An Unintentional Running Streak

Well after my running meltdown, I vowed to follow my carefully constructed training program, as I thought/knew that was part of my impending burn out issue.  "You have to stop taking an unplanned rest day on Mondays you ding dong!  You're ruining everything!!!!" my inner dramatic exclaimed.  And for one week, it worked.  And last week.... not so much.

I woke up at 8, intending to get my 10 miler in before work at 11.  I then convinced myself I'd much rather run it after work, at 8.  And then it was cold.  And I got lazy.  BAD JERBEAR.  Somehow I still managed to get things together for the week.  I did lose a measly 2 miles of my weekly total, but overall I'm pretty happy with my ability to absorb ten miles in to an already packed weekly schedule.

Somehow, this schedule "flexibility" created an unintentional running streak.  While finishing up my long run Saturday I started counting how many consecutive days I had run, and when my next rest day was.  Uff!

Now this type of schedule for Broken Running Barbie sounds idiotic, and it is, but I'm actually pretty darn happy with my ability to play this week of training smart, even if I did run 6 days in a row (and still going, oy!).


Tuesday I had 5 miles on deck.  My legs were super rested since they had Monday off and a slow poke recovery run on Sunday.  They felt like FLYYYYING.  However, I knew I had a 9 miler w/tempo miles 10 hours later.  Forgive me for not remembering the running book I read this in, but it essentially stated that the key to really upping your mileage without your legs falling off (I may be paraphrasing here) is to be super conscious of your heart rate.  This is how elite runners who are rocking 80-100 mile weeks don't die.  (again paraphrasing).  This was the book that discussed the hard-easy principle in great length, I'm sorry I can't think of the title, but feel free to mention it in the comments and I'll edit it. Anyway, each hard day should be sandwiched by easy days.  And on and off for the rest of the schedule.


So yeah, 5 miles with an average HR of 145 and pace of 9:39.  Because my legs and heart were so recovered, this is actually a pretty fast pace for that kind of HR.  Exciting stuff.


10 short hours later I knocked out 9 miles with 5 at tempo pace.  Tempo runs I've been doing by starting at the low end of my tempo pace and finishing at the high end of it.  I did 9 miles in 8:53 pace and my tempo miles were 8:27, 8:20, 8:14, 8:09, 7:59 avg pace 8:13.


The next day I had a quick recovery run with Kyle in between class and work.  I kept having to remind him this was my recovery run, because we were cruising on mile one.  Uff da.


Friday (based on the hard-easy principle) should've been a hard day, but I had my long run the next day, so I took it slow, again.  6 miles at 9:46 pace.


And then the big kahuna Saturday:  16 miles with 10 at marathon pace.  I survived.  On a treadmill.  I drank 1 1/2 waterbottles (the size that fit on your bike) of water, and one of nuun.  I sweated through my shirt and shorts.  P.S.  There's a science as to what to wear to the gym for long runs.  I'll share it if you ask real nicely.  Unless you're one of those people that can run for hours and not break a sweat.  In that case, I hate you.  I watched a marathon on the Food Network of people that can't cook.  It was entertaining.  I got tiiiiiired the last couple of miles.  It's been awhile since 2 miles has felt like forever.


I did 16 miles with an average pace of 9:12.  The first 6 miles were easy then I did 4 at 9:05, 3 at 8:57, and the last 3 were 8:39-8:53.  However, I think the 8:39 was a fluke/user error.  I had to refill my water bottle and I must not have restarted my garmin right away.  I think the fastest I had the treadmill at was 8:50.

And then another slooooooooow 4 miles of recovery yesterday.

And that, my friends, is how I bump up my mileage without a leg falling off (knocking on wood heavily here).  I've also been besties with my foam roller.

To reward myself for the week, I got to see Channing Tatum, shirtless, a decent amount of times in The Vow last night.   Mmmm, thanks Chan!

And here's a fun/dorky picture of myself modeling my favorite shirt that says: Pugs Not Drugs.  Also, I look like I need a nap!