outrunningthefork

Training Week 5!

Another late post but it’s fairly good news!!

I decided to use the wear blue:run to remember training plan for Marine Corps Marathon – I was still starting late, but the long runs aren’t unmanageable yet so there is a good chance of sticking to it!

So of course, the week I’m getting back at it is the week a major heat wave hit New England. I’m talking mid-day temps in the upper 90’s with ‘feels like’ of 100+ As you might guess, this *did* have an impact on my week, but it wasn’t awful!

Tuesday’s plan was 3 miles – I got a later start than I wanted (this is a trend for the week!) and managed to get 2.5 in at a decent pace. I was expecting anywhere near 16mm and would have been pleased with that

Wednesday had 4 miles on the plan. And I did 4.25 even after a later start -and again was figuring I’d be near 16. Stopped in the restaurant around the corner from my house for an ice water refill and finished stronger than I expected to.

Thursday was another 4 miles and I did 3. And I barely did those 3! I was worn out and hot and a little dehydrated. I did a little “trail” running and ran into my friends in the field!

On Saturday I really procrastinated just about as long as I could before setting out for my 7! It was another hot one but I got the miles in and actually didn’t do too horribly. I had some slow miles after I hit mile 3 or so but I didn’t cut things short and I didn’t just give up and walk. Too much.

All things considered I’m happy with the way the week went. Now I just need to keep it up (though week 6 isn’t looking great – I’m a day behind!) This week there is a total of 20 miles on the plan. I have a 5K on Saturday so will have a split run to make up my 8 miles.

As of Saturday, July 7 I have 113 days until Marine Corps Marathon and 439.45 miles to run to cross the finish line.

Tags: marathon training

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Categories Marine Corps Marathon, Running, Training

It’s Like New Year’s Eve Up in Here!!!

2 Jul

Welcome to July!

The end of the first half of 2018 – and it’s almost like getting to make New Year’s Resolutions again! At least, that’s what I’m doing! There’s also an awesome sale going on at my favorite clothing site!!

First things first

In my last post I mentioned that my training for Marine Corps has not been going so great. I was tying out the Galloway plan which was really a limited running plan (in my opinion) and it wasn’t enough for me to get any kind of momentum going.

Running for wear blue:run to remember in 2015

Since I am running with wear blue:run to remember this year, I have switched over to the plan provided by that group. It has more of a Hal Higdon feel to me and will let me build up my long run mileage. Fingers crossed this one works for me and that I can stick to it!! (Encouragement accepted on a daily basis!!)

In other news – Skirt Sports is having it’s annual (semi-annual?) end of season sale and let me tell ya’ll….there’s some great deals! The usual caveats (no codes, certain patterns and styles excluded and Free Shipping if you spend $150) apply. So head on over (affiliate link) to the Skirt Sports Sale page and get shoppin’!!

Also another great July ‘tradition’ over on Instagram is #31daysofskirtsports – a chance to show off your expanding collection of skirts (and tanks, and visors and…!!) Make sure you tag #31daysofskirtsports and #SkirtSports in your post cause ya know that Nicole loves to give away prizes!! Below is a suggested list of topics but it’s not written in stone! Do what works for you!

Play along!!! And don’t forget your tags!!

Hopefully everyone is managing in this heat wave that seems to have hit the entire country!! Even Phred has given up on sitting on the porch!!

Have a great first week of July!!! And let me know how you plan to celebrate the Fourth!!

Tags: #31daysofskirtsports, End of Season Sale, Skirt Sports, training plan

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Categories Marine Corps Marathon, Running, Training

MCM Training – Weeks 2-4

28 Jun

So. About this training thing…. Obviously (or maybe not so obviously) things haven’t been going well on that front!

Week 2 was not great I mean…it was okay. At least I ran three times.

I’m starting to think that three runs a week isn’t going to cut it for me – I know I thought I’d be okay adding a Wednesday run to the Galloway plan but I think we know by now that if it isn’t on the plan it isn’t happening. Heck.The plan often doesn’t happen so….

It likely didn’t help that I was jumping in about 8 weeks late so my first long run was going to be 10 miles with no real build up. (Spoiler – I didn’t do that 10 that was on the plan)

I did manage to do my Tuesday and Thursday runs – they weren’t bad. Decent pace for early days but not great distance.

Sunday was just like another mid-week 2-ish-miler. I just wasn’t feeling it!

Week 3 was….well. I did my Tuesday run! And I actually felt good doing it so that’s a bonus, right?!

