I hope everyone is surviving this week so far. Work yesterday felt so strange…what’s my password? Where’s my to do list? What happened in December? Tuesday was a blur. I did manage 7 easy miles outside in the numbing wind.
Onto my Boston training…not surprisingly I’m using the 3:40 FIRST marathon plan. It worked well for me in the past so I’m going with it. Each time I modify it even more to fit my needs.
More mileage – hopefully (maybe) I can hit 60 miles this training cycle? I hit 53 last cycle but I think I was running my easy runs too fast. If I slowed down I probably could have accommodated higher mileage. My hard days are really hard, so my 2 easy runs should be really easy. Of course, this will all depend on how I feel. Adaptive training 🙂
Strength training – barre and yoga each week. I think I figured out a schedule that works, which was an issue in the past. This means 6AM barre class on Wednesday mornings!
Hills, hills, hills – Uphills and downhills! My LRs will be done on a hilly course and I’ll probably swap out a track or tempo workout every now and then for hill repeats.
Less Garmin-obsessed running – like I mentioned Monday, my track workouts will be based on effort and my easy days (which are now really easy) will be Garmin-free.
As for goals, I want to re-qualify for Boston at Boston. That means a sub-3:40 which should be doable. Here’s how I see it…I’ve shaved 30 minutes off my marathon time from May 2010 to September 2011, so what’s an additional 4 minutes? It won’t be easy, Boston is a tough course, but it’s not impossible!
Another unrelated goal is to eek out a sub-7:00 mile. 6:59 would be acceptable.
This morning is my first time going to barre class before work. I’m getting changed at the gym and then heading straight to work. No shower. The thought of showering at the gym skeeves me out, like I’m back in college. I don’t sweat that much at barre and I will shower beforehand. Matt thinks this is gross. I can guarantee I will be no cleaner after using a communal shower! I just hope I don’t forget anything important, like my work pants. If so, wunder unders it is!
Ever shower at the gym? Is it gross? I just have flashbacks to dorm living and wearing flip flops in the shower!
Are you currently training for anything? If so, what are your goals?
3:40 is totally do-able for you! Easily!
Your plan looks great. Can you believe you are finally training for Boston??! Lucky!
Haha, “what’s my password?!” I was so there with you yesterday!
Great training plan, Kristy! Wow, 60 miles? I just signed up for NYC but haven’t run a marathon since 2006 – I kind of forgot so much mileage was required, haha 🙂 At least I have a good 6 months to read about other’s marathon training to pump me up!
If you don’t sweat much at Barre, I don’t see a problem with not showering – sometimes I use Action Wipes for a quick wipe down – plus they’re made with all natural ingredients, which is great.
I’m totally cool with showering at the gym, but if it was a yoga type class, I wouldn’t. That’s what baby wipes are for, right? 🙂
60 miles a week is nuts. I can’t imagine training that high for just 26.2 😛
Exactly what I used. And I feel clean 🙂
Yay for Boston training! I am running Disney this weekend and then will FINALLY start Boston training in 2 weeks. I use the Pfitzinger book and am doing one of his 12 week plans, they seem to work for me over everything else. And I am hoping the strength training that I recently added to my training will continue. Good luck with training!
I showered at the YMCA before. It was nice because the showers were individual and somewhat spacious and then you could also cover with a towel and walk over to a designated changing room with a pull curtain.
The hard part is packing everything you need and then trying to get easy access to it in the shower. I think I used a stool for kids to stand on, instead to put my stuff on outside the stall.
I will shower at the gym when my schedule requires it and that’s the only way I can get a run or workout in. I wear my flip flops in the shower and I try not to touch any like the walls or shower curtain. But, I’d rather do that than not workout. Luckily, I don’t have to do it that often. Yay for Boston training!! I’m following the FIRST plan right now for the Shamrock Marathon in May. (But I came down with a cold and have missed an 18 miler, tempo run, and may miss tomorrow’s speedwork!) 🙁 This weekend calls for a 20 miler and I don’t know if I should jump right back in with that long of a distance or do something shorter? What would you do?
