I've not really been talking much about any of my training lately. I don't know that it's all that exciting. I'm training for a marathon so that means I'm running. And running. And fitting in cross-training and weights. I don't even want to tally up the time I'm spending doing these things. Anyone else ever feel like training starts to take over their lives? I'm not even to my true long runs yet.
Anyhoo ... This past weekend was a good one overall. Saturday was a bit full, but I made up for that on Sunday with lots of reading time on the patio. Saturday morning was actually finally cool enough so that I could sleep in for a change. It was so nice not having to get up and out the door by 6 am on the weekend. In fact, I didn't head out until 8.
My goal was to shoot for 13-14 miles depending on how I felt. The temps were hovering just below 60 degrees and the skies were overcast. I was a happy runner. I may have been a bit too happy though. My intention was to take it slow and do 10 solo miles then stop by the house where Jason would join me for the last 3-4 miles.
I am so used to the 10-11 mile range both physically and mentally. I've toughed it out with decent paces even in the grueling summer heat. So with the cooler temps, I ended up going a lot faster than I should have, than I needed to. I need to really keep in mind that I'm going farther with my distances now. I'm not stopping at that comfort spot I'm so used to. It's a learning curve for me for sure.
I've only hit 14 miles 3 or 4 times before. So, 10 miles was at an 8:12 pace and I felt great. Until I got to the house then realized I had another 3-4 to go. Honestly, had Jason not been going with me, I probably would have cut myself short at 12 miles because the fatigue was setting in. Again, I'm a complete work in progress here.
Thankfully Jason is way better at pacing so he helped slow me down and got me through the last 4 miles and once I was done, I knew I could have done 15 so that was a nice feeling.
After the run I stretched, put my feet up and tried to recover properly. I felt good, better than I had expected even. I wasn't tired. I was only minimally sore. However, I had been having major GI problems and was having a hard time wanting to eat anything at all. Not a good thing when you need to re-fuel.
The rest of the day my stomach never felt quite right, but I made myself eat especially when we went to lunch with my sister. Then we had a couple of different house gatherings to go to. This is when my fatigue set in like a ton of bricks. It hit hard and I wanted to just do a face plant and sleep wherever I landed. Let's just say I was out cold by 9 pm (probably earlier) and slept until 7:30 the next morning.
Sunday morning was again cool so no rushing to get out the door. I wasn't sure if I was going to feel up to a run after Saturday, but I felt surprisingly good. I set out for a run planning to just listen to my body for pace and distance. I did much better slowing down, so it ended up being a really good recovery run. After some house chores and a grocery store trip, I spent most of the day sitting outside reading as it turned out to be a gorgeously sunny day.
Monday I needed a break from running. I was able to get in biceps and triceps during lunch and a bike ride after work was in question. The dogs were at the groomer and pickup time never seems to go as scheduled. Luckily, they ended up being ready early so that I could pick them up and get home missing rush hour traffic. This also meant that Jason was able to come straight home so we could head out for a bike ride.
We haven't ridden outside much this summer at all to be honest. I've been way more comfortable on the trainer now that I'm clipped in. I'm really a big chicken and just not all that comfortable on the bike to begin with. But each outing I do get a little bit more comfortable.
The only problem with an evening workout, especially a bike ride for some reason, is that I have a really hard time winding down and sleeping. So my sleep was fitful. And it didn't help that Maddie and Heath woke us up around 3:45. Just a big fiasco as Heath knocks down a gate to come up, Maddie has now figured out that yes she can get over it too and she comes up. Only she won't just lay down. She's like a shark that can't stop moving ... ever ... always in motion.
When the alarm went off just after 5 am I wasn't sure I could peel myself out of bed for my run. I suddenly decided I no longer wanted to run. Period. Have you ever done that? Well, I did, but I talked myself off the ledge and got myself out the door. It's getting so hard to be motivated when it's just plain dark out and you don't have a partner in crime to kick you in your pants. This time of year, I find that I get myself spooked really easily. That's great for the old heart and causes some mini sprint sessions.
My legs were heavier than expected from the bike ride, but it could have also been more from lack of sleep and the humidity that has settled back in. At one point I thought I'd be ok with 3 miles because it felt like I was just running in place. It took 5 miles for my legs to finally get on board with the whole running concept. But they finally did and I ended up with 8.6 miles. Tomorrow I have hill repeats on tap. I'm trying not to think about that bit of torture though.
