Weekly Update 4/9 through 4/15

Another weekend, another gorgeous sunrise... loving it!

Monday, 4/9 - 12.5 mile bike ride

Tuesday, 4/10 - 3 mi tempo run

Wednesday, 4/11 - Legs/abs (deadlift 8x135), swim lesson

Thursday, 4/12 - 1 mile warmup, 6x800M repeats

Friday, 4/13 - 2 mile walk

Saturday, 4/14 - 8 mile run, 2.5 hour snow hike

Sunday, 4/15 - Rest day

Week Ending weight: 127 lb

Last week went well - didn't get in as many lifting sessions or swims as I would have liked, but running is my priority right now and I got all of those in, including the gorgeous sunrise run before our hike on Saturday. Loving this dry, warm and sunny weather finally!

And... it is race week!!! The half that I've been training for, getting up early for, running hours in the rain for! The weather forecast is looking good for Saturday in Wenatchee - mostly sunny with a low of 44 and a high in the low 70s. Hope that holds up - it's a beautiful course along the Columbia River. I am getting anxious already - I just want to get out and run run run! Taper always drives me crazy... and I haven't really tapered/been this anxious/excited for a race since the full marathons I ran a few years ago (speaking of full marathons... I would definitely like to run another within the next year or so!).

I ate fairly well last week, but this week I am going to focus even more on eating clean and drinking tons of water. If anyone coughs on me I will punch them :) Wish me luck!!!

Weekly Update 4/2 through 4/8

If this is the reward for waking up at 5:30 AM to squeeze in a long run, I will take it!

Mon, 4/2 - 6 mile run, chest/tris/abs

Tues, 4/3 - 3 mi tempo run (25:08!), 800M swim

Weds, 4/4 - Legs (squats 8 x 175)/abs

Thurs, 4/5 - 2 mi warmup run, 4x1 mile @ sub 9 pace

Fri, 4/6 - Rest day

Sat, 4/7 - Rest day

Sun, 4/8 - 16 mile run

Ending weight: ?? (scale is broken!)

Aside from Easter brunch, eating went really well this week - I have been really good about drinking lots of water, planning my meals, and tracking everything on my fitness pal.

I only got one swim in, and two lifting sessions - but they were strong lifting sessions, and I got all my running in, which was my priority for this week. I had some great runs - loving the warmer and dry weather after the seeming months on end of rain and 40s! I hit 31 miles for the week, which is the most I've run since high school (except maybe in the weeks in which I ran a full marathon... hah), and Sunday's 16 miler was the longest I've run in the past two years. Not only that, but my legs felt super strong - I don't think I have ever been this NOT sore after a long run! I am making sure to do some stretching and walking around tonight, but it feels great to be running so strongly. One more week of hard training and more speedwork, and then it will be taper week and half marathon time! Already... the past few weeks have flown by!

Weekly Update 3/26 through 4/1

Monday, 3/26 - Rest day
Tuesday, 3/27 - Chest/tris/shoulders
Wednesday, 3/28 - 3 mile run, legs/abs, swim lesson
Thursday, 3/29 - 5 mile run
Friday, 3/30 - Back/bis/abs
Saturday, 3/31 - 10 mile run
Sunday, 4/1 - 1000M swim

I'd say last week was a pretty decent success - I cut Thursday's run a bit short since it was just POURING rain and so crappy, but I managed to run 10 miles on the TM on Saturday so I think that makes up for it. I also got in two swims and three lifting sessions, which left me super sore - hopefully we can stay into going three times a week instead of just once or twice. My eating was also good - I had a couple drinks and a Reese's peanut butter egg on Saturday night, but aside from that I made really good food choices, even over the weekend.

This next week is going to be a little busy with DBF starting classes, and the Easter holiday this weekend - so I'll just do the best I can to fit everything in. Running miles are going to be a priority!

Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon race report

I think the pictures pretty much sum it up - it was a lot of uphill, but a gorgeous loop around beautiful Mercer Island.

Background/Training - I went in intending to do this race as a hilly training run for the Wenatchee half next month. I didn't have super high expectations given the hills and the impromptu backpacking trip the previous two days. I turned my watch on at the start, but ran by feel and didn't look at it again until the finish.

