Monday, September 26, 2011

Week 12 - Marathon Trainin Recap

I am officially mentally DONE training for this marathon.  Luckily, I read some great advice from the Fitting in the Windy City blog that Kate's trainer sent to them about tapering:

"Do not do anything crazy. You may feel that you are not ready. You are! Nothing you do now will improve your fitness level. Trying to squeeze in a few extra runs or workouts will not help, but will hurt… literally, if you get injured."

Reading that actually made me feel better and I'm going to re-evaluate my running for the next two weeks in order to maintain sanity and REST for 26.2 miles.  
fresh flowers always brighten my mood and paying $5 for this bouquet helps even more!

Monday - 5.0 miles easy - 6.0 miles FAST
57:00 - 9:30 pace
My good friend Carol came over for a run after work and she is a tad speedier than me so we kept the pace pretty quick for the whole run.  At mile 5 Carol said "let's just keep running" and I'm never one to turn down a good running partner so we ran to 6 miles instead.  We re-fueled with Lemon Garlic Tuna Burgers that turned out pretty darn good!

Tuesday - 6.0 mile run - REST
Oopsies!  I did not realize how early I needed to leave my house to be downtown for a Sounders game with my bro so I just made Tuesday a rest day.  Instead I stuffed my face with a hot dog and half a bag of kettle corn plus 2 giant beers at the game and I paid for it by feeling like crappola on Wednesday.   It was worth it!

Wednesday - Personal Training - DID IT
Sara decided it would be fun to do the entire workout with ankle weights on including shuffling down the soccer field one million times, lunges, kickbacks, ab holds with feet out, etc. etc. etc.  What I love most about Sara is that every week is completely different and challenges my body in new ways.  My last session before the marathon is next week and I'm sad that I can't afford to keep her on forever and ever!

Thursday - 5.0 mile run - DID IT
The pup and I hit the Burke Gilman trail after work and it was a hard run.  I was sore from personal training the day before and just had low energy.  But we both got through the run!

Friday - 12.0 mile long run - 11.0 mile run
1:58:00 - 10:43 pace
This run was honestly the worst run of my training cycle to date.  It was pretty warm and humid out and I just never found my running groove.  I stopped at mile 6 for a while at a community center to drink and splash water on my face and spent the last 5 miles run/walking. 

Saturday & Sunday - REST
Although the weekend definitely did not feel like rest.  I was running around all weekend with a friend who was in town around downtown Seattle and a Seahawks game on Sunday.  FUN weekend!
lunch at the Edgewater on Elliot Bay!
Go hawks...and they actually won!
Total mileage: 22 miles
Total strength: 1
Total yoga: none

Marathon Training Week 13 - Say It Do It - September 26 - October 2
Monday - REST --> wasn't feeling well today so taking a rest day
Tuesday - 5.0 mile easy + YOGA
Wednesday - personal trainer
Thursday - 3.0 miles moderate pace
Friday - BodyFlow at gym
Saturday or Sunday - 6.0 mile long run and rest the other day

Question: How do all of you deal with major lack of motivation while training for something?

6 comments:

Coy Martinez said...

I use to pass on beer and hot dogs but then I realized that I've earned it! That I am earning it! I'm a runner and if we can't do it now than we never can :)

Relax during the taper! I know it makes you feel mental. My last long run before my Philly Marathon last year I had to call for a pick-up at mile 17. I was in crazy amounts of muscle pain in my legs. Cramps galore but went on to run a PR marathon time. I second guessed myself for nothing. You got this!!

Christy @ My Dirt Road Anthem: A Runner's Blog said...

I just make myself get out there and at least do 2 miles, usually I then feel good enough to finish the run or at least like I have to. Usually just getting out the door is enough motivation to keep going though!

Raquelita said...

Tapering always makes me feel a little on the nutty side, so I try to take on an extra project then to keep myself busy. It's good that you got the bad run out of the way. You are going to rock Chicago!

Anonymous said...

As Dory says...:Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!

- Kristin

Alexis said...

Love your blog! I'm running Chicago for the 4th time this year and you couldnt have picked a better race for your first. Good luck and you're gonna love it!

Marathon Lar said...

Thanks for all the tips ladies and thanks for reading Alexis. Good luck in Chicago, if you happen to recognize me among the 45000 people say HI!