Weekly Roundup 4.1-4.7

Week 15 of 16

We are one week away from the 123rd Boston Marathon!  Oh em gee.

Overall it was a nice and easy training week for me while G had a big week totaling 6 miles.

Last week’s 20 miler left me feeling like I got hit by a bus so I was very happy to be tapering.  I worked out on Monday with a big focus on my core.  I planned on a short run with Georgie but she surprised me with 3 miles.  Tuesday I cruised for 4 miles after work then took a total rest day on Wednesday.

Thursday was spin and swim.  Friday I didn’t feel like running.  It was cold and windy—big surprise—but I was hoping for 3-5 miles.  I relied on G to get me going with the idea that she’d go a mile or so then I’d continue the rest on my own but again she ran 3 miles.  I was so proud.

I woke up Saturday morning to rain but the hour by hour forecast looked very promising.  When I started running at 1pm, it was 55 degrees and sunny.  10 miles later it was 62 degrees to end a great last long run through Cotuit.  The goal was to stay relaxed and enjoy the weather.  I didn’t even look at my watch until I finished.  Love those kind of runs.

I can’t say I’m totally ready for Boston but I know I will be fine.  Any time you tackle 26.2 miles there are a ton of nerves and doubts.  There is no guarantee in the marathon.  You may have put in the work.  You may have been there before but you never know what cards you are going to get dealt on race day and it certainly doesn’t get any easier with experience.  I’m starting to get excited but it’s definitely a bunch of different feelings going into race week than last year.

Time to rest up, mentally prepare and weather stalk for the next 7 days.  Positive vibes only, please.

Other highlights:

·      I can’t stop reading my race report from last year’s Boston Marathon: http://www.jenrunsfastblog.com/2018/04/race-report-boston-marathon.html

·      I’m number 15097 if you want to track me!  Wave 2 has a 10:25am start time.  Download the Boston Marathon app or go to www.baa.org on race day.

·      Just in case you didn’t already know this… Somerset Creamery in Cataumet opened up this weekend!  I blogged about it awhile back calling it “the best waffle cones on Cape Cod.”  My go to order?  Medium waffle cone with cookie dough on the bottom, orange sherbet on top. 

You can read my full review here: http://www.jenrunsfastblog.com/2015/06/cape-cod-ice-cream-tour-stop-1-somerset.html

Upcoming events:

·      1 week until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 4.1.19

2.93 miles with G (28:51)

Burdenko H2O

Lift

Tuesday 4.2.19

4 miles (32:28)

Taught spin class

Wednesday 4.3.19

16’ walk

Thursday 4.4.19

Taught spin class

Power Water

Friday 4.5.19

3 miles with G (31:05)

Saturday 4.6.19

10 miles (1:18:29)

Sunday 4.7.19

Taught spin class

Burdenko H2O

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16             Week 9 of 16             Week 13 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16             Week 10 of 16           Week 14 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16             Week 11 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16             Week 12 of 16

This week’s mileage: 20 miles

This week’s G mileage: 6 miles

April Totals: 20 miles

2019 Totals: 298 miles

Weekly Roundup 3.25-3.31

Week 14 of 16

Guess what time it is?  It’s taper time!

I am a week late to start tapering but I was forced to miss a few key weeks in training due to injury so I made the decision to push one more week.  I’ve told clients before that they could run a good marathon with training only reaching 16 miles however mentally I knew I needed to get in a 20.

I’ve never really been a high mileage runner.  My first marathon in 2012 I ran 50 miles in my biggest week but since then I’ve stuck to a goal of getting up to 40-42 miles.  This week I hit my highest mileage in training this year with a total of 34 miles.  Nothing crazy or even impressive but I was happy to get there considering a few weeks ago I didn’t even know if I’d be healthy enough to run a marathon on April 15th.

I started the week off with an easy 4 miles after work on Monday.  I was still a little sore and sluggish from my last long run so I tried by best to stay relaxed and just enjoy being outside with the sun shining.

Tuesday is run club and all day I planned to go.  I don’t know why I changed by mind but as soon as I got home I grabbed Georgie for a short run around the neighborhood.  She made it almost 3 miles so I showered, put on my PJs and I was done for the night!  Oops.

Craig met me at the gym on Wednesday afternoon for a strength training session then I came home to another short run with G.  I wasn’t going to run at all but it was one of those lovely evenings that I just felt like doing something.  I actually don’t even like running Georgie two days in a row but she was sitting at the back door begging so I couldn’t say no.

Friday was super cloudy and grey but WARM.  Like high 50s.  Shorts weather.  I decided to take a little field trip to Cotuit and run my favorite 5 mile loop by the water.

Saturday was long run day.  It was a big day.  20 miles.  I have always created a marathon training plan for myself with two 20-milers.  The first one always seems to be a struggle physically.  The second one is more of a mental boost.  This was my one and only shot.  On one hand, I didn’t want to do anything stupid—like reinjure myself.  On the other hand, I just knew I needed to complete the run to enter Boston with the confidence that I could at least make it 26.2 miles.  I know it’s not going to be a fast marathon time for me.  When I got injured all I said was if it’s a nice day, I feel good and I was happy out on the course, it would be a successful marathon for me.  I am way more focused on just enjoying the experience this time.

My dad decided he would bike with me for my entire 20 miles.  In the past he biked alongside me for almost all of my long runs.  This was his first of 2019 training.

The first 11.5 miles felt great.  The sun was shining.  There was virtually no wind.  I was in shorts again.  As I turned around back to my parents the wind suddenly went non-existent to strong, constant, in yo face headwinds.  It was awful.  For the next 8 miles, I felt like I was running in slow motion.  I was old man shuffling.  I stopped a lot.  I drank a lot of water.  My dad was encouraging me the whole way.

At 19.5 miles, we passed the Cape Cod Winery and I saw the best sign of the day.  Wine.  And it was calling my name.  I needed to get home!  It wasn’t pretty and I may have felt like I got hit by a bus after but I did make it 20 miles.  NOW I was ready to taper.

Other highlights:

·      What’s your favorite post-long run meal?  This week we went for Mexican followed by ice cream.  Give me all the food!

·      Boston Marathon bib number have been assigned (…and then mine was updated!)  I was originally assigned to Wave 4, Corral 5 but now I’ll be in Wave 2, Corral 8.  Yeah!

Upcoming events:

·      2 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 3.25.19

4.25 miles (32:17)

Burdenko H2O

Tuesday 3.26.19

2.76 miles with G (26:05)

Taught spin class

Wednesday 3.27.19

1.96 miles with G (18:46)

Lift

Thursday 3.28.19

Taught spin class

Power Water

Friday 3.29.19

5.15 miles (39:02)

22’ walk

Saturday 3.30.19

20 miles (2:46:36)

20’ walk with G

Sunday 3.31.19

Taught spin class

Burdenko H2O

ICYMI

Week 1 of 16             Week 5 of 16             Week 9 of 16             Week 13 of 16

Week 2 of 16             Week 6 of 16             Week 10 of 16

Week 3 of 16             Week 7 of 16             Week 11 of 16

Week 4 of 16             Week 8 of 16             Week 12 of 16

This week’s mileage: 34 miles

This week’s G mileage: 5 miles

March Totals: 118 miles

2019 Totals: 278 miles