Category: Running

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Seven

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This week I was really focused on getting back on track. And I did! I got every single workout in and I feel like this was my strongest week yet. I just hope this isn’t a one time thing, and I can keep the momentum going.

Monday: 0

Tuesday: 3.75 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 4×400 w/200 recovery (1:34, 1:28, 1:32, 1:31),1×400 jog turns-sprint straights 2×100 (.19, .18) .75 Mile C/D

Wednesday: 5 Miles

Thursday: 6.64 Miles

Friday: 0

Saturday: 12 Miles

Sunday: 4.28 Miles

Total Miles: 31.67 Miles

Tuesday I stopped at my parent’s house after work. After waiting for the heat to die down a bit I eventually made it to my old high school track with my sister. We started with a mile warm up and then went into our 400 repeats. Claire ran the first one with me, and watched the other three. I forgot how much I hate 400’s and felt like I was going to throw up after everyone. But considering this was the first time I’d done them on the track in over a year, I was ok with my times. Next up, Claire joined me for a lap of jogging the turns and sprinting the straights. She beat me both times, which shows she’s the sprinter, and I’m made for distance. We followed it up with 3 cool down laps.

You never forget your first track.

You never forget your first track.

Wednesday I met up with Mallory and we headed over to Allerdale after our first choice park was closed. This was only the second time I’d been to Allerdale, the first being last fall. The whole park looked completely different and it was a nice change of scenery. Since the trails are short, we looped around a lot, almost too much. I also forgot how hilly it is, but my legs reminded me as they were screaming towards the end of the run. But the constant hills are almost worth the views.

Top of the Park

Top of the Park

On Thursday I met up with Mallory again and we started our run at Medina Lake. We made our way around the lake and headed into The Reserve development.  It was another hilly run with gradual and semi steep hills around the development, the views of the lake, and the far too expensive homes make it a nice place to run. We took a wrong turn and ended up taking the longer way back to our cars via Rt 18. We finished up with almost 7 miles, and very tired legs.

Saturday I was finally able to get the long run in that I’d been hoping for. I met up with Mo, Jennifer and Sarah and we made our way around Medina. We started on the half course, made our way past Lake Medina and looped around a few developments. The first half of the run we kept the pace between 9:05-9:15. I was feeling pretty good despite how many hills I’d already fun this week. By the time we got to mile 8 I could feel my legs starting to get tired. Our pace slowed down a bit due to the weather warming up, lack of water, and a more hillier route we were running. Once we got passed mile 10 I could feel my body starting to slow down more and really I was ready to be done. We finally got back to the square to finish up 12 miles for the day.

On Sunday I met up with Melissa for a nice easy recovery run. We met up half way at Bonnie Park and headed north before turning off on one of the paths. It was pretty warm by the time we started so our pace was a little slow, but perfect for a recovery run. Even though I was extremely hot, sweaty and thirsty, I still felt pretty good considering my high jump in mileage from last week to this week.

Week Seven Thoughts:

  • This week I got in all 5 workouts, which I haven’t been able to do since the beginning of the training cycle. I felt really strong throughout most of the week and thankfully a few rough weeks didn’t hurt me as much as I expected. This past week was what I’ve been aiming to do every week (minus some of the hills) but I just haven’t been able to get things to work out. I’m hoping I can keep up the 30+ miles per week and maybe they’ll pay off when it’s race time.
  • It is now clear to me that 400 repeats are my most hated speed workout. I feel like the entire time I have to be running at full speed or I’ll slip into a much more relaxed pace. And I always feel miserable once I finish.  In high school we ran 400 repeats under 1:30 all the time. Now I’ll be lucky when I accidentally run under 1:30.

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Six

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This week was a horrible week for training, my worst one of the cycle. Going into the week, I planned on at least four workouts. When it was said and done, only two runs and one cross training workout happened.

Monday: 0

Tuesday: 0

Wednesday: 4 Miles

Thursday: 5 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 6xHill Repeats (½ mile each), 1 Mile C/D

Friday: 0

Saturday: 0

Sunday: SUP Yoga

Total Miles: 9 Miles

My first run of the week wasn’t until Wednesday. Not ideal, but that’s ok. I was supposed to do a track workout, but I just wasn’t feeling it. It was one of those days where you just want to run without thinking or planning or focusing on hitting certain paces. So I went out and just ran. I did an out and back in a development I’ve never run before. My mind was focused on the run itself and nothing else, which was exactly what I needed.

