You know those blog posts you struggle to write. Yeah this is one of them…don’t know why or if I should even care entirely. So motivate me to blog…I guess. I’m sitting here while my parents shower and get ready for the day writing it (they visited me and it was a lot of fun). I really enjoyed getting away from work, gym, and schooling to hang out with my parents. I added some grumpy cat memes…just for good measure.
You should know by now (because I mention it every post I can how close I am with them). This week was optimal for running, not optimal for core training (I was pretty tired from running) and not optimal for cross training. We can’t win every battle I guess.
I can say, however, my body is certainly feeling the effects of an 80 mile week-especially my first 20+ mile day EVER and then three days later a 17 miles.
| Monday: | Nike Training core | 10.15 Easy treadmill |
| Tuesday: | 50 crunches | AM: 10.2 treadmill easy |
| PM: 10.5 tempo outdoors | ||
| Wednesday: | 50 crunches | OFF |
| Thursday: | 50 crunches | PM: 10.52 (8:33) treadmill |
| Friday: | 50 crunches | AM: 11.43 (8:18) treadmill |
| PM: 5.65 Shakeout run outdoors | ||
| Saturday: | 50 crunches | 10.6 miles with dad easy outdoors |
| Sunday | 50 crunches | 11 miles with dad easy (treadmill) |
| Total: | 80 miles total |
I’ll go into detail about my 20 mile day since it was most important. I wanted to do a somewhat tempo run in the pm because I would be near my favorite park so I decided instead of easy, I’d attempt to go a little faster. It was very very windy. (around 40 mph winds in some spots…the park is on a lake) but I did get the run in. My miles going into the wind were about 8:00 minutes and going with the wind were around 7:30. I think it was a success for me personally. I haven’t really done much speed since coming back from my injury and I don’t plan to start until the weather gets warmer. Some may do speed on a treadmill…I’m not some.
The rest of my miles were pretty easy and volume miles I’d say. But in reality that is how I feel when people whine about running.
Where does this take me for next week? Well, I don’t really plan to taper for the Lake Effect Half Marathon in the snow and ice next weekend. If you know this is one of the most cold, miserable half marathons in the country. Think windy and unenjoyable only doing this for the medal ..but really I needed a race to look forward to I haven’t raced since early January. (My big race is the Nike Women’s half in April). So I’ll just continue running and hopefully have another 70+ mile week.
Question for you:
Best workout of the week?
Highest mileage day ever?
I think we’ve talked about this before but I’m super close with my parents too (if you couldn’t tell from my blog…) so I completely understand how a weekend spent with them is exactly what you are needing or wanting right now. I think it’s great that you’re able to run with your dad. I wish my parents still ran… it’s nice to be able to do that together!
Also, major props on that 20 mile day. I’m sure it made it seem not so bad doing half on a treadmill and half outside by a park that you love but that wind must have been absolutely brutal!
I didn’t find either segment bad at all. 🙂 I have come to terms with enjoying the treadmill.
gosh reading about that race makes me cringe, wind is like my nemesis. it totally defeats me mentally so I am happy you are so proud of that run you did with the wind. Speed work in wind is like the devil so way to kick it. I can’t believe your week but boy am I impressed. I am glad you have a weekend with your family to top it off.
Highest mileage ever = 8 miles. And that was…about a year and a half ago? When it comes to long distances, I feel like that second grumpy cat meme a lot of the time :-p
Dang, you’ve been running your butt off! I guess technically my highest mileage day ever was my marathon, but in training, I’ve only ever done 20 milers as part of marathon training. My mileage has peaked out at around 60 mpw. Good luck with your upcoming week of training and your half. It sounds like you’re definitely going to have to earn that medal, but you’ll have earned it.
80 miles is a lot! You go girl. I have no desire to get there, so I won’t, I think grumpy kitty would support that. I can’t imagine running the half on ice and snow. Good luck, please don’t break yourself!!
LOL, I love your thought process Jade! Have a great day.
