*Week #7, July 21-27

Monday: 1 mile WU, 7 x 200 @8:20 (400 RI), 1 mile CD
The plan was to run after my massage.  But I did not feel good afterwards.  My body ached and not the way that you get from a workout.  I went home to rest and then got up to go shopping with my mother.  I told her I did not feel good, she touched my forehead, and told me I had a fever.  When we got home I took some medicine and a nap.  Then I took more medicine before I went to sleep that night.  I felt so much better the following day.

Tuesday: 45 Min XTrain or Power Yoga
I did the 200s from Monday.  WU @10:32 and 200s @8:18.  I felt really good but got tired on the 6th and 7th interval.  I still like them a lot and told Coach Sara to give me more of those.

Wednesday:  45 mins @ 10:45 pace
Ran 4.18 miles @10:46 with negative splits.  Personally I don’t really care for this run.  It is supposed to be easy/fun but I don’t enjoy it.  I have to find a way to make it more enjoyable.  Usually I run by my house or around the airport (though it is really windy there).  I don’t want to run by the lake because I do my long run there.  Excuses, excuses right?

Thursday:  6 mile run: 1 mile WU, 4 miles @9:50 min pace, 1 mile CD
1 mile WU @10:32 but did not finish run.  Struggled to stay on pace and calves were bothering me. Only ran 2.55 miles.  I was not happy with myself.

Friday: Rest/Stretch

Saturday:  14 miles @ 11:00 min pace
It was a great morning for a run.  Temperature was in the low 60s and overcast.  I was in bed by 9pm on Friday so I got plenty of sleep.  My run was going pretty good until mile 9. Well, at least it wasn’t mile 6 like last weekend.  I had every intention to do 14 miles but just could not take it anymore.  I took several walking breaks but then had these negative thoughts in my head and once they were there, there was no way getting them out.  I asked myself why I was doing this.  I reminded myself that I enjoy half marathons so why was I running more than 13.1 miles.  I stopped to sit down and sent a text to a friend telling her that I was no longer planning to run the marathon and if her husband wanted my bib.  Nope.  Her husband is injured.  I sent another text to a friend complaining about my long run.  She understood because she went through the same thing last year.  I walked back to where I met my running group and decided that I was not going to run the marathon anymore.  I also sent a text to my coach and she gave me positive feedback and encouragement.  I did feel better afterwards but still not 100% sure about running the marathon.  Then I got home, showered, ate, and felt better. Oh, but this post really did it for me.  I guess I needed to read that.  So, I will just be happy that I am not injured and have the chance to run 26.2 miles in October.

Sunday: Rest/Stretch
I took a yoga class at CorePower Yoga.  Great class and felt good afterwards.

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• I need to work on hydrating better.  I run with a water belt during my long runs but have noticed that I drink a lot of water.  Lately I’ve been trying to drink more water during the day since I am at home and have access to a bathroom (very important).

• Here are some great tips from my awesome coach for running in hot weather.

• This Saturday is the ZOOMA Chicago Half Marathon.  I am so excited and looking forward to it. You can still register for the half marathon or 10K.  Make sure to use code CAMB8 for a discount.  It is supposed to rain.  Hmm, not sure how I feel about that.  But at least we can sing, run, and have fun in the rain.

*Week #6, July 14-20

Monday: Rest/Stretch

Tuesday: Strike Out ALS 5k
I had a great time running this race.  Fun time with friends for a wonderful organization. Was really thirsty prior to the beginning of the race but I am still trying to figure out this hydrating thing.  What’s to do for an evening race?

Wednesday:  Yoga

No yoga but instead took a spinning class at Flywheel.  Wow, what an amazing workout! I’ve heard so many great things about it.  It was my first time there  and overall was pleased with the class.  The staff was very helpful.  The check-in process was a breeze. There were towels for us to use and extra water bottles.  They gave me a seat cushion cover and showed me how to clip in and out of the bike (did OK with the “in” but had trouble with the “out”).  The instructor was great and even checked in on me a few times throughout the class.  It was only 45 minutes and I felt it was long enough.  They also offer a 60 minutes class.  Yikes!

I would love to take another one but they’re expensive (first class is free).  I did find a great deal on Groupon for another studio which offered 10 classes for $49.  Pretty good right?

