"Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one." - 1st Training Journal (comments welcome!)

[Livelovedance]

Dopey Training Week 8
Monday 10/24/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
I decided to try some new classes. I stacked three 10 minute classes, which was nice for variety but I wouldn't do it again.
10 min Core Strength
10 min Chest & Back Strength
10 min Barre: Core

Tuesday 10/25/22
Planned: 2.5 mi Easy/LR (0:36:31)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 36 min Just Run (0:36:35; 2.54 mi; 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 0:36:32 (2.58 mi; 14:11 pace)
5 min post-run stretch

Wednesday 10/26/22
This week I found bigger discrepancies between the treadmill and my Garmin when I changed paces. My first mile was steady and consistent. Once I started the 0.5 miles at T pace, the Garmin fell behind, so I focused on the time and what the treadmill said for mileage. I was surprised by how much of a difference the mileage was by the end! Today's T pace run was harder than the past ones. I'm not sure if it was because it was a little longer, or if I was just more tired. It wasn't a terrible run, but I was happy when I was finished.
Planned: 1 mi @ WU + 8 x 0.5 mi @ T w/ 2 min RI @ WU + 1 mi @ CD (1:26:37)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 90 min Just Run (1:29:51; 7.02 mi; 12:50 pace)
Garmin - 1:29:45; 6.61 mi; 13:34 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post run stretch

Thursday 10/27/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
15 min Core Strength
15 min Arms & Shoulders Strength

Friday 10/28/22
Planned: 2.5 mi Easy/LR (0:36:31)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 36 min Just Run (0:36:36; 2.54 mi, 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 0:36:34; 2.51 mi; 14:33 pace
5 min post-run stretch

Saturday 10/29/22
Planned: 3.5 mi Easy/LR (0:51:07)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 51 min Just Run (0:51:11; 3.56 mi; 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 0:51:07; 3.63 mi; 14:06 pace
5 min post-run stretch

Sunday 10/30/22
Today was another run of different paces. Again, the first mile was fine, and then the Garmin started to read less mileage than the tread, so I just followed the tread for this run. In the last mile the gap between the two started to get a little smaller. Since it wasn't a huge difference I decided to keep going until the Garmin read 7 miles.
Planned: 1 mi @ Easy + 5 mi @ 90/30 @ 11:30/17:30 (M Tempo) + 1 mi @ Easy (1:29:22) & Practice Nutrition Strategy
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 93 min Just Run (1:32:54; 7.08 mi; 13:05 pace)
Garmin - 1:32:49; 7.00 mi; 13:16 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post-run stretch

October 2022 Total Miles (Garmin) = 98.91 mi

This weekend I read something on Facebook about someone who attempted their first Dopey and couldn't complete the marathon, which kind of spooked me. Of course we know anything can happen, and you have to put your health first, but it's still a little scary. I'm not concerned about being ready, because I'm feeling good about my training and finding some comfort in knowing I've completed each distance of Dopey at least once already without fail. The part that scares me a little is wondering how I'll feel that 4th early morning, and all of the things outside of my control (possible injury, illness, etc.). I know worrying about it does me no good, so I'm trying to focus on one run at a time. It's getting so real!

I also started skimming through the costume thread and realized I've done no costume planning, at all. I made a list with each of the races I'm registered for with their themes, and I'm going to start getting serious about planning these out. In making my list I remembered Belle was the theme for one of the Princess races, and I have a new Belle shirt that will work beautifully for that. One costume down, too many to go lol.

 

[GollyGadget]

My treadmill and Garmin distance are never the same. They will be closer if I'm running easy pace, but anything faster and Garmin doesn't know what to do. It's just the inaccuracies that come with how Garmin estimates treadmill running. Try not to worry about it too much.

And definitely don't worry about dopey. A little fear can keep you on track for training, but anything more it's a waste of your energy. You got this!

 

[Livelovedance]

My treadmill and Garmin distance are never the same. They will be closer if I'm running easy pace, but anything faster and Garmin doesn't know what to do. It's just the inaccuracies that come with how Garmin estimates treadmill running. Try not to worry about it too much.

And definitely don't worry about dopey. A little fear can keep you on track for training, but anything more it's a waste of your energy. You got this!

I’m glad to hear that because I thought it was just me. Mine is almost identical on an easy run, but once I change paces it’s over.

Thank you, I really needed that!

 

[sandam1]

This weekend I read something on Facebook about someone who attempted their first Dopey and couldn't complete the marathon, which kind of spooked me. Of course we know anything can happen, and you have to put your health first, but it's still a little scary.

