Marathon Monday Week 4

Recap:

• Week 1 (January 1-7)
• Week 2 (January 8-15)
• Week 3 (January 16-22)

This past week was probably the biggest disappointment since I began training.  Because we rescheduled our long run, the rest of the week was a little off.
This week:

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 6 miles

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: 9 miles

Saturday: rest (cross trained by walking)

Sunday: rest

Mile goal: 21

Total miles ran: 15

After realizing how little I did last week, I made sure to fit a 7-mile run in today.  I ran right at sunset and the view throughout the National Mall was beautiful.  However, I realized I need some reflective clothing because I almost got run over by more than a few bikes!

 I've experienced some pain in my feet the last week.  I have heel spurs on both feet, callouses and blisters on my toes.  There are a few goals I have to help my body recover from these long workouts:

• Epson baths


• Stretching before and after workouts


• More cross-training (1 yoga class/week)


• Invest in a new pair of shoes


• Ice my shins and knees after runs


• Invest in a foam roller to help loosen the muscles in my legs

I have a 14-mile run coming up on Friday morning (I have another friend coming into town on Friday so I won't have an opportunity to do much running.)  This will be the longest I've ever run so hopefully it goes well.

I hope y'all had a good weekend!

Marathon Monday Week 3

I had a few ups and downs this week with training. It's so difficult to find the energy to run after a 9-hour day of work so I missed a few workouts, again. However, we ran 12 miles this morning and I felt really strong so that was a nice feeling!

Training this week:

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 3 miles + lifting

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: 4 miles

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 12 miles

Mile goal: 24

Total miles ran: 19

Products I'm loving

Dom and I received our Camelbaks in the mail on Friday and used them during our run on Sunday. These things are AWESOME!  I loved having access to water when I needed it.  The pack was very light and didn't bounce around on my back.   Also, I felt a little less dorky in the backpack as opposed to the waist belt :-P

As of now, there are no more products on my 'wish list' per say, but I know I'm going to need new running shoes in the next few weeks.  I've also experienced some tenderness in my left foot after long runs so I'm considering going to the running store to get an insert to hopefully help with the pain.  We've looked into foam rollers but they are expensive.  Does anyone recommend them?

I hope y'all had a good weekend!

Recap:

• Week 1 (January 1-7)
• Week 2 (January 8-15)

I think the most difficult part of this training process is the weather.  I am not a fan of running on the treadmill and will avoid it at all costs.  Dom and I were supposed to go on our long run on Saturday, but DC got about an inch and a half of snow so we stayed in.

These long runs are taking a toll on my body, but I can tell that I'm already getting stronger.  I slept like a rock on Sunday night, and fortunately my body wasn't as sore as it's been in the past.  I knew training for this marathon would be a challenge, but I had no idea how physically tiring it really would be.  My cardiovascular system is fine--it's my legs, knees and shins that are really taking the beating.

Luckily, our long run is only 9 miles this weekend. Plus, I have a friend coming into town so I'll get it done on Friday so I can enjoy her company!

Marathon Monday, Week 2

Happy Monday, everyone!

In case you missed last week's post: every Monday, I will give a recap of how training for my first marathon is going, how I’m feeling, and any products I’ve found particularly helpful in the training process.

Recap:

• Week 1 (January 1-7)

I was really bad at keeping on schedule this week. I'm going to call it my 'get out of jail free week' since this was hopefully a one-time thing. Running 6 miles on Saturday and then 11 on Sunday was tough.  My body didn't have enough time to recover and my feet are now aching as I write this sprawled out on my bed.

I've learned my lesson and now that my trusty companion is back in DC, (he was away on business all last week) he'll make sure I stay on target.

In most recent news,  Dom and I decided to  switch marathons.  After planning our trip to Nashville and realizing it was going to cost more than we would like financially and in terms of vacation days, we've decided to run the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 6, 2012 instead.  We'll be staying in the Omni Hotel for two nights (pretty sure we got one of the last rooms) so we'll have a chance to explore the city before and after the race.

At first, I was very against the idea of doing anything other than the Country Music Marathon.  The whole reason I wanted to run a marathon was not because I was to endure pain for 4 hours, but because I wanted to run this race in Nashville.  However, after about a day, I warmed up to the idea and realized that our decision to switch races would allow me to take a few extra trips this year.  Pittsburgh is only a 4.5 hr drive and I've never visited before. Plus, it gives us one extra week to train which means we are right on schedule!

And now, without further ado, here's what I did this week:

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 3 painfully slow and claustrophobic miles (I strongly dislike running in the gym)

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest--okay, now I'm just getting lazy

Friday: rest

Saturday: 6 miles outside

Sunday: 11 miles outside

Mile goal: 17

Total miles ran: 20

Products I'm loving:

1. It's cold and very windy in DC at the moment.  It's the kind of wind that hits you so hard that you feel like you can barely breathe.  To protect my highly sensitive skin and lips, I smear Dermatone on my face and lips before heading outside.  It also has SPF 23 to protect my skin!

