I Will Go the Distance… just not very fast (Comments welcome!)

[col1]

So happy to hear how much you are enjoying your running that’s great.

Glad you enjoyed Hercules

The London Parks are fantastic places to run I love them.

 

[col1]

I ran in St James's Park in August.....a nice loop (also, who decided that the "s's" was the way to spell that!) I am going to try and enter the Royal Parks Half Marathon....any excuse to go back to London!

@jmasgat Good luck in the RPH lottery

 

[The Expert]

It's been a few weeks since I checked in, but things are still going well. I am very happy with my decision to try BALG (Badass Lady Gang) training. The customized coaching and regular check-in calls are the perfect compliment to the community here. There, I get nuts-and-bolts feedback, advice, and also encouragement, but the community isn't nearly as active or friendly as this one. I'm still new there, but most of the interaction occurs on the main weekly team call, which is held at a time that's not super convenient -- I'm often too busy or simply forget to log on. (The other calls during the week are smaller and more training plan focused.) That said, I love the training plan and have been able to follow it really easily so far.

Here's where things stand since my last update:

Training Plan Week of Dec 1
Monday 12/1: Strength train.
Tuesday 12/2: Speed work -- 10 min warmup, 6x400m at interval pace (should take me 2:10) w/ 2 min recovery, 10 min cool down. HOLY CRAP THIS WAS HARD! I got halfway through the second interval and thought -- there's no way I can do six of these. I'll stop after 3 and call it. After the third one, I covered my treadmill console and powered through the fourth. At that point, I was like well... you're more than halfway now, let's see if we can just power through. I FINISHED ALL SIX! I was so proud of myself for just getting through it. On the tread it's hard to know if I hit the paces, but I did hit the effort level for sure.
Wednesday 12/3: Pilates & cross train. I don't really remember this day but I had a Club Pilates class and it snowed. I counted my shoveling and snow blowing as cross training.
Thursday 12/4: REST 50 minutes conversational pace. This day was BONKERS at work, so I pushed this run to Friday.
Friday 12/5: REST. 50 minutes conversational pace. Another bonkers day at work, so I did 40 minutes on the treadmill.
Saturday 12/6: 30 minutes conversational pace. I don't even remember this, but Garmin says I did it.
Sunday 12/7: 1 hour 50 minutes conversational pace. I did this on the treadmill while watching football, still doing 2 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals. I just kind of settled in, and before I knew it this was done. I'm starting to dial in my fueling -- default every 25 minutes, rotating between Untapped regular, salted and a waffle. I am also LOVING the Brooks Hyperion Max 3s I picked up on Brooks Restart!

Training Plan Week of Dec 8
Monday 12/8: Strength train.
Tuesday 12/9: Pilates. I swapped this with speed work since this was the class that fit my schedule this week.
Wednesday 12/10: Speed work -- 10 min warmup, 4x5 minutes threshold pace w/ 3 min recovery, 10 min cool down. I tried my Hyperions for this and WOW I felt like I was flying! I was a bit worried going in about sustaining this pace, but I had a great convo with my coach beforehand. She said "it's gonna feel spicy but not impossible" and that was exactly right. I'm starting to feel very confident about building up speed for my PR attempt in Chicago! I'm even considering racing the Princess Half at this point for a POT -- who AM I?!
Thursday 12/11: 1 hour conversational pace. REST. Busy day at work!
Friday 12/12: REST. 1 hour conversational pace. This was a SLOG. I was feeling a bit tired and icky, but decided to just get it done. I went back to the Ghost Max 2s and I think between just feeling sluggish and not having the bounce from the Hyperions, it felt harder than it should have. I ended up slowing my pace WAY down and walking the last 10 minutes.
Saturday 12/13: 30 minutes conversational pace. My 24-year-old cat decided to scare us with a thyroid storm (which she had once before during a vet visit). So we ended up at the vet for a few hours unexpectedly. Of course, by the time we got there she was fine, but they did a once-over and sent her blood in for testing since we were there. She's in remarkably good shape for her age, but if we find anything serious going on, we won't put her through anything invasive. Fingers crossed there's nothing new happening there. When we got back, I jumped on the treadmill. Went with the Ghost Max 3s and my energy level was WAY better than Friday's run. Not sure if it was adrenaline or what, because I hadn't properly eaten, but it felt super easy.

