Hurry up and run slowly

I am now about 7 weeks out from Boston. Which means I'm in the nitty gritty depths of marathon training, along with 25,000 of my fellow Boston runners. A large part of me wants to be able to bust out 13 milers any day and barely sweat. Another part of me wants a dark room and a pillow for 2 days of sleeping. I love it, I hate it, no I LOVE this part of training!

Seriously, ode to my fitness. To our fitness! This was not built overnight. We've all worked countless months, years to get our bodies in shape. Now I sit here with 2 thoughts:

1. Body, please don't break, fracture or tear. Please!
2. Sitting in this chair sucks. I hate sitting. It hurts my butt.

Moving on...So I have to give a huge shout out to.... ME! Why? Because for countless years you guys have been telling me to slow down my daily running and shift focus to killing speed workouts. I had convinced myself that it wouldn't make a difference. But now that I run a shit load of miles per week I figured I'd try the slower daily runs at everybody's urging.

I would call the last 2 weeks a success. I know I could go "slower" but this is huge. Previously, I ran most runs sub 7:15 pace, everyday.  Tempo was 6:30ish and stressful. Now, check this out:

Mon: 9 @ 7:40
Tues: 2/12 12 miles @ 7:32 pace
Wed 12 miles with 2x20 mins @ 6:15 pace, 10 mins easy inbtw
Thursday: 12 @ 7:45 pace
Friday: 11 @ 7:38 pace
Sat: 13 @ 7:50
Sun: 20 @ 7:45

Mon: 8 @7:34
Tuesday: 11 @ 7:29
Wednesday: 8x5 mins tempo with 30 second recovery. 13 total. The 40 mins of fast
                    was at about 6:15 pace. Some faster around 6:10. Others killed by ice @ 6:23.
Thursday: 12 @7:39

Most days followed by an hour of core and stretching at the gym.

So you can SEE I have changed it up. My fast stuff is faster and easier. Moreover, it's fun. I know I can do it and there isn't that dread of *can* I do it.  I'm trying to keep the slow closer to 7:45-7:50. Sometimes the 7:30's happen but it's an improvement!

I'm hoping to get the faster tempo's to lower 6's. I'm really working on relaxing at that speed. About 5 years ago my mile pr was 6 flat. Now I'm so close to that but more than just one mile. Needless to say I'm so excited to see progress!

So, thanks again for your comments. I listen. It just sometimes takes a while to sink in.

I'm going to do another post on FOOD. I don't pay attention to calories but I looked at last week's calories on my garmin connect data: 8,100 in running. Not to mention the gym! I eat like a mo-fo'er glutinous pig with a fresh trough all day 'er day. But in the organic, healthy protein obsessed sense. More on that later.

Happy Running friends!
Laura

Sub 3 in progress!

Alright Boys and Girls T- 9 weeks until Boston!!

We are in the meat and potatoes part of training. My favorite part! Long ass runs and big appetites!

Here's how my running has been going. I've been slacking on the weekly posts.

Sunday (2/3) 20 miles. 7:21 AVG with the last 5 miles descending: 7:17, 7:09, 6:56, 6:47, 6:33.

Monday: 8 recovery @ 7:33 pace

Tuesday: 12 easy also 7:33 lol

Wednesday: 2 mile warm up, 2x15min, 1x10 min tempo and 2.5 mile cool down. 6:20-6:30 fast miles. 12 total

Thursday: 11 easy at 7:38 pace

Friday: 10 miles in hard wind. 7:05 pace. Fighter mode came out on that one.

Saturday: 10 miles on a very hilly cross country course for a few laps 7:43 pace

Sunday: 16 miles. Middle 12 at 6:35 pace. For those who love splits like me:
warm up: 8:13, 7:44. Fasters: 7:00, 6:40, 6:41, 6:35, 6:38, 6:34, 6:37, 6:27, 6:44, 6:35, 6:31, 6:36 Cool down 7:25, 6:54. My goal was marathon pace of 6:46. I tried to find that pace but it wasn't happening.

So M-F is 80 again. I like 80. It's working for me. My focus is to run my easy at 7:45 to 8 pace to hopefully get my tempo faster. It seems silly that my tempo and long run tempo are pretty much the same pace. 1 mile or 12 it seems the 6:30's pour out. Well, I want better. I want 6:15's for tempo. So we'll see if slowing down has an impact.

