Greetings from Wheeling, WV

I'm on the go again! This time a wedding brings me to West Virginia. Today's training plan was a 10 mile run. I found a trail that would do the job. I ran on the Wheeling Heritage Trail. I believe the full length of the trail is 17 miles. I ran 5 miles out and 5 miles back for my full 10 miles.

I woke up around 6:30 and drove over to the trail. My run started at 7:46am. The temperature was 69° and very overcast. My phone said 50% chance for rain. Eek! You know I dislike running in the rain. Things started well and the run was much better than expected. My overall pace was a 9:35 with all splits under a 10 minute mile. It felt like I was running it as if it was race day, and the rain that blessed me from mile 3 until mile 7 might have had something to do with my speed lol. Thankfully I was prepared with my hat and protection for my phone.

The run was along the Ohio River...the border between Ohio and West Virginia. It was a nice run with lots to see. The old buildings of downtown, residential houses, baseball fields and roads through the city. I saw 4 beavers! Also squirrels and birds and of course the river, bridges and boats. The smell of fall was in the air and the leaves were starting to fall from the trees.

My body felt really good while running. Just sore, tired feet towards the end. I really enjoy seeing new places on these runs. I should start keeping a list of all the states I've run in. Running in these places gives a different perspective and you can go places cars can't. 

Strong finish to week 9!

36 more runs to go!

Short runs are becoming longer!

My mid week runs are beginning to get longer. Thus far they have been 3 miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today was my first 4 mile run in a few weeks the runs will increase to 5 miles to help get me ready for the marathon. 

I took the day off from work to prepare for my vacation this weekend and enjoyed sleeping in this morning! My run started around 8am. I started off slow and sluggish for the first quarter mile or so, but then felt like I got in the groove. My first checkpoint at 5 minutes said I was at a 9:13. At first I was a bit disappointed. I thought maybe I'd be under 9 minutes. I decided based on how I was feeling not to push it and just run the way my body wanted to. This can be frustrating for me, but it's more about working the plan and not going for personal records on every run.

I finished my 4 miles with an average pace of 9:18. Not bad at all. I did have one slower split at 9:28 for the 3 mile mark. The other splits were closer together at 9:09, 9:12 and 9:16. Every run has a lesson if you can tune into your body and the circumstances. Some require more, others less. There may be hints about fuel,  hydration, sleep or gear. 

I encountered two runners on the road at the time I was running. One was just ahead of me at the point where I started my run and by the time I got to my 2 mile mark I almost past him. Then right as I was making the turnaround I saw a woman behind me who after some time passed me. These were good reminders that we are each running our own race. Doing the best we can with what we have that day. My runs on this plan have been mainly solo and I noticed running with others has a different feel and can make you reach further regardless of pace (yours or theirs). It made me think about race day and how many people will be on the road and all the energy that will be surrounding me. All the people moving along with me (and all the ones I'll have my eye on to stay with). I'm sure there will be words of encouragement shared. Maybe even low moments of people struggling (possibly myself). 

Even though it's not my favorite form of exercise I can't deny that there is something magical about running. Being a part of the running community is a pretty cool thing. While I'm training it feels good to know we are all in this together. Day by day, run by running,  thriving or struggling, making those personal records and just giving it all we've got!

37 more runs to go!

Back on the treadmill 

Another 3 miles tonight. Same plan as last week with six intervals getting progressively faster. Tonight at the end of my last interval, which was at an 8.0 or about a 7:30 minute mile pace, I sped up to an 8.5 or a 7:03 mile pace for just about 15 seconds to see how it would feel. 

I think it would be a good idea to add some more challenge into my intervals and speedwork. I can tell the efforts I'm putting in are paying off on both the short and the long runs. 

I'm happy to have the day off tomorrow and looking forward to some good sleep. Early mornings can be rough. The runs aren't the hard part for me...it's the getting out of bed. My Thursday morning runs start getting longer tomorrow. 4 miles instead of 3 miles. I'll be happy to sleep in and maybe even foam roll before my morning run!

38 runs to go!

Week 9!

This morning was rough. I didn't get enough sleep last night and it was a struggle to get out of bed. I knew I had to leave for my run by a certain time so I could get home and get to work on time.

