January training
This month went by quickly. It feels as if I was just recapping 2015 as well as my December training. A lot has happened in the last month including two PRs and fastest mile time since 2014.
Stats:
Miles: 318
Range of pace: 5:39-12:18-untimed
*it should be noted that the 5:39 was the first mile in the Carmel Valley 5k and my fastest mile since 2014. (My fastest mile is 5:31)
*my 12:18 was straight uphill while running in Las Vegas and I was struggling.
Rest days: 4
Longest Run: Carlsbad half marathon
Shortest run: 2-mile cooldown from Carlsbad
Most enjoyable training run: Any in California because they were warm for the change of scenery
Races:
Resolution Run 5k (18:22) PR
Icicle Run 10 miler (1:05.33)
Carlsbad half marathon (1:22.57)
Carmel Valley 5k (18:40)
Workouts:
6×1 hill mile repeats with 90 seconds rest (4 miles warm up, and 4 miles cool down)
90 minutes progression on the treadmill. Start at 6.5 pace increase by .1 every 5 minutes and .2 every 15 minutes). Ending at 10.0.
10k tempo run with 4 miles warm up and 4 miles cooldown
Thoughts:
What a month! You might notice I didn’t choose a favorite race. I truly enjoyed each of them. Two of the races were PRS, the Carmel Valley 5k had my fastest mile in 2 years, and the Icicle 10 miler was an enjoyable and challenging course with my coworker! Choosing a favorite is impossible.
Next month:
For the month of February, I will focus on quality training, workouts, and races. I will be racing, but I do not plan to taper for any races. Most of the races will be done at a workout pace. Then in the Spring, I will taper for a few races and see where it takes me. Hopefully to a few more PRs!
Questions for you:
What was your favorite workout in January?
Are you training for anything now?
January was a great month for you!
What a great month! It’s always so fun to throw in a variety of races! I just did a half on Sunday and signed up for a 5k this weekend just to mix it up. Note none of those miles will be done in 5:anything 🙂
Which half did you do? I definitely think it’s a lot more fun to race several different distances.
Love this idea so much. Thanks for sharing your kick ass month, Hollie!
Wow what a month! Great training and great races too, good for you!
I’m training for Boston and am (thus far) appreciating the mostly mild winter I know that February can be miserable but I am holding out hope for decent conditions.
Congrats on your two PRs! That combined with being able to run in warm weather in January would definitely make an awesome month of running for me.
I am currently training for a marathon in May, and may throw in a half marathon along the way as part of the plan. My favorite run in January had to be any that I completed prior to 6:00 a.m. I’m trying to create a habit of running before work because it affects my day in so many positive ways! But it’s hard to fight my natural night-owl tendencies.
Just curious – what is your favorite distance to race?
Which marathon Charlene?
I think my favorite distance is probably a 5k. It’s a very short but intense distance that pretty much everything has to go your way or it’s extremely painful. Ha, I do enjoy pretty much any distance between a mile and half though. 🙂
Hollie – I’m running this one in May:
http://eagleriver.org/featured/journeys-marathon/?gclid=CLL-wLnR3MoCFQMMaQodFDUI8Q
It’s beautiful, flat, and (hopefully) warm. : )
5Ks are extremely challenging for me – maybe because I haven’t run enough of them to figure out how to pace myself correctly. I usually go out way too hard and then just hate myself every step of the way for it.
It looks like a great race!
I think 5ks in general are just painful. It’s hard to pace them appropriately, either you feel too good at the beginning or awful.
I am so inspired by the amount of miles you ran in January, great work!! You are so fast! Glad I found your blog =)
I am training for a half marathon end of Feb in Seaside, FL.
Thanks for stopping by Tracy and good luck with your training!
It was so great seeing you crush some of those PRs you’ve been working towards for months! I can’t wait to see how you progress this spring! It’s pretty motivating to see how far you’ve come this training cycle and how much time you’ve dropped. You REALLY make me want to race more 5ks… when I am running again ha
What a month! You had an awesome month of running. I’m not training for anything yet but I think I finally chose my spring half marathon so I’m excited to start working towards that.
Those workouts are no joke! Especially the treadmill one. I can’t even imagine running a 10 on that thing. I think the highest I’ve ever done is 9.5 and it was touch and go. You amaze me! I think I’ll try that treadmill workout but just start a bit slower than you. Like at 6 instead of 6.5 and see what happens. Thanks for the ideas! And congrats again on such a successful month!
at first i thought 4 rest days wasnt a lot but then i was thinking about my workouts and 1 only have a rest day once a week which would be 4 a month. that sounds crazy when considering the whole month but when its just 1 week 1 rest day seems normal. lol. january was a great month for you!!!
When I stare at stats like that I’m the same way, I think wow that was a lot…or not at all. There have been months I’ve taken 8 rest days and I think wow, how did that happen. Then I realize it was two a week. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it looks a little bit funky piled like that.
My favorite workout in January was the Miami half! Love half marathons and being in Miami was awesome. Great January for you! Keep it up girl!
Dang, woman! Love reading your training! 2016 is starting off great for you 🙂
Woop, woop! So many miles! Watch out, February–big things are coming. 🙂
That’s some seriously impressive mileage! I’m currently training for the Sleepy Hollow Half in March.
Thank you! I’ve heard the Sleepy Hollow half is a lot of fun.
Holy moly! That’s a bucket full of miles! I didn’t even get half that!!!
Great job!
Thanks for stopping by Lindsey!
You had a really great month and congrats on your PRs and fastest mile since 2014. I’m glad your training is really paying off big time this month, and I know what you mean about not tapering for some races because I am the same way (I call it a “race out”- race as a workout). Glad you had a fun trip to Cali and I know that had to break up the running monotony too!
That is a serious January. I’d be interested in seeing what your daily schedule looked like.
Keep it up.
Thanks for stopping by Josh, I normally do weekly recaps as well! 🙂
I’ll check it out!
What a month!! I would love to do a destination race in a warm locale right now but the next two trips I’m taking are ski related – oops!!
Looking forward to a speedy February for you 🙂
I am so glad I found you. I have really loved watching your progression and consistency. Every awesome race mile you ran this month was well earned. You bust your ass, and I love it!