Operation Wake the Glutes Up Before I Run:
A few squats, clamshells and bridges with my resistance bands before heading out for my run definitely helped them to wake up and do the hill workout.
Lazy glutes while I run = I simply don’t feel them working at all, they are just there along for the ride while my quads and hamstrings take the load.
Active glutes while I run = they are firing and I feel them working and BURNING to get me up the hills… they tighten and relax throughout the stride. <— not a scientific explanation, this is just how I feel it in my body.
This workout was no joke. I was not that worried about it going into it but then when I got to that 6 minute interval, I realized how hard it was going to be. I ditched my gloves and ear warmers because it was so warm out. I could have gotten away with wearing shorts.
Here is what the workout looked like. I am not shooting for a specific time at the 50 miler (and more just completion) so specific paces aren’t necessary. I am just going off of effort during my workouts and this is what she said the effort should feel like—> “These are relatively short intervals with lots of recovery, so work at a challenging pace, one that you can sustain, but you feel like you are pushing to achieve. Recovery jog downhill in-between the efforts.” (From my plan).
8.6 miles total at a 7:46 average. With each interval I tried to go a little bit faster and with my last 2 minutes up I did a 6:54 pace which burned. I stayed on the same hill the entire time and the 6 minute interval was about 135 ft climb so it was a good amount of climbing and my legs are officially toast.
I also did some resistance band work after my run. I get a lot of different moves from Emma Coburn’s Instagram. She shows a lot of great exercises for runners to try with resistance bands.
The day started out with Andrew and Brooke going on a little Christmas date together. Brooke leaves on Friday so we are getting in a few more things before she is off.
I sure dreamed about this below picture for a few years before I met Andrew:
Skye and I hung out at home in our pajamas and got a few things done.
Beretta was wondering why she wasn’t invited on the above date.
We hung out at home for a while giving high-fives before leaving later on in the afternoon.
The weather was calling for a walk.
Andrew is a big kid at heart:)
We went to our favorite shopping center… those mountains.
And Brooke will happily spend an hour with me in Bath & Body Works and try every lotion and smell every candle in there with me. I worked here in high school and spent my paycheck on the candles:)
And then we branched out and tried R & R BBQ.
Their salad wins.
I have a quick update on my brother’s training for the Phoenix Marathon! He just did a 16 miler yesterday and is working on his fueling and building up his endurance! If any of you are running the Phoenix Marathon or Half and you see him there, please give him an awesome pep talk:) This is the furthest he has ever gone!
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Another week of ultra training done and done! Here’s how this last week looked:
Monday: 8 miles @ 8:10.
Tuesday: 12 miles w/ Andrew on the trails @ 8:34 average pace.
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:22 with friends.
Thursday: 8 miles @ 8:48
Friday: 9 miles @ 8:04
Saturday: 8.6 miles @ 7:46 average. Ladder hill workout—> 15 minute w/u, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes, 4 minutes, 2 minutes (with equal recoveries down) UP, 15 minute c/d. 8 miles total.
Sunday: Off!
54.6 miles for the week!
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What was your best run last week? Hardest run? Would you rather do a hill workout or a speed workout?
What do you have going on today?
Would you rather do a hill workout or speed workout?
24 comments
Wendy
Heading out to my daughter’s swim meet this morning. During her warm-up, I will be running, in the dark and rain. BUT the area is flat, unlike my area, so will be a nice change! I don’t really do proper hill or speed workouts, but feel like I am running up or down hills most of the time.
I’m such a Des fan — my Saturday night consisted of replying to her tweet (I don’t really do twitter — only reply to her tweets, haha), and getting excited when she ‘liked’ my response. My family thinks (?knows?) I am crazy.
Enjoy your day Janae!
Grant
Think it goes without saying that my marathon yesterday was my best/hardest run (in a long time)! Speaking of glutes, around miles 6-9 I could feel my hip flexors getting pretty tired and tight, so rather than stop to stretch I just focused on getting my glutes/hamstrings to work and after a couple of miles my hip flexors felt fine. I tend to let my glutes turn off too if I’m not careful; warmups like that help me avoid that, as do hills!
