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This will be a double length post, for the last two weeks of marathon training. The weekend between them I was away at the Cape, came back sick, had my Master's written comp exam, and then went to Boston Pride. So I've been preoccupied.
Rather than breaking everything down by run (my RunKeeper posts on FB have more specific thoughts, check out my feed if you want to see them), I'm going to ruminate on the last two weeks as a whole. Physically, my body is happy to be back in running shape. I'm still stiff and sore, but not nearly as much as I was back in April when I gingerly got back in the saddle, or even just last month, in the lead up to the start of training.
Yesterday and today are a good example. I did 6.3 miles yesterday, which is (just barely) the farthest distance I've ever run. I was a bit sore last night, and a little stiff this morning (mostly in my calves and heels, which is normal for me), but overall, I felt like I could go out on a short run today if I really wanted to. And that is exactly the kind of shape I want to be in.
There is more evidence that I'm getting to where I need to be. The training program Aimee and I are doing varies a lot during the week, but in general, the total distance increases every week, and the long run gets one mile longer every seven days. This past week I was sick, so I only got one short run in. I struggled to finish just two miles, which was nowhere close to my short run mileage for the week. But even so, I did the long run without much trouble, and at a faster pace than my projected race pace. I hope this pattern continues. And if all of our runs could be like that one on the Cape, so much the better.
That run was about as perfect as it gets. Our splits were great, all around 12:00/mile. The weather was perfect; sunny, cool, with a nice breeze off the ocean. We should run through Dennisport every weekend! The best part was the finish. We were running out of road, and needed to make distance, so we ran down a boardwalk to the public beach near our hotel, and did the last quarter mile about ten feet from the ocean. Running through sand is tough, but it's a lot of fun, too.
This week, and every week hereafter, I will set a new personal record for my longest run in both time and distance. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Rather than breaking everything down by run (my RunKeeper posts on FB have more specific thoughts, check out my feed if you want to see them), I'm going to ruminate on the last two weeks as a whole. Physically, my body is happy to be back in running shape. I'm still stiff and sore, but not nearly as much as I was back in April when I gingerly got back in the saddle, or even just last month, in the lead up to the start of training.
Yesterday and today are a good example. I did 6.3 miles yesterday, which is (just barely) the farthest distance I've ever run. I was a bit sore last night, and a little stiff this morning (mostly in my calves and heels, which is normal for me), but overall, I felt like I could go out on a short run today if I really wanted to. And that is exactly the kind of shape I want to be in.
There is more evidence that I'm getting to where I need to be. The training program Aimee and I are doing varies a lot during the week, but in general, the total distance increases every week, and the long run gets one mile longer every seven days. This past week I was sick, so I only got one short run in. I struggled to finish just two miles, which was nowhere close to my short run mileage for the week. But even so, I did the long run without much trouble, and at a faster pace than my projected race pace. I hope this pattern continues. And if all of our runs could be like that one on the Cape, so much the better.
That run was about as perfect as it gets. Our splits were great, all around 12:00/mile. The weather was perfect; sunny, cool, with a nice breeze off the ocean. We should run through Dennisport every weekend! The best part was the finish. We were running out of road, and needed to make distance, so we ran down a boardwalk to the public beach near our hotel, and did the last quarter mile about ten feet from the ocean. Running through sand is tough, but it's a lot of fun, too.
This week, and every week hereafter, I will set a new personal record for my longest run in both time and distance. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
