Week 1 Marathon Training: Completed

I know it's been awhile and although I've been MIA on the blog I've still been on track for my marathon training.

Today marks the start of Week 2 of training and I'm feeling great! I took off 2 weeks before starting  training (July 2nd) because I needed a break! Running was starting to feel like a chore and that's no way to start a training program.

It was good for the mind but not for the body! I felt that 2 week hiatus because my body was killing me! All I did was take off 12 days but when I started back running and weight training my entire body was sore. From my shoulders to my calves, I hurt all over, no joke.

Right now I feel good. I did my cross-training today and tomorrow I have a 35-minute tempo run.

Here's my training program at a glance: 

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1	CT	30 min tempo	Strength train	5 mi EP	Rest	6 mi	3-4 mi EP
2	CT	35 min tempo	Strength train	5 mi EP	Rest	8 mi	3-4 mi EP
3	CT	40 min tempo	Strength train	6 mi EP	Rest	9 mi	3-4 mi EP
4	CT	40 min tempo	Strength train	6 mi EP	Rest	10 mi	3-4 mi EP
5	CT	5 x 400 IW	Strength train + 4 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	12 mi	3-4 mi EP
6	CT	6 x 400 IW	Strength train + 4 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	14 mi	3-4 mi EP
7	CT	7 x 400 IW	Strength train + 5 mi EP	5 mi RP	Rest	16 mi	3-4 mi EP
8	CT	8 x 400 IW	Strength train + 5 mi EP	35 min tempo	CT or Rest	12 mi	4-5 mi EP
9	CT	4 hill repeats	Strength train + 4 mi EP	6 mi RP	Rest	18 mi	3-4 mi EP
10	CT	5 hill repeats	Strength train + 5 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	14 mi	4-5 mi EP
11	CT	6 hill repeats	Strength train + 6 mi EP	7 miles RP	Rest	16 mi (last 4 mi RP)	4-5 mi EP
12	CT	7 hill repeats	Strength train + 5 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	12 mi	4-5 mi EP
13	CT	7 hill repeats	Strength train + 5 mi EP	5 mi RP	Rest	20 mi	3-4 mi EP
14	CT	6 mi RP	Strength train + 5 mi EP	40 min tempo	Rest	12 mi	4-5 mi EP
15	CT	5 mi RP	Strength train + 5 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	20 mi (last 4 mi RP)	3-4 mi EP
16	CT	5 mi RP	5 mi EP	35 min tempo	Rest	12 mi	3-4 mi EP
17	CT	4 mi RP	4 mi EP	4 mi EP	Rest	6 mi	3-4 mi EP
18	CT	4 mi RP	Rest	4 mi EP	Rest	2 mi EP	Race!

 Here's an explanation in a nutshell:
 

Cross-training (CT): A cardio activity other than running (biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at a moderate effort for 45 to 60 minutes. 

Tempo Run: Tempo runs help you develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for faster racing. For a 40-minute tempo run, for example, start your run with 5 to 10 minutes of easy running, then continue with 15 to 20 minutes of running at about a 10K pace. Finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooling down. If you're not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels "comfortably hard." 

Strength-train: After a 10-minute warm-up, spend about 20-25 minutes doing lower body and core strengthening. 

Interval workouts (IW): After a warm-up, run 400 meters (one lap around most tracks) hard, then recover by jogging or walking 400 meters. For example, 3 x 400 would be three hard 400s, with a 400 m recovery in between. 

Easy pace (EP): These runs should be done at an easy, comfortable pace. You should be able to breathe and talk easily. 

Race Pace (RP): After you run a 10-minute warm-up, run the designated mileage at your "marathon Race Pace". Follow that with a 10-minute cool-down.  

Saturday long runs: After you warm up, run at a comfortable, conversational pace for the designated mileage. 

Sundays: This is an active recovery day. Your run should be at your comfortable, easy pace (EP), which helps loosen up your muscles. 

I like this program because it includes many different types of running such as: tempo runs, hill training, and interval training.

I believe this schedule will help me run more efficiently while also providing me with some much needed variety so I don't get bored.

One thing I might change is the frequency of weight training since I like to weight train at least twice a week.

Last week I only weight trained on Wednesday but this week I will do some arms and abs on Friday as well. I'm thinking that every other week I will do leg work twice a week (ie Week 3, then Week 5 and so on). 

