Sunday, January 20, 2013

Week 4: Milestones & Christmas!

I thought I would be super sore on Monday following the WOD Warrior. I was pretty stiff/sore when I woke up, but as the day progressed I felt gradually better. The same thing went for Tuesday, I felt stiff when I first woke up, but by mid morning I was feeling pretty good. I had a lower mileage week on the schedule, which I was very thankful for. Recovery weeks are my favorite part of marathon training.

Monday: Easy 6 miles followed by 20 minutes of core work with a new plank PR! 6:18 is the new time to beat.

Tuesday: 20 minutes of easy spin + 20 minutes of core work followed by Farmgirlfit. FGF had a tough ladder workout that left me gasping for air, shaky arms & wobbly legs once it was over.

I bit the bullet and also registered for the Tri Cities 1/2 marathon in February. YIKES!

I also got some more quotes on getting my blog updated. It is going to be a lot more expensive then I was anticipating so I don't know when I will come up with the dinero to follow through with my vision. I have purchased www.healthydivaontherun.com so I am one step closer!

Wednesday: 6 miles easy w/10 pickups. All of my pickups were 2 minutes in length. I really pushed the pace on this workout and I am so glad that I did. It was my FIRST sub 8:00 min run since April! 6 miles at 7:52 pace. BOOM!

Followed run with 15 minutes of core.

Thursday: This day was like Christmas! I got my first Brooks ID order in the mail and I was beyond excited. So much fun new gear to train in!

Here is a glimpse of some of my new Brooks gear. My favorite is the purple Utopia Thermal Hoodie II with the matching Utopia Thermal Cozy Pant

FGF had a nice little 20 min AMRAP with max rep shoulder presses. Again, I really tried to push myself and stepped it up in this workout and used 55#s.

5 deadlifts
5 hang cleans
5 front squats
Max should press reps
10 ab mat set ups

My max shoulder press reps were 28 which was right on par with a lot of the women who completed level three with 55#s.

Friday: OFF

I registered for SeaWheeze!!!! I am so excited for this race. My co-worker ran it last year as her first 1/2 marathon and loved it. The entry fee seems steep, but you get a lot with it, including shorts with your registration fee. Last year she got shorts, flip flops and two finisher's shirts with her entry. The shorts alone are probably $50. I have never visited Vancouver, BC so I am sure that it will be a fun getaway. If you are going to SeaWheeze too, let me know!

I need to throw a plug in here for Mr. Healthy Diva. He has been doing AWESOME in his new job that he started over the summer. So awesome that we had to celebrate after work on Friday. I definitely indulged in the best hamburger I have ever had in my life: The Altamont.

Altamont... 8oz misty isle all natural beef, hand formed w/roasted garlic & smoked onion, pimento cheese, lettuce & tomato on house roll *10.50 house smoked bacon or country ham 2.00 fried egg or onion crisp 1.50

*It comes with Garlic Fries  & I added the onion crisp. AMAZING

Saturday: My schedule called for 6-7 miles (depending on how I felt) at MP (7:38). That would put me in the range of a 3:20 marathon. I decided after about a mile I would push to 7 miles because I was feeling pretty fantastic. The run couldn't have gone any better. The whole time I focused on some things that I Matt and I had discussed during the week: short strides, bringing my toes up, etc.  I felt like I could have kept running forever, everything felt great.

7 miles done at a 7:37 pace. 

Sunday: Active recovery day. I did an easy spin session for 60 minutes watching Biggest Loser on Hulu. Followed up with 22 minutes of core work. I took the advice from Carissa at Sole Sisters Running and incorporated "random abs" into my core work. It was a great addition! I completed the two rounds for today on top of my usual routine. It was a great workout, my abs were toast when I was finished.

I am now 17 weeks out from Windermere. It seems so.far.away....

Miles ran: 19 (I love "recovery" weeks- I wished that they could last longer)

Going into this next week, I am NERVOUS. My workouts are gradually getting harder. On Monday I have 1200 repeats (not an EASY 6 mile run), Wednesday I have a 30 minute threshold run (yikes, I might throw up!) and then on Saturday I have my longest run since the Eugene Marathon. 16 miles. Definitely have butterflies in my stomach......

