Marshmallow Training - 22 Weeks to Go

Sunday
Planned: 7 Miles Long run
Actual: 7.5 miles on the track.  I got to the gym as it was opening.  I'd been up for a while scraping the snow off my car thought.
From today, I learned: I am captain grumpy pants. No, seriously, this was kind of a slow run becuase I was in a bad mood from the snow, the people, and mostly the food smells coming from below the track.  I learned I should not run in a bad mood.

Monday
Planned: 4 Miles: 1 mile warm up 15x 30 seconds fast, 30 seconds recovery, i.e. pick up the pace for 30 seconds, recovery for 30- do what feels like a moderately hard pace for the 30 seconds on, 15 sets.  1 mile cool-down.
Monday weights
Monday Abs
Actual: Speed Run outside.  4.3 miles
Monday weights (which used to be Sunday weights)
Monday abs done. 
From today, I learned: I was 'faster' than I expected on the fast parts so that was a nice surprise.  The Xero Prio is a nice shoe, but it is not a good snow running shoe.

Tuesday
Planned: 1 Miles run
Actual: 1 Mile outside in the neighborhood
From today, I learned: The Altras are MUCH better in the snow than the Xeros.  The lugs are much nubbier, and more grippy.

Wednesday
Planned: 4 Miles easy.
Wednesday weights
Actual: 4.5 miles, or so.  (It's hard to say because my Garmin got a little lost at the start and end of the run).  Avg HR 141.  Avg Pace 13:53.
Wednesday Weights (back squats; bench press; barbell rows).
From today, I learned: I need to very slightly increase my back squat weight next week.  Up to 85lbs for at least one set. 

Thursday
Planned: 3 Miles Easy
Actual: 3.22 miles around Lake Nokomis.  You may call me 'Captain Grumpy Pants'.  It's 7:30pm now and I just got finished with actual work, so this was a nice break in my day.
5 minutes 'finisher' of squats, side toe touches, leg raises, calf raises.
From today, I learned: Don't run in a bad mood, it raises my heart rate.  I knew this already.  Also, I took my own advice and wore my Altras.  No slippy on the run. 

Friday
Planned: 3 Miles Easy
Friday weights
Actual:
Run 3 miles easy on the track.  Not actually as grumpy as I have been.  This run helped me feel a bit better.
Friday weights, except I did not do assisted pull ups.  I had a 'Runch' and I just didn't have the extra 10 minutes. I legit feel guilty about this.
From today, I learned: Focus on cadence.  Even on slow runs.  It helps the form. 

Saturday
Planned: 3 Miles Easy
Actual: 3 Miles at Lake Nokomis.  Nice and easy. 13:54 avg pace for the running part, but it felt so much better than some other days this week.
From today, I learned: Nice and easy on the warm up means nice and easy on the run.  

TC 10 Mile - 3 Weeks to Go

Sunday
Planned: Long Run
Actual: 12.65 miles.  This was a rough run.  I kept the heart rate in check mostly but it was slower than I wanted.  Perhaps I couldn't made better decisions last night regarding nutrition and fluid intake?

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: 3.02 miles, little neighborhood hill route.  Apparently the bad decisions regarding nutrition and fluid continue.  I meant to do a longer

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run, lift weights
Actual: 3.73 miles, Avg HR 138.  15 mins elliptical.  TRX/Kettlebell class. I got started a bit late because work was trying to win today, so I didn't spend as much time on the elliptical as normal.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.22 miles.

Thursday
Planned: 6-10 miles.  (I used to make this 8-10 miles and that seemed to be setting myself up for failure.)
Actual: Laid in bed instead of running.  Eventually did 1.23 miles.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.21 miles run, 3.5 miles walk with a friend.

Saturday
Planned: Constant speed 20 mins, 5 recover; 15 mins, 4 recover; 10 mins
Actual: 20 mins at 10:37 pace (this was a mistake); 15 mins at 11:12 pace; 10 mins at 11:25 pace including that massive hill at the end.  I ran the first 20 mins by feel.  Mistake because I took it out way too fast, and it made it hard to hold the pace at the end.  All valuable lessons for race day.

TC 10 Mile - 4 Weeks to Go

This is a Step Back Week.  It was perfectly timed to coincide with my parents visit.  I am so glad I didn't have to fit in a long run while they were here.

Sunday
Planned: Low mileage, low HR
Actual: 4.15 miles, Avg HR 133 (though honestly the HR was all over the place).  Bonus walk around Lake Harriet with the parents.

Monday
Planned: Low mileage, low HR
Actual: 4.15 miles with a friend.  This was a speedier run than I had planned, but I loved the company.  Zumba in the evening with Mom.