That could have been me, although I just barely started the marathon and knew after the half that that was what I was going to have to do. One of the many things that I learned from the experience was to not get into my own head about the distance. I'll be honest, the marathon scared me, big time and the fact that I was undertrained because of an injury didn't help. All weekend I was obsessing about the marathon to the point that I did some stupid stuff during the half and came very close to being swept. I panicked and wasted a lot of energy that I could have used later. I know now that I still wouldn't have finished the marathon (see above undertraining), but I could have had a much better/less painful race experience.

One thing that I've tried to pass on from my experience is that a DNF is NOT the end of the world. Bad things happen! Did it sting emotionally? Absolutely. Was it an experience that I want to repeat? No way! But for me, I know now that it happened for a reason. I needed to learn all of the lessons from that DNF so that I can be successful in the future. I have my marathon medal and I don't look at it as a failure. I look at it as the universal telling me "not yet."

The part that scares me a little is wondering how I'll feel that 4th early morning, and all of the things outside of my control (possible injury, illness, etc.).

Do what you've been doing all along in training and you will be fine. I'm assuming that your training includes running on tired legs so you can get to race day and say "I've already done this." Also, practice your recovery strategies just like you are your nutrition and hydration and use that experience on the race weekend. It may sound harsh, but I allow myself to be selfish on challenge weekends. If my body needs rest, I'm going to say to my travel partner "go to the parks solo, I'm taking a nap." If I need to eat or drink something, I'm stopping at the next place and getting something even if we have a meal planned later.

As far as things that are outside of your control, don't waste your energy worrying about them. Put that energy to good use focusing on the things that will help you succeed.

You've got this!

 

[Livelovedance]

That could have been me, although I just barely started the marathon and knew after the half that that was what I was going to have to do. One of the many things that I learned from the experience was to not get into my own head about the distance. I'll be honest, the marathon scared me, big time and the fact that I was undertrained because of an injury didn't help. All weekend I was obsessing about the marathon to the point that I did some stupid stuff during the half and came very close to being swept. I panicked and wasted a lot of energy that I could have used later. I know now that I still wouldn't have finished the marathon (see above undertraining), but I could have had a much better/less painful race experience.

One thing that I've tried to pass on from my experience is that a DNF is NOT the end of the world. Bad things happen! Did it sting emotionally? Absolutely. Was it an experience that I want to repeat? No way! But for me, I know now that it happened for a reason. I needed to learn all of the lessons from that DNF so that I can be successful in the future. I have my marathon medal and I don't look at it as a failure. I look at it as the universal telling me "not yet."



Do what you've been doing all along in training and you will be fine. I'm assuming that your training includes running on tired legs so you can get to race day and say "I've already done this." Also, practice your recovery strategies just like you are your nutrition and hydration and use that experience on the race weekend. It may sound harsh, but I allow myself to be selfish on challenge weekends. If my body needs rest, I'm going to say to my travel partner "go to the parks solo, I'm taking a nap." If I need to eat or drink something, I'm stopping at the next place and getting something even if we have a meal planned later.

As far as things that are outside of your control, don't waste your energy worrying about them. Put that energy to good use focusing on the things that will help you succeed.

You've got this!

Thank you for sharing your experience so candidly! I needed to hear all of this. I think most of my concerns came from the fear of the unknown. I’ve never been in a position where a DNF was even a thought. Even when I did my first half, I never thought “what if I don’t finish,” I was just excited to try it. I had done some running, but I wasn’t following a training plan or thinking about fueling or anything (rookie mistakes that I was blissfully unaware of).

I definitely trust my training plan. I followed a @DopeyBadger plan for my first marathon last year and I was so happy with my results. I know I’ll be fine. I know I’m putting in the work now, and I’ll get to enjoy the results later. I know DNF is always a possibility, and not a bad thing. Watching Molly Seidel’s Boston experience was a real reminder of that.

I think my fears came from the thought of how would I handle it if it happened to me. Not so much not being able to finish, but how would I emotionally and mentally manage not finishing. I think knowing all of the time and work I put into getting there, and then having something/anything get in my way of completing it would just be hard. I’d hope that I’d definitely stop before doing something that could cause me injury, but that unknown is scary.

All this to say, I appreciate your kind and true words! I have to just stay in the moment and think about the miles I’m in, not the miles that are ahead of me!

