The time has come. I’m officially in taper for Grandma’s Marathon. It’s been an interesting ride the last few weeks, that’s for sure. Between taking some recovery time off after the 20-Mile Drop and then recovering from being sick for two weeks, I haven’t had a solid week of training in a while. Lucky for me, all that changed last week. I was back at it, feeling great and strong, and topped it off with an amazing weekend of running and racing.
Tuesday — 7 miles
I was fairly sore from the Cleveland Half Marathon last weekend, and I could still feel some residual soreness during my first 7-miler last week. I kept the pace nice and easy. By the end of the run, I was still sore but nothing too substantial.
Wednesday — 9.71 miles
My workout on Wednesday was tough. It was a stamina run and meant to be tough, so the goal of the workout was most definitely achieved. It wasn’t unmanageable, just tough like it was supposed to be. I also noticed my legs were sore again. I decided it was time to switch out my shoes. As I mentioned on Friday, I haven’t been great about tracking my mileage lately, but I could definitely feel it was time for a change.
Thursday — strength work
In addition to lack of shoe mileage, I noted last Friday that I haven’t been good about strength work since I’ve been sick. Thursday was the day to change that. I needed to get back at it, and get back at it I did! I considered just doing “half” my workout so I wouldn’t be too sore for my remaining runs but then I thought, naaaaah. Go big or go home, right?
Friday — 7.01 miles
Friday was fun. Thankfully I wasn’t too sore from Thursday (phew!). I had a 7-mile run on deck. I try to run with my husband whenever possible. It’s rare but sometimes it does happen. On Friday, my husband ran two miles with me and it was so much fun! When he was finished, I picked up the pup for three miles. I finished up two on my own. I originally planned on taking the dog with me for five miles, but given the humidity and the warm air, I knew she wouldn’t make it.
Saturday — 18 miles
Saturday was the Run of Death, I swear. It was finally sunny and warm (yay!) – just how I like it! Unfortunately I started my run just a tad too late and it got hot super fast. In terms of fueling, it was a total disaster. I didn’t do a great job of fueling the few days leading up to my long run, and once it gets hot out I tend to stop taking in calories and focus almost entirely on hydration. This isn’t a conscious effort, by the way, it just happens. I would eat when I thought about it, but it was, by all intents and purposes, too late.
I ran through my neighborhood for this run, and even called my parents to pass the time. It helped quite a bit to talk to someone while the miles ticked by. But it was still a mentally — and physically — taxing run, and after 15 miles I made the decision to stop at home to refill my water, use the restroom, and change my shoes. With just three miles left, I thought this would be a nice refresher of sorts.
Three miles isn’t much. It’s less than a 5K really. It’s a quick out-and-back. So I did what any sane person would do and left my hydration pack at home. (This is where things really started to get fun!) I headed out to finish my three miles. I felt “strong” — and by “strong” I mean I was mentally determined not to become roadkill but physically was a much, much different story. When I made it a mile and a half from home, it was time to head back.
A mile and a half from home, and I was parched. I was starving. And I had literally no energy to make it back to my house. I texted my husband that I was stuck at the end of our road and I didn’t know if I could make it home. I could run the length of three houses and then I had to stop. And not just stop and walk. I had to full on STOP. Then I could run a few more houses and stop again. This went on at least four times in a mile and a half. I was a hot mess if ever there was one.
I finally made it home and I was shaking because I was so depleted of nutrients. As soon as I had my shoes off, I stuffed my face with a banana, a bagel and cream cheese, and guzzled a glass of chocolate milk. And of course, felt much better.
I learned from my mistakes during this run. Going forward, I’m going to use gels. I don’t like them but I’m going to “practice” during my next few runs because they are one of the quickest ways to get fuel when you need it fast. I’ll also time my runs a little better and head out earlier. And last, I won’t run without water if I’m in that kind of state, especially when it’s hot out and regardless of the mileage.
Sunday — 2.67 cycling miles
As predicted, I woke up fairly destroyed on Sunday, but headed out to meet my runners. I cycled to rest my legs a bit. Also because I had some plans for Monday…
Memorial Day 4-Mile Race Recap
There’s this super awesome 4-mile race in my old neighborhood. It’s an easy course and a really laid back race. I ran it once before in 2014, and decided to run again this year with my friend, Julie. I didn’t have plans to PR, per se, but when I run short distances a PR is always on my mind. 5Ks and 4-milers are my favorite race distances and I usually do fairly well when I run them.