The Race - After a bit of a directional mishap getting to the starting line, we enjoyed absolutely perfect running weather (for me) - sunny and clear, no wind, and a high of around 52. The course ran along the water around the edges of the island, and there were gorgeous views of water, mountains, and crazy expensive houses. It was hard to focus on the views, though, because the road was so steeply cambered/slanted the first 10 miles or so were spent looking down for anywhere that was remotely even to run. I am glad the road twisted and turned, so it wasn't slanted one way the entire time, but still - I think that bothered me more than the gradual uphill and the bigger uphills at the end. I kept a pretty steady pace most of the way through, and got to mile 10 feeling good - so I figured I'd let myself push a little for the last three miles. That ended up being a fun decision - almost everyone around me was walking/struggling on the bigger hills, and I felt great - such a fun feeling to go flying past everyone that passed you in the beginning of the race. I even managed a super strong finishing kick despite the uphill finish.

Ran the race in 2:22, 10:53/mile pace, which I am ok with given the course wasn't flat. The hills didn't really bother me feel-wise, but I'm sure they impacted my pace. I definitely met my two goals of a) not getting injured and b) running strong and finishing strong. Legs were a bit tight afterwards from all the hills, but I am feeling good two days later!

Weekly Update 3/19 through 3/25

Monday, 3/19 - 7 mile run
Tuesday, 3/20 - 3 mile run, back/bis/abs
Wednesday, 3/21 - Rest day
Thursday, 3/22 - 1600M swim
Friday, 3/23 & Saturday, 3/24 - Backpacking trip (~7 miles)
Sunday, 3/25 - Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon (2:22, 10:53/mile pace)

Ending weight: 130.2

I did really well on my diet/eating until Friday - then ate way too many carbs while backpacking and after my half on Sunday. Oh well, I guess my body probably needed them! I only got one lifting session and one swim in, and missed a run because of our impromptu backpacking trip, but it was worth it! The race was great - hilly, but I felt super strong even after backpacking the day before. I will post a separate race report later. My goals for this next week are to get in at least two lifting sessions, two swims, and all 3 of my planned runs, and to start cutting back down on the carbs a bit!

St. Patrick's Day Dash race report

This is probably going to be a quickie, mostly because I forgot my Garmin (and DBF forgot his too), so I don't have any mile splits or cool data like that. I figured from last time I ran the race that the distance was 3.8 miles, but my Garmin said 3.7, and I saw one website that said 3.5 and the official race website said "just under 4 miles" (gee, that's helpful). Either way, I figure that we ran sub 9 pace, which I am really pleased with! I ran with DBF, and we passed a lot of people over the course of the race. Luckily, the weather held off until we finished - it started snowing/raining as we were eating breakfast at my favorite cafe. Brr!

My goal for this race was sub 37:00, and my super secret goal was sub 9 minute miles, so I am happy with it. And it's super nice to be able to somewhat keep up with DBF and be able to actually run WITH him instead of far behind him! I will try to add some pictures of DBF and I once they are posted from the race website :)

Weekly Update 3/12 through 3/18

Monday, 3/12 - Rest day
Tuesday, 3/13 - 3 mile run, 800M swim, abs
Wednesday, 3/14 - Back/bis/abs
Thursday, 3/15 - 800M swim
Friday, 3/16 - 3.5 mile run, chest/tris/abs
Saturday, 3/17 - St. Patrick's Day Dash (~3.8 miles, 32:45)
Sunday, 3/18 - Horseback riding!

Ending weight: 131.2

Well, the exercise went well this week - I didn't run quite as many miles as I would have liked, but it was a cutback week anyways so that's ok. I did get two swims, two lifting sessions, and three sets of abs in! My goal for next week is to get all of my running mileage in (a lot!), plus three lifting sessions and two swims.

Eating was definitely not good - I totally bailed on myfitnesspal towards the end of the week/weekend. Time to get back on track this week - I wasn't too upset when I was just sort of maintaining, but I will not have the scale start going back up!