Half Marathon - Week 10

Weekly Total: 27.1 miles. This was a step back week for me with some reduced mileage. I haven't really done one of these yet but I was coming off being sick at the start of the week and my body was feeling pretty beat up. I guess we will see next week if it makes it any easier or harder. I've got about 6 weeks of training before I taper and I'd like to get at least 2-3 race distance long runs in.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 6 hills @ 8% grade & 8mph + warm-up/cooldown; 4.5 miles;
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: 5 miles @ 9:30 + 1 mile pickup @ 8:45. 6 miles.
Friday:  40 minutes easy; 4 miles.
Saturday: 1:34 long run. 8.6 miles.
Sunday: 42 minutes easy; 4 miles.

Hooray for Gu!

For those of you following, I had been having issues for the past 3-4 weeks on trying to break the 10M mark for my long run.  I finally broke it last week but it wasn't a fun experience by any means.  The recovery was brutal and I struggled through my speed workout 2 days following it.

That brings me to this week which I will say is quite a breakthrough for me.  After 45 minutes of my run, I ate a Gu Roctane Energy Gel:

These things may be the greatest invention ever; within a few minutes I could feel the small rush of energy from the small amount of sugar and then for the next hour my legs felt great from the release of energy from the complex carbs that make up the rest of the gel.  I have only really been drinking water up until this point on my runs but now I realize that was probably why I was struggling so bad later in the long runs.

In short, I highly recommend these and the pineapple ones actually taste great.  Just watch out because the consistency is something that will surprise you at first because its like gritty jello.


Nutritional facts: 
100 calories, 25g carbs, 5g sugars, 125mg sodium, 55mg potassium

Half Marathon - Week 9

Weekly Total: 30.3 miles. An extremely good training week for me posting the most miles I have ever run in a week and my longest run to date.  I started using Gu Energy gels on my long run and the difference is night and day. I no longer hit that hard wall around 9-10 miles and this week even after 11 miles I had some gas in my tank.  I also ran a great pace run on Thursday running 6 miles or so at sub-goal pace.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Good speed workout. 2x[1200@9:30; 800@9:00; 400@8:30]. 4.5 miles.
Wednesday: 37 minutes easy.  3.5 miles.
Thursday: 5 miles @ 9:50 + 1 mile pickup @ 8:00. 6 miles.
Friday:  Rest.
Saturday: 2:07 long run. 11.3 miles.
Sunday: 54 minutes easy w/ 1 mile pickup @ 8:00. 5 miles.

Half Marathon - Week 8

Weekly Total: 28.3 miles. Interesting week to say the least.  Tuesday I had to cut my workout short because I forgot my shoes at work and the backup pair I have are not made for running.  Wednesday I woke up and had something weird going on with my throat that was making it hard to breathe, but the doctor cleared me later that day. I ran a double session on Friday for the first time to give me a break before my long and because my dad was visiting.  Sunday was the first day I have run a double-digit long and I always said I would officially sign up for the half marathon after I could run 10+, so I am going to sign up this week.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Easy 3 miles plus some rowing. 3 miles.
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: 2x2M@10:00 w/ recoveries + cool down. 6 miles.
Friday:  Morning: 56 minutes easy. Afternoon: 6x200 hill repeats at 9% grade & 8:30. 9 miles.
Saturday: Rest.
Sunday: 1:56 long run. 10.3 miles.

Half Marathon - Week 7

Weekly Total: 27.2 miles. This is the most miles I have ever run in a single week and in terms of small victories I ran the equivalent of a marathon this week.  I am finding that the speed work is really helping my aerobic capacity as the runs following it are really smooth.  I ran some sprints after my last run on Sunday on the treadmill and realized that I have the ability to go much faster than I used to.  I could probably have held the 6:40 pace for at least a half a mile if I gave it everything.  I am going to probably see if I can schedule a 5k in as I want to see if I can break 25:00 now which would be nearly 5 minutes faster than my last 5k.

Monday: Cross-training, 30 minutes of rowing.
Tuesday: 1200@10:00, 2x800@9:30, 4x200@8:45. All w/ recoveries. 4 miles.
Wednesday: 35 minutes on treadmill. 3.5 miles.
Thursday: 1:43 minutes easy. 9.2 miles.
Friday:  Cross-training, 30 minutes of rowing.
Saturday: 2x2M@10:00 w/ easy recovery. 5 miles.
Sunday:  60 minutes easy on treadmill w/ 6x200@6:40. 5.5 miles.

Chasing Double Digits...

Thought today would be the day that I would finally rack up my first double digit run even though I was only scheduled to run 9 miles.  The run started off amazing and I was at 5 miles. I checked my Runkeeper and I was running full marathon pace without even breaking a sweat and had nearly all of my water left.

Mile 6 was the turning point.  I tried to dial back the pace because I knew I still had the hardest section of my run, which is all rolling hills and 2 huge uphill sections.  Pace dropped to 11:00 then 12:00 and finally 13:00 and I was only at 7.5 miles.  I was able to stay at 11:00 pace for the whole run which is my target but ended up crashing at 9.2 miles. 

Normally I would be happy because I extended my longest run ever today but at mile 5 I really thought I could hang on for the full 10 miles.  I guess there is always next week...

Half Marathon - Week 6

Weekly Total: 25.5 miles. Interesting week to say the least.  4 of my 5 workouts were on a treadmill including my first ever long run.  I think my new running route with the rolling hills seems to be improving my aerobic capacity because the 8.5 on the treadmill with no hills seemed like a breeze.  Although mentally, being on a treadmill for over an hour and a half can definitely make one feel like a hamster in a wheel.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 4x200m hill sprints at 7 incline, 1 mile warm up and cooldown. 3.5 miles.
Wednesday: 35 minutes on treadmill. 3.5 miles.
Thursday: 58 minutes, 2x2M @ 10:30 w/ recovery jogs. 5 miles.
Friday:  Rest.
Saturday: 55 minutes easy on treadmill. 5 miles.
Sunday:  1:38 minutes easy on treadmill w/ 1 mile pickup. 8.5 miles.