Mile Markers: On Repeat

Mile Markers: On Repeat

With just under 2 weeks to the Snohomish Women’s 10K, my workouts are getting harder and harder. I’m enjoying the more relaxed mileage, but the speedwork is certainly harder in a different way for the 10K than race specific workouts are for the marathon and half marathon. 

I enjoy long interval workouts so much. Continuous long tempos are definitely enjoyable for me, but long cruise intervals have become my favorite workouts. This week featured two long interval workouts – cruise intervals at 10K pace and tempo intervals at half marathon pace – that were both enjoyable and challenging. Add to that more days of sunshine than rain, and it was a good week of running. 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

Monday: 30 Minutes Strength Training

I opted not to run in order to watch the Boston Marathon. I could have cranked out a few miles before 6:30 AM, but I didn’t want to do just a short run. Five days per week running works best for me right now, especially since my plantar fasciitis has calmed down, and I’d much rather spend those 5 days on running more mileage or running with Ryan. 

2 x 15 kettlebell swings
2 x 15 single leg deadlifts 
2 x 30 toe taps
2 x 12 elevated kettlebell plank rows
2 x 10 Bulgarian split squats with med ball
2 x 15 single leg hops and double leg hops
Plank matrix: 60 seconds forearm, 30 seconds side plank (per side)

Tuesday: 8 mile cruise interval run & 25 minutes Pilates

This workout kicked my butt. Rarely do I feel nauseated after a hard run, but I did after this run. Admittedly, I did myself no favors by strength training the night before. You know that feeling: metallic taste in the mouth, stomach churning more and more with each minute, and no appetite for a few minutes afterward. 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

 I was pleasantly surprised with my splits when I reviewed them after the run. The mile repeats at 10K pace felt hard by the third one, which included an 180-degree turn-around that slowed me down (but I know my race has one, so it’s important to practice). I told myself that if a mile ever hit below a 7:25/mile pace, I would bail the workout – since the purpose was to practice goal pace. Yet each repeat stayed at goal pace and somehow I finished strong. I ran 7:08, 7:10, 7:13, 7:09, 7:05 for the mile repeats. 

1.3 mile warm up run
5 x 1 mile at 10K goal pace with 3 minute recovery jogs 
~0.55 mile cool down run 

This workout both build my confidence for my race – I sustained a pace that would get me to my goal of breaking 45 minutes – and nervous. I forget how nauseating running that hard for that long can be! I added a half mile walk to cool down, which I think really helped since I felt well recovered the next day. 

I did a short Pilates workout in the evening to stretch, strengthen, and stabilize. The workout featured several inversion exercises and planks, which really worked my (already tired) core. However, it skipped over an extensive leg series, which I feel like aids significantly in hip extension and glute strength, so this workout was probably one of my least favorites of recent Pilatesology workouts. 

Wednesday: 7 mile easy run 

Ollie is gradually learning how to run easy. When we first started running with him, he would try to run so fast and pull so hard that only Ryan could handle him. He pulled significantly less this week and eventually settled into a comfortable 8:50-9:10/mile pace with me. This run felt really good by the end, after spending the first few miles shaking out some lingering fatigue from the previous day’s workout. 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

Last week, Ollie had a cutback in mileage (he has gotten up to 20 miles per week!) and temporarily reverted to full-on hyper dog mode. 7 miles does the trick in working out his excess energy (much like it does for me).  I was so happy to have a tired, calm puppy after this run. 

Thursday: 3 mile easy run + 30 minutes strength training

This week, it was fully light out at 6 AM – which means our entire run was done without Knuckle Lights for the first time in months! We took Charlie with us, who had a smoother run that he did last week. 

2 x 20 squats with band under knees
2 x 20 lateral band walk
4 x 10 seconds 4-square single leg hops
4 x 10 second “jump rope” hops
2 x 20 banded clamshells
2 x bridge matrix with band above knees: 10 single leg bridges per leg, 15 bridges, 15 pulses in raised bridge
2 x 10 side plank leg lifts
2 sets of full pushups with mountain climbers (8 reps, then 5 reps)
45 second forearm plank

Friday: 7 mile tempo run 

This run was fantastic: I felt strong and smooth on the tempo miles, it was sunny, warm (by Seattle standards, so 45-50 degrees) and lightly breezy, and spring flowers were in full bloom. I wanted to just spend all morning outside and take a nap under the sun. 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

 

The Workout
15 minute warm up (1.75 miles)
2 x 2 miles at tempo pace with 3 minute recovery run in between
~1 mile cool down

My goal range for this workout was 7:19-7:29/mile. I ran 7:19 and 7:26 for the first two-mile repeat and then 7:23 and 7:05 (!) for the second repeat. I honestly have no idea how I cranked out a faster mile on this run than I did for most of the 10K pace miles on Tuesday. Maybe it was the foam rolling I did after Thursday’s strength training, the extra time I took to activate my glutes before the run, or the sunshine – but this run built up my confidence in breaking 45 minutes in the 10K in just over 2 weeks.  

Saturday: 10 mile long run 

It felt so good to get in a double digit run – my first since the Lake Sammamish Half Marathon at the start of March! Ryan ran his longest run ever, as did Ollie – and both finished strong. I really enjoyed having Ryan’s company on the run and our paces match up well for long runs. 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

Naturally, we celebrated Ryan breaking into double-digit mileage with some local craft beers! 

Mile Markers: On Repeat

Sunday: Rest Day

I needed a physical and mental rest day. We keep planning on hikes, but there’s so much snow in the mountains that many of our favorite hikes have avalanche warnings. Neither Ryan nor I are particularly eager to hike in sloshy snow either – especially because it was this time last year, on muddy and slushy hikes, that we both injured our feet. 

[Tweet “10K training, running repeats, and celebratory craft beer via @thisrunrecipes #running #training “]

How was your week in running?
Do you prefer long or short repeats?


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14 Responses

  1. I’m having too much fun just running right now, and I know it is going to haunt me! 50 miles last week. But I know that I’m not going to be able to in a few weeks, so I’m just living the dream and focusing on recovery.

    1. Whoa 50 miles – that’s awesome! I can’t wait to get back up to that mileage. With PF right now, I’m just too cautious to build mileage on top of speedwork.

    1. Thank you – I’m getting a bit nervous about holding that pace for 6.2 miles straight! The warmer temps are making this so much better – and rainy season is almost over!

  2. Congrats to Ryan on hitting double digits! Looks like a great way to celebrate! I feel like all your running pics make it look like spring has really arrived- it makes me so antsy to be outside running again!

    1. Thank you! I’m so proud of him and excited to have a long run buddy through the summer. Spring has really arrived here – I hope you can get outside for running soon!

  3. Hey, at least you had great weather! It is super gloomy here today. You had an overall strong week and way to go on taking the rest day when you weren’t feeling it. I think you’ll do really great in your 10K even if the workouts seem tougher than marathon/half marathon ones (maybe you’re just more of a long distance lady?).

  4. Short repeats are good because they’re over with quicker, but longer ones are slower. It depends on my mood. If I’ve got some adrenaline in my body (emotional, like, maybe angry about something) then short repeats. If I’ve got a lot of issues going on that I need a break from thinking about, then long repeats, definitely. They’re just taxing enough for me to have to concentrate on staying in the moment, and not thinking about my life. Ha ha I must sound like such a spaz.

    1. You don’t sound like a spaz at all 🙂 Longer repeats are definitely a good break from thinking – a solid amount of time to just shut off the brain and focus on the run.

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