I’m looking forward to sharing runDisney miles with everyone soon!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I think knowing all of the time and work I put into getting there, and then having something/anything get in my way of completing it would just be hard.

If I psycho-analyze myself, I think this is why I have been historically bad at training. I doubt I’ll succeed anyway, and then I told myself that it would suck to put all that work in only to fail so I would just wing it for the most part. @DopeyBadger is helping me see that the training is important and the race is just a celebration. Even if the race doesn’t go as planned— since there are so many factors and uncontrollables— the training was worth it.

 

[Livelovedance]

If I psycho-analyze myself, I think this is why I have been historically bad at training. I doubt I’ll succeed anyway, and then I told myself that it would suck to put all that work in only to fail so I would just wing it for the most part. @DopeyBadger is helping me see that the training is important and the race is just a celebration. Even if the race doesn’t go as planned— since there are so many factors and uncontrollables— the training was worth it.

This is so so important. So many things can impact race day, and a large amount of those things are outside of our control. I experienced and enjoyed that celebration-of-the-training feeling for my first marathon this past January, so I just have to keep that in mind. It felt amazing to complete my last training run, and I was so excited to go into MW with that accomplishment. I won't lie, I was VERY nervous the evening before the marathon, but I ended up having a blast and the training was 10000% worth it!

 

[Livelovedance]

Getting ready to write my week 9 update, but I have a quick question for @DopeyBadger for tomorrow's run (plan #613). I'm scheduled to do my first progression run, and I'm not 100% sure what it means. I tried doing a search here and through Google, but I just want to verify.

My scheduled run is:
1 mi WU + 5 rep Progression (13:30, 13:00, 12:30, 12:00, 11:30) with each rep at 0.5 mile + 1 mi CD

Am I correct in thinking that means 0.5 mile at each pace with my run/walk intervals? So 13:30/17:30 for 0.5 mi, then 13:00/17:30 for 0.5 mi, then 12:30/17:30, etc.? Or is it something completely different that I'm misunderstanding?

 

[DopeyBadger]

Am I correct in thinking that means 0.5 mile at each pace with my run/walk intervals? So 13:30/17:30 for 0.5 mi, then 13:00/17:30 for 0.5 mi, then 12:30/17:30, etc.? Or is it something completely different that I'm misunderstanding?

The goal is to run an average pace of each of those for 0.5 miles. So:

1 mile WU
0.5 miles at 13:30 average pace
0.5 miles at 13:00 average pace
...

I think you could use 80/30 or 90/30 intervals throughout.

 

[Livelovedance]

Dopey Training Week 9
Monday 10/31/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
10 min Full Body Warm Up
5 min Core Strength
10 min Arms & Shoulders: Strength

Tuesday 11/1/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 2 classes: 30 min (2.08 mi; 14:23 pace) + 20 min (1.39 mi, 14:25 pace)
Garmin - 0:50:48 (3.57 mi; 14:13 pace)
5 min post-run stretch
I've been following the Our Future Selves Peloton series with Ashton Kutcher (a run series created as he trained for the NYC Marathon). I've found the series to be a nice change from listening to music on the treadmill. Tonight the finale was available, so I stacked it with one that I hadn't done yet and did it back to back with the finale. I knew the stack would put me a little over the time I was supposed to run, but I figured if anything I could just stop and walk the rest. I ended up continuing for the rest of it, which put me about a half mile over my planned run.

Wednesday 11/2/22
Planned: 1 mi @ WU + 5 x 0.75 mi @ T w/ 3 min RI @ WU + 1 mi @ CD (1:21:52)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 84 min Just Run (1:24:12; 6.6 mi; 12:46 pace)
Garmin - 1:24:11; 6.39 mi; 13:10 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post run stretch
This run was a little challenging but nothing terrible. Doing the math while running is probably the most annoying part lol but it keeps my mind off the running at times. I'm proud of myself for being able to run the T paces without my regular intervals, and then just adding them in where they fall during the RIs. Sometimes that means I just missed a walk at the end of a T pace, so I'd just run at my Easy pace until the next walk came up, and it wasn't bad! Don't get me wrong, by the end I was ready to be done lol, but it feels so good to see what I'm capable of.

Thursday 11/3/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
30 min Upper Body Strength

Friday 11/4/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 44 min Just Run (0:43:51; 3.04 mi, 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:51; 3.08 mi; 14:15 pace
5 min post-run stretch
Nothing too memorable about this run. I got it done right after work, before heading back out for other obligations.

