Week 5? Am I really in Week 5? I'm not sure if it's because I didn't post a training recap last week or what but how is it already Week 5?
Training is going fantastic. I really couldn't ask for much in terms of this training cycle. So far, everything just feels so right.
Ally and I are finally starting to talk travel plans now that the Madrid course map has finally been posted.
Let me tell you something, 42.2 kilometers looks a hell of a lot longer than 26.2 miles. This will also be the first marathon I'm running that doesn't have any loops or out and backs, it is a straight 26.2 mile run through the city of Madrid and that.is.awesome.
So yea, I haven't cross-trained in 2 weeks. Oops. 2 weeks ago, I wasn't feeling so hot on either of my cross-training days so I bailed. Last week, I just didn't get around to it. I have continued strength training and doing some ab work though so I'm not ruling it out completely and hey, I went to the worst yoga class ever yoga tonight so I haven't fallen off the band wagon completely.
Last week should have been a step back week, but since I've been eliminating my Friday runs, it was just a natural build up which is fine. I think I'm going to start adding the extra run in in another few weeks or so but we'll see how I'm feeling. So far, I've felt better than I've ever felt during a training cycle and I really think it's the strength training. My runs feel easy, I never feel sore the next day and I've felt really strong on all of my runs.
I've been looking over my training for MCM the last week and I've realized that I really just wasn't ready for MCM. My training cycle started when I was in India and those few runs I tried to get in while abroad were absolutely impossible. When I got back to the states, I was so jet lagged for a week that it was awhile before I actually started training meaning I was coming off of no running at all and jumping straight into a training cycle. The Staten Island Marathon...which should have been my dress rehearsal run was an absolute nightmare and really just destroyed my confidence. I was on pace for a sub-4 all the way until Mile 25 and I distinctly remember hitting the wall and thinking "This is Staten Island all over again." This time around, I'm much more prepared for my runs and I'm racing a lot less. I turned 2 half-marathons and 2 shorter distance races into long training runs last fall and I just can't do that this time. So far, the only race I have planned is Cowtown, which comes during a week that my training calls for a half-marathon. I think I'm going to be much better prepared for Madrid because of that.
So, here's what this training looks like:
Madrid Marathon Training: Week 5
Total Mileage Last Week: 25
Missed Workouts: 1 - 1 mile time trial
Trouble Spots: None
Planned Mileage This Week: 28
Monday: 4 easy miles
Tuesday: 7 mile hill workout + Yoga
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 4 miles with 2 miles at MGP
Friday: 13 mile run
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Strength and cross-train
Goals for this Week: Have fun!
Current Annoyances: The MTA's inefficiency
Things to Keep in Mind: Despite lackluster training for MCM, I still PRd by over 5 minutes and came within 2 minutes of my sub-4 goal. I can definitely run a sub-4 race in Madrid.
Training is going fantastic. I really couldn't ask for much in terms of this training cycle. So far, everything just feels so right.
Ally and I are finally starting to talk travel plans now that the Madrid course map has finally been posted.
Let me tell you something, 42.2 kilometers looks a hell of a lot longer than 26.2 miles. This will also be the first marathon I'm running that doesn't have any loops or out and backs, it is a straight 26.2 mile run through the city of Madrid and that.is.awesome.
 |
| I can't wait to run here! |
Last week should have been a step back week, but since I've been eliminating my Friday runs, it was just a natural build up which is fine. I think I'm going to start adding the extra run in in another few weeks or so but we'll see how I'm feeling. So far, I've felt better than I've ever felt during a training cycle and I really think it's the strength training. My runs feel easy, I never feel sore the next day and I've felt really strong on all of my runs.
I've been looking over my training for MCM the last week and I've realized that I really just wasn't ready for MCM. My training cycle started when I was in India and those few runs I tried to get in while abroad were absolutely impossible. When I got back to the states, I was so jet lagged for a week that it was awhile before I actually started training meaning I was coming off of no running at all and jumping straight into a training cycle. The Staten Island Marathon...which should have been my dress rehearsal run was an absolute nightmare and really just destroyed my confidence. I was on pace for a sub-4 all the way until Mile 25 and I distinctly remember hitting the wall and thinking "This is Staten Island all over again." This time around, I'm much more prepared for my runs and I'm racing a lot less. I turned 2 half-marathons and 2 shorter distance races into long training runs last fall and I just can't do that this time. So far, the only race I have planned is Cowtown, which comes during a week that my training calls for a half-marathon. I think I'm going to be much better prepared for Madrid because of that.
So, here's what this training looks like:
Madrid Marathon Training: Week 5
Total Mileage Last Week: 25
Missed Workouts: 1 - 1 mile time trial
Trouble Spots: None
Planned Mileage This Week: 28
Monday: 4 easy miles
Tuesday: 7 mile hill workout + Yoga
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 4 miles with 2 miles at MGP
Friday: 13 mile run
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Strength and cross-train
Goals for this Week: Have fun!
Current Annoyances: The MTA's inefficiency
Things to Keep in Mind: Despite lackluster training for MCM, I still PRd by over 5 minutes and came within 2 minutes of my sub-4 goal. I can definitely run a sub-4 race in Madrid.
So there we have it, longer runs and picking up the pace this week. The next three weeks bring me up to 16 miles before stepping back and running the Cowtown Half. I'm picking up the pace on my easy runs and adding in some goal pace runs while continuing to get my hill workouts in. I'm feeling good and strong and with 11 weeks to go, really excited!
That's awesome-- nothing like the beautiful city of Madrid to make those 26.2 miles fly by!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood job on your training!!! Ahh Madrid!! I'm jealous :)
ReplyDeleteYou are going to have such great time! Erica
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about kilometers is at the end of a marathon they come a lot more often :)
ReplyDeleteYAY! So glad to hear that you're having a great training so far, Christy! And awesome that the course is straight through the city. :)
ReplyDeleteomg you will LOVE point to point marathons. the only downside is that you dont get to cheer people on that are coming back by you, but i like picking people out in front of me and catching up/passing them :)
ReplyDeleteMadrid looks AMAZING! Keep up the awesome work, Christy! You are kicking butt!
ReplyDelete