BCHM Training: Week 2

This was my second week of training for the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon. Like last week, it wasn't much different than my usual non-training weeks so wasn't much of a challenge, but some runs didn't go as planned. A few notes before I get to the recap:

On to the recap! It was another week of mostly cool mornings, which I loved. There is nothing better than running in the cool mornings before the sun comes up and experiencing the city as it wakes up.

Monday was a non-running day.
Morning: 35:29 minute bike ride for 6.93 miles on the river trail, bridges, and through Point State Park.
Lululemon Beachscape Bangbuster
Athleta Coral Sizzle Chi Top & Granite Grey Be Free Knickers

Evening:
Lululemon White Energy Bra, Wee Stripe White/Grey Cool Racerback,
Forest Green In the Flow Crops

Tuesday 
Morning: Easy run: 3.18 miles in 36:21
Lululemon Very Light Flare Bangbuster, Creamsicle Pop Energy Bra
& Antidote Cool Racerback
Athleta Black Relay Skort

Lunch: 30 minutes upper and lower body weight machines at the gym (photo taken later)
Lululemon Black Scoop Neck Tank
Victoria Secret VSX Black Marl Knockout Crop

Evening:
Lululemon Creamsicle Pop Energy Bra & Inkwell In the Flow Crops
Athleta White Illuminate Tank

I love how strappy bras look under the Illuminate Tank.

Wednesday
Morning: This was the only humid day of the week. It was a speed workout day, and I was soaked when I finished. This was one of my mistakes. The plan called for a 30-minute tempo run. I thought that meant 30 minutes at tempo pace plus a mile warm-up and cool-down, but the total 30 minutes should have included the warm-up and cool-down so I did more miles than I should have. I thought it was a tough workout for just two weeks into the plan! I was aiming for a 9:50-10:10 tempo pace, but I didn't do well at gradually increasing to that. Instead, I immediately started at that pace after the warm-up and then for the next 30 minutes slowed down then sped up, then slowed down then sped up, etc. to try to hit the tempo pace. My effort ranged from comfortably hard to moderately hard, so it was good workout regardless of my trouble hitting an exact pace. I ended up doing 4.51 miles in 52:00.
Soaked with sweat!
Lululemon Aquamarine Runner Up Tank
Athleta Fiji Green Fair Isle Skort

Evening: 8 minutes ab exercises
Lululemon Creamsicle Pop Energy Bra & Inkwell In the Flow Crops
Athleta Grey Sugar Washed Tee

Thursday
Morning: Easy run: 3.05 miles in 36:34. It was cool (just 60), and the Oiselle Vertical Drop tank was perfect. With its high neckline, it kept me warm when I first went out and was chilly but then the opening in the back let all my heat escape so that I was very comfortable the entire run.
Lululemon Pretty Purple All Sport Bra & Bangbuster
Oiselle Burgen Vertical Drop Tank
Athleta Asphalt Relay Skort

Evening: 45 minutes total body strength training, ab exercises, and push-ups
Warming up by dancing, ha ha!
Lorna Jane Laguna Beach Rhianan Sports Bra
Lululemon Blue Tropics Wee Are From Space Cool Racerback
Zella Black Crops

Friday was a rest day.
Morning: 40 minutes Ashtanga yoga (sun salutations and standing sequence)
Lululemon Wee Stripe White/Grey Bangbuster & Parellel Stripe Push Ur Limits Tank
Yogasmoga Klarit Red Run Jump 'n Play Crop


Saturday was my first run at race pace. I had set my goal race pace at 11:00 and was pretty excited at seeing how that pace felt. My Garmin had other plans. It didn't pick up satellites until the end of my run. I know what my easy pace feels like, so I just tried to do faster than that. I did a route that I knew to be somewhere around 3.1, and at what I am pretty sure was 1 mile, my time read 10:53. I knew that was a bit fast, but I figured it was better to go a little faster than slower. I think it was a moderate effort. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't comfortable. Is that what half marathon pace should feel like? I don't know, but I knew I likely could not maintain the pace I was running for 13.1 miles. My body felt fine, but my breathing was pretty labored. At the end when my Garmin started registering pace, I saw I was between a 10:20-10:50 pace. Definitely too fast. I'll have to wait until next week to see what 11:00 feels like. I'm logging this run as 3.1 miles, since I know that's about the distance even if my Garmin wasn't working.
Lululemon Mesh Bangbuster & Black Energy Bra
Lorna Jane Nectarine Excel Dash Tank
Athleta Black Relay Skort
After the run I did my 10 minutes of ab exercises and push-ups.

We took Django to Riverview Park in the afternoon. We walked on a trail that led to the dog park. Once there, we decided to let him in to see if he wanted to run. He ran for all of 10 seconds then spent the rest of the time at the water bowl. He was so hot (it was about 85 degrees) that he didn't even want to walk after that, and we were parked about 15 minutes away. Before I adopted Django, I'd never heard of a dog that wouldn't walk. But it's pretty common for greyhounds to "statue"--to stand still and refuse to budge. It's mostly common in dogs right off the track who find new sights and sounds so scary that they won't move (Django did that when we first got him). But Django is so heat intolerant that he will do it when he gets hot. At 80 pounds, he's too big to carry, so the only thing we can do is wait him out until he cools down enough to walk again. I always carry a bottle of ice water and bowl so he can drink and I can douse his body in cold water.
Lululemon Creamsicle Pop Energy Bra, Blue Tropics 105F Singlet
Black Pace Rival Skort

For dinner I made some delicious corn fritters with fresh, sweet corn. Check out the post on my other blog for the recipe.

That night was a fireworks night at the Pirates game. We can watch the fireworks from our roof but rarely do because fireworks are so common and we get bored with them. But we did on Saturday night, and with the view of Downtown and the fireworks, it was awesome. We need to remember to do that more often!

Sunday was my long run. I'm supposed to be running at an 11:30-12:00 pace for long runs. It's easy to run slowly when you're tired, but since I naturally gravitate to about an 11:15 pace for easy runs, it was hard to slow down in the first few miles. By mile 3 I got my pace down and ended up averaging 11:43. Total mileage was 6.25 in 01:13. I also practiced fueling and had a chocolate Clif Shot energy gel halfway through. As with other Clif Shot gels, I had no tummy trouble after taking it. And because I plan on walking through water stations during the race, I practiced taking walk breaks and did 30-second walk breaks at miles 2, 3, 4, and 5. I also ran into Mike on the trail, who he took a little detour from his own run to run with me and ask about my training.When I said about not being able to hit my goal race pace the day before, he reminded me that I have plenty of time to work it out and adjust if necessary.
Lululemon Pretty Purple All Sport Bra & Med Grey Stripe Run Like the Wind Hat
Oiselle White Hail Mary Tank
Athleta Granite Grey Be Free Knicker

After my run, I did the Recovery Yoga video from Runner's World and my ab exercises.

The afternoon was really hot, so we decided to take Django on a short walk on the South Side river trail. He got to go in the river so he was a happy camper.


Happy running and working out this week!

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