Friday, August 30, 2013

Its Like Licking a Garden... and Other More Running-Related Things

Hello hello!

Well, despite work having been a lot more calm recently, I haven't become any more diligent about posting. I've been building up my miles  >50 per week for several weeks, looking to peak at about 55-60 miles per week, at which point my training plan has me starting speed workouts (adding miles and speed is no bueno for me).

Running higher mileage than ever before also has me trying to focus a bit more on what I'm eating. Not like OMG, I ate a piece of cake so now I need a juice fast to detox. Rather, I feel like at this point I just have to be a bit more conscious and deliberate about getting enough overall calories, enough carbs, and enough vitamins and nutrients.

In faithful pursuit of this effort, husband and I decided to get juices the other day on a whim. This was my first juice/smoothie thing that hasn't involved some sort of delicious ice-cream. Hmmm. Skeptical already.

Mine had apple, cucumber, kale, spinach, blueberries and ginger and looked like mud:



Indeed, husband took a sip and said: "Get this away from me. It tastes like health. Its kind of like licking a garden."

It did. It tasted exactly like licking a garden. 

So you know, nutritional health isn't that great sometimes. Not like, for instance, my #longrundayideserveit feast of mexican and margaritas:























Yummo.

Aaaaanway, apart from that, I've been just been making sure I gets ALL THE CALCIUM, in the form of chocolate milk after my runs, and a cup of greek yoghurt every day. Paranoia-about-stress-fractures for the win! And I've added some more carby snacks to my late night eats, especially when I have longish runs planned for the morning. So no diet-rocket science or anything.

Back to running... I've been enjoying the Advanced Marathoning training plan... has anyone else used this? Compared to Hansons its a longer build up, and there is a lot more time between hard runs. Its nice that my legs are not constantly feeling like they are on the crest of injury. It has the long (18+ miles) runs unlike Hansons... but not many of those long grueling 10-mile tempo runs that were Oh! So! Much! Fun! last time around.

Anyway, the last couple of weeks training for the Philly Marathon have looked like this:

August 11-17, 2013
Sunday: 15 miles easy, around 8:50 with this girl - we met at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, ran over it, through Brooklyn Bridge Park and then back to the west side highway. Beautiful weather!
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 8 miles with 5 miles at HM pace: 7:05, 6:57, 6:55, 6:57; 6:49. Ran the last 0.25 (400m) at about 5K pace as punishment for stopping after 3.5 miles for a rest. HM workouts are no joke!
Wednesday: 8 easy miles on the treadmill, around 8:30 pace + leg workout
Thursday: XT elliptical for 50 mins plus core workout
Friday: 10 miles easy through Central Park; 8:35 avg pace
Saturday:  8 miles easy at 8:30 avg pace
Total: 50 miles

August 18-24, 2013
Sunday: 16 miles with 8miles at MP (was supposed to be 10 miles, but was hungover from the night before. Oops. (See above discussion on eating/drinking for healthy running. Ahem.) Anyway, I made it for 8 miles at a decent clip, despite feeling like death: 7:16, 7:18, 7:20, 7:18, 7:15, 7:17, 7:17, 7:20.
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 9 easy miles around 8:30 avg pace on TM, with 1.5% incline + leg workout
Wednesday: 10 miles at 7:50 avg pace (had rockets in legs!)
Thursday: 40 mins elliptical + short core workout
Friday: 7 miles easy at 8:10 avg pace
Saturday: 8 miles easy at 8:36 avg pace + upper body workout.
Total: 50 miles

From here, I have 11 weeks to Philly Marathon. In two weeks I'll be running Philly RnR Half marathon for a hopeful PR.... then ING Hartford Half Marathon in October as a big marathon tempo.

And I think thats all I've got for now. Have a great Labor Day weekend! High five to me for remembering an American holiday for the first time in the 5 years I've been here!

No comments:

Post a Comment