Anyone else spook themselves running in the dark this time of year? Anyone ever just suddenly decide, hey, I don't want to do X workout anymore, ever, I'm done?
Anyhoo ... This past weekend was a good one overall. Saturday was a bit full, but I made up for that on Sunday with lots of reading time on the patio. Saturday morning was actually finally cool enough so that I could sleep in for a change. It was so nice not having to get up and out the door by 6 am on the weekend. In fact, I didn't head out until 8.
My goal was to shoot for 13-14 miles depending on how I felt. The temps were hovering just below 60 degrees and the skies were overcast. I was a happy runner. I may have been a bit too happy though. My intention was to take it slow and do 10 solo miles then stop by the house where Jason would join me for the last 3-4 miles.
I am so used to the 10-11 mile range both physically and mentally. I've toughed it out with decent paces even in the grueling summer heat. So with the cooler temps, I ended up going a lot faster than I should have, than I needed to. I need to really keep in mind that I'm going farther with my distances now. I'm not stopping at that comfort spot I'm so used to. It's a learning curve for me for sure.
I've only hit 14 miles 3 or 4 times before. So, 10 miles was at an 8:12 pace and I felt great. Until I got to the house then realized I had another 3-4 to go. Honestly, had Jason not been going with me, I probably would have cut myself short at 12 miles because the fatigue was setting in. Again, I'm a complete work in progress here.
Thankfully Jason is way better at pacing so he helped slow me down and got me through the last 4 miles and once I was done, I knew I could have done 15 so that was a nice feeling.
After the run I stretched, put my feet up and tried to recover properly. I felt good, better than I had expected even. I wasn't tired. I was only minimally sore. However, I had been having major GI problems and was having a hard time wanting to eat anything at all. Not a good thing when you need to re-fuel.
The rest of the day my stomach never felt quite right, but I made myself eat especially when we went to lunch with my sister. Then we had a couple of different house gatherings to go to. This is when my fatigue set in like a ton of bricks. It hit hard and I wanted to just do a face plant and sleep wherever I landed. Let's just say I was out cold by 9 pm (probably earlier) and slept until 7:30 the next morning.
Sunday morning was again cool so no rushing to get out the door. I wasn't sure if I was going to feel up to a run after Saturday, but I felt surprisingly good. I set out for a run planning to just listen to my body for pace and distance. I did much better slowing down, so it ended up being a really good recovery run. After some house chores and a grocery store trip, I spent most of the day sitting outside reading as it turned out to be a gorgeously sunny day.
Monday I needed a break from running. I was able to get in biceps and triceps during lunch and a bike ride after work was in question. The dogs were at the groomer and pickup time never seems to go as scheduled. Luckily, they ended up being ready early so that I could pick them up and get home missing rush hour traffic. This also meant that Jason was able to come straight home so we could head out for a bike ride.
We haven't ridden outside much this summer at all to be honest. I've been way more comfortable on the trainer now that I'm clipped in. I'm really a big chicken and just not all that comfortable on the bike to begin with. But each outing I do get a little bit more comfortable.
The only problem with an evening workout, especially a bike ride for some reason, is that I have a really hard time winding down and sleeping. So my sleep was fitful. And it didn't help that Maddie and Heath woke us up around 3:45. Just a big fiasco as Heath knocks down a gate to come up, Maddie has now figured out that yes she can get over it too and she comes up. Only she won't just lay down. She's like a shark that can't stop moving ... ever ... always in motion.
When the alarm went off just after 5 am I wasn't sure I could peel myself out of bed for my run. I suddenly decided I no longer wanted to run. Period. Have you ever done that? Well, I did, but I talked myself off the ledge and got myself out the door. It's getting so hard to be motivated when it's just plain dark out and you don't have a partner in crime to kick you in your pants. This time of year, I find that I get myself spooked really easily. That's great for the old heart and causes some mini sprint sessions.
My legs were heavier than expected from the bike ride, but it could have also been more from lack of sleep and the humidity that has settled back in. At one point I thought I'd be ok with 3 miles because it felt like I was just running in place. It took 5 miles for my legs to finally get on board with the whole running concept. But they finally did and I ended up with 8.6 miles. Tomorrow I have hill repeats on tap. I'm trying not to think about that bit of torture though.
Anyone else spook themselves running in the dark this time of year? Anyone ever just suddenly decide, hey, I don't want to do X workout anymore, ever, I'm done?
Marathon training is rough. Well when you get to miles 15-18. That was hard for me. Maybe because it hot. Lol!! Keep us posted
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