half marathon training

Wrapping up Week 5 – BTDT

April 9, 2017 by Michelle 39 Comments

I’m feeling a bit like a broken record here! Training continues to be a mixed bag as my hip giveth and my hip taketh away. I have been babying this hip/glute thing for a few weeks now and on average I’m lucky if I hit 5 miles on any given run (though I managed 6 on Friday). And, these miles have been, for the most part, s-l-o-w!

I have been trying to be positive and keep telling myself I still have time…but now with Run to Remember just 7 weeks from today, I’m starting to wonder. I was so frustrated after this morning’s run that I wondered aloud to my husband whether I just need to stop running…or at least stop training. Yes..perhaps a bit dramatic… I know that I love running too much to just stop…but right now, it’s hard to love something that is not loving me back. I’ve already been down this road once before this year…where my head and heart are focused on training, but my body just won’t get with the program.

So with just 14 miles, plus yoga and some strength work week 5 is a wrap, and I’m honestly not sure where to go from here. Option 1 is to continue to push along and hope for a turnaround; option 2 is to let go of the half marathon and drop to the 5-miler; and, option 3 is… stop training for any race until my body cooperates.

I’m curious…what would you do?

As always, I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the #WeeklyWrap. Please be sure to head on over and check out all of the great ladies sharing weekly training and life happenings!

Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, half marathon training, injuries, running dilemnas, Uncategorized, Weekly Wrap

RtR Training – What happened to Week 4?!

April 3, 2017 by Michelle 21 Comments

Good grief last week was a complete blur! Add to the chaos, two kids with the stomach bug and feeling under the weather myself and you have the perfect storm to throw my training into a tailspin! Here are the “highlights.”

Monday — Scheduled rest day – so needed!

Tuesday — 5 mile tempo run

Wednesday — Strength work

Thursday — Both of my kiddos went down, and I was feeling less than stellar. My poor husband was last man standing and took care of all of us.

Friday — The kids, of course, bounced right back and returned to school, while I, on the other hand, felt like I’d been hit by a truck. So instead of making up the miles, it was 45 minutes of yoga.

Saturday — Sleet/snow/rain combo! Clearly, Mother N has issues! I opted to sleep in and push the run to Sunday. I did get a short strength workout in before heading off to see my son and his team win their hockey championship!

Sunday — The weather schizophrenia continued with bright blue skies and temps in the 50s. I was glad I delayed my run and giddy to be back in running skirt! I had hoped to get 8 miles in, but my right hip continues to be a little wonky (yes a technical term) so I settled for a hard fought 5.

So I’ll be nursing the wonky hip for a couple of days and plan to try another run on Wednesday. Luckily I’ve got a massage scheduled for Thursday!

As always, I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the #WeeklyWrap. Please be sure to head on over and check out all of the great ladies sharing weekly training and life happenings!

Filed Under: #REALwomenmove, half marathon training, Weekly Wrap

RtR Training Week 3

March 26, 2017 by Michelle 38 Comments

Well as I predicted, this was a week of managing colliding schedules and I knew I was going to have to be flexible in figuring out how to fit my workouts in. It was a bit of a mixed bag, but my plan is to log a weekly training recap to help keep myself accountable. So mixed bag and all, here’s how thing shook out.

Monday — Strength day: hips & abs

Tuesday — Hill repeats. They felt awful while I was doing them, but I was happy to check the Garmin and see I’d hit the target pace range.

Yes, I literally took a seat on the side of the road when these were done!

Wednesday — I was on the road for work for part of the day and then the family to do list was long, so I shuffled my schedule and took a rest day.

Thursday — Strength workout followed by a much-needed sports massage to keep my cranky hip in line!

Friday — My plan called for a 5 mile run with 3 miles at tempo pace. Honestly, this was more like a 5-mile fartlek as my pacing was wildly inconsistent. Not a pretty run…but they all can’t be, right?

Saturday — At the urging of my massage therapist, I got in a short yoga session. Need to figure out how to add more yoga to my weekly plan.

Sunday — 6 mile “long” run.

a rainy, gray run

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the #WeeklyWrap. Please be sure to head on over and check out all of the great ladies sharing weekly training and life happenings!

Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, half marathon training, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Catching Up

March 19, 2017 by Michelle 25 Comments

Happy Sunday!

I feel like it’s been a while since I joined in on the Weekly Wrap link-up! Thanks as always to Holly & Tricia for hosting the link-up.

So let’s get caught up, shall we? This time last week I was just kicking off 4 whirlwind days in NYC with the family. And I do mean whirlwind! We got in a lot of sightseeing and eating 😉 We even scored half price tickets to the Broadway show, School of Rock, which I highly recommend especially if you have kids – my boys loved it!

It was great family time and a much-needed break for all! The only downside of time away is the chaos that awaits when you return! Thankfully the weekend was close at hand, making re-entry a little easier.

And, since Run to Remember training is officially underway, I did what I could to get some miles in this week as well.

Monday — Cross-training in the form of walking 5+ miles around NYC.

