Emily's training blog

Longer recovery run today.  I ran surprisingly well for having just raced.  Sore in the hips, but that's nothing new.  My legs didn't love downhills today, but I'm definitely in much better shape than after Deseret News.  There was a little residual stomach ache from Saturday, but that's improving.  I ran 1300 W to Gardner Village, onto the river trail, off at 4800S, and then back up to home.  It was muggy.  I was thirsty.  

147.5 miles until I get to start backing off.  Almost there.  

AM:  I warmed up 3 miles and then ran 4 x 1.5 miles.  I ran half a mile recovery in between intervals. 9:04 (must still be warming up!)  8:50, 8:47 (started feeling better)  8:48.  I just cooled down until I hit 11 miles.  I will run a few miles as a shakeout this afternoon. 

PM:  4 mile easy run through the neighborhood.  My legs were completely dead.  The workout this morning did me in!  

Towards the end of my run I passed a bus stop.  There was a man standing at the stop that struck me as threatening.  There was just something about the way he looked at me.  It threw me in to a full internal panic.  I never know exactly when something or someone is going to scare me.  This guy didn't do anything, but I'm still experiencing some residual effects from my attack.  Mostly, I'm just fine, but occasionally a random occurrence will put me in that fight or flight mode. 

I went on a bit of an adventure run through Murray with Devra and Allie.  Our 10 mile run turned into a 12 mile run because my navigational skills are lacking.  We braved 2 laps of Wheeler Farm.  It was very dark!  I enjoyed the company, but maybe someone else should lead next time!

AM:  8.5 miles  4100 S to River Trail.  Home at Millrace Park.  I saw a hearse that was decorated with University of Utah decals . . . weird.

In honor of Murray Invite this afternoon, I ran a fartlek workout at Murray Park. They were busy setting up the course.  I warmed up and then ran 3 x 1-2-3-2-1 repeats with 1-1-2-1-1- minute recovery.  I ran through the course once, and then did a perimeter lap on the Murray Fun Days Course.  Then, I cooled down in the park.  This was a good strength workout with uphills, downhills, grass, trail, and roads.  I just hope the uneven surfaces don't make my achilles tendons more sore tomorrow.  

East High has to run that course this afternoon.  I will be there coaching and feeling glad that I am already done with my workout.  It was hot this morning.  It's going to be blazing this afternoon.

I met Jenny at her house for our long run.  We ran out on Wasatch Boulevard and back.  The route started uphill, rolled along Wasatch, and then finished downill for the last 4 miles.  I liked the route, but I didn't feel very good during the run.  I started to get dizzy at 16 miles.  I took a second hammergel there, and that got me through. I was just so thirsty the whole run.  I think it was warmer this morning than usual.  Plus, I ran a workout yesterday, and then spent yesterday afternoon running all over a cross country course.  I don' t think I ate or drank very well.

I'm glad I've had some hard runs with some tough conditions.  I think it's preparing me pretty well for whatever the marathon throws at me.  After all this hard training, I am crossing that finish line if I have to crawl the last three miles.  Still, I hope I feel great that day, because I sure don't right now.  

7:18 average.  We ran 1:24 for 11 going out, and 1:16 coming back.  Despite feeling cruddy, it was still a strong run.  Jenny was a beast today!

I tried out my new marathon flats on my workout today.  I'm not quite sure about them.  They are the Asics DS Racers.  They are supposed to have a little more stability than normal flats.  They feel a little heavier than a flat, more like a lightweight trainer.  But, maybe that's good for a marathon.  I liked them better than I thought I would.  The only issue I had is that the heel of the shoe comes up higher than my other shoes.  The left shoe left the back of my heel raw.  I will try them with some different socks, but I may be ordering a different pair.  

I warmed up 2.5 miles, and then ran 4 x 200.  The  workout was a ladder workout  400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200 800, 400.  with 400 recovery, except after the 400 which was 90 seconds.  Here's my paces, and my mental reactions to each interval:

400  77  (OUCH!  400's are hard!)

800  2:47 ( a little too relaxed on this one.  It was dark.  I was running by feel)

1200  4:12  (Same pace as the 800.  Pretty decent!)

1600  5:40  (and a negative split 2:52, 2:48.  Woo Hoo!  I think my body likes 84-5 pace today.)

1200  4:14  ( Had to run pretty hard the last lap to hit under 4:15

800:  2:45  (Better!  Glad to see that 2:45!)