Also I never go to Bath and Body Works but my mom does and she always buys me soap and candles there for stocking stuffers and I look forward to it so much. I’m a dude but I love good-smelling things haha.
kelly
I am so glad you are enjoying the book by Krissy (I can’t spell her last name off hand so we’ll be on first name basis, k?). I’d have to say I liked the hill workouts over speed because i’m not super fast so that felt harder. However, I really enjoy both because they add a new dynamic to the week. I felt the hill workouts were a better prep for the trails, then when I did the marathon a bit later I appreciated the speed workouts more.
Today-went for a really really REALLY cold mountain bike ride with my boyfriend and there were snow flurries. So glad I took handwarmers with me (pro tip, once you get done and are inside, tuck the still warm hand warmers in a back pocket of your tights/sweats to give the lower back some love and heat)
Now that I’m thawed out my next step is to make a cookie list (hot chocolate cookies are #1!!!!) and make a lasagne. I have to actually get going though on that one. If I get really industrious I’ll make pumpkin bread or muffins.
kelly
ps-when I first saw your heading I thought “WHAT OPERATION DID YOU HAVE?!” glad it’s your new glute MO ;)
Megan D
Completion.
Jules
Resistance band!! I sooo need to add this. Thanks for sharing. Today’s workout is outrigger canoe practice, usually 6-8 miles. But today it’s 40* and raining, I’m sure the 6 of us will be complaining the entire 1 1/2 hours. Best run this week was yesterday’s hilly run–7 miles without IT pain! Could have kept going but didn’t want to push a good thing. Hills, hills, hills are the best. The challenge to get up and the feeling once I’ve conquered it is awesome. Have a great Sunday!!
Kristina C.
Okay so this is a totally random question but I noticed that especially when training for your last marathon, you did a lot of early morning runs in the dark. How do you keep yourself feeling safe? I’m running into this issue now in the winter months because it’s dark before and after work but I still want to run outside. Any advice would be appreciated!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Great question Kristina! When I train while it is still dark outside I usually take Beretta or I’m with friends. I stick to busy streets and wear my Run Angel and reflective vests. In the summer I would usually do my warm-up with Beretta (2-3 miles) and then by then it was light (I MISS THE SUN COMING UP EARLY) and I’d drop her off at home. I definitely recommend a run angel! Are there areas near you with a lot of other runners… a track, a trail etc so that you aren’t alone in the mornings? I can’t wait for more light! I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday.
Kristina C.
Good ideas! Thank you for the advice, we do have some areas I could go where I know there would be other runners! When we do get a dog, fingers crossed he or she likes to run. I don’t mind winter running except for the whole darkness thing lol. Thanks again!
RunnerGirl
I also carry pepper spray – running or walking the dog in the dark. I live in a safe area, but have been followed running (long story, but the creep was later arrested for other crimes) so having pepper spray makes me feel safer. I also only run local neighborhoods if it is dark, never on the trail. I figure if I have any trouble I’ll just bang on a door and ask for help!
Kristina C.
Thank you for the advice! I just got some pepper spray, and definitely feel better having it with me. As I was running this morning, I was looking at all the houses thinking, yea I do have a lot of options of where to run to for help if needed.
Jenny|Running On Life
I’d rather do hills because I usually have hills in my run anyway haha.
I love that Andrew and Brooke had a quick date, I think I need to be better at one on one dates with my kids.
Have a great day!
Stephanie
AHH today: I ran this morning (and I was totally all #runmatchy in my outfit…), and then I stopped by Marshall’s to get wrapping paper for our parents’ christmas gifts, and I work all day long. Tom has the day off. I’m so jealous.
I am also making my version of your baked potato: chicken breast with bbq sauce in half of a baked sweet potato and with goat cheese. On my run it sounded good, and I need to STOP spending money at the Whole Foods by the store just to get a snack or to get lunch or whatever. I need to get back on the good habits train. For real.