Tuesday — Storm Stella got in the way of my plan to get a run through the city so I headed to the hotel gym, with my mini coach in tow 😉 3 miles done.

Wednesday — More cross-training across the city.

Thursday — The plan called for 1.5-mile intervals, but honestly, my legs were toast and I knew there was just no way speed work of any kind was happening. I opted for 4 easy miles.

Friday — Rest!

Saturday — A trip to the chiro and a 5-mile run.

Sunday — My son’s hockey playoffs dominated the day, but I did make time for the exercises my chiro wants me to do to help keep my hip happy.

This week, work/family schedules will be pretty chaotic, but it’s time to step up the miles for RtR so I’m going to have to get creative to fit it all in!

How was your week?

Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, half marathon training, vacation, Weekly Wrap

Hitting the Training Reset Button

February 19, 2017 by Michelle 52 Comments

It’s time to hit the reset button…

My little slip during a run last month did more than just tweak things. And, while I’ve been able to eek out some runs, it’s been inconsistent at best…and with some significant pain at worst. No bueno. I’ve probably known for a couple of weeks now that I need to re-think my plans, but I didn’t want to admit it. I’d been hoping to hold it together and some how stick to my race schedule, but it’s just not happening.

So after a trip to the new chiropractor (who was awesome!) and conferring with the RC coaches, it’s time to hit the reset button on my training. I took a pass on the 10 mile race I was planning to do this morning and I’m deferring my entry in the NYC Half until next year. And while I’m especially bummed about putting off NYC, I’m refusing to have a pity party.

So I’m focusing on the positives:

Better to have this happen now while the year is still young and there’s still lots of time for running and races
I still have 14 weeks until my Spring goal race, Boston’s Run to Remember
I’m loving the new chiro I was referred to – he’s mapped out a course of treatment and believes he can get me back on track shortly
My RC coaches are all very positive that we can work around this and put together a decent training plan
Since the whole family was looking forward to heading to NYC, we’ve decided to still hit the city during the school spring break

I’m headed back to the chiro tomorrow, and this week will probably be heavy on the cross-training and strength work. 14 weeks to go!

Linking up with Tricia and Holly for the #WeeklyWrap.

Quick housekeeping note:

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Filed Under: chiropractor, DNS, half marathon training, injuries, NYC Half Marathon, Weekly Wrap

Two steps forward, One step back

February 5, 2017 by Michelle 35 Comments

It’s just been one of those weeks…

Monday – More time with my new BFF, aka the Arc Trainer, but I did get outside for a brisk walk for the Winter Challenge. Oh, and day 9 of the 10 x 10 plank challenge.

Tuesday – Work and family schedules collided and my run didn’t happen. It was the final day of the Winter Challenge and I enjoyed a snowy walk, plus finished the plank challenge. Whew…10 minutes of planking was a-l-o-t!

Wednesday – Strength training with Trainer Stacy. Quite simply, this workout kicked my arse…and I loved it! Stacy really challenged me and I left feeling really strong…and sore 🙂 Planking continues – going for 5 mins/day for February.

Thursday – Once again my schedule was crazy, but I was able to squeeze 30 mins in on the Arc Trainer.

Friday – Hill repeats – enough said, right?

Saturday – DOMS hit me hard so hello rest day.

Sunday – The plan called for 8 – I barely hung on for just over 5. After feeling so strong after Wednesday, and having a strong run through those repeats, I was hoping to crush this run…instead, my left knee/calf started talking to me within the first half mile and let me know this was going to be a grind. And a grind it was.

So…going to have to say this week was a Cha-cha. Let’s hope there’s less “dancing” this week and more running.

I’m linking up with Tricia and Holly for the #WeeklyWrap. Please be sure to head on over and check out all of the great ladies sharing weekly training, life happenings, motivation and encouragement!

Filed Under: half marathon training, left knee, Weekly Wrap

Warning: Frustrated Runner Ahead

January 22, 2017 by Michelle 54 Comments

Let me just get this out there…this was not a pretty week from a training standpoint. My run in the rain on Tuesday included slipping on an oil slick in the road – while I didn’t go down, I ended up gimpy. A cranky left knee meant there was no more running until I attempted Saturday morning’s long run. I managed to eek out 6.5 miles – they weren’t easy, but got them done. This girl is not a happy camper…

But, I’m not going to wallow. I can keep my cardio going on the Arc Trainer; so while I will try to run again this week, there may need to be more cross-training.

I’m happy to say that I’m 22 days into the Winter Challenge, and my BGR team has moved into the top 5 teams for total mileage! Since the Challenge allows for both walking and running, I can keep contributing to my team even if it needs to be a brisk walk.

I’m meeting up with Trainer Stacy on Wednesday, and just joined a 10 x 10 plank challenge started by one of my fellow SPIbelt ambassadors (10 mins of planking every day for 10 days) – so there will be a big focus on strength work this week.

And, hopefully there will be some running…fingers crossed!

