1 Week Until A1A Half
M: 8.5 mi with J + J (run group friends) @ 9:10/mi average
T: 12.5 mi workout which included 8 x 1 mi @ “half marathon pace minus 20 seconds”, with 2 min jog recoveries between each. I was aiming for 7:30 and ended up with: 7:06 (wayyyy too fast and unsustainable), 7:15 (same), 7:33 (that’s more like it), 7:27, 7:31, 7:42, 7:32, 7:29. I guess I was VERY excited when I started this workout and wasn’t sure what a 7:30 pace would feel like. Super happy with it overall and it definitely gave me confidence. Wore AlphaFlys (same ones I will wear for race) and it was mid-50s weather!
(I did this workout from 5:15 AM – 7 AM, in case anyone is curious how 12.5 miles fits in on a Tuesday . . .).
W: 8 mi with friends, 8:59/mi average
R: 9 mi @ 9:38/mi while listening to lots of trials recaps; 20 min strength for runners
F: 7 mi @ 9:28/mi
S: 13.66 mi (I know, random – was aiming for 13 but miscalculated my route home) @ 8:41/mi ave. Started around ~9:00 pace and finished at ~8:18, ran it fairly relaxed (and no super shoes 🙂 ).
S: Strength for runners only
TOTAL: 58 mi / strength (gentle strength) x 2 (de-emphasizing strength this week and next week in prep for race coming up)
I have definitely found some new speed in these past couple of months and I am happy about it. I can’t tell how much of it is the weather, but I am hoping some of it is increased fitness. Things I have done that maybe helped: started taking a multivitamin, focused more on getting protein, stopped hormonal birth control (August; this ended my years-long struggle with post-run migraines abruptly). I really feel like I’ve only just started speedwork so hopefully there is still improvement up ahead.
It has been another great weather week here. Unfortunately it does not look the race will be anything like this. THE FORECAST:
Reading Report:
Still reading Peak Mind by Amishi Jha, pages 120 – 212
Finished Wellness by Nathan Hill (and LOVED IT)
Read 2/3 (~200 pages) of Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting (for upcoming book club)
Yearly totals finished so far: 3 nonfiction / 3 fiction = 6 total
6 Comments
I wish the cool weather was sticking around for your race but running in cloudy weather will be better than sunshine. I can’t wait to see how you do. You are in such great shape!
I wasn’t sure if I would read Wellness but after seeing how much you loved it I plan to read it. Right now I am reading ‘The Whispers.’ It’s by the author of ‘The Push’ which I read and loved a couple of years ago. The author writes about the complexities of motherhood so very well. They are total page turners which is nice as my reading has been pretty ‘meh’ so far this year.
I’m 100% sure you have built a lot of fitness. It’s just frustrating how it feels you’re (I’m) stuck in the same place forever, but then all of a sudden you have a big breakthrough. I bet you are going to surprise yourself next week even if the weather isn’t great. You’ve been putting in the work!
I’m so impressed by your speed. I’m sure it’s more than the weather! I’m going to China in march to experience decent weather condition, will see if all the miles pays off.
Did Drew give you a target pace for the race?
i suggested 7:50 and he said he thought that would be my slowest mile . . . however i don’t know that he was thinking about heat. think i’m going to aim for ~7:50 and see what shakes out.
I’m so eager to read Wellness!
Congrats on your running successes! We were in the Orlando area last week and it was chillier than expected but we weren’t sad about it! Enjoy whatever cooler weather you can get!