So I wrote this post right before Christmas, and then an update last week. I just have been too busy to put it all together in a post that isn't jumbled. I never did organize my thoughts very well, but here it is! I will post more in the subject hopefully later this week :-)
December 23rd:
I have some really exciting news to share. As I have talked about endlessly, I am 3 months migraine free thanks to a medication my GP has me on, and some lifestyle changes. Migraines, and the week long suffering that came with them every month, were the reason I dropped out of marathon training at week 7. My new goal became finding a migraine solution while continuing to run and rediscover actually enjoying it instead of fearing it setting off more migraines. I feel confident enough that I have succeeded in that goal. I am running great, getting back into cross training, and feeling stronger and better than ever.
I even did speed work last week.
I have been lifting weights again. I have discovered barre, and thanks to finding a perfectly fine recumbent bike someone set out for trash, I am now cycling as well. Thank you random neighbor who cleaned our their garage! I biked 17 miles on my 1 hour cross training day this week, and I was amazed at how different my legs felt after in comparison to after a run. Of course now I really want a road bike!
Back to the news though. The day of RCM when I was scouring race reports, the race director for a half marathon about an hour and a half away announced they would be adding a full to the 2015 race. I immediately bombarded him with questions, which he very kindly and thoroughly answered for me. This race will be a tougher course than one might normally chose for their first full. It is on a golf course, so very hilly. But you have 8 rather than the usual 6 hours to finish (which is great for me, as I've calculated I would finish a full in just over 5.) There is the option to step down to the half as late as 6.3 miles in, so if you got sick or had an injury, you still run a great race and earn your medal. There is a 5k too.
What could possibly go wrong?
Long story short, I felt so strongly that this was the race for me, that I immediately started full training again, jumping in on week 4. I decided to sign up right away before the registration fee went up. With RCM I went into it feeling like I would train a while and then see if I felt I could do it before signing up. I was sick a lot when I started to train, and I couldn't really give each run my all. I feel completely different this time. I know I will finish this training and the race. I have already put more strategy and effort into this than I ever did before. I am still lifting, and still doing plenty of cross training.
I have an actual plan for pacing too. In addition to weekly speed and hill work, I now have a plan for longs as well. Week 4's long run was only 9 miles, so I decided to try Galloway's 4:1. Basically he has this magic mile formula where you walk for a certain amount of minutes, and then walk a minute (or 30 seconds, whatever your magic mile is). I settled on run 4 walk 1, and it was amazing! I stayed energized the entire 15k that I ran. I ran it in the exact same pace/finish time as the monte sano 15k that I ran with no walking, but this time I didn't feel any hip flexor pain, any fatigue. I felt like on the 4th minute, I could really push my speed. By the end I was running the full 4 min at maximum effort and recovering perfectly. This will be my long run strategy and how I plan to run all longer distance races from here on out. I can't wait to test it out on some higher mileage runs, specifically the half distance.
Every thing has fallen together perfectly for this race, from finding out about it when I did, to finding the bike to help me keep up my cross training. From the funds to sign up, to the best part of all, friends to run the 5k that day! The Bestie and I decided that she and our husbands had to do it. For 1, THEY HAVE FINISHER MEDALS. You never get medals for 5k's around here, so obviously they have to run this. The husband did start running this week, and he is actually not venomously opposed to this, and even wants to train for speed. My running buddy S even said she would be at the end to cheer me to the finish. Support makes it seem so much more realistic of a goal.
Week 5 has been a training cram week thanks to traveling for Christmas. I ran 3 Monday, 5 today, and have to do 10 tomorrow. Technically I will still have 3 left to run, but I am going to see how I feel. The long run is what I cannot skip. So that's a lot of mileage in a row, but I am taking it slow and doing lots of yoga. I can tell my legs are feeling a little fatigued, so I am pretty relieved that his week's long run will have to be on the mill. Hopefully I can Netflix my way through, still using 4:1 of course. Next week is a step back week, so that helps too. Especially since kids are home on break!
I wish you all Merry Miles for 2015!
January 2nd update:
I am still using 4:1 for longs and even some 5 milers. My 10 went well last week, but as expected, my legs were DONE by the end of it. Still though, pace was great using 4:1. This is definitely the way for me to go! I am waking up with a little doubt this week, kind of like, "what have I gotten myself into?" Which is completely right on target considering I am entering the week I dropped out of last time. Yesterday I was lacking run motivation, so i got on the bike for 10 miles, and then felt amped enough to run! I feel like I have way more of a strategy this time, which is going to take me far. So here we go, week 7!
January 6th update:
Holy crap, you guys. I am going to run 26.2 miles on a golf course. What is WRONG with me?!
-Teacup Runner
"Jesus replied: 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."- Matthew 22:37,38 NIV
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