Marathon Training Monday - Week 8

This coming week marks the halfway point of training...*GASP* Already?! We have 8 weeks under our belt and 2 months (to the day!) until the finish line. I'm proud to say that for the most part, I've been sticking with my training goals. It's SO HARD to play it safe, especially when most of the miles feel so good, but this week I really challenged myself to put my words to action and take it easy. The weather was rather gray this week, which worked in my favor! No sun = no energy.

Monday: 45 min gym cross-training
Tuesday: 1 hour, 20 min run (9 miles)
Wednesday: 15 min elliptical warm-up / 75 min vinyasa class
Thursday: 25 min water run / 20 min laps
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 2 hour run (12.25 miles)
Sunday: OFF

TOTAL MILEAGE: 21.25

After last week ended with some foot pain, I scared myself into taking the plunge and re-joining the YMCA. I'm sadly not comfortable going to SEAL Team PT workouts on "cross training" days right now, since the amount of running and direct impact on my foot isn't predictable. Although I have access to a gym at work for free, the YMCA gives me more machines to choose from, lots of classes (like yoga!) with no added fees plus a pool for swimming AND water running (oh, my fav! :-P). In the end, the monthly membership fee adds up to about what I'd spend for once-a-week yoga classes for the same amount of time---a perspective that makes me feel a little better.

Monday, I did a short workout at the YMCA in prep for Tuesday's run. It was another "90 minute" run that always comes out to one hour, 20 minutes instead (we go out for half an hour before the bigger group gets there at 5:45AM, come back to get a head count and route info, then start running again). My first four miles were under 9 min/mile pace and the rest were about average---which was great since we were running from one of our most hilly areas. I was also happy to finally reach 9 miles during a Tuesday run! Overall, I felt good, no foot pain and had lots of energy. Total time: 1:22:50; average pace: 9:07; fastest mile: 8:16; slowest mile: 9:55.

I might have mentioned it already but...My tomato plant is finally giving me TOMATOES!!!! Bright, tart sun golds!

Wednesday, I tried a yoga/hatha class at the YMCA. It was taught by a sub and was very weird... almost like she was just making everything up as she went, which made for a l-o-n-g 75 minutes! Hopefully, this isn't a true glimpse at what the class is always like. I was really looking forward to the "free" yoga classes I now have access to.

Although last week wasn't particularly strenuous, I noticed sudden sharp pains and inconsistent throbbing in my foot during work hours (like, when I was doing absolutely nothing). It was almost always when my feet were freezing, so I tried to keep them bundled up during the last half of the week. In addition, I chose to do Thursday's run in the water to give it some more rest. I wish there was some sort of head piece I could wear to hold my Kindle or even a small TV while I water run. Even waterproof headphones would do! It's just so, so boring looking at nothing for more than 10 minutes. I'm sure sooner or later I'll learn how to zone out past that point. For now, I'm just counting seconds.

Saturday's run started from Collegiate School in the West End of Richmond---scenery included all neighborhoods with a decent dose of hills. We did two long tempos during the first hour; the rest was just a normal pace. I was really expecting/hoping to get in a coveted 13 miles this Saturday, the weather was ideal (cool and misty). However, I erred on the side of caution and stopped at 8AM with everyone else instead of pressing on. If I'd done a full 2 hours, though, I probably would've gotten the mileage. I'm still trying to make it to race day uninjured, so conservative training it is! Total time: 1:52:24; average pace: 9:11; fastest mile: 8:30; slowest mile: 9:38.

Dairy Bar was open this week, so of course that's where Garland wanted to go. Two Griffs to go, please! [Chocolate PB milkshake with bacon / egg / cheese biscuit, no substitutions!]

After a shower, nap and packing, we were on the road to Lexington, VA for VMI's first home game of the season. They won, we celebrated and were back in our hotel room by midnight. We slept in until 9:30AM---my personal favorite highlight of the weekend. Before heading home to Richmond, we had breakfast at Pure Eats in downtown Lexington. It's a repurposed Pure Oil Gas Station building that now serves up local beef burgers and milkshakes. Their breakfast menu includes homemade cake doughnuts, build-your-own breakfast sandwiches and French pressed coffee. 

Having woken up to 60 degree weather in a small mountain town, an apple cider doughnut and mug of hot coffee was a big fat YES PLEASE. (I also had a breakfast sandwich here). The temperatures lately, plus the darker mornings and early sunsets have made it glaringly obvious that fall is upon us. I'm not ready for chilly runs and boots just yet...but I definitely can't wait to make more of these soon!!!