Let the base-building begin

January 13, 2014 by 9 Comments

Happy Monday!

It never ceases to amaze me how a few miles out on the pavement can be such a mood-booster! After bemoaning the affects of the Polar Vortex last week, Mother Nature decided to show some mercy this weekend in the form of temps in the high 40s and low 50s. While Saturday’s run was not without some rain and wind, you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. And if I’m to believe our local weather people, this January thaw should continue throughout the week.

The Start

Perfect timing as it’s time for me to get focused and start re-building my base for my spring races. I’m looking forward teaming up with Coach Bennett again and getting back to following a training plan! Goals for this week: log 16 miles, 2 strength workouts, at least one day of yoga , in addition to my daily planks.

Did you get to enjoy a break in the temps? What are you planning for this week?

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Filed Under: attitude adjustment, running coach, training

Lessons from Training

December 13, 2012 by 8 Comments

As I make my racing plans for 2013, it seems only fitting that I do so based on lessons I learned during the past training cycle.

Lesson 1 – Get comfortable with  being uncomfortable
Almost from the outset, I remember looking at the workouts, target paces and mileage Coach Bennett had laid out for me and often my thought was – “he wants me to do what?!” But I chose to work with a running coach because I wanted to shake things up, right? So good bye comfort zone!

Lesson 2 – Trust in the training
Despite being uncomfortable, I followed my plan as it was laid out.  This was much more a test of me getting out of my head (fighting the “I can’ts” or “What ifs?”), and just taking each run as it came.

Lesson 3 – Hill work will make you stronger
‘Nuff said here.

Lesson 4 – Listen and be kind to your body
As much as I embraced my plan, I was also careful to listen to my body and cut a run short or take the rest day when I needed it. I was also diligent in what I call “proactive self care” – in the form of lots of foam roller, icing, massages and a lot more yoga. Collectively, I believe this all helped me to stay off the injured-reserve list.

Lesson 5 – Reflect and find the positives
My bi-weekly calls with Coach Bennett were so critical for this. As I mentioned HERE before the ZOOMA Half Marathon, the biggest gift Bennett gave me was to help me to take the time to look back, whether it was the past 2 weeks, the past month or the entire training cycle. To remind yourself of the challenges faced, obstacles overcome and successes all help to put your mind in the right space.

For 19 weeks I worked with Coach Bennett – through the crazy heat of summer, through hill work, through a sometimes cranky ITB, through many, many miles…and the results this fall were 3 races and 3 PRs. But more importantly, I believe I’m a changed runner, which will hopefully serve me well as I get ready for 2013.

 

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Filed Under: lessons learned, running coach, training

Working with a coach

June 25, 2012 by 9 Comments

As I gear up to start training for my two fall half marathons, I’ll be adding a new twist – working with a running coach!

My new coach is Bennett Cohen — he’s a running coach to women boomers (read those of us 40+), and is also the President of the International Association of Women Runners. We connected over a year ago and have been in touch off and on via email ever since. I’ve been feeling a little stalled in my progress and was starting to spin myself in knots trying to find the “right” training plan. Working with Bennett, I’m really looking forward to having someone else make my training decisions, monitor my progress and work with me to make the necessary adjustments!

After a great conversation last week, a review of my race results, recent runs, and my goals, Bennett sent me the first 6 weeks of my customized plan. Training officially kicks off next week and I cannot wait to begin! I’m both nervous and excited! This plan is definitely going to push me out of my comfort zone a bit and I’m looking forward to the challenge of it and seeing where it takes me.

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Filed Under: running coach, training

Hello June

June 2, 2012 by 6 Comments

After losing about half the month to being sick, I am very happy to be putting May in the rearview mirror. I’m ready to set some new goals for June and the summer ahead!

June Goals:

  • Hit all of my training runs – total miles: 90
  • Commit to not walking a hill on any of my runs
  • Complete the Another Mother Runner Challenge
  • Complete the June 100x Challenge
  • Weekly yoga
  • Core work 3x’s/week
  • Strength training at least 2x/week
  • Set myself up for a strong 10k on July 3rd

With a strong June, I should be in great shape to start training for the ZOOMA Half Marathon in September!

What are your June goals? Do you have a big fall race planned?

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Filed Under: Finish at the 50, goals, training, ZOOMA Cape Cod

Decisions, Decisions – To Race or Not

May 21, 2012 by 12 Comments

Do you ever get the feeling the Universe is trying to tell you something?

I’m six days away from the Boston’s Run to Remember Half and I’m not sure if I’m going to make it to the starting line.

From the start, this has felt like an odd training cycle — while the tempo runs and track work have been decent, the long runs have been underwhelming. In fact, because of the odd foot pain I was having a couple of the long runs were cut short.  The foot pain has passed, but the new wrench in the works is a nagging cough that showed up more than a week ago – allergies most likely. Again it put a big crimp in my final long run on Saturday to the point where I wondered aloud for the first time – “How am I ever going to get through 13 miles of this?”

The truth is there’s been something that has just felt off to me over the last 4 weeks or so, and I have done my best to try to ignore it. But, as Sunday edges closer I cannot ignore it any longer. I’m going to have to make a decision to either run the half, drop down to the 5-miler or pass on the whole thing and look for something else down the road.