Thursday I was finally able to make it to a Second Sole Group run, but it turns out that run group was canceled for the night. I thought of going home and running in my development, but since I was already in town I figured I’d drive out to my favorite hill and do some repeats. I started with a mile warm up and worked my way up the hill six times before calling it.

Up, and up and around the turn

Up, and up and around the turn

The first three felt pretty good, but like always, number 4 was the hardest. I managed to get to six, but my legs were burning. The mix between gradual and steep on the Reserve hill always gets me.

From the top, the sunset view is the perfect reward

From the top, the sunset view is the perfect reward

I had planned on doing my long run on Saturday, but instead, woke up feeling sick to my stomach at 4am. I’m now going to add sushi to the list of things not to eat before a long run. After going back to bed and taking it easy all morning, I was finally feeling better by noon, but at this point, it was way too hot to attempt my long run.

Sunday morning was out for a long run because I had plans to try SUP Yoga for the first time. We signed up for this class a while ago, but by the time it got here, I was incredibly nervous. My balance is not great, and I really can’t swim, so I was definitely out of my comfort zone. The class started at 8 with some basic how to info on Stand Up Paddle boarding, followed by about an hour of yoga out on the lake. Hinckley Lake was beautiful and it really was the perfect weather for yoga. I was a little timid with my paddle boarding, but I eventually got the hang of it. My yoga form on the other hand was less than stellar. I was so afraid of falling in the water that I was incredibly stiff and modified a few poses. But once we sat down and had most of our body close to the board, I was ok. I even worked up enough confidence to do wheel pose. Don’t ask me how though. Overall, it was a fun experience. I’d love to try it again, and especially do some more SUP.

Week Six Thoughts:

  • My mileage was way off this week. Part of it was due to schedule, part of it was unseen issues that popped up. But even though I didn’t get my long run in, I was still able to get a hill workout in, which is something I know I need to work on. This past week is done, and now it’s a fresh start to begin a new training mileage and focus on those miles.
  • I’m really glad I tried SUP. It was certainly a new experience, but I really enjoyed it once I started to relax. There’s such a difference between yoga on a mat on solid ground compared to a small board on open water. I think this is a great way to cross train during summer and makes me miss practicing real yoga.

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Five

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I had a fresh start this week with rested legs and a more motivated mind. Unfortunately, things got busy and I couldn’t get all of my workouts in. Even though I was far from mileage, I did have some good workouts.

Monday: 4 Miles

Tuesday: 4.75 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 4×800 w/400 recovery, 1 Mile C/D

Wednesday: 0

Thursday: 0

Friday: 0

Saturday: 11 Miles

Sunday: 0

Total Miles: 19.75 Miles

Monday I met up with Mallory for some easy miles along Lester trail. It was super hot, humid and buggy so we kept a very easy pace, between 9:45-10:00. It was nice to get a run done on a Monday for once, I felt like I had more energy than normal, and I can start the week not staring down a 0.

I originally planned on doing Jasyoga on Tuesday because I had a dress fitting. But when my appointment was pushed back a week, I knew I’d have time to squeeze in a workout. With the threat of a storm I decided to run on the treadmill in case my workout was cut short. I did four 800 repeats and increased the speed on the last two. I felt ok, but I’m looking forward to getting back out on the track again.

Saturday was my first double digit run of the training cycle. I was a little nervous due to the lack of mileage I’ve been able to get in, but decided to just let my legs do the talking. We had a small group that started at Buckeye Woods to run the HD loop. From BW, we went down the inlet and off on some back roads. The early morning fog was still rising and made for some beautiful views.

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From there we made our way towards Chippewa Lake on the back roads. We stopped for a pit stop around mile 4 or so.

Chippewa Lake in the distance

Chippewa Lake in the distance

We followed along the outside of the lake and passed the old amusement park grounds. We had some hills, but nothing too major. I took a Honey Stinger Chew at mile 7 and had a small increase in energy for the next few miles.

We finished up around the lake, and headed back towards the inlet. Once we finally got back to our cars, I had 10.77 on my Garmin, so naturally I made a few laps around the parking lot to make it an even 11. I felt fairly strong throughout the run, our pace stayed  between 9:20-10:00.

