Last weeks training RUNdown 12/16-12/23

This long weekend went by way too fast. Anyone else feel this way?! I also feel that we should have an extra week or two between Christmas & New Years. Two holidays so close together just makes this week pass by way too fast. Last night we continued my family’s tradition of Italian food on Christmas Day- I made homemade Chicken Parmigiana and it was incredible.  

Then we proceeded to eat our weight in homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. Warm cookies fresh out of the oven is my favorite.  

Also we did both cross country AND alpine skiing yesterday?!? We decided to start with a cross country ski on our lake trail (normally they groom it, but they didn’t yesterday).  

Then we decided to skin up the ski mountain that is basically right out our doorstep. I’m not sure when exactly, but someone created the ski area (with lifts and set trails) here at Stagecoach- unfortunately it never actually opened! Fortunately for us, it isn’t open and we are able to hike up it and ski down with basically fresh tracks. It really blows my mind that it took us two years to finally find this trail to hike up.  

We both definitely got spoiled with some amazing gifts yesterday and also really looking forward to spending some money that I got on some new running gear!  

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Monday, 12/17- 5 miles easy at 8:38 60’ up. Originally this was supposed to be an easy 6 mile run, but I only had a short amount of time and decided why not make it a fun little temp-ish run. It was nice to run “faster” again! First time since Vegas!  

Tuesday, 12/18- 6.04 miles easy with 360’ up & 30 minutes of strength in the morning!  

Wednesday, 12/19: Rest Day! 

Thursday, 12/20: 6 miles easy with middle three miles at goal marathon pace (8:40, 8:21, 7:59). 10 minutes of strength  

Friday, 12/21- Skin up the ski mountain & 5 miles easy afterwards at 9:44 84’ up. This was probably one of the coldest runs I’ve done (4* out?!?) and I’m honestly pretty proud of that. I survived!  

Saturday, 12/22- 7 miles easy @ 11:06 625’ up & yoga. I’m trying to listen to my body more and slow down on my runs when I feel like I need it. No shame in slowing that pace down!  

Sunday, 12/23: 4.25 miles with alternating the incline from 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% and back down . 9:56 pace & 30 minutes of strength. All done after teaching skiing all day! Pretty happy that I still managed to get it done despite being tired (also my butt was SO SORE the next day!)  

Total Mileage: 33.29 miles  

Total Elevation: 1,129’ up 

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How was your Holiday? 

Favorite homemade cookie?!? 

Favorite trail running shoe- I need some recommendations!  

The Race That Was The Most Fun

OK. So when I was looking back at my races for the year, this one really stood out to me. It wasn’t so much that I PR’d or how well trained I was, but everything about it was just FUN. I would absolutely have called myself crazy a few years ago just imaging that a marathon could be considered anything other than pure torture, but here we are. Don’t get me wrong, the race course was challenging (crazy hills in the second half of the course), but I raced so much smarter than I had in any other race (I actually really held back on the crazy downhill that the first portion of the race has)- which is why I think the outcome was so enjoyable.

I mean, honestly- who else would be smiling this big at mile 25 of a marathon?!? Plus this photo makes me look like a total Bada$$ with the motorcycle behind me ; ) It probably doesn’t at all, but I like to think of myself as a Des Linden leading the pack in this picture.

I trained so well for it and honestly was in the best shape of my life. I worked really hard in training on hills, so when they came in the later miles they didn’t feel too bad. This was also the first race where I wasn’t dependent on music. I actually didn’t even pop in music until mile 22 or 23! I remember starting to feel a bit tired, but got really excited when I remembered I could turn on my favorite playlist and just zone out for those last few miles.

PLUS the race gave you FREE PHOTOS! I mean, come on- that just makes it all more fun. The weather was hot, but not unbearable and I just had so much to look forward to post-race (I think that helps us mentally as well).

I remember completing the race feeling tired, but not disappointed or exhausted. I actually easily felt like I could have kept running and never once really pushed my pace (which gives me even more confidence going into Eugene this coming Spring- if I can run a 3:52 and not really push the pace, getting that sub 3:40 with more training and a flatter course should definitely be do-able).

This race was absolutely a party for 26.2 miles- plus, passing A LOT of people in the later miles of a marathon was super fun (ha).

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Also a few other things happening right now to catch you up on.

Hot Cocoa & mini marshmallows are still amazing.

Resupplied on my Nuun and hoping it takes me through my Eugene training, but I’m not confident. I LOVE rehydrating with Nuun!

What was your ‘most fun’ race of 2018? WHY?!?

What’s the three best things a race can offer (in your opinion)? —> free race photos, ample opportunity for crowd support, signs/ encouragement when crowds are thin in certain areas of the race.

Last Weeks Training RUNdown 12/10-12/16 & I'm Totally THAT Person

Happy Humpday! I cannot believe we’re less than a week away from Christmas?!? I really love the Holidays, but they can also be difficult being so far away from family. It’s funny how ‘Christmas Day’ doesn’t exactly feel like ‘Christmas Day’ when it’s just Alex and I to celebrate. It kinda just feels like a weekend with a few presents in there. I’m all about creating traditions, so we’ll be doing Chinese for Christmas Eve (it’s been our tradition for the past few years) and hopefully we can create some sort of tradition for Christmas Day. It’s always way too busy to ski at our mountain normally, but a nice little cross country ski or snowshoe will be nice.