For today I have 2 hours scheduled at conversational pace. I'll definitely go with the Hyperions, but am trying to figure out timing. The Chiefs play a rare and VERY important 1pm game today (we're usually late or primetime), and DH's Broncos play at 4:30. I'll probably try and knock this out before my game starts. I might have to cue up a holiday movie or find a good iFit half marathon (and adjust to my own pace) to keep me occupied.

 

[Herding_Cats]

. I don't really remember this day

I don't even remember this, but Garmin says I did it.

I feel these statements so much.


Super happy for you that you're re-energized with your new plan!

 

[jmasgat]

I got halfway through the second interval and thought -- there's no way I can do six of these. I'll stop after 3 and call it. After the third one, I covered my treadmill console and powered through the fourth. At that point, I was like well... you're more than halfway now, let's see if we can just power through. I FINISHED ALL SIX

I have always found its useful-when things are really hard- to give myself permission to not finish. And just as you found, sometimes that’s enough to take the pressure off and take things one at a time. Of course, there are other times where it’s a full stop, but it’s great when it works. Congrats on getting it done, and hope your kitty is okay.

 

[The Expert]

The Chiefs play a rare and VERY important 1pm game today

::sigh:: IYKYK. I lived through almost 50 years of my team struggling, so I guess I can endure this (hopefully brief) hiccup.
I did get most of my 2-hour run in before the game started, but I watched the first quarter from the treadmill. The run itself went really well, felt easy and like I could have gone another few hours.

Training Plan Week of Dec 15
Monday 12/15: Strength train. Yup.
Tuesday 12/16: Speed work -- 10 min warmup, 4x5 minutes threshold pace w/ 3 min recovery, 10 min cool down. Same workout as last week, same result. This felt REALLY good!
Wednesday 12/17: Pilates. Found another pair of Hyperion Max 3s in my size on Brooks Restart!
Thursday 12/18: 60 minutes at conversational pace. Did this a little slower than usual as I was watching a year-end division call for work at the same time. With my treadmill desk set up, it's hard to reach the controls to change speed for intervals, so I set it on a fast walk and just jogged through the runs without adjusting.
Friday 12/19: REST. Check.
Saturday 12/20: 40 minutes conversational pace. Nothing of note to report. I snuck this in on the treadmill after a thorough house cleaning in anticipation of my MIL arriving on Tuesday. I wore with the Ghost Max 3s and they felt fine. I'm trying not to wear the Hyperions on EVERY run, even though it should be okay with the nylon plate rather than carbon fiber. Right now my speed work and anything longer than an hour is in the Hyperion, and the others are Ghost Max 3. The 2s didn't bother me until really recently, but I have had them for almost a year, so they're probably approaching end of life.

Today I have a 100 minute conversational pace run planned. I might make it a costume test run as I have all the bits for my HM. The Chiefs play at 1pm but the game means nothing, so no need to worry about timing around it. I do enjoy watching games from the treadmill, but NOT when I'm heavily invested. (I often put on Red Zone, which just shows highlights of every game going on.)

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

We just finished watching the Chiefs tonight. They were much more competitive than expected, but just dang, they almost pulled it out.

 

[The Expert]

We just finished watching the Chiefs tonight. They were much more competitive than expected, but just dang, they almost pulled it out.

I was quite pleasantly surprised! The outcome was expected, but the game was good an highly entertaining (though not for DH who is from Colorado and a Broncos fan). It was still fun to scare them a bit, but I'll take the higher draft pick for the L.

