Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Weekly Roundup 2.19-2.25


Week 9 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

Week 9 started off with a quick run outside after work before hitting the gym for a new series of workouts from Greg.  Monday’s exercises were mostly familiar with the addition of body saw planks on the slide board—ouch!

The next three days were not good for my running.  I skipped Run Club on Tuesday and went shopping at Marshall’s instead.  L.A.Z.Y.  My friend Steve sent me a Snapchat and I totally wanted to count those *5 miles* towards my weekly mileage!

I didn’t run again on Wednesday.  The new Wednesday workout was hard.  Probably the hardest yet so I took my time learning the exercises thanks to the help of Greg and Craig.  I snatched with the barbell and tried back squats for the first time.  They were so fun!

The laziness continued on Thursday morning and I stayed in bed too long to get in a run before work.  As a result I hit the treadmill for 4 miles at 7:30pm after a long day and two night classes.  I was beat and was going to stop at 3 but Erin helped push me to 4 miles.

I decided to have a #TreatYoSelf morning on Friday and started the day off by getting my nails done.  I stopped home to pick up Georgie and we headed to Cotuit for our beach to beach run.  I love running that route with her!  She did great!



Later that night I went back to the gym to workout with the ladies (+Craig) and NormaTec.


My mom went with me to Hyannis on Saturday morning to pick up my number for the Hyannis Half Marathon.  I signed up to race earlier in the week even though the forecast was calling for RAIN!  It was so hard to believe because on Saturday morning it was 52 degrees with not a cloud in the sky.  I ran a short shakeout run in the sun as soon as I got home.


I ended the week running a half marathon PR!  Confidence is building with 7 weeks to go until the Boston Marathon!  You can read my full race report here: http://www.jenrunsfastblog.com/2018/02/race-report-hyannis-half-marathon.html

Upcoming events:

·      7 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.19.18
3 miles (22:27)
Greg’s Workout #10
Burdenko H2O
12,607 steps

Tuesday 2.20.18
Taught spin class
8,980 steps

Wednesday 2.21.18
Greg’s Workout #11
7,941 steps

Thursday 2.22.18
4 treadmill miles (30:34)
Taught spin class
Power Water
18,560 steps

Friday 2.23.18
2.5 miles with G (22:18)
Greg’s Workout #12
12,398 steps

Saturday 2.24.18
3.35 miles (24:37)
20’ walk with the fam
12,714 steps

Sunday 2.25.18
Hyannis Half Marathon 13.1 miles (1:32:31)
24,772 steps



ICYMI
Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16
Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16
Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16
Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16

This week’s mileage: 26 miles
This week’s G mileage: 2.5 miles
February Totals: 110 miles
2018 Totals: 222 miles

Monday, February 26, 2018

Race Report: Hyannis Half Marathon

“Great things never come from comfort zones.”

I made a last minute decision to run the Hyannis Half Marathon on Sunday and with big risks comes with big rewards—I ran a PR!

If you’ve been following along you know I just finished up Week 9 of marathon training and I have been feeling freaking amazing.  I am running really well.  I am sticking to a consistent strength training schedule.  I’ve added the NormaTec to my Friday and Sunday routines.  I’m actually surprising myself with how motivated I am right now.

With that in mind, I had been thinking about the Hyannis Half Marathon for a few weeks wondering what I could do with nine solid weeks of marathon training under my belt.  My half marathon PR was back in 2015 at the Cape Cod Half while I was training for Houston.  Current solo long run paces have ranged from 7:20-7:30 and 7:10 for 13.1 miles would give me a new personal best.  In a race atmosphere, 7:10 seemed very realistic to me.

I waited until the last minute to sign up because I was worried about the weather.  This was a drop back week for my training so timing for this race was perfect however you never know what to expect for February on Cape Cod.  One year my dad was registered for this race but it was cancelled due to a blizzard!

The forecast showed rain for Sunday morning ALL WEEK.  I kept thinking it would change.  Every day around it changed a hundred times but Sunday morning rain and wind was consistent.  It originally called for 50 degrees but race morning was about 40 degrees, feels like 30.

I woke up Sunday morning to the sound of RAIN and wanted to stay curled up in bed for the rest of the day.  Danielle and Jason were texting me with talks of bailing on the race but I knew I had to do it.  I was not going to work on my requested day off to run 14 miles on the treadmill—especially because the day before I missed a perfect long run day of 50 degrees and sun.

SOOOO I sucked it up, got out of bed, ate breakfast, braided my hair and debated for about an hour what I was going to wear.  The race started at 10am so I had plenty of time to get ready.

