Training Recap: April Week 2

Starting a new week on a high from the previous is such a great feeling! I had a successful April Week 1 of "my" new training plan and I really enjoyed my scheduled rest day at Turner Field with my family on Sunday. In case you missed my training blog post, I am using Another Mother Runner's Half Marathon: Finish It Training Plan. While I have now run a full marathon and 3 half marathons, I have run all of these using run:walk intervals. My goal to run an entire 13.1mi without intervals at the completion of this training plan.

Knowing Matt & I are registered for the Warrior Dash on Saturday, I really swapped around my training this week.

Monday: Fun work-out

I decided to run some treadmill hills to also start training for the infamous "Cardiac Hill" of the Peachtree Road Race, which I will be running on July 4th. I checked out the course elevation map and it looks like right before Mile Marker 3 runners will start up a 100' climb. 

I created my own plan for this treadmill attempt...

.25mi 3.0 Incline at 3.5mph, .25mi 5.0 Incline at 5.0mph, .50mi 0.0 Incline at 5.0mph

.25mi 3.0 Incline at 3.5mph, .25mi 6.0 Incline at 5.0mph, .50mi 0.0 Incline at 5.0mph

.25mi 3.0 Incline at 3.5mph, .25mi 8.0 Incline at 5.0mph, .50mi 0.0 Incline at 5.0mph

I didn't want to push myself too much since I still had a full week of training still to go. I felt comfortable with this hill training, it was a bit of a challenge and I will continue to increase the incline, distance of incline and will hopefully be able to increase my speed as well. I really want to be prepared for the PRR Cardiac Hill.

To incorporate some "fun" into today's training, I attended the Active class at Gold's. The class gets your heart rate up with Step, switches over to some weight training and finishes off with a bit of core. I timed this class with my Polar FT7, it lasted 52 minutes long and I burned 540 calories!

Tuesday: 5 Miles

Instead of 5, I decided to do the 7 mile long run since we'll be at the Warrior Dash. I have followed other bloggers who are training/have trained for full or half marathons and they will just add a run to their race day. I will probably do this at some point in my training. I am not familiar with the location of the Warrior Dash so I wanted to get this long run under my belt for the week and not have to worry about it on Saturday.

I struggled with the first 2 miles, not sure if I would be able to complete all 7. Somewhere between 3-4 I got into a groove and cruised through the rest. (This is very normal for me and I hope somewhere along the line, this will just be a crazy memory instead.) I kept my pace steady at a 12mm (minute mile) so I could avoid the run:walk intervals. With under a half mile to go, I increased my speed to challenge myself. My total time for these 7mi was 83min (an average 11:51mm pace). 

Wednesday: XT; or Rest

I chose to return to the Wednesday Power class at Gold's. My lower behind or upper thigh area (couldn't decipher where exactly) was a bit sore last week for a couple days after class. Nothing felt off during class, so I wanted another attempt to see if I could pin point which exercise caused this soreness. I kept the same weights as last week but went lighter for squats. I found that muscle area! The soreness was caused from "downstairs" squats, well that's what the instructor calls them anyway. I was able to avoid that uncomfortable soreness this week!

Thursday: 4 Miles

I have had an open invitation to swim laps while Abigail is taking her swim class for over a year now. It always seems like so much extra work, having to take my change of clothes in addition to Abigail's stuff. Well, until it's a regular habit, it will seem like extra work. So I took all my stuff to swim laps.

I swam the first 10 laps using a kickboard and flippers. My next 5 laps were on my back still using the kickboard and flippers. Then I put the kickboard aside and did 10 full laps freestyle. I'm proud of myself, I even did a few flip turns! I took breather breaks in between a few of the laps, I haven't swam laps like this since high school. Overall it was a great workout and I need to make sure I'm incorporating this into my training on a more frequent basis.

Friday: 3 Miles; or XT

Originally, I had planned to log some miles on Friday. Other responsibilities took priority and Friday ended up being a rest day. 