Saturday 11/5/22
Planned: 5 mi Easy/LR (1:13:01)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 73 min Just Run (1:13:03; 5.08 mi; 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 1:13:02; 5.24 mi; 13:56 pace
10 min cool down walk and 5 min post-run stretch
Saturday was a busy day so I didn't get this run done until later in the evening. Pretty uneventful, but I was a little disappointed that I ended up running so late because that meant I would be running tomorrow's long run later as well instead of trying to do it early in the morning.

Sunday 11/6/22
Planned: 9.5 mi Easy/LR (2:18:44) & Practice Nutrition Strategy
5 min pre-run warm up and 10 min warm up walk
Treadmill - 138 min Just Run (2:18:44; 9.62 mi; 14:25 pace)
Garmin - 2:18:46; 9.61 mi; 14:27 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post-run stretch
Nutrition: 1/2 bagel with peanut butter and apple juice pre-run, Honey Stinger Fruit Smoothie chews, water and occasional sips of Powerade during the run

I was really not looking forward to today's run. Not that it would be hard, but knowing that it was my longest run so far on the plan was making me dread it. It was pretty ironic considering how much I was looking forward to watching (or half watching as I got some work done) the NYC marathon on tv that morning. By the time I got myself together to get this run done I was telling myself... 50,000 people got up early this morning to run 26.2 miles, you can get 9.5 done. I think this run would've been mentally better if I got myself outdoors. Starting this week I'm hoping to get back out to my regular running spot and give the treadmill a bit of a rest.

I started to get tired of listening to music, so I started watching some youtube videos from this year's Wine and Dine expo to pass the time. It also helped to keep my mind off of the mileage and just get the run done. By the end I was mentally ready to get off the tread, and my legs were a bit tired, but it got done.


I'm officially halfway through my 18 week plan, and it's crazy to think that MW is so close! Tonight my plan is to finally order a new pair of sneakers (I have a new pair of sneakers for my outdoor runs but that style doesn't work for me on the tread, and the ones I'm currently wearing are done). I'm planning to go for a more neutral color so if I like them outdoors I can alternate them during MW with my other pair.

I have a 3 mile run tomorrow (it's crazy to think that a 3 mile run is now a short run that I don't think much of) and then Wednesday is my first progression run. (Just realized I was a day ahead of myself in my previous question post lol)

The goal is to run an average pace of each of those for 0.5 miles. So:

1 mile WU
0.5 miles at 13:30 average pace
0.5 miles at 13:00 average pace
...

I think you could use 80/30 or 90/30 intervals throughout.

Thank you for the clarification! I'm glad I asked because I definitely would've done this wrong!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

and then Wednesday is my first progression run.

Mine too— my times are a little different than yours too. I’m also an interval runner and am trying to figure out the math haha.

 

[Livelovedance]

Dopey Training Week 10
Monday 11/7/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
After working and my long run yesterday, clearly I was too tired to function today because I fell asleep without closing any of my rings or getting any form of exercise. While I was slightly disappointed, I reminded myself that I must've needed the rest.

Tuesday 11/8/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 44 min Just Run (0:43:51, 3.04 mi; 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:52 (3.10 mi; 14:09 pace)
5 min post-run stretch

Wednesday 11/9/22
Planned: 1 mi @ WU + 5 rep Progression (13:30, 13:00, 12:30, 12:00, 11:30) with each rep at 0.5 mi + 1 mi @ CD (1:00:39)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 60 min Just Run (1:00:41; 4.68 mi; 12:57 pace)
Garmin - 1:00:40; 4.55 mi; 13:21 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post run stretch
This run was a bit of a mess. I was running it on the treadmill, so I was trying to figure out the math and what speeds I would need to do with my intervals to hit each average pace target in the progressions. Needless to say, I had no idea what I was doing. Initially I thought about what I use for my average speed on easy runs, and figured I'd just increase the speed by 0.5 at each progression. While this seemed like a good idea at the time, it ended up being a horrible idea at the end because those increased speeds were way too fast for me to maintain. I ended up scaling back in the last couple progressions and just getting the half miles done with perceived effort, followed by my cool down mile. I made sure to end at the time the plan called for, but I have no idea if my progressions were near the right paces. This would've been a case where I wish I understood the lap feature on my Garmin watch. I decided that I'm going to attempt to run the next progressions without intervals, so I have a better handle on my timing.

