*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.

Another exciting week of marathon training.  And no I am not  being sarcastic.

Week #2, June 16-22
Monday: 1 mile WU, 40 minutes @ 10:00, 1 mile CD
Done.  WU and CD miles at 10:32 pace and 4 miles at 9:52 pace.

Tuesday: Rest/Stretch

Wednesday:  Run 45 mins @ 10:45 pace
Went outside at 6am and it was already hot and humid.  Took it slow and ran for 45:14 minutes for total miles of 4.20 @10:46 pace.

Thursday:  1 mile WU, 3 x 400m @ 9:10 (1 min RI), 1 mile CD
Great workout! WU and CD @ 10:32 pace, 400m @9:09 pace.  After first interval, I made mental note to let Coach Sara know that it was easy and to give me more.  However, after second one, I was getting tired and decided they weren’t that easy after all.  Ha, after third one, I was tired and for sure knew I couldn’t do more.  Well, now that I have had time to reflect on it, they were challenging but yet I was able to do them.  Regardless, I still like them.

Friday: 45 minutes cross-train
I got a massage that morning.  My quads and calves were tight and the masseuse mentioned it one than once.  I did feel much better afterwards.  After my massage I went to the gym for 20 minutes on the elliptical and 10 on the bike.  Oh goodness, I need to find something else to do to cross-train because I get so bored on the elliptical and the bike.

Saturday: 8 miles @ 11:03 min pace
Great run! Ran 8 miles @ 11:05 pace.  Felt great the last two miles.  Oh, and almost perfect negative splits. 

1-11:29
2-11:19
3-11:16
4-11:19
5:11:13
6-11:04
7-10:40
8-10:20

Sunday: Rest/Stretch
This time I did make it to bikram yoga.  It felt so good being there.  There are a few poses I struggle with but I made every effort to do all of them.  

Thoughts:

• I ran with my water belt for my runs on Wednesday and Saturday.  I know it was only 45 minutes on Wednesday but it was a humid morning and I drank both water bottles before I was done with my run.  For Saturday’s run I had HEED Sports Drink.  It wasn’t a hot morning but it was definitely humid.

• I’ve been going to Bikram Yoga River North and my only complaint is the parking.  Ugh, I hate paying for street parking every time I go there.  Last year I purchased a pass for 10 classes and I have 3 more to go before it expires next month.  I’ve looked into Corepower Yoga which is about 20 minutes from my house (with free parking).  I think it is pricy but as a full-time teacher, I can get a discount.  Another thing I like about this place is that if offers a variety of yoga classes (Hot Power Fusion, CorePower Yoga Sculpt, etc) and not just hot yoga.

• Next Saturday’s long run is 7 miles.  Let’s see if I can run again negative splits.

• I am (my legs too) itching for a race.