Training Plan Week 9

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
8	01/29/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	17 miles

Actual Week:

Monday - Walking 3.59 miles 59 minutes (16:26 mm). Because I did my weekend run on Saturday, I felt like waiting three days was too long so I walked on Monday. It was a lovely day and I just walked when the walk light said to, then turned around and came back to the office.
Tuesday - 3.98 miles 48 minutes (12:03 mm). Plus the walking warm up/down of .52 in 10. Ran 2:30/1:00 on the hills near campus. The hills were a struggle but I felt like I was running faster than this.
Thursday/Friday - I did neither of these runs/walks. I had an ingrown toenail which both hurt badly and which I didn't want to aggravate and make worse.
Sunday - 14.3 miles 2:55 (12:14 mm). At first I thought I would be running between ChocolateWife getting home from a conference and the start of the Super Bowl but her conference time got pushed back so I ran early (out of the house about 6:35). It was 43 and windy and rainy. 1:1 ratio. The run felt great but my face and hands were cold. I forgot my gloves and actually considered calling ChocolateWife to either bring them or pick me up but gave it a little while and my hands got better. I'm really happy with this run. My target pace should have been 13:36 so this was both faster than that and faster than my run 2 weeks ago.

I am feeling very good about the Half-Marathon in 13 days. My last two LSRs have been really positive. I think that I am starting to really use Chi Running to my benefit. I base this belief on the fact that in both runs I had the sensation throughout that I was falling forward. I kept thinking that it's not possible for more than 50% of the run to be downhill (or I guess it could be but the other part would have to be really uphill). The other thing is that I didn't get any blisters on my feet or have to reapply body glide to my feet. On the downside, my running bra is rubbing me badly under one arm and across the front. I need to experiment with some body glide but I don't want to get a new bra 2 weeks before the race.

BTW, a half-marathon at yesterday's LSR pace would be 2:37:51 or breaking my PR by 13 minutes.

January Total - 109!

Yes! For the first time I've run over 100 miles in a month. I believe my previous high was around 97 miles. I blew that away. 109.59 to be exact. Every month I join a 100 mile challenge on NikeRunning and this is the first time I've ever made it.

I don't know about February though. I'll have a 14 mile run this weekend and the half-marathon February 19th but the rest of the month will probably be pretty light with taper week and then recovery week.

Training Plan Week 8

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
8	01/23/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	12 x 800

Actual Week:

Tuesday - 4.11 miles 47 minutes (11:26/mm). Ran in the rain near home. 2:30/1:00 ratio. Another .52 miles or so walking warm-up/down.
Thursday - 4.14 miles 49 minutes (11:44/mm). Ran on track near campus. 3:1 for first 30 then 2:1 ratio. Another .5 mile walk to warm up and down.
Friday - 3.35 miles 58 minutes walk (17:18/mm). I tried to walk easy knowing that I would run again Saturday. It was lovely out.
Saturday - 8.79 miles 1:52 (12:44/mm). 12x800 repeats. Target time based on my magic mile was 5:33. I beat that in every repeat: 5:21, 5;18, 5:20, 5:19, 5:16, 5:17, 5:23, 5:12, 5:20, 5:18, 5:18, 5:00. I felt really good about this run. Basically for every 800, I ran the first 400 in around 2:30, walked 30, and ran to the end. I was really excited that I was able to crank out that last 800 the fastest. Pace is not great because the total includes 2:30 walking between each and walking warm-up and down.

Planks - I did at least one one minute plank every day. Friday I posted on FB/Twitter that if I got a $25 donation (I got $80) I would do the PlankanHour challenge on Saturday. I did so even though some hours I got it in just at the limit and by the end my core was burning.

Livestrong Shirt

One of my Team Livestrong teammates designed this shirt and said that she could print names on the back. It's available in yellow, white, or gray. I don't usually wear any yellow but I figure if I'm going to promote and run for Team Livestrong I should probably get used to wearing some yellow.

The back of the shirt displays the names of my sponsor, some in memory names, some in honor of Survivor names, and my donors. I'm thrilled with it and I posted it on facebook to very positive response.

Baby Blanket

This is the baby blanket I finished a few weeks ago for our friends' baby (coming in the next few weeks). I used a pattern I found on Ravelry. It was quite easy and fun to do and the soft baby yarn was so nice to use. Once ChocolateWife finishes a big brother gift for the family, I can send the two blankets and her gift along.

Big Sister Blanket

My friends are having their third baby next month. I made a new pattern for the baby blanket (I haven't posted picture for it yet) and this blanket for the "big sister" blanket. I'd never made a blanket like this but my SIL made us three blankets for Christmas (one for each child and one for our big king-size bed). It's basicaly a Granny square that just gets bigger and bigger. My SIL transitioned from the 3 dc to doing a V stitch once she got about 1/3 of the rounds done but I didn't like the way it was laying that way so I kept to the 3dc.

This was the fastest blanket I've ever done. I started it on a Thursday evening and finished it 8.5 days later on Saturday morning. It was fun to do and not challenging.

Training Plan Week 7

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
7	01/16/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	15 mile run

Actual Week:

Tuesday - 4.88 miles 1:00 (12:17/mm). Also .52 miles in 11 minutes walking warm up/down. It was ChocolateSon's birthday (happy birthday!) so I took the day off work. I ran with a 2:1 then 1:30/1 ratio.

Thursday - 8.65 mile 1:58 (13:38/mm) trail run. It was a state holiday so I worked 6 hours, then took off early for a nice long run. I went to Walnut Creek park which is probably my favorite place to run. Because it was still during the work/school day there were very few other folks there. 2:1 ratio.

Friday - 3.01 mile walk 48 minutes. I went for a walk on my lunch hour and it was quite beautiful and lovely.

Sunday - 14.44 mile 2:58 (12:19/mm). Includes warm up and down. I never intended to do 15 so I'm completely happy with the run. It was possibly the best run I've ever had. Certainly my best LSR. Pace target was 13:36 and my time INCLUDING WARM UP/DOWN was over a minute faster than that. I wasn't trying to run fast. It just felt easy and smooth. I worked on standing tall and leaning (very chi running) and just felt like I was falling forward much of the time. I actually had the impression that I was running downhill most of the time (obviously impossible since I ran a "there and back" route.

Total miles for the week = 32! I am at 80+ miles for January so unless something terrible happens this should be my first 100+ mile month ever.

I also had a good fundraising week. Tuesday I posted a note on FB saying that it was ChocolateSon's 8th birthday and that he says he will cure a terrible disease when he grows up but in the meantime would 8 people donate $8 to my half-marathon with Team Livestrong. My brother did as asked, another friend donated $8 for each year he has been alive ($64), and my friend Jenny B who sponsored my registration for the race donated $50.80. I am close to reaching my $1000 goal so I raised my goal to $1250.