Look at you go, girl! 20 miles in one day — sounds like you’re going to be reaching marathon distances soon! hahaha 😉
26.2 when I’m 26.2…so that is a September marathon in 2016. 😉
I’m really close with my parents too. During college, they’d come to visit me probably once a month for a day; it worked out nicely since my school was only 1.5 hours from home. Even just spending an afternoon with them always lifts my spirits. Your mileage and paces totally blow me away, and I’m excited to see how your training and hard work pays off this weekend–tundra races for the win! 🙂
So cool your parents came to visit you! Not to mention your dad runs, too. 🙂
Congrats on a 80 miles week! PHew! Don’t think I could get myself to run that far 1) becasue my own 40 mile weeks are exhausting! and 2) I hate treadmills! Haha you go girly! 🙂 Best of luck in your training and fighting the wind! Careful with tall that ice!
When I read the title of your post, I was thinking, “Oh my gosh, she’s training for a race that’s 80 miles long? — I don’t even like to drive that far!” Clearly, I’m behind :).
oh my stars no. The longest race I am doing is a half marathon…no plans to even do a marathon. 🙂
Haha, okay. In the blog world, you just never know ;).
I’m glad you had a great time with your parents!
My friend is running the Lake Effect half next weekend too, it will be her first half. We ran with her today during our 12 miler and it was probably the best workout this week. Yesterday sucked, but I got it done, so it was nice to have a good run today.
AWE, good luck to her. You should come watch 😉
I honestly don’t blame you not to taper because it isn’t a key race, it’s more of a fun race and I don’t really taper unless I’m trying to PR. I do run at 100% anytime I race but I consider a lot of races training for future runs or to figure out a pace, you know?
You had one amazing week of running despite all the cold. Glad you’ve got the discipline to run on the treadmill though.
Thanks Amy. It really isn’t too bad though once you can actually motivate yourself to get on it. I just wish I had some friends to run with or something.
I really admire how you train so hard without a team, run club, etc. I know you have the online support system, but still… it is tough when it’s just you day in and day out.
Wow. Epic mileage. No wonder you’re feeling it! I’with Amy about enjoying a fun race without tapering. Good luck though; I know you’ve been keen to race. Keep warm…ish.
My highest mileage was a marathon, but I’ve done more on the bike (totally doesn’t count ;-)).
I think that should be the primary goal…to stay warm.
holy mothafucking shit those are some miles!!! I have never run more than 65 in a week and never more than 18 in one day so MAD PROPS. Agreed as usually with the easy miles – you can’t really do high volume AND lots of speed at the same time, gotta pick. Seems like you’re getting to be right back where you were post cyst/fracture injury this past fall, I bet that feels AWESOME!
Wam Bam Thank-you ma’am. I’d like to hope I’m getting back there. 😉
Longest run ever = a marathon last November… the only real preparation I did (outside of normal ~40-50 mile week training) was one 20 mile long run. Running for that long is something I have no desire to do more than once or twice a year.
I totally understand that. I have no desire to run a marathon at all…
My highest mileage day ever was my marathon yesterday. I had also been training (though obviously much lower in weekly mileage, holy crap you dedicate SO much time to running) for the arctic tundra, and I’m glad I did. Breathing on the hills would have been hard in the summer, but add in the 1F temps and -12F wind, I was puffing. Your long slow miles will help for your half in the cold for sure. Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you (even if it isn’t a focus and untapered, I always enjoy reading your recaps).
yay for visits from the parents. too bad money doesn’t grow on trees so my parents could hop on a plane whenever they wanted to visit… damn you mother nature for letting me down.
I love how close you are with your parents. Aren’t weekends in a hotel with them just awesome 😀 Also you ran on the treadmill with your dad! I love that girl! I cannot imagine running in 40 mph winds! I think I would blow away!
Wow what an amazing week of runs!! Major kudos.
I just don’t understand how you can spend 10 miles on a treadmill though! I would go stir crazy. I think I’ve managed a max of 6 on a treadmill. 12 miles outdoor though.
80 miles!!!! I am impressed each week with your mileage. I have never ran even close to that.
But I do understand the blah feeling about blogging. Somedays you just need a break. even the time with the folks 🙂
Woah woman… 80 miles, I can’t even fathom that for myself! Driving 80 miles takes too long… running?! 😉 But major props to you, especially doing so in the hellacious wind that has been occurring lately. The type of wind that actually kind of blows you back when going into it? Yeah not so fun and you beating through that with that time is rather exceptional. On that note though, understandable that you are feeling fatigued!
Totally get you on the BLAHHH feelings on blogging as well, I have been there too many times to count lately