This week has been a lot of just putting in the miles. It’s been rainy and cold all week so I’ve gotten a lot of use out of the treadmill. This is week 14 of an 18 week training plan and a cut back week sandwiched between two weeks with 20 mile long runs. I’m getting really close to the end of this journey now.
Day 94
It was another cold and wet morning so I ran my 5 mile, easy pace run and strides on the treadmill. I started a new comedy series called Schitt’s Creek that I stream on Hulu. There are several seasons so I’ll be able to use this show as my treadmill entertainment for a while. I don’t know if I would want to just sit on the couch and watch this show on its own. However, it’s absolutely perfect mindless humor while running on the treadmill. I watched three episodes in a row on my run.
I switched over to music for my 8 20-second strides. I felt speedy today so I increased the speed after each stride interval. Music today was 311 on a Spotify channel.
Day 95
I moved my schedule around because I did not want to run in the cold, rainy and dark morning today. I see it as not only really uncomfortable but also a safety concern. The last thing I need right now is to get sick or worse, get injured by twisting an ankle or something like that. So, I postponed my marathon pace run to tomorrow and did my cross training and strength workout today inside.
I rode my spin bike for about 30 minutes using iFit. Today, I rode through Yosemite to the Old Faithful Geyser. I’ve never been there in person but someday I would like to see at least some of the National Park.
After my ride I did an hour of runner’s strength and MOBO board exercises. I didn’t overdo it because I know I’ll now have two runs back-to-back and one of them is my long run. I’m looking at this schedule change as an opportunity to test my legs on Saturday by teaching them to run when they are already tired. Should be a helpful experience around mile 22 of the actual marathon.
Day 96
It was such a good idea to move this run from yesterday to today. The 8 miles flew by this morning and I was greeted by the most beautiful sunrise. It was foggy when I started and 44 degrees but it wasn’t raining, so I call that a win. I also felt very relaxed. Even though I was running my marathon pace, my heart rate was still low but my pace was faster than my goal by an average of 6 seconds per mile. Average cadence was 182, so pretty quick turnover for me.
I listened to my audiobook during this run instead of music. I’ve only got 30 minutes left of “Never Finished” by David Goggins. I guess it’s time to find a new book for weekday runs.
Day 97
Saturday long run day! I look so forward to my long run days so I was even more excited to get some sunshine finally. It was 52 degrees and sunny, so I ran at the bike path that runs along the beach. Since it’s a cut back week in my mileage, I ran 12 miles today.
It was a relaxing run and besides the sunshine, uneventful. No pain or discomfort during my run but that right hamstring is still tight when I finish running. It’s slowly getting better but I’m surprised at how long it’s taking to heal with all of the TLC that I give it.
Workouts
Day 94
- 5 mile run at conversational pace
- 8 strides (20 seconds each)
Day 95
- 30 minutes cross training on spin bike
- 1 hour runner’s strength workout and MOBO board
Day 96
- 8 mile run at marathon race pace
Day 97
- 12 mile run at conversational pace
Week recap
- 35 miles run
- 1 strength workout
- 1 cross training on spin bike