Garminless

Today's workout:

Bodypump 

3 Miles

Bodypump was difficult, as usual but because they have a 50 minute time slot at work, one track gets skipped and today it was lunges. I need the lunges but was happy to leave them out today.

I forgot my Garmin at home so before heading out for the run I mapped out a semi-new 3 mile route and it felt pretty good to run not knowing my pace. I kept checking my phone, though, to see the time and was trying to guesstimate. Old (bad?) habits die hard, I guess. 

And because it's my blog, here's a picture of Miss Alice riding a tricycle. Happy Tuesday!

Week 2 Marathon Training

Even though I technically only started the 18 week marathon training a week ago, it just so happened "Week 1" was pretty much the exact week I had ran already. It was meant to be.
We'll see how long this lasts, but I hope to recap each week of training in addition to any posts during the week (ha) about specific runs. I'm sure it will serve me well when I'm in taper mode, freaking out, going over my training plans. So here it is, week two of Marathon training!

• Monday:
  Reformer Pilates
  I had been taking this class regularly through the winter and then stopped because it was "too easy." I quickly noticed my running was suffering and now have been making a habit to go back. It works well with my plan with Monday being a cross-training day.
• Tuesday:
  Bodypump
  Kicked my butt. whoa.
  3 miles after work, in the rain
• Wednesday:
  5 miles at lunch with two coworkers. This run felt really awesome - we went at a nice pace and ended up averaging 9:29. That paces makes me feel speedy but the workout didn't completely eat me up. Progress?
• Thursday:
  3 miles at lunch, solo.
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday:
  5 miles with this view:
  
  
  
  It was tough - I mean, I was pushing over 75 pounds, but ran the first mile in 10:58 and the other four 10:20, 10:20, 10:20, 10:18.
• Sunday:
  10 miles with the diva
  
  
  
  She was pretty congenial throughout the run but boy was it tough! We went on a super hilly route and the wind was intense. I knew going into it that I wasn't properly hydrated and ended up paying for it a little bit in the afternoon. I'm sure all the bacon I ate as soon as we got home didn't help. I completed the run in 1:50, including several stops to give Alice a toy, give Alice a bottle, give Alice my phone to play with...

So there it is! 26 miles for the week. Week two down, 16 to go. I'm still at the stage where I'm giddily excited about being registered and not quite scared yet. I'm sure I'll get there soon enough, for now, I'm going to enjoy it!

VCM

Backtracking a couple of weeks to the Vermont City Marathon... I was pretty excited to run this course again and was hoping for a PR, especially since I had just narrowly missed one at Unplugged a few weeks prior. Like any runner getting ready for a race, I obsessively checked the weather for race day and every day the forecast became progressively worse.

It poured the day before and packing my stuff (and the million things Adam would need as a spectator in the rain with two little kids) I had accepted the fact that it was going to be soggy. 

When I woke up in the morning, I really wasn't worried about the rain. I felt pretty calm, a little nervous and very excited and ready to run. 

It was a little cold waiting for the race to start, but I can't complain because I didn't have to wait around in the rain while my partner ran their leg (i.e. my mom and Aunt Mary).

The race flew by. I started pretty conservatively because I was really nervous about burning out in the last few miles. As I went through the race I really tried to take it all in. It's such an amazing day to be in Burlington and the spectators cheering their hearts out in the pouring rain was amazing. By mile 6 I felt great and picked up the pace, but it was also about this point that I realized a PR was out of the question. I had held back too much in the beginning that there was no way I could make up the time I lost. I finished strong and felt good about nailing negative splits. My last mile was in 8:55 - super speedy, for me. My official time was 2:10:58 with my Garmin time 2:12:01 for 13.45 miles (maybe too much weaving?).

It's my favorite day of the year in Burlington and makes me realize how awesome our little city is. It made me really pumped to do the 26.2 next year! 

Which brings me to the next development... My little antsy pants decided that I can't wait another full year before getting my marathon fix in. After an initial thought about the Smuttynose Marathon in October, a text from Melissa sealed the deal.

I registered! I just completed week 1 of the 18 week training plan and am so excited. I think I can keep this enthusiasm rolling, especially with Melissa running it as well. It turns out another running friend is registered, too, and I think having others going through marathon training with me will be encouraging. 

Here's to a summer of running!

Let the marathon training begin!

I have a lot to fill you in on, but in short, I registered for my first marathon! It's in October so my full training cycle begins now. I'm going to follow Hal Higdon's program and celebrated my first official long-run Sunday with nine miles. And with this smiley face:

Running Buddy

The upside of 5 am wake up calls is that we're ready to run before it gets hot! 

In Case You Missed It

We're kind of a big deal.

Half Marathon #10 Eve

Hi! This is just a quick pop-in, seeing as I haven't posted in quite a while. I miss blogging and I'm trying to make time to fit it back in. The past few weeks have been exciting and challenging. After my disappointing half, I had a great 14 mile training run (solo), a relay with my mom (we killed it) and a 15 mile training run with my sole sisters.

This week has been tough, trying to come to terms with the loss of a friend and neighbor. She was on the road to getting healthy and died tragically on the plane ride home after spending three weeks in Malibu at the Biggest Loser Ranch. She exuded such a positive energy and always had a smile on her face. I keep thinking I'm going to see her coming around the corner by the neighborhood mailboxes or out for her walk.

Tomorrow is the Vermont City Marathon and my mom and I are splitting it. My mom worked with Susan for many years and was very close with her. We'll definitely be running for her tomorrow.

With everything that's happened this week, I'm just so excited to run and be a part of an amazing running community. 49 degrees, rain and wind have nothing in us.

.....

And to close, here's a little snippet of what our nights have been like lately. I wouldn't change a thing :)