CIM Training Week 4

This was a good week of marathon training. With the wildfires ravaging the PNW this week and now Irma striking the south, training is such a minor thing, but I’m always grateful for the ability to run. 

What made this week good? While the weather was not ideal for the first half of the week, each workout felt strong, from a speed ladder to a marathon pace run to the long run. Even the easy runs felt good, as the fatigue of marathon training has not accumulated yet. 

Monday: 7 mile easy run

This was my birthday run! 7 miles is one of my favorite distances to run. Ryan joined Ollie and I for the first three miles, then left to cook my birthday breakfast. Ollie and I did 2.25 miles more on our own, until he started showing signs of overheating. He was panting, slowing down, and slobbering. It was warmer than normal, so I dropped him off at home. I finished the last 1.75 miles on my own. 

Since we went out for dinner on Sunday, we celebrated my birthday from home. Ryan made me breakfast and dinner, along with an apple crisp (using the almond meal and oat crisp topping from Run Fast. Eat Slow). We Face-timed my family and then enjoyed a lazy day at home. We had originally planned on hiking, but temperatures in the 90s and wildfires in the mountains made us decide to save the hike for another weekend. 

Tuesday: Strength training

I had planned on doing a speed workout, but I decided to strength train once I saw the conditions outside: yellow skies, ash from the wildfires sprinkling our cars, and unseasonably hot temperatures (mid-90s, which is uncommon even in the peak of Seattle summer). I had the luxury of moving around my workouts and the weather was supposed to break on Wednesday, so I opted to adjust my schedule rather than run on the treadmill. Honestly, the weather reminded me of tornado weather in the Midwest – which needless to say, was the weather that always made me the most anxious. 

I did about 25 minutes of strength training, including lunges, single leg deadlifts, side planks, pull-ups, and bear crawls. 

Wednesday: Speed ladder (8 miles total)

The temperatures had finally dropped and despite the lingering haze, the air quality was moderate in our area. Since I’m fortunate to not deal with any respiratory issues, I ran outside for my speed workout – I struggle with speed workouts on the treadmill, while outside I can rely more reliably on my effort. 

After a 2.75 mile warm up, I ran 1600 meters, 1200 meters, 800 meters, and 400 meters starting at 10K effort and working down to 3K effort, with a 3 minute recovery jog between each. I really like this workout – I did it once during 10K training – because you get in a high quality of work at various paces without completely spending everything in the middle of a week of marathon training. 

Thursday: 5 mile easy run & 15 minutes strength training

It was a soppy, sweat-just-standing-outside type of humidity when I went on my run. I started out with Ollie and did three miles with him, then quickly switched dogs and took Charlie on one mile that was injected with multiple puggle potty stops. For the fifth mile, I ran our friend’s German shepherd, who saved three minutes off his mile time from last week! Dogs take to running so easily. 

After the run, I did a short circuit focused on the glutes and core. I completed two sets of calf raises, up-down planks, banded clamshells, single leg bridges, dead-bugs, and banded side lying leg lifts. 

Friday: 6 miles at marathon pace (8 miles total)

Last year, I did most of my marathon pace runs on a hilly route with a couple decent climbs. I still plan on incorporating that route into marathon pace runs, since those hills made the hills at CIM feel so easy, but this week, my desire to run with Ollie took priority. Ollie has developed an intense fear of any and all trucks and buses and that hilly route goes along the sidewalk of some busy roads and involves crossing over a highway, which I don’t currently feel comfortable with him. 

We pick a route with a few gentle inclines but a further proximity from roads. Part of the route did go by a route populated by buses, but we were separated from the road where he only stopped a couple times. We averaged a 7:54/mile and I’m really proud of how well Ollie did on this faster run. As a post run reward, I let him wade into the river and watch the ducks – which nearly resulted in me being dragged into the river! 

Saturday: Rest day

When I race, I always rest before the race day – even if it’s not my goal race. I like feeling fresh and eager to run when lining up at the starting line and I wanted Ryan to feel the same way before his first half. 

Sunday: 15 miles, including half marathon 

Ryan ran his first half marathon! We ran the Seattle Craft Classic Half, which ran through the Sammamish River Valley and finished at Redhook Brewery. The course was flat and fast, although we definitely felt the sun at some points in the race. I ran with Ryan during the whole race. Ryan ran a great race, despite dealing with some minor dehydration in the final 4 miles, and finished in 1:57:36. 

We both really enjoyed the race, especially the finish area with a free Redhook beer and a large grassy area for relaxing. Afterwards, we went out for brunch and then spent the rest of the day watching movies. 

 

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway of the Gear Well Argyle Mountain shirts! 

How was your week in running?
Do you prefer to do speedwork outside or on the treadmill?