Monday came and went, so Tuesday I was due for some good ole fashion speed work on the treadmill. As we know, Monday is usually speed day and Tuesday are off. But, with the half marathon on Sunday, I decided some rearranging was in order this week. Stick with me here people -- Monday is off this week, Tuesday is speed, Wednesday (supposed to be tempo) is now Thursday's easy run and Thursday is now Wednesday's tempo. Let's see how it went....
The speed workout was fantastic -- 3x1600 with a 600 recovery. I don't know why it didn't say 3x1 mile, but hey whatever floats your boat Hansons. I wanted to do all three in 6:50, and managed to get all of them done in no longer than 7:10. I know what you are thinking -- we are 52 days out from the race; every run has to be the best. And let me tell you, that is not the case because if that were, I would feel so much pressure I would crack. I have to take it one run at a time with the intent that I will give it 150% and it will be better than the last. This thought process might not always work, but with 52 days, I am going to give it my best. I also did the cool down mile on the stationary bike, my legs were like jello and I think I might have intimated all the guys in the gym with how much I was sweating. Today, it was a good run and a hell of a way to finish off the speed leg of the plan. From now on Mondays will be dedicated to strength workouts!
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In order to run the Bristol Half Marathon and do my 15 mile long run, I switched the Sunday and Saturday's run. Saturday as we know is my usual long run, but with the half marathon on Sunday, I did Sunday's run on Saturday. If that makes sense, you'll have figured out I did six on Saturday. It was an easy shake out run that took 1:02. After driving for three hours on Friday night and knowing that I had to work eight hours later, I didn't want to over do it. Also, I was saving energy for the race. There really wasn't anything too exciting about this run except that it was hot for being 6:40 a.m.
After making it back to Bristol, I managed have a great day at work and a got a good night's sleep before the Bristol Half on Sunday! Here is to testing my BQ marathon pace tomorrow! ![]() Today was a 15 miler long run day. However, 13.1 were done in a road race. I was excited to finally road race in my home state of Connecticut. I cannot believe I have lived here for 22 years and not actually done a road race -- I ran plenty of cross country races in my middle school days, but never a road race (at least not one I can remember). I believed doing the Bristol Half Marathon would be perfect because it would give me a chance to see my new town and get more acquainted with the area. Everything was great in theory, until mile 7.5 -- the start of three miles uphill. The race medal says "kill the hill" (hence the name of the post) and it was not a joke. When I say everyone I saw in front and behind me was walking, I mean everyone as far as my eye could see was walking. We would shuffle walk for a couple hundred yards then attempt to run again, it really was a funny sight -- if you were a spectator. As a participant who wanted to run a 1:45, it wasn't funny. It was the first time I raced in my Fleet Feet racing team shirt and I got the name "fleet feet" from this older man who was kicking my a**. There is nothing I love more during racing than the camaraderie. You are racing against a clock and all the participants, but there is still something about cheering the next runner on that is my favorite. My favorite line from the race "that's the top of Bristol folks; it is all down hill from here." I was overjoyed when that happened and even though it was around 1:42 into the race, I tried my best to be sub-2 hours. I was unsuccessful as you can see from my official time -- 2:02:53, but I was very proud of my efforts. Not to mention the beautiful landscape of central Connecticut. Here is my mile by mile time break down: Mile 1 -- 7:55.83 Mile 2 -- 7:47.42 Mile 3 -- 8:31.39 Mile 4 -- 8:40.46 Mile 5 -- 8:16.97 Mile 6 -- 8:34.65 Mile 7 -- 9:22.70 Mile 8 -- 9:54.69 Mile 9 -- 11:42.52 Mile 10 -- 13:20.54 Mile 11 -- 10:33.62 Mile 12 -- 8:53.00 Mile 13 -- 8:24.66 Mile 13.1 -- 00:50.18 As you can see it wasn't as even a race as I wanted, but for it being really hot and me even pouring gatorade over myself at one time, I was proud. Plus the pancake breakfast afterwards helped a lot. Not to mention that I got ninth overall in my age group (20-29) out of 34. I think I might take Monday off and do my last speed workout on Tuesday morning! Another long time between post, but this one for a good reason! With three days off and after a surprise visit by my dad, I headed back to Stone Harbor to hang out with my extended family for three days. On Wednesday, after waking up at 4:30 a.m. to drive there, I managed a 30 minute nap before an eight mile tempo run. It was a total of 11 miles because I was trying to recover from doing two less miles on Sunday than I was supposed to. I felt like I was flying -- it took me 1:45 to do my 11 miles. The eight mile tempo was done at a 9:06 average pace, still a minute off the pace I want to do my tempo runs. However, I felt great. I fought head wind for the first 5.5 miles and had a tail wind for the last 5.5. It was great to stretch out the legs after the three hour drive and then even better to have my toes in the sand for seven hours.