Saturday: LR: 7 Miles
I am looking forward to the Warrior Dash! We registered for this race with other couples from our community group. Unfortunately, the ring leader encouraged us all to sign up for Warrior Dash wont be competing with us Saturday as he'll be competing in The Great Urban Race with his wife throughout Atlanta. Originally, our race was scheduled for May but then the date AND location was moved, and while the location is now closer to us, it double booked this couple for Warrior Dash. If I remember correctly, they placed 2nd out of all the 2012 600 participants.  We will miss them but wish them lots of luck in The Great Urban Race!

Keep an eye out for a recap of the Warrior Dash this weekend! 

QUESTIONS:

-How did your training go this week?

-Is there a sport or hobby you used to play/do when you were younger and picked it up many years later?

Training Recap: April Week 1

I really underestimated the Sugar Detox upon first reading. I thought I could tackle this challenge without a hitch! What I failed to think through as we drove from FL to GA was how to officially execute this challenge. We had been out of town for 5 days I had nothing fresh in the house. How could I have started on the right foot without the proper food!?! As a reminder, below I've posted the details of the Sugar Detox Challenge.

From Laura's blog post MommyRunFast.blogspot.com...

Here’s what I’m proposing:

1. What: Choose Level One- eliminating all added sugars (honey, maple syrup, rice syrup, added fructose, etc) OR Level Two- sugars and processed foods, which often have the same effect as sugar when broken down in our system, including white flour/bread/crackers/energy bars, etc
2. When: Seven day detox, from Monday, April 1st to Sunday, April 7th (have your Easter Sunday final treat if you want to!)
3. For extra support, use the hashtag #sugardetox to connect with other participants on Twitter or Instagram
4. PRIZES! Sign up below, and (optional) tweet or share for an extra entry to win a few fun prizes, including ProCompression socks, a box of healthy snacks from NatureBox, a box of Bites of Bliss Superfood Bites, and more.

Monday
Like I said before, how could I start off on the right right foot without the proper food? I think I snacked on cottage cheese and a cheese stick until Matt returned from the grocery store with milk and banana. Abigail asked for cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and I usually indulge because it's easier than fixing two different meals. Oh and see the little icing container & lid, I have always licked these bad boys clean before throwing in the garbage. I guess with this challenge being fresh and new, I had the will power to toss them even with the icing remnants!

Abigail and I ended up rushing out the door for her swim lesson and I grabbed one of my Quest Bars. These protein bars are delicious and have no sugar, but I completely failed to think it through...as it's obviously a processed food. Speaking of "processed", NUUN doesn't have sugar so I'm allowing it this week, I know I can use the extra electrolytes while on this detox and to help keep me hydrated during my training. I also just picked up their new flavors last Saturday and am hooked! Watermelon & Cherry Limeade are sooo good!

Training called for 3mi plus 4 strides or XT, I chose to run. I have trained so much since November running intervals that running 3mi straight without walk breaks was a bit of a challenge. I took it easy and only ran at a 12mm (minute mile) pace. At the end I ran 4 strides, which is basically sprinting for 30 seconds, at 8mph (around a 7.5mm pace).

Tuesday
I knew it was going to be a rough day immediately upon waking to Brewer's insistent barking at 7:15am. I rolled out of bed with a pounding headache, the sugar withdrawal headache. Lovely. I trucked on with my coffee flavored milk (no fancy creamers), fruit and cottage cheese. The headache persisted through Abigail's swim class and through her dance class. I even tried a Starbucks Venti Non-Fat Latte (no flavor at all, I've liked it like this for years) in hopes the caffeine would help the headache, no luck. Then it was time for my run.

Training called for 4-5mi. I headed to Gold's and knew it was going to be tough running as my brain felt like it was bouncing in my skull.  This was definitely a challenge! I kept my pace slow, which took me longer to finish, but I knew I couldn't push my luck with the headache. After my cool down, my mileage was just over 5mi.

