For the first time in this whole training process, I actually feel ready to run 26.2 miles.
As many (or few, depending on how many people read this thing...) saw last week in my training plan Trey developed for me, this Sunday was my peak mileage day: 20 miles. I was actually pretty nervous about it all last week. I have been feeling really good in al l of my training runs and workouts, but I've NEVER even approached the 20 mile mark before. My previous long run before Sunday was probably in the half marathons I have done, and maybe stretching to 14 miles in a training run.
Needless to say I was a little nervous about it all week. Not only was it 20 miles, but it was 20 miles at more or less race pace. My first thought was that I might be able to take away some of the mental strain by running with Trey. He had mentioned trying to take an early morning and getting out on the actual race course for a long run together. I thought having someone else with me might help me hit that seemingly elusive 20 mile mark. But, Trey was busy this week with a bachelor party for one of his friends (a good exuse I guess, lol) so it was back to just me.
When Sunday rolled around I rolled out of bed at 7 to get some food in me before the run and at about 8 hit my familiar trails around Chamblee to try to get to 20 miles. Luckily, I have the most amazing fiance ever, who met me outside my complex twice during my run so I could get some water and gatorade. She probably saved my life, lol.
In hindsight...I felt REALLY good considering I ran 20 miles. I finished the distance in 2 hours in 45 minutes; a pace of about 8:20. Cardio-wise, I would have no problem finishing out the 6.2. My cardio felt really strong throughout. My knees and feet were pretty sore toward the end, but nothing unbearable. Overall, it was definitely a success. My confidence for this marathon is through the roof and I'm ready to knock it out!!
That being said, there's one other area that has to get knocked out prior to the big race...hitting that fundraising goal! Everyone has been amazing with donations so far, and we are soo close to $3,000! Over the next week, I'm going to be gearing up for the last fundraising blitz, so keep an eye on your email inbox and be generous! It's for a good cause!
Thanks everyone! I'll update again soon!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Half Marathon Check up and the Training Plan
Hey everyone! Thanks for hanging in there with me through this whole process. I know I have been a little slow to update, but the training is still going strong, especially since I called in reinforcements! But more on that later.
First, I have to give you a rundown of how the half-marathon went that I ran at the beginning of this month. On October 4th I ran the inaugural 13.1 Half-Marathon here in Atlanta - right by my apartment actually! It started at Oglethorpe University, ran through some Brookhaven neighborhoods, up to Chamblee, and actually on some of the same running paths and parks that I train in every day! All in all I thought it was a really nice course!
Before, I get into how I ran I need to let everyone know that I actually have a coach now! Ok, coach might be pushing it, but my good friend Trey Bailey (yes the same one who jinxed me with the year of the injury, don't worry I forgave him, lol) crafted a training plan for me that will hopefully get me to that 26.2! I'll be honest for someone that had never run farther than 13.1 miles in a race and really about 11 in a training run, the long distance runs were getting harder as I got up and over that double digit mark. So, after a particularly depressing long run, I called in the reinforcements. Trey first had me make sure I ran every single day for a 2 week period about 5 miles a day at an easy pace. I had been running about 4 times a week, but I would have biking days in there to to keep the stress off my legs. However, I think not running every single day affected my ability to stretch out my longer runs. So, for the 2 weeks prior to the half marathon I did not have any long distance runs or any real training runs, so I was a little nervous. I started out running pretty slow, about 8:30 pace to make sure I didn't die during the race. At about the 6 mile mark, however, I ran past the best fans in the world: Sarah, Matt, Mary, and my dad. At that point the course turned onto the paths I was used to running during training anyway and I started to slowly pick up the pace. I averaged under 7:30 the rest of the way! I felt great! I actually just missed a new half-marathon PR by 6 seconds!! I thought it was pretty awesome considering how much I paced myself in the beginning and how nervous I felt going in!
Now, that I have returned to stretching my distances and doing workouts, Trey's plan has been great. I think has really helped me to have a set distance and goal for every day I run. Before I was basically coming up with the runs and workouts on my own with no real rhyme or reason, other than the fact that I needed to run longer. Now I feel focused and I am ready to for that 26.2!
Below is my training plan, so if you happen to see me on some of the longer days, wish me luck!