2. Since I ran my half-marathon, I've had some troubles with my right knee.  I've never had problems in the past so it was a little alarming.  I'm working to strengthen the muscles in my legs and trying to stretch as much as I can to control the ache.  However. my mom being the motherly figure that she is, bought these for me.

I love them!  They actually change from hot to cold numerous times before they're 'done.'  I have one on my knee right now.

3. Last week I talked about the three new sports bras I ordered.  After trying them on, I've decided to keep the Moving Comfort Women's Fiona Bra and return the New Balance NBX Welded Sports Bra and Moving Comfort Women's Rebound Racer Bra.  I'm also going to buy 2 more of the Moving Comfort Women's Fiona Bra.

It fits incredible well and keeps the girls in one place.  I experience no chaffing or discomfort.  The straps are Velcro and can be adjusted to your comfort level.  Definitely worth the investment.

Products I'm returning:

1.  New Balance NBX Welded Sports Bra.  I ordered a M and it felt a little tight around the armhole.  I thought about keeping it but decided I wanted to get a bra that I loved so I ordered another Fiona instead.

3.   Moving Comfort Women's Rebound Racer Bra.  I ordered this bra in the same size at the Fiona but this one was WAY too small.  I felt like it was cutting off my circulation and the edges felt a little scratchy.

On the wish list:

Last week I talked about ordering a hydration belt.  After reading a reader's comment, I decided to try one on in the store.  My arms kept hitting the water bottles and I wasn't thrilled with the way if felt.

As an alternative, the woman helping us suggested we try a Camelbak hydration pack.  We ordered two on Amazon and are hoping to receive them before our big run on Saturday!  Dom got black and I got red--and yes, we're going to be the nerds with matching backpacks.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

Marathon Monday, Week 1

Happy Monday, everyone!

I'm probably sitting in traffic on my way to work now, but I wanted to introduce you to a new series: Marathon Mondays. Dom and I are training for our first marathon on April 28, 2012 in Nashville, TN.  Every Monday, I'm hoping to give a recap of how training is going, how I'm feeling and any products I've found particularly helpful in the training process.

This week was our first real training week (although we were both running 2-4 days a week before) and I'm really exited about how serious we are.  The program I'm using jumped very quickly into longer distances, so my body was very sore after my 9-mile run today...however, I'm hoping it will get better as I become accustomed to running longer distances.  Here's what I did this week:

Monday: 4 miles (outside)

Tuesday: weightlifting and a dodgeball game

Wednesday: 5 miles (treadmill)

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 9 miles (outside)

Mile goal: 20

Total miles ran: 18

I rested an extra day (Saturday) because I went out on Friday night and was too exhausted to run.  Although our Sunday run was the longest I've run since my half-marathon, I felt really good.  We slowed our pace down to about 10 minute miles to prevent injury and mentally prepare ourselves for the longer runs coming up.

Product review:

For Christmas, my mom got me this top.  I am in LOVE with it and wore it on my long run today.  The weather was between 44 and 50 degrees and this top was perfect.  It feels like Under Armour but is lined with a fleece-like material (sooo soft!)  It's fitted and keeps the sweat off my body.  I also felt like Spiderman wearing it!

Where to buy: Target

Price: $19.99

When to use: layer under a jacket for 30-40° weather.  Wear alone for 40-50°.

Purchased this week:

Recently, I realized that almost all my sports bras suck.  I need a lot of support and my Target-brand spadexy ones are not going to cut it.

After a fairly painful experience at the gym the other day, I decided to splurge on three 'high intensity' sports bras.  These things are not cheap, but I do categorize them as a necessity.  It is very important to have a supportive bra when you're running, especially if you have a larger chest.  You can actually damage your ligaments if you are not careful.  No one wants granny twins at 24!  I plan on reviewing all three after they arrive in the mail and are put to the test.  The three I purchased are:

1.  New Balance NBX Welded Sports Bra-- it got fantastic reviews and was on sale at Zappos.com for $35.99 (includes shipping and return label if necessary.)

2. Moving Comfort Women's Fiona Bra--was recommended by Lauren at Sassy Molassy and also got awesome reviews.  I found it on Amazon for $26.00; however, it's regularly priced at $50.00

3.   Moving Comfort Women's Rebound Racer Bra--also received fantastic reviews and was on sale at Amazon!  $35.00 for this one, but it's $50.00 originally.

On the wish list:

Within the next two weeks, I will probably buy this hot-pink number.  When I was training for my half, I used the water fountains (and water stations during the race) during my runs.  However, DC has turned off a lot of the water fountains because of the dropping temps, so I don't want to get caught without proper hydration.  I also want to start training with this on so I get used to having it around my waist.

Where to buy: online or local running store

Price: $32-$40 depending on where you buy

When to use: Longer runs when drinking fountains are scarce. 

This week, my longest run is 6 miles but I might try to increase that since I'm a week behind in my training schedule. It's also restaurant week in DC so I might need to run those extra miles to work off all the food I'm going to eat.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend!