I used to be really diligent with tracking everything. For example, miles. Miles on shoes, yearly miles, weekly miles. Also, how I felt. I would log how everything went, how I felt, even the weather sometimes. Now? I’m particularly clueless as to how many miles are on my shoes. And when I look back at my log, I can see how many miles I ran for any given day but I really have no idea how I felt or what I was doing. I’m going to do a better job at doing that.
Why am I telling you this? Because when I sat down to start this post in a semi-sleep deprived state (thank you, late night Saturday and early morning Sunday), I realized I have very little memory of what I did last week. And that, my friends, is unacceptable.
Of course, after looking at my log and the few notes I did manage to include for each workout, I remember exactly what happened. But I need to be better about logging stuff in general. Today is a new day and I promise myself to be better about note taking!
Hills, Tempo, and Long Run — Oh My! [MCM Training: Week 6]
Tuesday — 6.41 miles (hills)
Damn those hills!!! Actually, I’m lying. They weren’t bad at all. My friend Julie and I had so much fun running up and down hills in the wee morning hours last Tuesday morning. I hope I can convince her to run with me again because it was lovely to have company for a challenging workout.
Hills with friends aren’t hills at all!
Wednesday — 10 miles
Let’s face it, Wednesday kinda sorta kicked my ass. I ran 6 miles with my 6 @ 6 group at a much faster pace than I should have. The remaining four miles were a huge struggle. I love running and everything, but I was so happy when I was done.
Thursday — 6.01 miles (tempo)
If I had to pick one run I love it would be 400m repeats. And tempo runs would be a very close second. I know most people abhor tempo runs but I must say, I love running fast so tempos are right up my alley.
My first tempo run of this training cycle was, in a word, interesting. I took my pupper with me, *hopeful* that she would be up for the challenge. We finished our two mile warm-up and got into stride for the first tempo mile. It was clear from the outset that fast running was just not in the cards for her that day. I took her home and finished up my tempo solo. I ended up running a tiny bit too fast, but I was in a bit of a hurry to get home before my husband needed to leave for work. Between having to stop to let the dog in, and then running my second two miles of tempo too fast, it wasn’t a true tempo at all. But I still got a hard workout in and all in all it was a great run.
Saturday — 16 miles
On Saturday I tackled my longest run of this training cycle with 16 miles. I met up with my friends Candice and Julie in a place we had never run before. The miles flew by with new scenery, lots of birds and flowers, and catching up on life. It’s been a while since we’ve run together so we had a lot to discuss!
We ran an out-and-back route under high tension wires. Let’s face it, high tension wires scare the hell out of me. I don’t know what those wires are capable of and I don’t want to be anywhere near them if one comes falling down. But I must say, they make a nice potty stop for those of that drink too much coffee before long runs. I’m not naming any names (mostly ‘cuz it’s mine).
If you’ve been following my training, you’ll know my last couple long runs were a bit of a struggle — especially on the nutrition front. I made a very concerted effort to eat more high carb food and drink as much water as I could last week. It definitely helped. I had more energy on my long run and, despite not hydrating so well during the run due to an unsuitable beverage choice, I felt much better.
After we turned at the halfway mark, Julie and I shared stories and tips with Candice about MCM. We also started loosely planning our trip. Just talking about last year and planning this year got me all giddy and brought back so many awesome memories. MCM 2016 was such a fun race and experience. I hope it’s just as amazing this year.
We finished our run, which truly passed by in the blink of an eye, and headed home feeling accomplished and tired.
Looking Ahead
This will be my last week of hill sprints, which I’m a little thankful for to be honest. I’ve embraced the hills this time around and I know they’ll make me a faster, stronger runner, but I’m looking forward to more tempo and goal paced runs. I’ve got a few races coming up on my schedule as well. First up is Rock Hall Half Marathon on August 20th. I’m very much looking forward to the Rock Hall Half. It’s by far one of my favorite races. Give a shout if you’ll be there — would love to meet up!
Speaking of Rock Hall, I’m giving away TWO entries to the 5K or 10K (winner’s choice!) on Instagram. Head over there and check it out for your chance to win. Click here to be taken right to the giveaway.
Have a brilliant day, my friends.
xo
Let’s talk!
What’s your beverage of choice for long runs?
Do you vary your route during training, or stick to the tried-and-true?
Linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin’ for the Weekly Wrap, and My No-Guilt Life, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and MCM Mama Runs for Tuesdays on the Run.
