You asked for it so HERE we go! I am currently training for a Fall Marathon and I am excited to share my training with you. I am brutally honest about my running so welcome along for the ride. I cannot take any credit for my running – other than the physical part, I have an awesome coach named Trisha who writes my plans for me. If you don’t have a coach – hire one NOW, then all you have to worry about is executing the run, not planning it. 
This week was just over 70 miles total. The goal each week is run slower to get faster. All that means is – take your easy days very very easy so you can crush the days that make a difference.
Monday: 70 minutes with 4X30 second sprints – We have implemented these short bursts of speed the day before a workout and I feel like I am seeing results with turnover already. This run was 9 miles around 7:49 pace. I kept my heart rate in the zone 3-zone 4 which is ideal for an aerobic run like this
Tuesday: This workout sounded way easier on paper, 12X1 minute ALL out with only 1 minute jog between – it was actually very very hard. Luckily I had a buddy run it with me and we accidentally did 13. BUT It was a super sneaky way to get in 2.2 miles of work under 6:00 pace. The total mileage was around 9.
Wednesday: I was tired. Very. Tired. The goal was an hour easy – easy is a feel it isn’t a particular pace – it DOES mean NO faster than X. I had to make a pledge to trish NOT to go faster than 7:30 pace. It’s called the “grey zone” and does nothing for you.
Thursday: Another 70 minutes with 4×30 seconds. I popped in my ear buds, turned on WTF with Marc Maron and did one of my 9 mile loops – this one is called Nacho Mamas loop. I slept in and ran later and it was weird – not my normal peeps out there. This one was around 7:45 pace and felt darn good.
Friday: BIG workout day. 3 miles UP, 8 miles 6:40 pace. A few cool down. My warm up felt like total bunk. Crap. Awful. My workout was amazing. My splits landed between 6:31-6:39 and it felt fairly effortless. It was humid AF. A good reminder not to base your potential for a workout on the warmup 
Saturday – some easy sloggy mikes with friends. They pulled me along. My watch died. All the excitement.
Sunday – Church of the Long run. 16 total 8:14 pace. After a lot of miles and no days off it took 4 miles to get into any sort of a groove but the promise of an iced almond milk espresso after kept my butt moving. And my friend Rachel. Having friends to run with is a game changer right?! 
My coach and I are doing a new thing – 10 days on – 1 off instead of the traditional 1 day off per week. If you know me you know I love this. That said, if it is an easy day – meaning 45-60 minutes and I am not feeling it that can also be an off day.
What didn’t go well this week? Ha. That’s an easy answer. Nutrition. My goal is to eat within 30-45 minutes of finishing a run. Do you know how many times I did that this week? Twice. I did it twice. I also had a day where I don’t remember drinking a single sip of water. A few of my runs felt pretty terrible and it’s NO WONDER. So I’m trying again this week and have planned some meals that actually make me excited to eat and make it easier. What’s on tap?
- Hard boiled eggs – this gives me zero excuses to not eat immediately
- Overnight Oats
- Sweet Potato and Chicken bake
- Filling my water the night before with a lemon in it
- Quest bars for protein
- Trying to pick Whole Foods over processed – I love cereal – a lot
Last week was full of way too many “now I’m starving” decisions – have you been there?? This week I also stocked up on my favorite running shorts in Burgundy/Merlot and one more pair of my favorite shoes for workouts, here they are in white. 
NOW…. What questions do you have for me? What else do you want to know?!!
