training tuesday

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I’ll be celebrating at work today, but hopefully catch a view of our city’s parade from my office. Still, it’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for another edition of Training Tuesday – here are some of the highlights from this week’s Cleveland half marathon training.

The week started off not-so-good – I had some sort of virus that knocked me out Sunday and Monday pretty hard and made the beginning of the week’s runs less-than-outstanding. But later in the week I got outside (3 times!) AND even mustered up the energy to get in a 5 mile race on Saturday (and a PR!).

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Monday: On the schedule – 3.5 miles.

Actual run – Not a real run. I managed a slow 2 miles on the treadmill at 0% incline before calling it a quits. I walked on and off until deciding just to give up – I felt lousy. I took my temperature and sure enough, had a fever still. So it was back to bed. I slept pretty much all day.

Tuesday: On the schedule – 5×400 at 5k pace.

Actual run – 5x400m with some at 5k pace. I had slept all day Monday pretty much and woke up Tuesday feeling a lot better. I dropped the incline, dropped my pace (a little – some were still at my goal 400m pace of abut 8 minute/mile) and got the run in. Was totally impressed with myself afterwards for not just bailing a third day in a row.

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Wednesday: On the schedule – 3.5 miles.

Actual run – 4.68 miles – OUTSIDE. I was super tired and slow, and the girls I were supposed to run with didn’t end up running, so I was without a route and pacers. BUT I was outside and managed a few small hills. I finished up with a few ab exercises and 10 minutes on the elliptical.

Thursday: On the schedule – REST.

Actual workout – 5.4 miles OUTSIDE again! After Wednesday’s less-than-great run and the whole week not feeling so good, I wanted to get in a confidence-boosting workout before the race on Saturday. I went for a run, outdoors, with 2 small hills and felt great. Finally – I was back!

Only downside – it’s now dark in the mornings thanks to Daylight Savings. But soon it will be light again!

pitch black during my runs

Friday: On the schedule – REST.

Actual run – a super easy elliptical workout while reading Runner’s World. Barely a workout but just getting in some movement before my day.

My elliptical set up. Phone, check. Water, check. Magazine, check. TV, check.

Saturday: On the schedule – 5K RACE.

Actual run – 5 Mile Race – the St. Malachi Church Run. I PR’d, too! I somehow managed to run it in just about 41:16 – a time I never dreamed of. I ran with B for the first two miles and then felt like I was going to collapse so ~~let~~ made him go ahead. Still, I think him pushing me for that long helped with my time.

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Post-race with B and our medals!

Sunday: On the schedule – cross train or off.

Actual workout – 45 minutes on the elliptical at a super easy pace and level. I was seriously snoozing and should have worked harder but my legs were tired and a little tight from racing and decided to play it safe.

Later that afternoon, B and I got in a short walk.

Overall thoughts about the week:

The good: The St. Malachi 5 miler not only got me outside (during the race and before the race during the week) but got some of my running confidence back. I know that the speed work is paying off and will continue to do it!

I’m loving the “warmer” weather. I can so run outside in 30 degrees as long as there is no ice, etc. and so far so good! Thank goodness – because it’s spring marathon (or half) training time!

The bad: I’m a little sore/tight after the 5 mile race and hoping that that’s just it – just soreness. I’m not typically sore after 5 miles but guess I was really pushing it?

I didn’t stick to the schedule this week minus the interval running day. I got in runs, but they weren’t what the schedule called for.

I was sick in the beginning of the week and it’s incredible to see how much some slight illness can make a difference in my running. Thankfully it was gone in a few days and 5 days later I was still able to race!

Questions for you:

Do you have any races coming up?
Are you back outside for running?
What happens when you’re sick – do you run? Stay in bed? Test it out?

spring half marathon

For those of you that forgot, I’m excited to be a Cleveland half marathon ambassador! That means that each week I’ll be sharing with you my training, ups and downs, and more. And this past week was my first official training week.

Week one of Cleveland half marathon training is DONE. And it was a good week – since I had been running pretty much daily leading up to training, I didn’t feel intimidated by this week’s mileage. I actually got in fewer miles now that training started- the weeks leading up to this week were in the 30s and this week – including some walking with my runs – was 25 miles.

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Monday: On the schedule – 3 miles.

Actual run – 3 miles, with the first 2 at 1% incline. I also added in a little warmup and cool down. Not sure why, but this run was not as easy as it should have been! It was a rougher treadmill run than usual. Maybe I was tired from the weekend?

Tuesday: On the schedule – 4×400 at 5k pace.

Actual run – ouch. But I did it! I have been trying to get a sub-25 minute 5k and haven’t yet “officially” (in an actual 5k) so my goal 400m pace is about 8 minute/mile. Since I was on the treadmill, I ended up doing a little warmup and 400m in between each sprint. Man, that was rough. I can’t believe this is the easiest speed work that I’ll be doing – I know where I’ll be suffering this training season – speed work and intervals for sure! Still, I did it and got in about 3 miles total including warmup and cool down.

Wednesday: On the schedule – 3 miles.

Actual run – 3 miles, with a mile warmup and mile cool down. Also attempted to keep the incline at 1% for 2 miles. I was feeling MUCH better than Monday and enjoyed my cool down and warmup so much that I made them a mile each.

Thursday: On the schedule – NO RUN.

Actual workout – It was nearly impossible for me to take the full day off, so I did the elliptical on EASY and lifted some weights. I’m really trying to take my off days and cross training seriously!

Friday: On the schedule – 3 miles.

Actual run – 4.75 miles, again with warmup and cool down and 2 miles at 1%. I felt great this morning for some reason so I listened to my body and did a LITTLE bit longer of a run (not THAT much!). I also did a little longer cool down and got to 6 miles total.

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Saturday: On the schedule – 5 miles.

Actual run – 5.5 miles, first 2 at 1% incline and then the next 3 miles gradually getting speedier until I was running at just sub-9 min mile pace for the last mildish. I lost track and actually finished running at 5.5 miles, finishing at 9:05 min/miles for the whole pace. It’s nice that my “long” runs are done in less than an hour right now – something I definitely am not taking for granted! After my run, I did a quick 1.5 mile walk to cool down.

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Sunday: On the schedule – cross train or off.

Actual workout – 4 mile walk (not shown on my dailymile app map above). I somehow dragged B outside in the snow (Yes, March 1 it was 20 degrees and snowing) and convinced him to walk (not run) the bridges with me. It was a somewhat more difficult walk – the sidewalks weren’t plowed so I definitely felt my leg muscles working on the bridges (hills) a little bit. Even though it was just a walk, it was good to be outside. I got in 12,000 steps just from our walk, about 4 miles!

Seen on our walk

Overall thoughts about the week:

The good: I didn’t miss any of my workouts and I took my off days (or my “stretch and strengthen or xc” days) seriously. I kept mostly to the schedule (yes, I did run a little longer a few days – but not by much!). I didn’t run on those days and I actually attempted to lift some weights and do ab exercises. Go me! Also, B signed us up for the St. Malachi 5 miler in a few weeks so that will be a great excuse for me to get outside and tackle some real hills (it’s a hilly but fun course).

The bad: I didn’t make it outside. Again. I probably could’ve gone outside twice this week (Wed was in the low teens and Saturday was sunny and cold but streets weren’t icy) but I didn’t. I’m hoping that it will warmup somewhat and I can get my outside running groove back soon!

Questions for you:

Do you have any races coming up?
Have you gotten outside for a run or have you been stuck inside like me? (I guess stuck isn’t the right term … I could run outside if I were braver!)