LAST Long Long Run and training last week!!

The last long long run is done.  I’m officially in taper mode and I’m ready for it this time.  Usually, I dread the taper but I feel like this time I have put in a killer training cycle and have really pushed myself so I’m welcoming some resting so I can feel top notch on October 6th.

Andrew thought I was crazy when I said to him a few times during the faster miles, “This is so fun!” Don’t get me wrong, it definitely wasn’t easy but I am just having so much fun this time.

The absolute best part about my run… I have figured out my nutrition perfect (for me).  I am going to post a long detailed explanation of it this next week.  My stomach felt amazing, I had the energy I needed and if my stomach feels like it did yesterday on race day, I’m set.  It’s taken some trial and error and some long runs where my stomach felt awful to figure it out.  I’m happy that I have found the combo that works for me two weeks before the race ha.

The run started out with arm warmers and gloves but those didn’t last long.  I completely spaced it and put my watch on over my arm sleeves so I had to take my watch off to get them off while running.  On race day I will use arm warmers so this was a good reminder to make sure not to put my arm warmers on under my watch.

We started at 5:50 and Andrew carried a flashlight for the running trail that we were on.  He is seriously the best and he would go up ahead when we got to a street that we needed to cross to push the crosswalk button so that I wouldn’t have to stop for any lights/cars.  The little barriers on the trail when crossing streets (to make sure people don’t drive on the trail) turned the run into an obstacle course a bit too! Weaving through a barrier at a 6:50 pace is interesting:)

My goal was to avoid any stops during the run and my mission was accomplished.

I started off with a warm-up (it was supposed to be 1.5 miles but Andrew and I were talking and I didn’t realize it was time to start the workout so I started a bit later), 6 miles (7:08, 7:02, 7:00, 7:05, 6:53, 6:58), .5 mile easy, 6 miles (6:53, 6:49, 6:48, 6:48, 6:47, 6:43), 1 mile easy, 1 mile fast (6:20.. my coach put a speed limit on this one of 6:20) and c/d.

Andrew and I are calling this our date for the week haha.  We were actually able to get in some good talking during some of the miles.  He is too good to me… mornings are his least favorite thing so it’s a big sacrifice for him to get out and go with me.  The air where we live was terrible because of fires so that is why we went up north (to healthy levels).   I don’t think I have been on a treadmill once during this marathon training cycle (that I remember) so I really wanted to be outside for this long run too.

7:08 average.  Only 265 feet of up the entire run so it was pretty much pancake flat the entire time.   Always fun to run somewhere different than your usual routes!

My outfit felt perfect (this is what I’ll wear for the marathon) BUT I did wear the wrong socks.  They are a pair of Belegas and they were too slippery so I’ll wear my normal pair of Belega that I wear on all of my other long runs and haven’t had this problem.

Skye is still very interested in checking in on my splits!  Andrew got a flat tired towards the end so he headed back to my in-law’s right before the cool-down (it was still rideable but not super great) so we didn’t miss out on much time with the girls.

We drove back to our house and Skye was thrilled to see Beretta again.  When we are gone we just have a neighbor come and let Beretta out when she needs to go out and take her for a walk:)

Brooke had a friend over, Skye took a nap and I went to go grab some important things in life like these almonds and cafe rio pork salads for Andrew and me.

Lots of recovering—> those are my recovery compression boots.

My mom came over to watch the BYU football game with us and I played games with the girls while Andrew and my mom talked sports.  Growing up my mom was always the one interested in watching football/basketball/baseball and my dad not so much… I inherited my dad’s dna on this matter;)

Brooke told me to take a picture of the best peach she has ever eaten.

Skye received a little head message from my mom while she ate (picture after she threw her entire dinner all over the floor…  thank you Beretta for helping me clean that up).

And we ended the night by going on a short walk together.

I did not participate in the racing…  my legs were toast.

Have a great Sunday!

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Here’s how last week looked!  I still had a lot of miles but had just one workout instead of my normal 2.  This week I’ll be running around 37 miles!

Monday:  7 miles @ 8:14

Tuesday:  8 miles @ 8:08.

Wednesday:  13.1 miles @ 7:42 average. 8 x 20 seconds fast thrown in there in the middle.

Thursday:  8 miles @ 8:45.

Friday:  8 miles @ 8:48 with Josse.

Saturday:  17.73 miles @ 7:08 average.  W/U, 2 x 6 miles (at around an average of 6:50) w/.5 mile recovery, 1 mile easy, 1 mile fast (6:20) and cool-down.

Sunday: OFF!

61.83 miles!

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How are you spending your Sunday?

What was your best run last week?

Sports on tv… love it or not so much?