, and I stashed that bottle about a mile from the house, and would pick it up when I ran by. For the NYC Marathon they will have Gatorade Endurance on the course. I am looking for that, and once I find it, will train with it for my long runs of 15+ miles or longer.

I never felt thirsty while running, but took the fluids/gels at the planned times. I drank about 3oz at the 3 mile mark, and then finished the bottle when I took my first gel @ mile 7. I took the carb boom orange/vanilla flavor, as I didn't want to have issues while running, and have been using them for a long time. At mile 9 I drank most of the 2nd bottle of 8oz nuun, and another one at mile 11, finishing that one with the gel at mile 12. At 13 I drank the last of the nuun, and when I started for the home stretch, I grabbed the gatorade bottle, and when I hit 15, I downed the 20oz gatorade. I felt strong from the beginning to the end, tho I probably could have run faster the last 3 miles, I was just happy that I was able to give it a good kick at the end. Plan was for no slower than 8:20 for the last 3 miles, and I hit 8:35, 8:25 and 8:18. It was hot by the end, and I was sweating like crazy, but again, I had more energy for this long run than I have for any past long runs. So I think the Nuun was a success. I did weigh myself at the beginning of this run and at the end of the run. Hmmm.... I still managed to lose about 2 lbs over the 15 mile run, even though I consumed 2 gels, and 32 oz of Nuun/water, and a 20 oz bottle of Gatorade by the time I got home. I did spend the remainder of the day replenishing my fluids. With Coconut Water and more gatorade.

Also, want to point out, I think todays run was a milestone. Running 15 miles. In Feb I ran 16 on the TM watching my tv shows, but I don't think I had run this far outside. Woo Hoo, and to run it strong, WOO HOO!!!

Dropped kids off at camp, and was on the road by 9:30am. Temp said 70F and humidity seemed to be low, running conditions were just perfect.

15 miles in 2:14:20 (avg pace 8:57) Avg HR 146 Cardiac Drift: 162

M1 -9:20 Avg HR 138 Cardiac Drift: 150
M2 -9:22 Avg HR 139 Cardiac Drift: 151
M3 -9:20 Avg HR 136 Cardiac Drift: 143
M4 -9:21 Avg HR 139 Cardiac Drift: 157
M5 -9:00 Avg HR 143 Cardiac Drift: 157
M6 -8:56 Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 152
M7 -8:55 Avg HR 147 Cardiac Drift: 151
M8 -8:59 Avg HR 149 Cardiac Drift: 153
M9 -8:56 Avg HR 150 Cardiac Drift: 154
M10 -8:57 Avg HR 152 Cardiac Drift: 160
M11 -8:56 Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 156
M12 -8:58 Avg HR 148 Cardiac Drift: 153
M13 -8:35 Avg HR 153 Cardiac Drift: 160
M14 -8:25 Avg HR 155 Cardiac Drift: 159
M15 -8:18 Avg HR 150 Cardiac Drift: 162

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Rest day, just chillan with kids.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2009

Plan for today: The Gauntlet (Track Workout)

- 1 LAP JOGGING RECOVERY BETWEEN EACH SET
.5-Mile w/u @ 9:30 pace (2 laps)
100m Hard (1 straight away)
200m Hard (1/2 lap)
400m Hard (1 lap)
800m Hard (2 laps)
1200m Hard - @ 8:20-8:30 pace (3 laps)
1600m Hard - @ 8:10 or faster (4 laps)
1200m Hard - @ 8:20-8:30 pace (3 laps)
800m Hard (2 laps)
400m Hard (1 lap)
200m Hard (1/2 lap)
100m Hard (1 straight away)
.5-mile c/d @ 9:30 pace (2 laps)

- WORK WORK WORK! If there is NO pace listed I expect you to push HARD through the entire set ... there is no let down in exertion. You may be tired, but you push whatever you have the ENTIRE set until it is done to jogging recovery- Only after you finish through the 2nd 1200m can you walk at all AND then only for half a lap

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED:
I hit the projected times I wanted (faster in fact), but what I found was that on the longer 1600m set my legs got stronger and stronger and just took off (same with the 1200m set), enabling me to hit your paces or surpass them. Whereas, with the shorter sets, my legs didn't want to take off. I'm guessing this is a sign of strength/endurance for the long runs, where my legs are getting stronger and stronger as the distance increases. I'm also, guessing this is a good thing, as I am training for the marathon, and I want my legs to be stronger every mile for the duration, no??

Tho at times, my legs did feel dead, they also felt strangely stronge at the same time, or during the same workout Haha. I'm attributing the deadness/lathargy I felt to the lack of sleep I got last nite (kids woke me 3x) and the fact that I once again did not eat before my workout. Tho this time, I had only been awake about an hour before I ran. We overslept, so with rushing to get kids off, I didn't get my breakfast:( I know, not good. I was going to take a gel to compensate, but forgot it:( I did use Nuun for the 1st time today, I fixed 4 bottles and put them on every corner of the track, about 72oz, I only drank during the recovery runs, and didn't drink at all until I completed the 1st 1200m set. I think the Nuun helped. Strangely I think I felt stronger/recovered quicker with it, but again, it was only my first time using it. I will use it on Friday, during my 15 miler.

7.5 miles total in 1:05:00 (HR 142-161)

Overall, I give todays workout a thumbsup, and can't wait to do it again.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Forced rest day, as babysitters kept flaking on me. Will do todays plan tomorrow, and just skip tomorrows easy 6. First day of my marathon training that I had to miss. All considered, I'm still being fairly consistent, but when it rains there is no camp, and when the babysitters aren't available = forced rest day:(!!!

Monday, July 20, 2009

15 WEEKS TIL NYC: START OF WEEK #11

The Plan: 9:30 pace

8 miles in 1:15:56 avg pace 9:29 Avg HR 136 Cardiac Drift: 156

M1-9:32 Avg HR 123 Cardiac Drift: 143
M2-9:29 Avg HR 135 Cardiac Drift: 143
M3-9:30 Avg HR 139 Cardiac Drift: 150
M4-9:28 Avg HR 140 Cardiac Drift: 151
M5-9:29 Avg HR 141 Cardiac Drift: 148
M6-9:28 Avg HR 143 Cardiac Drift: 154
M7-9:31 Avg HR 145 Cardiac Drift: 156
M8-9:29 Avg HR 126 Cardiac Drift: 157