Tuesday
Planned: Low HR run, lift weights
Actual: 1.21 miles running, Avg HR 134.  60 mins elliptical.  TRX/Kettlebell class.  Foam roll. The trainer introduced the rowing machine today.  It was much harder the way she does it than the way I'd been doing it.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.21 miles, Avg HR 132.  I just ran a 12:45 mile with a heart rate below 140! 

Thursday
Planned: 6+ miles
Actual: 4.12 miles.  So many excuses in my head for doing a short run.  But really, it was a good run and I'm okay with it.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.2 miles run.  Bonus walk at Palmer Lake with a friend. We saw a turtle and called it our spirit animal.

Saturday
Planned: Constant speed 3x10 Mins, 4 mins recovery
Actual: Completed.  Laps were at 10:56, 10:59 and 10:52.  I found myself liking this workout a lot.  Bonus walk at Lake Calhoun with a friend.  Today we saw an Eagle and said that was our spirit animal.

TC 10 Mile - 7 Weeks to Go

Sunday
Planned: Long Run Hill Run
Actual: 7.95 miles, all the hills Cincinnati has to offer.  I don't have a 10-12 mile route in Cincinnati  and it seemed silly not to take advantage of the hills, so I swapped long day with hill day this week.

Monday
Planned: Hill Run  Long Run
Actual: 11.2 miles on the Minnetonka LRT trail.  This was not my favorite run ever, but I was happy to get out and visit this trail.

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run, lift weights
Actual: 6.14 miles, Avg HR 133.  TRX/Kettlebell class.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile easy
Actual: 1.21 miles, 8 minute abs.

Thursday
Planned; 8-10 miles, Z3  Run by feel
Actual: 8.01 miles.  Run by feel worked really well.  For the main set Avg HR of 145. Go me!  Quick finisher of 10xsquats, lunges, calf raises, single leg dead lifts.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile easy
Actual: 1.23 miles in the morning before work

Saturday
Planned: Constant speed 2x 20 mins, 5 mins recover
Actual: Set 1 in 11:03/mile,  Set 2 in 11:31/mile.  This was not a good run.  First, I was wearing shorts that ride up like no other and I was wicked uncomfortable.  Second, I started out Set 1 waaaay too fast and paid the price.  I guess that's a good lesson for race day.  I don't know why I have to keep learning it over and over and over this year. 

TC 10 Miler - 8 Weeks to Go

Step Back Week, also vacation week

Sunday
Planned: 1-4 miles easy
Actual: 4.09 miles before vacation started

Monday
Planned: 1-4 miles easy
Actual: 2.05 miles, flat as I could make them which is not very flat.

Tuesday
Planned: 1-4 miles easy, lift weights if I can find them where I am
Actual: 4.72 miles, more hills.  No weights.

Wednesday
Planned: 1-4 miles easy
Actual: 1.32 miles in the pouring rain.  My shoes were wet for two days.

Thursday
Planned: 5-8 miles
Actual: 6.5 miles, hills.  This was a better run than the day before.

Friday
Planned: 1-4 miles easy
Actual: 2.04 miles, easy.

Saturday
Planned: Constant speed 2x15 mins, 5 mins recovery
Actual: Completed.  1st set 10:57 avg pace.  2nd set 11:18 avg pace.  I was a little disappointed in the second set.  I thought I should've been faster, even though it was mostly up hill.  I didn't have the workout programmed into my watch properly, so it wasn't beeping at me when I was going to slow. Sigh.

TC 10 Miler - 9 Weeks to Go

Sunday
Planned: 12-14 miles
Actual: 12.65 miles, post-run foam roll.

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: 7.15 miles at Baker Park Reserve (hill running on a paved trail).  I ended this run by jumping in a lake and I think it's the best thing I ever did.

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run, lift weights
Actual: 2.25 miles on the treadmill, Avg HR 135.  60 mins on the elliptical.  TRX/Kettlebell class.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.22 miles run.  8 minute abs.  My arms are sore from yesterday. 

Thursday
Planned: 8-10 miles, aim for Z3 I'm cringing as I write this
Actual:  7.95 miles.  Watch me be okay with that last 0.05. 9 minutes abs with a friend at the end.  I did not focus on heart rate.  I let myself go on Monday, and was happy with that effort.  And it was 82* and 80% humidity when I was running, which always skews the heart rate anyways. Despite all that, the run felt great. 

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.22 miles, bonus 2 mile walk with friends at lunch

Saturday
Planned: Constant Speed 2x10mins, 5 mins recovery
Actual: Completed, "speed" sections were 10:56 and 10:49 pace.  I am still totally intimidated by these runs and I can't imagine running 10 miles at this pace.  But when I'm out actually doing it, it feels kind of good.  As a bonus I caught the last 20 minutes of Zumba.

