Isn’t It Funny? + Boston Training Week #2 Recap

(vest, shorts, shirt, shoes, headband)

A solid group of women makes the 14 miles fly by.

Isn’t it funny (or painful?) how a workout that looks so simple on your training plan can hurt so badly? We all went into this one thinking, ‘what a piece of cake!’ I thought we wouldn’t even notice this workout with only 21 minutes of running fast! First, the loop was full of hills (above picture of the cool-down), and I swear each interval landed on the most challenging sections. Second, it’s incredible how long a minute lasts when you are doing a fartlek. My 6-minute fartlek (that was basically killing me) pace was just a touch under my goal marathon pace for Boston.

This always happens though… At the beginning of a training cycle, my mile time is my goal marathon pace. Something magical happens over the months of training and that mile time turns into tempo pace and then into marathon pace.

I fully support friends that use candy as their running fuel.

Here’s how week 2 of Boston Training went:

Monday:  10 miles @ 8:42 pace on fresh snow and 1k elevation gain.

Tuesday:  8 miles @ 8:43 average 

Wednesday:  5 miles w/u outside, workout at the indoor track.  Ladder workout 400, 800, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 (with half recovery jogs ((i.e., 800m jog after the 1600m interval)).  12 miles total, and I’m not sure about the times for the intervals because I was keeping track of the laps on my watch ((5 per mile)), but I put in a solid effort!

Thursday:  11.37 miles @ 8:25 average

Friday:  Off, but I did some strength.

Saturday:  14.7 miles @ 7:32 average pace.  6 minutes, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 fartlek with half recoveries (i.e., 3-minute recovery run after the 6-minute fartlek)

Sunday:  Off

56 miles for the week!

And onto the rest of the weekend:

Knox is quite the trooper in allowing the neighbors (that are much younger than him;) to paint his face.

We got out to ski!

Skye can officially keep up with everyone!

We hot tubbed afterward.

 

 

Sunday called for the laziest morning.

And my mom’s lasagna later on.
I hope your Monday is off to a great start!

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Marathon runners… how many weeks do you prefer for a marathon training plan?

Those of you that use candy to fuel during your longer runs… which candy do you prefer?

Have a favorite recipe from one of your parents/relatives?

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23 comments

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My weekend highlight was definitely my run- even in January, it can get so hot and humid where I live, but Saturday’s run was cool (mid-50s) and not as humid as normal, so I was able to do all my miles outside instead of starting outside and finishing on the treadmill. :) As for candy, I love Haribo StarMix or Sour Patch Kids. And my favorite family recipe is my mom chicken and sausage gumbo! Have a great week, Janae!

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Hot and humid in January… wow! I am so glad you were able to have a run in perfect weather. I LOVE the StarMix! And your mom’s gumbo sounds incredible. Thanks friend, you too!

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Highlight of my weekend was spending time with friends from out of town who visited! And a bonus one- going on a slow run Sunday morning with my boyfriend and getting breakfast and coffee after.

Favorite candy for running fuel is Swedish fish, which I think I got that idea from you!!

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I am so happy you were able to have time with your friends and a run with your boyfriend… sounds like the best weekend. You are so welcome for sharing the swedish fish tip. They just taste so good on the run;). Hope your day is a beautiful one, Mariah!

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Highlight of my weekend was probably my run. I took some time off after my fall marathon and now I’m building up my mileage again. 9 miles on the trail. And it was sunny, which is pretty rare for Pittsburgh where I live. After the run I rushed home and took my kids and my niece to an indoor pool to swim. They had a blast and were worn out, so everyone slept good! Oh one more thing – last night I made the Featherstone nutrition winter salad for my lunch this week! I’m super excited about that. It actually made it easier to get out of bed this morning knowing that I had a delicious lunch ready (however dorky that is).

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You were so smart to take time off after your fall marathon. Way to get in 9 miles on the trail and in sunshine?! It was meant to be. I love it when the kids sleep good after a bunch of movement during the day. Oh I am so excited you made the salad… that isn’t dorky, I am the same way! Happy Monday, Jenny and enjoy lunch!

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I ran a cross country race this weekend! First one in years. It was wet sandy and tough and my body ached for a day after. But so much fun! Still trying to plan out my racing year. That and making pumpkin pie with gingerbread liquer yum.

I like gummy bears for long trail runs.

No hand me down recipes but I found a Chinese restaurant near us that makes some of my favourite childhood dishes! Haven’t tried to replicate it yet.

Happy training and have a great day Janae!

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CONGRATS KRISTINE! You are amazing, that sounds so so hard. Can’t wait to hear what is next! Gummy bears are the perfect fuel. I want to come try those dishes, yum. Thanks friend, you too!