I would totally rather do a hills workout than a speed workout. I’ve always been a very slow runner, but I’ve always had good endurance. I’m built for putting my head down and ‘doing some heavy lifting’ so to speak (short frame, big booty, big hips, strong leg muscles…). Also, I am stubborn as all get-go, and I am mentally stronger at seeing something through to the end. Climbing is natural to me. :)
I am hoping that it’s actually cold here on Christmas morning–my Brooks rep left me a beautiful beautiful navy blue Brooks thermal notch hoodie at the store as a little surprise, and I totally want to wear it and pretend my Brooks rep loves me enough to give me a Christmas gift that I just have to wear for the first time on Christmas morning (along with my Brooks ugly sweater ‘run happy’ sherpa hat and my Launch 4s, because that’s the pair of shoes that will totally let me live the “#runmatchy” life on Christmas morning…)
I hope you all have a great Sunday–AND that you get to do lots of special things for Brooke every day this week leading up to her travel on Friday to her father’s! (You’re SO GOOD at accepting reality as it is and letting her father be a good father to Brooke, but I also bet that when she’s gone you miss her so much…my thoughts will be with you over this Christmas since I know you’ll be counting down the days until she comes home to you!!!).
:)
Almarie
We spend most of our day in our swimming pool, we have a heat wave so the pool is refreshing. Ps it is just after 6pm were I am. Have a great day!!!
Wendy
Your brother is doing awesome! It is so amazing/special when you hit those longest miles run ever markers. Can’t wait to hear how the rest of his training goes, and then his marathon!!
We we’re at an ugly Christmas sweater party last night, and stayed out way too late, so I’m pushing my long run to tomorrow. But this afternoon, I get to take care of my friend’s 2 little kiddos for a while. That is going to be fun ?
I think I need some resistance bands. I keep reading about some great exercises using them.
Twice this week, I had a 6 mile run to do, and they both felt so good. The first one was hills and hard, the second was on my favorite trail and somewhat speedy. Different, but both so good! I love training weeks like that…when everything just seems to click!
Have a nice relaxing Sunday ?
Mary
So You had one hill you ran that was long enough for 6 minutes of time?
The Hungry Runner Girl
Yes… And I could have still gone up it for another 5 minutes or so! It’s long and steep! I hope you are having a great Sunday Mary.
Kristine Chew
Hills over speed – because speed hurts…. a lot. Haha. I will when I have to though.
Most of my runs are easy these days – no race yet for next year. Have to decide soon I think.
Currently lazing in our pjs by the fire, listening to music, and cheese and crackers with wine because it is dreary outside and because Sunday.
I did head out to pick up PJS for a pj exchange I do with a good girl friend though. Its a bit of a tradition – we are reviving it this year after neglecting it for a couple of years.
Have a great day Janae!
Julie
I love hill workouts over speed any day! I remember doing these workout with Krissy, she had us pick a spot on the hill to be our two minute marker to make sure we didn’t let up as we progressed in intervals. Always make it to that spot by two minutes! So hard but honestly, I was the strongest I have ever been training for that ultra with the hills and the speed and the distance. It’s so fun. I’m still so excited for you as you are on this journey!
John
Hi Janae and Andrew. My favorite workout last week was a tempo run with my son yesterday, 3 miles at 7:19 pace. I would definitely prefer a speed workout over a hill workout. Usual Sunday routine for me today – church, Starbucks, short walk on the beach with my wife (I’m in the Northwest so cold and rainy walk) and watching football.
I’ve been meaning to send you a link to some core exercises for runners my spine doctor gave me after I herniated a disc several years ago. He went to school with the author: http://athlon-esportes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Runner-Muscular-Balance-Core-Stability-and-Injury-Prevention-for-Middle-and-Long-Distance-Runners.pdf
Teresa L. Eskew
Good job on your workout.
I will do hill workouts anyday. Love them.
Today I had a productive Christmas cookie baking day. My Nonna’s Italian biscotti, snow balls, chocolate sprinkles and every ones favorite a double batch of pecan pie bars.
Varun Sharma
Good job on your workout. Amazing!
Kristina, your posts are always inspiring!
Love the way you explain. Keep the good work going.
Neetu
You are doing great. Keep it up.
Anil Kumar
Thanks for sharing. you are doing great. I like your daily life activity.