I really want to run this half – it was my first ever, it’s a great course and my whole family will be there along the route. However, I don’t want to limp through this half…no every race doesn’t need to be a PR, but I don’t want to struggle through it either if this cough won’t let me run it the way I want to. I’d rather keep the great memory I have of my first run and hold off for another year – does that make sense?

Right now I have no idea what the right call is. I’m going for a short run this morning to see if the allergy meds are having any effect.

Have you ever been on the fence about a race? 
How did you make the call?
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Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, to race or not, training

Shaking up my training

March 28, 2012 by 8 Comments

The other day I mentioned that I felt like I needed to shake up my training plan but wasn’t sure exactly what that meant yet. So I spent a little time this weekend looking back over my plan for RnR USA and plans from Runner’s World Smart Coach and Hal Higdon – hoping to cobble something together, to find something to push me out of my comfort zone a bit.

Then this showed up in my mailbox!

My copy of Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity

I have been eagerly waiting for this book! I so enjoyed Run Like a Mother  – you can read my review here – and have no doubt I’ll love this one as well! (Going to start reading it as soon as I’m done with this post!)

I immediately flipped through to the Half Marathon “Own It” training plan and it seemed to be just what I was looking for  – a solid mix of speedwork, hills, cross-training, tempo and long runs. I’ll be modifying the plan just slightly to account for the fact that it’s a 13 week plan and I have just 9 weeks til Boston’s Run to Remember. But, otherwise, I’m all in!

I’m excited about this plan and can’t wait to see what comes of it.

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Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, Train Like a Mother, training

3 Weeks to Go!

February 27, 2012 by 12 Comments

Three weeks until RnR USA!

Time to use these final long runs as dress rehearsal for race day. Time to finalize fueling and pace strategies, travel logistics and, of course, the all important race outfit 🙂

The kids climbed back on the big yellow school bus this morning so my goal this week is to just be able to get all of my workouts on my plan done:

Today: Easy run (5)

Tuesday: Tempo run (7)

Wednesday: Easy Run (4) & weekly Pilates class

Thursday:  Easy run (5)

Friday:     Yoga

Saturday:  Long run  (12)

Looking forward to putting in a good strong week!

Happy Monday!

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Filed Under: RnR, training, week ahead

Week 6 – Monday Motivation

January 23, 2012 by 9 Comments
Source: Run the Edge

OK so the step back week is done and now it’s time to pick up the pace a bit – I’ve got 4 weeks until the Wampanoag 10-miler and R’n’R DC is still 8 weeks out.

On the plan for this week:
Monday: Continue to bask in the glow of the Patriots win! Plus an easy run (3) & core work
Tuesday: Speedwork – 1600 repeats (ack!)
Wednesday: Easy run (3) plus weekly Pilates class
Thursday: Whatever run (4) — meaning whatever pace my legs will go! & core work 
Friday: Yoga
Saturday: Long run (12)
Sunday: Core work or total rest

I’m going to see how things go this week  – if I continue to find that I’m dog-tired on Thursday to the point that I’m still feeling it when I head out Saturday, then I may consider cutting out the Wednesday runs and adding a couple more miles in on Mondays.

What’s your week look like?

Happy Running!
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Filed Under: Monday Motivation, Patriots, training

Week 5 – Time to Step Back

January 16, 2012 by 3 Comments

I’ve come to embrace step-back weeks in a training plan!

There is value in giving your legs a break. And, given the way my legs felt following Saturday’s long run (read heavy, tired, sore) ….a step back is needed!

So this is a week of easy runs:

Sunday — Rest
Monday — 4
Tuesday — 5, plus a trip to Dr. Needles
Wednesday — 4, plus weekly pilates class
Thursday — 5
Friday — Yoga
Saturday — 5

It will be a good week to get back to get back to daily core work, while treating my legs to as much R.I.C.E. as possible!

How’s your week shaping up?

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Filed Under: core work, step-back, training

Plugging back in

December 27, 2011 by 11 Comments

I have been delightfully unplugged the last few days – removed from my laptop and only the occasional text on my phone. After kicking off the Christmas weekend with a frigid 7 mile run on Saturday, I have over-indulged in food, wine, family and laughter and I am good with all of it.

After a few lazy days, it’s time time to plug back in. With R’n’R DC about 12 weeks away, I’m back on a  formal training plan.  Recently, while tweeting with a few runners about training plans, Bart Yasso weighed in (one of the many reasons I love social media!) and suggested that based on my time goals and history, that I needed to increase my weekly mileage to closer to 35 miles, with at least one speed work per week. So I’ve decided to stick with the combination of Smart Coach and Hal Higdon’s Intermediate plan, similar to what I did for the Philly half, while upping my overall mileage  — through a combination of more double digit LSDs and an additional easy run day.

It may sound crazy, but I feel much more settled when I’ve got a plan in place – for the last few weeks I’ve just kind of run on my own at whatever distance/pace I felt like. And while it was nice to have break, towards the end I was starting to feel like I was losing focus a bit.

Does a training plan help you to feel more focused or constrained?

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Filed Under: Bart Yasso, Hal Higdon, RnR DC, Smart Coach, training