Beautiful morning on Chippewa Lake

Beautiful morning on Chippewa Lake

 

Week Five’s Thoughts:

  • This week was the third long run I’ve done using Honey Stinger Chews. So far I haven’t had any stomach issues during the run or after, so I think I may be on to something. They’re much easier to take while running, and I feel full enough after one piece, that I don’t need to eat them as often. Fingers crossed that I can keep up this new fueling plan.
  • I had a plan to get all five workouts in this week, but clearly that didn’t happen. I’m looking ahead at my calendar, and appointments are popping up left and right to finalize things for the wedding. It’s clear that with just under 6 weeks to go, running may not be the top priority all the time. I need to accept that some runs will need to be rescheduled, and some may have to be skipped. As much as I don’t want to change my training cycle too much, I may need to adapt the mind frame of run what I can, when I can. Worse case scenario, I’ll have a minimum of three runs per week- one speed, one long, and one recovery.

Twin Sizzler 5k Recap

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Last Saturday, July 4th, I ran my third Twin Sizzler 5k. This year I decided to run just the 5k and skip the 10k. The weather was surprisingly cooler for race day, with 65 degrees at the start and some slight wind a few times on the course.

The race started at 7:45, but I got down to the square by 7:15 to pick up my bib and shirt and hit the restroom before the start. I got a little under a mile in for my warm up and was ready to run. I didn’t have a certain time I was focused on, I just knew I didn’t want to go out too quick, and I didn’t want to have a meltdown on the uphill finish. Surprising, I was actually pretty relaxed. That is until a minute before the race started and my stomach was a mess.

The race started and I realized I was a little too far back in the pack. Instead of going out too fast, I was going out too slow, somewhere around a 9:07 pace. I started to weave in and out of the group to find a better spot, and finally settled on an 8:45 pace. My stomach was still hurting and I was too afraid to push myself any faster at that point.

The course starts on the square with a nice downhill onto Rt. 57 out of town. Eventually the road begins an incline and I was happy I didn’t have to do the 10k after this, with it’s continual incline into Montville Township. Just before our first turn we came across the first mile marker and a water stop. I skipped the water and was starting to feel a little better.

Mile 1- 8:45

Starting the second mile, it was refreshing that for once I didn’t feel like death, clinging onto a time that I wouldn’t be able to hold. I was feeling better with every step I took and wanted to base this next mile off of feel, not time.

During the second mile we went through some developments and had some rolling hills along the way. They didn’t feel as bad as they typically do and I was able to pass people as I made my way along the course. I continued along, quietly bringing my pace down, and keeping my eyes off my Garmin.

Mile 2- 8:33

With the last mile ahead of me I knew I wanted to pick up the pace. I also knew the finish would be difficult, and I was still unsure of what my stomach had planned. I told myself I’d be ok with an 8:20 pace, but again wanted to go by feel, rather than time.

Somewhere in the beginning of the last mile, I noticed a gentleman was near me and would stay around my pace. He’d push when I pushed, and back off when I backed off. It was nice to have a little company, even though we didn’t say anything.

As we made the turn down South Court, I tried to get myself in the zone. I took advantage of the short downhill and mentally prepared myself for the finish. We turned right on South Street, and then left on South Broadway. We were met again with my favorite part, the brick road. I started to pick up my pace a bit, but was careful not to trip on any loose bricks. I could feel the energy that had been saved up and hoped it would stay throughout the rest of the race.

We passed the intersection of 57 and memories of my Medina Half finish crossed my mind. Even though I had started with a sour stomach, it was no where to be seen and my legs wanted to take control.

We passed the railroad tracks, and then started our long incline past East Smith. As I took each step up hill, I knew I would have a much better finish than before. I kept picking up the pace, trying to go faster.

Mile 3- 8:14

With just a small section left I gave it everything I had and sprinted up the rest of the hill and into the finish. I turned around just in time to see the silent gentleman finish and congratulated him on the race.

Last .1- 7:04 pace

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For the first time, quite possibly ever, I ran negative splits on my 5k. And I felt great after I finished. I didn’t run a PR, but I ran a smart race and I ran based on how I felt rather than checking my watch everything 30 seconds.

While I’m not sure I’ll ever PR on the Twin Sizzler course, I was able to run my fastest Twin Sizzler to date. And now I know where I stand time-wise on the 5k and I have an idea of where I can be if I really push myself. There is no doubt that I can drop under 25 minutes for the 5k again, but unfortunately a sub 23 is probably something that I left in college.

Not your flat 5k.

Not your flat 5k.