Got in my strength yesterday morning after an easy 6 mile run (done by 6:30am?!?). Tuesday & Thursdays are two of my harder workout days for Eugene training cycle, so I’m trying to get in a schedule now. They’ll be harder in the sense that I’ll have some sort of speed or tempo work in my run and then will also be doing strength so I can take my easy run days really easy and recover well. I normally have just fit in strength whenever I can, so I’m excited to create this habit and see if/how it helps me for Eugene!

Monday, 12/10: 5.25 miles easy 9:44 127’ up. Literally “ran” some errands during my lunch break, since it was much too cold to run in the early morning (unless I wanted to freeze).

Tuesday, 12/11: 20 minutes of strength & 7 miles easy 11:05 1, 013’ up. SO cold on this run (single digits?!?). I made it out alive though, so there’s that.

Wednesday, 12/12: Rest Day

Thursday, 12/13: 7 miles (25 min EZ/ 10 x 1 min surges (7:13-6:48 pace) with 1 min recovery between sets / 20 min EZ). 30 minutes strength. First bit of speed since Vegas last month and it felt hard, but a good kinda hard!

Friday, 12/14: 30 min hike on the treadmill @ 3.5mph 10% incline. Originally was all ready to hike up the ski mountain (and then ski down), but when I got to the base it was -10* out and honestly, I draw the line when it’s below freezing (ESPECIALLY double digits below 0!)

Saturday, 12/15: 5.25 miles easy 9:56 316’ up/ 20 min recovery yoga

Sunday, 12/16: 6.19 miles easy 9:30 356’ up/ 30 minutes strength/ 10 minutes on the spin bike

Total Mileage: 30.69 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 1, 821’ up

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Also I’m totally that person. You know, the very messy one at the gym that just leaves their stuff everywhere. I’m completely a neat-freak at home, but get me to the gym and I will sprawl out all over the place. I blame growing up at the ice rink and carrying twenty million things with me (and then proceeding to sprawl out with all my things in between skating sessions). I’m super annoying that was at the gym and maybe this should be resolved in 2019? I’m not optimistic about that.

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When do you like to get your strength work in?

How will you celebrate the Holiday?

Any fun Christmas traditions?!? —> I also heard someone say that they do a scavenger hunt on Christmas day, which sounds like so much fun so I think I may need to do this for Alex. How does one even go about putting together a scavenger hunt?!? Stay tuned..

Last weeks training RUNdown 12/3-12/9 & I NEED YOUR RECOMMENDATION!

How are we already at December 12th?!? I literally feel like it was just December 1st the other day. I’m starting to put together my 2019 goals and am feeling INSPIRED! I’m also chipping away at my goals for this month- we attempted to make a snowman last weekend, but sadly the snow was light and fluffy (great for skiing, not so great for snowmen) so at least I tried! I’m also finishing up my book, so that will be another check off the list! How’s your goals going for this month? The biggest one that I’m continuing to work on? —> Staying present in the moment! I love this and want to become a pro at it, so I’ll continue to keep trying (I LOVE and THRIVE off making lists, so it’s challenging for me!). Today is a rest day, so I’m enjoying sleeping in and will be getting in some yoga later today. Hopefully also an Epsom Salt bath too! : )

Also does anyone else’s dog become a slobbery mess whenever they have food?!? Stella is the queen for the sweetest puppy dog eyes.

I also saw this on Instagram this other day and 100% accurate.

Monday, 12/3: 5.03 miles easy 39’ up + 20 minutes of strength/ stretching

Tuesday, 12/4: 5 miles easy 9:58 48’ up

Wednesday, 12/5: rest day/ stretching

Thursday, 12/6: 5.04 miles easy 10:16 51’ up + stretching

Friday, 12/7: 30 minutes strength/ stretching/ 20 min hike on the treadmill at 3.5mph 10% incline

Saturday, 12/8: 5.04 miles easy 9:55 248’ up/ band mobility work & stretching

Sunday, 12/9: 5 miles easy 10:09 914’ up

Total Mileage: 25.11 miles

Total Elevation Gain: 1, 300’ up

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Least favorite chore —> Laundry, dishes, or cleaning the bathrooms? Laundry. It takes SO LONG for it to go from the washer to the dryer to being folded. Hours upon Hours. Who has time for that?!?

Favorite Running related book? I need a new recommendation!

What do your dogs do when you have food?

A Peak Into How I'll Be Training For Eugene

Happy Friday-eve! Anyone else really looking forward to the weekend? Work-weeks after a long weekend are so tough. At least we have another long-ish weekend in another few weeks for Christmas!

Here’s a little preview of what my training for Eugene Marathon will look like (I’ll be following Hanson’s Marathon Method- my FAVORITE marathon training calendar):

• I’ll begin training on December 24th (Christmas Eve) for 18 weeks!

• I’ll peak at 64 miles and get in one 20-mile long run (I adjust Hanson’s plan a bit to make sure I get in at least one 20 mile long run)

• My goal is a sub 3:40 marathon. While I’d love to get that BQ in Eugene, I think sub 3:40 is a very realistic goal for me. During my last 3 half marathons when I’ve been going up hill or just feeling a bit sluggish, 8:20 pace has been my default for those times (which would be my goal pace during the marathon). Which is why I’ve settled on that time goal.

• I’ll have 2-3 workouts a week and run 6 days a week (mainly easy miles) with some speed/ strength/ and tempo work thrown in there.

• I want to run a half marathon 4-5 weeks out from Eugene (although not sure on what half yet)!

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Ever followed the Hanson’s Marathon Method?

Ever ran Eugene before- GIVE ME YOUR TIPS!

What are you currently reading right now?