Week #10 and #11 of #24

 Now I remember why marathon training gets intense and starts to feel like a second part time job.  Once you get over the 13 mile mark for long runs, it takes more effort to block out time and plan nutrition for that long of a run.  I am running so well right now.  My ankle doe not hurt all the time and my IT band has been fine.  I am wondering if my pace is too slow, but it might be good in the long run to train at this pace.

Monday (8):  Ran 15 miles!  I ran in the afternoon and around the neighborhood.

Tuesday (9):   Did weights and the rowing machine after I dropped Hailey off from school.

Wednesday (10):  Ran 7 miles with Emily downtown.  It was pretty tough going up some of the hills.

Thursday (11):  Tempo run.  Ran 4 miles in the neighborhood.

Friday (12) through Sunday (14):  Our area was hit with a massive ice storm and we did not have power from Friday night until Sunday afternoon.  Some were without power even longer.  We were pretty lucky.  It was really hard to exercise because we were in survival mode.

Monday (15):  Rest.  I really needed a day to reset and get back into routine.

Tuesday (16):  Ran 8 miles and saw all the damage in our neighborhood.

Wednesday (17):  Weights and rode the stationary bike for 45 minutes

Thursday (18):  4.50 mile tempo run in the neighborhood

Friday (19)  Swam 1500 yards

Saturday (20):  16 miles!  Around 14 miles I am getting with lateral knee pain again on my right knee.  It is probably IT band pain but it feels different from last time.  After I ran last week Monday I didn't really feel it much after I ran.  After this run, I did.  It hurt all day and into the next day.  Not extremely painful but enough that it has me a little concerned.  I am wondering if I am not doing glute exercises as much.  I am rolling now and using heat.  I will have to keep an eye on it.  One step at a time.  Marathon training is not going to be worth it for 12 more weeks if I am in constant pain all the time.  It could be it goes in and out and doesn't get much worse than this.  Time will tell.

Sunday (21):  Rest and some stretching at home.

Week #7, #8 and #9 of 24

 I have been way more motivated to run lately versus go to the gym and do other workouts.  But I guess that is good.  

Monday (18):  Everyone was off school and work due to MLK day.  So I ran in the morning after I woke up and did four miles with a pace of 9:59.  I ran through the neighborhood.

Tuesday (19): Group Ride & weights

Wednesday (20):  Long run.  I went at 10:33 so I could watch the inaugaration.  I ran 12:09 miles with a pace of 10:02 miles.  I especially liked running around Lee Middle School on the track.

Thursday (21): Swim 1,000 yards and weights

Friday (22):  Ran intervals at Wendy Kroger Park in the afternoon.

Saturday (23):  Emily and I ran from Riverfront Park to Bush Park and back.  We did 6.23 miles with a pace of 9:56 miles.

Sunday (24):  Rest  

Monday (25): Ran 4 miles in the late afternoon with a pace of 9:57 

Tuesday (26): Group Ride and weights

Wednesday (27): Ran in the snow!  7.01 miles with a pace of 10:05

Thursday (28):  Long run.  13 miles with a pace of 10:20.  I ran starting in Monmouth and ran to Independence and back.  Then I unfortunately discovered I locked the wrong key in the car.  Rob had to drive all the way to Monmouth and let me back in.  I was able to complete my run in time to get my COVID vaccine.

Friday (29):  Weights and swam 1,000 yard.  I felt really sluggish due to the vaccine.

Saturday (30):  Ran a tempo run with Emily at Bush Park.  I still felt sluggish but better.  We did three miles.

Sunday (31):  Rest

Monday (1):  It's a kick back week.  I ran 5 miles over lunch with a pace of 10:12.

Tuesday (2):  Tried to run a 5K at race pace.  I thought running with the kids while they biked to school would help motivate me.  I could not keep at all.  I had to stop twice and caught my breath.  I felt slow.  My time was 27:02 which is about two minutes slower than what I normally do.

Wednesday (3):  Ran 5 miles at lunch again and felt better.  My pace was 9:42.

Thursday (4):  Group ride in the morning and weights in the afternoon

Friday (5):  So not motivated to swim.  I did weights and then about 15 minutes on the rowing machine.

Saturday (6):  Ran almost 5 miles with Tracy.  Have greatly missed running with her.  Then Derek and I ran 1 mile and practiced obstacles in Independence in the afternoon.

Week #5 and #6 of 24

 I am grateful I can run even though we are dealing with COVID.  I don't know what I would do if I could not get outside.  I do miss the gym, but I can get by without it for a little bit.  Running has helped with the fatigue as well.