Thursday 11/10/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
30 min Full Body Strength

Friday 11/11/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 43 min Just Run (0:43:50; 3.05 mi, 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:50; 3.08 mi; 14:14 pace
5 min post-run stretch

Saturday 11/12/22
Planned: 4 mi Easy/LR (0:58:25)
Weather Conditions: Sunny
T&D: 67 + 52 = 119
Feels Like: 67
Wind: WNW 14 mph
Humidity: 58%
UV Index: 1
Running Conditions Index: 9

5 min pre-run warm up
NRC - 0:58:36; 4.00 mi; 14:38 pace (I forgot to reset this to outdoor before starting my run)
Peloton app - 57 min 16 sec Just Run: Outdoor (0:57:16; 4.26 mi; 13:01 pace)
Garmin - 0:58:40; 4.48 mi; 13:05 pace
5 min post-run stretch
I finally had the opportunity to go for an outdoor run this afternoon! It felt great to put on my outdoor sneakers and run on the pavement in the open air. I really need to find time to do this more often. I was a little thrown off with my outdoor run routine, which meant I forgot to switch the NRC app to outdoor, and I forgot to bring my handheld water bottle and sunglasses. I also realized after starting the run that the Peloton app tracks outdoor runs so I decided to start that to see how the information populates. Despite the minor hiccups, the weather was beautiful and I was thrilled to be able to run outside for a change.

Sunday 11/13/22
Planned: 1 mi @ Easy + 6 mi @ M Tempo + 1 mi @ Easy (1:41:24) & Practice Nutrition Strategy
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 104 min Just Run (1:44:48; 8.01 mi; 13:04 pace)
Garmin - 1:44:44; 7.84 mi; 13:21 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post-run stretch
Nothing too eventful happened during this run. This afternoon I purchased a new pair of Glycerins online to replace the sneakers I've been using on the treadmill. I've been meaning to make a trip to the running store, but I haven't found the time. I decided to purchase a pair online because of the Brooks return policy. I've been wearing Glycerins for years (even though they've changed since my first pair) so I felt fairly confident that they'd work.

 

[GollyGadget]

I'd just increase the speed by 0.5 at each progression. While this seemed like a good idea at the time, it ended up being a horrible idea at the end because those increased speeds were way too fast for me to maintain

I can't imagine doing this sort of workout on the treadmill as an interval runner without figuring out the speeds ahead of time! Even as a continuous runner, I always calculate them and write them on a post-it note before I begin and that's pretty straightforward math.
You were definitely increasing your speed too quickly! I've been doing some treadmill running this week and starting my runs at 5mph (12min/mi) and finishing them near 6mph (10min/mi). If you were a continuous runner your speeds would be: 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5, 5.2. I have no idea what your walking speed or ratio is, but I would guess that you should have only been increasing your speed by .2.

Running Conditions Index: 9

Is this a real thing or did you make it up? Either way, I love it.

 

[Livelovedance]

I'd like to preface this post by sharing that this became a week of "What not to do during a training cycle..." Slight injury and consuming things I haven't had in years caused some slight interruptions this week...

Dopey Training Week 11
Monday 11/14/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
20 min Upper Body Strength
Just like last week I fell asleep, but woke up and got a 20 min class in. I closed 2 out of 3 rings this evening.

Tuesday 11/15/22
Planned: 4 mi (?) Easy/LR (0:43:49)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 44 min Just Run (0:43:54, 3.04 mi; 14:25 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:52 (3.21 mi; 13:39 pace)
5 min post-run stretch
20 min full body stretch
Before getting this run in I worked, came home, and went out to my second job in the evening. Tonight I was doing a lot of bending up and down, sitting and standing repetitively. By the end of the evening my left inner thigh was super tight and it felt painful to walk. I think this was largely due to my poorly executed progression run. When I got home I tried to stretch it out (very easily) because I still hadn't done my run yet. The description for this run called for a 4 mi Easy/LR, but the time matched my 3 mi Easy/LR. Since I've been focusing on the time (and I was in some pain) I decided to try to stick with the 0:43:49 goal time and keep my pacing the same. I started with a run, and figured I'd walk if it was too painful. It was definitely tough to start, but it became easier as I continued. I was still in some pain, but not as badly as I was before I started. I finished the 3 miles, did my regular 5 min post-run stretch plus an additional 20 min easy evening stretch, and hoped I'd be able to run the rest of the week.

