Tag Archives: tempo runs

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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I just wrapped up my fourth week of marathon training and so far I’ve done a great job of staying on track. I’ve completed 22 of my 24 planned workouts and am almost completely recovered from my cold/flu that disrupted most of last week. My paces are still not where they need to be at all for tempo and track workouts, but the endurance is definitely back. I’m hoping when I reassess in four weeks that I’ll be feeling better about the pacing. All in all I would call this a pretty good week. I tallied nearly 45 miles and felt pretty strong doing it.

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:

Monday: I ran home from work Monday putting in nearly 7 miles. I kept it at an easy pace and felt good. This also marks the 3rd run a stranger told me I looked like I was lit up like a Christmas tree. I’m never really sure how to answer that, so I just smiled and said thanks, I’m trying to get into the holiday spirit, haha.

Tuesday: Rest day.

Wednesday: I had planned to put in my interval workout on my run home today, but my stomach was feeling off all afternoon so I decided to just do another one of my easy runs. I made it the nearly 7 miles home from work, but it did not feel good at all. On top of my stomach pains I didn’t dress nearly warm enough for the cold temps and strong wind so I was absolutely freezing by the time I got home. This was really my only bad run of the week though and I’m glad I battled through it. It does help when that is your only way home!

Thursday: We had our holiday lunch at work on Thursday and then got to leave early. I was so excited about the chance to run in daylight on a weekday that I still did my tempo run despite having three kinds of pasta for lunch! I put in 8 miles total with 6 at tempo pace. Similar to last week, my tempo pace is still not where it needs to be, but I felt like this was a good, soild run and I will keep working on bringing the times down. The run was also followed with a Oiselle holiday treats happy hour and dinner at Shake Shack (Ian’s blog is back with a review of Shake Shack – check it out!!), which makes any day great!

Oiselle

Friday: I made up for that missed speed workout on Tuesday and put in 7 total miles along the Mt. Vernon Trail. After a 1.25 mile warm-up, I cranked out 6 half mile repeats with quarter mile recovery jogs in between. My paces were a bit all over the place, but made sense when factoring in hilly sections. My fastest ones were right where I need to be, which pleasantly surprised myself a bit. Now I need to work on consistency.

Saturday: I was up early for an easy 8 miler and had a great run with some sunshine along Four Mile Run & W&OD Trails.

Sunday: Today was basically a repeat of Saturday with 8 easy miles. No sunshine today, but it was a few degrees warmer putting the feels like in the 30s instead of the 20s! I headed in the other direction for this run that took me along the W&OD and Custis Trails.

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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Last week was a tough one and a bit discouraging. I started out the week pretty sick and lost my motivation battling coughing fits while running, so I only ended up getting in four of my six scheduled runs for the week totaling 35 miles. I initially had plans to try to cram those missed runs into this week, but I know better than that and understand it won’t really help – and could even lead to injury. I just need to stick to my plan going forward and stay as healthy as possible.

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:

Monday: Rest day – not feeling well.

Tuesday: Rest day – not feeling well.

Wednesday: I went to the gym Wednesday night thinking I could hop right back into things and do my speed workout on the treadmill. My warm-up went OK, but I didn’t even make it through one interval before realizing it was not in the cards for the day and put in one of my easy six milers instead.

Thursday: Today was the high point of the week. I had a 6-mile tempo run on tap and got that in en-route to DC for a Christmas lights run with some of my Oiselle teammates. I ran a one mile warm-up along the Mt. Vernon Trail, six miles hard continuing along Mt. Vernon over the 14th Street Bridge onto the Mall, followed by a 1-mile cool down to our meet-up point near the Chinatown metro. Tempo runs in the Hanson’s plan are marathon pace miles. I was admittedly a bit off my goal for these (nearly 20 seconds), but all six were consistent and I felt strong – given the week I had so far I counted this as a win. The best part was what followed – the roughly 4-mile jaunt around DC with the Oiselle girls checking out lights and trees at City Center, the Willard Hotel, the National Christmas tree, the Capitol Building and the Canadian Embassy – so much fun!