 

[The Expert]

While stalking the pacer list for MW, I may as well give an update.

MIL was in town from the 23rd through 28th, and then we promptly got an ice storm! Thank goodness for the treadmill and iFit. My birthday was the 30th and that Garmin-shaped box was indeed the new Garmin I wanted! I upgraded from the Forerunner 255s to the 570 42mm. I know it's not a huge jump in features, but my 255s is pretty beat up from wearing it 24/7. So far I'm loving the touch screen and MUCH brighter, clearer display.

Now back to the plan. Last we left off:

Training Plan Week of Dec 22
Monday 12/22: Strength train. Went to Pilates class.
Tuesday 12/23: Speed work -- 10 min warmup, 4x1km interval pace w/ 3 min recovery, 10 min cool down. I did this on the treadmill before MIL arrived in the afternoon. Garmin gave me a 100% execution score! Once I focused on form and leaned into the rhythm, this actually felt somewhat easy and -- FUN?!
Wednesday 12/24: Cross-train. We got a bunch of snow and mostly hung out with MIL, but I did get the dog out several times and did a round of shoveling and snow-blowing. That counts.
Thursday 12/25: 60 minutes at conversational pace. Jumped on the treadmill while the family slept in. I had some oatmeal prior and my body was not a fan. No GI issues but I just had zero energy. Still knocked it out, just a bit slow.
Friday 12/26: REST. Check. We took MIL for a bit of a driving tour.
Saturday 12/27: 50 minutes conversational pace. I had PB toast for breakfast instead of oatmeal. Felt much better than Thursday's run. Did quite a bit of walking this day too, between dog walks and taking MIL out to a walk-through light display in a nearby town. (See pics below!)
Sunday 12/28: 2:10 at conversational pace. Longest run of the training cycle! Had homemade egg bites for breakfast and dropped MIL at the airport about 12:30. Got home, had an untapped waffle, put on NFL Red Zone in front of the treadmill, my Hyperion Max 3s and practiced my fueling plan. Felt easy and went by fast.

This week
X Monday 12/29: Strength train. We had an ice storm come through Sunday night, so DH worked from home and things were touch-and-go with power and internet all day. I couldn't even walk the dog more than 3 feet from the front door! So this didn't happen.
Tuesday 12/30: Cross train. Strength train. I had a Pilates class booked, but canceled it as the roads were still really icy. Did a workout with weights in the gym instead. Got a new Garmin for my birthday!
Wednesday 12/31: 60 minutes at conversational pace. I got into a backup Pilates class this morning, but still planning to do my run this afternoon.
Thursday 1/1: 50 minutes at conversational pace.
Friday 1/2: REST.
Saturday 1/3: 80 minutes conversational pace.
Sunday 1/4: 40 minutes at conversational pace.

Race week
I have Pilates scheduled for Monday (1/5) here at home. I'm flying out to Orlando at 6am on Tuesday the 6th and staying with mom, so TBD if I get my 50 minute conversational pace run in. Might be good as a shakeout, especially since it could be outside if the weather is decent.

ETA some photos from the Shelburne Museum Winter Lights we visited last Saturday with MIL. That ship is the Ticonderoga and the light strings really do look like waves in the snow. It was 18 degrees!

 

[nancipants]

FYI: they will not be posting the pacer’s names, just the groups and what corrals they will be in.

 

[Herding_Cats]

FYI: they will not be posting the pacer’s names, just the groups and what corrals they will be in.

There's GOT to be a story/reason behind this. And it's probably because people are stupid and we can't having nice things.

 

[nancipants]

There's GOT to be a story/reason behind this. And it's probably because people are stupid and we can't having nice things.

Pretty much. Sometimes pacers have to be changed at the last minute, and people complained that the pacer they wanted to run with got changed.

 

[The Expert]

I suspected as much, as they did that for W&D. I just couldn't remember if the timing of the info release was different. But I suppose without names it also makes it impossible to track them (unless bib numbers leak or something).