Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Marathon Monday: Week 12 and that time I ran 18 miles


Happy Monday Tuesday, everyone and Happy Cherry Blossom-ing!

It's snowing pink over here in DC..as it always does during peak Cherry Blossom-ing.  The scenery makes for beautiful runs, but horribly runny eyes and noses.

I hope y'all had a fabulous weekend!  Mine was super busy but I was still able to fit in a little bit of training.  This week wasn't as stellar as I had hoped, but I did what I could!

Training recap:
In case you missed my latest post, I talk about fueling, sustaining and refueling energy before, during and after runs.  I've tried a few products and highlighted the ones I enjoy most.

Before I get into training this week, I thought I would list some of my running 'essentials.'  I tried to take a photo of all my goodies, but I'm clearly not very good at posing in the mirror.  Alas, here it goes.

1.  Camelbak (50 oz) to use while all the drinking fountains are off
2.  Road ID bracelet in case of an emergency
3.  Garmin Forerunner to record my distance, mileage and heart rate
4.  Ipod touch to distract myself
5.  Compression sleeves to help with calf pain
7. Asics.  Honestly, the best shoes for my foot.

I swear...it takes longer to get ready for a run that it does for work!

Anddddd, now it's time for confession. Aka my (semi-poor) training schedule last week.  Honestly, I feel a little frustrated with myself.  Three full days of rest was more than necessary, but on the upside, I didn't experience any calf pain this week!  Whoo hoo!

Training this week

Monday: 75 minute Bikram (hot yoga) class

Well, there's nothing like stepping into a stinky, sweaty room with 50 other students to end your Monday.  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little but let me tell you, my first 5-second impression wasn't the best.  However, the heat felt amazing on my tight, tight legs.  I did a great job the first hour and stayed strong mentally.  However, the last fifteen minutes were torture!  All I could think about was a HUGE glass of water and cool air.

Tuesday: 5.1 miles/8.2 km (for my international friends!) /9:57 pace 

This was an easy run along the Potomac.  I enjoyed the scenery and beautiful weather as I let my legs set the pace and my mind relax after a long day of work.

Wednesday: 6.07 miles/9.8 km/8:45 pace

My legs were aching during this run, but it felt great to pick up the pace!  I ran by the MLK memorial and saw it was surrounded by a sea of pink cherry blossoms.  So gorgeous!

Thursday: Rest day 

Because my legs were sore from the previous three workouts, I took the day off.  I also got a deep tissue massage and it felt wonderful!

Friday: Rest day

Okay, so it was Friday and we had tickets to see The Hunger Games at 5:45.  I could have tried to fit a workout in but didn't. gulp. guilty.

Saturday: 18 miles/29 km/9:33 pace

This is the longest I've run (ever!) and although my legs were broken by the end of the run, I would say that it went really well!  I ran this alone...on a fairly deserted trail...so at times, I wished Dom was there to keep me company. Instead, I took out my headphones and listened to the birds chirp and sing as I followed the Potomac north.  For the first time, I wished for a pack of GU and some Nuun tablets to magically appear in my Camelbak.  At least now I know for my future long runs!

Note* I engulfed an entire container of coconut water with pineapple after my run to replenish my electrolytes.  I loved it!

Sunday: Rest day

Dom and I went to a wedding on Sunday and my legs were pretty tired after my 18-miler anyway.


To make-up for last week, I started this week off strong with a 75-minute Dharma flow class after work.  Hopefully, I can get my bootay out of bed tomorrow morning to do a 5-miler. Cue "Pump It."

Hope y'all have a good week!


2 comments:

  1. Don't you feel like you're prepping for a some giant expedition every time you get ready for a long run? I always feel like I'm heading into the wilderness with my water pack, gels, and all that gear! Also, do you like your Garmin?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, LOVE my Garmin! It was definitely worth the investment. Although, I think they have smaller (and less hideous) ones now that you should look for.

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