This last week of training was the highest mileage I have done in several years! I only had two runs that didn’t go well, but otherwise I felt really strong this week. I am feeling very blessed to be feeling so good and running so well. I am especially thankful that I haven’t had any major injuries over the last 15 months other than a little Achilles’s flare-up last spring.
See the sign on that bridge? Do you think it’s a sign? Maybe it is sending me good luck for a fast half this summer?! I really hope there are races this summer!
Here’s a recap on my workouts from this past week. There was a lot of running, a little strength training, lots of showers, but overall a lot of fun!
January 25 – 31, 2021
Monday
AM – 7 miles | easy run | 8:26 average pace
A little tight, sore, and tired starting out the week, but I know not every run is going to going to go perfectly and one I will feel great on. I did dynamic drills before this run and six striders at the end of the run.
PM – 4 miles | easy run | 8:24 average pace
I felt better on this evening run, which is always a good feeling.
Tuesday
AM – 12 miles | treadmill workout: 2 x (20 min @ CMP, 5 min @ tempo)
This workout actually went quite well! It was a big workout with a total of 50 minutes of sub-7 minutes/mile pace. I ran the first 20 minutes at my current marathon pace of 6:59, and then the last 5 minutes at my current tempo-effort of 6:31 minutes/mile pace. (I did ‘effort’ on the treadmill, which is always harder than running outside.)
PM – 20 minutes of strength
Session included: pull-ups, push-ups, monster walks, deadlifts, overhead press, bicep curls, eccentric calf raises, and clam shells
Wednesday
AM – 7 miles | easy run | 8:10 average pace
I felt really good on this run. It is amazing what a good night of sleep, a little fuel before heading out, and plowed roads will do for your pace.
PM – 5 miles | middle 3 a little quicker | 7:57 average pace
Another solid run with the middle 3 miles at a little quicker-than-usual pace. Splits – 7:41, 7:46, 7:44
Thursday
AM – 9 miles | middle 3 a little quicker | 8:13 average pace
Well, after several runs in a row that went well, it was only a matter of time before one didn’t go well. It shouldn’t have been that hard to run a 7:40-7:45 pace, but the combination of loose snow and running straight into the wind made the paces dismal. I gave it a shot, and if there was one workout to ‘fail’ on, I am fine with it being this one. Splits – 7:40, 7:50, 7:59
PM – 30 minute ART session
Not a training workout, but a very important recovery session to get my high hamstring and Achilles feeling 100% all the time. They are very minor niggles at this point in time, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize them at this point, so I’ve been trying to go in for some therapy on them once a week.
Friday
AM – 10 miles | 6 x 1 mile repeats – treadmill
My coach found my breaking point. Ha! This workout was just a little too much for me, but I stuck it out to the end (had to slow the paces down a bit), and this summer when I have a similar workout, I know I will be able to nail this because my body will adapt. I averaged 6:45 pace for the mile repeats. I would have liked to be at 6:40 and slightly faster for some of them.
PM – 4 miles | easy run | 9:20 average pace
I was not excited to do this run. I was tired from this morning’s workout, it was cold outside, and I would have rather just stayed at home, but out I went because I won’t get faster sitting on my bum. I ended up pushing Bjorn in the stroller for this run so that he could get some fresh air and Craig could get a break. I don’t mind pushing him in the stroller, but it was not fun through the snow that needs to be plowed in several places. There was a lot of resistance training on this run!
Saturday
PM – 10 miles | medium-long run | 8:02 average pace
I didn’t make it out until the afternoon for this run, but that was fine. We were hanging out together as a family in the morning, and I had no reason to rush out the door right away. Since I did this in the afternoon, I got to run in the sunshine, which was so nice. Maybe that’s why I ran paces that are much closer to my paces in the summer on dry, clear pavement.
Sunday
PM – 15 miles | long run | 8:26 average pace
I broke this run up by running 3.5 miles to my friend’s house, running 8 miles with her, and then ran 3.5 miles back home for a total of 15 miles. This was, once again, an afternoon run, but that means we got in on the sunshine! I was surprised I felt good on this run after a big week of training, but I think my body is doing a good job absorbing all of the hard work I put it through these last few months.
And now we rest! This past week I had two big treadmill workouts, plus a long run, and three two-a-days, so I feel like I have earned a break now. I am so looking forward to a full week off from running. There will be no running, and instead I will be sleeping, getting caught up on work, and just enjoying my extra downtime.