It was a great race, great weather and I’m glad I’ve been able to run the Twin Sizzler every year. It’s something that I plan on doing every year while living in Medina. And maybe one day I’ll sign up for the 10k again…

Tech tee and trouble

Tech tee and trouble

Results:

Official Chip Time: 25:51

AG 25-29: 4/23

Female: 65/295

Overall: 223/608

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Four

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I changed a few things around this week after I noticed my first cut back week wasn’t until week six. With tired legs from last week, and a tired body from lack of sleep, I knew I needed to make this change for a recovery week. So I skipped a few runs, made some changes to week six, and here we are with lighter mileage and happier legs.

Monday: 0

Tuesday: 3.5 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 6×400 w/400 recovery, .5 Mile C/D + Core

Wednesday: 0

Thursday: 0

Friday: 4 Miles

Saturday: Twin Sizzler 5k + 2 Miles

Sunday: 0

Total Miles: 12.5 Miles

I got home late on Tuesday due to traffic, and stuck to my treadmill for my workout. I was exhausted before I even started, and lack of motivation was creeping in quickly. But I powered through some 400’s and felt a little better when I was finished.

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Coach checking out my stride

Wednesday evening I had plans, and Thursday I had intentions of running with Second Sole. But because I didn’t get out of work until late afternoon, I decided to skip my run and spend time with Darren, who had been in London all week for work. After a pretty crappy week, it was exactly what I needed.

Friday I was out of the door at a decent time and ran to my trail. It was the first time running there for a while, despite being so close to home. I felt pretty good and kept a decent pace for most of the run. A little solo trail running was exactly what my mind and body needed.

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Clear trails, clear mind.

Saturday I ran the annual Twin Sizzler 5k, race recap to come soon. I opted for just the 5k this year after running both the 5k and 10k last year. The weather was perfect, the race turned out great and I was almost tempted to sign up for the 10k. Between my warm up and cool down, I added two more miles, making it 5 for the day.

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A little red, white, blue, and neon for the Twin Sizzler

Week Four Thoughts:

This week was nothing what I had originally planned for. But even by the end of the week my legs felt better than they had in the past two. There comes a point where everything starts to build up and break you apart. I needed this week to catch up on recovery, sleep, and a little bit of my sanity. I can now start this next week of training with fresh legs and some extra motivation.

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Three

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The third week of training is done, and I think the intensity and quick jump back into running is catching up with me. I gave it all I had for each workout this week and while I didn’t quite hit my total mileage, I feel strong with where I’m at.

Monday: 0

Tuesday: 5.5 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 3×1600 w/400 recovery (7:59, 7:39, 7:34), 1 Mile C/D

Wednesday: 5 Miles

Thursday: 4.5 Miles

Friday: 0

Saturday: 9 Miles + Core

Sunday: 0

Total Miles: 24 Miles

Tuesday I was finally back on the track and it felt so good to be there. I had mile repeats, which I haven’t done in a long time, so I wasn’t sure what times I’d be able to run. I was hoping for around 8:00 minutes but would adjust if I felt that was too fast. I was somehow able to negative split my three mile repeats, and didn’t feel horrible once I was done. Hopefully I can bring my time down closer to 7:30 for all repeats and see my 5k times drop over the next couple of months.

I stopped by Bonnie Park on my way home on Wednesday. I haven’t been there in almost two years, so it was nice to have a change of scenery. I decided to stick along the parkway and headed North. I was only planning on 4 miles, but I felt great and ran 2.5 miles before turning around. Even though I was supposed to be running a recovery run, my legs didn’t want to go above a 9 minute pace. I was able to keep four of the five miles at sub 9 and my final mile was sub 8:30. It must have been the flat ground that made me so speedy!

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Feels like home

Thursday was Second Sole group run and I almost missed it due to traffic. Luckily I got there in time to join the group for a 4.5 mile run from the store to Roscoe Ewing Park and back. We took it at an easy pace and for once the hills in the park didn’t seem so bad. My legs were tired and a little tight towards the end, so more stretching, compressing and foam rolling is needed in between runs.