Wednesday
The sugar headache disappeared sometime during the night, thank goodness! Abigail and I spent our morning at MOPS and then her 4yo pediatric well check was in the afternoon. I had been dreading this appointment because I remember how much she hated her 3yo vaccines, but it's a necessary evil. Abigail had been very upset (cue waterworks) any time I brought up her needing to visit the doctor and never gave me a reason and upon lots of conversation, I asked if she wanted to switch to a female doctor and she agreed. The nurse was a young male, with lots of positive energy and she felt comfortable with him taking her blood pressure and helping me answer some routine questions. The pediatrician was wonderful! She was very personable and had pleasant conversation with us before starting her routine well patient checks, this gave Abigail time to warm up to her a bit which was nice. Abigail is finally 30lbs (30.2 to be exact) and is 40in tall. She had three vaccines, in which she screamed, but she picked out a "new friend" as a treat after we left.

Training called for XT or rest, and I decided to cross train. It's been a while since I've attended a Power class at Gold's, it's a group fitness class with weights all set to music. Since Thursday, Friday & Saturday all called for runs I decided to keep my weights low so I wouldn't be miserably sore. Setting up myself for success is important!

Dinner was interesting to say the least. We went to a local Mexican restaurant to meet up with a Mini Cooper group. I made myself a smoothie before heading out. (Smoothie: spinach, plain Greek yogurt, tart cherry juice, strawberries, pear, almonds & flax seed.)

LOVE Wish Farms Strawberries!

Thursday
I woke up a bit sore from Power, even though I took it easy and didn't get to heavy with the weights! It's been too long since I've attended this class and paid for it. I sat on the couch and watched a bit of the Today Show (after popping some Advil of course!). While this was probably smart for my training, it was not a smart way to schedule my day. Abigail had afternoon swim and gymnastics, then we rushed the gym so I could get my miles in.

Training called for 3-4mi as 10min warm up, sprint intervals (6 x 30sec) with 1min recovery and a 10min cool down. My total mileage was 2.97mi. I love that in the training plan it says "The mileage is simply a guide, so no need to run around your block one more time to reach three miles.". I'm sure as I continue my training and get faster I will surely total more miles.

Friday
To start off the day, I got in a 3mi run before the Centergy class at Gold's. Centergy is a unique group fitness class that incorporates Yoga and Pilates in fluid motions all set to music. It's a great class to stretch out and gain flexibility, both helpful for runners. I had a huge bowl of oatmeal and a smoothie for lunch. (Smoothie: spinach, plain Greek yogurt, tart cherry juice, mango, raspberries, almonds, banana.)

Another interesting dinner, as we went out for pizza with Matt's parents and our nephew. The garlic knots from St.Angelo's are a delicious combination of bread, garlic and Parmesan cheese. I seriously considered calling the Sugar Detox quits just for these. I had not had an urge to quit until this point. I managed to drink my water throughout dinner then eat when I got home. When we got home, I got a crazy chocolate craving. It was serious. I usually have a sweet tooth, but it's never chocolate. I went to sleep early instead to be completely rested for my long Saturday run.

Saturday
I originally planned to go run with a group from our church. Brewer didn't seem to like this and he had a nice surprise for Matt & I to clean up first thing this morning. Because of this, I ended up also sweeping/mopping the kitchen, and doing lots of laundry. I was about to get ready to head out for a run on the treadmill at the gym (I hate running outside solo) and my friend Kristen sent a text inquiring if I had run yet. Her timing couldn't have been more perfect. We decided to meet at The Silver Comet Trail to knock out my 6mi.

We ran intervals of 2:30:1 and I practically had to beg for all those interval walks. At the halfway point I paused my watch, Kristen said she had a surprise for me. We proceeded down this tiny paved trail through the trees and then I saw the old, abandoned mill. It was beautiful, the remaining stone walls and steal infrastructure. We took a wrong path back up to the trail, so we had to back track some so our total hike "break" was 33min. Instead of turning around, Kristen instructed there were water fountains close. After a quick drink we turned back and continued intervals. Since we didn't turn around at the halfway point, we got a nice cool down walk back to our cars & it was nice to have conversation without my huffing and puffing.

AB April
Somehow I managed to keep to the training plan but completely forgot Wednesday and Saturday "Improve Your Plank Workout" assignments. Good think I have another three and a half weeks left to April to continue to improve my planks.

