Week in Review

Total miles this week: (5/22-5/29)
land: 28.5 (down 2 miles from the last 2 weeks at 30)
pool: 7
total: 35.5

Plan next week: (5/30-6/5)
To begin the slow and appropriate process of increasing my weekly mileage. I am aiming for 31-34 miles this week. I'd also like to add a tad more cross training to my week.

This weekend (6/4) is my official start to marathon training!!


Sunday:
Long run-10 miles-9:52, 9:00, 9:21, 8:39, 8:56, 8:52, 9:049:08, 8:25, 8:09
abs
I was late to meet up with the group, so I ran this alone, which was okay-I had just downloaded new music to my ipod.

Monday:
Body Pump. Active recovery day.

Tuesday:
Track- ~7 miles total
2 miles warm up
Set 1:
800- 3:31
400 easy
400- 1:41
200(?) easy
Set 2:
800: 3:28
400 easy
400-1:39
200 easy
Set 3:
800: 3:22
400 easy
400- 1:35
200 easy
Set 4:
800- Felt like I could not catch my breath, only 300 completed.
400 easy
400- 1:36 (Coach let me because my shut down in last 800 was not due to anything hurting)
200 easy
1 mile cool down

All in all I am VERY happy with today's workout.

Wednesday:
Pool running x70 minutes with Maria Sherwell. ~7 miles.

Thursday:
Rest day

Friday:
Easy 7 miles very early in the morning. I love getting my runs done before most of the world wakes up, it's so peaceful and mind clearing.

Saturday:
Save the Trees 5k. Garmin: 23:10. 4.5 miles total for the day.
1st race since returning back from being injured. I haven't raced raced, really since September of last year, so I had nerves on board.
The race was a 9am start, very hot and humid. Greg and I did a 1 mile warm up and sweat was dripping down our faces within the 1sr .25 mile of our very slow jog-not a good sign.
So nerves, plus heat, plus I started fast and finished slow, (Sorry Coach George) and mentally crumbled and walked for a few seconds = no PR, and rightfully so... but this was my 1st race in a very long time, so I'm not going to be hard on myself.
I am a little perturb they have my offical finish time as 23:27!! My Garmin says 23:10. I know times never match up, and are always a few seconds off, but 17 seconds, sorry no. When I turned the corner back to the finish the clock said 22:49, and I remember thinking to sprint because maybe I could still make it under 23 minutes-so I am sticking with my Garmin time. It seems more feasible 23:10, then 23:27. I didn't jog my way to the finish from the point on where I saw that clock!!
I'm not sure who to write to protest this for this race, but I plan too!

Sunday:
Recovery from a very late night in Atlantic City. I plan to make this the last time I drink so much, it just ruins my training, really. Plus I have about 7lbs left to lose, and drinking sugary drinks does not help this cause. I will continue to have the occasional wine glass or beer, but no more craziness. I too old, and I want to take the training seriously.

Back at blogging-Woo-hoo!

1. I'm back! I had purposefully taken time off from documenting my workouts, blogging and reading every one's blogs. It was more just for me mentally, so I could just remain relaxed and focused with my second time around at PT, for a new injury. I LOVED reading every one's training, and race reports, but I found it also got me a little down because I was missing out on it all....so I closed it up, and just relaxed. I had a goal to get out of THIS injury the right way-compared to how I rushed myself back after the broken ankle. I felt if I conitnued to read other's training blogs, I would potentially fall in my old pattern....of wanting to keep up.
(Plus, I had no where to write my excitement about my workout times, except for Facebook- and I can't elaborate much on FB status about my workout! :p)

2. To sum up my recovery:
I did 4 weeks of PT, during those 4 weeks-I was cleared to run again after 2 weeks of being grounded from running all together. I built a base during those 4 weeks of running, pool running, swimming and strength building-after those 4 weeks of base building, I was finally cleared to return to tempo work outs.
I was recently just cleared to return to speed workouts 3 weeks ago! (whew!)
My "long runs" started at 6 miles, slowly pregressing up to 8-10 miles 4 weeks ago. (the last 3 weeks have been 10 mile long run distance.)
According my pre-marathon training plan, and Coaches news letter, I will not start increasing my long run miles until I am inside 16 weeks from my marathon race date.
I increased my weekly mileage slowly from the day I was cleared. It took me 8 weeks to get up to 28 miles a week. The last 2 weeks I have been at 30 miles a week. I will begin to appropriately increase my mileage up to 40, beginning in June; and per Coach George's recommnedation, will peak at 50miles in full marathon training mode.
It was baby steps back, for sure, but my body is most definitely happier this time around. (I pray everyday that it continues too remain happy and cooperative.)

3.My speed work times are already much faster than they were last year at all effort. I don't feel exerted or that I pushing, actually I am quite comfortable at my new pace, and I love it! I'm excited!!! (and hopeful) NO MORE INJURIES...you hear my God ;)

4. I have a 5k this Saturday! Save the Trail 5k. Last Thursday my 5k tempo was 23:16. I was definitely not at race effort.
I am hoping to try to be <23 minutes. My PR is 22:50, but I know my fittness level is not where I could hope for <22:50, so I just want a 22:5x.
It's my 1st race back in a LONG while, I just to gage where I am with my fitness level after 5 weeks of tempo.

5. Next races:
Lawyers Have a Heart 10k
*Independence 5k
*Rockvile Twilight 5 miler
*Leesburg 20k
*Philly Half
Steamtown Marathon

*tentative

Okay, that's it for now! Thanks for reading :) Love!