(Shorts, shirt, shoes, bra, socks)
Gotta love it when you start reading about a particular workout online that you are going to do the following day, and you find headlines like this one:
The Michigan. This is a challenging workout, but it goes by quickly because you constantly change surfaces and paces. There are a few variations of the workout, but here was mine and the goal paces.
My actual paces are below… I stopped my watch for the recoveries, and my coach kept track of them for us. I was a bit off on the 800 (mentally, I fell off for a minute), but I was happy to hit all the other paces or a bit faster and in the dark too! Due to my coach being there to pace me, I stuck to the 90 seconds of rest ha… I would have dragged it to 120 seconds of rest if he wasn’t. I need to find a pacer for Seville, any takers???
The goal of this workout is to simulate different paces/efforts like you would during a race. Another hopeful side effect is that the tempo pace feels closer to recovery after the anaerobic work on the track. And it worked… the faster track paces made the tempo road miles feel much better. Luckily, we had a loop we could do that finished right at the track.
I brought my inhaler in my sports bra for this one. I don’t feel my asthma during the run, but the second I stop, it kicks in hard. I used it twice on two recoveries when I could feel my throat closing up a bit.
I go back and forth between wearing the Vaporflys for workouts or saving them for race day. I feel like I recover from these workouts so much faster when I wear them, so I decided to stick with them. My legs feel so much less beat up with super shoes on, and that is helping me keep up with these workouts and mileage.
I wasn’t surprised by the sports bra weather, but I was by the glove/headband-free weather. Also, sitting on the curb after a big workout is one of my favorite moments of the week.
I have fallen in love with the track. A goal I have for 2024 is to find a 5k race on a track!
I love this place now:
A few squats and lunges, and then it was off to the rest of the day, which included hippopotamus songs.
Time outside…
And of course on the porch too.
Along with the best Christmas cookies. I need my neighbor’s recipe.
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Who has tried the Michigan? Thoughts?
Are you feeling pretty busy this week?
Best Christmas cookie?
Have you come up with any 2024 running goals yet?
18 comments
WendyMI
I want to know how we (Michigan) got blamed for that insanity! LOL
The Hungry Runner Girl
🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’m afraid of visiting Michigan now! I hope you have a beautiful day, Wendy!
Molly S
Wow! What a workout! Are your running partners training for a specific race, too or just getting into really good shape?
Confession: I haven’t baked any Christmas cookies this year. As much as I love cookies, Christmas cookies aren’t my thing. Multiple cookies get baked in a short amount of time. I want to contain them individually to avoid flavor cross over. And then there are so many cookies that they can take over a week to be eaten which leads to stale cookies. Sure you could freeze cookies which works well with some types. My level of quality control is always high for anything I bake. Clearly.
I wrote down my 2024 goals a few weeks ago. I love when my goals come organically, and I feel confident about them.
The Hungry Runner Girl
YES!! They are doing Mesa which is 8 days before my race so it works out really nice. I’m so thankful! Flavor crossover is real. Thank you for pointing this out for us. Really, what we need is Christmas sourdough. I NEED TO KNOW YOUR GOALS AT SOME POINT!
Deidre
I’m tired just looking at your workout:). We did our annual cookie baking this past weekend, it’s a really fun tradition and especially with the kids all home from college. I’m a sucker for a traditional chocolate chip 🍪
I can’t wrap my head around 2024 yet…maybe next week :). Happy hump day.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hahah I am tired looking back at it now too… not sure how we did it, I guess just a lap at a time?! I LOVE that you guys do that and I am so with you, there is just something so special about a classic CC cookie. With the perfect amount of chocolate chips too. Next week haha! Thanks friend, you too!
Teresa
Great job on the michigan’s. When I was on my cross country team in my 30s,( I’m a little bit older than you) we did a revised Michigan instead of the track we did hill repeats ran over to the park and did a 1200 interval. Then back to the Hills. It was a killer workout he did it while I was doing it loved it afterwards. My favorite cookie is an ItalianOrange almond cookie it is so good. Followed by my nonni”s
biscotti.
The Hungry Runner Girl
HILL REPEATS. Okay, now my michigan sounds like a piece of cake (and I’ll be thinking about your hill repeats next time I do it haha). Ummm how have I not tried those? Sounds incredible. Hope you get that biscotti soon too! Have a beautiful day, Teresa!