I originally thought of racing the 10 for Them 10 Miler on Saturday, but opted out since I wasn’t registered, and didn’t love the idea of racing 10 miles yet. So instead, Mo, Mallory and I met up in the afternoon to do our run. We had a nice window of no rain, but some pretty decent humidity. We ran a few of the developments, including some steep hills and ended up with 8 miles. My legs were exhausted, and I was ready to call it for the day. But, I couldn’t help but think of that last mile that I know I needed, so I slogged through one final mile on my own. It wasn’t pretty, but I got it done. Even with the humidity and hills, I still felt pretty good. I tested out Honey Stinger Chews again, and had no issues during or after my run. Looks like I’ll be sticking with them for the next few long runs.

Week Three Thoughts:

I’m starting to feel the effects of higher than normal mileage. Going from a running rut to my training plan, my mileage has jumped from 10 miles to almost 30 miles a week. I’m also running 4-5 days a week, where I was doing 3-4 days before. I know I’m still not getting enough sleep, which is definitely bringing me down on some of my back to back days. I need to work on getting more sleep, and taking my recovery runs at a recovery pace.

 

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week Two

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Week two is done and I am pain free! Sometimes the best thing is to listen to your body rather than your training plan. This week was a little off, I had to move a few things around, but I was still able to get most of my mileage in despite having to do some tweaking.

Monday: 5.5 Miles + Core

Tuesday: 0

Wednesday: 4 Miles + Core

Thursday: 3 Miles + Core + Lifting

Friday: 0

Saturday: 8 Miles

Sunday: 3.1 Miles

Total Miles: 23.6 Miles

Monday I headed to Blue Heron with Mallory. It’s been months since we’ve ran there and even though it’s all hills, I still love it. We started on the golf course, made our way to the development, and then back through the course. It was pretty buggy and humid, but my legs felt pretty good and I had no pain! It was also the first run in my new Asics GT-2000’s. They felt magical, maybe that’s why I felt so good. We finished up our run and with less than a quarter mile to go, it started to pour. It felt refreshing, and I definitely had an “I love running!” moment. Finally!

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Hello 2000’s, let’s run!

I planned on doing my track workout on Wednesday since I had a dress fitting on Tuesday. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. First my iPad was almost dead, so any chance of watching Netflix wouldn’t last long. Then the circuit popped on one side of the basement, so the treadmill lost power. It was getting too late to get to a track to run by myself, so I set out around the neighborhood. I traveled through a few developments and felt less frustrated as my run went on. I was a bit tight from the hills on Monday, but I didn’t have pain, which was a good sign. I still managed 4 easy miles and some core for the night.

Thursday was Second Sole night, but the weather had different plans. Just as I made it to town, the sky let loose. About 10 minutes later, it stopped, so I thought we could get some miles done outside. Naturally the next round of storms showed up just as we were about to start. So we opted for the indoor track at the rec. We did three easy miles, some core and some lifting. I’m glad we had the option to run inside, but I don’t miss the indoor track one bit!

Saturday morning I met up with a small group to do my long run. We started at the square, and decided to run part of the Medina Half course to get our miles. It was also my first run in my new Asics Kayano 21’s and I was excited to break them in. Our first mile was the slowest, but we kept the pace between 9:04-9:15, also known as my race pace. We kept this up until about mile 6, where Mallory and I veered off so we could finish 8, while the rest of the group did 10. I took a Honey Stinger Chew for fuel and within the next mile brought my pace down to 8:05. Maybe it was the rain, or maybe the new fuel, but I felt great and didn’t feel burnt out by the end. Even though I pushed myself quicker than I should have for my long run, I also know I won’t get faster, unless I push myself.

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Kayano 21….In love!

Sunday’s recovery run hurt the most out of any run all week. I waited until 7pm to run where motivation was at its lowest. I tried to focus on one mile at a time, but couldn’t help to feel sluggish. I ran around the development, got chased by a dog and couldn’t keep my pace straight. Around 2.5 miles in, I started to get a side stitch that got worse with every step. It wasn’t until then that I realized I hadn’t had any water all day. I settled for three miles and a popsicle, and decided a new hydration plan was needed.

Week Two Thoughts:

It was clear that taking an extra rest day last week and getting new shoes made all the difference this week. I know not to let my shoes go over 350/375, but because I was rotating them, I completely lost track of miles. Going forward the 2000’s will be for shorter runs and track workouts and the Kayanos will be for longer runs. This worked out fairly well last time, so why change it.

Another thing I noticed is that I’m really dehydrated. I’ve been trying to drink water and Nuun throughout the day and after workouts, but I feel like it’s never enough. Part of this is because my body is getting used to summer heat, and part is from a new medication that causes dry mouth. I’m hoping to find a balance and work on hydrating myself before it gets super hot!

