Training and Rewards...

Changed my training schedule a little last week due to vacation and knowing good and well trying to do 7 miles in a strange location on Sunday would have been a major challenge. So instead Thursday even though I was off work I got up and ran 6 miles and Jason got my butt up and moving on Saturday after the waterpark and I got in 2.5 miles in a very hilly area at the vacation house.

I'm really hoping to do 7 miles Thursday - that will be the longest training run yet, my knee was really bothering me after the run Saturday I'm sure due to the changing terrain and all of the walking around at Busch and Aquatica on Friday and Saturday.

We did stop at Tiffany & Co on the way to the vacation house on Thursday and I got to try on the rings I'm planing on rewarding myself (I haven't decided which one I want yet) with after the half is over... soo pretty! I'm still giving thought to buying myself a necklace too, my favorite one that Jason gave me broke at Aquatica and I lost the butterfly so I am bummed and he mentioned that maybe I should get a necklace to replace it...if course the race is just a week before my birthday and I can totally justify getting a ring AND a necklace - one as a reward and the other as a birthday gift to me :)

So the plan for the remainder of my training (7 weeks to go!) will look something like this:

Mondays - cross training/rest day
Tuesdays - Speed work and Tempo runs 5-7 miles
Wednesdays - cross training/rest
Thursdays - long run days
Friday - rest
Saturday - easy runs - 3 miles

Moving Right Along....

Here we are another week has come and gone, have had a few difficult days even took myself to a doctor about my knee because it had been giving me so much trouble. Nothing too serious which is good. Just a touch of IT band and patellofemoral syndrome which is common with runners...no biggie, I just need to take some extra time stretching before I start running.

For my long run on Sunday I walked almost half a mile before I started running and I definitely could tell the difference. I've also been researching online stretches to help with my problems, thankfully some of these I do in yoga and others just look like good stretches I should be doing anyway so it is good to know that they will help with my knee issue.

Speaking of my Sunday run...started out a little (ok a lot) later than I wanted, didn't end up leaving the house until just before 7am. But I told myself before I went to bed no matter what time I got up I had to run then. It wasn't so bad, but I do know that I will set my alarm for future runs seeing as how I am increasing to 7 miles this Sunday - which will be kinda difficult because we will be on vacation but I'm sure I'll find a route to run...I KNOW I will..it is non-negotiable at this point lol.

So last week wasn't great - only managed to run 3 miles (very slowly) on Thursday due to my knee/shin pain, but I did get in 6 on Sunday so it wasn't a total wash out. I am now at a month and like 3 weeks to go - whoohoo it is getting closer. I will make sure I do the stretches for my knee issues, and I go back to the doctor for a check in September (on the 3rd exactly one month before the race)

So here's the plan for this week:

Mon - yoga, start doing more strength training concentrating on my thighs and NO Lunges!!

Tue - 3 miles easy run

Wed - cross training

Thu - 6 miles

Fri - 3 miles easy run - wait what happened to my off day?!?!?!

Sat - My new off day :)

Sun- 7 (yes SEVEN) miles!!!

This is my vacation (from work) week, so I'm going to have to fit my runs into all of the fun I will be having while not going to work lol...

Training Log 8/3 - 8/9

This week's plan...

Mon - Cross Training

Tue - 3 mile easy run

Wed - Cross Train

Thu - 5 mile tempo warm up, 3 miles at 12:07, cool down

Fri - NADA

Sat - Cross Train

Sun - 7 mile long run

Yeah in exactly 2 months I will be running a full half-marathon...mentally I can't even allow myself to think about how long that is because I will lose my nerve, physically I have not prepared my body for it by skipping my long run last week...I can't NOT do it, I've told too many people that I am doing it. My only option is to make the most of these two months leading up to the race, keep looking forward and not think about the run I missed....

No Long Run...Let The Punishment Begin

Ok I will admit it...I did NOT run all of the miles I was supposed to this week...*big sad face*... I have no excuses, no good reason for not doing it, no injury, the weather was fine in the morning, but Sunday, long run - yeah it didn't happen. I'm not proud of myself, and I know I will regret not running. Thursday's run was tough, my right knee has been acting up, feeling really stiff (going to the Dr. to get it looked at Thursday), so my run that morning was awful...I had to stop THREE times before I hit a mile to try to stretch out my shin...I wanted to quit, but 1. Jason got up and ran with me and I didn't want him to worry about me since we wouldn't have passed each other. 2. I just couldn't give up...it hurt physically, and mentally to take over an hour to run 5 miles since I've been doing so well getting my time down...but I knew no matter how long it took me I had to finish..and I did. Small celebration seeing as how I totally ditched my Sunday run lol...anywhoo..brand new week, not so sure I am going to get cross training in, hate to say it but I'd rather run than cross train and I know that is going to kick me in the butt in the end.


Mon
Cross Train - yeah, didn't do it

Tue
3 mile easy run - whoohoo did it!

Wed
Cross Train - umm..see Monday's comment

Thu
5 mile run - the most painful physically and mentally run I have had since I sprained my ankle in the 5k I ran on my birthday last year - but I finished

Fri
NOTHING Friday is my much needed rest day!! whoohoo

Sat
3 mile easy run or cross training haven't decided yet - yeah did neither...slacker

Sun
6 mile run- BOOOOOOOO I didn't run...I am both disappointed with myself and ashamed that I punked out