Christmas Tree Stop at the Willard

Christmas Tree Stop at the Willard

Friday: I put in 7 easy miles along the Mt. Vernon trail after work before grabbing dinner at Jimmy John’s and making a Wegmans run…not a bad Friday night!

Saturday: After having a lot of trouble sleeping Friday night I got a later than planned start on my Saturday long run and felt like my legs never woke up for this one. I put in my 10 miles though, so I’ll take it and move on to next week!

Sunday: Unplanned rest day. My sore legs and lack of motivation got the best of me today.

Workout of the Week

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Yesterday wrapped up week three of my half marathon training plan. It was a mixed bag that started with some tough, hot and humid runs, included a couple missed workouts and ended with a couple great workouts. I put in a little more than 30 miles for the week.

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My workout of the week came on Saturday morning at the track. I warmed up by running the roughly mile and a half to the track on a bright, sunny day.

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I had 600 yard repeats on tap for the day with 400 yard recoveries. I decided to walk the recovery laps and really push on the 600s. Maybe I let myself recover too much by doing this, but I still felt like it was a great workout!

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I hit or beat my goal pace for every repeat and left feeling spent but great. I cooled down with about a mile run and a half mile walk home. This was the second week of training I added a speed workout in. This coming week the goal is to add a second speed workout with a tempo run in addition to intervals. And with that, training continues!

How did your workouts go last week? Any one race this weekend?

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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Last week was a great start to my Shamrock training! I definitely realized I’ve gotten a bit out of running shape, so my runs were slower than I wanted, but I felt great that I got every workout in. Doing all my runs up in cold, snowy Syracuse with holiday fun mixed in, I was fairly certain I’d be making some excuses for taking an extra day off, but instead just got out there and did it!

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:

Monday: I put in just more than 3 easy miles followed by a P90X ab workout and a leg workout that included lots of lunges, squats and single-leg work as well.

Tuesday: Today I hit the hills working six 1/4 mile hill repeats into my 4+ mile run.

Wednesday: Similar to Monday, I got in just more than 3 miles followed by a tough leg workout. Then I enjoyed Christmas dinner!

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Thursday: Rest Day.

Friday: I was back at it today for a tempo run close to 4.5 miles.

Saturday: After doing battle with various tech projects in my parents house all morning then watching the ‘cuse game, I managed to sneak in a quick 3+ miles around the old neighborhood.

Sunday: I somehow got myself out of bed before daylight and put in about 9.5 miles. With temps in the mid-30s and no wind/snow, this turned out to be one of the best days of the week for a run!

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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Despite feeling a bit under the weather and dealing with more winter-like weather (where are you spring?!), I felt like I had a pretty solid training week last week. I know it could be a lot worse than it is here, but I am so sick of the cold. I’m over winter weather, layering up and bitter windy days. Spring needs to get here – and soon! One thing I did not do last week is my strength workouts, which is not acceptable and I will really focus on making sure that happens this week. I ran 33.57 total miles last week. Here’s the day by day training breakdown…

Monday: Spin Class

Tuesday: I did my speed workout at Hains Point again this week and fared pretty well with my half mile repeats. I did a total of 6.1 miles with a 2 mile warm-up, 4 800-meter repeats with 400-meter recovery jogs (this was too long) and a 1 mile cool down.

Wednesday: I was up early for an endurance spin class up at Revolve and wrapped the day up with a fun run with a friend after work around the Mall and the Jefferson Memorial for about 5.75 miles.

Thursday: I don’t know what it was, but I had the hardest time getting myself to the gym this morning. I came up with every excuse in the book and almost got back in bed a few times even after getting into my gym clothes and doing my ab workout. I got to the gym and saw all the treadmills in use, which rarely happens at my gym, and I almost turned around. Then someone hopped off and I knew I had no excuses left. I’m so glad I did this run. I did a 6.05 mile tempo run for an average pace of 7:26 including my warm-up and a top pace of 6:48. It felt great!

