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heat

2015 Marathon Training – Week 1

June 1, 2015 by Kristy 2 Comments

Someone told me that May is on record to be Philly’s second hottest May.  Ever.  I haven’t done any fact checking to see if he’s right but it sure feels like it.  We went from really cold to really hot in an instant.  Which makes acclimating to the heat a real bitch.  It was a wring-the-sweat-outta-your-shorts kinda week.

Monday
9 miles total with 3 x 1600m at 10K effort with 800m recovery (7:42, 7:44, 7:32)
pre-hab

I like doing speed work by effort, rather than pace, for 2 reasons:  (1) if it’s hot and humid it’s impossible to maintain your 5K/10K pace from the cool, crisp Fall.  Why set yourself up for failure?  Instead, stick with effort and you’ll still get the full training benefit.  And (2) I don’t know what my current 5K or 10K pace is 🙂  It was a little humid on this run so I kept the effort to 10K.  The last repeat felt amazing, for some reason.  I was not pushing it and was really surprised by the time.

Tuesday
AM:  7 miles easy (9:25 avg pace)
PM:  3 miles easy (8:50 avg pace)
pre-hab

I usually do two-a-days on Tuesdays.  I coach a track workout on Tuesday nights – sometimes I do the workout and sometimes I just stick to an easy run.  When you’re coaching or teaching, that’s your focus.  Not getting your own workout in.  And, come 6:30PM, I’m pretty spent!  So I like to add in some extra miles in the morning.  My PM run was a little fast – that’s not my standard easy run pace.  I got caught up in part of the workout (suicide fartleks!).

Wednesday
Rest day and zoo day!

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lions, tigers, and bears

Thursday
AM:  8 miles total with 2 miles at 7:35 (7:40, 7:34)
PM:  1 hour yoga
prehab

Not much to say about this run other than the humidity was creeping up.  My shorts were sticking like glue after mile 1.  Ick.

Yoga!  This was amazing!  It’s been way too long since I took yoga and this class was just what I needed.  A nice flow class – outdoors (!) – taught by my yogi (and runner) friend Katie.  Seriously – how amazing is this view?!

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Friday
strength train

I was short on time (Fiona didn’t nap very long) and was feeling a bit run down, so I kept it short and sweet.  A few walking lunges, squats, a barre ab video, and some arm exercises.  My arms were sore on Saturday so I definitely did enough!

Saturday
13 miles (9:37 avg pace)

Sneaky humidity.  It was one of those runs where it felt OK in the beginning and then you get smacked in the face later on.  I ran an out-and-back and stopped at the halfway point to text a client and could barely keep my iPhone dry – the sweat was pouring off me.  The run back to my car was brutal.  I was depleted.  I should have kept the pace a lot slower on the way out but instead positive splitted my way back to the car.  I was glad to reach 13 miles and be done.

Sunday
1 hour barre

Barre kicked my butt!  In all good ways though.  I know I say this all the time but barre is the best strength training for runners.  I modify most of the leg work since there is always lingering fatigue from running.

Week 1 done!  Total weekly mileage was 40 which isn’t much different than pre-marathon training.  The intensity was there so I’m fine with it.  I’m just hoping for a break in the humidity or acclimation to occur ASAP!

 

Boston Marathon Recap

April 17, 2012 by Kristy 37 Comments

Oh jeez, where do I even begin?  Let’s start out by saying the Boston Marathon far exceeded my expectations.  I had the time of my life and loved every (hot) second of it.

To be honest, I was terrified of the heat.  Each day I tracked the weather, the hotter and hotter it became.  I was fearful of a DNF (even though I never DNF’d before).  The heat is sneaky.  It creeps up on you and before you know it, you’re in the medical tent and getting a ride to the finish line.

I wasn’t about to DNF in Boston.  I wanted to run a smart race, enjoy myself, and finish!

I hate lengthy race recaps so here are the highlights:

    • I was sweating before the race even started!  The sun was brutal and the course offered no shade.
    • I decided to run by feel and started out at 8:45-9:00 pace, knowing I would slow down pretty soon.  I was feeling good, enjoying the crowds in Hopkinton, and taking it all in.
    • My stomach started to feel a little queasy around mile 4.  I knew it was from the heat (I had a similar experience last summer).  I just tried to ignore it.
    • The spectators were AMAZING!  They doused us with water and handed out ice cubes.  I would not have survived the race without their support. 
    • After mile 10, I slowed down significantly.  I happily walked through every single water stop, filling up my water bottle.  A few miles later, I allowed myself to walk when I needed to.
    • It’s funny to see so many runners walking so early on during a marathon.  This is going to sound cheesy but I felt a kinship, like we’re all in this together.
    • The Wellesley girls did not disappoint.  I heard them cheering at mile 12.  Since all the runners were enjoying the “experience” (the B.A.A. refused to call it a race but instead used the term “experience”), I think they got many kisses on Monday.  Sweaty kisses, that is.
    • When we entered Newton, I remember thinking “OK, here come the hills”.  I didn’t think they were that bad, although I was running so slow.  If I was trying to maintain MP up them, I’m sure my tune would be different.
    • Heartbreak Hill is not that bad.  It’s just a long climb at the worst time (between mile 20-21).
    • The Boston College kids were great.  So drunk, but so encouraging.
    • After mile 21, I felt like I was going downhill all the time.  Again, my perception of the course is a little skewed because of my slow pace.
    • Best sign?  “Honey badger don’t care about the heat”.  Hysterical.
    • Other than being hot (obviously) I felt OK around mile 22.  My stomach settled down, my legs felt good, and all the ice and frequent douses with water were keeping me somewhat cool.  I was having fun!
    • I knew I’d see my family and friends around Mile 25, so I started to count down the miles until then.
    • Surprisingly, I wasn’t too emotional when I saw them (dehydration = no tears?).  I stopped, chatted, got some last words of encouragement, and moved along.

