My Training Plan & Exciting News!

This week, I tinkered with SmartCoach and came up with a plan I'm really happy with. Originally, the plan called for four 20-milers, and two of those were on back-to-back weekends, so that was one change I made. I also built up my mileage more slowly in the early weeks, and added a couple races.

I love working backwards so I can see how my paces will slowly get faster throughout training.

I'll be running the 10k Race for FISH again...this will be my fourth year running it! I couldn't say no.

I also added a half marathon in November. It's the Fort Myers Marathon, which I ran a couple years ago while sick...that was really rough. It was also the race that was supposed to be my first full, but luckily wasn't.

A bunch of my friends saw I had signed up for this and thought I was running the full. Nooo...one full in December is enough for me!

I think it will be nice to have a half marathon a month out from the full; it will really help me get an idea of how my paces are going.

There's also a 15k I ran two years ago, but I can't find any information on it...If they decide to have the race again, I'll definitely sign up.

I love that the paces on my plan look really doable. I know I can meet them if I'm diligent. I just hope when race day comes, I can keep the pace I need for my goal. (I'll share more about my A, B, and C goals when I'm further into training.) This is my second marathon, but it's the first I'm planning to really race. The first one was all about finishing! I'd like to really train with a race-plan in mind this time.

(Even as I'm looking at my plan now, I feel really confident, but I seem to be forgetting that even four miles is awful right now because of the humidity. But I know I'll get on track!)

We were dripping after this, and a little slap-happy. Matt's plan for Chattajack called for 60 minutes in HR zone 1, so we kept it really easy, which was totally fine by me!

I took my new shoes out for a run yesterday. I do like them; I could tell from the get-go that they're lighter than the Kayano. That was the main reason I switched; they're lighter and cost a bit less. The GT 2000s are basically the same shoe as the Kayano except that the heel drop is slightly lower (21mm vs. 24mm). I'm hoping the cushioning proves to be enough for marathon training. If not, I'll use them for shorter runs and switch back to the Kayano for long runs.

Nice and grassy after our first run together.

Finally, my exciting news...Meg messaged me the other day regarding BDR. When she was thinking about what race to run this fall/winter, Kristina suggested BDR because she's running the half and I'm, obviously, running the full. At first it seemed like a pipe dream, but Meg couldn't shake the thought of it! So yes, she's decided to run the half! I'm so excited to have another blogger friend at the race and to enjoy the whole weekend, especially a seasoned marathoner!

The medal design was released this week...I haven't earned a medal in months! I'm looking forward to adding this one to my wall.

It turns out quite a few of my friends will be at BDR, so I'm hoping to see a lot of familiar faces along the course!

I officially start training next week. I can't wait!

What does your fall race schedule look like?
Do you like running tune-up races before your goal race?
 Is there a race you try to run every year?

ABK

Life After Vacation

I've been running again. Oh man, does that feel good. Of course, I'm still in the shoes I wore for the marathon, and my knees are beginning to feel it. I went on a wild shoe chase to find a new pair because the line I'm switching to is impossible to find locally in the color I want.

I'm switching from Kayanos to the GTs for a couple reasons...I'll write about it once the shoes are in!

Don't judge me for being picky about the color; I really think neon makes me feel faster and more confident!

Anyway, because ASICS is probably getting ready to release the new editions of the shoes, I had to order them; they should be here by Monday. I hate running in worn out shoes, so I'm keeping my mileage low.

This week I only ran a total of 8 miles, but I'm already feeling ready to build in more workouts.

I chose a training plan, too, but I need to tweak it a bit. It calls for four 20-milers, and while I do want to run more than one this time around, I really want to taper smarter this year and avoid burnout. I also want to fit more races into the fall...last year I skipped a couple of my favorite races and I think I'll try working them into training this year.

I went with Smart Coach again, but a more rigorous program. I'll talk a bit about my goal time once I get it all in order.