400  78  ( Eh.  At least it's under 80)

I felt great (well, marathon training great) today.  It's tough to push my body into the uncomfortable speed range.  However, it likes "comfortably hard."  My goal has been to let my body take control and not force the efforts.  I run better relaxed.  I'm happy with today.  I feel really ready for this marathon.

2.5 mile cooldown.

PM:  I needed a few more miles, so I ran with the East High team.  They were doing 6 x 800 with 400 recovery.  Woo Hoo.  Double workout day.  I just paced some of the girls on their repeats.  Nothing too strenuous.

AM:  10 miles.  ugh.

PM:  3 more.

Threshold run today.  I warmed up two miles and then did a 10 mile tempo.  Well, actually, I did a 45 minute tempo.  I was really struggling at that point, so I finished the last 2.65 miles running 1 minute on/off.  Still, I managed the full ten in 61:48.  6:10-11 per mile.  I cooled down 2 miles.  14 miles total in 1:31:05.  Overall, it was a good workout.  It just wasn't the easy 6:03-04 average that I ran 2 weeks ago.  

AM:  7 easy miles in the nice cool fall weather.  Morning runs are very enjoyable right now.  

PM:  5.5  Down to 4100 S, back up 2700 W.  I checked in on Cole at soccer practice before heading home.  I thought splitting my mileage into two shorter runs would help mentally.  It worked this morning . . . not so much tonight.  But, there was a rainbow!

I decided that I didn't want to spend my birthday running 20 miles.  Plus, I have to coach at the BYU Invite tomorrow.  So, that left today for my last pre-marathon 20 miler.  It was a tough one.  

Jenny and I met at the river at about 8:15 this morning.  Sleeping in (all the way until 6) was wonderful!  It was pouring when we started, but the rain quickly turned into a light drizzle.  Then, the weather was perfect, if just a bit muggy.  We ran out past the International Peace Gardens, to 5th South.  After the turn-around, the sun came out, and then it was really hot and muggy.  We were clipping along pretty quickly today though.  This was surprising considering my legs are so dead.  We passed 2 naughty landmarks that were spray painted on the sidewalk.  Oh, the things that amuse you when running.  It seems that when I run with Jen I possess the humor of a 12-year-old boy.  

We picked up the last few miles, and finished in a 7:06 per mile average.  I was thinking about my first twenty on the river trail where I could only muster 7:25 pace.  

So, the hardest work is done!  A little drop next week, and then full taper! St. George, here I come!  

Happy Birthday, to me!  I'm 33 +3!   But, when I ran I felt eight-tee!  Because of yesterday's twent-tee!

I'm on carpool duty this week, so I have to get my workouts in super early.  I don't really mind, and it is good preparation for the 6 a.m. start at St. George.  However, it is really dark outside!  

I warmed up for 20 minutes, and then ran a fartlek workout at Valley Park.  I ran 3 sets of 5-3-2 minutes with 3-2-1 minute recoveries.  I can feel my legs coming back a little bit, though my hips and achilles are going to need some TLC over the next couple of weeks.  I cooled down through the park and back home.  

I can't believe this marathon is actually going to happen for me!  I'm starting to get excited!!!

I ran with the East High kids today.  I needed a few more miles than they were running, so I came early and got in three before they showed up.  We ran down to Sugarhouse Park and ran 5 state hills (about 300 meters) and then ran back.  I only ran four because I tripped and fell on my face on the first one.  It was definitely a stellar moment for me.  Wouldn't that be great, to make it this far uninjured in training and then hurt myself in a freak accident?

It was good running with the kids.  They have all that speed, so I have to work extra hard on hill sprints.  I'm not sure they are very necessary for marathon training, but it's always good to have to push out of your comfort zone.  

It's nice to have my legs coming back a bit.  The weather was absolutely perfect running weather this morning.  I tried out my marathon shoes again.  I think we have a keeper.  

Doing carpool this week is messing with my training.  I decided to wait until tomorrow to do my tempo workout, because Teren will be home, so I will have more time in the morning.  I should be quite well rested.

I wanted 10 today, but only got seven.  It was long sleeved shirt weather this morning.  Good thing I'm starting to taper down.  I just need to make sure not to taper too much too soon.

Marathon pace workout  3 x 3 miles with a half mile recovery.  I purposely wanted to start a bit easy and build in.  Control was the emphasis of this workout.  

I warmed up 2 miles before the workout.  My first 3 mile was 18:35, second, 18:08, and third 17:46.  I felt under control the entire workout, though the last one started to get more intense the last mile.   So, 6:12 pace on the first 3, 6:03 pace on the second three, and 5:55 pace on the last three.  I think I'm ready.  