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: I ran the Run Rogue 5k this morning. It wasn’t a great race for me, but it was a great cause so I’m glad I did it. Full recap to come tomorrow.

New Nike Half Zip from Pacers, Race Bib Pinned and Ready To Go

New Nike Half Zip from Pacers, Race Bib Pinned and Ready To Go

Sunday: Still not feeling well, I almost bagged my long run on Sunday. I got a second wind late afternoon though and decided to head to the gym and just see how long I could make it on the treadmill. I figured that way if I wanted to drop at mile 6, I wouldn’t be 6 miles away from home. It ended up going great though and I made it for the whole 1 hour and 45 minutes I had planned. I kept it at an easy 8:27 pace with a 1.0 incline for the first hour and 20 minutes before starting to up the pace every five minutes. For the last five I upped it each minute so I could reach my goal pace of 7:30 – even if it was just for a minute I felt good to end the run at that pace. I finished up with 12.55 miles for an average pace of 8:21.

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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I got back on track last week after being slowed by some blisters the week before and felt like it was a great week of training. I also got myself a deep tissue massage midweek, which left my legs feeling recharged and ready for the rest of the week. I ran 27.38 total miles this week. Here’s the day by day training breakdown…

Monday: Spin Class in the morning followed by a strength workout.

Tuesday: Today’s speed day included hill work. I put in 6.1 miles total with 8 sprints up the hill next to Arlington Cemetery by the Iwo Jima Memorial and Netherlands Carillon Bell Tower.

Wednesday: I hit up an early endurance spin class at Revolve followed by a strength workout. I had a snowday today since the federal government closed and tried to go to my gym at the apartment after calling into a conference call only to find it too was closed even though we hadn’t gotten any actual snow. I guess you can’t be happy about getting out of one things and upset about another being closed over the same reason though! I don’t think the 30 or so minutes I planned to spend on the elliptical will make or break my training!

Thursday: After last week’s disastrous tempo run I was a bit nervous about this one. I also just really didn’t feel like working out. I almost got back into bed even after getting into my gym clothes, but instead dragged myself to the gym and figured I’d see how far I could get. I’m sure glad I did. I ran 7.31 miles starting out with a mile warm-up at an 8-minute pace, then started the tempo portion at a 7:35 pace working my way up to 7:30 before cooling down back at my 8-minute pace. I left feeling great and ready to take on anything that day. You’ve gotta love workouts like that!

Friday: Rest Day.

Saturday: I got up bright and early Saturday to get my long run in before the day’s festivities started. My parents were in town and we had tickets for the Syracuse – Georgetown game which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, but I knew I’d have to get that run in before the drinks started pouring at the noon game! It was an absolutely beautiful day for a run. It was still in the 30s when I set off, but the sun was shining and it felt warmer. I ran through Georgetown onto Rock Creek Parkway and looped around Hains Point before heading home over the Memorial Bridge. I came in just shy of 11 miles at 10.72 miles in 90 minutes for about an 8:24 pace and felt great the whole way.

Sunday: I only had a 3-miler on tap today, but I ended up splitting it up around my personal training session. I ran 2.5 easy miles up to my client’s house and then 3/4 of a mile back to a bike share dock to ride the rest of the way home after our session for a total of 3.25 miles. I did this as a progression run making each mile a little faster than the next, but it was mostly an easy uphill run.

 

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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Sometimes training involves being flexible, and this week I had to do just that and retool my workout plan to include more spinning and less time pounding on my feet after a not-so-smart Tuesday tempo run left my feet covered in blisters. I still felt like I got a really good week in though and am continuing to improve my fitness. The feet are doing a lot better and I hope to test them with some more faster runs this week. I ran 14.17 total miles last week.  Here’s the day by day training breakdown…

Monday: Spin Class in the morning followed by a legs workout.