Courtney
Very busy this week! Work, appointments, Christmas pageant, return my leased car, office White Elephant, etc. But I remind myself it’s all GOOD stuff and that’s a very fortunate thing!
Best Christmas cookie is… any Christmas cookie ha! I do love a ginger/ molasses that’s nice and chewy.
2024 goal: sign up for spring/ early summer half marathon to get myself to start running again! :) and start doing weekly runs with one of my best friends.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Courtney, your list made me tired haha. Good luck and you are so right, it’s all great stuff! I am with you on the ginger, especially because it’s such a seasonal flavor and always reminds me of Christmas. I love that goal. You have to let me know which one you sign up for! Have a beautiful day, Courtney!
Wendy
That sounds like a fun workout! I think I may have to try it out.
Oh my goodness I am feeling super busy this week. And I feel like I’m running out of time. I usually feel like this when scht doesn’t get out until just a few days before Christmas.
I love Andes mint cookies and Hot Cocoa cookies. They are my favorite Christmas cookies.
After going out for a run, because it’s lightly raining and I love running in the light rain, today I all about cleaning the house. With a sushi lunch with my hubby thrown in.
Have a great day Janae!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Do it! It flew by! Off to go get some Andes mints to make cookies… that sounds so good right now. Have the best time with your husband for lunch! Thanks Wendy:)
jenny
This workout sounds fun!! I haven’t tried it but maybe I will soon.
Definitely feeling busy this week. I have a hearing today and after that I am going to be all about doing all the final things for christmas and enjoying it. I am looking forward to my book club christmas party tomorrow!
2024 Running Goal = Boston! Just started training. I’m following the level four plan on the BAA website. It’s intimidating. I keep looking ahead and thinking no way I can do this, but I’m going to try! Boston this year will be my 10th marathon and the last 5 have been 3:32, 3:34, 3:31, 3:28, 3:31. On the one hand, I’m proud of the consistency because those times spanned the birth of two kids, but on the other hand, I think I am ready for a breakthrough. I’m starting to get frustrated with running basically the same time every race! Maybe this will be the year for a big marathon PR!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Let me know when you do, it’s a good one! Good luck today and that book club party sounds so fun.. I’m going to make mine do that next year! You CAN DO THIS. I love your 2024 goal and I am so thrilled for you. Our brains hold us back so much, you can do this. You’ve had an amazing 5 years of marathons. I have a good feeling about our marathons this year. Keep me updated on this. Cannot wait to see what you do, Jenny!
Annemarie
That workout looks terrifying lol. But I am intrigued. And the part about the tempos feeling easier makes sense. I may need to try it 😬
I have started focusing more on shorter races to build up my speed and it’s working! I raced a half on Sat and ended with a 3.5 minute PR 😁 I really feel more confident that I have a LOT more to give in the marathon. I think it is just starting to click how much I have been holding back. The pain cave is my friend and I need to start embracing it!
I have a bunch of races scheduled for early next year so far: Jan 5k, Feb half marathon, Mar 10k, and April 5k. That final 5k is a week before Boston, so it will be during taper. My mileage will be lower and this will be my final speed workout before the race. Big goals are coming!
BTW, thanks for the feedback on the Novblast sizing. I don’t know what people were talking about, bc my usual size fits fine. I can’t wait to try them out this week!
Have a great day, Janae! Your training is looking fantastic!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Try it out! I hope I can trick my brain into thinking 6:20s are recovery paces after yesterday;). Annemarie, congratulations. That is a huge PR and you are so smart to focus on the short before the long. Let’s all give the pain cave a big hug haha. I cannot wait to hear all about your racing this year. BIG things are coming! Oh yay, let me know what you think of them. I am obsessed!
Erica
My Christmas gift to myself was to not schedule anything additional this week. It has been just the present I needed.
I would pace you for Seville, but I would need to rent a bike.
Catie
I feel so calm and ready for Christmas this week! We hosted my family Christmas a couple of weeks ago and I’m done shopping so it’s just chilling and getting through the work days here!
My goal for 2024 is a half marathon on April 28. Last time I ran a half marathon was 10 years ago!