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Category Archives: NYCM 2018

Training: 800s and a Half Marathon

October 22, 2018 By in NYCM 2018, Running, Training Tags: , , , , 1 Comment
Training: 800s and a Half Marathon

Last week was my last “big” week of training.  It’s all taper from here.  It was a decent week, and while I would have liked a faster half marathon, the wind was tough. To be fair, I didn’t feel the greatest during the race either and had two hectic days (both work and not) .  The Friday and Saturday before went by in a blink of an eye and kept me on my feet for two days straight.

Monday: Easy 60 minutes
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Wednesday: 6X800s (averaging 6:15)/800 jog in between (warmup/cooldown 10 miles
Thursday: Easy 60 minutes with Alexis
Friday: Easy 20 minutes
Saturday: Easy 60 minutes
Sunday: Atlantic City Half (1:27.53) total miles 15

Thoughts:

I hoped to be around 1:26 for a half at some point during the training cycle. I knew I had a few half marathons to do it, but it never happened. Between the wind and the heat and training, it didn’t happen.  It’s hard to compare myself to fitness of last year or even the year before when I had run 1:25s at the Runners World half after running the 5k the day before.

That being said, different year, different situation.  I’ve repeated that to myself more times than I can count.  You can’t compare yourself to anyone and even yourself.

Wednesday: 6X800s 6:15 pace with 800 jog in between

The workout itself didn’t feel bad. It was the first cold day we had, and while windy, I felt good running.  I don’t have a lot to say about the workout. It was neither the best nor the worst and fell somewhere in between.

Atlantic City Half Marathon (1:27.53)

As I mentioned, I was on my feet a lot the two days prior.  The week itself was tiresome, and not a week the week you really feel: gun ho to go race.  That being said, I made the best of the situation. I had a great time with friends at the starting line and saw a lot of people I knew.  The day was extremely windy, and the predicted Gail force winds with gusts of 50 mph.

It was definitely windy.  I made the best of the situation, and I got on the boardwalk with not much cover to block the winds of the beach. I was proud I negative split the race. Around the halfway point, I saw if I didn’t crash, I would run about a 1:28. I made it my goal to run under 1:28. The last few miles averaged low 6:40s and a few 6:30s to haul to get under there. I don’t know why 1:27.X just made me feel better. I passed one woman around mile 13 and ended up as 6th female.

I’m happy with the effort for the race, but I do wish I had time that reflected the work I’ve put in this training cycle.  (1:27 is a great time, but I do believe I’m fitter in the half distance than that).

Next week starts my taper. I will race one of my favorite races next weekend (maybe this year it won’t be exactly 3 miles…yet claim it’s a 5k).

I’m looking forward to the next two weeks and what taper brings.  It’s going to be extremely busy for me anyway, so it couldn’t come at a better time.

Posts from the Week:

Are Racing Flats Right for You?
Heros to Hero 5k (19:12) 

Questions for you:
What is your least favorite condition to run in?
Heat? Torrential Downpour? Wind? White Out Snow? 50 Degrees and Sunny?
What was your best workout last week?

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Training: 400s and Half Marathons

October 8, 2018 By in NYCM 2018, Running, Training Tags: , , , , , 3 Comments
Training: 400s and Half Marathons

Another Week of Training is done.

This week, went better than last week which gave me more confidence. Many people have said: “you’re in shape” and while I am in shape, I’m not in PRing shape, and there is a difference.  In perfect weather, I could probably run a 1:25 half marathon right now, but my PR is 1:22.  A fast time, but I’m not at the peak of my fitness.  That doesn’t matter much as I haven’t had perfect weather for any long race so far…heck I haven’t even had “good” weather.

Monday: Easy 30 minutes/Hike 4 miles
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Wednesday: 12X400s averaging 5:58 pace (total mileage 10)
Thursday: Easy 70 minutes with Alexis
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Easy 60 minutes
Sunday: Crawlin Crab Half Marathon (1:30.02) + 7 miles for 20 miles
Total: 55isb miles

Thoughts:

As I mentioned, I don’t feel at the height or peak of my fitness and I’m okay with that. My goal for the marathon is to start and finish healthy and I have to keep that in mind. I told a few friends, I would rather be undertrained than over. Overtrained is what burned me out and probably hurt both marathons last time.

This tweet made me feel, a little better. That’s how I feel now,.  I don’t feel ready to run or race a marathon.  I hope the next 3 weeks will fine-tune training and get me there.

My easy runs were untimed and easy, and it was nice to get some miles in with my coworker and friend Alexis.

Wednesday: 12x400s (averaging 5:58 pace) with 400 jog in between

I was actually surprised I was moving this fast because I didn’t feel like it when running. I said on Instagram, but I’ve felt strong but not sharp.  I’m hoping to get more speed on my legs during my marathon training. I’ve felt my best, running-wise when I raced my fastest 5k in 2016.