Thursday:  5 mile run: 1 mile WU, 3 miles @ 10:00 pace, 1 mile CD
I did 1 mile WU and CD @10:32.  10:00 pace felt good but legs felt tired.  I alternated pace between 9:52 and 10:12.  I know I’ve complained about these runs pretty much every week.  Sorry.  But I think this time it went much better.  Let’s hope next week is even better.

Friday: 45 Min XTrain or Core Power Yoga
I had no desire to do anything but just to relax and that is exactly what I did.  In the evening, I met up with my book club and was out a bit later than I was hoping to.  I had a great time and made sure I did not drink too much wine.  I was tired when I left but then had trouble falling asleep that night. I hate it when that happens.

Did you hear about the Christmas in July races?  Yep, there were several distances for pretty much the whole family to partake in, ranging from a 5k to a 24 hour race.  My choice would have been the 6 hour race starting at midnight till 6am.  Karen and Erica did the 6 hour race while Anne and Natali ran the 5k.  I plan to be there next year for sure.

Saturday:  12 miles @ 11:00 min pace
Felt really good that morning.  I had so much energy and looked forward to my run.  Ran 11 miles. Quads and calves were sore after mile 6.  Took a couple of walking breaks (paused watch) so in total I guess I did run/walk 12 miles.

Sunday: Rest/Stretch
Had so much fun spectating at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon.  I saw so many friends and sometimes felt jealous because I also wanted to be out there.

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• Don’t forget to sign up for ZOOMA Chicago, Saturday, August 2nd, Burnham Harbor.  It will be a fun weekend!

• Sign up for the Fort2Base race, Sunday, August 24.  Awesome course and great medal!

• Are you planning to run the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November?  I have a room at All Star Sports with a great rate of $133 but need a roommate.

For some reason I love the number “5” and anything that is an increment of “5”.  So with this past week being week #5 of marathon training, I knew it would be a good week and I was not wrong.  Well, not perfect but still a good week.

*Week #5, July 7-13

Monday: 1 mile WU, 4 x 800m @9:40 (2 min RI), 1 mile CD
Boom.  Done.  WU and CD @10:32, 800s @9:34.  Pace felt sort of easy.  Weird how I can hold this pace on a treadmill but really struggle when I am outside.

Tuesday: 45 Min XTrain
Took my first yoga class at CorePower Yoga.  The class was at 6am so I left my house at 5:15.  It usually takes me 10-15 minutes to get there.  I wanted to get there early  to introduce myself to the teacher and get settled in.  However, I was not expecting the traffic.  Sometimes I forget that people do work and are not on summer break like me.  I arrived at 5:45, met the instructor and went to the room.  The first thing I noticed was that the room was not as hot as bikram yoga.  It felt so much more comfortable.  Another thing I noticed is that you could take your phone to class.  In bikram yoga that is definitely a no no.

I really liked the class.  The poses were not as difficult as I thought they were going to be.  There were a few I struggled with but I know eventually I’ll get the hang of them.  I will admit though that I was sore for two days…especially my arms.  For now I plan to take this class at 6am but we’ll see what I do once I go back to work in August.

Wednesday:  Run 45 mins @ 10:45 pace
Ran for 45 minutes for total of 4.23 miles @10:37.

Thursday:  6 mile run: 1 mile WU, 4 miles @9:50 pace, 1 mile CD
Coach Sara told me “Try not to rest in between the 4 miles.”  Ugh, bad day.  Ran 1 mile WU and then ran .96.  It was frustrating for me.  I was bitchy in the morning.  I don’t want this to always be an excuse but I am still trying to turn this into a motivation.  I know something similar happened last month so notice the pattern?  Yeah, not pretty.  Moving on.

Friday: Rest/Stretch

Saturday:  Chinatown 5k
Good race.  Read my race recap.  First mile @9:00 is my fastest ever!!  As usual I started off too fast, slowed down, and then picked it up at the end.  Finish time is 30:33 for 3.12 miles for average pace of 9:45.

Sunday: Rest/Stretch
I did a fun run with Fort2Base Ambassador Matt Hunt.  We met at Yankee Woods in Oak Forest. Great place to run.  The weather was nice at the beginning but then got too warm for me.

