Marathon Training Recap: Week 4

Last week’s training went well. I’ve significantly dropped my pace and it seems to be working wonders for my energy levels throughout the week.

Weekday miles are on the treadmill. I have to get up pretty early in order to run and shower before the chaos of the day starts, and I really have no interest in navigating snow covered, icy roads and sidewalks in the dark. Let’s face it — it’s a recipe for disaster. Fortunately before I started running longer distances, I loved the treadmill so it hasn’t been a huge adjustment for me. If anything, it’s a welcome change to the layering and bundling routine that has to happen for long runs on the weekend. I get to run in shorts and a tank, blast my music as loud as I want, and pound out the miles on the belt. Admittedly, it does get a little boring at times because the only entertainment I have is the inanimate view shown below, but then I just change the tunes and hope for the best.

My treadmill, my view, and me. No TV or movies here, folks.

This past Saturday, four of us conquered an 11-miler together. We were an odd mix of people. Three of us knew each other from high school, but we had all run together before just at varying times. We hadn’t really seen each other since high school, which made for some great catch-up conversation.

I must say, it was an incredible run. Our pace was slow. Much slower than any of us normally run. We had several factors working against us including that one of us hadn’t run more than 6 miles in several months and had just taken two weeks off before the 11-miler. It was also cold, icy, and slushy. And we were all so busy talking and catching up that we really weren’t interested in pushing the pace. My friend David and I ran with yaktrax through the snow which felt much more like sand and Sara and Julie ran on the roads. Us yaktrax-ers ditched the trax after about a mile and a half. We picked them up on our way back.

We also stopped a bunch of times to wait for the ones who straggled behind. With the exception of speedster Julie, we were all last at one point or another. We had to reroute our route a couple times due to icy conditions as well as an impromptu loop at the beginning of our run that we didn’t account for when we started off. We stopped to fuel as well. I’m experimenting with a new fuel that I plan on reviewing in a couple weeks. The verdict is basically in that it’s delicious, but I’ll save that for the review. Julie and Sara brought homemade fuel. Sara’s was a rice, blueberry, mini chocolate chip bar, which was really odd and oddly delicious. Julie’s was a date-based fruit bar. I didn’t try that one but it looked amazing.

We also stopped for a photo opp. Because… pictures!

Sara and David in the middle of the road. Yes, this is a road. A very unplowed road.

Despite the run being 11 miles, it really didn’t feel like 11 miles. I complained more than I should have, but as David reminded me, they know me so I got a free pass that day. I swear going forward I will complain less. At least I’ll try to. No promises.

Long runs are also much more palatable when done with friends. Several months ago if you had asked me if I could run 11 miles, I would have told you I could but that it would be a struggle. The miles this past weekend flew by. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would be running with the people I ran with from high school. Never. But running brings people together, and it’s been a fantastic journey thus far.

Sunday was an easy day of yoga. The more yoga I do, the easier it becomes. I used to dread doing any type of yoga because I was so uncoordinated. Now I’m uncoordinated but at least I kinda know what I’m doing. Practice makes perfect so I’m gonna keep on keepin’ on.

This week will be two 3-mile runs, a mid-week 6 mile run, some strength training, and then 12 miles on Saturday. Should be a fun week so long as I keep the pace down and focus on getting the miles in.

I’m strangely looking forward to my long run this weekend…

Catch you guys tomorrow. And hey, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. What are you getting me? I like chocolate, roses, and running shoes if you need ideas…

Have a lovely day!

If you had to choose one season to live in for the rest of your life, which would it be and why? (Hint, I do not pick winter…)