I hadn’t done any speed work and zero prep for this race. In fact, I didn’t even tell my coach I was doing it. I just added it in as part of a training run. I didn’t want to mess up my training schedule and I also didn’t want any pressure just in case I didn’t want to go for the PR or if I felt like it wasn’t within my reach. So I kept my goals on the down low from basically everyone except myself.
Julie and I did a warm-up mile and while we were running I asked if she was racing. I already knew that answer because Julie always races. When she asked me I decided I might as well. What have I got to lose, right? As we lined up for the race, we said our good lucks and goodbyes and then we were off!
The first mile was fun. I was getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. The second mile wasn’t too challenging. I backed off a bit because I knew I had two miles left and needed some energy in the tank.
The third mile was when I started running neck and neck with what I think was a 9 or 10 year old girl. She might have been a little older, but not much. She and I were literally stride for stride. It was both nerve-wracking and kind of fun. She was trying really hard to keep up with me and I was trying not to be a jerk. Finally I looked over at her and said, “you’re doing a really great job!” And she looked at me and said, “you are, too!” It was super sweet. We got to the top of a hill and I told her to make sure she saved something for the end. She nodded and we kept on.
The fourth mile was when I turned up the heat. I lost my little running partner for a few paces but then I heard her breathing next to me. I turned to her — we were within a quarter mile of the finish, maybe a little less — and I told her to sprint it in. She didn’t at first and I yelled “GO!” and off she went. That girl had a nice kick at the end — and she placed first in her age group!
As for me, I gunned it at the end as well. I didn’t have a ton left in my own tank, but I had enough to snag a nice little PR and a second place AG win to boot. It was my first AG anything so I was super stoked. I even got this awesome little plaque to show for my efforts!
Finish time: 34:34
Taper Time!
Overall, the week went really well. I felt strong in all my workouts (except for the Run of Death) and I’m feeling good heading into taper. The 4-mile AG placement and PR really helped boost my confidence. I put in some major mileage last week and napped quite a bit. I forgot how much marathon training zaps the energy from me!
I’ll still be working on the hard workouts during taper, just dialing back my mileage a bit. And experimenting with all sorts of fuel over the next two weeks. Hopefully no more “wall-like” snafus and it’s smooth sailing from here on out!
xo
TALK TO ME!
Have you ever won a race or an AG placement?
What’s your marathon fuel of choice?
Linking up with My No-Guilt Life, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and MCM Mama Runs for Tuesdays on the Run, and HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin’ for the Weekly Wrap.
33 Comments
Congrats on your AG award and PR! Thats always fun when you don’t make a big deal about a race and then you end up surprising yourself. Enjoy the taper!
Thank you so much! It was a big surprise and I’m super excited. I’ve never won an age group award before. ?
Thank you! It was a really awesome surprise!!
What a great way to be heading into Grandma’s! I’m so glad things turned out so well for you. I wish I was going to be there.
Enjoy your taper!
Thank you! It was super exciting. That’s the beauty of small races. 🙂
I wish you were going to be there, too. We’ll have to find a different race to meet up! Maybe a shorter, less expensive one. ?
Congrats on the AG award!
Isn’t it funny how we can’t wait for the warm weather but ten in turn it makes our runs miserable?
Thank you!
I will NEVER complain about the heat! But I will make sure I run a little earlier… ?
My friend Bailey is doing Grandmas this year! She super talented and looking for an OTQ. I hope she gets it! I’m tapering this week too, but is it really called tapering when you haven’t been training? I don’t know, but I do have a race on Saturday…so whatever I do this week would be a taper 😛
Congrats on the age group win!
Oh wow, that’s awesome!! I hope she gets it!
Have a great race on Saturday!
I get the drinking and fuel thing. I never drink enough and during a race, I make sure to stop at every water stop thirsty or not. But fueling…sometimes I don’t do it enough ands then it’s too late. I do only take GU because they’re easy to carry and you don’t have to chew.
I usually use probar bolt and pretzels. It’s a good combo for me. When I actually eat them, of course…
Ugh, that 18 miler experience confirms my decision to never run a full! lol I just don’t think my body could do it….13 is hard enough for this old lady!
Congratulations on your PR and AG …that’s an impressive finish time girl! I’ve won many AG’s but they’ve all been at small local races where there’s really not a lot of competition 🙂
Enjoy your taper and good luck with Grandma’s!!
Oh there was definitely very little competition. But I ran my heart out. ? I mostly just wanted to see if I still had any speed in me after all the long, slow miles.
Yeah my 18 miler was a disaster for sure. And 13 is definitely hard! But if you train the right way, you could certainly tackle 26.2. ?
Awwe, we’ve all been there with the brutal long run. I give you credit for not ending the run at 15 miles when you got back home! It took a lot of commitment to get back out there.