Tuesday evening Jen came over from Pennsylvania to volunteer at the Travelers Championship. I’ve been on the volunteer Executive Committee for the last few years so I was going to be there the rest of the week. So even though I didn’t run for the rest of the week I *did* manage to get in a LOT of steps on a lot of hills so I didn’t feel *too* bad about not running.

And then there was/is week 4. I am almost at the end of week 4 and have done FA as far as running this week – I’ve not done much of anything really, but spend time with the Phredders and continue my job search!

I’ve also decided I need a new plan and luckily it’s early enough that I can find a new one and build up my long run miles instead of jumping in at 10! So stay tuned on Sunday for my NEW plan and my NEW commitment to it!

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Categories Running, Training

Sunday Night WrapUp – and Look Ahead!

11 Jun

So last weekend I *finally* settled on a training plan for the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I think. I mean, I’m pretty sure but….we’re going with this because I needs a plan!! And I’m going with 100% full disclosure on my updates, slow times and all!

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This week’s Galloway plan called for:
Monday: Day Off
Tuesday: 30 Minutes (this is constant all the way through the plan)
Wednesday: Day Off
Thursday: 30 MInutes (another constant!)
Friday: Easy Walk
Saturday: Day Off (third day off this week so you can see what I REALLY like about this plan!!)
Sunday: 4 Miles

I used 40:30 intervals – my plan is to work up to 60:30 by October which according to Jeff’s chart should give me an 11:00 minute mile. Of course this means my walk can’t be my usual stroll 😀 And since I need to be at a steady 14 to avoid being diverted or swept I think this will work well since I know there will be slowing along the way, especially if it is as hot as it was the last time I ran this!

I was really good at the Days Off this week!! Seriously though, I did Tuesday’s 30 minutes actually ON Tuesday! Then I did Thursday’s on Friday.

Tuesday went fairly well, for a starting run. I decided to run up Long Hill to set a baseline time –

Time up the inclining street behind my house – this is my time to beat as training goes on!

Run Recap (mapmyrun)

Thursday/Friday was not so great. I was slower and my legs felt heavier. But I went out (finally!) and did it!

Thursdays run on Friday

Sunday I planned to actually haul myself out of bed early enough so that I wouldn’t boil. Plus, I had things to do so had some motivation! I didn’t start as early as I hoped but…I did start!! And finish!

Sunday – 4-miler.

Next week’s schedule is almost exactly the same as this but Sunday calls for 10.5!! Yikes!! I may attack it in bites but I have 10.5 miles to run next week!!

Tags: Galloway Marathon Training

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Categories Marine Corps Marathon, Running

It’s that Time again!!!

4 Jun

Every year around this time I sit down with books and calendars and lists and….I try to decide HOW on earth am I going to train for my marathon THIS time!

Criteria:
1. It definitely needs to be “doable” – this varies every year for me! I NEVER have so much on my plate that a few runs a week and long weekend run is impossible. But as you may know, I don’t always manage to fit everything in.
2. It should be “tested” – if I can ask my running friends about a plan, I like that I can get feedback from them. Or a google search can give me answers
3. It has some flexibility – and by this I mean, if I can’t do a long run on Sunday maybe I can move it to Saturday or, depending on my circumstances, even Monday. Or, I can shift my weekday runs by a day either way to get them in.
4. It should give me the opportunity to improve – I know I have to put in the work and any improvement is up to me, not the plan. But as a slower runner, it can be discouraging to do the work and not get better

In the past, I’ve “followed” the Hal Higdon plans generally, though I’ve also looked at the Jeff Galloway plans over the years. Huge differences in these plans are the short runs mid-week and the long run distances. Higdon does a Tuesday, Wed, Thursday – from 2-6 miles throughout the plan and the weekend long runs get up to 20-22. Galloway has you do 2 runs on Tuesday and Thursday. Each of them are 30 minutes for the duration of the plan. And his long runs go up to 26 miles.

I do like the idea of the 30 minutes so I don’t have to remember if it’s 3 or 4 or 6 or what! I’m a bit concerned that it’s only 2 times a week (and only 30 minutes). And, I know me (and you know me!) and we all know that there is no way I’ll ever hit a 26 mile long run in August and September!!

Also, the Galloway plan is 30 weeks so I’m already 9 weeks late! Higdon starts at the end of June.

So I think what my plan is is this:
I am going to start with Galloway this week – and I’m going to add a 30 minute run on Wednesdays, at least until it becomes a habit.

I think it was helpful for me when I would track here my training plan and how I did each week so coming up every Sunday evening we’ll get to give me a gold star or…not!

Wish me luck and send all the encouragement you have to spare!!!