Tuesday: You can read the full story here, but basically I decided to do a tempo run in really old shoes and my feet paid dearly for it leaving me a bit hobbled for the rest of the week. Somehow it was still a great run. I got in 6.67 miles on the office treadmill starting out with a mile warm-up at an 8-minute pace, bumping it down to 7:35 to start the tempo portion and working my way down to 7:03 before cooling down for 2 minutes back at the 8-minute pace.

Wednesday: I bandaged my badly blistered feet up and limped over to my apartment gym in the morning, and put in 30 minutes on the stepper and a legs workout.

Thursday: I got in a body ride spin class at Revolve Thursday night as part of a blogger ride they hosted. It was a blast – more to come on that tomorrow.

Friday: Rest Day.

Saturday: I started the day off with an endurance ride spin class in the morning and then tested my feet out for an easy 3 miler in the afternoon at my apartment gym.

Sunday: I headed back to the spin studio for an early morning body ride before putting in an easy 4.5 miles on the treadmill at Washington Sports Clubs before my membership there ends this week.

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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I’m only two weeks into training for the Nike Women’s D.C. Half, but I’m getting more excited for this race everyday! I had a great run at the track and a solid tempo run so I’m feeling really good about my speed training. I ran 28.7 miles last week. Here’s the day by day training breakdown…

Monday: Spin Class in the morning followed by a lower body workout as soon as I got home.

Tuesday: I was back at the track this week for my speed session. My total workout was 7.4 miles with roughly a 2.5 mile warm-up, seven 400-meter repeats on the track with 100-meter recovery jogs, and about a 2.5 mile cool down. I compared my times to my last 400-meter repeat track workout just about a month ago and was thrilled with the progress!

Wednesday: Today was another cross training and strength day so I got in another spin class at Revolve in the morning followed by a lower body workout and 45 minutes on the elliptical in the afternoon.

Thursday: I hit the treadmill at my apartment gym for an early morning 7.3 mile tempo run. For the second straight week I felt really strong on this. I started off with a one mile warm-up at an 8-minute pace then started the tempo pace at 7:47 increasing the speed every five minutes. I hit a 7:03 pace for my last five minutes before cooling down for a quarter of a mile back at an 8-minute pace. I stayed on the treadmill at a walking pace for a bit until my heart rate came back down, and stretched before heading off to get ready for the day.

Friday: Rest Day. It’s funny how used to exercising your body gets. It’s really hard for me to take a whole day off, but I’m really trying to train smart this time around!

Saturday: I was lacking motivation this morning, but finally got myself out on the roads around 10 for an out and back along the Custis and W&OD Trails. I’m glad I got myself out there. I made it 11 miles at an average 8:38 pace with the last 5 miles of the run all progressively faster ending with a 7:40 mile. The downhills on the way back definitely helped me out with that!

Sunday: I hit the treadmill at the apartment gym again for a quick 3 miler after a 15-minute warm-up on the stepper. I’ve always been able to run faster on a treadmill than outdoors, but still found my 6:58 pace at a .5 incline very encouraging and felt great after!

Quiet Sunday in the cardio section at my apartment gym

Quiet Sunday in the cardio section at my apartment gym

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

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I have the first week of training for the Nike Women’s D.C. Half down and things are off to a great start! Both of my speed workouts went well and it felt good to get out there on Saturday for my first long run in quite awhile. I flip flopped my weekend runs to accommodate the Love the Run You’re With 5k on Sunday, which was a blast. I ran 25.2 miles last week. Here’s the day by day training breakdown…

Monday: Spin Class in the morning. Late afternoon I put in 35 minutes on the elliptical followed by 5 minutes of jump roping and a lower body workout.

Tuesday: Instead of hitting the track, today’s speed workout took place on the hills. I totaled 5.2 miles with six hill repeats in the middle charging up the same hill that will be the finish line for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

Wednesday: Today was another cross training and strength day so I got in another spin class at Revolve in the morning followed by a leg workout in the afternoon.