I got to Hyannis a little before 9 and met up with Danielle, Jason and their friend Pat inside the conference center.  I found my friend Steve and his wife Courtney then met up with Chris.  We all went our separate ways with final bathroom breaks and headed to the start solo.  This is when I saw Samantha from Run Club so we waited together at the start line.  I was wearing a new rain jacket (thanks mom!) so my upper body was dry but I was starting to get worried about my socks and my legs.  Wet socks = nasty blisters.  Cool weather = mega cramping.  Remember my final miles in Miami?

There was no more time left to worry because the gun went off and it was go time! 

Mile 1- 7:13
Mile 2- 7:07
The first mile I was not happy.  There were so many puddles in the road and even if I avoided them everyone around me was splashing.  I was cold.  Everything was wet.  I tucked my head down and kept questioning why I was out there.

Mile 3- 6:56
Mile 4- 6:56
Mile 5- 7:00
I started to warm up about 3 miles in.  I knew when I hit 5 miles that I was already under goal pace by about 30 seconds and I tried to slow down a bit, worried I couldn’t maintain.  Around this time I also realized I wasn’t looking up AT ALL and I had no idea where I was.  Hyannis.  That’s all I knew.

Mile 6- 7:04
Mile 7- 6:58
Mile 8- 7:06
Mile 9- 7:01
Mile 10- 7:01
Still had no idea where I was or where the course was taking us.  I was just counting down the miles and battling the demons in my head that kept telling me to stop.  The rain was constant, the wind was nasty and the course was surprisingly hilly.  At one point we passed Craigville Beach and I was excited looking for my Run Club friends but they tricked me!  They were outside the liquor store a few miles later—BIG thanks Allison, Stacey and Gary!  So happy to see you guys out there!

Mile 11- 6:59
Mile 12- 6:51
Mile 13- 6:47
I started getting cold again but there was only about 3 miles to go.  22 minutes max.  The course took us out on busy, wind in your face Route 28 before tucking back into some neighborhoods to the finish.  I kept looking at my watch knowing that unless something terrible (cramps) happened I would be in the 1:32s.  I picked it up for the final two miles and crossed the finish line with the biggest smile on my face.

13.1 miles – 1:32:31

Average pace – 7:05

Overall I was extremely proud of myself.  So much of this race was about stepping out of my comfort zone.  I have lost the mental game in races too many times to count but not this day!

From the finish line I ran right to my car to get my bag then straight to the bathroom to peal off all my wet layers.  That was the worst.  I found Samantha and she also ran a PR!  We sat for a while and I enjoyed coffee and a donut before heading home to my couch and the pup.



Up next: Week 10 Boston Marathon Training!

Monday, February 19, 2018

Weekly Roundup 2.12-2.18


Week 8 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

I’m halfway to Boston!  8 weeks down, 8 weeks to go!

Monday started off cool and rainy.  When I was home for lunch I thought for sure I would be running on the treadmill after work so I didn’t even pack outdoor attire.  Little did I know that 4pm turned out to be the nicest hour of the day!  I beasted through my strength workout in good time—Erin and Craig both worked late—so I rushed home to add a few layers and literally ran out the door.  I’m so happy I did because I caught the most gorgeous sunset over the pond.  I totally needed that.  The last two Mondays haven’t really been my best days.



Tuesday was good.  We celebrated Valentine’s Day in spin class and rocked out to some love songs.  (The breakup playlist is coming next week…)  That night I ran 4 miles with Steve at Run Club then headed to the Lanes for a drink.  I ordered a flatbread to go thinking I would eat a few slices and save the rest for lunch the next day but I ate the whole thing.  OOPS.  I blame marathon training.

I only worked out on Wednesday so I squeezed in a short run Thursday morning before work.  I was tired.  It was humid.  Not my best run but I redeemed myself on Friday with a decent 6 miler.  I spent all Friday afternoon at my doctor’s office reviewing a recent bone density scan (not good) and talking about my jaw pain (might be TMJ?) then I went right to the gym.

Let’s talk a little bit about Friday’s gym session.  The last four Fridays I have been using “Box 1” for my box jumps (#jencantjump) and ever week Greg has been telling me to try Box 2.  Box jumps terrify me.  There was no way.  Then a 65 year old member came over and shamed me by jumping up on Box 1.  If he could jump Box 1, he said I better be able to jump Box 2.  Greg told me the bench was not as high as Box 2 and I was already a few inches off the ground standing by the squat rack so I went for it.  Then I stepped off the platform and jumped the bench from the ground.  I was so proud.  A few minutes later Erin came in and I was so excited to tell her until she was like whatever, but “you know the bench is the same height as Box 2, right?”  GREG TRICKED ME.  He knew that the whole time!  Anyways, I went through the rest of my workout and spent some time with Norma.