On Thursday, I decided to do my "easy" seven on the beach, barefoot. Running this way is my favorite. It makes me really focus on my form and helps strengthen my calves. I did the seven miles in 1:09 -- there was a strong head wind for the first 3.5 miles. With a 9:34 average pace time -- right in the time frame my easy runs are supposed to be -- I felt great. Plus who doesn't love the beach in the morning? (See pictures) As mentioned in my last post, I was toying with the idea to run the Bristol Half Marathon this upcoming Sunday. I found out on Thursday that my work schedule would allow me to run the half! It will be a good test of how my training is going, and a great way to see my new home. Friday, I thought I would go back to the road, but I decided to do my "easy" eight on the beach again. I was sore from the day before due to running in the sand. It took me 1:24 with some stints of walking. Again, it was another beautiful morning on Stone Harbor's beach and I couldn't complain, even though it was my last day. These three days were exactly what I needed to end the summer on a high note and really measure my training. I had to go home tonight, but I did get to eat at my favorite restaurant -- Steve's Sizziling Steakhouse in Carlstedt, NJ. Here is to an easy six tomorrow! ![]() It has been a week and two days since the last post and I’m not too sure the are words strong enough to describe this past week. In that time I have completed seven runs (not all to the milage prescribed or time desired, but I have gotten one foot in front of the other), started my career, moved and had some great times with wonderful friends. This week started with me trying a different way to run my speed workouts. I ran for the first time, in a veery long time, on a treadmill. It was recommended to me by the same friend who recommended using Hansons’ program. Since she did most of her training in the dead of winter and had a successful BQ in the spring, I’m going to trust her on this. A few observations from my time on a treadmill: Pros
While the cons outweigh the pros, it was arguably the best speed workout I have had. I even made the decision when I stepped of the treadmill that I would do next Monday’s speed work on the treadmill and I think I will for the rest of the cycle. A couple of notes from my Wednesday tempo run, Thursday and Friday’s easy runs: Tempo runs suck when you don't feel like you are getting in the grove and you are pressed for time. This whole ~work~ in the morning thing, really messing with my mind and run time :) (Not a complaint, just need to work on the time management better!) Thursday, I was up at stupid o’clock to run and had to use the bathroom in the middle of the run; but it was a good run none the less. The stupid o’clock helped because I was able to take a 15 minute power nap after my shower and before work!! Friday, it was moving that day so the “easy" eight miles scheduled turned into an easy four because I couldn’t drag myself out of bed due to finishing packing the night before. I count the moving as solid cross training/adding to the miles! Saturday is where the week turned dicy. I had moved Friday and while I didn’t have a bed, made the trek back home to sleep so I could also run in a familiar place. I was going to do two loops of a seven mile loop, but I couldn’t stomach it so I did one seven mile loop and then a seven mile out and back to complete the 14 miles needed. Again, had to go to the bathroom mid-run — it is starting to get annoying. I also wanted to do my 14 miles in no more than 2:10, with the intent in my head if 2:30 is what it takes, so be it, you’ve had a long week. It took 2:34 and I wasn’t pleased. However, I put in the 14 miles and every mile counts. Sunday, I just realized (as I write this on Monday night) I was supposed to do eight easy miles instead of the six that I have been used to. The reason being, I removed weeks four and eight from my program and will remove week 12 as well, to accommodate for starting 15 weeks out, not 18. So this week I’m in week nine of the program, week seven of actual training. The easy Sunday runs are now going to start fluctuating so I’ll have to double check each week. Any who, I did the six in a hour flat and then proceeded to help move my bed, box spring and frame into a truck, out of a truck and into my apartment. Needless to say, the 10 minute nap before work was a life safer. Which brings me to Monday’s speed workout — 6x800 with 400 recovery in between. If you are still with me, you’ll