I just cooled down until I hit 13.  Last longer run tomorrow!

16 sure felt a lot easier than 20-22.  I decided to give it one last long run significant effort.  I ran my Jordan River Temple loop, and did not have to extend to Costco!  6:49 average pace.  Miles 12-15:  6:20, 6:30 (uphill.  I was imagining Veyo.)  5:57 (downhill)  So, mini -tempo at the end.  I'm feeling good and feeling very excited.  

There is a little tickle in my throat.  Hopefully I'm just being overly paranoid.  

And, the taper continues.  7 easy on a gorgeous morning.  My arms were cold.  It was fantastic.  I had a sore throat over the weekend, so I thought I would play it safe and do my track workout tomorrow.  I feel great otherwise, just a sore throat.  

Hmmm.   That was not an encouraging workout.  

As I was walking out the door, I noticed it was VERY windy this morning.  Teren was so encouraging.  "It's not that bad."  he told me.  So, off to the track I went.  I warmed up 2.5 miles, with 4 x 200. My workout was 6 x 1000.  I thought I could keep around 3:30.  Nope.

3:27  (Good, but huge effort.)  3:37 (Uh, oh.)  About here I thought about turning it into a fartlek workout instead, but decided to persevere.  3:38.3, 3:37.9, 3:38.6, (thought about calling it good at 5.  Decided to persevere.) 3:38.11.  I'm glad they were all under 3:40 at least.  I felt like I was running into a wall on the home stretch.  My splits were all over the place, but the overall times were very consistent.  I had envisioned a taper-tastic workout, where I felt amazing and ran super fast.  Nope.  Teren, it WAS that bad.  Blame it on the wind, right?  The pluses, I kept at it and finished the workout I set out to do.  I was extremely consistent after the first sprint-fest.  Finally, I think I could have run more of them if I absolutely had to.  

Cooled down 2.5 miles home.  

Beautiful sunrise through the clouds this morning.  It might not be quite so beautiful later this afternoon!  My right hip was very tight this morning.  It took about 30 minutes to properly warm up.  Lots of stretching and foam rolling this week.  I just need to stay in one piece for 10 more days!  I just want the race to get here already!  It's been a long time that I ran a race that had so much physical and mental build up before.  Maybe even as far back as NCAA's.  I'm excited to get to it!

It was warmer than I thought it would be this morning.  I ditched my gloves in the first 3 minutes.  I hope my new garmin comes in the mail today.  The watchband of my timex is hanging on by one tiny thread.  RIP Timex.  You've timed many an interval!

I brought my BRAND NEW GARMIN to Liberty Park for my last tempo run.  My workout goal was 3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile with half a mile recovery at increasingly fast paces.  I saw Skyline's cross country team about ready to start their tempo, so I offered to pace the girls on their 3 mile.  Tom wanted 6:10, 6:00, 5:50.  Whew!  Not really in the plan, but I said I would try.  

I only got .6 warmup in before we started.  Mile 1: 6:06 (got out a little quick the first .25, which is normal for high school runners.  Mile 2 6:00 (right on, but the girls were having a tough time matching pace.)  Mile 3:  5:45.  17:51 for the 3 mile.  Half mile jog.  12:03 for the 2 mile.  ( I decided to bring back the pace a little.)  Half mile jog.   5:41 for the mile.  Half mile jog.    I planned on a longer cooldown, but got talking to Tom about coaching high schoolers.  Before I knew it, I needed to get home.  Good thing it's taper time!

I'm definitely happy with this workout.  I can't wait until next week!

1 week to go!  At this time next week, I'm going to be DONE . . . and I have resolved to be positive and happy no matter what the outcome.  It's a victory to actually be able to run a marathon . . . I wasn't sure if my body could ever hold up under the training.  

10.5 with Jenny on a very cold morning.  I was wearing shorts when Jenny came over, but decided to change into tights,  I'm glad I did.  I tried out my new New Balance flats.  The Asics just haven't been working well for me.  Much better.  They are more of a traditional racing flat, so they don't have the extra support built in.  They also don't restrict my form as much.  

Let's get to it!

It was a very windy morning.  I ran to Valley Park to run a 5-4-3-2-1 minute fartlek with 3-2-2-1-1- minute recoveries.  My legs feel good and definitely ready to go.  I have a little bit of a head cold, and I could feel it a little bit running.  I've been taking Emergen-C like crazy, so I think I can get rid of it by Saturday.  It's not bad enough to have a huge impact, but I definitely don't want it to get worse.  15 minute warm up.  Cooldown to home.  7.13 miles.  6:53 average for entire workout.