Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 16: 10/29-11/4

Last week was probably one of my worst training weeks ever. Just putting it out there. I know part of it was because I was sick and part of it was because I was tapering, but man oh man did every single run feel just TERRIBLE. My schedule called for 5 runs instead of 6 (which I did) and I did not get in my surges, I cut-out my last 2 x 3/4 mile repeats at 5k pace in my speedwork (because running fast while sick is just really not fun), and reduced down one run by 1.5 miles. Overall, I’m proud that I took the sick days and really slowed down on my easy runs to keep my heartrate low (since I was sick - my heart was already working overtime), but I would be lying if I said that it didn’t mess with my head a bit and have me readjusting my goals COMPLETELY. I’m still playing it day-by-day so I don’t want to make any rash decisions and I do still really want to mentally push hard in my race, but if it’s not there- I’ve got to be OK with that. More on my goals for this race coming on Friday!

Monday, 10/29: REST DAY / 60 minute Jumpboard Pilates class at lunch

Tuesday, 10/30: 5.54 miles easy 10:50 135’ up

Wednesday, 10/31: REST DAY

Thursday, 11/1: 2.51 miles at 10:09 19’ up, taught skating, then 4.5 miles at 10:33 47’ up

Friday, 11/2: 1.1 mile warm-up @ 10:03 21’ up / 3 x 1 mile at 10k pace (splits: 7:22 - good/ 7:41 (pretty bad)/ 7:44 (really bad) + 2 x 3/4 mile at 5k pace (skipped- I just felt like my speed was not there)) / 3.0 mile cool down (accounted for the skipped 2 x 3/4 mile repeats and instead did some easy miles) at 10:39 39’ up

Saturday, 11/3: 3.5 miles easy @ 11:15 on the treadmill because it was an icy/snowy/ windy mix outside + 30 minutes of strength (and 30s Plank for another day down in the #Planksgiving challenge!)

Sunday, 11/4: 9.38 miles easy on the trails @ 11:56 685’ up —> basically ran this in a blizzard on the muddest/ wettest trails. not so fun and it was definitely below 30* out. SO CHILLY. Probably my slowest long run for several years. I didn’t take a photo so here’s me before my run cuddling with Brady (also I kinda wanted to be here during my run too ha)

Elevation gain: 966’

Mileage: 32.53 miles

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Shaken confidence in the taper- how do you deal with it?!?

What’s the weather like where you are?

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 15: 10/22- 10/28

Happy HALLOWEEN! How are you celebrating today? I’m celebrating by going to the DENTIST?!?! Ha. It’s my yearly tradition : ) Then I feel less guilty about eating all the Halloween candy ; ) Also it’s a rest day, soo I definitely deserve extra sugary goodness!

SOURCE

I cannot believe that I leave for Vegas so soon and that I’m officially in the taper! I hit my highest mileage week of this training cycle last week with 46.68 miles! It was definitely mentally challenging to continue to up the ante when I raced the Saturday before, but I’m proud that I pushed through and never gave up! Let’s recap the week, shall we?

Monday, 10/22: 6.06 miles easy @ 9:59 341’ up / Jumpboard Pilates class at lunch

Tuesday, 10/23: 1 mile warm-up/ 1 mi @ HMGP 7:34, 3 min rest/ 1 mi @ 10k 7:14, 3 min rest / 1 mi @ 10k 7:17, 3 min rest / 1 mi @ 10k 7:19, 3 min rest/ 1/2 mi @ 5k 6:55, 2 min rest / 1/2 mi @ 5k @ 7:11 (slower than goal pace of 7:04), 3 min rest/ 1 mile cool-down. Overall, I’m super happy with my paces and bummed I didn’t get that last 5k pace! Oh well, still improving!

Wednesday, 10/24: REST DAY

Thursday, 10/25: 8 miles easy @ 9:48 303’ up & 25 minutes of strength

Friday, 10/26: 6 miles easy @ 9:40, 6 miles at HMGP @ 8:05 (slower than my goal pace of 7:42-7:47), 1.61 miles easy @ 9:46. I’m a bit bummed that my goal paced miles were slower than I wanted, but still happy with my effort. 238’ up

Saturday, 10/27: 6 miles easy @ 10:36 110’ up / 30 minutes of strength

Sunday, 10/28: 6 miles easy @ 11:00 on the treadmill!

Overall mileage: 46.68 miles

Overall elevation gain: 1, 065’ up

Also here’s your dose of cuteness for the day : )

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How’s your week going?

When is your rest day normally?

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 14: 10/15-10/21

Happy Wednesday! I’m really beginning to love Wednesdays since I’ve switched to having them as my rest days. Sometimes it’s really refreshing to just do a simple switch like this. I’m looking forward to sleeping in a bit, cooking a full breakfast (eggs/ avocado toast/sausage), meditating, reading (I took a book out at the library and when I tried to renew it, I saw that someone has it on their wait list sooo…looks like I’ll be finishing it by tomorrow night!- definitely the biggest drawback to library books, but it does also get me to read more which is pretty great), and hopefully some yoga.

Last week I had a GREAT week of training, exploring, racing, and just in general. I’m finally starting to feel fitter, faster, and gaining more confidence in my goals (after a few weeks of feeling “meh”, I’m really glad that I stuck it out through them). I hit my highest mileage week since I switched to the half (46.28 miles) and have just one more week of higher mileage to go before I begin tapering?!? I know I keep saying it, but time has gone by way too fast!

