This was my last big marathon training week before the taper for Twin Cities.
Total Miles: 37
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Speedwork 12x400m and lower body strength
Wednesday: Yoga, upper body strength
Thursday: 8 MP Miles in a downpour
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 22.12 miles
Sunday: Strength
We kicked off the weekend with high school football for the big kids and a little kids’ sleepover Friday night. On the eve of my 22 miler? Um yes, I definitely question my sanity on that one.
We played, baked sprinkles, I mean cookies, and had pizza, which is my usual pre-long-run meal.
For some reason I didn’t feel well that night. At all.
Blame it on staying up way past my bedtime but I overslept. I didn’t get out until 7am. It was in the low 50’s though and clear. Gorgeous! Because it was cool, I went with cool weather gel choices: Caramel Macchiato, Mocha and Chocolate. What’s not to love?
I wore my hot pink top. Cue ominous foreshadowing.
The run was better than I deserved it to be. Except when I looped back to the house to reload fuel and writhe on the floor groaning for a minute, I realized I’d swiped brown gel across my shirt. In the boobular area. I swear I can’t take me anywhere. If you’re a long-time reader, you know this is not my first brown gel malfunction. I wasn’t racing this time, so there’s that.
After a costume change, I was back out for the final 7 which also went way better than expected.
At mile 18 I got hangry and all I could think about was banging on doors begging for food and a place to curl up in the fetal position.
At mile 20 I saw Jesus and was ever so grateful to be out running on a gorgeous day. All was right with the world cuz I can do anything for 20 more minutes. That’s what I told myself anyway. 3 hours and 40 or 50 minutes later (can’t even remember how freaking long I was out there) 22 miles and change were in the proverbial barn.
Thoughts about this training cycle. The past 6 weeks have been great. Solid. Hot until this week, but I got in the runs I needed. Here’s the rub. I didn’t really train in July. Being in Europe trumped marathon training for the most part. So in reality, my training cycle came up short. Yes, the long runs I did went relatively well. But are they enough? It is what it is and I can’t go back, so I’ll focus on the positives and move forward. We’ll see how far I can get on that Twin Cities race course before sub-par endurance comes to haunt me.
How’d your training week go? Anyone joining me in taper town?
LMAO…boobular area. I wish I had a boobular area to drip brown GU on. There is nothing wrong with baking sprinkles! I’m going to be in taper town one week behind you. I think you’ll do fantastic because you ran all those hot stinking miles and PLEASE JESUS they have to account for something, right? Enjoy the taper. And I appreciate you linking with us!
OMG, you had a kid sleepover at your house before a 22 miler. That is hilariously insane. I’m just impressed you could run for almost 4 hours after that. I think sleepovers wipe me out for days. Good luck with your race! You can do it!!!
I bet it feels great to be able to start tapering after all the miles you’ve been putting in. I have yet to read about your brown gu mess but I will consider this a warning to watch what I take on race day! Happy Taper!!
Wow, you earned that taper! Congrats on the long run! I’ve never gone longer than 20 in my marathon training and at the present moment I can’t even imagine 10. Enjoy! P.S. love the skull capris!
Congrats on making it to the taper! It sounds like you still got in some solid training even if it was a shorter training cycle than you are used to.
They say the long runs are the most important & I’m sure you did a lot of walking (and carb loading) in Italy.
I’ll join you in the taper next week! But my longest long run is only half of yours. Half, get it?
80% is mental. Solid long runs are really all that matters. Focus on the positive and remember the good long runs on race day. Heck, maybe shorter training cycles are better for you? I sure hope so as I haven’t gotten over 15 since Grandma’s!
you’re running tenacity inspires me. Brown smear across the booooobular and all.
And I laughed out loud at the sprinkles baking comment 🙂
Autocorrect!!
YOUR not you’re.
I was thinking about all this yesterday. You’ve had a great training cycle, and as you say, the hay is in the barn. Plus you have a lot of running experience under your belt. You can pull off a strong race no matter what. And you know what the experts say…it’s better to be undertrained than overtrained!
I predict great things for you in the Twin Cities. Maybe leave the brown gu at home, tho.
I have been a victim of brown gel dysfunction in the past as well…I smeared it all over my face and when passing cars went by staring I just assumed they were admiring my dedication to running….not so much.
It sounds like you got in the workouts that count, for TCM! Taking time off for vacation was way more important than cramming workouts in, too!
Yay for making it to taper time! Its always hard to keep up with training while traveling, but it sounds like you got all of the critical runs in. I’m sure you’re well prepared for race day!
Wendy is right this ain’t your first rodeo as we like to say! You did make your 22+ miles so that should be a confidence builder! I can’t wait to hear about your race! You’ll do fine:) So glad you linked up with us this week! Appreciate you!
LOL at your rundown of the miles. So true. I’m feeling ready as well. I hope you have an amazing race – it’ll be well deserved!
You make all of that training look so easy! I am all for pizza pre and post long runs. Enjoy your taper
Knock em dead lady! You are going to do amazing…but definitely leave the brown gu at home, LOL!
I save those same flavors for my “cooler” runs too! Although it has still been too warm for them here yet! I really thought you were gonna tell a different story about that GU…lol. I love the salted caramel but I don’t think it likes me too well!
Sleepover pre 20, you are one brave momma!!!
great job! 22 miles I no joke. I may or may not have had my own gu disasters in the run! Happy taper!
LOL you are too funny with the brown GU malfunction! Great job getting your 22 miler done! Enjoy your taper!
It is totally enough. You have had a strong training cycle! Bring on the taper and no worrying allowed!
I love the long run recap lol Your pink top is really pretty I hope GU washed out easily.
Oh no! I am notorious for getting food and other stuff on my clothes. I just roll with it lol. Good job pushing through that 8 milers in the pouring rain!
Not every training cycle can be stellar. I’m having a pretty ordinary one this time round after an amazing one earlier this year. It is what it is and hopefully the earlier training will give me a few extra brownie points come race day.
You. Are. Awesome. #thatisall 😉
Great training week. Those cookies looked yummy. And what a sleepover!! 🙂