Congrats again on the awesome race yesterday – so happy for you! Enjoy the rest of your taper!
I could never get gels down for fueling because the consistency made me wretch. I stick to chews, and like Sports Beans since the bag is resealable.
CoNgRaTs!!!! That AG award is ever-so-sweet, especially after your Run of Death 😉 I’ve had some AG placings, but most have been at small races…but, as you know, if you run the race well, it’s still a victory, right? Some of my AG “winnings” have been at really small events…but they don’t mean much if I ran the race poorly but placed because very few in my AG showed up LOL Then there have been many 4th place finishes where I ran my tush into oblivion…but felt great despite not making the podium. I’m easing back to gels for my fuel…I have finally figured out to not OD on the Gatorade while on the race course because the combo of that and gels is not good
Look at you, always the coach, LOL! Congrats on your AG award (and no, I have never won one, and probably never will).
I’m glad you were ok after that run. That’s scary; it could definitely have ended differently. Even though I’m usually always eating on the run, I do have more trouble when it’s hot out. Heat just suppresses your appetite!
I usually have a mixture of stuff with me. Some cookies (lately it’s been chocolate chocolate chip zucchini cookies). Honeystinger chews. Honeystinger waffles. And some dark chocolate crystalized ginger. Sometimes a few PB filled pretzels.
I like to drink a little and eat a little every mile. Sometimes towards the end I have a harder time eating and I may skip a mile — but I still drink.
The main reason I don’t like gels is that I like to take in a little more frequently — harder to do with gels (and I have tried gel flasks). I also don’t like really sweet stuff on longer runs (which is the opposite of me in RL).
I hope it is smooth sailing for you too! OMG, that 18 mile run sounds dreadful! I think that is why I just don’t have the desire to train for a marathon- I just think the whole thing would suck- LOL! Enjoy the taper- you have earned it and congrats on that 4 miler- fun, fun!
Oh wow, your 18 sounds scary. Heat and exhaustion are no joke. Amazing how fast things can go South. Congrats on the PR and AG2! That’s a confidence builder going into your marathon for sure!
wow sounds like quite a race finish! It’s funny how fast some of those little kids can run isn’t i? nice job
Congrats on the AG win! It’s such a great feeling winning:) I’ve always had trouble finding the right marathon fuel. My last one I used Honey Stinger Gold (it’s basically honey with some b vitamins and electrolytes). Enjoy the taper!
Thank you so much! It was such an amazing feeling! I hope I get to do it again someday.
Honey Stinger is the one gel I can actually a) eat, b) enjoy, and c) tolerate. It’s like you read my mind. There’s one other brand I really love but it does not agree with me at all. No bueno!
Wow, your interactions with the girl in the race were so sweet! And you PR’ed, woo hoo! And an age group placement too! I haven’t won any races since I’m a skater, but I have placed second at Adult Nationals in my age and skill group, that was a thrill. By the way, I’m impressed with how hard you are training. You really kept going after your half and put in quite a hard week!
Thanks, Mary! Your comment is really nice and I appreciate it!!
And I must say, your skating is AMAZING. My cousin used to skate competitively and I was always in awe of her and all the other skaters. I’m a klutz on the ice!
Thanks, Rachel!
Congrats on the race (that worked out well!)… and I love how you said that 5ks or 4-milers are these nice short little races ( I remember a time when 3 miles were killing me!LOL)
Glad you asked, I just recently won my first (local and small) race and it’s probably going to be the only time that will ever happen, so I am relishing in it … haha!
OMG congrats!! What a fun accomplishment!! I’m right there with you — totally relishing in the win. 🙂
Congratulations on the PR and AG placement. That is freakin’ awesome! I think all the pieces will come together and you are going to do great at Grandma’s. I always say I have iron stomach, so I take GUs for fuel and drink whatever ‘ade they are serving at the race too. GUs work well because I know I can’t chew ANYTHING while racing and am in awe of those that can. Enjoy your taper. Don’t go crazy. You got this! Thanks for linking, Rachel!
Thank you, Holly! I’m definitely more undertrained than I have been for any race, but maybe it will work out in my favor? Fingers crossed!
I’ve done Huma (no bueno) and Honey Stinger gels. I usually do chews and real food, but I definitely need to try gels again for faster fuel sources.
Look at you: still coaching WHILE PLACING IN YOUR AG!!! Way to go, Rachel! You are going to slay this marathon!
Thanks, friend!! Fingers crossed. 🙂
[…] was the University Heights Memorial Day 4-Miler. I won second in my age-group. Read all about it here. […]
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