Wednesday 11/16/22
Planned: 1 mi @ WU + 4 x 1 mi @ T w/ 3 min RI @ WU + 1 mi @ CD (1:21:53)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 84 min Just Run (1:24:01; 6.63 mi; 12:39 pace)
Garmin - 1:23:59; 6.48 mi; 12:58 pace
This morning the pain from my left inner thigh continued through my quad and right above my left knee. It was a little difficult to walk at work, but I used my handheld massage ball throughout the day when I had a little down time to help loosen it up. I had another obligation after work, but I wanted to try to get this run in before I headed back out. Again, I went into it thinking I'd attempt to run, and if I couldn't get done without pain I'd slow down to Easy/LR pace or walk for the 1:21:53. My new sneakers came today, but I didn't have enough time to try them out. I decided it was better to try them out with a shorter Easy/LR pace run anyway. The run was a little harder than yesterday with the increased pace and less rests, but I got it done. Unfortunately, I made the poor decision of having Chinese food for dinner the other night and finished my leftovers for lunch today ("what not to do"), and immediately after the run my stomach was in knots. I haven't had Chinese food in years, and it clearly doesn't work for me during a training cycle. I ended up skipping my post-run stretch while I dealt with that, but once I was able to move around again I headed back out to my next obligation and told myself that I would get a good stretch in once I got back home that evening.
10 min Foam Rolling: Quads and Hamstrings
(The class itself wasn't great but I used my TriggerPoint foam roller with the vibration on the lowest setting.)

Thursday 11/17/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
10 min Lower Body Stretch
20 min Full Body Stretch
I did feel a little better after using the foam roller last night, but I still wasn't 100%. I used my massage ball again during some downtime during the day, and then decided to use my 30 min to get some good stretching done instead.

Friday 11/18/22
Planned: 4 mi (?) Easy/LR (0:43:49)
Treadmill - 43 min Just Run (0:43:50; 3.05 mi, 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:52; 3.20 mi; 13:42 pace
I had to go back to my second job today and I knew I'd be getting home too late to run afterwards, so against my better judgement I completed this run without a walk or stretch before or afterwards ("what not to do"). Today's run was the same as Tuesdays, so I stuck with the time again instead of the distance since I didn't know if it was accurate. I tested out my new sneakers today, but I forgot to switch out my insoles which was a slight mistake ("what not to do"). Right after the run I got changed and headed back out the door. Luckily it was an Easy/LR pace and I had to move around a lot that evening, so I didn't experience any extra soreness.

Saturday 11/19/22
Planned: 6 mi Easy/LR (1:27:37)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 35 min Just Run (0:35:01; 2.43 mi; 14:23 pace) + 52 min Just Run (0:52:39; 3.66 mi; 14:23 pace)
Garmin - 1:27:40; 6.21 mi; 14:07 pace
5 min cool down walk and 5 min post-run stretch
Today my leg felt a lot better. Not perfect, but pretty close. I used my new sneakers today and remembered to put my insoles in. I was definitely due for new sneakers, and I felt the positive difference in today's run. Today's "what not to do" consisted of drinking a latte this evening before I ran (I don't drink coffee very often at all). I ended up having to stop 35 min in for a quick bathroom break. I can't pause the treadmill, so I paused my Garmin and stopped the run. Once I was back and ready to restart I unpaused the Garmin and started a new run on the tread. Instead of listening to music I watched YouTube videos on my phone for a change. It's nice on the long treadmill runs with continuous pacing because it gives me something else to focus on besides the number of miles I have left.

I'm getting ready to head outdoors for my last run of the week (M Tempo: 8.5 mi @ Easy + 2 mi @ 60/30 @12:36/18:00), so I'll post a Week 11 Part 2 later today.

 

[Livelovedance]

I can't imagine doing this sort of workout on the treadmill as an interval runner without figuring out the speeds ahead of time! Even as a continuous runner, I always calculate them and write them on a post-it note before I begin and that's pretty straightforward math.
You were definitely increasing your speed too quickly! I've been doing some treadmill running this week and starting my runs at 5mph (12min/mi) and finishing them near 6mph (10min/mi). If you were a continuous runner your speeds would be: 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5, 5.2. I have no idea what your walking speed or ratio is, but I would guess that you should have only been increasing your speed by .2.


Is this a real thing or did you make it up? Either way, I love it.

Oh I know. I definitely learned from that mistake! I played around with different speeds on the treadmill before I got on to see what the average paces showed up as at each speed, but I clearly had no idea what I was doing. As the speeds got higher I realized I was definitely increasing too much, so I finished the last 2 at a speed I could maintain. I typically use 4.5/3.4 for my Easy/LR pace runs. What a mess lol. I'm going to attempt to do the next progression run continuously and see how that works out.

