January & Marathon Training Wk 12

First things first.

To describe January in one word would be... hard to put into one word.
But I could use a picture. (...or 3)

pictures from the f^3 Lake Half Marathon

I cannot believe they actually shot that picture where it looks like I'm about to cry. haha.. awkward...
I was just celebrating in disbelief. I promise, there was no tears lol I really really like the other two tho. Anyways January was filled with an amazing PR, highest mileage and just a great overall training month.

Mileage: 170 miles (WOOH! last February of 2012 I peaked at 142, so this is a new record)
PRs: 3
Races: 3 (one 5k, 2 half-marathons)

DietBet January Weight-Loss Challege: I signed up for the weight-loss challenge, paid $10 took my weigh in pictures and cleaned up my diet.

The Good: I managed to lose 5 pounds! And won $21
The Bad: Now that the challenge is over, I'm slacking off.. I knew this was going to happen. And I'm not paying $10 to do it again (even though I earned ~$21 for losing, my $10 were given back to me so technically earned myself 10 bucks). Should I do it again? Meh.. It gets me motivated not to slack but what if this time I can't lose 4% of my starting weight? I will keep debating.

I also have a streak going so far for half-marathon and 5k's... every single race I've done in that distance, I have PRed. I don't want to jinx it now..  I've started to develop some pain on my foot after yesterdays long run, so I'm planning to take it easy this week and maybe even take some time off (and get new shoes). The last thing I need is an injury 13 weeks into marathon training.

That being said, as soon as January was over, my workouts have sucked.
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Marathon Training Week 12

Monday-Rest
Tuesday- 5 fartlek miles + Spin (50min) + Arms (tried out spin at my gym, loved it! Crossed off #22 on my to-do list)
Wednesday - 5.08 miles in the rain
Thursday - 4.02 miles (semi-intervals) --> (suppose to be 5mi, but got lazy)
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 8 mi @ "marathon pace" went slower than I should've, I blame the snow
Sunday - 12.7 (painful) miles

Total: 34.8mi

How I felt: ...like crap. This week was "step back" week and I literally did the least I was suppose to and even cut back on Thursday's 5miler to 4. I had no motivation in the mornings to go out in the cold but I would still drag myself. I think I've hit a wall. Or I'm burning out...I HATE the cold and the snow at the moment.. It doesn't help that it's dark and freezing at 6am and I have to crap out 5 milers.. ahh. (I refuse to jump on the TM for more than 3)

Sunday I felt good in the beginning, but I had to cut down the 13miler because my foot had been really hurting. The last 6 miles were painful. I took a million walking breaks. Me and JV decided to park near McCormick and run 6.5 miles south and run back to the car to make it 13 (smart buuut not so smart today), so we had no way of getting back to the car, but to run (or walk). Every time my left foot would hit the ground, I felt my arch explode. We were hungry, we were COLD, my foot was in pain but my legs were fine...

My best guess why it hurts:
A) Running too much (peaked in weekly/monthly miles in January)
or
B) I need new shoes, my long run shoes are 4-5 months old

Today will be complete rest. Depending how I feel Tuesday morning, I'm def going to take extra good care of my foot. Especially if I have a 20 miler this weekend (womp..womp...) Not excited..

I have to remind myself 5 more weeks.. only 5 more weeks..

I don't know how I went from feeling super good to feeling like crap.. but Hey, marathon training isn't suppose to be easy. And I was bound to feel some kind of pain eventually. I just have to be smart about it. I also have to be realistic, I'm not going to enjoy every single run. I'm going to tough these next 2 high mileage weeks out. The snow isn't going to help one bit, or my arch..
I just have to stay positive.

40 days until the marathon...

During Saturday's 8 miler, glad they plowed around Midway
i don't know where else I would run.

Marathon Training Week 10 + 11

I'm starting to panic.. just a little.


Week 12 begins today. With a well deserved rest day. I will do absolutely nothing (I'm doing my body a favor and letting it recover) .

NO Crosstraining
NO treadmill
NO abs
(just a slow mile bike commute to class)

Even if the weather is tempting me... (NOW it decides to warm up.. sheesh)

I am feeling sore this morning, and this week is "step-back" week! Yes! I love it.. because it couldn't have come in a better time. I need to rest and catch up on school work haha.

Week 10

Monday: Cross-training 10.5mi on the bike, short swim, and p90x Shoulders+Arms
Tuesday: 4 slow miles + abs
Wednesday: 8mi
Thursday: Intervals! 1mile warm-up, 6x400s at 5k pace. p90x Arms + Abs
Friday: switch my Saturday run (8miles) to today. Need to rest before Sunday's 5k/Long Run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Midwinter Cruise 5k (22:57) + 14miles @ 8:42pace = 17.1miles

Total Running Miles: 41
Total Bike Miles: 10.5
How I felt: Good, for the most part. A little sluggish during the week, but made up for it Thursday and Sunday with some speed.