Akron Half Marathon Training: Week One

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The first week of Akron training is in the books! I love the feeling of a new training cycle, it’s a fresh start and motivation is high! Here’s a look at how the week went.

Monday: Jasyoga + Core

Tuesday: 5 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, 6×400 w/400 recovery, 1 Mile C/D

Wednesday: 4 Miles + Core

Thursday: 4 Miles

Friday: 0

Saturday: 3.5 Miles

Sunday: 0

Total Miles: 16.5 Miles

Monday I did 30 minutes of Jasyoga on the deck followed by 10 minutes of core. I focused on hamstring stretches, which helped to loosen me up after some trail running I did on Sunday. It’s amazing how much better I feel outside than doing yoga in the basement. (It also helps to keep the cats from getting in my way)

Fresh air...hello relaxation!

Fresh air…hello relaxation!

Tuesday was my first serious track workout in a while. I opted not to go to the 5:00am workout, and instead ran on my own in the evening. I had 400 repeats, which always hurt, but they were quick and over with before I had a chance to really think about it. I felt pretty good despite have a little bit of shin pain.

I stopped by my parent’s house on Wednesday after work and decided to do my workout there. It’s always nice to revisit the roads where I first started to run and remember how far I’ve come. It was hot and humid and pretty downright miserable. I wanted to take it easy and figured that would be no problem with the heat. But my legs had another idea and I was between 8:38-9:13 for all four miles. I actually felt pretty great and relaxed despite the heat. I also decided it would be my last run in my Kayano’s. With 428 miles, they’ve done more than they should and need to be retired. The upside is it’s time to go shoe shopping!

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Good run old friends, thanks for the memories!

My goal for Thursday was to make it to Second Sole, which lately has been a struggle due to traffic. Luckily, I just made it and was able to join Mo for some miles. We started off with a 9:04 mile, but quickly slowed down. It was hot, we weren’t feeling great and after Wednesday’s accidental tempo run, I figured it’d be smart to take it easy. I was glad to run with Second Sole again, and I look forward to more Thursday runs, as long as traffic is forgiving.

I was looking forward to Saturday’s run all week. Melissa just moved back to Ohio from Virginia, more importantly, to the Cleveland area! What better way to catch up than to go out for a run. We met at my house and we decided to run Buckeye Woods. We ran around the marsh and woods, caught up and had a nice easy run. After that we hit up the Farmer’s Market, checked out a few shops on the square and picked up my new shoes! I’m excited Melissa is back and town and see many runs and races together in our future!

Sunday’s plan was left up to the last minute. I originally planned on running the Park 2 Park Half Marathon, but after having weird shin/leg pain all week, I decided it would be best that I take an extra day off and rest. Instead, I had the best sleep in months, and volunteered at an afternoon trail 5k in Medina.

Week One Thoughts:

Monday through Saturday were strong. Even though I had some leg pain, I felt strong, I never felt out of shape during my runs, and I never wanted to slack off and cut the workout short. Considering how the past month and a half has been, this is a major step in getting out of my running rut.

Sunday was were I dropped the ball for hitting my mileage. But, I don’t regret not running or racing. The pain I felt all week was uncomfortable, and I probably should have sat out a workout, or two. But now that I pinpointed a knot in my calf, I can take care of it and hopefully prevent another week or more of pain. Taking a few days off now is better than having to sit an entire training cycle off due to injury.

Week one is done, 15 more to go!

Akron Half Marathon Training

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Well, here we are. Back to day one of a new training cycle. I have to admit, I’ve been working on this training plan for months. I’ve changed it more times than I can remember, but I think I’m finally happy with it. It’s a little more intense than I’m used to, and will be a bit harder in the beginning coming off a running rut. But I’m excited and looking forward to the next 16 weeks.

Here’s a look at what to expect….

Timing: We’re back to a 16 week plan, but I’m certain that 14 weeks is best for me. The only reason I pushed it out to 16 was to accommodate for the two weeks in August that I’ll be busy getting married and enjoying my honeymoon. The extra two weeks will hopefully give me enough time to prepare before, and as long as I do some running in those two weeks, I shouldn’t be too far behind when I get back to reality.