TC 10 Mile - 10 Weeks to go

10 Weeks 'till race day

Sunday
Planned: 10-12 miles
Actual: 11.63 miles at Ft Snelling.  At 5am. Bonus walk around Lake Harriet with Olive later in the day.

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: 6.6 miles on the Lyndale/50th hill route.

Tuesday
Plan: Low heart rate run + lift weights
Actual: 60 mins elliptical (because that's always good for low heart rate); 2.2 treadmill miles Avg HR 132; TRX/Kettlebell class.

Wednesday
Plan: 1 mile
Actual: 1.21 miles, 8 minute abs

Thursday
Plan: 8-10 miles
Actual: 4.8 miles on treadmill, 48 mins on the elliptical.  16 mins foam rolling.  Even though this isn't 8 straight miles of running, I'm quite happy with this work out.  The treadmill portion went much better (faster, lower heart rate) than expected and it was quite a confidence builder.  Treadmills at the gym can only be programmed for 1 hour, so after that I switched to the elliptical.

Friday
Plan: 1 mile
Actual: 1.05 miles, and I did not poop my pants but it was a close thing,  I'm calling that a win.

Saturday
Plan: Hills - 2x6 mins.  Or backup is 3x 7mins speed, 4 mins recovery
Actual: 3x 7 mins speed, 4 mins recovery.  Speed laps were 10:51, 10:50 and 10:46.  I'm confused about how I'm going to be able to keep up that pace for 10 miles though.  After the run I did Zumba and some foam rolling.

TCM 10 Miler - 11 weeks to go

Sunday
Planned: 10-12 miles running
Actual: 10.18 miles, going very slow and very hot.  Finisher of 8 minute abs.  I did not go back to sleep after this run, so that's different from yesterday.

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: 7.15 miles on paved trails at Baker Park Reserve.  This course is all the hills.  8 Minute Abs.

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run + lift weights
Actual: 3.25 miles, Avg HR 129.  60 mins elliptical.  TRX/Kettlebell class.  And then some foam rolling to wash it all down.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual: 1.3 miles on the treadmill, 8 minute abs

Thursday
Planned: 8-10 miles
Actual: 8 miles, Avg HR 139.  This was a solid run and I felt great.  Stretching/abs/etc were interrupted.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual: 1.9 miles at the Anoka Preserve becuase it was the most gorgeous day ever and I had the right shoes for it!

Saturday
Planned: Speed workout: 3x7 mins, 4 mins recovery for each set
Actual: Speed workout complete.  I'm thinking maybe I need to have a faster pace goal for the race.  Everything I've read about speed work basically says at this stage of training I should feel like I'm dying.  I didn't feel like I was dying but I didn't think that was a pace I could've held for 10 miles either.  Paces were 10:38, 10:54, and 11:18.  (11:18 was up a wicked hill that I hate.)

Running With Discipline - Not running with discipline

These two weeks are 'down weeks' with very few training goals attached.  My self-imposed week off from running after Red White and Boom is over.  I want to use the next two weeks to ease back into things a bit before 10-mile training really starts.

Week 1 - Goal mileage: 20 
Actual - 14.4 miles run, 6.3 miles walked, 5.3 'miles' elliptical

Sunday
Planned: At least 1 mile
Actual: Run 1.24 miles, Avg HR 130.  Walk around Lake Harriet with Olive.

Monday
Planned: At least 1 mile
Actual: 1.23 miles Avg HR 122.    After the run I thought I'd try something new and give a Barre Workout a try.  I got a solid 8 minutes into the video before I was all "well, my next goal will be to make it for 1 full round of exercises".  Later I did  Yoga Before Bed.

Tuesday
Planned: At least 1 mile, low heart rate.  Lift weights.
Actual: 3.35 miles on the treadmill (because air conditioning) Avg HR 134 not including w/u and c/d; 65 minutes on the elliptical, TRX/Kettle-bell class.  Foam rolling.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate
Actual: 2.2 miles, Avg HR 136, on the treadmill because 20mph winds were not my thing today.   8 Minute Abs and Evening Yoga.  Originally I had grand plans for a longer and more challenging yoga routine, but I just wasn't feeling it when the time rolled around.

Thursday:
Planned: 4 miles
Actual: 4 miles on the track, Avg HR 139.  Today I learned my fancy new gym bag is too big for the lockers at the midtown gym.  Except it does fit in the lockers in the all gender locker room. So I got to try something new today.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual: 1.21 miles, Avg HR 123.  Bonus walk at Palmer Lake with a friend.