We ran one loop together which is 3 miles.  I had to do 7 so I stayed to do another loop.  Struggled a bit as I was finishing up my second loop.  I thought for sure I had done 6 miles but surprisingly my watch showed 5.47.  I couldn’t not figure out why and still don’t know but I am not going to worry about it.

It is a really nice place to run.  There weren’t that many people on the course but maybe there were earlier (we started at 9am).  It took me about 20 minutes to get there so it is definitely a place I would go again.  Oh, and no water on the course so I had to take my own.

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• Have you taken a class at Flywheel?  I’ve heard so many great things about it and plan to go on Wednesday.

• Don’t forget to sign up for ZOOMA Chicago, Saturday, August 2nd, Burnham Harbor.  It will be a fun weekend!

• Sign up for the Fort2Base race, Sunday, August 24.  Awesome course and great medal!

• My phone still does not turn on.  I think now I need to get a new one.

• Are you planning to run the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November?  I have a room at All Star Sports with a great rate of $133 but need a roommate.

I survived another week of marathon training.  Here is my update for my training.

*Week #4, June 30-July 6

Monday: 1 mile WU, 6 x 200 @8:30 (400 RI), 1 mile CD
I’ve never done 200s.  I liked those a lot.  I did WU and CD @10:32, 200s @8:25.  Felt great and was impatient during the RI (felt like too long).  Definitely want to do more of these.

Tuesday: Run 45 mins @10:45 pace
Got a late start to my run.  Felt blah.  Ran 3:59 miles @11:09.  Total time is 40:04.

Wednesday:  Rest/Stretch

Thursday:  1 mile WU, 30 mins at 10:00 pace, 1 mile CD
Ran WU and CD @10:32, 30 minutes @ 9:52.  Pace felt a combination of hard and easy.

Friday: Elmhurst Bank 4 on the 4th Race
Great race!  And I got a PR!!!  Read my race recap.  Ran 4.08 @9:42 average pace.

Saturday:  7 miles @ 11:00 pace
I really wanted to do 10 but legs were tired by mile 9.  Splits are all over the place.  Great run though. Ran total of 9.13 miles @ average 11:00/mile pace.

It was another gorgeous day for a run.

Sunday: Rest/Stretch

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• Next race is Chinatown 5K on Saturday.  I get to run with Emily from Out and About.  Plus, it is her birthday so make sure to send her birthday wishes.

• I became a member of CorePower Yoga.  This location has free parking and takes me about 10 minutes to get to (with no traffic).  I like the variety of classes that they offer.  I am going to skip CorePower Yoga 1 and move on to CorePower 2.  The class that I am most excited about is CorePower Yoga Sculpt because it includes strength-training exercises such as squats, lunges, bicep and tricep curls.

• I like my new Newton running shoes.

• Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a free pair of Injinji toesocks.

Hard to believe another week of marathon training just went by.  I know that during the school year the days just fly by but it seems like they go even faster during the summer.  Oh, and another month went by and we are halfway through the year.  Here is my update for my training.

Week #3, June 23-29
Monday: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy, 2 miles @9:42 pace, 2 miles easy
I did not feel good on Monday so ran instead on Tuesday.  Did 2 miles @10:32, 2 miles @9:43, then 2 miles @10:32.

Tuesday: Rest/Stretch

Wednesday:  Run 45 mins @ 10:45 pace
Did not run.  Now I cannot remember why and I did not even write it in Google calendar for Coach Sara.

Thursday:  1 mile WU, 3 x 1600m @10:03 (1 min RI), 1 mile CD
Tough workout.  Ran 1 mile WU @10:42, 2 miles (nonstop) alternating every .5 miles between 9:52 and 10:12, 2 mins RI after 2 miles, 1 mile (nonstop) @ 9:52, 1 mile CD @10:42.  I know it wasn’t exactly what Coach asked me to do but I think I did good.

Friday: 45 minutes cross-train
Just took a break today.

Saturday:  7 miles @ 11:00 pace
7 miles @11:04.  Good overall but for some reason struggled the last mile.  I must have stopped like 4 times in that mile.  

Sunday: Rest/Stretch
Slept in and that felt good.

Thoughts:

• Not running related but can’t believe Mexico lost in yesterday’s game.  Oh well, USA still has a chance so I look forward to the game tomorrow.

• I am planning to run the Elmhurst 4 on the 4th on Friday.  I ran it last year and loved it.