Oh PS. I got my age group win medal for the Miami Half in the mail today. Very nice for AG!

impossible to photograph because it's so shiny!

Happy Running!!

Laura

Mental Strength and Focus

The more I run, the more I realize how much attitude and mental strength has to do with it all. Focus grasshopper. For me, at least I can't hop around at a 6:30 pace out all day and stare at the birds. I need to concentrate and focus. My body is able to run that but my mind can't falter. The moment I "fall asleep" on a hard run I am DONE. 

Bullshit, YES you can! 

I haven't had a workout recently where I thought I couldn't do it. I'm not cocky. I know my limits, but I go into every workout mentally prepared for what I have to do, and a lot of caffeine! I used to whine and complain before hard workouts. Now, I trust the workout I'm receiving is doable. My body is prepared. And it will get done. Simple.

For example during my last Half Marathon my goal was to keep my AVG pace at 6:34. That was my job for an hour and change. I was well trained. I knew it was doable. I enjoyed every friggen minute of that race because I didn't have any doubts that I couldn't do it. There was no, "what is I die" stress. No wall stress. I was trained and that was my job that day.  I was literally running to the end to celebrate. 

In past races I would allow for a few failed miles or wind miles, fatigue.....No more. That's crap. We all train endless hours per week. We practice how to eat, drink...There should not be any doubt. Maybe I'm new to the confidence game but what a difference a good attitude can have on a hard tempo or race. 

So my advice to all my friends toeing the line this season. (Amy and Ken!) Line up and do what you are training your ass off to do! Enjoy yourself and collect your goal!! 

Happy Training and Racing!

Laura

Hair Management on the Run

I've been doing 80 mile weeks for a few months now. It's great for my fitness. I love it. I can manage it off 7 single runs. Cool deal. However, there is a huge drawback to running that much and being a girl with longer hair. Yup, the rats nest that ensues. I will scream if I see another running mag cover with a gorgeous ponytail swaying in the breeze.

nothing personal but hell no. Pony's don't do that when running!

This is my hair. Looks like it could look good on the run...

This is the real deal friends. Speed and distance WRECK your hair!

Thankfully I have product for that! 

I have a few tips for those of you with longer hair:

*BRAID your pony tail

*Put it in a bun and under your hat during the winter. Not to be confused with a Pony Tail hanging down and hat over. This is worse with the friction.

*In my experience you can get away with a pony tail if you run less than 30 minutes and slower than 7:45 pace. 

*Also, argon oil, argon oil....all day

If you have any other tips please let me know! Happy Running!

Laura

A funny race story and my race pics!

So, it's early Sunday on race morning. For those of you who know my running style you know I like to chase anything. My running partner Dan will tell you I will chase deer, squirrel, dogs, cyclists and other runners without discrimination. It's fun. Nothing else. It makes me happy.

So..as I was saying, it's early Sunday and I see a the group of Ethiopians ahead of me. I know who they are from seeing them the night before. My gut says chase and blow out my first mile. On a side note. I respect all runners. Anyone who gets out for the love of the sport and tries their hardest gets a high five from me. These kids are no exception. They bust ass out there so clearly I needed to check that out. They were hauling ass effortlessly. Almost like one person.

There were other runners around so I didn't look stalkerish but I wanted to latch onto that group. I somehow tapped into that and ran behind them. Cranking out paces meanwhile appreciating their athleticism.

We are cruising and going to enter an area where we need to go single file. They are floating through the narrow space picking up speed. I feel invincible. Running on endorphins, feeling like I'm on a runners' field trip. Then out of no where the male in front of me stops seemingly midstride. A dead stop. I slam my entire body into his back. Without time to prepare for the collision even my head smacks his shoulders. I struggle to not bring us both down. Meanwhile looking around to see who saw this!

Then we had the odd moment of mutual I'm sorries, but I don't speak your language exchange of looks. I profusely apologized for knocking him down and he reciprocates in facial expressions. We laugh and keep going.

However, all good things must come to an end and now my 1-mile warm up was over. Albeit much more fun then chasing deer on the greenway back home! Here are some race pics:

I knew I was being photographed but I also just saw the clock. This is the result. lol

Are we there yet?

Happy Running Guys!

Have a great weekend. T-10 till Boston!