Earth Day 50k Training Update - 4 weeks to go!
Quote from a recent Runners World article that sums up my week:
If you read last week's post, I wrote about missing my 22 mile long run. Thankfully this past week was an easier "rest" week, and I followed all of the week's plans up until Saturday where I completed the 22 mile long run.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Iron Strength workout
Wednesday: 4 miles easy, Jasyoga - 5 min neck reset, Baby Got Back, Twist for a Strong Core
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 3 miles easy, Pilates core workout
Saturday: 22 miles long, Jasyoga - Post workout recovery
Sunday: 7 miles, Jasyoga - High mileage reset
The cross training I did on Tuesday left me with a major pain in my right shoulder and neck. I obviously strained something and I was uncomfortable most of the week. It is feeling better now, but the pain was so intense that I could barely drive because I could not move my neck to the left to look over my shoulder at traffic. I know cross training is important, but clearly doing some weight lifting at 5 am is not a good idea when I am just waking up and getting out of bed. Lesson learned.
Saturday I was really put to the test. Switching the long run to this Saturday meant running in the rain. And cold. And wind. I had to mentally prepare myself to be wet and uncomfortable. I waited as long as I could to get started, in hopes that the rain would slow down, which thankfully it did. I set myself up to succeed by packing everything I would need in my hydration pack, including a towel and extra shirt if needed. I also decided to stick to the paved trail instead of heading to the forest preserve as running 22 miles on wet dirt would make the entire experience more difficult than needed.
It rained for about the first hour of my run, then it pretty much stopped. When running into the wind, I felt cold and damp, but I was surprised at how well the run actually went. This time I tried out a new fuel that I made Thursday night, the long ride mango rice cakes, and decided to wait until mile 16 to try this out as that is usually the time I am feeling tired and in need of something heavier in my stomach. I also decided to hold off on a gel with caffeine until the later miles after listening to a podcast with the amazing Sunny Blende who spoke about timing caffeine better in a race to maximize success. Well I had success with both. I ate the rice cake at mile 16 and by mile 19 I felt like a new person. I got a second "wind" and started to feel strong again. I cranked up the music and powered through the last few miles home and was pretty darn happy with the entire run. It goes to show that you can never judge a run before it starts, and certainly not by the weather. You never know what race day will throw your way, and you have to push yourself to be uncomfortable sometimes in order to be prepared.
Highlights/Observations of the Week
We runners need to be light on our feet. We need to be able to adapt to changes in weather and terrain. We need to be able to handle detour signs and find alternate routes. We have to be able to push through a bonk or a wall, and hold it together until we can transcend. We need to be able to run in a pack, or go it alone. We need to be able to adjust our pace and tweak our training. We need to be both self-reliant and coachable. We need to know our bodies well enough to know exactly what we need—and do something about it. We need to know what pain we can play through and when it’s serious and time to stop.
Anything can happen between a start and a finish line, and we have no idea how the miles in between will unfold.
I feel light on my feet, happy to find a way to make it work instead of making an excuse.
This past week marked one month until the Earth Day 50k race. I think that it never really hit me that this is happening until this weekend. For so long I told myself that I could drop down to the 15k or that I would "see how training goes" but ever since I made my goal public I feel committed to the 50k regardless of what happens. With only a few weeks to go, it is starting to feel real.Anything can happen between a start and a finish line, and we have no idea how the miles in between will unfold.
I feel light on my feet, happy to find a way to make it work instead of making an excuse.
If you read last week's post, I wrote about missing my 22 mile long run. Thankfully this past week was an easier "rest" week, and I followed all of the week's plans up until Saturday where I completed the 22 mile long run.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Iron Strength workout
Wednesday: 4 miles easy, Jasyoga - 5 min neck reset, Baby Got Back, Twist for a Strong Core
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 3 miles easy, Pilates core workout
Saturday: 22 miles long, Jasyoga - Post workout recovery
Sunday: 7 miles, Jasyoga - High mileage reset
The cross training I did on Tuesday left me with a major pain in my right shoulder and neck. I obviously strained something and I was uncomfortable most of the week. It is feeling better now, but the pain was so intense that I could barely drive because I could not move my neck to the left to look over my shoulder at traffic. I know cross training is important, but clearly doing some weight lifting at 5 am is not a good idea when I am just waking up and getting out of bed. Lesson learned.
Saturday I was really put to the test. Switching the long run to this Saturday meant running in the rain. And cold. And wind. I had to mentally prepare myself to be wet and uncomfortable. I waited as long as I could to get started, in hopes that the rain would slow down, which thankfully it did. I set myself up to succeed by packing everything I would need in my hydration pack, including a towel and extra shirt if needed. I also decided to stick to the paved trail instead of heading to the forest preserve as running 22 miles on wet dirt would make the entire experience more difficult than needed.
It rained for about the first hour of my run, then it pretty much stopped. When running into the wind, I felt cold and damp, but I was surprised at how well the run actually went. This time I tried out a new fuel that I made Thursday night, the long ride mango rice cakes, and decided to wait until mile 16 to try this out as that is usually the time I am feeling tired and in need of something heavier in my stomach. I also decided to hold off on a gel with caffeine until the later miles after listening to a podcast with the amazing Sunny Blende who spoke about timing caffeine better in a race to maximize success. Well I had success with both. I ate the rice cake at mile 16 and by mile 19 I felt like a new person. I got a second "wind" and started to feel strong again. I cranked up the music and powered through the last few miles home and was pretty darn happy with the entire run. It goes to show that you can never judge a run before it starts, and certainly not by the weather. You never know what race day will throw your way, and you have to push yourself to be uncomfortable sometimes in order to be prepared.
 |
| Rain and wind have nothing on me! |
Highlights/Observations of the Week
- Rice bars are awesome fuel and I will never run an endurance race without them
- Cross training in the morning needs to be done with caution
- Running truly is a mental game that you need to win each time you go out for a difficult run
- Podcasts regarding fueling for an ultra have been life-savers. I have learned so much about what I should be eating and when to eat that I feel lucky to have figured this out with time to practice each long run
- I lost almost another pound this week despite my best efforts to eat more each day
- I am really doing this. In a few weeks I will run 9 more miles than I ran on Saturday. Failure is not an option
- The recovery miles after a long run are getting more manageable. They hurt, but I practice visualizing how it will feel to finish.
- Runger is real. When you want cupcakes, you eat cupcakes.
 |
| Can't fight the runger |
I had a few more epiphanies this week that are better saved for another post entirely, but for now, I am looking forward to putting in the work for another week. Two more weeks until I can taper!!!! I have never wanted to taper more in my life!
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