Saturday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual: 1.17 miles, Avg HR 132.  60 mins Zumba no one was more surprised than me that I was awake for this, and Evening Yoga to cap it all off.

Week 2 - Goal Mileage 25
Actual - 24.9. I'm calling it good.

Sunday
Planned: 1-4 miles
Actual: 4.16 miles Avg HR 138 (not including w/u and c/d)

Monday
Planned: Short distance, low HR
Actual: 3 miles of my heart rate being way too high.  I felt like crap.  Thanks hormones.

Tuesday:
Planned: Low HR run, lift weights
Actual: 1.23 miles run, no lifting.  I felt like garbage and decided to take it easy.  Recovery is recovery.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.23 miles run.

Thursday
Planned: 6-10 miles
Actual: 6 miles track workout.  I was mostly a grump.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 4.07 miles with a finisher.  I got up at 5am.  It was already 74* and over 70% humidity.  It was [not] a great run.

Saturday
Planned: Speed work or 4 miles.  Maybe Zumba?
Actual: 5.3 miles.  At 5am.  In 74* and 90% humidity.  When I got home, I went back to bed.

Running with Discipline - Race Week

Race and Recovery

Sunday
Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 1.23 miles, Avg HR 138.  Yoga for hips.  Downward dog is hard for me.  Sigh.

Monday
Planned: TCM Red White and Boom Half Marathon
Actual: Red White and Boom: Mission Accomplished.  When I got home I did a nice long foam rolling session.

Tuesday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate, lift weights
Actual: 1.23 miles, Avg HR 129.  I tried this video but when I got to the part where she was all "we'll stay in child's pose for five minutes or so" I changed my mind.   Instead I did 15 minutes of Yoga after a crazy day of work.    Came to my senses and did not lift weights.  Recovery is recovery.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate
Actual: 1.23 miles, Avg HR 126, stretching

Thursday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate
Actual: 1.24 miles, Avg HR 129.  Yoga for Runners. 

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate
Actual: 1.25 miles, Avg HR 126.  Yoga for Runners. Bonus 3 mile walk around Palmer Lake with a friend.

Saturday
Planned: 1 mile run, low heart rate
Actual: 1.22 miles, Avg HR 137, Bedtime Yoga. 

Thoughts:
We're 9 days into July and I've already done as much stretching as I did the whole month of June.  Recovery is recovery. 

Thoughts on Running with Discipline

Or we could call this "thoughts on actually using a plan"

A while ago I read this post. One of the things the writer mentions specifically is doing the same workouts or the same kinds or workouts on the same day of the week.  It really stuck with me.  After the slight catastrophe that was Lola's I decided training with an actual plan might be a good idea, and I'd give it a try in the four weeks leading up to Red White and Boom.   (Recaps: week 1, week 2, week 3: step back and week 4: taper.)

Basic plan:
Sunday: Long run
Monday: Hills or Trails
Tuesday: Low heart rate run + lift weights (usually lifting is TRX/Kettlebell classes)
Wednesday: 1 mile run (not a full rest day because the running streak is also important)
Thursday: Semi-long run/tempo run.  This seems to be the day of the week I care less about heart rate.
Friday: 1 mile run
Saturday: Speed work
Step back weeks: (every fourth week) cut the mileage on Sunday and Thursday and turned Monday into an easy run.

What I Liked:
Workouts the day after the long run: Running hills the day after the long run was a stupid training move and I hate myself for it.  Running hills the day after the long run was a great training move and I think it made me a lot stronger.   It's also taught me some discipline because getting started on some of those workouts was really hard.
Plans: Having a specific training plan is a good idea.  I could see how long runs and speed workouts were progressing, even just over 4 weeks.
Specific workouts: Having specific goals for each workout is also a good idea.  I'd always used this training plan or adapted it for half marathon training.  Thinking about speed or heart rate or hills or trails for each workout gave me much more focus than just worrying about miles/day and miles/week.

What I'd Like to Add: 
Lifting: I always want to add another day of weight lifting or similar.  It feels like it should be added on Friday.  My body says yes, but my brain is all WTF.  That would be ridiculous.
Stretch/yoga/other: I don't have any days specifically for stretching, yoga, or some other kind of work.  I think Wednesday or Friday could be used for that purpose but I haven't figured how to work it out yet. I can do yoga on a rest day.  Right?