Questions for you:
How was your week/weekend?
Did you race OR have a good workout?
Ever get nervous looking at your training schedule to see what the new week has in store for you?

--tasha


40 comments:

  1. You won't throw up. :) Busy schedule, but you'll be fine. I'm sure of it. I get nervous sometimes when I look at my schedule.
    -angie h

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    1. I know I probably won't throw up Angie, but you never know. Threshold runs terrify me! I will let you know how it goes. :-)

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  2. 6:18 plank PR! NICE!

    I was planning to do SeaWheeze last year for a girl trip!! It didn't workout but it looked so fun!!! So many of my relatives live in Vancouver!! It's beautiful there! Have a blast!

    Your post made me hungry!!

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    1. Thanks Jenn! I have been working on my plank since the end of October. It has taken a lot of practice to get where I am at.

      I am really excited to be running SeaWheeze. Are you thinking about registering for this year? Let me know if there are any "must see" things to do while we are there.

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  3. Awesome job! Speedy Gonzales ! ;) I got my haul today and was so excited! So funny how opposite out clothing choices Are due to climate :)

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    1. Thanks Kat!!! Your Brooks gear was probably the exact opposite of what I got. Haha. You are so lucky to live where it is warm right now. I am jealous!

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  4. Hot dog! READING your recovery week made me take a nap! I really appreciate how you push yourself - does it make you nervous? I'm using you as my inspiration to push myself even when I totally think I can't because more than likely my mind is simply getting in the way. Can't read about how you dominate that 16 miler! Oh and LOVE the clothes :)

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    1. Haha. It doesn't seem like I did much until I type it out and then once I see it in writing I wonder how I had time to sleep. It doesn't make me nervous to push myself, I love seeing how much better I can get by giving every workout 110%. I used to over do everything and that is a big reason why I decided to work with a coach. He tells me when to go hard and when to take it easy. If it weren't for him I would go hard every single day. I really think that you have a lot of untapped potential and that this will be your year Amy. Always dream big, you can do it!

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  5. WOW your plank PR is INSANE!! I can barely do a minute!! I gotta work on it.

    Your training sounds like it's going so well, love reading about it :)

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    1. Thanks Katherine! The plank has been a work in progress since the end of October. My goal is to break 8 minutes, but that seems like such a long time. I get bored with just a couple of minutes and holding it for 6 min seems like a lifetime!

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  6. Do I get nervous looking ahead? Yes, yes I do. Funny how if we take it one day at a time it's all so much more manageable.
    I'm glad you checked out Random Abs. You must have the most amazing abs considering all this work you do.
    I can't wait to follow along with your next week. Mine might involve crazy workouts like pushing my three year old in the jogging stroller for 11 miles. We'll see. :)

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    1. That is so true about how everything seems more manageable when we take it a day at a time. Seeing everything a week in advance seems so scary.

      I am loving random abs! I don't like my abs at the moment. I wish that I had more definition, but I am working on it. I am usually good with core work for a couple of weeks and then I slack. This is the first time I have been consistent now for several months.

      You are tough lady if you can push a 3 year old in a stroller for 11 miles. WOW!

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  7. i really feel like this is going to be your year all the way around in terms of fitness, You're doing a lot without overdoing it and it's making you so strong. I can't wait to see how this year progresses for you. Still jealous about sea wheeze, maybe someday.

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    1. Thanks Megan. I am really hoping that this year works out a bit better than last year. I don't want to jinx myself or anything, but I think I am off to a good start. :-)

      I really wish that you could do SeaWheeze too, but I understand. It is kind of expensive, but I heard that it was worth it from my co-worker. She is running it again this year too. There are a lot of people from Spokane going.

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  8. I would DIE to run SeaWeeze! It sounds so fun and I have never been to Vancouver. If it were something I thought I could swing financially I would totally try talking you into making it a fun girls weekend meet-up! Maybe it could somehow happen...