Crawlin Crab Half Marathon: 1:30.02

Last year, at Crawlin Crab, it was about the same conditions.  I ended up tanking around mile 9, and shuffling home.  This year, the goal was not to do that and I didn’t.  I ran a consistent race ranging in pace from 6:44-6:58.  It was mid to high 70s, humid, and the course has zero shade or breeze.  The day was tough but I made the best of it. I would have loved to get an actual base of where I am fitness wise, but, you must race for the day and who knows…NYCM could be the same conditions.

Next Week:

I’ll continue running and racing and see how it goes from there. My next, and last half, is tentatively the Atlantic City half marathon on October 21st. I hope the weather will be decent, not even perfect, just not extremely hot and humid. I am confident, I’ll be able to finish the marathon but I don’t feel as fit as when I was running last fall into the Spring.

Posts from the Week:
Vital Proteins Gelatin
New Balance 1400 Shoe Review
September Training:
The Dragon Run (19:28)

Questions for you:
How do you recover from training?
Would you rather run in extreme cold or heat?

NYCM Training: 5ks and Long Runs

October 1, 2018 By in NYCM 2018, Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment
NYCM Training: 5ks and Long Runs

I won’t say last week was “the worst” because had I did have both quality runs and races.  However, not everything went as planned and I did have to miss a workout.  Last week, I found myself burning the candle at too many ends. On Wednesday, I was too exhausted and my legs hurt to do very much. Running would have been dumb, and it would have been the time I got injured.

Monday: Easy 30 minutes/ 4-mile hike
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Easy 20 minutes
Friday: Easy 60 minutes
Saturday: Dragon Run (19:28) Total miles: 9
Sunday: 20 miles with 10 at 6:57 pace
Total: 48

Thoughts:

My easy runs were all easy.  I went hiking on Monday and had a short run.  I felt good on Monday, but Tuesday felt incredibly hard.  I didn’t sleep well into Wednesday, and when I woke up, I knew a workout was not happening.  I also knew if I wanted to run the Dragon Run and a long run over the weekend, it wouldn’t be wise to “make it up.”  So I took off.  I usually take Thursdays entirely off because they are a hectic day fbut I squeezed in about 20 minutes of running.

View this post on Instagram

Starting my day with a walk above the tree line.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on

Am I completely satisfied with the week?  No but I got what I could in.  It felt as though I “announced” I’m running a marathon and my body fell apart. I am nervous that maybe I’m not cut out for the distance, but once I get a few more weeks of training in, I know I’ll feel more confident.

The Dragon Run: 19:28

For my fitness level, I executed the race perfectly. I ran a 6:20, 6:17, 6:05, race and passed three females in the last .5 to win.  This is my third year running, and also my slowest.  It is, however, my first year winning.  You never know who will show up. It was a good confidence booster for my fitness.

Sunday Long Run:

The 20 miler felt good. I’ve been slowly increasing my long runs, and the 10 miles in between felt solid.

I did feel extremely fatigued at the end.  I know one component I’ve missed in any marathon training cycle is speed work so I’ve been working hard to get it in.

The 10 miles was slightly faster (1 second per mile) than the Air Force half I did a few weeks ago. That gives me confidence that I am in better shape than the 1:31.  Mentally I know that, but it’s a confidence booster after this week.

Another thing I do need to do is sort out nutrition more for the marathon. For both marathons, I ate a full breakfast then took 4 gels during the race.  I didn’t feel as though I bonked and went from 7 minute to 9-minute pace. I also have never felt like I could just “keep running” or on top of the world. I’ve felt tired and like running 26.3 miles is out of the question.

Next week, I’ll be running the Crawlin Crab in Hampton, VA.  Last year, it was one of the hottest and most humid races I’ve ever done.  The goal will be to see where I’m at fitness-wise.  I’m not going to taper for the race but use it more as an extended workout.

Posts from the Week:

On Cloudace Shoe Review

NYCM Training Thoughts

Book It 5k Race Recap

Questions for you:

How do you get over training hiccups?

What was your best workout last week? 

NYCM Training Thoughts

September 26, 2018 By in NYCM 2018 Tags: , , , , 10 Comments
NYCM Training Thoughts

In 2013, I blogged about my training cycle for my first marathon, NYCM.  My first of two, and my best.  In the last two weeks, I’ve read every post I’ve written about the cycle.  Blogging is helpful that way that you can see exactly what you were thinking on some random Wednesday in September.

me running

After scouring old blog posts, I’ve concluded I’m a different runner and racer since then. First, I don’t run “as much” mileage as a few years ago.  Before NYCM the first time, I lived in Virginia, then Texas, and then moved to NJ just before the marathon (yes, all in 20 weeks LOL).

While spending most of the training cycle in Texas, I didn’t have a lot to do, was still relatively new to running, and ended up peaking at 100 miles.  Yes, a 100-mile week.  Just reading that now exhausts me!  With only 5 weeks to go, I can tell you a 100-mile week will not happen.  Realistically, I don’t know if it ever will again.

