Marathon Training: Week 3

So this was my third week of marathon training (but week eight of the plan I chose, as I started at week 6 but had been running 4-5 days a week anyway so it wasn’t an issue), and even though I’m taking some liberties with the plan and adjusting as needed, I’m feeling good about it so far — despite the insane heat and humidity we’ve had here in NY! The weather decided to be increasingly oppressive in perfect alignment with my training, as if I needed an extra obstacle to push through and make me feel more bad-a$$. Hey, God gives us what He knows we can handle, right?? 🙂

Thurs, 7/21: 4.2 miles at 6am (plan said 4), just under 35 minutes; a bunch of push-ups (tricep and regular). 

Fri, 7/22: Rest. I intended to do strength at the gym this morning but could not get myself out of bed, which is rare for me, even after 8 hours of sleep. My body felt like dead weight.

Sat, 7/23: 11 hilly, HOT miles. arrrmygahd it was hot, and I should have gotten up earlier to start my run — 8:45 was hot already — but I felt surprisingly good otherwise and really content with my strength and ability to push through a long, hilly run on such a blazing hot day. I was checking my time for the first 7-8 miles but after a while just let that go and let myself push through and try to enjoy it. My plan called for 7 on Sat and 14 on Sunday, so this day should have been my 14-er, but I was so happy with my 11 in this weather that it still felt like a success. I was literally pouring my water bottle all over me and kept stopping at Stewart’s (anyone not from Upstate NY probably has no idea what this is?!) to fill it up and splash water on my face. Oh, and this is also the run where I almost got hit by a car, driven by an old woman who clearly needs to re-take her driving test. She was stopped at a right light, so I stopped, made sure she wasn’t moving, and then went to cross — and she pulled out, right into me. Like, literally. I had to slam my hand down on the hood of her car and throw my hips out just to keep from getting nailed in the knees. #scariestrunningmomentyet

Sun, 7/24: 5.25 hilly, hot miles at 8:30am. My weekend total was just over 16, and the plan had called for a total of 21, so I was 5 miles short and could not have cared less. I braved some of the hottest weather we’ll probably have all summer for those miles, and my only options upstate are to run hills the whole time, soooo….yeah. Success, in my book. And it’s my book that counts here. 🙂

Mon, 7/25: Rest from running; upper body strength instead. My quads were pretty sore from all the hills over the weekend — that good, feeling-so-accomplished sore — and Mondays are supposed to be “Cross” days (which we know I don’t do), so I did an hour of upper body with 10lb weights and lots of push-ups while watching The Bachelorette (inconsistent guilty pleasure that sometimes rears its superficial head) and 6 minutes of planks. Did the trick!

Tues, 7/26: 5 miles at 6am. Plan called for 4; I felt great. It was mega humid and 75 degrees, but I felt really good and 5 seemed like an optimal number to run.

Wed, 7/27 (today): 5.25 miles at 6am. Plan called for 7; I only really had time for 5, annnd it was already 80 degrees. I looked like I’d jumped into the Hudson River by the end…but it felt sooooo good to have it done.

Total weekly mileage: 30.7. I wasn’t keeping track of what I’d run as I went through the week, so just figuring this number right now makes me so happy. I don’t know the last time I hit 30 miles in a week, and to feel this good and injury free feels amazing. I have high hopes for this training and am praying I continue to feel that way!

Song of the week: “Waterfalls” by LVNDSCAPE

Runners: How’s the hot weather running/training going? Anyone else always seem to “forget” that as lovely as it is to run a fall marathon, you’re training in the blistering summer heat?!

Give me a song, please!!

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