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    1. Christie that would be SO MUCH FUN!!!!! Keep me posted :-)

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  9. So jealous about seaweeze! I wish i lived on the west coast!! glad to hear your training is going well! And 16 miles is nothing - it's just four 4-milers, ya know? ;)

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    1. I am really excited about SeaWheeze. I have heard great things about the race from last year.

      It is funny you mentioned that 16 miles is just four 4 milers. I always break up my long runs into more manageable pieces. Makes the run go by faster for me.

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  10. Your training is going so well- congrats on the solid miles at marathon pace!! I love those recovery weeks, too. And WOW on that plank!!

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    1. Thanks Laura! I am determined to break 8 minutes in the plank this year :-)

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  11. Jealous of your Brooks apparel :) And I'm impressed with your week of workouts!

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    1. Thanks Nikki! I love everything about Brooks. I think they have the best workout clothes.

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  12. that burger sounds amazing!! i would love to do seawheeze but it's just too far for me. And, i've been to vancouver- it was AWESOME! i do wish i could go back someday though. i'm actually very nervous about this training cycle right now-trying to be patient with answers on my hip. i know you will kill yours!! so exciting!

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    1. The burger is amazing! I don't even really like hamburgers, but that is a burger I could eat all of the time. Adding the onion crisp on it made it 10x better too. You can never have too many onions or garlic. :-)

      I wish that SeaWheeze wasn't so far for you so that you could do it. I have heard so many great things about the race.

      I really hope that nothing is serious with your hip :/

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  13. Ooh! I love that heathery-purple color. Not sure if that's the right way to describe it, but hopefully you know what I mean!

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    1. I am not even a huge fan of purple and I love it!

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  14. Looks like gorgeous work out gear :-)

    That's exciting about the half marathon race - and that new plank record! Crazy time!

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    1. Thanks Kari! I am going to take better pictures of it and do little mini reviews on my new gear. It is on my list of things to do this week.

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  15. Wow. you are just doing SO well with running these days!! See how fat that injury is in your past?? Great run, Tasha!!!

    I got one order from Brooks, but nothing that cute!! The hoodie is adorable :) I have soem puregrit2's coming and a running hat and arm warmers. Can't wait for Christmas in January!

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    1. I keep hoping that the injury is behind me, but I don't want to jinx myself. I get way too uptight and nervous over the dumbest things sometimes. So far I feel pretty good and I am really happy with where my running is at given the circumstances.

      I love my Brooks arm warmers, I have two pairs. I was wondering what the difference was with the new "race day arm warmers" versus the other ones. I am assuming they aren't as thick?

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  16. Your plank pr is getting into the super badass level! Recovery weeks are nice. Seems like they don't come around very often sometimes. 17 weeks will be here before you know it!

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    1. Thanks Christy! I think that working on my plank has become addicting. I just got my new training paces last night which made Windermere seem even more real. I have a feeling 17 weeks will fly by. YIKES!

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  17. You tire me out just reading :) I'm loving that purple outfit!!

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  18. I can't believe how long you can hold a plank. IMPRESSED! And, jealous! LOL!

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    1. You can do it too Meagan! I personally think that planks are the best for core work. Combine them with other exercises and your abs are buring/screaming when you are done. Check out random abs too! I am obsessed.

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  19. You are snapping back like nobody's business! So great. You are really going to have a great marathon!

    And I'm in my 3rd week of CrossFit, so I'm starting to catch on to the lingo. After reading your WOD I was thankful that mine today was a 10-minute AMRAP!

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    1. I hope so Amanda, but I still don't want to jinx myself. I am pretty surprised at how much progress I have made in the last month. I think that Matt was smart to not have me do any hard workouts and just focus on some easy runs to build up some endurance. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my patience will pay off in May.

      I am excited that you are liking CF!!!! Isn't it the best workout? I have muscle definition that I never thought was possible!

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  20. I love that the purple is textured. Love your Brooks gear! SHORTS with a race entry? That's awesome!

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