Training: Taper and 13.1 PR

43 Comments

Another week of training down.  As most people know  I’m in California for the later part of the week and into next week.  Last week was divided into two key components:

Cold running and warm running

It was also a taper week for me, and I took two rest days, cut my speed workout down in mileage and pace and just relaxed.  I tried to sleep more but changing time zones was not helpful for that.

Monday: Easy cold run and deep tissue massage
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: 11.25-mile progression run
Thursday: Easy Recovery Run
Friday: OFF and travel
Saturday: Easy run in Coronado
Sunday: Carlsbad Half Marathon 1:22.57 PR
Total:

On Monday, I ran easy and got a deep tissue massage afterwards.  I mentioned last week about how much I raved about deep tissue, and I find them keep my muscles healthy before a big race.

On Tuesday, we had the coldest day of the year.  I woke up tired and sore, and since I was tapering, I used it as an extra rest day.  I don’t like the cold, so it was fine.

Workout Wednesday: 11.25 miles 90 minutes

This workout was done on the treadmill.  I began at a 6.5 pace and increased by .1 every 5 minutes.  At each 15 minute point, I increased by .2 and ultimately ended up sprinting the last 5 minutes.  I averaged exactly 8 minute pace that was good.

I don’t think to run fast on the treadmill because I feel like personally it’s where a lot of my injuries have come from.

On Friday, I rested and traveled.  On Saturday T and I ran early and watched the sunrise.  I wanted to sleep in, but it didn’t happen.  I’m already a 5-6am east coast riser, and somehow I slept in until a solid 3:45 am west coast time (6:45 time).  The sunrise was beautiful, though.

me coronado

I’ll have a lengthy recap of my new half marathon PR sometime soon.  In summary the course was actually much hillier than I anticipated.  I thought it was pancake flat like my previous PR but it wasn’t.  The views were gorgeous, and while I felt great, the race did not feel effortless.  I’m ecstatic to be finally making significant visible gains in my fitness.

me carlsbad half marathon

This coming week I’m going to enjoy easy runs on vacation.

Questions for you:

How was your week of training?

What time do you normally wake up?

With my work schedule and running I normally wake up between 5-6am.

43 Comments

  1. Wow, awesome job Hollie!! You’re dropping PR’s lately like it’s going out of style. Way to go! Looking forward to your recap 🙂 Have fun in California because on the east coast it’s freaking COLD

  2. agree–treadmills have caused way too many of my injures. Last week was a lot of easy mileage building.. I hit a 27 mile week, i usually like to hover between 30-40 when i’m in a training plan so i’m happy i’ve healthily built up mileage!

  3. Wow, 1:22 half? You’re an elite! I am looking forward to reading the recap! I am gearing up for the Miami half this coming weekend and wish you could share some of your tips! It’s going to be hot down there, so I won’t be expecting a PR, but I am hoping for anything between 1:40-1:45. Congrats again!!

  5. Ridiculously happy for you! Nice work! I knew that course was going to be hilly, but look at you…crushed it anyway!

  7. Congrats on a race well run! I’m with you on the early rising; even on a day off, I like to be up between 6 and 6:30. Enjoy the warmer weather out west!

  8. I’m going to end up waking up at like 2am when I go to Hawaii haha I’m a 6-7am riser and with a 5 hour time difference it’s going to be rough adjusting. Worth it for a vacation though. I was seriously SO happy for you on your PR! I yelled to Tim when I saw your instagram post haha

  9. Nice race! I was down in the San Diego last April and my friend and I ran along the road that the Carlsbad half/full race is on because we could still see the spray painted mile marks – definitely hilly!

  10. Congrats on your PR, I can’t wait to hear more about it. Have a great time on vacation!
    I’m typically up at 6 during the week and 8-9 on weekends. I like to sleep in a little bit but won’t be found sleeping the day away very often.

  11. Congratulations on your new PR! HIlly course + jet lag + travel… I would say the PR is worth more than the time because of all you had to deal with. It’s not like you ran a PR on the same flat course or when you got to sleep in your own bed, you know? You had a lot of obstacles but still did it and that says a lot about your fitness.

    I usually wake up around 5 AM as well, although I’ve been sleeping in (this morning) bc that half I ran on Saturday took a lot out of me. When I travelled to Arizona a few summers ago for work I had the same problem with the time zone change. Just never got used to it.

  12. Seriously so amazed at your half PR! Congratulations I know that must feel good! I love me a good long progression run and I had a great week getting back to training! I am an early riser through and through!

    1. Progression runs are one of my favorites as well. They feel so accomplished once you finished! Thanks for stopping by Margaret!