Monday = Rest Day

Tuesday = Easy 3.21 mile run in the neighborhood with a pace of 10:53

Wednesday = Morning walk of 1.47 miles and strength training at home

Thursday = Easy 5 mile run with a pace of 10:20

Friday = Hike (about 1 1/2 miles) with Rob on the Skyline Trail in South Salem.  Nice little hike with some rolling hills.

Saturday = Long easy run of 10.02 miles with a pace of 10:44.  It honestly is not hard to do these runs at a slower pace.  I honestly don't think I could do it right now if I had to run faster.

Sunday = Bike ride.  I decided last minute to take a ride through the neighborhood.  I went 7.66 miles

Monday = Ran 4.01 miles.  I went slow because I was feeling pretty fatigued.  I went at a pace of 10:29 miles.

Tuesday = Rest day.  The weather was SO bad.  Constant rain all day.

Wednesday = Long run.  8 miles with a pace of 9:30.  I ran downtown and took the bus back.  First time I ever done this.  It was great.  I would totally do this again.

Thursday = Bike ride in Monmouth.  I did the Highway 99 trail and did 11.17 miles.  The weather was perfect.

Friday = Weights at the gym and intervals at Pringle Elementary.  First time back at the gym. I did 2.28 miles of intervals at a slower pace.

Saturday = Ran 4.14 miles in Keizer with Emily.  Back to my normal pace.  We went 9:10 miles.

Sunday = Went for a walk and went 1.87 miles and did stretching and strength training at home afterwards.

Week #3 and #4 of 24

 I did not post last week so I am combining it with this week.  Honestly I feel like I am still in this fog.  Depression is too strong of a word.  I probably have depression.  A doctor might diagnose me and in fact one did in the 90's.  I am more of a functional depressed person.  When I feel it coming, I take action and do the things I need to do before it gets way out of hand.  At the same time I may have been suffocating or stifling my feelings and I worry they will explode at some point.  Yikes.  Running really helps.  It really really does.  I don't know what I would do if I could not run and so I won't take it for granted.

Monday = Long Run 5.14 miles at a pace of 9.50 minute miles.

The weather was not great...actually it was kind of miserable.  I needed to run and I waited until the afternoon to do so.

Tuesday = 5K Attempt: 25:13 with a pace of 8.07 minute miles.  This is my fastest in a couple of years but not my PR.  I don't know if I can ever break 24.  It is so hard and I feel so winded after the second mile.  I can't make myself go faster.  But I am faster than I have been in awhile and for that I am pretty proud of myself.

Wednesday = Weights and swim 1,000 yards at the gym.  Still not motivated to swim and not enjoying it as much.  I miss swimming with my friends.

Thursday = Weights and stationary bike 30 minutes on Christmas Eve.

Friday = Slower 3 mile run.  I went slower on purpose.  It was a leisurely Christmas Day run.

Saturday = Rest.  We traveled to Tacoma.

Sunday = We walked around five miles with the Roths family. It didn't feel as intense but my knee and ankle both felt sore so it was a workout.

Monday = Rest.  Travel Day back home.

Tuesday = Rest.  I needed another day to rest.

Wednesday = 5K Attempt #4 with a pace of 8:25 and a time of 26:10.  Did not PR because I started out way too fast.  My first mile was 7:44 and my second mile was a whole minute slower.  I did have to stop at least once.  Not bad considering Hailey has COVID-19 and I might have it too.

Thursday = 2 mile hike at Jory Hill Park with Rob.  Even though we are dealing with COVID I feel like my depression has lifted.  I don't feel the depressed feelings anymore.  I am not sure what changed, but it helps a lot.

Friday = Ran 5 miles with a pace of 10:58/mile.  I ran slower than normal since I might have COVID

Saturday = Stretching and strength training at home

Sunday = Long run.  9.04 miles.  I went intentionally slow again just because I have been congested and not sure if I have COVID.  It really was not all that difficult of a run.  

Week #2 of #24

 It has been a harder week in terms of many things to get done...and a harder week emotionally.  With everything getting shut down again and reopening dates being extended later and later in the spring.  It's hard to know what it is going to happen.  I think people are doing the best they can, but there is much discouragement.

I still managed to exercise this week even though my motivation was less on certain days.

Monday = Long Run.  Ran 7 miles in the neighborhood in the afternoon.

Tuesday = About 20 minutes of weights in the afternoon and swam 1,000 yards.  I did a 500 and timed myself and I was about 14 minutes.

