Hanson's Marathon Method Week 18 Rundown

LAST WEEK OF TRAINING BEFORE RACE DAY has come and gone! Thanks for your patience while I catch up on sleep and get back to reality after traveling/race day. Here's my final week rundown and next Wednesday I'll have a full review of the Hanson's Marathon Method up on the blog (so make sure to check back!). Next week I'll be reviewing my trip and both 5k/marathon, so you definitely won't want to miss it!!

I did only easy runs this last week and tried to keep my pace super easy. I did most days on the treadmill (because of icy roads/cool weather), but played with the incline a bit. I also did one day of strength training and made sure to do a LOT of foam rolling/ icing/ legs up the wall. 

Monday: 6 Miles easy @ 9:59 on the treadmill

Tuesday: 6 miles easy @ 10:00 on the treadmill

Wednesday: 5 miles easy @ 10:01 on the treadmill; 60 minute Barre class at lunch

Thursday: 6 miles easy @ 9:50

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: 3.15 miles (5K) @ 9:40; 2 miles easy with last mile alternating every .10 pick-ups 20 seconds below goal race pace & .10 easy @ 10:00-10:20) 

Sunday: RACE DAY!

Sunshine Goods:

• Kept easy runs easy (5k was a little too fast)
• fit in a Barre class
• Kept recovery a priority
• Nutrition was on-point & drank A LOT of water throughout the week/ weekend leading up to the race

Gloomy Goods:

• No complaints! No taper-tantrums and felt strong/ ready to run, but not overly exhausted or tight anywhere : )

Hansons Marathon Method Week 17 Rundown

Second to last week of training and I really began to taper (especially after Wednesday)! I decided that I would get in my SOS (something-of-substance) workouts and run by feel on the other days (so if I didn't get to my full mileage planned, then that was OK). I want to get to the start line feeling fresh, rested, and hungry to run FAST. 

Monday: 10.5 miles (planned 11.0 miles); 1.5 warm-up; 6 x 1 mile repeats @ 8:25-8:36 (8:30, 8:27, 8:24, 8:26, 8:32; 8:32); 1.5 cool-down. Felt strong and nailed my splits!

Tuesday: 7.5 miles easy in the SNOW!

Wednesday: 13 miles. 1.5 warm-up; 10 @ GMP 8:46 (actual: 8:52); 1.5 cool-down. I was a little disappointed that I didn't nail my pace, but I was dealing with stomach issues and almost threw in the towel at mile 5, so I'm proud that I pushed through and finished it out. If anything, it will give me even more fire to push my pace at the race; 60 minute Barre class

Thursday: 6 miles easy @ 10:20 on the treadmill catching up on my shows!

Friday: 7 miles easy @ 10:16 in the afternoon. Slept in and did this outside in 55 degree SHORTS weather! This will probably be the last time that I will wear shorts here in CO until March...

Saturday: 8 miles easy @ 10:02 on the treadmill; 60 minute CoreReformer Pilates Class; followed it up with getting some marathon nails!

Sunday: Rest Day

Sunshine Goods:

• Hit my strength workout paces
• Fit in 3 strength training sessions this week
• Legs felt fresh and kept my easy runs easy

Gloomy Goods:

• Didn't get my pace on my last tempo run

Training Recap- 872.05 miles later

I (or will run including this week) ran 872.05 this training and consistently hit my highest mileage weeks EVER! I began this training cycle shortly after returning from our vacation after the 4th of July and can't believe how quickly this time went by. 

I did so many firsts in this cycle and really started to prove to myself that maybe I am actually a better a runner than I thought I was. It truly is amazing what your body can achieve when you fully commit to something and open your mind to the possibility. I did almost every track session outside on the track (I used to do them on the treadmill or in an indoor treadmill class), added in goal-marathon paced runs and did the majority outside (I had previously done a few mile repeats in the past, but would walk in between 2 or 3 sets), and did my long runs at a faster pace than my normal 'super easy, slow, slow jog'. 

I also originally had planned to get a shiny new 1/2 marathon PR, but when I got pretty sick with a nasty cold the week of my race I shifted my goals to just having FUN. I enjoyed the Jackson Hole Half SO much and had a blast running 13.1 miles. I never really pushed myself and just enjoyed the race and ended up getting 4th in my AG! This race really opened up a whole new perspective to me for running and racing. 

I only missed ONE training run this entire cycle (the week of my half marathon race) and maybe altered my weekly goal mileage twice (once during the week of my sickness/race and one during the first week of my taper, when I just ran for feel rather than goal mileage). 

I consistently worked on my strength training, altered the time of runs (to get used to the later start of the race), and managed to work in some Barre/Pilates/Yoga into my training. I also kept up with icing/ epsom salt baths/ heat/ icy hot when I felt anything nagging/ mitigated the pain with keeping up on the recovery! 

I have never felt so strong and will do another post at the end of the week recapping my overall thoughts of the Hanson's Marathon Method training program. Regardless of the results, I know that I gave every run/recovery/strength session 100% and that whether I meet my goals that it was worth it!