Some days I have no idea how I ever ran a marathon; my runs this week have been so sluggish. I just have to chalk it up to humidity and cut myself some slack.

I bought a gently-used Forerunner 10 from Kim and can't wait to begin using it for intervals and tempo runs. I'm still pretty loyal to Nike+, but I'm excited to have a simple Garmin for speedwork. (If you recall, I have a 440 as well, but it was too complex for me! Matt uses it now for SUP training.)

On the school front, I had my first meeting of the year on the 8th; it was fun to see the leadership team and to take a look at this year's big changes. I'm excited (and a bit nervous) to be going back.

I'll be going in to school this week to start setting up my classroom a little before actual training begins. I got a new Smartboard in my room and can't wait to play around with it!

My new Smartboard!

I got my back-to-school haircut! I wanted to do something drastic with my hair so...I did. I'm still getting used to it but I like it! When my hair is down, like I wear it 80% of the time, it looks totally normal. But...

I think when I go back in to get it trimmed again, I'll get the shaved part tighter to my head. I want it to look like a mohawk haha.

Maybe I should dye the short part...I think dark purple would look awesome.

Do you have a color-preference when it comes to shoes?

Do you like to take risks with your hair, or do you play it safe? I always figure it grows back, so why not play around with it?!

ABK

Training Plans

Even as a seasoned racer (in all distances save the marathon), I still get overwhelmed when looking at training plans. With a single marathon under my belt, I feel like I should have an idea of what I want to do again and what I want to change for training this time around.

But there are so many options! Each one has its own pros and cons so I'm going to break them down. This is really more for myself than anyone else, but many bloggers have pointed out there are quite a few of us who are training for marathons starting in the summer, so maybe this will be useful to others as well.

Hal Higdon: Hal's plans are good for various reasons. There are many levels to choose from, from novice to expert. I like that the plans allow for some flexibility and that his website gives you information on how to use the plans...That's actually one of the cons, though. He goes into a TON of detail explaining everything before you even see the plan, which can be helpful to some runners but feels overwhelming to me.

This doesn't even show all the plans his website has available!

Hanson: The Hanson method for marathon plans is really intense! A huge part of me wants to be able to do this plan, but realistically I know it's probably not for me yet. Hanson plans consist of more than one long run in a week. This is great for learning how to run on tired legs, but if you're a newer marathoner they might not be for you. That said, I know many marathoners who absolutely swear by this method...I just don't think I'm there yet.

Weeks 10 through 3 of the Hanson Training Plan...that's a lot of back-to-back  long runs!

Galloway: I'll admit that I'm reluctant to look into using the Galloway method because I would rather not walk on my long runs. I know that I did end up walking for my last marathon but it was due to extenuating circumstances. I would like to be able to run the entire marathon. I think that realistically, I will be able to run it as long as I treat my body right during taper. Still, there are perks to Galloway's plan.

In favor of the Galloway plan, it brings the runner up to 26 miles and then includes two weeks of recovery training.

Nike: I had no idea that Nike had free marathon training plans until I was recently on their website and they were advertising them. While I do think that they look interesting and like a viable possibility, I don't like their setup. The plan is a set of "cards" labeled by number 1-7 (for days of the week) and general information on the workout; this plan is definitely missing the specificity I'm looking for in a marathon plan, but for a general running schedule it's pretty nice.

I DO love that each type of run has a playlist already made to go along with it!

Smart Coach: This is the plan that I used last time and I really like it. I would possibly consider paying for the upgrade this time around so that I could make a more detailed plan, but even the free Smart Coach training plan is really good. I like that it's flexible and that I can make it a longer plan than the usual 18 weeks. The only thing I didn't like about the Smart Coach plan last time was that it was only three days of running and I would really like to work up to four days of running during training. (I think I can adjust this somehow by changing the intensity level.)

I'm glad I have time to decide what my plan will look like and to get some insights from other marathoners! There's a lot to think about this time around because I'd like to see an improvement in my performance!