Hi Tracy! Is your marathon in March or May? Either way, I would drop back this weekend. You don’t want to compromise your immune system any more with a 20-miler. I would opt for an easy 15, if you can do it. And I wouldn’t worry too much about missing the 20. The FIRST plan has so many 20s, you’ll get plenty of other chances. Feel better!
The Shamrock Marathon is in March. I see I typed it wrong in my original post. I blame it on the meds! 🙂 And, you’re right, there are plenty of 20’s. In fact, I’ve already run one of them! So, I won’t stress too much and will run an easy 15 like you suggested (if I’m up to it). Thanks for the help!!
I’m with you, I avoid showering at the gym at all costs! Those showers in LaFarge must have done something to both of us 🙂 My gym is close enough that I go in the morning, come home and shower, and then head to work….even though it takes extra time!
i have no doubts that you’ll do a 3:40 in Boston!!
I’m training for the Hyannis Half at the end of Feb. Goals – stay injury-free, run outside, and destroy my 2:22 time from august.
By the way, do you run in your wunder under tights? I’ve been eyeing them for awhile and hear so many good things, but the website says they’re for yoga, but I don’t know what the difference would be….
I do run in them – I have the crops, not the full length tights. I really like them. They are perfect for yoga and running. They are expensive but worth the money in my opinion.
Thanks! I figured they would be fine for running and I’m really looking for some good tights!
I am loving your goals and YES, it is so doable. We are actually using your FIRST training plan for the VT marathon. I didn’t finish reading the book, but I like the whole run less, run fast theory. BTW, how are you liking The Barre class?
I have always showered at the gym when I was a member at the gym. I used the Y locker room, which was okay… Loved the sauna after. Then at Lifetime. Now their locker room was amazing. Had the shampoo/conditioner/soaps there already. Razors, q-tips, cotton balls, eucalyptic steam room and sauna. And my brother’s gym that he works at part-time, Cando. Bunch of rich folks. No really. I feel so out of place when I walk in b/c I’m carrying some inky dinky gym bag while the others have their Chanel workout bags. Needless to say, their locker room is really nice too.
BUT, I always use flip flops. ALWAYS!!!!
Barre is amazing. My legs were shaking uncontrollably this morning. I love it!
I have a shower at work. Sometimes I use it if I run during work or need to be clean for somewhere I go if I run after work. I have a pair of flip flops in my cubicle!
How much you have improved in the marathon is really impressive to me! You can totally run a sub7 minute mile….
I want to take a look at that training plan! Trying to figure out my plan of attack for a spring marathon.
I usually go home to shower as opposed to the gym – i like it so much better! I’d do it in a pinch though.
sometimes i go to the gym during my lunch break and don’t shower (baby wipes and deodorant ftw!). many people are grossed out when i admit this, but honestly i don’t think it’s noticeable.
also, about 4 years ago, i ran at the gym before work and then realized i forgot the bottom half of my work suit. i had to wear black nike spandex, a suit jacket, and heels all day because i didn’t have time to go home (my commute was an hour) and none of the nearby clothing stores were open yet! funny story in retrospect 🙂
I shower at the gym when I run there before work – it’s a pain in the butt when I’m doing it but I always end up feeling better for having gotten in the run 🙂
So excited for you and Boston training!!! It’s here 🙂 🙂 🙂
I shower at my work gym almost everyday. I do wear flip flops though, but other than that it’s great! Saves a TON of time.
This may horrify you, but I spent years going to the gym before work and showering there! It seemed to get me pretty clean – I did wear flipflops though! If you ran three mile repeats at 7:08, you should have no problem with a sub seven mile!
When I used to run at lunch during work, it was baby wipes, deodorant, and perfume for clean up and no one ever complained. I just couldn’t imagine taking a shower at work–skeevy and way too uncomfortable!