Training Week 6

This week's plan is in pencil...

The State of Hawaii is under a Tropical Storm Watch.  Tropical Storm "Flossie" is on track to hit the Big Island of Hawaii early Monday morning.  Oahu is about 200 miles from the Big Island, but heavy rainfall, winds, and flash flooding are all expected for Honolulu on Monday and Tuesday.  This is a first for me!  I've gotten use to running in a little rain around here, but I'm not sure I want to be out in tropical storm conditions. 

This is week six of training. Most of your routine is the same this week, with two days of rest, two easy runs, one run on hills, and a marathon-pace run.

Sunday:  Rest Day
Monday: 5 Miles Easy w/5 Strides (pace 9:58 pace)
Tuesday:  6 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Wednesday:  Rest
Thursday: 4 Miles w/2 Miles @ MP (marathon pace = 9:09)
Friday:  6 Miles Easy (pace 9:58)
Saturday:  10 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)


Planned miles: 31

Week 5 Training Results

It was back to Oahu this week. I think I really have adjusted to this crazy humid weather.  Lots of water and Endurolytes. 

After three good runs in a row, I was really sore this morning.  I tried running a couple times, then decided a recovery walk would be just fine.  I played the "pass as many people as possible" game to keep me focused.  At about the 2 1/2 mile mark, I was joined by a woman.  She said, "You walk fast!"  I told her about my game.  She does the same thing!  "I saw you walking fast and wanted to pass you!"  We ended up walking about a half mile together.  She is a runner who is registered for the Berlin Marathon in September, but is currently injured.  It was so fun to walk with her - I wish we had met up at the beginning of my walk!

Sunday:  Rest Day
Result:  Rested

Monday: 4 Miles Easy w/4 Strides (pace 9:58 pace)
Result:  Ran 5.03 miles in 1:03:02, 12:32 pace
My last run at home for a while.

Tuesday:  7 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Result:  Travel day/Rested

Wednesday:  Rest
Result:  Ran 7.44 miles in 1:24:44, 11:23 pace.
This was my hill run.
Also walked 3 miles.

Thursday: 4 Miles w/2 Miles @ MP (marathon pace = 9:09)
Result:  Ran 5.22 miles in 55:38, 10:40 pace
This was my first attempt at a marathon pace run.  I woke up with sore legs from Wednesday's hill run, but headed out anyway.  After a one mile warm up, I was able to run two pretty quick miles - 9:12 and 9:45.  My average heart rate was 156 during those two miles with a max of 168!
Also walked 2.2 miles

Friday:  4 Miles Easy (pace 9:58)
Result: Ran 6.01 miles in 1:06:56, 11:07 pace
This was my run up Round Top.  Average HR 148 with a max of 164.

Saturday:  16 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)  This will hopefully be 13 miles, but we'll see.
Result:  Walked 3.66 miles in 1:03:55, 17:29 pace.
My max HR was 117!

Total planned miles 32

Total miles:
Walking  12.36
Running  23.70
Total   36.06

Back to Round Top

A couple weeks ago I posted about Running Round Top.  I said, "This won't be the last time I run Round Top!"  Today I headed up there again.  Last time I ran two miles before turning around, today I made it to three! The third mile was just as tough as the first two.  But the views are worth it!

6.01 miles in 1:06:56, 11:07 pace
945 feet of elevation gain (that was in the first three miles!)
Ave HR 148
Max HR 164

Training Week 5

I forgot to post this yesterday - we had a super busy and fun weekend!   I ran 5 miles easy this morning - in the rain!  And I was in Simi Valley, not Honoulu!  Very strange for July around here.  The only problem, since I forgot to post my plan, I also forgot to do strides this morning.  There's always next time...

This is week five of training. This week you’ll have two easy runs, two days of rest, a goal-marathon-pace run, and one day on hills. Your long run will be 16 miles.

This week you’ll try strides. Adding strides to any easy run activates fast-twitch muscle fibers, improves coordination and leg turnover, and preps the body for speed. On Thursday you’ll have your first marathon-pace run. Throughout the program, these runs will give you a chance to practice the speed you’re hoping to hit in the race.

Sunday:  Rest Day
Monday: 4 Miles Easy w/4 Strides (pace 9:58 pace)
Tuesday:  7 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Wednesday:  Rest
Thursday: 4 Miles w/2 Miles @ MP (marathon pace = 9:09)
Friday:  4 Miles Easy (pace 9:58)
Saturday:  16 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)  This will hopefully be 13 miles, but we'll see.

Total planned miles 32

Week 4B Training Results

It's a struggle to be consistent when we are home - I am always a bit jetlagged.  I either can't go to sleep at night or have trouble getting up in the morning.  My mileage was lower than I'd hoped for, but I did have two good bike rides! 

