Michelle's Marathon Training Log: Week 15

Target Miles: 24
Completed Miles: 26.57

Monday: 01/23/2006
Total Distance: 3.91 mi, Total Time: 0:41:51, Avg Pace: 10:41/mi, Total Calories: 439 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 163 bpm

Tuesday: 01/24/2006
Total Distance: 5.74 mi, Total Time: 1:00:21, Avg Pace: 10:30/mi, Total Calories: 658 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 151 bpm

Thursday: 01/26/2006
Total Distance: 3.92 mi, Total Time: 0:37:40, Avg Pace: 9:36/mi, Total Calories: 406 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 168 bpm

Saturday: 01/28/2006
Total Distance: 13.00 mi, Total Time: 2:08:13, Avg Pace: 9:51/mi, Total Calories: 1,523 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 160 bpm

Michelle's Marathon Training Log: Week 14

Target Miles: 28
Completed Miles: 32.06

... and uneventful week, though I was seriously tired on Tuesday. I'm not sure why this plan has two days of running just after the first 20 miler. I plan to take a rest day after the marathon.

Monday: 01/16/2006
Total Distance: 3.86 mi, Total Time: 0:38:39, Avg Pace: 10:00/mi, Total Calories: 373 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 153 bpm

Tuesday: 01/17/2006
Total Distance: 8.37 mi, Total Time: 1:32:27, Avg Pace: 11:02/mi, Total Calories: 968 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 151 bpm

Thursday: 01/19/2006
Total Distance: 4.86 mi, Total Time: 0:52:40, Avg Pace: 10:50/mi, Total Calories: 514 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 146 bpm

On this day I ran without my iPod since I forgot to bring my earphones with me -- BORING!

Saturday: 01/21/2006
Total Distance: 14.97 mi, Total Time: 2:24:45, Avg Pace: 9:40/mi, Total Calories: 1,646 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 165 bpm

Michelle's Marathon Training Log: Week 13

Target Miles: 32
Completed Miles: 36.13

Tuesday: 01/10/2006
Total Distance: 5.06 mi, Total Time: 0:48:01, Avg Pace: 9:30/mi, Total Calories: 525 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 165 bpm

Wednesday: 01/11/2006
Total Distance: 3.72 mi, Total Time: 0:36:26, Avg Pace: 9:47/mi, Total Calories: 411 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 161 bpm

Friday: 01/13/2006
Total Distance: 4.88 mi, Total Time: 0:49:44, Avg Pace: 10:10/mi, Total Calories: 523 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 154 bpm

Sunday: 01/15/2006
Total Distance: 22.46 mi, Total Time: 3:51:39, Avg Pace: 10:18/mi, Total Calories: 2,318 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 157 bpm

My First 20 Miler
Originally uploaded by michellefleury.

22.46 miles! I simply *cannot* believe it! If you would have asked me 1 year ago if I would ever be able to run 22 miles I would have said no. I just cannot believe I actually did it...

The run was great, though a few things did not go as planned. First, my pace. I never got into the 10:47/mi groove. This is my target marathon pace, so more pacing practice required. Second, I did not adequately brief my pit crew, so at the turn I did not have my 'stuff' as expected: goo (chocolate Accel Gel with caffeine), sports drink (Ultima Replenisher) and an NSAID (Motrin), which did not turn out to be a problem. I imagine I'll feel more comfortable with them during the marathon, but learned today I don't actually need them. I had enough energy to finish the last half mile with a pace of 8:30/mi.

Michelle's Marathon Training Log: Week 12

Target Miles: 11 (plus race)
Completed Miles: 30.20

Wednesday: 01/04/2006
Total Distance: 4.34 mi, Total Time: 0:42:58, Avg Pace: 9:53/mi, Total Calories: 469 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 161 bpm

Friday: 01/06/2006
Total Distance: 3.00 mi, Total Time: 30:00, Avg Pace: 10:00/mi, Total Calories: 343 cal, Avg Heart Rate: UNK bpm

1% incline on a treadmill.

Saturday: 01/07/2006
Total Distance: 9:18 mi, Total Time: 1:36:16, Avg Pace: 10:28/mi, Total Calories: 1,002 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 163 bpm

This run was through along a portion of the marathon course up and down the Huntington City and State Beaches in Huntington Beach, CA. It was great to run a portion of the marathon course. This section of the course was flat and in good shape. The ocean is gorgeous and portions of the city are as well. There is also a significant chunk that is big time construction or plants of some sort. The weather was quite a bit warmer than expected, also good to know. I did not get to see the entire marathon course, which is a bummer. I did run past the start/finish line, so I do have something to visualize between now and then...