Thursday: I hit the treadmill for an early morning 6.55 mile tempo run. I felt great from start to finish on this one, which was very encouraging. I started off with a one mile warm-up at an 8-minute pace then increased the speed every five minutes peaking at a 7:13 pace before cooling down for a quarter of a mile back at an 8-minute pace. I stayed on the treadmill at a walking pace for a bit until my heart rate came back down, and also stared horrified at the person on the treadmill next to me who had dropped their iPad mid run and completely cracked the screen. Ouch! I continued to make fun of this all week and karma struck when I dropped my phone on Saturday and cracked my screen for the second time. Luckily it’s not as bad as the first time I did it!

Friday: Rest day. Looking back at my workout spreadsheet (yea, I know, total nerd) I realized it’s been much too long since I’ve taken one of these. I’ve done a lot of recovery days, but haven’t taken a full rest day in awhile, and I know that can be just as important to reaching my goals as the working days.

Saturday: I set out on a chilly but sunny morning and battled 20-30 mph winds, but overall felt it was a successful first long run. I ran 10.35 miles at an easy pace. The toughest parts were getting over the Key and 14th Street Bridges – felt like the wind was going to blow me over!

Sunday: I put in 3.1 at the Pacers Love the Run You’re With 5k in Pentagon City. The weather was great this morning and I really enjoyed the race. I’m not all the way back to where I was, but I felt really good about my time and the progress I’m  making. Check back tomorrow for a full race recap!

Running to the Finish at Love the Run You're With 5k

Running to the Finish at Love the Run You’re With 5k

Resolution Check-In

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Wow, how is the first month of 2013 already done? I still haven’t gotten used to writing 2013 instead of 2012 yet…I have a feeling this year is going to fly. With the start of a new month, I figured it’d be a good time to check back in and see how I’m doing with my New Year’s resolutions.

My big January focus was core and I had a goal of completing my P90X Ab Ripper workout five times per week. I beat my own expectations on this one, getting through the Ab Ripper workout every day last month. Going back to December I’m up to 34 straight days beating my previous longest streak of 31. It’s becoming a normal part of my daily routine now, so most days I just get up and do it without thinking or stressing too much about it. I’m hoping to keep this up as I know a stronger core will only make everything else I do easier.

Getting healthy was another resolution for the year and I’m off to a great start. I’m officially done with physical therapy, and am on my way to getting stronger. I’m sticking with my strength and stretching routines so I give myself the best possible chance to not end up injured again.

Drinking less soda was also on the list and I’ve had good weeks and bad weeks on this one. I started out the year strong telling myself I wouldn’t drink any soda Monday through Thursday. I made it through the first week and all the way through Wednesday of the following week. It probably hasn’t helped that I’ve been getting up much earlier than normal and exercising in the morning a lot more than I used to, leaving me a bit sleepy when my midday craving for a caffeine boost hits. After several early mornings that second week, I was up even earlier for a 4:30 wake up call to make a group run that Thursday morning, and I caved at lunch giving into my soda craving and falling back into my soda-a-day routine for the most part after that. I’ve tried drinking diet soda since I hate the taste so much thinking that I’d stop drinking it if I didn’t like it, but I just started to get used to the taste…yuck! Oh well, I’ll try again this month!

I obviously can’t realize my big goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon until my October marathon, but getting back my speed is going to be my big February focus. I’ve built a great base of fitness over the last five weeks or so completing mostly easy paced runs and a lot of cross training. Now it’s time to crank it up a notch. My goal for this month is to complete two speed sessions a week whether it’s at the track, running hill intervals or tempo runs.

Smiling after getting home from last week's track workout - need to remember that post workout feeling so I keep getting out there for speed sessions!

Smiling after getting home from last week’s track workout – need to remember that post workout feeling so I keep getting out there for speed sessions!

How are you doing on your resolutions? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!