Sunday:  Easy 8 mile recovery bike ride
Result:  Rested

Monday:  5 miles easy run
Result:  Ran 7.30 miles in 1:29:45, 12:17 pace

Tuesday: 9 mile Trail ride
Result:  Rested

Wednesday: Rest
Result:  Rode 12.24 miles in 1:16:41, 9.6 mph
This was a fun ride - I rode 6 miles on the trail and 6 miles on the road.

Thursday:  9 mile Trail ride
Result:  Rested

Friday: 5 miles easy run
Result:  Rode 10.20 miles in 49:57, 12.3 mph
This was all on the road.  My bike was filthy, so I cleaned it on Wednesday afternoon and decided to keep it clean a few more days!

Saturday: 13 miles if the weather cooperates and my legs feel fresh.  If my legs had been fresh yesterday a 13 miler would have been a breeze, the temps were perfect.
Result: Ran 6.33 miles in 1:38:04, 15:30 pace
I definitely didn't have fresh legs today!  I woke up at around 4:00 with a muscle cramp in my right calf - SO painful!  This happened to my left leg a couple nights ago.  I wonder if there is a nutrient I am missing?

Planned miles:
Cycling 26
Running 23
Total 49

Total miles:
Cycling 22.44
Running 13.63
Total 36.07

This Week's Training (Week 4B)

Week 5 training has two important runs - strides and marathon pace.  Since we are home this week, I want to enjoy my mountain bike.  Enjoying my mountain bike doesn't leave my legs with much, so I'm going to postpone this week's plan until next week.  Here's my revised plan:

Sunday:  Easy 8 mile bike ride
Monday:  5 miles easy run 
Tuesday: 9 mile Trail ride
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday:  9 mile Trail ride
Friday: 5 miles easy run
Saturday: Run 13 miles if the weather cooperates and my legs feel fresh.  If my legs had been fresh yesterday a 13 miler would have been a breeze, the temps were perfect.

Planned miles:
Cycling 26
Running 23
Total 49

If I hit 49 miles, I'll have to do something to make it 50!

Week 4 Training Results

I had a really good week!  Three intense workouts, two easy days, and two rest days.  Just the right mix!  

Sunday:  Rest Day
Result:  Rested.  We went to the North Shore of Oahu and vegged and had amazing shave ice!

Monday: 4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Ran 4.04 miles in 43:48, 10:50 pace
This was my hill workout on Round Top Road.

Tuesday:  5 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Result:  Walked 3.97 miles in 1:03:50, 16:05 pace
I was so sore from Monday's hills!  Sore in a good way though, not injury sore.  I tried running a couple times, then just relaxed and enjoyed my walk.
Later in the day I walked another 2.5 miles

Wednesday:  Time Trial
Result:  Ran 4.72 miles in 1:02:21, 13:13 pace
Did my one mile time trial in 8:37.
Also walked 2 miles.

Thursday: 4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Sat in an airplane for 5+ hours, then spent 3 more hours getting home.  Landing at LAX at 4:30 in the afternoon is a really bad idea.

Friday:  4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Rode 9.38 miles in 1:06:48, 8.4 mph
This is the first time I have been on my bike in over a month.  I was surprised at how well I rode.  We reached the turnaround point in just a little over 40 minutes - really good time for me.  The trail is dryer and dustier than I've ever seen it.  Coming down got a little crazy - I was behind Les and we would hit places that were so dusty I couldn't see the trail because of all the dusty he was kicking up!  But it was good to be on the bike again!

Before...

After!

 
Saturday:  10 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)
Result:  Ran 6.52 miles in 1:24:33, 12:58 pace
This is the second morning this week that I work up with sore muscles.  My legs really got a workout this week.  It was wonderful to run in 58 degrees, though!

Totals for this week:
Ran 15.28
Walked  8.47
Rode 9.38
Total  33.13
Total planned miles:  28

Time Trial

This morning was my planned time trial.  One mile as fast as possible.  I warmed up for 10 minutes, then took off.  I pushed it hard.  I haven't done a time trial in over a year.  It takes a lot of focus.  Fortunately, I can run at Ala Moana Park and there are no streets to cross or curbs to step off or on.  I zoned in and went!

1 mile in 8 minutes, 37 seconds!  I ran an 8:06 on Monday, but that was all downhill.  Today's was flat with one small rise.  My average heart rate for that mile was 161, with a max of 165!

Here is a breakdown of my pace by tenths of a mile:

1 - 8:12
2 - 8:41
3 - 8:09
4 - 8:55
5 - 8:33
6 - 8:56
7 - 8:51
8 - 8:42
9 - 8:53
10 - 9:34 (I turned around here, so my pace slowed)

I think it's easy to speed up for a quarter of a mile, or half a mile, but running all out for a mile is tough!  But I'm happy with my results.

