a quick photo update of my week.

Hi Guys!!

Do you guys ever feel like this during marathon training: Half the time you feel like you have a 24 endorphin drip set on high. Then, in the blink of an eye, dead as a door nail. Crap on your shoe, good for nothing. It's bizarre but definitely keeps you on your toes! Let me know if this happens to you!!!

I had an okay 5x5 min fartlek workout. Added some fire to get the mood right.

Then the next day, instead of feeling sore I ran even faster. With minimal effort. 10 miles at about 6:35 pace. I felt like my mind was along for the ride and my body just went.

This lead to a string of ridiculous selfies

no explanation.

Then I couldn't move for 12 hours. Exhausted.

But then Friday I did a 14 miler at 7:06 pace in the am and an easy 7:50 paced 4 miler at night. I figured that would seal the deal and 18 would leave me catatonic on the couch for the weekend. I went to bed dying to see how I would wake up.

Well I woke up today and did another sub 7 paced 10 miler. (6:57). I felt like Queen of the world. No fatigue. 

Tomorrow is my long run. I'm dying to see how that goes down. My legs are in a phase of turning over faster for easier runs. I need to work on getting the faster stuff sub 6 and then I'm golden. 

That's all….lol..have a great long run!!

Laura

LaBella Pontificates on Running, of course.

Hey Everyone!!

I hope you guys are killing your marathon training! It's so exciting! I'm kinda sad January is almost gone. I like the nitty gritty of training. It's like reading a good book. When the left side is heavier than the right I know the fun is almost over. Well, if you're Boston training we still have time.

As I continue to train my ass off I learn stuff here and there. Here are some things:

Running really is mostly mental. Ya, ya, so Runner's World. Everyone says that. But it's so true. You have to say your goal to yourself a lot. Specifics.  If you have a tempo coming up. Say, "I am going to run X pace for X miles." Make it a fact. Then the day comes and you do what you told yourself you would do. Easy! The stress of "can I?" is gone. Just do it, for me and report back : )

Hairstyle is everything. I'm not kidding. I have long, thick hair. My hair brushes are disgusting. The longer or heavier it gets the more neck pain I get. I normally pony tail it on dry days and braid it if there is humidity. But that leads to whiplash! Seriously, every step that thick braid goes back and forth. ENTER the perfect hair for running:

pony tail -> braid->bun

No more whip lash, less energy spent controlling head bobble and more energy hitting the pavement. I had just run 20 miles here so no zooming please : )

rain never photographs well!

Keep your running schedule tight. I know the US is getting pummeled with crap, extreme weather. I don't care. With the exception of extremely unsafe weather, try to stay on schedule. But don't bust your ass on ice and say LaBella said. : )

 I hear some people say, "oh, I'll wait till this front passes, the rain clears, the snow melts…" You're doing yourself a disservice. You're getting soft mentally. Looking for the easy way out. When it comes time to race hard you will have that background of softness. 

For example, in the last 10 days I've run in negative degree weather to 65 degrees, humidity, ice, pouring rain. I could treadmill it. I could wait. I have those luxuries. But what the hell does that do for me? SOFT. Hardcore out the door, goodbye. I run through this because if I can do it, it will forever stick in my mind. Tomorrow I have a tempo and it's going to be dry and cold. Trust me, it will feel like I'm walking because of all the crap I ran through last week. Say I tread milled it or waited for better conditions last week. I can guarantee you I'd bitch that it was cold. Lower your bottom threshold!

Feed your machine. And do your core! Please!

That's all I have for now. Actually, let me list my last weeks schedule:

90 Miles.

Monday: 10 miles am and 4 pm 7:25 pace

Tuesday:10 on big hills 7:25 pace

Wednesday: 5x1 mile hill repeats. 6:30 pace. 12 total

Thursday: 12 am at 7:04 pace flat. 4 pm 8 pace

Friday: 10 miles of hills at 7:25 pace

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:09 pace

Sunday: 20 miles in Umstead and surrounding areas with 1,800 feet of elevation at…..6:57 pace! A total pr run. 

I hope you guys are doing well! Happy Running!

PS. My coach's name is Eric Laughlin. I've had some people ask. He can be contacted at elaughlin@westliberty.edu. He's a full time track/field coach and cross country. He is also a super fast marathoner. 

All I do is eat and talk about eating!

Yes, I am! Get some miles yo.

WELCOME TO THE 90'S!! 90 mile weeks that is! I've been prancing around at 85 miles for too long. So I put on my big girl pants and did 90 last week.

I know we all have opinions on high mileage. That's cool but to support that it works for me I have the following indisputable data:

On 90 miles :

* I did 5x1 mile at 5:58-6:03. All five of them. On the same day. Same workout. Recoveries were 800 at 7:30 pace. ME! If you're like so what or why you flippen out LaBella?? This is why!

    For years I ran the Mag Mile in downtown Raleigh. The state championship mile. For years I tried my best and for years I ran 6 flat. Once getting it to 5:40. I was running 30 mile week back then. I was thrilled with my performance back then ('08-'11). So to do 5 miles at the same pace blows my mind!

*I ran 15 miles sub 7 (6:56) for my long run. That's a whatever…but still cool on 90 I think.

The day before I ran those 15 miles I ran these hilly 10:

So I am beyond stoked to roll into Boston training with my wheels rolling fairly well. Here's my last weeks schedule:

Monday: am 10 miles @ 6:57 pace. pm 4 miles at 8 pace. (too fast but it felt slow…)

Tuesday: 12 miles of hills @ 7:25

Wednesday: 3 mile warm up 5X1 mile (800 recovery) and 2 mile cool down. 12.5 total

Thursday: 12 miles flat @ 7:20 pace. pm. 4 miles at 8 pace

Friday: 10 miles of hills at 7:25 pace

Saturday: 10 miles on the megahill treadmill above

Sunday: 15 miles. 2 easy, 5x5 minutes at 6:20 pace and an hour easy. I did this one too fast though..

So what else does a 102 pound marathoner do in her spare time after all of that?! EAT!

In running alone last week I burned 6000 calories. I actually get ripped off because I weight less. But that's still a lot of eating to maintain muscle and body weight. Nothing has added sugar. Mostly all organic and super healthy. I could do without the white bread but that's my one "screw it" item. So let's enter the food photo part of my post! 

turkey with pineapple mango salsa

just b/c I love Mo!

turkey and left overs for a snack

pasta and grilled chicken

homemade bean salad

baking my granola

NSA granola

Boars head Chipotle chicken sandwich with a gorgonzola salad

Aside from running a lot and eating well I also have been doing abs again. I do 450 core exercises every morning at 6:30am. It's pretty peaceful. I do them by the fireplace before I go for my run. I feel like I should be ripped but I think the miles are keeping them uh, HIDING! I don't know but I really don't care about look as much as I look feeling powerful. 

kinda embarrassing but just so you see how my fitness is...

it was pouring and I just ran 10 miles. I look like Mary Poppins tho..lol

I hope you guys are running well. Thanks for reading. Cheers to another good week of training! 

Laura