This week was a much, much better run. I didn't have any stomach problems since I didn't use the same stuff that upset my stomach the past two weekends. I still have to walk some after the 13 mile mark as I very much have the endurance to run a half marathon. Past that and the distance becomes a lot more cumbersome and taxing. It might be good for me in training runs to run past 13 miles so that I can stretch my endurance to longer distances. That might help make marathon training be less of a beat down, both mentally and physically.
My marathon is just a little more than 4 weeks away. I'm both excited yet terrified. I am very certain I will be able to finish it but I still get freaked out by the distance.
We're at the point in the training runs where we start tapering. Next week we are scheduled to run 10 miles! I am running in a 5k and so while I want to try to be my previous best of 27:15, I really think it might be best to just run at a pace that is comfortable for me that doesn't put too much stress on my body. If I were to run a 9:30/mile pace I'd be very happy. After the race I think we will be finishing the route with a 7 mile run in the area.
Well, I am starving after burning 1,800 calories this morning and so I am going to sign off to raid the fridge.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Week 16 - 20 Miles
This was the run that wasn't. I was suppose to run 20 miles this morning but I started having a really bad upset stomach almost immediately after I started running. I had struggled with a sour stomach the week prior but managed to man it out but that was not the case this week. I bailed after about 3 miles and made my way back to the park where we start from. I went home and slept it off and felt fine later in the afternoon.
I am 99.9% certain it is from shaking the protein/energy drink aggressively which puts a lot of air in the drink and when I drink until I feel "full" it puts a lot of air in my stomach and the running just makes it worse for me.
Everyone has bad runs and this one was a bad one for sure. The good thing is next week LiveWire is starting a new running class so I can make up some of the miles throughout the week and just run 20 (or more?) miles next weekend.
I am 99.9% certain it is from shaking the protein/energy drink aggressively which puts a lot of air in the drink and when I drink until I feel "full" it puts a lot of air in my stomach and the running just makes it worse for me.
Everyone has bad runs and this one was a bad one for sure. The good thing is next week LiveWire is starting a new running class so I can make up some of the miles throughout the week and just run 20 (or more?) miles next weekend.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Week 15 - 18 Miles
Today I ran 18 miles. This was by far the hardest run I have ever completed. When I look over the training schedule I will run 20 miles next weekend and 22 miles after that. We will start tapering in May.
I can tell I am best conditioned right now to run a half marathon. I start having to walk more and more after 13 miles. I still finished the route but I have never been so physically tired in my life.
There is no doubt that this will be the hardest thing I will have ever attempted in my life.
Looking back on this so far I do know there are some things I need to do differently if I ever decide to run another marathon. I need to log more miles during the week to get my weekly mileage to no less than 50. That could mean running somewhere between 6 and 10 miles at least twice a week in addition to the long runs I do on the weekend.
I can tell I am best conditioned right now to run a half marathon. I start having to walk more and more after 13 miles. I still finished the route but I have never been so physically tired in my life.
There is no doubt that this will be the hardest thing I will have ever attempted in my life.
Looking back on this so far I do know there are some things I need to do differently if I ever decide to run another marathon. I need to log more miles during the week to get my weekly mileage to no less than 50. That could mean running somewhere between 6 and 10 miles at least twice a week in addition to the long runs I do on the weekend.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
Week 14 - Big D Half Marathon
Today I ran for the second time the Big D Half Marathon. I did better by about four or five minutes better compared to last year's run, despite last year having better weather conditions. I didn't mind the cool temps as I love running in temps between 50 and 65 degrees but it either threatened to rain throughout the race or it was a light drizzle. The last 5 minutes of running were perhaps the worst in that it poured rain and made for a very cold finish.
It's a fairly hilly course (in my opinion) but it can be a very pretty run through a couple nice neighborhoods. I think it lead to part of my running struggles later in the race as it caused me to expend more energy than I wanted. I also didn't eat or drink anything before the race and so I bonked right around the 9 or 10 mile marker. This just further reinforces that I must eat or drink something before each training run or race if I want to perform my best.
I really don't mind this race and would run it again. They offer a full marathon course and if I ever decide to run a full marathon I would consider it.
Course
Elevation Chart
It's a fairly hilly course (in my opinion) but it can be a very pretty run through a couple nice neighborhoods. I think it lead to part of my running struggles later in the race as it caused me to expend more energy than I wanted. I also didn't eat or drink anything before the race and so I bonked right around the 9 or 10 mile marker. This just further reinforces that I must eat or drink something before each training run or race if I want to perform my best.
I really don't mind this race and would run it again. They offer a full marathon course and if I ever decide to run a full marathon I would consider it.
Course
Elevation Chart
Up next - and 18 mile training run on Saturday!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)