Sunday, October 16, 2016

More High Mileage...it's getting real





Another high -mileage week is in the books.

Would anyone believe me if I confessed that I'm feeling a tad bit fatigued? This marathon training, though fun (at times), is not for sissies.

Mondays have become my favorite (training) day on the schedule because they are just easy miles. No paces/splits/speed work. Just good old-fashioned running. Barb and I have started calling them "5 at 5" (and I have coined the hashtag #5at5AM).

I love my easy Monday runs! Five easy miles always feel so good!
Tuesday was a pleasantly warm and sunny day. I expected a light load at work, so I allowed a little extra snoozing in the morning, and did my run in the afternoon. Hill repeats...back and forth...five times total. Just my luck, the (hilly) county road I use is right by the golf course, and there were some guys working on the greens. No cat calls, but they probably wondered what my problem was going back and forth numerous times.
Post-hills...feeling accomplished
Wednesdays are typically an active recovery day, with no scheduled running on the agenda. However, I am not allowed to lounge on the couch, eating bon bons. Instead, I took it to the stairs, 100 flights up (and down)...some double-steps, and some triple-steps. With a side of planking.

stairs and planking...my two favorite forms of cross-training
It done got chilly overnight, and there was frost on the ground in some places on Thursday morning. Yikes. I do not mind winter, but I certainly am NOT in a hurry for it to get here. So, yes, this was my first layered-up-with-a-stocking-hat run for the season.

Although it was a mere 30-degrees, it actually felt great!
Friday was another active recovery day, prepping for my weekend. Also, Friday is #Fridayfashion on  .my Instagram page......


The IMT Des Moines Marathon (and all subsequent activities) kicked off on Friday with the expo. I headed over to get my race packets and check out the vendors and festivities. A highlight of the expo was listening to a local friend, Susie Duke. She was one of the featured speakers, having won the women's half marathon in 2014! She also qualified for the Olympic Trials this past spring (for the marathon distance).

With Susie
Saturday morning was the first racing event, the Mercy Live Up Loop. This was the inaugural year for this 5-mile race. I have done a lot of 5-mile runs, but not many races of that distance. We had moderate temps (low 60's), clouds, and some wind. Somehow, I pulled off a 5th place AG finish...crossing the finish line in 45:08 (recap coming...#staytuned).

After finishing the 5-miler (on the left), and after finishing the 13.1 (on the right)
Sunday, I ran the Half Marathon. I had to treat this as a training run (and not a race) to honor my training plan (which I sort of, inadvertently, violated with my faster-than-prescribed race the day prior). All went remarkably well considering the heat and extreme humidity (and a few nasty hills)...giving me my second fastest 13.1 finish time this year (2:12:45) and a substantial negative split (that race recap is also in the works...#staytuned). I also had an extra five miles to run (to hit my long run goal of 18 miles for the day), so I did a 2-mile warm-up and finished the remaining three miles a short while after the finish line.

This is the second year that they have medals that are magnetized for the full marathoners and half marathoners who do the Combo challenge (the Saturday race and one of the Sunday distance races). Aren't they pretty? 
So, this week ended with 40 miles logged. I think that's another weekly mileage PR. And, this weekend, I am finally starting to feel the effects of all this crazy (though necessary) mileage. My feet are achy, my back is cranky, and my entire body is ready for a good nights sleep. Other than that, things are just peachy!

In other news, we became grandparents to a little fur baby this weekend! Our daughter (in Pennsylvania) adopted a sweet little Shih Tzu, named Lola. Life is, indeed, quite good!


Speaking of family dogs...our little Max loves his dental sticks!


Have you ever done a series of races all on the same weekend? What''s your weekly mileage PR? Have you had frost on the ground yet?

As usual, I'm linking with my gals Holly  and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. I highly encourage you to check out their awesome blogs, as well as the numerous linked blogs.



51 comments:

  1. I have not done more than one race in a weekend! I'm scared of waking the sleeping beast in my left foot.

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    1. I have done a lot of "double" races....but this one I didn't run it quite as smart as I should have. Usually, one needs to run the first with a bit of caution, keeping something in reserve for the next day. I was lucky to have my endurance going for me, because the hot weather on Sunday really could have been a recipe for disaster.

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  2. We had a freeze warning but I wasn't home. My most weekly miles ever was 30, but I'm only half crazy.

    Never done back to back races.

    Lola loves her dental chews, too.

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    1. those dental chews smell so nasty...I can't figure out why Max loves them so? It's not like they smell like bacon or anything...(?)

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  3. No wonder you are a bit fatigued. Anther high mileage week with a half in there. Great job! Love your pink sweater for fall! Congrats on your half! They are pretty cool medals!

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    1. The Des Moines Marathon never disappoints with their hardware! This was my seventh time making an appearance there (I've done the half 6 times and the full once...as well as a couple of "combo" challenges)...and all of the bling is beautiful ;-)

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  4. No double races and certainly no frost on the ground here in Mississippi...it could be January before that happens! Congratulations on your races this weekend...an AG place and a negative split for a half marathon??? Impressive, you go girl!

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    1. You've probably never heard of snow either LOL I've tried to explain it to Tricia.... ;-)

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  5. Wow, congrats on such a great weekend! I'm not quite ready for the 30s yet - we've dipped into the 40s though.

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    1. We have another "heat wave" right now...it's supposed to be int he 60's/70's this week

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  6. I have never done 2 races in one weekend, but would love to. It is not that popular here. I had my long run on Saturday and while it went great, I always sleep poorly afterwards and Sunday it kind of feels like I got hit by a truck, even if nothing really hurts. It boosted my confidence for NY.
    Sounds like you will do just fine at your race ! You are nailing your training !