know I said I would give it another week on the treadmill with the speed work. I stayed true to my word and used a treadmill at my work’s gym. I enjoyed the atmosphere better than the gym I was at last Monday because there were less people and the treadmill had a picture of a track so I could see myself going around. I don’t like the track and I don’t like the treadmill, but I see myself falling for the treadmill. Reason being, I set the pace and I have to go that pace, no human element of slowing down. Also, safety, no need to worry about getting hit by a car. And if you really still are reading, you probably don’t ~really~ care about my safety and you want to know how my workout went. Well I’ll tell you — fan-flipping-tactic (and that isn’t sarcasm). I killed it and did all the reps at 8.0 mph and did the last one at 8.1 mph — if you want to know, that is a 7:30 mile pace, meaning all 800 or half miles were done under 3:45!!!! I need an 8:00 min mile pace to BQ (well that would really get me a 3:30 marathon and my BQ times is 3:35). I’ll be back to the treadmill next week. As far as this week goes, I amp up the tempo a mile to 8 on Wednesday, run 15 long and will accomplish this by possibly doing the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday. We shall see. Desire...
After Thursday's fantastic track workout, things took a little bit sour turn. Friday was supposed to be 10 miles, Saturday 8 and Sunday 6. Due to time constraints on Friday I decided to do 8 and then 10 on Saturday. However, the plan didn't work as my expected route wasn't as long as I anticipated and I needed to make a train into NYC to see a friend and get to a concert. Friday's run was half road, half trail and all fun. It was hot out --to be expected at 11:30 so I went with a course I thought would be pretty shaded. I was feeling really strong, especially during the trail part. It was great to run on a different surface and feel myself going faster -- something I can only assume happened because of my fantastic Thursday track without. I only ended up doing 6.64 so I bargained with myself that I would do 11.36 on Saturday to still run 18 miles between the two days. Saturday didn't go as planned either. Friday night I went to NYC to see U2 play at MSG and had the time of my life. Needles to say, Saturday I was not jumping out of bed to run. With many chores to do around the house and prepare to ~adult~ on Monday, I kept pushing off my run. I decided to go out at 6 p.m. with the intent to have a good workout. My body was all for it, but my mind was on another planet. You know when people say they have a million things on their mind? No one really ever means a million, but that is how I felt yesterday. I don't normally stop my watch if I stop at a traffic light or even for a short break. However, I was struggling so much yesterday, I stopped my watch. For a total of seven minutes. In that time I called two friends and played on a swing set at an elementary school. I could not get my mind to stop thinking of everything that needed to get done, how little time I had or about failing. I managed to get myself home -- with help from my playlist of Friday's concert -- in under two hours, but I only did 10.36 miles. It is a good thing that muscle memory actually works because that was all that was keeping one foot in front of the other. Today's run was much better. At 6:40 a.m. the heat wasn't there and my mind had stopped being in a million different places. I was planning to do seven miles but I wanted to get to 8 a.m. mass. I managed to get in a quick and easy 5.36 so I didn't get the total 24 miles I wanted in the three days. However, with the struggle of Saturday's run and making sure I'm ready for Monday, I'm okay with it because I managed to run 10 miles twice this week. Tomorrow I'll try to get back to a normal week, but the track will have to wait until the afternoon. Today, I finally made friends with the track. I know, shocker. Also, this post will be a tad long because it is going to include my last three runs. But back to the matter at hand -- I made friends with the track, and even fell in love (a little) with it. It is no secret that I don't like the track, well really the running in circles part. The flat, even surface with the chance to get faster is appealing. However, I did a 4x1200 workout today with 400 recovery in between and felt amazing afterwards. I even texted my mom that my track workout was fantastic -- I would have paid good money to see her reading that text.