Cross training: I know, I know, I always say I’ll cross train. But this time I will! Summer is the perfect time to get out and walk the neighborhood on rest days, bike into town and practice yoga on the deck. I’m struggling to find a yoga class that works, mostly fits my schedule of evening practice, but I’ve found a short term solution. I started watching Jasyoga videos, and they’re easy to follow. I can do them on my own time, and pick as many as I want.

Healthy Habits: I finally jumped on the bandwagon and got a Fit Bit back in April, and I regret I didn’t get it sooner! I’ve realized how far I am from my 10,000 step goal on rest days, how little sleep I actually get, and how much water I’m not drinking. I’m hoping that by paying attention to my Fit Bit more, I can find a good balance and hopefully not wear myself down. Here’s what I’ve found so far, which is actually disappointing.

-Average of 21 ounces of water a day

-Average of 6,000 steps a day

-Average of 4.5 hrs of sleep, 180 minutes restless

-Average of 200 calories under consumed per day

And I wondered why I was always so exhausted and unmotivated! The proof is in the pudding. I’m definitely not sleeping enough and it is causing problems. I know I need to make some changes and here’s where I’d like to be.

-Average of 60 ounces of water a day

-Average of 12,000 steps a day (on running days)

-Average of 5.5-6 hrs of sleep, 100 minutes restless at night

-Average of 200 calories over consumed per day (and eat healthier)

Training: Training this time around is going to be harder. For the longest time, I’ve accepted myself as an average runner, and never felt the need to push myself  beyond my comfort zone. And while that’s perfectly fine, I know at some point I need to push myself just a little bit further. So here’s what I’ve changed for this training cycle.

-Higher mileage. I plan on staying between 30-35 miles per week, with the exception of a few weeks. This also means running 5 days a week, and not dipping below 4 miles for a workout.

-Speed workouts. I excelled at running 800’s last year, and was right on time with almost every workout. This time I wanted to try something different, so I’ll be alternating between 400’s, 800’s and 1600’s to hopefully make myself quicker.

-Races as workouts. I used races as workouts when I ran sub 2:00 last year. I was able to get my mileage in, but I also worked a little harder for it, helping me control my pace and race smart.

-Pre planning. Outside of my regular excel file that holds my plan, I have a second that already has every location for each run planned out. I have 10 different locations randomly thrown into my schedule, so I know ahead of time where I’ll be running and what I’ll be running. This should hopefully prevent burnout and help to keep my mind fresh.

-Fueling. I know I need to work on my fueling plan, and this time I’m open to new ideas and products. I have a sensitive stomach so I have to be careful of what I take. I’ve picked up a few new products and I’m looking forward to trying them on my long runs.

 

After all is said and done, I’ll have 16 weeks to train for the Akron Half Marathon. I’m hoping to stick to the plan as close as I can, but we all know that things come up and sometimes a run is missed. I hope to push myself more than I have and become a better, stronger runner. Here’s what we have to look forward to…

Capture

Only 110 days to go!!

Medina Half Marathon Recap

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Last Saturday I ran the Medina Half Marathon, and honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After the HOF half, I had high expectations to continue on with a strong training period between then and the beginning of Akron training. But unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Between a week and a half with vertigo and finding myself in a running rut, my mileage was pretty low. Thankfully, Mallory, who was also in a running rut, agreed to run with me and we decided to turn the race into a fun run.

I got up around 4:45 Saturday morning, ate, got dressed and prepared for the race. The start time was moved back to 6:45 this year, which was nice. I left my house around 6:15, found parking and was on the square by 6:30. The 5 minute drive to the race, and multiple parking lots is always a huge plus in my book.

I met up with Mallory, we lined up and we were ready to take it easy on a 13.1 mile jog around town. Once the race started, we were off and tried to stay with a 10:00 minute pace. Neither of us had run any long runs since April, but we figured we could handle the pace for the distance we had ahead of us.

We stayed behind the 2:10 pace group as they started a bit fast, easy to do when the first two miles have some declines in them. We noticed right away that the air was thick with humidity and I was already sweating heavily by mile two. We kept an easy pace, talked and eventually were joined by Amy.

Mile 1-9:38

Mile 2-9:42

The course was a little different this year, so we ended up with more time winding through developments in the beginning of the course. It was a good way to keep my mind off the miles and rather the company I had while running.

Between mile 2 and 3, we ended up with Christy, who decided to join us for our easy run. We chatted for a while, and she kept reminding us how “cold and snowy” it was. Her positive outlook helped to keep my mind off the heat and humidity for a bit.