What I'm looking forward to:
Hills or Trails: Hills/trails Monday needs to stay part of the training plan, as hard as it is for me to get off my butt on Mondays.
New running spots: I  have fallen in love with Baker Park Reserve.  I would never have predicted that.
Speed: I found a speed progression for half marathon training.  I'm going to use it even though my next race is a 10-miler. Speed work officially starts in two weeks. 
Distance: I will try to keep my long runs over 10 miles, and my semi-long runs 8-10 miles.  I ran one or two runs over half marathon distance in this training cycle and was very glad I did.  It helped my endurance at the end of RWB a lot.

Running with Discipline - Week 4

1 Week to Red White and Boom

Sunday
Planned: 12 mile run
Actual: 11.6 mile run at Ft Snelling,  Pilates video, and Yoga to finish up.

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: 6.6 miles including the Lyndale/50th Street hill, 8 minute abs

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run + weight lifting
Actual: 3.6 miles, Avg HR 139, 12 mins elliptical, TRX/Kettlebell class
I got started late because of a long day at work which led to a very short elliptical session.  For the run, the heart rate was on the high side.  It was humid and I was grumpy about running in construction zones.  TRX kicked my butt. 

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.2 miles, Avg HR 130.  8 Minute Abs. 

Thursday
Planned: 1-4 miles
Actual: 4.16 miles, Avg HR 151 not including w/u and c/d.  I really wanted to move.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.22 miles, Avg HR 127, 8 Minute Abs and Morning Yoga Flow.  The yoga was hard and I was sweating by the end.  I don't do many videos with all those downward dogs. 

Saturday
Planned: 1-4 miles
Actual: 1.23 miles, 20 minutes foam rolling. 

Running with Discipline - Week 3

3 Weeks to Red White and Boom Two weeks to Red White and Boom: Step back week

Sunday
Planned: short distance, nice and easy
Actual: 2 miles, Avg HR 138 (this was an inside run but the A/C was a bit on the fritz so I was hot), 8 minute abs

Monday
Planned: short distance, nice and easy
Actual: 3.55 miles, Avg HR 133

Tuesday
Planned: low heart rate run + weight lifting
Actual: 6 mile run, Avg HR 133 yes, for 6 miles, serious; 15 minute kettle bells, 15 minutes rowing machine

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.25 miles,Avg HR 131, Foam Rolling and Yoga video.  

Thursday
Planned:  6-10 mile run + weight lifting (?)
Actual: 7.3 mile run, 10 mins foam rolling, and caught the last few minutes of a friends spin class. I don't know why I thought I'd ever lift weights on a Thursday. 

Friday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.22 miles, Avg HR 122 this was not a fast run

Saturday
Planned: nice and easy or speed workout + zumba
Actual: 4 miles, 2:00 fast every half mile.  82* at the start, 88* at the finish.  Hot.  No Zumba because I slept in instead.  Sigh. 

Running with Discipline - week 2

4 Weeks to Red White and Boom

Sunday
Planned: Long run, 14 miles
Actual: 13.81 Miles and a finisher

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: Hills by my house, 5.25 miles.  Avg HR 140 (That seemed low to me.)  Already I'm thinking why did I put hill day after long run day?  That was silly.

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run, weight lifting
Actual: 3.15 miles (treadmill), Avg HR 136, 45 mins on the elliptical, 60 mins TRX/Kettle Bell class

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual 1.23 miles, Avg HR 132 

Thursday
Planned: 10 miles or so
Actual: 8.45 miles of not the best run ever.

Friday
Planned: 1 mile
Actual: 1.25 miles running.  20 mins foam roll.

Saturday
Planned: some kind of speed work
Actual: Track workout (inside in the a/c) 1 mile warm up, 1/2 lap fast, 1/2 slow - for a total of one mile, 1 mile cool down

Running with Discipline - Week 1

5 Weeks to Red White and Boom
Sunday
Planned: Normally this will be long run day. 
Actual: 1 mile run.  I raced a half marathon yesterday.  The answer was no.

Monday
Planned: Hills or trails
Actual: Hills: 6.9 miles at Baker Park Reserve.

Tuesday
Planned: Low heart rate run, weight lifting
Actual: 3.5 miles, average HR 132.  55 mins on the elliptical. 60 mins TRX/Kettlebell class

Wednesday
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.2 miles at Lake Independence and 8 minute Abs. Baker Park Reserve is fast becoming my favorite place ever this summer.

Thursday
Planned: 14 miles (making up for Sunday)
Actual: 12.4 miles, long run. I learned today that I need better indoor options for long runs because this was silly. 

Friday:
Planned: 1 mile run
Actual: 1.2 miles, 8 minute abs.  I did this at 6am.  It was already over 70* and super humid. 

Saturday:
Planned: Speed work of some kind
Actual: 4 miles, with 6x1 min tempo.  8 minute abs