Monday, 10/15: Speedwork on the treadmill. 1 mile easy to warm-up/ 2 mi @ Half Marathon goal pace (7:45), 2 min rest, 1 mile @ 10k (7:22), 2 min rest, 1 mile @ 10k (7:16), 2 min rest, 1/2 mile @ 5k (7:10), 2 min rest, 1/2 mile @ 5k (7:02), 2 min rest, 1 mi cool down. 7.54 miles total. I definitely still have some work to do on the 5k times, but otherwise felt really strong throughout and pretty pumped to have gotten it done on the treadmill (which sometimes feels harder than outside (except that it was 9* out so yeah…indoors it was!)) - also on a Monday which is HARD. 60 minute coreBarre class at lunch

Tuesday, 10/16: 5.05 miles easy @ 10:16 715’ up

Wednesday, 10/17: 7.56 miles —>7 miles easy progression miles (splits: 10:39, 10:27, 9:39, 9:30) with 4 x :30 surges 413’ up (originally planned to do 5-6, but ran out of time!). I forgot how to use my watch (eye roll) and didn’t hit it for one of my splits, so I’ve got just the four - oh well! It was also still very dark when I finished, so no photos today!

Thursday, 10/18: 4 miles easy @ 9:43 36’ up / taught skating for an hour/ 4 miles easy @ 9:57 77’ up. 30 minutes of strength. I slept in this morning because I was feeling a bit worn-out, so I had to fit my 8 miles in around running errands/ teaching skating/ strength after packing up the car… it isn’t always ideal, but we still make it work!

Friday, 10/19: REST DAY —> travel day to Lake Powell!

Saturday, 10/20: RACE DAY! 1 mile warm-up @ 11:26 (included some running drills on the grass), 13.1 miles with first 1-6 miles easy @ 8:48, miles 7-13.1 working towards Half Marathon Goal Pace avg @ 7:58. Splits: 9:16, 9:03, 8:40, 8:27, 8:58 (singletrack trail), 8:26, 7:25, 7:58, 8:02, 8:23, 8:25, 8:01, 7:32

Sunday, 10/21: 4.03 miles easy at 11:22 113’ up at Capitol Reef National Park! My legs felt a bit sluggish so I just went out without music while the sun was just beginning to rise and enjoyed the quietness of the park. I stopped to take some photos (kept my watch going) and relish in the opportunity to experience a National Park by foot! How lucky are we (runners) to see places by our feet when many others cannot? It was really nice to not care at all about the time on my watch and just be present in the moment.

Total Mileage: 46.28 miles

Total Elevation: 2, 298’ up

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Ever ran in a National Park?

Ever used a race as a workout?

Ever read How Bad Do You want it?

Library books- yay or nay?

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 13: 10/8-10/14

Happy Humpday! I’ve got 7 easy miles on tap with strides and hoping to squeeze in a swim/ hot springs soak afterwards. I can’t believe that we’re almost to our Powell trip! Yay! Cannot wait for warmer weather and camping and exploring (all of my favorite things all in one) in the desert.

Monday, 10/8: 20 minutes of strength/ 6.01 miles easy @ 10:09 694’ up

Tuesday, 10/9: 7 miles 1 mi warm-up/ 2 x 2mi @10k 7:22 (actual: 7:26 / 7:34) 3 min recovery jog/ 2 x 1/2 mi @ 5k 7:04 (actual: 7:15 / 7:10) 2 min recovery jog/ 1 mi cool down 120’ up. I didn’t hit my paces, but I did get faster every time which I’m calling as a win. I also never gave up, so working on that mental strength!

Wednesday, 10/10: Rest day!

Thursday, 10/11: 20 minutes strength/ 7.65 miles @ 9:23 397’ up—> 7.25 miles easy with 3 x :60 strides. I ran out of time, but originally planned for 4-5 x :60 strides. Some is better than nothing!

Friday, 10/12: 13.1 miles at a steady pace 9:01 438’ up —> first 6.5 miles @ 9:45 / second half 6.6 miles @ 8:47 (last two miles were below 8:15 pace). I’m definitely negative-split this run and pretty excited that my fueling strategy seemed to help (before/ during the run). Also running an 8:05 pace towards the end felt relatively ~easy~.

Saturday, 10/13: 6.13 miles @ 9:48 432’ up. ​Took advantage of the warmer weather and got a nice little run down by the lake. ​25 minutes of strength

Sunday, 10/14: 6 miles @ 10:30 pace on the treadmill

Total Mileage: 45.86 miles

Total Elevation: 2,081’ up

Las Vegas HALF Marathon RUNdown Week 11: 9/24-9/30

This last week of training didn’t go really well, but sometimes we just have off weeks! This was definitely an off week. I ended up getting some sort of stomach bug and a headcold at the same time, so I didn’t get in my speedwork, surges, and less than great tempo miles in my long run. Oh well, this is a NEW week and I’m ready to crush ALL of my goals!

Monday, 9/24: 7 miles easy @ 9:38 298’ up / Barre at lunch

Tuesday, 9/25: 6 miles easy @ 9:56 376’ up

Wednesday, 9/26: Planned for 3 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace with 1/4 mi easy & 2 x 1/2 mile @ 10k pace with 1/4 mi easy. Actual: 1 mile warm-up, 1 x 1 mile goal half marathon pace 1/4 R, 2 x 1/2 mile @ goal half marathon pace with 1/4 R, 1 mile cool down. 4 miles total with 30 minutes of strength

Maple is much cuter than a sweaty post fail of workout photo!

Thursday, 9/27: 6.02 miles easy @ 9:57 317’ up

Friday, 9/28: 4.5 miles easy @ 10:00 32’ up

Saturday, 9/29: REST DAY

Sunday, 9/30: 6 miles easy, 5.12 miles @ goal half marathon pace (adjusted it to ~8:10 pace), skipped the 2 miles easy cool down. 11.12 miles total

Pretty terrible at taking photos last week, so here’s a cute photo of our engagement celebration dinner at Cafe Diva!

Total Mileage: 38.64 miles

Total Elevation: 1, 023’ up