Week 9 Training Update

Last week was a "recovery week" and it definitely felt like it. My long run was 12 miles and somehow that brought me great relief. And I got to have three days off. My total mileage was still 31 miles but I felt fresh as a daisy approaching this week. It's crazy what taking a couple of miles off and one extra day will do to your body!

But this week was no joke. The prescribed mileage for the week was 35-40 miles with a 16 miler on Saturday.

Starting on Monday, I had a 7 miler to complete. But half-way through I felt something was not quite right with my body. I got freaked out and quit around 4 miles. Went to see the doctor on Wednesday and she told me everything was fine and so I got right back to it. It's crazy how you have so many hours alone thinking about how you are feeling that as soon as you don't feel awesome, you want to know WHY.

So I got right back to training and managed to get my miles in. My legs are feeling that I ran 4 days straight and so my training pace went down a bit but I got the overall mileage I wanted.

On Saturday, I joined up with the running ladies and we knocked out 12 miles together and I tacked on additional four so I could get my 16. It is so fun to run with someone for a majority of the long run. I am really going to miss them for the last month of my training. We have the Asheville Citizen-Times 1/2 Marathon in two weeks, so I think they will all stop running once they hit the finish line. :(

I will still have my 20-miler to accomplish! 

Saturday long run was pretty great. A little off my pace for training but that is what you get when running in a large group. I was only off by a minute or two so I am not going to stress. 

And it was another record breaking week! Woo HOO! 

Gear of the Week:

Smart Wool Running Socks: The temperature dropped substantially last night and it was 51 degrees to start running this morning. I would have run in these socks if it had be 65. They wick sweat incredibly and no blisters. I really love them. Wish I had more than one pair! Into the wash they will go. 

Gatorade Carb Blocks: I got these in my StrideBox a few weeks ago and they really hit the spot around mile 10/11. It is just enough sugar and carbs to give you a boost when you need it but not too much to overload your stomach and give you the trots. 

Lululemon Fast Cat Running Skirt: I have a super fun story to share with you in my next post, but I LOVE my Lululemon running skirt. It is a peeing mom's best friend when you run. No one can see and you look super cute. It also wicks away any moisture really fast. LOVE it. So glad I have it. I'm hoping for warm weather during the marathon so I can wear it. 

Week 3: Killing It.

This was a  serious record setting week. I raised $1000 this week to push my fundraising efforts over $2000! I've dropped my average running pace down and lifted my mileage! I don't know why it shows my average pace being fastest this week and it's not highlighted. Irks me a little cause I worked really hard for that 8:30 average. But I finished off July having run 85.3 miles. I can't wait to see the next few months stack up!

Inheritance of Hope also gave us access to the official New York Road Runners Training Plan for the NYC Marathon and so I've switched my training schedule which threw me off a little this week. Instead of running 30 miles, I was supposed to run 28 again. I met in the middle and ran 28.7. So just a little bit more than last week, but not much.

There were some hard things this week, I am back to work to trying to squeeze in workouts at the end of the day or at the very beginning of the day (6am) is a good wake-up call on how hard this is going to get when the kids are back in school.

I just completed the long run this morning, but my running group is all training for a 1/2 marathon while I am training for the full. So I had to tack on an extra three miles. Around the 9 mile mark, I was feeling super low on sugars. Thankfully I had packed a goo and choked down a double espresso goo shot. Tasted nasty initially but I felt so amazing about 30 seconds later. It made me a believer! I won't try a long run without one again.

Gear of the Week:

Nuun Electrolyte Tablets--I had a rough hot August day run on Thursday. I needed to rehydrate and these guys got me back up to speed quickly. I wouldn't have had any except for...

Stridebox: Monthly subscription service that sends you fun running samples. Running has so few "accessories" but electrolyte tablets, goo, fun socks, handheld waterbottles. For $15/month they send you a box full of that stuff and you get to try them out. I love it because it means I have new things to try out all the time. And I don't have to go to a running store on the Friday before my long run days. 

Lululemon: I love my Lululemon gear. I can't really even get into it. But it just works. It fits. It doesn't stink. It wicks away moisture so quickly its ridiculous. It is super expensive. Like the most expensive clothing in my whole closet. No joke. But...I wear my running pants more than any dress ever so maybe it's worth it? I say yes. I only have two pair of pants, so I just alternate. But if you get a chance, I would buy some as soon as you can save your pennies. It'll change your life. 

Is that an endorsement or what? 

Now this is big time. I have $400 to go until I am half-way in my fundraising efforts. 

Who is going to be on my first-half team? 

I need 10 people to give $50 to put me over 1/2 way. 

Are you one of the 10? 

Let's get this done! 

Click here to donate and be on the 

"First Half Team"!