Running Round Top

Shade on the road is a bonus!

One of the regular routes that Les has been riding since we arrived on Oahu in January is Tantalus Mountain.  It is about a 10 mile loop, up Tantalus and down Round Top, or up Round Top and down Tantalus.

I've been wanting to run part of it, but getting to it by foot would take more time than I want to spend.  I've been thinking about driving to the base of the mountain for several weeks and today I finally did it! 

It took me about 20 minutes to drive three miles from our condo to Makiki Heights, where I parked and starting running - up, and up, and up!  Les left on his bike about 2 minutes before I did, and we arrived at the same time.  It's hard to get anywhere fast by car in Honolulu, there are too many traffic lights.

Sweaty, red faced, and smiling at the turn around!

Over 650 feet of elevation gain in just two miles!  It took me 26:28 to go up and 16:52 to go back down.  Those 2 down hill miles were fun, I really pushed to get my overall pace under 11 minutes/mile.

The views were amazing!!

Diamond Head

Downtown Honolulu

Monoa Valley

Looking toward the airport

4.04 miles in 43:48, 10:50 pace
Mile 1 - 12:40
Mile 2 - 13:48
Mile 3 - 8:46
Mile 4 - 8:06

Ave HR 151
Max HR 180
Calories burned 295

This won't be the last time I run Round Top!

Training Week 4

We fly home on Thursday, so I'll be changing my plan just a little this week.  I also plan on riding my bike on either Friday or Saturday.  It's been too long!

This is week four of training.  You'll have three easy runs, one day on hills, and one day of rest. Your long run will drop back to 10 miles so you can recover from the mileage buildup so far.

On Wednesday, you’ll do a one-mile time trial. A time trial can help you track your fitness and set realistic race goals. It's best to do this at a track, because it's flat and provides the most accurate measurement of distance. If you don’t have access to a track, you can do your trial on a one-mile stretch of road.  

I will probably run Thursday's 4 miles easy in conjunction my time trial on Wednesday.  I am suppose to warm up for 10 minutes, then run the time trial.  There are plenty of flat stretches here in Honolulu!  I will then take Thursday as a rest/travel day.


Sunday:  Rest Day
Monday: 4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Tuesday:  5 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Wednesday:  Time Trial
Thursday: 4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Friday:  4 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Saturday:  10 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)

Total planned miles:  28

Training Week 3 Results

This week was much better! 

Sunday:  3 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Ran 7.2 miles in 1:19:55, 11:06 pace

Monday: Rest Day
Result:  Rested

Tuesday:  5 Miles Hills (no planned pace)
Result:  Ran 7.5 miles in 1:28:22, 11:47 pace
I got drenched on this run!  I was 2.5 miles from home and it started pouring.  It lasted for about 10 minutes, so I was soaked to the skin.
Also walked 2.2 miles

Wednesday:  5 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Walked 4 miles

Favorite scene this week!

Thursday: 5 Miles Easy (pace 10:04)
Result:  Ran 9.4 miles in 1:45:43, 11:15 pace

Friday:  Rest Day
Result:  Ran 3.92 miles in 45:14, 11:33 pace
This was my only flat run all week!
Also walked 2.1 miles

Saturday:  14 Miles LSD  (pace 10:04-11:04)
Result: Walked 5.19 miles in 1:28:55, 17:07 pace
I hadn't planned on running 14 miles today, but I thought I would do more than 5!  My knees thought otherwise - every time I started to run, they started to hurt!  I'll still take this week as a success with three runs of over 7 miles.

Totals for this week:
Ran 28.02
Walked 13.49
Total  41.51
Total planned miles: 32

Running the Tour de France

Yesterday Les sent me a link to a story "American woman plans on running entire Tour de France route."  Virginia native Zoe Romano is running the 2,000-mile course in nine weeks.  2,000 miles on foot, in nine weeks!  Absolutely amazing!

The Tour de France has certainly been tainted by recent doping revelations, but it is still a grueling race.  Drugs or no drugs, each cyclist must complete each course, each day, within a certain time limit.  By the end of three weeks, they all look gaunt and exhausted.

Now along comes 26 year old Zoe and she's showing the boys how it's really done ~ on foot!  She started on May 18th and is averaging 30 miles a day!    She's already run over 1,000 miles, including up the famed Mont Ventoux with its 7.5% grade.  She's run in pouring rain.  And she's blogging about it here.

This is not her first time going an ultra long distance. In 2011, she completed a run across the continental United States, becoming the first woman to ever do so.  This time she is raising money for the World Pediatric Project (WPP), an international humanitarian organization that provides access to surgical and diagnostic medical care for children in Central America and the Caribbean.  The website (here) gives all the details.

All I can say is WOW!