Week 9 of my 18-week training plan is done, which means… I’m halfway there!
I’m very excited for the next stage of marathon training (it’s uncharted territory for me!), though I know that it’s going to be challenging to stay motivated for the longer distances after work. At least it’s light and warm outside, right?
Last week’s training:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 2.58 mile run, untimed; PT strength exercises
I was expecting this run to feel like crap after the previous Sunday’s half marathon PR, but my legs actually felt amazing. What didn’t feel amazing, however, were my blistered feet. I turned around early, cutting 3 miles to 2.5.
Wednesday: 4.1 mile fartlek run (43:36; 10:38/mile)
My legs felt a little slow and tired this day (maybe from strength training on Tuesday?), but pace was decent.
Thursday: 7.88 mile tempo run (1:24:51; 10:46/mile)
I didn’t intentionally run this as a tempo run but it’s at a tempo pace, so I’ll take it.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 9.93 mile long run (1:55:36; 11:38/mile)
More details below.
Sunday: Rest
Total Running Miles = 24.39
………………………
On Saturday morning, Travis and I drove out to DIA to have breakfast with my parents, who were at the airport during a layover on their way to Mexico. I ate a Belgian waffle, covered with bananas and strawberries, topped with syrup. That, along with getting out of my long run routine (even though it was worth it to see my parents!), and being ridiculously tired, made for a tough long run.
I got up to Boulder around 11 and since it was in the high 60s/low 70s, I wore my Aspaeris Pivot compression shorts under my new running skirt. The combination worked really well, although I did miss my 2XU compression tights a bit. One of my favorite features of the running skirt is that the inside of the waistband has “silicon strips” (aka sticky rubber) so that it doesn’t slide up while you’re running. Genius!
From the very start of the run, I just wasn’t into it. I could name a dozen other things I would rather have been doing – and at the top of that list was sleeping. I was just so. tired. But I had driven all the way up to Boulder to run 10 miles so I sucked it up and just ran at an easy pace. It was a gorgeous day and I didn’t get too hot at all during the run (though I was sweating quite a bit), but the whole time I was counting down the miles so that I could be done.
I don’t know if it was the 8 miles on Thursday or running at a slower pace or not stretching as much this past week, but by about mile 7, my legs started to hurt. Specifically my left glute and IT band/knee. Uh oh. (Although two years ago, it was my right IT band/knee that kept me from running the full Malibu Marathon). I’m putting my money on the whole “not stretching enough” thing and am really going to buckle down on that for the second half of the plan. It’s not that I don’t want to stretch – I just fit my weekday runs in right before dashing off to a church function so I don’t have time to stretch. But one of those meetings is ending tomorrow so that will help.
Yesterday, instead of doing yoga or walking, I took a nap and we planted our garden.
It was fun being outside but man, gardening is hard on the body! We have those fences up because of the dogs (even though they don’t stop them from getting in) and my back and legs were not happy with bending over them to plant things. I can crouch down for about 2 minutes before they demand that I stop. I don’t see a lot of gardening in my future before the marathon.
My tulips are happy at least (though I want to plant more this fall so they’re not so spread out).
On Saturday, Travis put down landscaping fabric and mulch on the back of our house:
It looks so much better!
I had been thinking about going to hot yoga this past Sunday – but we had a church meeting at the same time. Next Sunday, I’m going to a baby shower, and the Sunday after that, we’re going camping. So hot yoga has been rescheduled to May 13. Maybe that means I can convince some friends to join me…
I have some interesting observations about marathon training coming up soon!
Life, Really Blog 
I know what you mean about dashing off after your run & not having time to stretch. I’m working on that too, but I still struggle. You are doing way better gardening than I. It all looks so spring-y & nice.
Lately I am a total yoga convert. Is there a reason you’ve decided only hot yoga on Sundays is the way to go? Podcasts, dvds, midweek classes, non-heated classes…all out?
@Mel – one of my goals was to try hot yoga and Sunday is the only day it really fits into my schedule. But I do like to do videos and stuff at home other times! I just have to actually GO to a studio for the hot part. 😉