I have to admit I was a little worried about it before I started. I had gotten my mileage up to about 12 about 2 weeks out, but with work and school kicking into high gear I had not been able to put in the same amount of mileage
First, I have to give you a rundown of how the half-marathon went that I ran at the beginning of this month. On October 4th I ran the inaugural 13.1 Half-Marathon here in Atlanta - right by my apartment actually! It started at Oglethorpe University, ran through some Brookhaven neighborhoods, up to Chamblee, and actually on some of the same running paths and parks that I train in every day! All in all I thought it was a really nice course!
Before, I get into how I ran I need to let everyone know that I actually have a coach now! Ok, coach might be pushing it, but my good friend Trey Bailey (yes the same one who jinxed me with the year of the injury, don't worry I forgave him, lol) crafted a training plan for me that will hopefully get me to that 26.2! I'll be honest for someone that had never run farther than 13.1 miles in a race and really about 11 in a training run, the long distance runs were getting harder as I got up and over that double digit mark. So, after a particularly depressing long run, I called in the reinforcements. Trey first had me make sure I ran every single day for a 2 week period about 5 miles a day at an easy pace. I had been running about 4 times a week, but I would have biking days in there to to keep the stress off my legs. However, I think not running every single day affected my ability to stretch out my longer runs. So, for the 2 weeks prior to the half marathon I did not have any long distance runs or any real training runs, so I was a little nervous. I started out running pretty slow, about 8:30 pace to make sure I didn't die during the race. At about the 6 mile mark, however, I ran past the best fans in the world: Sarah, Matt, Mary, and my dad. At that point the course turned onto the paths I was used to running during training anyway and I started to slowly pick up the pace. I averaged under 7:30 the rest of the way! I felt great! I actually just missed a new half-marathon PR by 6 seconds!! I thought it was pretty awesome considering how much I paced myself in the beginning and how nervous I felt going in!
Now, that I have returned to stretching my distances and doing workouts, Trey's plan has been great. I think has really helped me to have a set distance and goal for every day I run. Before I was basically coming up with the runs and workouts on my own with no real rhyme or reason, other than the fact that I needed to run longer. Now I feel focused and I am ready to for that 26.2!
Below is my training plan, so if you happen to see me on some of the longer days, wish me luck!
Sheet1
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert's Plan | Max Weekly Mileage | 40 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | % | Total | |||||||||
| 4 | 8 | II | 10/4/09 | 13.1 (Race) | OFF | 6 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 6 (Quality Workout) | 6 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 90% | 36 | Pace Chart | |||||
| 5 | Easy | E | 0:09:17 | 0:09:27 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | 13.1 | 36% | 13.1 | Marathon | M | 0:08:06 | 0:08:15 | |||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | 10/11/09 | 12 (Marathon) | 3 Easy (9:27) | 3 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 7.5 Easy (9:27) | 3 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 70% | 28 | Tempo | T | 0:07:25 | 0:07:42 | |||
| 8 | Interval | I | 0:06:50 | 0:07:00 | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | 0% | 0 | Rep | R | 0:06:34 | 0:06:46 | ||||||||||||
| 10 | 6 | III | 10/18/09 | 10 (Quality Workout) | 5 Easy (9:27) | 8 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 10.5 (Quality Workout) | 7 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 100% | 40 | ||||||
| 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 0% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 5 | 10/25/09 | 20 (Marathon) | 3 Easy (9:27) | OFF | OFF | 10.5 (Quality Workout) | 3 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 90% | 36 | |||||||
| 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 0% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 4 | 11/1/09 | 14 Easy (9:27) | 5 Easy (9:27) | 6 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 10.5 (Quality Workout) | 5 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 100% | 40 | |||||||
| 17 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 0% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 3 | IV | 11/8/09 | 11 (Quality Workout) | OFF | 6 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 10.5 (Quality Workout) | 5 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 80% | 32 | ||||||
| 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | 0% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 22 | 2 | 11/15/09 | 12 (Marathon) | OFF | 6 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 6 (Quality Workout) | OFF | 8 Easy (9:27) | 80% | 32 | |||||||
| 23 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | 0% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 25 | 1 | 11/22/09 | 6 Easy (9:27) | 3 Easy (9:27) | OFF | 20 min Easy | RACE DAY | 20 min Easy | OFF | |||||||||
| 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | 11/29/09 | |||||||||||||||||
| 29 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 34 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 36 | ||||||||||||||||||
I have to admit I was a little worried about it before I started. I had gotten my mileage up to about 12 about 2 weeks out, but with work and school kicking into high gear I had not been able to put in the same amount of mileage
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