What to Know about Marathon Pace Before Your Race
April 10, 2024
Hi, everyone! How was your weekend? Did anyone race?
This past week was a successful week in running and fitness. I achieved all of my weekly goals (I even hydrated more than usual!), which always makes for a good week!
Another Hudson-style progression run, which I described in last week’s workout recap. With 1 1/3 miles left in my run, I picked up my pace to near tempo effort, which ended up being approximately a 7:25/mile pace (I don’t check my instant pace during my run and instead run by effort). I saw an eagle along the river on my run, which is always exciting.
There was more exciting news on Monday: my first article on RunHaven was published!
I did a high repetition core workout in the afternoon, and I honestly disliked it. This workout involved up to 90 reps for movements such as stability ball pull-ins and weighted Russian twists, and I was bored partway through. But I’m stubborn, so I finished the workout nonetheless.
Tuesday’s run was just a normal, easy-paced run, made remarkable by the beautiful sunrise. Even though I dislike the fewer daylight hours of winter, I savor getting to see the sunrise on my morning run.
While I can run the same easy run over the same route most days a week without getting bored, I need to switch up my strength workouts frequently. Unless I truly enjoy the routine (read: it’s short and effective), I just struggle to find the motivation to complete it twice a week for several weeks. After scouring my go-to website for strength workouts (I’ve used Women’s Health 15- minute workouts for years), I found this kettlebell workout and actually really enjoyed it. I slightly modified it to include push presses with the squats and added the kettlebelll windmill exercise. I finished my workout before Ryan finished his strength training, so I added in some planks and bridges to build my core strength and hip stability.
After 7 easy miles on a flat route, I did three short hill sprints. Hill sprints are going to be a bread and butter workout of my half marathon training program, so I decided to introduce a low volume of them early to prevent injury. They are harder than they sound: you sprint as hard as you can up a 6-8% incline for 8 seconds. Hill sprints demand quick acceleration, quick leg turnover, and a lot of power to climb the hill. By the end of the third repeat my breathing was quite labored; I’m not used to running at my maximal speed and have slacked on strides since I finished marathon training.
In the afternoon I did one of my tried and true Pilates workout, which as always provided a great core workout and stretched my legs and back out well.
I felt a twinge of puppy-mommy guilt. I usually run Charlie on Thursdays, but rain and a severe wind warning dissuaded me from running outside, especially with my little guy. To make up for his missed run, I let him sit on my lap all day as I worked on coaching stuff and freelance articles.
Neither my legs nor my mind were feeling this run when I started, but I knew I needed it both mentally and physically. When I get saddened by current events, running helps me process my thoughts and fosters gratitude so that I stop focusing on the negative. I listened to Christmas music and started to feel better about 2.5 miles in.
I had both my annual dentist appointment and eye exam during the day, and so it felt so good to get in my kettlebell workout after a day of sitting in waiting rooms and patient chairs. I did the same workout as on Tuesday and finished it off with forearm planks, side planks, and single-leg bridges. I really want to run a big PR in the half marathon in March, and I know consistent strength training, especially explosive movements such as kettlebell swings, will really benefit me in that pursuit.
The run was the same as Monday’s, just a mile longer. For the progression portion, I ran an average pace of 7:28. It was windy on this run, but I accidentally dressed too warm with full-length tights and a long sleeve shirt and was overheated by the end. I need to get over my dislike of running capris for Seattle winters, it seems!
In the afternoon, I did three circuits of this quick and effective Pilates workout from Run to the Finish. Even though it was short in duration, it provided a challenging strength workout. I felt my core and legs burning!
No hiking this Saturday – we had to take my good old Honda in for some maintenance and then spent the rest of the day decorating for Christmas, baking gingerbread cookies, drinking homemade gluhwein (mulled wine), and commencing our Advent tradition of watching Lord of the Rings. Charlie dressed up in his holiday best for the occasion.
We had planned on going straight from church to hiking, but the weather determined otherwise. We did take a brief drive towards Snoqualmie Pass, and it was quite rainy (and snowy at higher elevations)! Not the safest hiking weather, so we were glad we had skipped out this week.
Run: 35 miles | Hike: 0 miles | 5 supplemental workouts
[Tweet “Mile Markers: Progression runs, Pilates, and Kettlebell workouts via @thisrunrecipes #fitfluential #sweatpink”]
How was your week of running and fitness?
Do you get bored quickly with certain workouts if there’s no variety?
How do you stay organized at work and/or in blogging?
18 Responses
I definitely get bored with supplemental workouts and am always looking for new ideas! It’s been nice to have some more time to try out different workouts to see what options will work best for me over the next few weeks/months while I am taking a break from training.
That’s so great that you’re getting to try new workouts! That freedom and flexibility to try new workouts is definitely a benefit of not training.
Charlie looks very dapper. Zoe would totally freak out. Slash we would never get it on her.
Thank you! Charlie’s usually not a fan of costumes – he once had a dragon costume that he then slipped out of and destroyed. Zoe would look so cute in a Christmas collar!
I use a planner to stay organized. I still do the pen/paper thing, and I cross things off (well, highlight them with a highlighter, so I can still see what I did) when they’re done. Looks like you had a great week of workouts with lots of strength training and progression runs- it will really pay off. My progression runs helped me learn to pace (and get faster race times) big time!
Pen and paper really helps me as well – and that’s smart to use a highlighter to cross things off! I’m hoping to get back in the habit of using a planner. And thank you – hopefully all of this will pay off for my spring half!
Your routes are all so beautiful! Great job this week 🙂
Thank you! There are a lot of beautiful running trails on Seattle’s Eastside.
I love that picture of Charlie! Great week of running and workouts! I do get bored with supplemental workouts so I try my best to mix it up. Lately, I have been doing yoga and am really loving the change of pace and how it works my muscles in a different way while increasing flexibility. I stay organized by keeping a planner. Its small enough to keep in my purse and it keeps me feeling on top of things! I hope you have a great start to your week!
Thank you! Yoga does sound like a wonderful changes of pace – it’s so relaxing and really does improve flexibility. I need to start using a planner for 2016! Hope your week is going well!
Congratulations on the published article! Wooohooooo!!!!!!!!!!! Atta girl.
Thank you! It is a great feeling! You should try to publish since you always write so well!
I run the same running route too and very rarely feel bored with it but for my strength workouts, I totally need to switch up the Pure Barre routines. I rotate a bunch and added in those new 10 minute workouts which have been interesting, different and challenging already!
You’re the exact same as me! I love my running route and even though I know it’s good to switch it up, I just like to run the same route. It sounds like those new Pure Barre routines are working out well for you!
Awesome job getting all the strength and core work in! I agree that it can be so much harder to stay motivated to do the same routine over and over.
Thank you! It is hard – I have to switch up routines every few weeks unless I really like it.
My husband was enamored with your pug when I showed him the pic! I do like the tie and collar! LOL!
I’m struggling with balancing work, blogging and running. I think the holidays are throwing me over the top…
Thank you! Charlie does tend to enamor people lol! I hope the balance to work, blogging, and running returns for you soon! I imagine the holidays are quite a busy time in nursing.