Before I run I do my dynamic stretching routine, which is amazing. I have absolutely no aches, pains or soreness when I do it. I didn't do it today because I only ran 3 miles and I noticed the difference.

So far so good. Stay tuned for more updates!

Half-Marathon Recap

The race is over! I finished uninjured and happy! Even though I went in knowing I wasn't trying to acheive a PR...my mind wasn't completely convinced. So afterwards, at home, looking at the race results, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. It was just a tinge.

However, I ran the race in 1 HOUR AND 39 MINUTES. I RANKED 10TH IN MY CATEGORY. For some reason there were no total ranking results.

THIS WAS A CHALLENGING COURSE.

 It was super hilly. I mean, it was nothing but hills! I mean I have to incorporate some type of hill work into my training now! It's interesting, but it wasn't my legs that were burning. It was my lungs! I'm so happy I'll be starting Fartlek again.

My pace was 7.33, which I'm completely content with. At 6.1 miles I was at 46 minutes and at 10 miles I was at 1 hour and 18 minutes. I put effort into this race. My first marathon was completely flat. I held back because I just wanted to finish. I didn't hold much back this time around. It felt good though. I'm already thinking about a shorter race to run in December.

The only annoying part was that there was no one waiting for me at the finish line! I really gave it my all at the finish and sprinted. I expected my family to be there...but they were confused and were standing at a different finish line. To their credit it was a confusing event. 

There was a 10K, the half marathon, full marathon, marathon relay, and a kid's race. All running at the same time. I was confused a bit while running because they kept yelling out instructions and I was trying to focus.

Oh well, it couldn't be perfect, could it?

Race Preparation

It was so cold and dark! I got up at 430 am. I expected my phone to automatically update Daylight Savings, but it didn't. No, I don't have a smartphone. Why? Well, planned obsolescence. But I digress.

Anyway,

• I woke up
• Checked my ipod
• Checked Chema's ipod touch
• Turned on the computer
• Woke up my mother and asked her
• Turned on the TV...

I just wanted to make sure it was 330 am. It was. So I manually put the time back on my phone and stayed in bed (wide awake) until 4 am. At that time I got up and ate breakfast, put in my contacts, got dressed, then warmed up and stretched.

Chema, my younger brother, and older sister, came to see me run. My mom couldn't come unfortunately because of her injury. 

So in this first picture you can see how dark it is at 6am.

This is the start and finish line for the half and full marathon.

Here's where we could check our race results. However, when I crossed the finish line I was more concerned with finding my support team.

There I am! I was so excited. Even though this was a smaller race the energy was great.

Now you can really see how cold it is! I had on 2 layers and another one in the car for the finish! I was too incredibly happy that I had those gloves.

Cheesing with my sister.

And here I am cheesing with the teenager.

This is me right before the start. At this point there were only 10 minutes before the race!

More people getting ready for the race.

Not a huge showing but it was decent.

Not sure why the bird was there but he was scaring the little kids.

The spectators! Actuallly, there weren't very many people supporting the runners. They pretty much stayed at the start and finish lines. But I was more focused on those hills anyway!

Five minutes before the race!

Almost three minutes before the race!

There I go! If my face is any indication (the little of it you can see) I was in paradise!

They had those cool little foil wrappers at the end that I've always wanted to drape around me. I felt so professional! However, they don't keep you warm...at all. The food offered was bananas, bagels, pizza, and beer. Since I'm vegan I gave the pizza to my brother and gobbled a banana and 1/4 of a bagel.

A few hours later I had another snack then lentils with potatoes for lunch.

Thoughts

I had such a great time. I really do recommend races. It is so uplifting. It's a big accomplishment. Like I said, I'm already planning my next race.

The only negatives were that no one was at the finish line to snap a photo. Also I had a wardrobe mishap. My cool new running pants chafed. They have zippers at the ankles and they cut me on my right ankle. 

Luckily, I didn't even notice until we were driving back home. I guess I was on too much of a high. So yea, I either need to wear longer socks or get some different pants.

Something silly: I mentioned before how I felt a tinge of disappointment for not running faster. So, to make me feel better Chema "googled" the women who finished ahead of me. For some reason it made me feel better knowing these women are professional runners. All of them had run the race more than once and were on running teams. I patted myself on the back for a job well done.

Other than that, I have no complaints. My second half marathon is over and I can't wait to run another. 

I will definitely focus on running a PR! (After my marathon of course)