I am really happy with this first week of my new training training plan and my success with the Sugar Detox. I would like to try to stay away from a lot of the sugars I gave up in this detox but I really must allow a bit occasionally, like some dark chocolate with sea salt and almonds (not to be specific or anything). This Sugar Detox and excluding processed foods made me realize how much I snack on Abigail's food throughout the day, no bueno!

Questions:

-Have you ever done a Sugar Detox? What did you like/not like about it?

-How did your week of training go? Is there a specific goal you are training for?

No More Fooling Around

One aspect I have enjoyed most about racing is I have continued to train without much downtime, until March.  The month started as I was still recovering from a virus and I decided it would be best to take it easy not wanting a relapse. I was also helping organize/run my MOPS group's bi-annual consignment sale from March 3-9; these weeks never seems to leave extra time for exercise. The week following consignment sale week is always a catch-up week for me, so again no runs or workouts. 

I really had no idea what to expect from myself going into the Georgia Publix Half Marathon on March 17th. After only running 2.83mi between The Princess Half and Georgia Publix Half, I still managed to set a new PR for myself. I know this is because I have trained a lot since my first Half Marathon on November 18th, and I was under trained going into that race. It's reassuring to know little slip ups in my training wont be too devastating BUT I wonder what I could have PR'd if I had continued better training.

This idea of better training has had been analyzing other bloggers training plans and researching different training options. I followed the Couch to 5K App training plan, then really just did my own thing beyond that.  I notice that when I get into one type of training, I have a really hard time adding in variety. I think the best plan for me would be to actually have a plan!

Why do I need a plan? Even though I have a 26.2 and 13.1 magnets on my car, I still consider myself a rookie in this sport. I only started the Couch to 5K training in June 2012. I have come a long way, but there is still lots to learn and I want to treat my body right. If I follow the right plan, I will achieve my goals without any overuse injury. 

What are my goals? Currently my 5K PR is 34:17 from the ATC Heart & Sole 5K on February 9th and my 13.1 PR is 02:36:17. I would like to sub-30min on a 5K (and maybe sub 28 for the Vinings Down Hill in August). I would like to sub-02:15 by October for optimal corral placement for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon. I also would like to be able to run an entire half marathon without walking intervals.

I have decided to try Another Mother Runner's Half-Marathon: Finish It Plan. This plan seems to be the best option for MY success. This training plan was written by two mothers, so there is flexibility throughout. On the actual training plan there are two icons, a coffee cup and a water bottle. The coffee cup is a "Bail if Necessary" option saying "If you need your usual running time to fill your empty fridge or take care of some other task, go for it.". Obviously the water bottle is the opposite, it "simply must be done in order to ensure success". I'll be following the first week as listed here below.

     Monday: Easy 3 miles with 4 strides; or XT (Bail if Necessary)

     Tuesday: 4-5 miles

     Wednesday: XT; or Rest

     Thursday: 3-4 miles

     Friday: 3 miles; or XT

     Saturday: Long Run: 6 miles

     Sunday: REST

The more I workout and exercise, the healthier food choices I make. When I slack on exercise, I end up making poor food choices. Since March was so minimal in the training department, I have noticed myself allowing more flavored coffee creamer than the suggested servings and splurging on candy around the house left over from Valentine's and Easter Egg Hunts. Last week I saw a friend ReTweet a Sugar Detox Challenge. I emailed the link to myself so I could read later and I didn't get around to reading it until our drive home from Florida last night. This challenge is being organized by Laura of MommyRunFast.com to help hold herself accountable and is offering prizes for those who participate. Again, this detox will only enhance my training so I'm giving it a go. 

Since I'm starting April out with a bang, I might as well restart my planks. Back in the fall I started planking daily, but like usual, something got me out of my routine and it was difficult restarting. Planking is also not easy when you have sore legs from running! Carissa, from Fit2Flex, tweeted last night a blog post about an "AB APRIL" Challenge to "improve your plank workout". Since the core is very important to running, I'm also going to incorporate this "AB April" Challenge to my training.

So now that all this training is actually "on paper", I hope it will help me with my training and to achieve my goals. I plan to use my scheduled REST on Sunday from training to recap this first week of April.

QUESTIONS:
-How do you decided on a training plan?
-Do you have any current goals you are working towards? This does not have to be fitness related!