What factors do you keep in mind when choosing a race plan?
Do you rely on a personal trainer for bigger races?

ABK

This Week in Training

After all the excitement of the week, is it any wonder that my training suffered? Every run was tough this week because my legs were heavy, and I didn't get in any cross-training (unless you count speed-walking through airports, climbing stairs, and touring Minneapolis on foot...or building a bookshelf, which I did Friday).

That's right, I built it myself! Loading the books on was no small task, either.

But I got them done...mostly.

On Monday, I had my nice 4-miler through the parks of Minneapolis. I finished that run just as people were walking to work, so my last half mile consisted mostly of dodging between briefcase-toting business-people. There were also a lot of stops at cross-walks, which kind of took the wind out of my sails.

I wish we had parks with cool fountains, statues, and lots of trees here in my part of Florida!

I pushed my speedwork from Wednesday (when we flew home) to Thursday. I made the mistake of doing this at night. I think if I had gone in the morning, I would have been more successful. This was my first time ever doing repeats, and the plan called for 1600s at 9:12 with 800 recovery jogs. Before I even began, I went to the bathroom and was sick. (Maybe my intestines were all jumbled from airport fare?) After my mile warmup, I went to the bathroom again...with the same results. My 4-mile repeats became a 2-miler.

I shook it off and was looking forward to my long run this weekend. Saturday morning I ran my scheduled 9 miles. It was already ridiculously humid when I got started, and by the time I finished it was in the 80s. 

At 6:10 when I started the run, it was 77 with a humidity of 94%. WTH Florida.

Seriously my new favorite fuel for these shorter long runs. Thanks, Heather, for the tip!

My legs were still exhausted, but luckily I had no tummy troubles.

Post-run chocolate milk and a shot of my #RUNootd.

My biggest setback on this run was that I was chugging too much water. It was so hot and I found myself gulping down about 32 ounces over the course of the run. By the halfway point, I was cramping up and felt like I might vomit from all the sloshing. So I adjusted my plan and finished the run doing run/walk intervals.

You can see where I walked in orange on the map. (Not to be confused with the awesome orange splotches meant to protect my location haha.)

I saw a huge bunny on the run, which marks the first time I've seen one close to home (as opposed to at my parents' house or out of state)!

So yeah, this week was rough. But rough weeks make us stronger, and I'm not concerned in any way. The fact that I powered through the full 9 when I could have cut it short speaks volumes...even if the run was one of my slowest to date.

In other fun news, I made the banner of the Sub-30 Club group (which, by the way, has expanded to over 1,900 members after Runner's World Magazine published a little blurb on it!), along with a few other awesome people...

Can you spot me? (Yes, I wore the shirt on my run Monday to represent the club in Minnesota!)

The entry is here...see if you can figure out which is me!

...and Janae at Hungry Runner Girl featured me as part of her Finish Line Photos post this week!

I'm looking forward to a much more consistent week next week!

How do you deal with a tough running week?

How do you adjust a run that's not going your way?

How does travel affect your workout/run schedule?

ABK

Pre-Training Preparation & a Recipe

Earlier this week, I broke out my colored Sharpies and my marathon training plan and went to work on my calendar.

Week 1 begins July 7!

The plan I'm using is Runner's World's Smart Coach. I really like the program because it allows you to choose your intensity and how many weeks of training you prefer. What I really like is that the plan is flexible.

Each run is hyper-linked to further detail about the workout.

I'm not a naturally organized person; I figured color-coding my planner would help. I'm still a little conflicted on how I want to go about cross-training because speedwork/tempo runs usually leave me feeling a little weak. But right now, my plan looks like this:

Red = speedwork; Fuschia = tempo; Light Blue = easy; Purple = race; Blue = long run; Teal = XT

So I'll definitely cross-train Tuesdays, and I'll leave Thursdays optional depending on how I feel and how long my long-run is that weekend. 

