RunFasterSarah (my running adventures)

I took Sunday off after my Seattle Rock n Roll Half marathon. The day after a race, sometimes I’ll do a recovery run, sometimes I just take the day off. I’m glad I took the day off, because then I had this grand idea.

Why don’t we run 150km in our upcoming training week? (By ‘we’, I mean hubby and me!!) I mean, why not, right? Technically I should have hit 150km three times already in this training cycle – and each one I’d missed. Being only 4 weeks away from marathon day… This was really my last chance.

The plan was crazy enough it just may work. I even managed to convince hubby of all the amazing benefits of running 150km this particular week. We were set.

Monday morning rolled around and we set off for the first 14km. No prob. Monday night, I’m prepping dinner, and hubby says, “Wait, we have to run before eating!” – off we went. Tuesday morning we were a bit on the sleepy side… But all good.

And then Tuesday evening was too much fun – I got to run with the Denman Street Running Room after giving a talk there. I ran the first 5km with one of the runners there (who I um, may have pushed to run a bit too fast, so sorry Deirdre!!) and then took off with a burst of energy that came from who knows where to finish with an average pace of 4:52/km. Not bad 2 days after racing. I’m not saying it was smart… But definitely not bad 😉

So far so good. But it gets better. Yes, Wednesday morning was a bit tough after the speed from the night before, but Wednesday evening’s 14km around UBC was pretty good overall, especially once I made it up the hill! Thursday morning was steady – and then Thursday evening was strong (hubby was so strong he took off on me and tempo’d his way around UBC!!!). Yep, 4 double days in a row.

~ 10 of the 11 runs of the week ~

Friday morning I warned my friend Steph that I was going to be super slow… I lied. We flew around that UBC loop with an average pace of 5:25/km (fast for me – my easy pace is usually between 5:35 and 6:00). Hmmm… Feeling good I’d say!

And then… Saturday long run rolls around. Funny thing with long runs – I’m not naturally good at them. Distance scares me – it’s hard. I remember SO many long runs where I hit 24km or so, and I’d be dying. It’d be hard hard hard. I’d stop for a break. Another break. Some days I’d question my sanity. Why I run at all. But not this day. I’ve got 36km on the schedule, but just for fun I go to 37km total. And it’s good. I don’t die, or question my sanity, or wonder why I run. I love it.

Finally, Sunday rolls around and I know I only need not even 14km to finish the week off and hit my goal of 150km and of running the most kilometres in one week than I’ve ever run before. Hubby and finish the week off by running our favourite 14km loop. I did it. WE did it – we somehow both finished with exactly 151km (even though we didn’t run all our runs together, it totally added up the same!!).

The feeling upon finishing my highest mileage week ever is odd. Sure, my legs are fatigued, but in an energized way. I feel strong and more than ready to take on the upcoming week. And although I’m a teeny bit scared of the ‘marathon-pace’ run that I know is coming my way in only a few days time… I feel like everything is coming together for my Eugene marathon as best it possibly can.

~ last run of the week (Sunday) – I was, um, happy about it… ~

1. Dec 30 to Jan 5 – 50km (actual – 57km)
2. Jan 6 to 12 – 60km (actual – 63km)
3. Jan 13 to 19 – 60km (actual – 63km)
4. Jan 20 to 26 – 75km (actual – 77km)
5. Jan 27 to Feb 2 – 105km (actual – 108km)
6. Feb 3 to 9 – 90km (actual – 90km)
7. Feb 10 to 16 – 75km (actual – 75km)
8. Feb 17 to 24 – 105km (actual – 100km)
9. Feb 25 to Mar 2 – 135km (actual – 135km)
10. Mar 3 to 9 – 120km (actual – 105km)
11. Mar 10 to 16 – 135km (actual 110km)
    
12. Mar 17 to 23 – 150km (actual 83km)
    
13. Mar 24 to 30 – 120km, with specific pace runs (actual 100km – no pace runs)
14. Mar 31 to Apr 6 – 120km, with specific pace runs (actual 100km, nailed my pace runs)
15. Apr 7 to 13 – 105km, with specific pace runs (actual 75km, got sick in the middle, but nailed all my pace runs)
16. Apr 14 to 20 – 135km, with specific pace runs (actual 100km, nailed my pace runs)
17. Apr 21 to 27 – 70km, with specific pace run and The Vancouver Sun Run 10km race (actual 48km, good pace run, race = 45:43)
    
18. Apr 28 to May 4 – 105km, with specific pace runs and The BMO Half (actual 74km, race = 1:40:40)
19. May 5 to 11 – 150km, with specific pace runs (actual = 58km, with pace run)
20. May 12 to 18 – 135km, with specific pace runs (actual = 89km, with pace run)
21. May 19 to 25 – 120km, with specific pace runs (actual = 128, with pace run)
22. May 26 to June 1 – 150km, with specific pace runs (actual = 94km, with pace run)
23. June 2 to 8 – 135km, with Whistler Half (actual 64km, race = 1:45:11)
24. June 9 to 15 – 105km, with specific pace runs (actual 82km, no pace runs)
25. June 16 to 22 – 150km, with Seattle Half (actual 69km, race = 1:41:08)
26. June 23 to 29 – 120km, with specific pace runs (actual 151km, with pace run)
27. June 30 to July 6 – 105km, with specific pace runs
28. July 7 to 13 – 105km, with specific pace runs
29. July 14 to 20 – 90km, with specific pace runs
30. July 21 to 27 – final taper week