I’ve learned doing more speed work, races, and fewer miles has kept me healthier and just happier with running.  Running less miles, I have time to live my life without dedicating it to running.  Maybe I’ll never run my fastest that way, but running your fastest is useless if you are injured on race day.

Anyway, as I mentioned on Thursday, my only goal is to start and finish the marathon happy. I haven’t run a marathon in 3.5 years, and I’m not an expert or pro. I’m still a newbie in the distance.  While I don’t have a coach, working in run specialty I’m able to get advice from several knowledgeable people.

This training cycle I do know I’ll be doing a few different things:

  • Racing more: Back then, I just logged mileage in Texas and yes I “ran all of the miles,” my body was just stale and forgot how to run fast.  In the 20 weeks, I only ran 2 or 3 races.  In the next several weeks, I’ll be running 5ks most weekends.
  • Fewer miles: I might peak at 70ish.  Last week, I ran about 60.  70 isn’t a magic number, and I won’t feel bad if my highest mileage never gets there.
  • More Cross-Training/Core: I have more free time in the next 2 months (not because my husband is gone, but because my outside responsibilities have decreased as well…). Instead of being busy many mornings before work, it’s been cut down 2-3 mornings per week. I still plan to cross train (right now I’m enjoying hiking) once a week as well as taking a rest day once per week.  I’ve mentioned my core routine before, but I like the Nike Training Club App on cell phones. You can choose 15-60 minute workouts.

Two Key Races:

10/6 Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon in Hampton, VA  I ran this last year, and it was hot. I’m hoping it won’t be as hot, but in any case, it will be good to see my family in Virginia and friends.

Crawlin Crab half marathon hampton

10/21 Atlantic City Half Marathon: I like the AC half marathon race series, and I believe they do a good job. I think this will provide me with a better idea of time goals. I know I won’t be in 1:22 half marathon shape by then, but I would like to see where I’m at to make better goals for New York.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m not a seasoned marathoner and just thinking about the next 5 weeks both exhausts and excites me. I’ve run close to 50 half marathons and 2 marathons (neither of which I think are anywhere in my top 10 best races).  I am nervous but excited. I have been excited to run a marathon in a long time, which is why I haven’t.

Questions for you:

Have you run New York?  Did you like it?

Do you run your best with more or less miles? 

NYCM Training: Workouts and 5ks

September 24, 2018 By in NYCM 2018, Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , 4 Comments
NYCM Training: Workouts and 5ks

This was the first week that the weather felt as though it broke. It’s been so hot the last few weeks, so it was nice for better weather. Unfortunately, towards the end of the week life, fatigue, and everything else caught up with me. I was left both exhausted and tired. No big deal and I was still able to get quality races and long runs in.

Monday: Easy 60 minutes
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Wednesday: 6X800s with 800 jog between (total 12 miles)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Easy 60 minutes
Saturday: Book It 5k (2.9-3 miles) average 6:30 pace (total 9 miles)
Sunday: Long Run (18 miles)
Total: 58.5 miles

As I mentioned last week, when I run easy runs for an hour, I just average them to be 6.5 miles. They might be 6.1 or 6.8, but it doesn’t really matter. I just run easy, and the pace isn’t that important to me.

Workout Wednesday: 6X800 with 800 jog in between

I wanted to switch it up from doing 400s so ran 800s.  I do all of my workouts on roads.  It was perfect weather, and while I didn’t feel great, I didn’t feel terrible either.  I was happy with the workout, and with a warmup and cooldown, I ended up with about 12 miles for the day.

Book It 5k:

The Book It 5k is out of the Cherry Hill Library. It’s a great cause, and I enjoyed it last year.

The course was short, and I didn’t feel great but was able to run about 6:30 miles. I think I would have probably finished around 20 minutes which untapered is where I thought I would be. It was my first 5k since June, and I have forgotten how painful they are.  It’s hard to get a good idea of where I am fitness wise with the 5k because that course was short, I felt like garbage, and it was a mix of terrain.

cherry hill book it 5k

I look forward to doing more 5ks under my belt. I probably won’t taper for many, if any, but they will be good workouts.

Long Run: 18 miles
2 miles easy.
4 miles (average 7:07).
4 miles easy.
4 miles (average 7:05).
4 miles easy.

I would have liked to have been closer to 7 for harder effort, however, I racing the day before that didn’t happen.  I’m happy with the long run and realistically, my goal is to stay healthy from start to finish of the race. It was raining but it felt a lot better than the heat.

Thoughts:  

In all, I’m happy with my week.  I’ll probably plan to have something similar next week.  I don’t plan to do a lot of 20+ mile runs as I don’t want to get injured.  I will do at least 2 more 20 mile runs but I have no plans to run much longer than that (if longer at all).

Posts from the Week:

Air Force Half Marathon (1:31.12)

I Have a Fall Goal Race

Vanilla Almond Recovery Protein Smoothie Recipe

Questions for you:

Do you prefer shorter races or longer?

How was your week of training?   

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