Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 5m easy 9:15/pace, 20 min chest/biceps

Racing season just got real. Sunday I was scheduled for 16 miles, but I am running the Philadelphia Half Marathon this upcoming Sunday, so i wanted to wing it and shoot for 18-20 so I could get a long run under my belt and possibly try and race this weekend and not be burned out.

I woke up at 5:30am.. completely unaware it’s pitch black at that god awful hour and it threw me off. You can’t run (nor should you) run alone in the dark on trails. I drove to the trail i planned to run on and headed to the lit main roads and stayed the course until the sun started rising. Then I found another entrance to the same trail and kept on with the plan.

The plan was to run 10 miles at a really conservative pace and the 2nd half just 20-30 seconds faster and see how i felt heading into those last 2-3 unplanned miles. I kept the pace around 9:00 for the first 10. From miles 4-11 I ended up on a half marathon course! Whoops–the Parks Half Marathon was on the same path so I got to enjoy the local crowd support, cheering and lots of runners. I was traveling the path early so some of the crowd thought I was the first woman coming through and I kept having to say i’m just on my Sunday 20 miler! Just on my 20 miler.. who am i!?

It was a challenge to stick to the pace plan while there was so much excitement around me so I kept telling myself i have races coming and i have to go a lot further than 13 miles. At the 10 mile turn around I decided to pick up the pace and gradually  kept going faster. My last  3 miles were 7:50 pace—Mile 20 was a 7:46.  Yeah, i’m tooting my own horn, because i’ve been WTF‘ing all over the place and i felt really in control and had a TON of energy even after i was done.

Things I took away from this long run:

1) You can conserve energy by running slower in the early miles. This run proved I can pick up the pace and I don’t have to waste fast miles early on.

2) Eating frequently about every 10-15min starting at the first 30min works for me. Even though at one time i held a GU pack for almost 45 minutes, taking small bites was easy on the stomach and i never hit a wall. (bonus, i got to check my watch for “food time” which distracted me from pace/distance/time etc.

3) Compression socks must be made of angel wings. My lower legs, which have been problematic for me, felt perfect the entire run.

4) It’s very important to check in with yourself during long runs. Be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling so you don’t end up injured or hurt.

5) Boston qualifying time is still in reach. I had big doubts because of the crunched training time from the ankle injury, but I feel like if everything goes right, it could happen.

6) After a crazy long run you have to treat yourself.

 

Previously on Cori’s Workout Log…

Monday: 20min Kettlebells shoulder/squat workout

Tuesday: 6m 4X600s,  20min biceps/chest

Wednesday: 20min triceps, 10 abs

Thursday: 7.1 tempo 7:59/pace

Friday: 50 min core/upper body

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: 20m easy 8:35/pace

Total Miles:  33.1

What’s your favorite after long run treat?