I set out with the intention to complete all four intervals under six minutes. I did them in 6:10, 6:00, 5:45 and 5:47. For running 10 miles yesterday and driving home from Stone Harbor last night at 10:30 (we will get to that later) I surpassed my expectations. I was really feeling strong, striding well and the best part? I wasn't wearing my compression socks. It was just me, my watch and the track. However, there was another part of the workout that made it worth it -- it was an encounter with a fellow runner when I finished. I saw this man arrive to the track on his bike and take an outer lane to complete his run/walk workout. At one time I pace off of him for a lap, but most of the time I kept passing him. I have no idea what his name is an I probably won't see him again, but he made my day. When I finished and started walking off the track, he came over and said that he was impressed with my run and I was inspiring him during his workout. It turns out he is coming back from meniscus surgery in his knee (just a month removed). I was so happy that I gushed to him how this was my fourth track workout, but my best one yet. I couldn't believe how happy I was and how great my body felt -- it really is an amazing machine. We traded marathon stories for a bit and I went on my way and he went back to his workout. Hours later I still cannot decided what had more of an impact -- the fact that I inspired someone or that he noticed how hard I was working. Both make for a great feeling. If we go back a few days, it is Monday and I am awake at 4 a.m. to drive to Stone Harbor, NJ for three days with my aunt, uncle and cousin. I was on the road by 5 a.m. and in Stone Harbor by 8:30 a.m. As we know, Monday are supposed to be track days, but if you are still reading, you know I did this week's on Thursday. Due to the excitement of the shore and seeing my family, I decided that I would make this Monday my rest day, Tuesday track and back to regular schedule for Wednesday. I did play tennis on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in addition to the running. On Tuesday, I went in search of a track in the southern tip of Jersey. There was probably one in Wildwood, but not wanting to go too far, I decided to again rearrange the schedule and do my Thursday run on Tuesday, keep the tempo on Wednesday and do the Monday track workout on Thursday. That left me doing an easy six before playing tennis on Tuesday. It was quickly becoming one of hottest days of the summer and it took me a 1:02 to finish my six miles -- I had to stop and do some rearranging of my outfit, I took off the compression socks midriff, they were too hot. Tuesday wasn't really anything to write home about except for the fact that I had gone so hard in tennis the day before, my forearm was very sore. Wednesday was my seven mile tempo run and I was running with my friend Jon. He is also trying to BQ and his family was in Ocean City, NJ for the week. We agreed to run in Stone Harbor so we didn't have to run on the boardwalk and that we were going to do a total of 10 miles. We hoped to do the seven tempo miles with a 8:15 pace, but according to my watch did it in 9:22 -- equating to somewhere between a 4:00 and 4:15 marathon pace. We ended up okay with our slower pace because of a few things -- the humidity was gross, this was the first time we were running together and the first time we had seen each other since May so we were using it to catch up with each other. However, if you have been reading along, you know I don't run with very many people so it is kind of a big deal that we ran together. Granted we have been supporting each other for the BQ training and plan to run the same race in the spring if we need to BQ for 2017. It was great fun to run with Jon and it would have been even better without the humidity. As you can see from the picture, it was a scorcher out there. The motto for this week has been adaptability and I believe I rearranged my workouts so they fit nicely and I still got all the milage I wanted. The lesson thus far has been the body is an incredible machine. I look forward to the rest of the week. Especially after today's track run, I am starting to believe in myself even more! I have been waiting for a run like this for a long time. If you have been following along, you know that the last couple of weeks of training have been difficult and I haven't really had good mojo. Today that all changed. I believe I was rejuvenated from running Van Cortlandt Park yesterday, but whatever it was, it worked. I did my easy six miles in 59:09, not a PR, but better than the runs that were taking over an hour. I tried to find a flat course and was successful until mile two when I went through two rolling hills. I felt like I was hitting my stride and finding that runners high again. I also believe part of the reason the run was so easy was I only had my watch on -- no phone on my left arm and no compression socks. I have started to run with my phone more because of safety precautions, but I wear a Road ID (I highly suggest it) and normally tell someone my intended route, so I wasn't too worried today. As far as the compassion socks, I really wanted to feel free and have an easy run. I'll go back to wearing them tomorrow at the track.