I was in all out zombie mode! My eyes did not want to open. The run itself actually wasn't that bad. I started out pretty quick. I think it was a combination of knowing the faster I go the sooner it's done and also  getting some of my lack of sleep frustrations out on the road. 

My first mile was my quickest mile yet in this training plan. The second mile was quite a bit slower and then my final mile I finished strong to get my overall pace under 9 minutes per mile.

The weather was perfect! In the low 70's and no wind. I wasn't too cold or too hot. Even though sleep wasn't optional at least the weather was in my favor.

Sleep is one of the important ingredients and with busy schedules and longer runs it'll only become more of a challenge. Wish me luck!

39 runs to go!

13.1

My long run this weekend was to be a half marathon. I couldn't find any local races so I ran my 13.1 miles on the south end of river road. Basically I did the south course of the spacecoast half marathon. Last year I did the north course. This year I'll put them together for the whole 26.2!

I didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked and my hydration was less than it should have been yesterday so I was going into the run with low expectations. 

My Runkeeper app notifies me of my pace and distance every 5 minutes and every mile. After my first 5 minutes the pace was 10:57. For once I wasn't going too fast out the gate. As the mileage continued I was naturally speeding up. Since I wasn't feeling the effort of going faster I figured I'd just run how I felt. 

My first mile clocked in at 10:27. My second mile was a 10:10. After all was said and done I finished with an overall pace of 10:16, just a bit faster than my 10:20 for my 12 miles last week, but this run felt easier. Weather conditions were more favorable and that's always a huge help.

The longer distances can definitely be intimidating, but once I get to the last 3 miles or so I'm confident I can finish. Today's run brought me right to the finish line area for the marathon. I just soaked it all in. Imagining the feelings as I step over the finish line. It's getting exciting! I'm working the plan and the plan is working on me!

I also got to try out some new gear today and all items were a success and definite candidates for race day! Best thing is I got everything at Ross for a great deal. If you know me you know I love a good deal. The price adds up quickly for shoes, bottoms, tops, socks, underwear, hats, etc. Luckily I now have a majority of what I need.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

40 more runs to go!

Running with friends....

...and by friends I mean the wind! Lol. Let's just call it a surprise resistance training day. As I got to the river I felt the wind and it stayed with me for all 3 of my miles. Not just a gust here and there. The palm trees were blowing, looking like pom poms. Cheering me on each stride. Mother nature always has a plan...sometimes it aligns with yours and other times not so much.

It didn't take me long to realize this run was going to have an extra bit of challenge to it. My first split was slower than my most recent two short runs. So I was hoping to at least hold pace. My second mile was 30 seconds slower! This was averaging me just over a 9 minute mile. On my final mile I hung tough and sped up by 15 seconds and pretended my last quarter mile was my push pace from last night. I was pushing alright, almost sprinting! That last boost really did it! I made an average pace of 9:00 mile even! It's really the small things in life that bring me satisfaction 😊

Other than my challenge from mother nature, the weather was great. Cooler days are ahead as fall approaches. Rest day tomorrow and 13.1 miles this weekend on my long run.

After work I went to a foam rolling clinic. I got a few tips, but the most important one was not to let the roller sit in the corner! I definitely need to use mine more and add it to my routine. It felt great tonight rolling out all of the tight and sore spots. My body will thank me for it!

Hope everyone had a great day!

41 more runs to go!

Progress not perfection 

Something I'm keeping in mind as I train. Today's treadmill training session was the same format as last week. Short warmup and cooldown with 2 minutes of base pace and 6 quarter mile sprints getting progressively faster with each one.

I launched pump today and afterward my legs were more than warmed up! Unlike last week I didn't have as much resistance to the thought I running on the treadmill. Even though it's not my favorite thing I'm seeing the results and since I like the results I'll keep these runs as part of my plan. I'd really like to add in some rowing and yoga on my cross training days. 

I bought a Groupon for a massage so looking forward to using that soon. My muscles will definitely thank me! Tomorrow I'm going to a foam rolling clinic at Track Shack and looking forward to getting some good tips and techniques. 

Cutting my hair was a great idea! My hair is no longer sticking to my or weighing me down. The other difference on this run was my new shoes. They felt a bit different than my other pair so that was a slight adjustment. 

Looking forward to some good rest before my early morning run tomorrow and happy I met my daily hydration goal!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

42 more runs to go!