Tell me – how do you keep busy when you can’t run?

Linking up with Tricia and Holly for the #WeeklyWrap.

Filed Under: half marathon training, injuries, Weekly Wrap

NYC Half Training Week 3

January 15, 2017 by Michelle 20 Comments

Happy Sunday!

Even as I type the words I’m having a little bit of a hard time believing we’re already halfway through the month! After struggling with a nasty cold last week, this week was all about getting back on track.

Monday: I spent most of the day trying to get caught up on work, but did get in a 1.25 miles towards the Winter Challenge – Day 9.

Tuesday: Strength day plus another mile for the Winter Challenge.

Wednesday: 4 mile tempo run.

Thursday: Rest day – a much needed massage happened, and yes a 1.25 miles more towards the Challenge. If you’re wondering why 1.25…that’s one trip around my block 🙂

Friday: 5 mile tempo. I must admit I came so close to phoning this one in. I woke up so tired and the wind was seriously whipping around…I just wasn’t feeling it, but knew I’d be upset with myself later…so out the door I went. There was a lot of cursing, but 5 miles were done.

Saturday: The frigid temps returned, but luckily no wind. My legs felt like lead after Friday’s run and I was very happy to have my husband along for the run. And, it was a beautiful morning!

Sunday: I squeezed in a brisk 1.25 mile walk after my son’s hockey game to keep the Winter Challenge streak going.

All-in-all not a bad week, but the runs all felt tough because I just had no energy (I’m guessing a lingering effect from the cold…plus a few too many nights staying up to watch The Daily Show). The big goal for this week is to get to bed at a reasonable hour so I don’t feel so fried.

I also got the great news this week that I was selected as a SPIbelt Ambassador again for this year! I’ve made no secret of my love for SPIbelt and am psyched to be representing them again!

Filed Under: half marathon training, NYC Half, SPIbelt, Weekly Wrap

Back to Training

January 1, 2017 by Michelle 30 Comments

Happy New Year!

The week between Christmas and the New Year is always one of my favorite times of the year. It’s usually all about spending time with family, relaxing and recharging. And this past week I stuck with that tradition – though I did have to acknowledge a little email in my inbox on Monday from the RC coaches noting that I’m 12 weeks out from the NYC Half.

Hmmm…a not so subtle hint that it’s time to return to a training plan. Thankfully the RC team recognized that I was still in holiday/vacation mode so the plan for this week was fairly light.

NYC Half Marathon Training Week 1

Monday: Day after Christmas is always “Family Pajama Day” – no houseguests, no meal prep, just the 4 of us hanging out – a perfect day!

Tuesday: 800 meter repeats on the treadmill. (What was I saying about it being a light week?!)

Wednesday: Too much family fun = no workout

Thursday: Strength day – even got my youngest son to join me! There were lots of planks, squats, deadbugs, bridges and lunges – it was all about core and legs.

Friday: 3.1 miles – J joined me for running the last virtual 5K of the Rock’n’Roll Winter Runningland Series. Conditions were much icier than we expected so this was part run, part shuffle.

Source: Rock n Roll Marathon Series

Saturday: Saturdays are usually my long run day, but we started the day very early shuttling out to the middle of nowhere for my son’s hockey game. By the time the game was done and we made the drive back I just couldn’t will myself back out into the frigid temps to run. And once I spied the forecast for Sunday, my decision was made.

Sunday: 40 degrees this morning! My ideal running weather – so I got in 5 miles while the family slept. Happy to get the new year off on the right foot 🙂

Yeah…pretty easy peasy this week and I’m fine with that! I’m pretty sure the RC coaches will not be so kind during this upcoming week.

Did you have any big plans for New Year’s Eve? Are you training for anything yet?

I’m linking up again with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Please be sure to stop by and checkout both of these great ladies, and join in and share how your week went!

Filed Under: half marathon training, NYC Half, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap – Prepping for #StripAtNight

November 6, 2016 by Michelle 19 Comments

Happy Sunday!

Anyone else feeling inspired after watching NYC Marathon coverage today?! I always have said that if I ever decided to take on a marathon NYC would be on my wish list. As it is, I did decide to throw my hat in for the 2017 NYC Half lottery – fingers crossed for the December drawing!

But, before I get too far ahead of myself…there is still running the #StripAtNight in just a few short days. So how did this week go?

Monday: Post race rest day.

Tuesday: Strength day – Keeping up with the Turkish get ups, plank series and squats.

Wednesday: 5 miles with 3 at steady state.

Thursday: 3 easy miles.

Friday: 3.2 miles more.

Saturday: Saturdays are usually my long run day. I had 8 on the plan and given the boys’ sports/activities schedule, running in the morning was just not going to be possible. So I pushed the run to later in the afternoon…and then life happened…and the run got pushed to Sunday.

Sunday: Woke up oddly tired, despite the extra hour thanks to the clocks going back. This run felt surprisingly good despite the tired legs and hilly course – 7.2 miles done!

I’m linking up again with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Join in and share how your week went.