Saturday: 01/04/2006
Total Distance: 13.67 mi, Total Time: 2:04:36, Avg Pace: 9:06/mi, Total Calories: 1,454 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 173 bpm

See previous entry on this race. I felt fine throughout and had enough energy to periodically sprint around little clusters of people. In looking at my pace, there is a difference between the first part of the race and the second, but it is not as dramatic as I'd thought. Through mile 4 my average pace looks to be 9m:30s, and after that 8m:30s.

Beyond those already mentioned, a few things I learned included:

• Get there early and queue up for the port-a-potty in time to be at the starting line for the gun.
• Before the race, pick a spot to find your friends and family after the race. Sean and I wandered around for 30 minutes or so looking for each other.
• Walking aid stations really works for me. First, I don't spill water all over myself! Second, the very brief walk is enough to look forward to when I'm feeling tired. Finally, it doesn't seem to have a material impact on my time.

OC Half Marathon Complete!

I finished my third half marathon today with a chip time of 2h:3m:3s. Like the US Half Marathon in San Francisco last November, this race (see: OC Marathon) used RunPix to report results. To see my details, click the title of this post.

OC Half Marathon
Originally uploaded by michellefleury.

It was a weird weekend and a weird day. We were on the road, I felt conspicuous roping my husband and our two beagles into several days in a hotel just so I could run this race. I nearly missed picking up my number and timing chip and couldn't settle on a pace to target -- should I practice my planned marathon pace? Should try to beat my PR for this distance (2h:6m:22s)? I decided to queue up for the port-a-potty prior to the race and crossed the starting line nearly 7 minutes after the gun. Everything just felt 'off'.

I haven't checked my Garmin details yet, but it felt like I plodded along for the first 5 miles or so, then got with it. In the end the competitive side of my personality won out and I started working harder and settled on the goal of beating my half marathon PR. My Garmin average lap pace was 9m:15s per mile and my RunPix average speed 6.4mph netting the chip time mentioned above; I acheived my goal.

I'm glad I ran the race. I'm glad I took 3+ minutes off my time. I'm glad I had a chance to run in the same climate as my upcoming marathon. I'm not glad it took me so long to get it together, but I guess that's something to learn from -- especially considering my results were just fine...

Michelle's Marathon Training Log: Week 11

Target Miles: 26
Completed Miles: 43.25

Monday: 12/26/2005
Total Distance: 10.63 mi, Total Time: 1:53:37, Avg Pace: 10:41/mi, Total Calories: 964 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 156 bpm

I tried a new trail today -- a 6 mile out and back. It was great, but had hills I was not used to running. :) I plan to keep this one in the mix for my 'kinda-long' runs less than 12 miles.

Tuesday: 12/27/2005
Total Distance: 4.74 mi, Total Time: 46:21, Avg Pace: 9:46/mi, Total Calories: 490 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 161 bpm

Wednesday: 12/27/2005
Total Distance: 4.84 mi, Total Time: 48:40, Avg Pace: 10:02/mi, Total Calories: 500 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 153 bpm

Friday: 12/30/2005
Total Distance: 5.49 mi, Total Time: 58:18, Avg Pace: 10:37/mi, Total Calories: 569 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 160 bpm

This run was through downtown and midtown Atlanta Georgia. I used to live in Atlanta, so was familiar with the route. Nice day, nice to be back in Atlanta.

Saturday: 12/31/2005

17 Miler
Originally uploaded by michellefleury.

Total Distance: 17.54 mi, Total Time: 3:04:33, Avg Pace: 10:31/mi, Total Calories: 1,855 cal, Avg Heart Rate: 155 bpm

YES! 17.54 miles! I am so happy about this run. I was not sure I could do it -- the farthest I'd run up to this point is a half marathon. This was my first *really* long run. It was a great experience. I was surprised to find I felt pretty much the same from mile 6 or so throughout the run -- my feet ached a little, various little muscles would make themselves known periodically, but no major pain and no major fatigue. I can see why numerous long runs are needed before a marathon to get your mind and your body in shape. My next, and longest pre-marathon run, is the weekend after next -- 20 miles. Ugh.

This run was in Huntsville, AL, where I was for a friend's wedding.