Last week was challenging, and there is no way to get around that. I worked hard and worked through some seriously sore muscles. Luckily this week is more of a step back week with Philadelphia Half Marathon on Sunday.
| Monday: | Easy | Core |
| Tuesday: | Easy Run | |
| Wednesday: | 6X1 mile repeats | Core |
| Thursday: | Rest | |
| Friday: | Easy Run | Core |
| Saturday: | Local 5k (19:30) | |
| Sunday: | KISS Cancer away 5k (19:00) | |
| Total: | Â 69 miles |
All of my easy runs were uneventful and around the neighborhoods. There isn’t a lot to say, and I didn’t wear a watch for most them. I just ran the same route.
Workout Wednesday: 4-mile warmup, 6X1 mile repeats with 90 seconds rest, 4-mile cooldown
It was a hard workout to be honest. I averaged 6:23 pace. Since school starting this fall I’ve done my speed work in my neighborhoods. The majority of tracks are closed, and since I race on the roads, it makes more sense anyways.  I would like to get back to the track for a few workouts sometime in the future, but the roads have been fine too.
The loop I chose for my mile repeats has a hill at the end, and my quads felt it. I feel good knowing I could conquer that hill and still run a 6:38 mile. My range of splits (dependent on the elevation change) was between 6:05-6:39.
It caused me to be very sore on both Thursday and Friday.
Saturday I ran a race that helped fundraise for a fallen soldier.  It was right on the water in New Jersey.  This was important because it was extremely windy.  My splits were (6:06, 6:19, 6:15).  To be honest, because of the wind, I’m surprised that my middle mile was that fast.  When we hit the wind, I thought I might blow away.  I ran the race in 19:30.  Similar to last week but in harder conditions.  I think I’m heading into another lull of racing.  I plan to continue doing races despite none of them being as fast as the Bone Run or Runners World.  Hopefully, I break through a plateau again sooner versus later!
Finally on Sunday I went down to Delaware to race again.  To be honest, my effort the day before felt like a hard effort but I knew I had more in me if it wasn’t for the wind.  Despite racing the day before I felt good and I ran a 19:00 exactly.  I should have cut the tangents better I guess.  My splits were (6:02, 6:06, 6:11).
Thoughts for next week:
Today I’m extremely sore.  I’m getting a deep tissue massage this evening. My goal for the Philadelphia half next weekend is to run around the same time as RnR Philadelphia (1:25.45). I don’t feel as if I’m made any big fitness gains since RnR, but I did race not feeling the greatest last month at the race. RnR Philadelphia is one of the flattest and fastest courses in the country while Philadelphia half is a much harder course. So if I can run the same time on a more challenging course, I’ll consider it a success!
Questions for you:
Do you like hills?
Where do you do your speed work?
Good luck in the half! That massage is going to feel so good. I know I always feel like a new person after getting a massage! I love races with rolling hills to keep your muscles busy but not too tired!
So excited to see you this weekend! I’ll shoot you an email later this week–would be great to meet up for a shake-out run and/or coffee on Saturday. 🙂
Enjoy your massage! Here’s to a great race in Philly this weekend!
Nice races you did ,
I like hill workouts I try to do 5 repeats
And I love track workouts I need to get more of those in I’ve been negleting those work outs and I can feel it at every race I do..
Happy running
I don’t like running hills while I’m training, but I can definitely tell during race day that it helps so I always try to get some elevation in. Good luck in Philly and great job on negative splitting your weekend!
Love Philly races! I used to live right by the Art Museum so running the RnR and Philly marathon were so convenient. Enjoy that massage – I’m so envious 🙂
I do speed workout on a track. I don’t have a Garmin, so that makes it kind of hard to do speed workouts on the roads. I know I can measure it out, but since I’d have to drive somewhere anyone to find a place without traffic or stoplights, I just drive to a track instead. 🙂
It’s pretty incredible that you can run back to back races and run faster the second time! I’m excited to see how this half goes for you. It’s obvious that you’re working really hard and I’m sure it will pay off soon. I don’t really do speed workouts because of so many bad memories of track haha but I think it’s more realistic on the road anyways and it’s not as hard on only one side of your body from running in circles.
I swear it’s probably the first and only time. Ha ha
One of my running groups has access to a (very convenient location) college indoor track one night a week from November through April. I took last winter off from speed but now I’m ready to go to prepare for lots of half marathon running starting in January. It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve run any speedwork! Eek. The only “problem” is the workouts are at 7 p.m. My body doesn’t know how to run after 7 A.M.
Hope you start to feel good as the week goes on.
I have a feeling you are right on the verge of breaking through to the next level! It was SO WINDY this weekend – I couldn’t imagine running in it, let alone racing a 5K! Great job, lady!
Your support is always awesome Allison. I hope we get to race gain together soon.
I have a feeling you’re going to rock Philly… especially since you rocked the RnR when you didn’t even feel that great. As for hills and speed work… no to both… but I also know that I need to start pushing myself to do them if I want to make any gains. I’m kind of stuck in a comfortable rut at the moment.
i LOVE hills! I really wanted to do this one race, i cant seem to find it now, but its less than a 5k and straight UP. It looks like a lot of fun 🙂 for a while, i was going to the track and doing speed workouts there, but then i started playing soccer on the night i normally did track, so i just stopped. i should start again…
Good luck with the Philly half and congrats on two great back to back races. I hope you enjoy your massage too!
I do like hills…living in western nc you learn to love them. Plus, downhill is fun. 😉 I definitely prefer track for speed work because it’s measurable. I felt amazing after my deep tissue massage! Enjoy!!
When I went to college in Upstate NY we had a lot of hills too. Often times I found that during downhills I was more susceptible to injury. Just because of more pounding!
All the best for the half marathon 🙂 I think you have a good chance of running under 1:25, even on a harder course. You were so ill for the last one that I believe you’ll power up those hills without too much of an issue and run another incredible time (well, 1:29 would be incredible for me, but you’re on another level!)
I do like hills a lot. Running on flat courses just sets off my back/leg issues, so the more turns and hills (within reason) the better. I seem to catch people on hills…and then they overtake me again on the downhill and flat parts 😛
I always appreciate your support Jess. I think in longer distances I’ve come to really like elevation change.
Great stuff Hollie! So looking forward to your half in Philly!! That is definitely a bucket list race for me!!
i hate hills, but im really bad at them and never really get to practice so theres that too. that trophy is aweome, what do you do with all your awards?