One thing I'm not really sure about is that the plan calls for four 20-milers! Most plans call for two at most. I already know I'll be missing one as I'll be doing an 80-mile relay that weekend, but I don't have any other races set up yet. Maybe all the 20-milers will have me feeling really confident by marathon-day!

So, part of pre-training is cleaning up my eating habits. It's no secret that I'm a fiend for all things sugary. I'm pretty notorious for having dessert with every meal. Over the past few weeks, I've given Matt permission to monitor my snacking. That pretty much boils down to me allowing myself one dessert a day; I make sure to eat it when I'm not alone so I have to be held accountable. It's amazing how quickly I've noticed a difference in my cravings for sugar, my energy level, and the fit of my pants!

Instead of sugary cereal, breakfast is now gluten free oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Yum!

Now for a recipe! Elizabeth gave me this one and it was a hit! I changed some things up to have more control over the salt content. It's super easy; all you need is a crock-pot.

Ingredients:

-Frozen chicken breast

-1 can of black beans

-1 can of corn

-1 can diced tomatoes

-1 can mild green chiles (or spicy...but Matt isn't a fan of heat so I kept it mild)

-Cilantro to taste

-Salt & pepper to taste

-1-2 cups cream cheese

-Avocado for garnish

Drain all the cans and dump them into your crock-pot.

I didn't drain the beans well enough. Oops

Place the chicken on top, season it with salt & pepper, cover, and cook on high for four hours.

Four hours later, add the cream cheese and cover and cook for another thirty minutes. While that cooks, whip up some brown rice.

Stir the crock pot so the cream cheese is all mixed in and serve it over rice. Top with your avocado. 

The chicken was fork-tender and so flavorful. I seriously can't stomach dry or bland chicken, so I was beyond happy that this turned out so well. Plus, there was plenty leftover for lunch the next day. We'll be having this again for sure.

Do you have a sweet tooth?

How do you prefer to keep track of your training plan? 

Do you ever use a crock-pot?

ABK

 

Plans and Schedules

Isn't it funny how motivation works? Leading up to my 10k this past weekend, I was really struggling to stay motivated enough to continue training for it. Now, with no races lined up in the very near future, I'm suddenly brimming with it; I guess that's a good thing, seeing as I'm planning to tackle a marathon in November.

I've been reflecting on the last few weeks of running and what's been going on for me mentally and physically. Looking back through Daily Mile, I can easily track what my runs - and only my runs - have looked like in the last four weeks. Putting aside cross-training, here's my pattern lately:

As you can see, my weeks have been pretty spotty as far as running goes. Now, this isn't to say I'm not exercising on days I'm not running; the week after traveling for the wedding and all that, I didn't run at all, but I did T25 three days, including a double session on Friday.

I've also noticed that some of my shorter runs have been really hard. My legs feel tired and stiff more often lately. I know it's starting to warm up and get humid again, and my effort feels the same (or more intense), but my paces are slowing down.

My conclusion here is that I need to mix up my cross-training and make sure I'm giving my legs rest days; I also need to run at least three days a week to maintain my fitness and the mileage I feel happiest with.

Now, here's the first five weeks of the prescribed marathon plan from Runner's World's Smart Coach:

It has three days of running scheduled; I think this is ideal. Based on how I've been faring lately, I think three days a week of purposeful runs is a solid foundation. I like the idea that I could add a fun/easy run once in awhile if I wanted, and still avoid over-training.

Taking a cue from Kristina, who has been running 10 miles every weekend and is seeing physical and mental results, I'm going to start adding consistent long runs back into my "non-training" schedule. Even though I'm not training for a specific race, I need to keep doing LSD runs if I want to maintain my confidence.

So, from this point in April through July, when I begin following the plan above, my schedule will look roughly as follows:

So there's that. This week I've already done my bridge run at moderate effort (Monday), so everything else may shift a bit, but I'm looking forward to having a steady schedule to get used to.

How do you plan your weekly workouts?
How often do you cross-train?
How many days a week do you try to run when you're not following a race plan?

ABK