In a week, I will have one more night left before I start to ~adult~ so this week I am going to enjoy myself for a bit and focus on my running. Part of this week will be dedicated to thinking about how I will be able to continue to dedicate as much time and energy to my training while starting a job. I am very lucky to have an amazing support system and I know I will have to rely on them. But for now, I am going to enjoy the high of today's run and head back into the city to enjoy a beautiful skyline. I've done 19 runs thus far in the cycle -- seems like a lot more. Some have been abysmal, some have been out of this world, but none were quite like today. I have a running joke (pun intended) with my dad about Van Cortlandt Park -- "did you know they sodded it?" -- usually said as we drive by on the Henry Hudson. This joke came about a few years ago when the New York City Parks department sodded the grass in the fields of VCP. It really is a lame joke and to you reading this post means nothing, but for me, it encompasses what VCP means. As it is home to countless cross country races, I have heard stories from my dad and godfather for years about VCP and the trails. I called him this morning as I was getting ready to meet my really good running partner, John. My dad said something to the effect of "you are going to have so much fun, that is where my running career started." And for me, even though it has taken me 22 years to finally run VCP, to some effect it was the start of my running career. Stories have a way to make you feel like you have lived through different periods of someone else's life. When I was younger I would always ask my dad to tell me stories and a lot of running stories included VCP. I guess that is where my love of this crazy sport came from. I always dreamt of running VCP.
Yesterday I did 12 miles as my long run, so today's run was really about seeing the course for the first time, having good company and shaking out the legs. All three were accomplished and I know for sure it won't be the last time I'll run VCP. The last time I had seen John was at the Oakley Women's Mini 10k in June when he was cheering me on. It was a real treat to be able to run with him in New York as we both claim it as "home" (most of the time). John also brought along his friend Neil, an avid runner going to compete at the WMA Outdoor Championships in France. It was very kind of them to run me through the "tortoise and the hare trail"-- it had some killer back hills, but a picture perfect finish. I was able to hit the runner's high today, mostly due to the location and everything that it has meant to me. So, thanks Dad for always talking about Van Cortlandt, introducing me to running and never letting me forget that they sodded the park. And, thanks to John (and Neil) for running with me, today and always. But, especially today in a perfect setting. And Dad, yes I did know they sodded it. ![]() I am speechless after this run. And not for a good reason. Except for the view that I got at Weed Beach, a little less than halfway through, it was an uneventful and hard run. My watch was ticking off the mileage, I was putting one foot in front of the other but I wasn't inspired today. I managed to get up and start running by 6:20 a.m. -- what should be the perfect time for a long run. But I didn't really ever get in a grove. Maybe it was because Friday are not my typical long run days. Maybe it was because I wanted to run it under two hours and didn't. Maybe it was I had to listen to music for the second half to get through the run. Any way you slice it, it wasn't an inspired run. However, I did put one foot in front of the other and pounded out 12 miles, the longest run on the cycle so far. That has to count for something, right? I believe that is the lesson from today's run. I still did it. How many people woke up this morning and ran 12 miles before 9 a.m.? Even with how crappy I thought this run went, it counts and there are two good things that came out of it. The first -- the view in the picture, it was a perfect morning in Fairfield County. The second -- since it was a long run day I got to enjoy Dr. Pete's Recovery Drink from the Berkey Creamery at Penn State (I only have one left , for next Saturday's long run). Tomorrow is a new day, with the chance to have the best run of the training cycle. At least it will have a great venue -- Van Cortland Park in the Bronx. |
Megan FloodMegan is 29 and a 14-time marathoner. She is hoping to Boston Qualify one day. She doesn't know exactly how this blogging will go, but she is giving it her best shot! Archives
June 2019
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Marathoning Megan