The running conditions index (1-10) is on The Weather Channel app. I like to keep track of it for my outdoor runs because it gives me a quick idea of what I should expect for the run weather-wise. Today's is showing up as a 3, which should be interesting, but I'm going to try to get it done out there anyway!

 

[avondale]

Great job to stick with your "bad" week of running. Hopefully the sore muscle doesn't take a turn for the worse.

It's odd that your treadmill can't pause...I think all treadmill users need to pause at some point. On my Spirit treadmill, if I hit stop only once, it's a pause. The I can hit start again and unpause it.

Thanks for mentioning the Running Conditions index on the Weather Channel app. I use that app but had never noticed it. I have a long run today, and index is 2. Great! LOL

 

[Livelovedance]

Great job to stick with your "bad" week of running. Hopefully the sore muscle doesn't take a turn for the worse.

It's odd that your treadmill can't pause...I think all treadmill users need to pause at some point. On my Spirit treadmill, if I hit stop only once, it's a pause. The I can hit start again and unpause it.

Thanks for mentioning the Running Conditions index on the Weather Channel app. I use that app but had never noticed it. I have a long run today, and index is 2. Great! LOL

Thank you! I'm feeling good today so I'm hoping it was just overuse after my failed progression attempt. I agree about the pause option, all I needed was a quick bathroom break so it was slightly annoying when I had to end the workout to do it. It's a Peloton treadmill and they come out with updates every so often, so maybe that'll be an option somewhere down the line.

No problem! I was using that app for awhile before I noticed it too, it's so far down the page. I hope your long run went well! Mine was a 3 and the wind was brutal, but I survived and it was still better than a long run on the treadmill!

 

[Livelovedance]

Dopey Training Week 11 (continued)
Sunday 11/20/22
Planned: 8.5 mi @ Easy + 2 mi @ 60/30 @ 12:36/18:00 (Easy + M Tempo) (2:28:12) & Practice Nutrition Strategy
Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy/Wind
T&D: 36 + 14 = 50
Feels Like: 25
Wind: WNW 23 mph
Humidity: 38%
UV Index: 2
Running Conditions Index: 3
5 min pre-run warm up
NRC - 2:28:20; 10.66 mi; 13:54 pace
Garmin - 2:28:19; 10.62 mi; 13:58 pace
Peloton app - 148 min 24 sec Just Run: Outdoor (2:28:24; 10.66 mi; 14:53 pace)
5 min post-run stretch

Nutrition:
Pre: 1/2 bagel with peanut butter and apple juice
During: Water and Honey Stinger Fruit Smoothie chews (1 before running, maybe 2 during the run)
After: Chocolate milk immediately after, and Powerade later in the day

Last week I decided I wanted to try to get at least one of my weekend runs done outdoors. I decided on today's run since it was a long run, and I'm not a huge fan of long runs on the treadmill. It was a cold morning so I was sure to bundle up, but I didn't want to put on too many heavy layers and get too warm for the amount of time I was going to be out there. I decided on a thin long sleeve top under my regular running tank, a long sleeve hooded shirt, and a vest. I wore my regular running leggings, and added earwarmers and gloves.

I started with my pre-run stretch outside. I had a slight pain in my left knee during one of the last stretches, but it wasn't horrible. After stretching I got all of my things together and got started. The run was long but it wasn't hard. Luckily my leg or knee didn't bother me at all, so I'm hoping with continued care it'll be a nonissue moving forward. The wind was the worst part. It made it very difficult to run in its direction when I needed to, and there were some moments that I actually was being pushed by the wind. I did wear gloves but they aren't thick, so my fingers were very cold. Despite this, the rest of my body warmed up pretty well after the first mile. While it would've been nice to have had less/no wind, I had no other complaints about the run.

11 weeks down, and only 7 to go!

 

[Livelovedance]

Dopey Training Week 12 (Part 1)
Monday 11/21/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
10 min Arms & Light Weights
20 min Full Body Stretch
I was tired this week, and I wanted to take it easy on my left leg (I've had no pain, but I'd rather be safe than sorry at this point), so I went with a short arm strength class and a longer full body stretch.

