Running Plan for 9/28- 10/3

Monday- 5 mile run (completed) Didn't worry about meeting a certain pace but I did speed up progressively.
Tuesday- 3 mile run + upperbody workout
Wednesday- 2 miles easy, 3 miles Steady State?, 1 mile easy
Thursday- 2 miles + upperbody workout
Friday- Stationary Cycle 45 minutes
Saturday- 8 miles @ HMP + 20 seconds


Last week's running went well but I skipped Saturday because Baby J and I had a bad cold and I'm trying not to get more sick. I often get really sick with a cold in the winter and that's the last thing I need as I start marathon training. I still have a stuffy nose but I don't feel like I got hit by a train anymore, so that's good. I think I'm going to use the FIRST running schedule again for this marathon. (That's what I used for my last half marathon and I loved it.) If you have a good thing, why change it? I think I'm going to add another day of running and make sure it's at an incline.

I've had a hard time figuring out what some of the abbreviations mean on the schedule though, and I haven't been able to find them on the website. Since my marathon schedule isn't starting until Novemeber I thought I'd work off the half marathon one. Does anyone have any idea what ST pace means? I sure don't. I just put a Steady-state pace for that one, (from the McMillan's running calculator,) but I know that's probably not what it means. Anyways, onward and upward this week...Even though I took a month off of running I still feel like I have gas left in the tank, so I'm glad about that.

Good Running Food and Training

I saw this recipe in Runner's World last week and I finally made it last night. Loved, loved, loved it. I used Italian Sausage and only used parsley for herbs because I didn't have the other stuff. I'm always on a search for recipes that have a ton of nutrients and taste and this definitely fit the bill.

I'm a little sore from all the weight lifting I've done this week, but it feels really good. I had posted "before" marathon pics but the esposo thought it was funny I did that, so I felt stupid and took them down. I'll make a new post about my running and health goals soon.

Before I sign off, one of my favorite running bloggers is Jess. She's a speedster for sure. She has a triggerpoint giveaway on her blog that you all should check out. It's for one of those foam things to roll out your legs that so many people swear by. I totally want one! Enter the giveaway here.

Below are a few pics of me and my family from a hike we went on this week. Aren't my boys cute?! Enjoy!

Pre Marathon Training Plan 9/21-9/26

Monday- Run to gym, upper-body lifting routine, run home
Tuesday- 5 mile easy run at 8:29 pace
Wednesday- 3 miles plus lower-body lifting routine
Thursday- 5 mile easy run 8:29 pace
Friday- 2 miles, upper body lifting routine
Saturday- 7 mile long run at 8:29-9:29 pace

I have some time before my schedule starts. My plan right now is to get back into a running routine and start weight lifting. My legs are strong but my upper body is not, and I'd like to be more balanced. Consequently, I've decided I'm going to lift 3 times a week atleast until my schedule starts. I haven't decided which marathon schedule I'm going to use. I'm still deciding between a FIRST schedule, one of Hal Higdon's, or a mixture of both. I saw online that there are a lot of marathon books at the library, so I may go there today and check out a few.

Think I'm Signing Up for the LA Marathon

So I know in my last post I said I was going to take a break from running and have a baby, but I think my husband and I are going to hold off a bit. In the meantime, I've decided that I want to run the LA Marathon on March 21st. They have a new course from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier that looks so fun. I think LA is a great first marathon for me because a) I have a lot of history in LA, b) I can stay with my Grandma the night before, and c) it takes place on my Grandpa's birthday that passed away this year.

I'm kind of concerned that I basically took a month off of running, but I've run a lot this week and I think I'm back in business. At first I thought I was going to set a really crazy goal for this marathon, but I think I'm just going to try and run it under 4 hours. According to the McMillian Running Calculator, my half marathon times would put me within range to qualify for Boston, but who am I kidding? I've never run a full marathon before...My schedule starts in November, so I guess I'm gonna make my own schedule until then. In any case, I'm excited to have a new goal and race to look forward too. Something fills missing in my life without that...

Missing in Action

People have started noticing that I've been missing in action since my last race. My husband and I have talked a lot, and we decided for me to slow down on my training in the hopes of having baby number #2. I haven't decided if I'm going to blog while I'm pregnant. I think people's blogs are much more interesting when they're training for races than just trying to stay in shape. However, I may keep posting just to keep myself accountable and maybe be of service to any runners trying to figure out nutrition or what to do when you're growing a baby...I already don't know what to do with myself since I'm not planning my life around races.

My goals after baby number #2 are the same ones I had before: 1. To run a sub 1:40 half marathon, and to run the California International Marathon. I've been concerned about how long it will take me to get back into shape again, but I ordered this book by Runner's World that I'm so excited about. I guess it's supposed to give you a play by play of how much you should run and eat during pregnancy...Just what I was looking for.

Anyways, I'm still going to the gym and stuff, but there might not be any posts for awhile. Don't count me out though, because I'll be back with a vengeance!