Getting excited over here! It's marathon training time! I haven't raced a marathon since October last year! I enjoyed training for the half marathon over the winter, but I feel ready to tackle the big 26.2 (or 26.4, as it always works out to be). Training plan is penciled in, new running shoes ordered, new music playlist done, new podcasts for the easy runs downloaded!
I had several questions about my training plan. I am using Hudson's level 3 as a template, making changes based on my weaknesses. It is obvious that I need to build my endurance. So, there will be 6 20+ milers in there, either as progression runs, or easy runs with some MP paces in. I am playing it by ear in terms of the MP. I need to see how I feel and will go with a range of paces for now. All I know is that between tapering for the HIM and recovery last week, I lost a lot of fitness. It always amazes me how hard it is to build fitness and how easy it is to lose it. I do know that the fitness is not lost for good, and in a few weeks I will feel strong again. Patience, yes, that is so important.
Something else I am going to work on is keeping my interval paces where they should be. I have a tendency to run way faster than prescribed. While this works well when training for short distances, I don't really need a lot of VO2 max work for the marathon. This is very hard for me, and it was a major fail today when I had a simple 8X2 min intervals @ 10K, and did all of them at 10sec/mile+ below this pace. I know faster paces are harder on the body, and I need to be strong and durable. So, AM, just slow down!
I am loving the extra time I have now that I am mostly only running. Summer is finally here and we are going to the town beach almost every evening for a swim and a picnic. We made a family list with all the things we want to accomplish this summer. I am really excited to do some of the fun things Petru asked for, like going to a water park, taking the Amtrak somewhere just for the fun of it, making a lighthouse cake for his birthday. I can say I do not miss tri training at all. I am sure I will eventually, but for now, I am happy only running.
Did I mention that summer is here? June has been 75% rain - one of the few hot days was my HIM day (ha!)- and everyone is ready for some sun!
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13 comments:
Summer is great. Enjoy the time with your son. Love the sound of the family list.
I love the extra time marathon training is giving me. Like you, it's so nice with summer here. More time with my son. I'm looking forward to some evening swims though too.
What marathon are you going to run, AM? I am very excited for you....as much as you enjoy your tri's, I started following you when you were just marathoning and it's where my heart is.
Summer here in Denver, too. Today was an awesome day of 78 degrees but tomorrow 98 and Wed 103. Bleh. At least it's not humid!
Enjoy marathon life...and yes, slow down!! But not on race day! :)
Hey girl. How did I miss this? Well, probably since I am not on blogs nearly as often as I used to be. Good to see that you are feeling excited about Marathon training. I hear you on losing fitness! Especially when I've been sick a lot. I would love to hear some of the songs on your playlist. I desperately want to make a playlist this week to use.
Also, our summer has been so weird...hardly any sun. the one really warm day was my marathon day. Other than that, we've just had some cloudy grey days with some random sunny days thrown in. Just enough to tease us.
I'll be interested in reading more about your training.
I was so happy to "just run" after HIM training as well. Sounds like you have a great plan. Even though I think your full of it talking about all this loss of fitness :)
im considering running a fall marathon!!! sounds like you have a wonderful summer lined up!
Did I read that correctly..6-20 milers?
I second 'Tri-Living...Together' - 6!! You are my inspiration!. Good luck with your training
marathon training...:)
6 20's sounds good to me! How close will they be together? I have never looked at Hudson's stuff (but i should!). Funny too, since I think he's from Eugene and still lives/works here.
I totally get you on the pace work. I have been trying to stick with my goal paces because I tend to get carried away too. Hopefully you will tell me the secret when you discover it! I think it's just because you are more fit than you think you are :)
What will you be using for your training shoes?
Enjoy the birthday stuff!!
I'm getting excited for you too-VERY excited!!! Why do I keep missing your posts. I click on your name to read your old one again and then there's a new one!
With your speed, adding in 6 20+, WATCH OUT!! You're gonna kill this.
I'm also going to use the Hudson level 3 but I have only 13 weeks so I need to figure out exactly how I want to modify it. Isn't it crazy how fast you lose fitness. SUCKS! My legs are good but I definitely think I've lost quite a bit this last 4 weeks. Ready to GET IT BACK though!!
You WOULD run your intervals faster-ha! This is rarely my problem. I should be saying Jenn, speed up....Instead I say OK-don't speed up just run an extra 4 miles. I NEED to work on this:)
I love your summer evening plans! How fun! And the list, great idea! Are you going to tackle this lighthouse cake. I made Max a baseball stadium cake last year. Took me like 24 hours, 47 bad words, at least 4 pounds of frosting licked off my fingers and 2 bottles of wine. Then, I was so damn proud of it, I didn't want anyone to eat it....Ha ha!
OK-long enough! Have a great night:)
Yay! Good luck chasing sub-3! What really helped me was running the second half of my long runs at marathon pace...of course that takes some getting used to. What M are you training for?
I'll be running BayState too! It's funny that you mention endurance. I believe that endurance is definitely my weak area. I was reading Lore of Running he talks about how some runners have a higher fatigue rate, which basically translated into running shorter distances much faster than they run longer distances. And for those runners the running calculators won't be correct. That's definitely the case with me...
Yay! Good luck with your training. Love those Hudson plans...
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