I finished up my biggest week of Boston training to date with my second 16-miler.  This time I wanted to go at it on my own.  I drove to my mom and dad’s house in Falmouth and ran an out and back to the beach.  My parents hung out with Georgie and met me at about 8 miles and then again around 12 miles.  I was having a really good run.  Legs felt awesome.  The sun was shining.  It was a little breezy but I couldn’t complain.  I started to struggle during miles 14, 15 and 16 again but similar to my last 16 miler, the wind was in my face and I was on hilly Acapesket Road.  No excuses.  I have been running my long runs a lot faster than ever before and I think need to work on starting out a little slower when I get to my 18 and 20 mile attempts.



Other highlights:

·      While I was long running on Saturday, my parents brought Georgie to the market and had two warm, fresh cider donuts waiting for me at the finish.  AMAZING.

·      Saturday afternoon Katrina and I adventured to Orleans.  I was craving a burrito so we tried a new Mexican restaurant for lunch then stopped at Nauset Beach.  We have been playing tourists on the Cape visiting places we have never been—and Nauset Beach is a cool spot with lots of dunes, big waves and many shark sightings in the summertime.



Upcoming events:

·      8 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.12.18
4 miles (30:40)
Greg’s Workout #8
Burdenko H2O
14,269 steps

Tuesday 2.13.18
Marathon Sports Run Club! 4 miles with Steve (31:57)
Taught spin class
15,726 steps

Wednesday 2.14.18
Greg’s Workout #7
7,260 steps

Thursday 2.15.18
4 miles (32:02)
Taught spin class
Power Water
18,306 steps

Friday 2.16.18
6 miles (45:20)
Greg’s Workout #9
14,021 steps

Saturday 2.17.18
16 miles (1:59:07)
28,309 steps

Sunday 2.18.18
Taught spin class
11,094 steps


ICYMI
Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16
Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16
Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16

This week’s mileage: 34 miles
This week’s G mileage: 0 miles
February Totals: 84 miles
2018 Totals: 196 miles

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Weekly Roundup 2.5-2.11


Week 7 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

Week 7 was a little bit of a struggle for me.  I have been experiencing pain in my jaw and it has been keeping me up at night, which definitely effects me both physically and mentally.  It certainly wasn’t my best training week but I got the job done.

I had a little setback on Monday morning but a lunch break chat with my girl Katrina helped put my head back on straight.  I was dragging my feet that afternoon, not in the mood to run then was pushed out the door by Joe who basically told me to suck it up and go outside.  It was cool and windy but getting out was exactly what I needed.  #runningisfreetherapy

I made it to Run Club on Tuesday then got in a good lift session on Wednesday afternoon with my crew Erin and Craig.  They both showed up at the gym on Friday afternoon too—teamwork!


G ran with me on both Thursday and Friday morning and I followed that up with another 5.5 miles on my own.  It was nice that I was able to run outside all week!  No treadmill!  Yeah!

Saturday was long run day with *only* 12 miles on the schedule.  I had plans to meet Lizzie for lunch in Plymouth so I got out a little earlier than normal—and by that I mean 10am.  Ha.  My dad called last minute to see if I wanted company so that was nice.  He came to my house and we ran/biked Cotuit.  Those roads were all new to him so it was fun to show him all my favorite roads and rest stops.



My run itself was tough.  I was tired and my legs felt heavy.  Every step felt like work… but lunch later that day was great!

Other highlights:

·      I got my Boston Marathon Celebration Jacket!  I tried it on to make sure it fit then I tucked it away in my closet until April 16th… eeeeeeek!

Upcoming events:

·      9 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 2.5.18
4 miles (28:50)
Greg’s Workout #8
Burdenko H2O
13,746 steps

Tuesday 2.6.18
Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.6 miles with Steve (29:14)
Taught spin class
16,295 steps

Wednesday 2.7.18
Greg’s Workout #7
7,162 steps

Thursday 2.8.18
1.99 miles with G (17:29)
Taught spin class
Power Water
16,816 steps

Friday 2.9.18
0.85 miles with G (8:43)
5.5 miles (40:21)
Greg’s Workout #9
15,984 steps

Saturday 2.10.18
12 miles (1:36:16)
23,458 steps

Sunday 2.11.18
Taught spin class
Burdenko H2O
12,587 steps


ICYMI
Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16
Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16

This week’s mileage: 28 miles
This week’s G mileage: 3 miles
February Totals: 50 miles
2018 Totals: 162 miles