Week 11

Monday: Rest Day (biked ~4mi to school)
Tuesday: 5 miles in the COLD 0 degress but feels like -16 degree weather.+ p90x arms & abs
Wednesday: Felt sluggish, so I opted for 5 No Garmin miles instead of 8.
Thursday: I felt better, so I did 4 miles outside, but the snow slowed me down. Treadmill Intervals 6 miles (Total 10miles) + 'Flex' Drop-in Fitness Class
Friday: Rest
Saturday: f^3 Lake Half Marathon (PR!) + 5 mi = 18miles
Sunday: Slow 7 miler

Total Running Miles: 45
Total Bike Miles: ~9
How I felt: Sore from the half, and the extra 12 miles after the race but overall, I feel good. I'm at the point in the marathon plan where my weekly mileage peaks. (I even added a mile or two this week and last just because I felt comfortable) And so far, my legs have been holding up pretty well. I'm trying to fit in cross training and strength workouts.. and sometimes I forget to log them. Oops. But I've been sticking to it! I've also started biking from one campus to the other (~1mi) everyday instead of the bus, does that count as cross-training? lol

According to dailymile... the f^3 Half was intense haha (my heart rate)


Week 12, prepare to be demolished!
I'm going to take it relatively easy this week. and maybe even try out the cycling class I've been curious about. Don't want to get injured, burn out or lose motivation. I'm really excited for the weeks to come

Marathon Training Week 8 + 9

Week 8

Week 8

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles to start off the year
Wednesday: 7 miles
Thursday: 4 miles + p90x abs
Friday: 3 miles + p90x Shoulders & Arms
Saturday: 7 miler + p90x abs
Sunday: Long run 15 miler!

I felt great this week (and I'm starting to incorporate more strength training workouts on short running days)! During the 15 miler, my goal was to run it at least at a 9 min pace, but I ran with JV the whole time and with him I'm usually faster. We ended up doing 15 miles at 8:46 pace. I didn't feel too bad afterwards either. I also got a chance to see my progress. We ran 13.1 miles in 1:55.

Back in June, running 13.1 miles in 1:57 was the fastest I could go and today on a training run, I was doing it at medium effort. I was thinking of all the hard work I have put in and how far I still have to go to reach my goals. One thing I forgot today is the importance of fueling and hydrating. I didn't bring along water with me but I did bring Shot Bloks (prefer them over GU). They work fine for me except sometimes I need water to drink it down. Afterwards, I felt dehydrated (which tends to happen to me alot). I felt woozy and even felt like I was about to hurl. I've had this problem for a while.. it could be either after a hard effort run or a long run or too little water, but I feel horrible afterwards  and sometimes I start seeing dark spots. The only thing that makes it go away is usually after I end up throwing up or I sip on orange juice. It also goes and comes randomly. Sometimes I run at a hard pace and feel fine and sometimes I go on a short run and suddenly I feel dizzy. But anywho, after the 15 miler, I only gagged a little and ate a banana while sipping on water and felt fine afterwards. Still curious as to why this happens.

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Week 9

Week 9: Step-Back Week

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles.. slow and recovering + p90x Shoulders & Arms
Wednesday: 1 mile warm-up + 4 tempo miles (7:52 pace) + abs
Thursday: 3 slow miles, prepping for Saturdays race
Friday: no running; 30 mins of p90x Chest & Back + abs
Saturday: Polar Dash Half Marathon! (spoiler: new PR ;))
Sunday: 4 Easy shakeout miles

Kept my runs at an easy pace this week after the 15miler and also because of the half marathon. Did a 4mile tempo on Wednesday to get speed training in. Although I thought I wasn't going to be able to run my tempo miles at a sub-8 pace after the long run, and also because I was still a little stiff, I was a little skeptical. Once I warmed up, I focused on keeping my pace and surprisingly I was able to. It was tough, but I did it. I'm also really comfortable getting in strength training on my short-run days.

I was def ready for Saturday's Polar Dash Half Marathon.

On Sunday, I felt like I could go for a short run to loosen up my calves since they felt a little tight. Kept it slow, and just enjoyed being out there.

Week 10, bring it!
8 weeks of training left
and 6 weeks till taper!!!


Midwinter Cruise 5k and 17 miler here we come :)

(Oh yeah, first day of Spring Semester tomorrow, one year and 4 months till graduation!!!!!!)

LA Marathon & Nike Womens Half --HELP!

With all the turkey-trotting and finals coming up, I've hardly had time to type up anything besides recaps.

The crazy bug bit me before Thanksgiving break, and I signed up for the LA Marathon and the Nike Women's Half in DC. (Just looking at the word "marathon" is freaking me out.) So I need some advice for this first-time marathoner.

I've never followed any training plans, so it's going to be tough sticking to one (for 16 weeks?!). Especially during the long, cold, dark winter days. The marathon is in early March, in California weather I'm not sure what to expect. There's a couple things that stress me out besides following a training plan.

1) what marathon training plan to follow?
2) training in cold winter, to then run in California.. ehm? Will this be a bad thing?
4) there's hardly any races during the winter, is it a good or bad thing?
5) motivation to go out and run in 20 degree weather
3) the upcoming winter here in Chicago is unpredictable.. running 13mi+  in the snow?

I'm also running this marathon for charity (Susan G. Komen) and my minimum goal is to hit $500. I have more than enough time to raise this money, but how do I get started? Any good tips on what to do and how to go about fundraising? If anyone is kind enough.. and donate here! :) that would be sooo nice of you


Now.. onto the Nike Women's Half.

I'm not too stressed about it (the distance anyway) but it's about 4 weeks after the marathon.. will I have recovered by then? When I first heard about this inaugural race in DC, I thought "this will be my goal race" I've made it a goal to run a half in 1:45 ever since I finished the Chicago Half at 1:49. But will my legs be fully recovered by then? I'm not so sure

... so Plan B is to just finish it and have fun. I always wanted to run a Nike Women's race (looks awesome! and Tiffany necklace at the finish line ;).. even if it's really expensive. The perks of being a college student -- not only did I get the registration at a discounted price, but I also got a guaranteed spot (no raffle or waiting to see if I got in).

Is anyone else running the DC race?
Me and another fellow run club runner are planning to drive there so we're looking for anyone who is wanting to split gas costs! Please let me know :)
and if you're debating whether to run it or not.. registration is still open! If you're a college student $125 & guaranteed entry :)

Sincerely, distressed and in need of advice runner...