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Oh, hey there

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So deliriously happy

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This way?

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I had quite the entourage

    • The next 1.2 miles were incredible.  I think I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time.  The crowds got even deeper and louder.
    • Making a right onto Hereford and a left onto Boylston was the best part of the race.  I felt like I was on the red carpet.
    • I just tried to soak up every last bit of it during the final stretch on Boylston.  Before I knew it, I crossed the finish line and became a Boston Marathoner!

finish

My official time was 4:33:50.  That’s my 4th slowest marathon ever but I have never been prouder.  I walked a lot (more than my first marathon!) and I was just so happy to finish strong (and not visit the medical tent).  

I have so many people to thank.  My family and friends that made the trip up to Boston to see me – Matt, my parents, Karyn, Aidan, Michelle, Paul, Charlotte, Neil, Mr. and Mrs. G – it means the world to me that you were there.

For everyone who sent congrats and words of encouragement via Twitter, FB, text, and email – I read each and every message and it meant so much to me.  Thank you.

I definitely want to do Boston again.  Get another shot at the course on a much cooler day and race it.  But for now, I’m just so happy and plan on riding this out for awhile!

If you’re interested, I posted all my Boston pics on FB.

Pre-Boston Festivities

April 15, 2012 by Kristy 23 Comments

Greetings from Boston!

I’m having a blast so far and may never leave!  This is our 4th trip up to Boston and each time I come back the city gets better and better.

We arrived around 11AM on Saturday and hit up the expo.  I bought a ton of goodies (2 T-shirts and a sweatshirt to be exact) and loved just walking around and taking it all in.  Matt enjoyed it too Winking smile

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On Saturday night, we had dinner with my parents, sister, and nephew.  They are staying in Cambridge and have a ridiculous view of the city from their deck.

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View at night…

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Yesterday the B.A.A. allowed deferrals to 2013 because of the heat (first time ever).  They urged runners who are inexperienced or not yet acclimated to the heat to not run and defer to 2013.  I’m certainly not acclimated but there is nothing stopping me from running tomorrow.

I’m being safe about it though and my goal is to simply finish and not visit the medical tent.  I dehydrate easily but I’m armed with salt tabs and straight-up table salt which helped tremendously last summer.

I’m so excited I can barely sit still!

We are off to visit the finish line today.  Next time I post, I’ll be a Boston Marathoner!

Lehigh Valley Marathon: Week 8 Recap

July 27, 2011 by Kristy 6 Comments

7/27/11
7 miles easy / 1:05 / 9:17 avg pace

I am more than halfway done this training cycle.  Makes me excited and nervous at the same time.   I hate to complain about the heat again, but it’s really starting to do a number on my confidence.  I know that I can’t do anything about my pace when the humidity is off the charts but I was moving along so well!  I was feeling good, handling more mileage, pulling through on speed work, running (near) marathon pace on long runs and then BAM.  Everything came to a halt.  So. frustrating.

Let’s review…

MON: 7 speed
TUE:  11 easy (7 AM and 4 PM)
WED:  rest
THU:  8 easy
FRI:  17 long
SAT:  10 tempo, MP, MP intervals
SUN:  rest / 20 min yoga video

Highlights ~
1.  Monday’s speed work, before the heat wave kicked in.  This was a tough workout and I was very pleased with my times.
2.  53 miles for the week!
3.  My ability to remain standing during Friday’s 17-miler.  I’m not kidding!  And Operation Hydration was a success!

And the not so good ~
1.   Sunday’s run.  Oh this sucked.  Supposed to be a tempo run (3 miles at 7:44 pace).  There was no way I could sustain that in the heat so I planned on doing a MP tempo.  Riiight, scratch that too.  Apparently MP was too much.  So instead I would run MP for a mile, then recover for a mile, then repeat.  Pathetic.  The heat was a big factor but I was incredibly exhausted from Friday’s run and my legs felt like lead.  I have never been so happy to finish a run.

Onto more positive stuff, I am so looking forward to the weekend!  We are heading to Baltimore for my friend Amanda’s wedding.  I even have Friday off.  I’m squeezing all my runs in Monday to Friday this week so I can take 2 rest (hungover) days this weekend.

Since it is hump day, what are your plans for the weekend?  Any long runs planned?

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