Tuesday 11/22/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
Treadmill - 44 min Just Run (0:43:52, 3.05 mi; 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 0:43:50 (3.03 mi; 14:29 pace)
5 min cool down walk

Wednesday 11/23/22
Planned: 1 mi @ WU + 5 rep Progression (13:30, 13:00, 12:30, 12:00, 11:30) w/ each rep at 0.75 mi + 1 mi @ CD (1:16:22)
5 min pre-run warm up
Treadmill - 77 min Just Run (1:17:23; 5.8 mi; 13:19 pace)
Garmin - 1:17:22; 5.53 mi; 13:59 pace
5 min cool down walk
I was a little nervous for this run after my last attempt at a progression run, but I tried to go into it with a fresh mindset. I started the run with music, but my nerves were getting the best of me so I decided to put on some YouTube videos as a semi-distraction. I decided to run the WU and CD with my run/walk intervals, and then attempt to do the progressions as continuously as possible. This also allowed me to use the pacing on the tread (instead of trying to calculate it myself), and I was sure to only add .2-.3 increases in speed for each one. I made it through the first progression, and then allowed myself a short walk after the remaining progressions before returning to my run/walk intervals for the CD. I attempted to use the lap feature on my Garmin, but of course it doesn't match the tread distances or pacing so I don't think it was helpful anyway. The first progression lap was right on target since I ran it continuously, but the others are all over the place.

Lap	Time	Dist (mi)	Avg Pace (min/mi)
1	14:32.4	0.97	15:00
2	10:04.5	0.75	13:30
3	9:58.3	0.73	13:43
4	9:30.6	0.68	13:59
5	9:12.6	0.68	13:39
6	9:03.8	0.69	13:13
7	14:18.2	1.00	14:18
8	0:42.0	0.05	14:46
Total	1:17:22.4	5.53	13:59

Despite the confusing stats, I managed this run better than my last progression run. I wish I could've run it continuously to see my target pacing, but I was sure to run at the intended speed (and set my walk speed between progressions at my usual walk pace so I didn't slow down too much). It's hard to know with the discrepancies between the Garmin and the tread, but I definitely felt better than I did two weeks ago.

Thursday 11/24/22
Planned: 30 min Strength workout
15 min Core Stretch
10 min Arms & Shoulders Strength
5 min Standing Core Strength
Happy Thanksgiving! Earlier in the week I was feeling slightly down about not signing up for a turkey trot, but I feel good about my training and I'm glad I didn't so I could stick to the plan. Not running today allowed me time to get other things done, and then before bed I took some strength classes alternating core and arms.

Friday 11/25/22
Planned: 3 mi Easy/LR (0:43:49)
Treadmill - 44 min Just Run (0:44:20; 3.09 mi, 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 0:44:14; 3.01 mi; 14:43 pace
5 min post-run stretch
Today's was a quick, uneventful run. No issues, no complaints.

 

[Livelovedance]

It’s Marathon Weekend and despite having gone to bed after 1:30am, I woke up before 6:00am and I can’t fall back to sleep. This seems counterproductive considering this was the only morning I could sleep in, but I’m up so I might as well try to update this training journal.

Life has been pretty stressful these last couple months. Nothing traumatic or anything, but work responsibilities made me much more busy these last couple months than I was last year training for the Marathon. Let’s pick up where we left off, and just get some basic stats in here.

Dopey Training Week 12 (Part 2)
Saturday 11/26/22
Planned: 4 mi Easy/LR (0:58:25)
5 min Pre-Run Warm Up
Treadmill - 58 min Just Run (0:58:37, 4.08 mi, 14:20 pace)
Garmin - 0:58:28 (4.14 mi, 14:08 pace)
5 min Cool Down Walk
5 min Post-Run Stretch

Sunday 11/27/22
Planned: 1 mi @ Easy + 6 mi @ 90/30 @ 11:30/17:30 + 1 mi @ Easy (Easy + M Tempo + Easy) (1:41:24)
Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy
T&D: 54 + 42 = 96
Feels Like: 51
Wind: SSW 10 mph
Humidity: 65%
UV Index: 2
Running Conditions Index: 5
5 min Pre-Run Warm Up
NRC - 1:40:32, 8.00 mi, 12:33 pace
Garmin - 1:41:03, 8:13 mi, 12:26 pace
Peloton app - 1:19:08, 6.42 mi, 12:16 pace
5 min Post-Run Stretch
I got outside for this run for a change, and the weather was pretty decent. I attempted to use the Peloton app to record an outdoor run, but it ended before I finished running. Even though I started it on my phone, I think it didn’t want to work with the NRC app running on my watch at the same time.