Wednesday = 3 miles of intervals at Wendy Kroger Park and stretching/strength training at the park

Thursday = Rest. Pretty busy day.

Friday = Ran 4 miles in the afternoon around the neighborhood.

Saturday = Another attempt to break 24 minutes on my 5K time.  Close.  I got 25:48.  Whatever time is the fastest I will submit to to the 5K I am doing in December.

Sunday = Rest.  It was a busier week than originally though and I needed the rest time.

Week #1 of 24: Here We Go

 I am not training for a specific marathon in mind because I want to wait and see what is available in the spring or early summer.  I am following Hal Higdon's Marathon 3 program which is 24 weeks long.

Monday = Ran 3.1 miles at Riverfront Park while Kara rode her bike.  My time was 26:36.  I really want to break 24 minutes but it is going to be super hard.  I felt like I was going so fast as it was and could barely maintain the pace.  I am going to keep working at it.  It was nice to be outside with Kara and enjoy the Christmas lights.

Tuesday = Bike Ride at Minto Brown.  8.44 miles in approximately 43 minutes.  It felt so great (though a little chilly--should have worn a jacket) to get on my bike again.  I was so sore though.  I actually had to put an icy hot patch on my ankle at night.

Wednesday = Rest.  Kind of stressful day as there are talks (once again!) about going remote.

Thursday = Ran 6 miles in the neighborhood in the morning.  About a 9:54/mile pace.  Thankful it did not rain.

Friday = Did about 25 minutes of weights at the gym and swam for 25 minutes.  I am still not that motivated to swim right now.  Maybe because I am not swimming with my gym friends.

Saturday = I did about 20 minutes of weights and then I did intervals at Pringle Elementary.  I ran a total of two miles basically do one lap repeats with a recovery in between.

Sunday = Ran 3 miles in Keizer.  I met at Emily's house and we did three miles at a faster pace but not as fast as I ran on Monday.  It was a good run and I was glad to run at the beginning of the day.

Time to Train For a Marathon

 I have almost completed ten races in this pivotal somewhat challenging incredibly frustrating year of 2020.  I truly believe God has used running to propel through many of the disappointments.  My passions in the early 2000s were youth ministry and running.  2020 took much away from me, but it reignited my passions in both.

I plan on doing a 5K in a few weeks and see if I can hit twenty-four minutes.  Honestly I don't enjoy 5Ks because there are quick and fast.  By the time I have warmed up, I am done.  I hate having to push myself to the point I feel sick afterwards.  There is much less pressure than an actual in person race.  Kara said she would ride her bike beside me so that might help with pacing.  I am going to try and do a practice run with her next week.

Aside that I feel like it is time to train for Marathon #6.  I am actually thinking I would settle for a virtual race if in person races do not open this spring.  However it is looking promising with the vaccine coming and I will remain hopeful.  However I think I should just run one regardless.  I still want to beat four hours.  My pace per mile would have to be 9:09 and I would have to carry that for 26.2 miles.  I know I can do it for a 10K and even a half.  When doing a full I typically start to fall apart around Mile #18-19 and when I ran Arizona it was before that.  I still think that was a nutrition issue.  I totally missed an aid station and I don't know how I could have missed it.  I also did not train as thoroughly.  I did hardly anything with strength training.  I had an ankle injury and took a whole week off and cut down my long runs.  By the last few weeks I felt burned out with life in general and skipped workouts.  

This time around my work schedule is pretty light.  I am not overly busy and I can do long runs on weekdays.  Which I have not been able to do since we lived in Michigan and did not have kids yet.  I know the physical therapy stretches for my IT band and I know how to "baby" my ankle as well.  I am also continuing to work on my form which I hope makes a difference.  Running helps tremendously with all my nervous energy.  With all the COVID stress this week, I really wanted to just leave the house and go run.  I needed to take this week off after the half marathon last Saturday.

I am going to follow Hal Higdon's Marathon 3 program.  I followed it when I ran Minneapolis in 2015.  That is still my fastest marathon.  I might substitute some of the cross training for running.  I am not motivated at all right now to swim and biking is hard in the winter.  I like the short run, medium run, and long run.  I will probably do the short run as intervals or a tempo run.  Which I used to hate doing, but got really used them to this fall.  I found at least three local parks that have nice paths to run intervals on.

I am not going to pick a marathon yet until I see which marathons open up this spring.  I may try and do one local so I don't have to spend a lot on travel and lodging.