Marathon Training –
Marathon training has been one of the more difficult training plans I’ve followed. I’m learning more and more each week just how far 26.2 miles is.
5 and a half weeks in now and I’m doing well, though. This past week has been the most trying. I’ve only missed three total runs (which is good with having to do it so early with such a crazy schedule for me) but one of them was a long run that shouldn’t have been missed. But I am feeling so good about myself doing this. I feel lean, strong and like I can conquer the world!
Sunday was my longest run so far, longest run of my life actually. I did 17.75 miles in 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was only supposed to be 17 miles, but, the directionally challenged person that I am, took a wrong turn and had to back track. OOPS!!! That was not motivating after 9 miles at that point. Not at all!
It took about 10 minutes longer than I had hoped overall, but it felt good getting out and doing it, knowing I could and knowing I could have gone farther even then. It’s been trying, waking up earlier on the weekends to get those long runs in, going through shoes, the pains associated with such long runs. It’s been a great feeling of accomplishment every time another run is behind me, though.
The 17 miles I did on Sunday, I started off and I was not feeling it. I could not get my legs moving, my body was heavy and stiff. Just one of those days for me. My main goal is just staying under 9 minutes/mile as the distances increase. That’s my goal for the marathon itself as well. I run most of my runs at a marathon pace. I don’t push as hard as I used to. I do one speed training run per week and it still averages out to my pace. Anything under 14 miles, I want to be around 8:30, anything over that, I want to stay under 9:00. My half marathon in June was 8:15s.
My pace started out at about an 8:45. I wasn’t happy with that because I know I can run those first few miles at 8s but it’s what my body wanted. I stayed under 9 for about 14 miles and hit right at 9s at about mile 15. At mile 15, I lost my legs. My knee was getting weak, it’s been my biggest problem area since I was about 15. It just didn’t even feel strong enough to make it any further. I pushed through. I don’t like giving up. But I got REAL slow those last couple of miles. Especially when I knew I was more than half mile away from the mile left point and had just hit the 17 I was supposed to be finishing at. Even when I ran cross country, I had issues with making sure I turned the right way. The only difference, people were there to tell me where to go then!
I ended up averaging 9:05/mile. Not too bad. I went out the next day and got a knee brace to hopefully keep that knee stronger through the rest of this. I’m excited though. It’s 5 and a half weeks until marathon day and these next three weeks will be the peak of training with my 20+ mile runs coming up. I’m hoping to be able to get those a little faster so I can feel more confident in reaching my goals. My speed work has been going good, though. Friday I did a 6 mile run, quarter mile easy, ¾ hard. I was averaging just under a 6 minute pace for those pushes. I know I have it in me still. I just have to find it in more of my training runs.
Today was 8, tomorrow is 5, Thursday is 5 miles of speed work, Saturday is rest and Sunday I hit 20 miles. I’m feeling good. Getting out on the road is a release. It releases the mind, makes you feel strong, makes you feel fit, makes you feel like you can do anything. Get out there and RUN!
Marathon training has been one of the more difficult training plans I’ve followed. I’m learning more and more each week just how far 26.2 miles is.
5 and a half weeks in now and I’m doing well, though. This past week has been the most trying. I’ve only missed three total runs (which is good with having to do it so early with such a crazy schedule for me) but one of them was a long run that shouldn’t have been missed. But I am feeling so good about myself doing this. I feel lean, strong and like I can conquer the world!
Sunday was my longest run so far, longest run of my life actually. I did 17.75 miles in 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was only supposed to be 17 miles, but, the directionally challenged person that I am, took a wrong turn and had to back track. OOPS!!! That was not motivating after 9 miles at that point. Not at all!
It took about 10 minutes longer than I had hoped overall, but it felt good getting out and doing it, knowing I could and knowing I could have gone farther even then. It’s been trying, waking up earlier on the weekends to get those long runs in, going through shoes, the pains associated with such long runs. It’s been a great feeling of accomplishment every time another run is behind me, though.
The 17 miles I did on Sunday, I started off and I was not feeling it. I could not get my legs moving, my body was heavy and stiff. Just one of those days for me. My main goal is just staying under 9 minutes/mile as the distances increase. That’s my goal for the marathon itself as well. I run most of my runs at a marathon pace. I don’t push as hard as I used to. I do one speed training run per week and it still averages out to my pace. Anything under 14 miles, I want to be around 8:30, anything over that, I want to stay under 9:00. My half marathon in June was 8:15s.
My pace started out at about an 8:45. I wasn’t happy with that because I know I can run those first few miles at 8s but it’s what my body wanted. I stayed under 9 for about 14 miles and hit right at 9s at about mile 15. At mile 15, I lost my legs. My knee was getting weak, it’s been my biggest problem area since I was about 15. It just didn’t even feel strong enough to make it any further. I pushed through. I don’t like giving up. But I got REAL slow those last couple of miles. Especially when I knew I was more than half mile away from the mile left point and had just hit the 17 I was supposed to be finishing at. Even when I ran cross country, I had issues with making sure I turned the right way. The only difference, people were there to tell me where to go then!
I ended up averaging 9:05/mile. Not too bad. I went out the next day and got a knee brace to hopefully keep that knee stronger through the rest of this. I’m excited though. It’s 5 and a half weeks until marathon day and these next three weeks will be the peak of training with my 20+ mile runs coming up. I’m hoping to be able to get those a little faster so I can feel more confident in reaching my goals. My speed work has been going good, though. Friday I did a 6 mile run, quarter mile easy, ¾ hard. I was averaging just under a 6 minute pace for those pushes. I know I have it in me still. I just have to find it in more of my training runs.
Today was 8, tomorrow is 5, Thursday is 5 miles of speed work, Saturday is rest and Sunday I hit 20 miles. I’m feeling good. Getting out on the road is a release. It releases the mind, makes you feel strong, makes you feel fit, makes you feel like you can do anything. Get out there and RUN!