Mile 3-9:51

Mile 4-9:43

Our first rollers came on Reagan and just like always, slowed me down a bit. From here we headed toward Lake Medina, but unfortunately couldn’t use the new path, so we took to the roads and onto the grass path at the top of the lake. It was starting to heat up, and it was around mile 5 that I took my first Sport Beans. I took two, hoping that it keep me full for a longer amount of time than just one.

Mile 5-9:56

Mile 6-10:06

As we were leaving the lake, I stopped for a quick porta potty stop. There was a short line, so it slowed me down a bit. I was a little concerned I was dehydrated so early into the race because my mouth was so dry just 6 miles in. Thankfully I was hydrated, but instead, I was feeling the side effects of new medication.

From here we went up 18, giant hill included and back into another development before heading to Smith. I was starting to feel a little tired, but figured it was just leftover from the hill. Mallory was working on encouraging me to keep going and reminding me that we were more than half way there. It helped, but I was starting to hit a wall.

Mile 7-13:48 (potty stop)

Mile 8-10:35

From Smith we turned into some more developments, which was a new part of the course this year. I actually enjoyed this section, despite the rollers. The twists and turns kept it interesting and kept my mind off checking my watch. I took two more Sport Beans around mile 8.

Mile 9-11:27

Mile 10-12:58

I’m not sure when, but Heather joined Mallory and I between mile 8-10. It was also during this time that I really started to break down. My legs were feeling ok, but I felt hot, dehydrated, and sick to my stomach. I started to feel so guilty about bringing Mallory down with my negative thoughts and bad attitude. I told her to go ahead and I’d make my way to the finish line, but she refused to leave.

From then on, we walked the water stops and hills and would run the flat sections. I shuffled behind Mallory and Heather, going through moments of feeling fine to feeling sick to my stomach. I started to think I had too many Sport Beans, or maybe I should take a salt tab. Nothing was helping and the miles seemed to drag on.

Mile 11-12:33

Mile 12-12:50

We finally made it to mile 12 as we headed down South Court and back towards the square. I continued to shuffle along, dreading the finish line. We made our way closer and with about a half mile to go,we ran down the brick road. I always loved this part because it reminded me of Muskingum. But I also knew that after the brick finished, the uphill finish line was waiting.

Mile 13-12:49

Last .1 -11:33 pace

And then suddenly with about 400 feet to go, I started to feel light headed, and sick. I told Mallory and Heather to go ahead and I started to walk, getting a hold of my bearings. I slowly began to jog and made my way toward the finish. And as quickly as I felt miserable, I felt normal again.

Making my way to the finish

Making my way to the finish

I crossed the line of my 22nd half marathon, and regretted letting myself run so under trained. I felt like I had let myself down, the Medina Road Runners down, and of course Mallory. But I finished, and that was good enough for me that day.

Wouldn't have finished without her!

Wouldn’t have finished without her!

Thoughts-

Despite my less than spectacular attempt at running, I still love this race. The community support and cheering sections along the course are fantastic. The water stops were easy to navigate and each had their own personality. The new course is much better than last year, and even though I don’t think we’ll ever get rid of that hill on 18, it seemed to be a bit flatter. Well, as flat as you can get in Medina. And of course, the finish line support is the best. There are always so many people lined up along the hill, that you can’t help but dig deep for some kind of sprint.

Hills, hills, and hills!

Hills, hills, and hills!

I know exactly what went wrong to cause my horrible race, and I have only myself to blame. I slacked off a bunch in the past month, and was no way ready to run a half marathon, at least one that I’d be proud of. I also didn’t fuel as well as I had hoped.I need to take a break from Sport Beans because I still can’t figure out how to chew and run at the same time. I’m ready to try something new and I’m going to start incorporating Honey Stinger back into my training. But I’m also open to other options.

As far as hydration, I was a mess. I was not ready to run in the heat and humidity, so I second guessed everything. Combine that with the constant dry mouth due to a new medication, I had no idea if I was actually hydrated or not. I need to go back to drinking water at every mile marker, taking a salt tab every six miles, and throwing some Nuun into my water after mile 10. I know better, I just didn’t execute this properly.

After running this race three years in a row, I still love it. It’s a challenging course, but the crowd support and 5 minute drive are worth it all. I know I’ll be back next year!

Race swag

Race swag

 

Results

Official Time: 2:27:36

Age Group 25-29: 46/72

Female: 325/537

Overall: 607/886