Check back on Friday with my goals for the race on Sunday and a special letter that I've written to anyone racing this weekend on Saturday!

Hansons Marathon Method- Week 16 Rundown

One week from tomorrow I'll be on a plane to LAS VEGAS! I'm SO excited that the day is almost here and can't wait to run another 26.2. I finally feel like I'm mentally prepared to run it and from now until race day, I'll be focusing on taking my runs super easy and taking a day off if I don't feel like running. Any extra training runs won't make or break it and I'd much rather get to the start line feeling refreshed and ready to run, rather than mentally beat down. I've run 794.05 miles during this training cycle thus far and ran my strongest (not fastest) half marathon ever. I ran 56 miles this past week and took two strength training classes. I did have a bit of hip pain come on after my easy run on Tuesday, but with lots of Icy Hot, Heat, Ice, Stretching, and Easy Runs it calmed down. I'm a huge believer of taking the last two weeks before a marathon to eat and fuel yourself properly, focus on hydration, rest, relaxation, and getting mentally ready to race. Your body has done all of the hardwork by now and it's the rest of the stuff that is more important now. 

Monday: 11 miles with 1.5 warm-up; 4 x 1.5 miles @ 8:25-8:36 w/ 800 R (actual: 8:31, 8:26, 8:37, 8:35); 1.5 cool-down. This was a tough work-out (I didn't sleep that well and ended up waking up at 3:30am) and by the third one, I really had to push it. I'm happy I finished it out strong and overall, still a strong workout!

Tuesday: 6 miles easy @ 9:59. I went a little too fast on this workout, but I slept in and did it after work (so the sunshine and warmer temps got me a little too excited)!

Wednesday: 13 miles with 1.5 warm-up; 10 miles @ Goal Marathon Pace 8:46 (actual: 8:43); 1.5 cool-down. I did this workout while only looking at my watch twice and was SO happy with my pace. I feel like it means a lot when you're able to get to your goal pace by feel without even looking at your watch. I also did a 60 minute Barre class at lunch

Thursday: 6 miles easy @ 10:20 on the treadmill catching up on my favorite shows! Also did a few of my physical therapy exercises to work on my hip/ glute/ quad strength

Friday: 10 miles easy @ 10:20 on the treadmill after work. I slept in again and the weather was really cold/ rainy/ windy out, so I opted for the treadmill again. 

Saturday: 10 miles easy @ 10:20. I fit this run in around my CoreReformer class. I did 3 miles before the class with Stella, 3 miles after class with Stella, and 4 miles later after chores on the trails by the lake (without Stella). Running with Stella slowed me down quite a bit, but easy runs are meant to be easy and just getting in the mileage on your feet. It was nice to split up my run and do some shorter easier ones throughout the day. 

Sunday: Rest Day

Sunshine Goods:

• Fit in 3 strength training sessions this week!
• GMP workout done by feel rather than looking at my watch
• Easy runs went super easy
• Focused on icing/ legs up the wall/ recovery to ease my hip tightness
• Slept in 2 mornings this week and working on switching my runs to later in the day (when the race start time is)
• Got accepted to be a part of the Honey Stinger Hive 2018!

Gloomy Goods:

• Missed that third set of 1.5 repeats...bummer!!

Hansons Marathon Method Week 15 Rundown

738.05 miles in this training cycle thus far and another week is done! This was my final peak week and it went really well. I took a lot of time to focus on recovery and nutrition (and getting a good amount of sleep)! 

Monday: 10 miles; 1.5 warm-up; 3 x 2 miles @ 8:34-8:36 (17:06; 16:49; 16:47); 1.0 cool-down. I cut a mile off of this work-out so I could get 18 miles in on Friday for my long run (rather than the 16 on the schedule). Felt strong at the end. 

Tuesday: 8 miles easy @ 10:06

Wednesday: 1.0 warm-up; 10 miles @ GMP 8:46 (actual: 8:44); 1.0 cool-down. This one was definitely one of my stronger goal marathon paced workouts. Holding that pace for a longer period actually felt possible; 60 minute Barre class at lunch

Thursday: 8 miles easy @ 10:20 on the treadmill (catching up on How To Get Away With Murder)

Friday: 18 miles @ 9:29 (actual: 9:24). Started before 5AM and finished just before 8. I was feeling pretty mentally tired going into this run, but knowing it was my last long run made it MUCH more manageable. 

Saturday: 7 miles easy @ 9:50 (a little too fast) on the trails. I'm always too fast the day after a long run (at a faster pace), but I think it's also knowing that tomorrow is a rest day is a BIG motivator

Sunday: Rest Day

Sunshine Goods:

• Peak week is done and gone!
• Hit all my paces this week
• Felt strong in each run
• Kept easy runs at a very easy pace
• Made it to one Barre class
• Did two strength training sessions
• Foam rolled several times throughout the week

Gloomy Goods:

• Nothing is complain about here! Finished out the week strong