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    1. I always seem to forget (like childbirth???) how tough the final weeks leading up to taper are. Ugh. Almost there....almost there... ;-)

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  7. YOU ARE DOING GREAT! Keep up the positivity and yes, get that rest!

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  8. You are amazing.

    I have done a 15k and then the next day a 5K. That is the most for me. My weeks rarely include more than 25 miles even in peak half training.

    The weather is crazy here - 30 degrees on Saturday and now tomorrow it's supposed to be 80!!!

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    1. We're getting warm summer weather again this week! Back in my tanks and shorts ;-)

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  9. Your granddoggy is adorable! 30 degrees! We're just barely dipping in to the 60s in the morning (and still 90s by afternoon). When I was younger and training for a lot of marathons my mileage would get up into the 60 miles range. These days I'm happy with between 25 and 30.

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    1. The high mileage kind of freaks me out a bit because it's a new arena for me. So far, so good.....

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  10. Lola is so adorable! Congratulations on your AG placement at the 5-miler, and your second-fastest half and negative split on your half marathon! I know what you mean about doing hill repeats when folks are nearby. There is a bridge that I've used for incline repeats where I'd run back and forth about 10 times. I was waiting for folks to call the cops on me for suspicious behavior, LOL.

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    1. Ha ha ha! The suspicious behavior is right! I always feel like I should say,"I'm doing hill repeats...training for a marathon..." LOL

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  11. Great job Kim!!! I don't do high mileage, never have been able to tolerate it. So therefore I've never done more than one race in a weekend. My knees/legs need time to recover. LOL

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    1. I can handle multiple races, but I ran the first race harder than I should have. I didn't realize it until I was finished...thankfully, all went well the next day for the 13.1. #onward

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  12. Hello! Its been a while since i have been here. Congrats on all of those races! You are a rock star.

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    1. thanks ;-) I just keep plugging away...one mile at a time....

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  13. Wow you are logging in a lot of miles lately! Do you take rest days?

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    1. Oh yes! I have 2-3 "active recovery" days each week with NO running allowed. There's no way I could handle (or even want to) run every day.

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  14. 30 degrees? Oh jeeze, girl, good work! I am not sure I could do that.

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    1. It gets much colder than that in Iowa (during the winter), but it was a bit early in the season for those temps last week. Now we have summer temps again this week....

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  15. Congrats on a fantastic week of training! Also, I just love your blog and you always look so cute in all your photos!

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    1. Thanks ;-) I love my bright colors and have a small vanity problem (?) with my hair....even when I'm running...

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  16. 30 degrees!! YUCK! not ready for that yet - but YEY for fur babies! Also, I feel like you race every weekend! Rock star!

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    1. Ha! It just seems like I race every weekend LOL I'm probably done with racing until my marathon (Nov. 20)

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  17. Sounds like a full week with some fun races! I had my first cold run this weekend too and had to actually break out the gloves.

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    1. I had to dig to find my hat and gloves last week! Now, we have warm weather again....

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  18. No ma'am I would not believe you were even struggling at all these miles, Lady you do not show it at all!
    Wow 30 degrees already there... ? You'd totally call me sissy on that one!
    OMG Lola is so freaking cute!!!! When do you get to squeeze this sweet face???

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    1. Hopefully we get to see Lola at Thanksgiving ;-) Our daughter facetimes with us almost daily, so we've sen her "in action" already ;-)

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  19. I have done 2 5ks in one weekend but nothing longer. So, my hat is off to you!! I peaked this training season at 45 weekly miles. I got a little cranky, but I can't really say it was the mileage. LOL. I'm sure you'll crush your marathon. The new grandfurkid is so cute! When will you get to see her? Thanks for linking, Kim.

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    1. Hoping to officially meet Lola in person at Thanksgiving. These miles area getting crazy!! So far, I'm not cranky...much...

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  20. Congrats on both your 5-miler and half marathon! Awesome job in both!

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    1. Thanks! It's nice to filter in a race now and then with all of this training

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  21. Congrats on those miles and back to back races! You are killing it! You should be a tad bit tired, my hats off to you! Now put your feet up and rest a minute!

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    1. Ha ha! My feet were up most of Sunday evening, and quite a bit of Monday LOL

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  22. Congratulations! You are doing such awesome work out there!

    I can't believe you already had frost! It's still in the 80s here! I am looking forward to this weekend, where it might dip into the 50s overnight!

    Keep it up! The marathon is almost here and then you can take a little break!

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    1. It's weird to think the marathon is almost a month away (Nov. 20). YIKES!!

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  23. Wow, 40 miles?!? You're amazing! I have no doubt that you'll be well prepared for your marathon.

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    1. I am feeling pretty well-prepared at the moment, but I still have a hand full of long runs remaining....then taper!!

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  24. Yes, I'm feeling the fatigue. But this morning, the five miles felt effortless....crazy how fast my body can recover from a nutzo weekend LOL

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  25. I feel you on the high mileage! My PR was last week at 43, and shooting for high 40s this week then taper time! I now go to sleep at like 10-1030 every night because I'm so tired lol

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    1. I'm still not falling sleep as early as I should, but am feeling fatigued (more & more) during the day. I just cannot get my body to the bed or my brain to turn off when I get there. UGH.

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  26. 40 miles and you're only 'a bit' fatigued? Wow! I don't know how you do it! The only series of races I've done are the runDisney challenges. That Goofy and Dopey are no joke. I wish we had frost on the ground! We're still in the 80s during the day :/

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    1. My body functions on 5-ish hours of sleep, but I can tell that's gonna need to change. The high mileage is starting to get to me...but I know that's typical at this time of the training cycle. Taper is not too far away....

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