Week 24 - Race Week

I can't believe am finally in the last week of training for the Akron marathon this Saturday, I remember when I put the training plan together seeing the 18 and higher miles run and wondering how I was going to get through it , but I did and now am down to the last week which is race week and last week of tapering.

It has been an interesting journey, so much different from my 1st. I wrote my training program this time using the level 1 training plan in Brain Training for Runners by Matt Fitzgerald,  only ran 4 days a week, crosstrain and strength train the rest of the week. For all the interval or tempo runs, I did the Dynamic Flexibility routine before the run which makes a big difference in  how I am able to handle the pace. I paid close attention to my recovery nutrition, using Hammer Recoverite after every workout, I felt fine after every workout and able to carry on with my day with no lingering aches and pain. I really didn't pay as much attention to my diet like I did last year so I am at a higher weight that I will like to be, need to refocus on this once the marathon is over and target getting back to a more reasonable weight before my 30k race in December.

Yesterday, was a 6 miles run at base pace, I was very tired in the morning so moved this over to after work. Got home around 5:30pm, ate dinner then dropped my son of at the high school for the PSAT review session, leaving my car at the high school, I ran down the main road which is about 2.4 miles between the 2 cities, then on my way back added some side street to make up 6 miles. This was not a fun run, I was miserable from the very beginning, I guess I didn't give my dinner enough time because it was threatening to come back up, I had heartburn and my legs felt like they are made of brick. Now I question whose brilliant idea it is to run 26.2 when I am struggling with 6, but I did finish it and barely avoided running an 11min/mile for an average pace by  speeding up at the last quarter mile ti come in under.

Today, felt great getting out of bed, last mixed interval workout, did the dynamic flexibility routine to warmup
1 mile @ 5.4mph
2k @ 6.6mph (HM) 90 sec rest
1 mile @ 7.0mph(10k) 90 sec rest
1k @ 7.5mph (5k)
Base - Recovery pace 6.0 -5.4mph to get up to 5 miles (average pace of 9:40) added on Barry's Bootcamp Code Red + Hardcore beginners + legs love lunges.

This may actually end up being my highest training week of this 24 week cycle, how can that be taper.
  

I haven't done an itrain workout in forever just because it requires me taking my laptop with me to the basement, set up and making sure I can hear the sound properly but with the new mp3 player from my son (Sansa Fuze 8gb) I loaded up all my workout out mp3 unto the player and headed off to the basement. I decided to hang with Keith doing IClimb Core set 17, it has always been one of my favorite IClimb love the leg workout using the med ball and then the ab workout using the stability ball. I was able to use the leg work for my legs love lunges challenge sine this was what the workout was mainly all about and then did the core workout instead of the Hard Core Challenge routine just for a change in program. Perfect workout before church.

On another note Trish over at Options for Life is hosting a September Challenge, Challenge goal as taken from Trish's Blog

Now I am issuing my own challenge to you and myself.  In order to hit 1000 miles by the end of the year, I have to step it up a bit.  So, my personal challenge is 100 miles in September.  


You however, can choose your distance challenge!  Take what you did last month and bump it up!

 I haven't decided on my goal yet since I am in the final weeks of Marathon training and avoiding injury is really the key right now so I have to carefully think about my goal, don't even know what my total goal on my training plan is maybe start from there.

Even though this is a recovery week, instead of doing a HM race as planned and according to schedule I will be running 20 miles with the group on the blue line, my 20 miler is suppose to happen next weekend but I am going to run  it this Saturday so I can have some company and also run 20 miles on the course. Instead of the half marathon on Sunday, I will be attending a hike and an outdoor 75mins yoga practice with a friend, so I am limiting my run to 3 days this week so as to stay with the recovery week mileage.

Today's workout

warm up -3 mins jump rope
1 hand kettlebell Swing 24kg - 10 each side
Double kettlebell Press - 24kg -10
1 hand kettlebell Swing 24kg - 10 each side
Double kettlebell Row - 24kg - 10x
1 hand kettlebell Swing 24kg - 10 each side
Double kettlebell Squat - 24kg - 10x
1 hand kettlebell Swing 24kg - 10 each side  From the Kettlebell Inc August 2010 Magazine

1 round of the Hard Core Club Routine getting better, for the push up did around the world per Bob Harper tweet

and

for Legs Love Lunges
10 back lunges on each leg
10 side lunges per leg
20 walking lunge10 forward lunges per leg

Wednesday was suppose to be a cross training and Upper body day but I ended up with a rest day since I needed to spend time with hubby and also get him packed for his trip out of the country.

Thursday - Due to staying up late to get hubby ready and also a 2:30am call from my job because of some manaufacturing problems, I was in no shape ready to run 9 miles at 4:30am since I badly needed more sleep so I postpone the run till after work. It was a very busy day at work, we were having so many process problems so I was running around all day, so upon getting home I was extremely tired but I couldn't figure out where else to fit the run since I have 18 on Saturday and I was not going to do a back to back, so I decided to get it done but chose not to run it outside since i know I will not make the pace just to tired and went down to the basement to get on the treadmill after dropping son #2 off at band practice because i know I will keep the pace. The training plan was
1 mile @ recovery pace 5.4mph
7 miles @ HM pace 6.6mph
1 mile @ recovery pace 5.4 but I ended up at 8mph since son# 2 called and needed to be picked up and I didn't want to have to get back on the treadmill when I got back. 9 miles average pace 9.25

Friday -
20 mins on the elliptical
Barry's Bootcamp  Lower Body Adv - Around the world lunges, side lunges and walking lunges
6 of my pick from the Hard Core Series due to limited time.

Dynamic Flexibility - Walking Lunges (1 min)

1 mile recovery pace 5.4mph
3k @ HM pace 6.6mph 2 mins recovery
2k @ 10 k pace 7.0mph 2 mins recovery
1k@ 5k pace 7.2mph 2 mins recovery
800meter @ 3k pace 7.5mph
1 mile recovery 6-5.4mph

7 miles average pace of 9:42

Barry's Bootcamp Lower Body Beginners - 12 mins - Forward Lunges & Reverse Lunges (30 sec each leg)

Hard Core Club Day 2 - still hurts

All in all a good workout, slight twinge in my right knee, so icing and keeping an eye on it.

Day 1 of the Hard Core Club & Legs Love Lunges Challenge

So decided to do my hard core club routine this morning after spending the first 20 mins with Chalean's Burn it off, and Cathe's standing leg routine from Butts and Guts, the reason for the Butts and Guts is to use the walking lunges and all the other lunges she has in there to cover my lunges for the day requirement for the Legs Love Lunges Challenge, not crazy about my legs but they do the job. I was sore all over when done, core, arms and legs, 9 miles on tap for tomorrow got to be interesting.