Boston Marathon Training: Week 5 & Week 6

I am not so sure I should be using this is a title.  I highly doubt I will be traveling to Boston, but until I know that's 100% a no-go, I guess it's ok to keep this title.  Technically, I am still training as if I will be running a marathon. 

Aside from my emotional break down last week, the past 2 weeks have gone fairly well.  I've been attending yoga on Friday mornings and really trying to get at least 1-2 good strength training sessions in.  I had a great 17 mile run during week 5 and ran my first race of the year during week 6.  It was only a 4 mile race, but with how my pace has been, I was almost embarrassed to run it considering last year my time was 28 minutes for 4 miles!  I actually have a  much better time than I expected!

Here is how my last couple weeks wrapped up.

Week 5 (Jan. 30-Feb. 5)
Monday: Pilates, biceps
Tuesday: 8.27 mile run - early morning outside; stretched & foam rolled PM
Wednesday: 8 mile run - early morning outside; push ups, foam rolled, stretched PM
Thursday: 3.35 mile run - PM outside testing out new shoes, push ups
Friday: Yoga - early morning
Saturday: 17 mile run - AM outside at Willow Metro Park
Sunday: 7.2 miles stationary bike, upper body lifting (biceps, triceps, shoulders), Abs - AM Gym
Total Mileage: 36.62 miles

Week 6 (Feb. 6-Feb.12)
Monday: 6.2 miles - PM outside, windy!!
Tuesday: push ups
Wednesday: 7.25 miles - PM treadmill, slow w/ walk breaks
Thursday: Circuit training at home - PM (biceps, shoulders, triceps, chest, abs, squats)
Friday: Yoga & 3 mile run - early morning at the Gym
Saturday: 9 mile run - AM treadmill at the gym
Sunday: Riverview Winter Fest 4 mile + 1 mile warm up (race results below)
Total Mileage: 30.45 miles

Riverview Winter Fest Race Results:
Time: 34:59
Pace: 8:44
A/G Place: 8th/29

Here is a picture of my running buddy Jeff and I after the race.  The #1 is because he is celebrating his victory of finally beating me at a race.  It took me getting pregnant for him to do so. LOL!!

Link to other photos

Finish Line photo

One mile mark

another one mile mark photo



Riverview Winter Fest 4 mile race results

I accomplished my goal for today's 4 mile race and my first race of the 2011 season! I wanted to break 30 minutes. I came close last year, but you know what they say, close only counts in horse shoes. I ended up finishing in 28:48 with a 7:12 pace! I did not expect to finish this well. The temps were great but the wind was brutal. I did go against the one thing I said I would never do; I ran with my MP3 player. I only put one ear bud in and shut it off towards the end. I just wasn't feeling this 'breaking 30 minute' goal and wanted an extra push. This race was a gun start, D tag finish. My Garmin said I ran 28:45, with a 7:05 pace but I go with the official timing companies results.

After I finished, I headed back out for a slow 2 mile run to cool down and get a couple additional miles in.

Overall, today was a successful race and a great way to kick off my 2011 racing season.

Official Results:
Finish Time: 28:48
Pace: 7:12
Age Group Place: 2nd out of 30
Gender Place: ?
Overall: 51 out of 415

Riverview Winter Fest; first race of 2011

On Sunday I will be running my first race of 2011. I've run this race twice before; in 2008 and in 2010. It's a nice course that starts at a local junior high school, goes through the neighborhood, around a park and finishes back at the school.

Usually the weather is bitter cold! In 2008, it was -13 with the wind chill. In 2010, it was 26 degrees. This year, we will have a heat wave. The high on Sunday is 35, low 30. Anyway, I am really hoping to beat my time from last year. I wanted to run it in under 30 minutes last year, but finished just a few seconds shy with a time of 30:04, 7:31 pace. In 2008 my time was 34:51, 8:43 pace.

I am pretty pump to wear some of my new gear too. Since I have been such a stinker about running in the cold, I have yet to use my sweet new purple Nike 1/4 zip & matching headband or my new running gloves. Maybe this race is what I need to kick myself in the butt and move from the warmth of the gym to the elements outside.

Hopefully I will have a sub-30 minute result post on Sunday!

I will leave you with photos from the race in 2008 and in 2010.

2008; Dad and I approaching the finish line




2010; around the 1 mile marker

I am in our local news paper

I do not get a hard copy delivered since we never read the paper, but I do go on line to read it once a week. There is an article about a local 4 mile race that takes place each February. When I clicked on the link to read the full article there was a picture beside it and there I am! black pants, pink jacket and head band.

How random.
http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2011/01/28/news/doc4d41c7edf3550860604445.txt?viewmode=fullstory

4 mile race results

4 mile Race
Chip Time: 30:04
Pace: 7:31

overall I am happy with my time, but I really wanted to break 30 minutes. I will definitely be focusing more on my speed work!