  13. Congrats on the race again! I am usually up before 6 but the cold makes it so much harder for me to actually get out of bed.

  15. Congrats on your PR! I’m excited to read your recap. That picture of the sunrise looks so beautiful. I am not a morning person at all, but slowly I am beginning to wake up earlier (for me!). I’m super jealous that you’re in warmer weather right now haha.

  17. Great job! Can’t wait to read about your detailed post on your half marathon PR! Love your pink socks btw. I wake up at about 6:30 but that’s to take my daughter to school and then after I can focus on my workouts! I can’t wake up earlier than that because if I sleep till 6:30 that means I might have gotten 4 hours of sleep, and any less than that I don’t think I could workout lol (insomnia issues).

  18. My training last week was terrible. I did 2/5 of my runs. We are building a house and that isn’t conducive to training for a marathon! Oh well, this week will be better! Have fun on your trip!

  19. Congrats on your new PR, Hollie! Wow, that’s impressive! I hope you enjoy your easy runs on vacation, you certainly deserve it! My week of running was great. I’m really seeing the payoff of my speed work which is great especially when I am inside more on the treadmill due to the cold. I usually get up at 5:30AM during the work week. I have gotten used to it but some mornings its harder than others 😉

  20. Congrats on your PR!! What an awesome accomplishment.

    Just out of curiosity…why do you think the treadmill caused your injuries? I would be interested to know more about that.

    On work days, I’m up around 5:00. On weekends, I definitely sleep in until 7:30 or so.

  22. Girl, you are killin it! I am soooooo happy for you. Another PR! I’m starting to expect them now… 😉

    1. I guess I went 2+ years with no PRs so now I get to come out of the hole for a few months LOL. 😉

  23. My training this past week was just kind of blah! I was on vacay in Pennsylvania (I live in Tampa), so the weather and travel played into me missing a couple runs.

    And, I am so not a morning person. I usually roll out of bed around 7:45 during the week.

    Congrats on your PR! That’s so awesome!

  26. Nice job on the PR! It’s been fun to see you improve and start hitting these PRs. I know you were frustrated by your lack of improvement a while back… you should do a post on what you changed in your training to make these gains. I think it would help a lot of us non-coached runners. 🙂

  27. Great race and congrats on a PR! My race, the Naples Half Marathon was canceled on Sunday due to severe weather and flooding on the course, knee deep water!

  28. Congrats on the PR!! I did a couple short runs last week, but mostly strength training. I am an early riser as well… on the days I work, I get up about 4:30am (work at 6am) and then days I don’t work, I usually go to the gym early so I am still up at about 5am. On a rest day I will sleep in until about 7-7:30am, which feels so late after all the early mornings!

  29. Congrats on the PR!

    And over 11 miles on the treadmill?! I can hardly do 4 without dying of boredom. My past week of training was okay… I certainly ran more than I had in the past few weeks but it was mostly treadmill running since Chicago temps were subzero some days!!

    On days I have to work, I’ll be up around 6:30/7 to be there at 8/8:30. On days I don’t work, I’ll get up around 8! Once it gets lighter in the morning, I’ll get up earlier so I can run in the morning + lift in the evening – right now I’m running+lifting in the evening and it’s proven difficult.

  31. Congrats on the PR!! So awesome! Can’t wait to hear a recap of your race. With my work schedule I am hitting the treadmill first thing at 5:30. That’s a great start to my day. My training week improved a bit last week – super excited about that!

    1. Glad to hear your training improved last week Lisa. Hope you had a great week this week too 🙂

  32. OMG Hollie! Congrats on the awesome PR. I’m bummed I didn’t get a chance to run the Carlsbad Half this past weekend. It is actually one of my favorite courses. You are totally right about the hills. I remember the first time I ran this race (10 years ago) I thought it was supposed to be more flat. Oh well!

    1. Right? I was under a false thought it was just a flat out and back…it shows how much I research! I hope you are able to run it next year again!

  33. Congrats on the PR! That sunrise pic is really pretty. I’m so jealous of early risers like yourself. Every time I get up to run at sunrise I think to myself that I need to do it more often, but I can never seem to drag myself out of bed. Watching the sunset isn’t so bad though 🙂

  34. I’m pretty much the same – wake up between 4:50 and 5:15 a.m. Can’t wait to read the recap!! So exciting and inspiring 🙂
    Beautiful pic of you running in California!

  35. Dang you are rocking these pr’s!!! I can’t wait to read the full recap and see the gorgeous pictures. That single one you posted has a stunning sunrise! Congrats and way to go on all your hard work!!!!!

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