Less than three weeks until my next marathon: CIM (California International Marathon).
This build-up has been short with only 11 weeks to train because prior to that my hamstring and glute injuries bothered me for about 2 months. I am feeling fortunate they cleared up when they did, and I don’t feel like they set me back too much because fitness-wise I’m about where I was going into CIM last year when I finally broke 3 hours in the marathon.
I haven’t recapped any of my training because these past few months have been slammed with our move, adjusting to life in Minnesota, harvest, and training itself. So here’s my last big week of training as I start my taper today. I do a three week taper going into the race. I’ve had good success with it in the past, so I’ll stick with it because frankly if it works, there’s no sense in changing it.
I did hit 90 miles during peak week this cycle. Last year I ran 100 miles, but the injury set me back a few weeks. It’s all good though, I’m still really happy with 90 miles. Plus, the hard-effort workouts are more important than hitting a certain number of miles for the week.
Monday
10 miles | easy run | 8:13 min/mi average pace
I found a new 10 mile loop, which was fun because there are only so many places to run in this tiny town we live in now. My legs were so-so from my long run over the weekend. My left quad was still sore from lifting 4 days ago, which isn’t the norm, so it definitely needed some extra rolling after the run.
I had plans to do a second run in the afternoon, but I was busy filming a Reel for a collaboration I was working on and it was super windy, so I decided to push it to later in the week.
Tuesday
AM run – 8 miles | easy run | 8:36 min/mi average pace
I ran at 5:20 a.m. because Craig wanted to go hunting at sunrise, so I had to be done by 6:30 a.m. (If you’re married to a hunter, you know about this. Ha!) I’ve gotten more okay with running in the pitch dark in the country. It definitely isn’t my favorite, but my super bright headlamp is like a car headlight, so I can see everything. That morning I saw a couple raccoons and one deer.
PM run – 4.5 miles | easy run | 8:16 min/mi average pace
Easy run home after meeting with the CPA. This is one way I kind of sneak runs in. Craig had some errands to run after our meeting, so rather than me tagging along, I just ran home, and we ended up getting home at about the same time.
Wednesday
AM run – 15 miles | oscillating marathon workout: 5 x (1 mile @ 7:10 min/mi pace, 1 mile @ 6:35 pace)
This run didn’t go as well as I hoped it would. I ended up doing it on the treadmill at the gym because it was super windy out again and predicted to rain. It didn’t help that it was probably almost 70*F in the gym, which I know makes running fast even hard. (In Anchorage, we had my treadmill in the our heated garage and kept it at about 50*F, which was perfect for workouts like this.) I nailed this workout last year, remembering that it even felt “easy.” I am not getting too caught up in this less-than-stellar workout that I had to hop off the treadmill multiple times and slow the pace down, but I was a little bummed it didn’t go as well as it did last year.
PM Strength – 30 minutes
In the afternoon I did a weight session with my strength coach, Maria. Once again she kicked my butt, but there were a couple of moves where I felt really strong on!
I usually do a second run on Wednesdays, but I took Cullen to a church event instead. I eventually got all the miles in for the week that I wanted so it ended up working out in the end.
Thursday
AM run – 10 miles | easy run | 8:40 min/mi average pace
Uff! Another windy run, (*insert eye roll*) but it was warm at 65*F. Seriously, in November. . . .what is this?! I could tell my legs were feeling it from yesterday’s hard session, so this was a slow (for me!) run. I listened to an Ali on the Run podcast, which helped pass the time.
PM run – 4.5 miles | easy run | 8:39 min/mi average pace
I ran back home after looking at a place we may rent. It was dark and cold and windy, and it was 45 degrees colder than it was this morning! I forgot how quickly this upper Midwest weather can change in 12 hours!
Friday
8 miles | easy run | 8:47 min/mi average pace
I take it back: Minnesota is colder than Alaska. That wind was so incredibly brutal. I was literally running in place at points in this run, and the wind cut right through my neck warmer, which was always warm enough in Alaska. I am so over the wind, and it is legit windy every single day here in Minnesota. This was one thing I never missed in Alaska! I proceeded to sit in the sauna for 20 minutes post-run with the temp set at 115*F in order to warm up . . . . . I got cold again as soon as I stepped out.
Saturday
24 miles | long run | 8:19 min/mi average pace
I decided last-minute to drive up to the Cities and stay with my sister so I didn’t have to do my long run on the same streets I’ve run way too many times already this fall. Ha! I did the first 6 miles with my sister and her friend along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. We had some rolling terrain, which I appreciated because where I live now, it is very flat, and I miss having the option to train on some steeper hills or at least rolling hills. We then had to part ways because we each had a different workout. I did all my miles at an easy-effort. The run actually went by quite fast despite spending a couple miles searching for a bathroom and then almost getting lost. All-in-all it was an okay run–nothing great but nothing too terrible either. I had a handful of random niggles pop up during the run, which was kind of odd, but this was the end of a big week for me (and I didn’t sleep a ton the night prior), so that could have played a role.
Sunday
6 miles | easy run | 8:04 min/mi average pace
I didn’t make it out until almost 4 p.m., but it was actually kind of perfect. My legs were more recovered from the previous day’s long run, it was a little warmer in the afternoon, and I had more fuel in me from two meals. Plus, the weather wasn’t terrible (It wasn’t windy at all!), and it was “only” 6 miles (totally relative, I realize), so it seemed super short!
Total: 90 miles
And now we taper! Holy moly these next three weeks are going to go by fast! Eleven weeks ago I ran 12 miles because of my injury and now I just hit 90 miles feeling strong and ready to run my 13th marathon. I am really excited to be back in Sacramento! I will be traveling with my sister, so it will feel like a girls weekend. Our families will be staying back, which is always bittersweet.
I am still trying to figure out what I’m going to wear for the race, but I know I’m going to wear these carbon-plated shoes.
The only thing I’m worried about is that my sister and I can never seem to have a good day together. One of us either crushes our run, while the other struggles, so I’m worried that is going to happen on race day as well, which will be super sad for one of us. :/ I’m praying that isn’t the case because overall we have both had solid build-ups.
You are amazing!!!!!!! 🙏🏻💕thank you for sharing
You are too kind. <3