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Sounds like a great weekend. And way to go on your 2nd week of marathon training.
Highlight of the weekend was definitely feeling better and getting over that cold! Our youngest is still not better, but getting there.
We took our youngest back to his college yesterday, so the house is seeming very quiet again. But he’s excited for the next quarter, so that’s good. Our oldest goes back to Chicago on Friday morning. His last college semester.
I’m looking forward to a good week back in the normal routine.
Have a good day Janae 😊

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Thank you… just 14 more weeks:). I am so glad you are finally better and I hope your son is 100% asap! HIS LAST SEMESTER?! How did that go by so fast (for me ha)! That is exciting for him. Enjoy normalcy and feeling well again. Thanks Wendy!

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The mini chuckles were my favorite marathon training fuel.
Best part of my weekend was Chris and I worked out both days together. He’s funny, have not laughed that hard working out for I can’t remember when.

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I just had to google mini chuckles… I’ve NEVER had those before! I need to change that. I love that you two worked out together, that is the best and bonus points for the ab workout of laughing during the workout!

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Hi Janae! That’s so impressive Skye can keep up with everyone! That lasagna looks fantastic! My mom always makes my favorite rice balls when I am here.
Have a wonderful start of the week!

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Rice balls… that sounds so good! Did you make a flight home? Thanks Amy, you too!

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What is the temp when you’re wearing shorts and everyone else is wearing tights? Haha!

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Hahaha I think it was 25…. I have a problem;). Have a beautiful day, Mary!

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Looks like an amazing weekend, I am so impressed that Skye can keep up skiing already, what a star! We did our first “long” green run this weekend with our four year old and it’s fun to all learn together.

I just finished my first week of marathon training, this one is 18 weeks long because I haven’t ran a marathon in a while and I need longer to build up my base.

I will often steal my kids’ fruit snacks for fuel when it’s not hot out and I don’t need electrolytes as much.

Hope your Monday is amazing.

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CONGRATS to your four-year-old, that is huge! I love that you guys ski together, it is truly the best. Congrats to you on week one of marathon training. I am so excited for you. Thanks Beth, you too!

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A couple highlights of my weekend – watching my 13 month old run around on the grass, climbing neighbors tree stumps and just RUNNING and stumbling (lol) all over the place. It was the best sight!

Said 13 month old hanging out with me for 12 stroller miles with barely any whining! This was my longest ever stroller run! I was crying with happiness at the end.. one because I was done with my run and two because she enjoyed herself the whole time!

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Okay, I just imagined the scene you described with your little one… so so cute. And pushing a stroller for 12 miles… you are amazing. I am SO impressed by you. And I could write a book about how good it is for the littles to go on adventures like that. A win win for both of you! Have a beautiful day!

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Awesome start to the Boston training! I got out skiing two days in a row – Saturday with the littles and my husband, & Sunday hit the trails on my own. I use candy sometimes – mostly for casual training. I love those fruity tootsie rolls that your friend has! I used to do anything, but apparently my stomach can no longer handle candy corn – I tried it this past fall in a race where I’ve used them before and was SO, SO happy I also had gels as my primary fuel. I’ll stick to the chewy fruity candies. ;)

My fave recipe of my mom’s is her apple crisp (good old Betty Crocker + extra apples piled in the pan). If that is the lasagna recipe you have posted on the blog, I’ve made that before – my family also enjoys it & it’s excellent leftover/for work lunches!

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I love that your mom’s lasagna is so featured (so consistently!!!) on the blog. What a testimony to how amazing it is. :)

As for me–I don’t have TOO many family recipes, since so much of what I know my parents to cook–aside from the easy American comfort food I grew up with–is essentially Greek food, and at that point I don’t consider any of it to be a family specialty. It’s what is passed down from generations, but it’s also what’s culturally shared and highlights the same flavor profile. I will say, however, that I have over the years looked for occasions to make a simple strawberry mousse recipe every spring that my mom found in a newspaper or some sort of Good Housekeeping-esque magazine and made many times over the years. It’s simple, and just the right amount of “junky”–powdered sugar, cool whip, cream cheese, strawberries. But somehow, for as simple and not “spectacular” as that combo of ingredients might sound, it’s just ridiculously good. And it always reminds me of the weather opening up so it’s warm enough to have windows flung open, that “fresh cut grass” outside the kitchen windows, and the days stretching their light late enough to just smile and think there’s all the time in the world. :)

You asked about the highlight of the weekend. I have a few–I had an awesome strength training workout on Saturday morning. And on Saturday afternoon, Tom and I went to IKEA and got a new sofa cover for our old, beat up sofa that the cats have scratched within an inch of its life. Since we’re hoping to move into a place we can buy sometime in the next couple of years and we will want fresh furniture then, it seemed to make sense to make our old sofa look, at least, less sad with a fresh cover. And on Sunday, my RPM class went ridiculously well, and I spent some time in the afternoon in what has become one of my favorite coffee shops in Atlanta, a cute place called Bloom, with an iced chai, a donut, and the book I am reading right now. :) I had this moment in the middle of an otherwise not-spectacular thing to do and place to be where I looked around me and just felt so at peace, so happy, so energized because I was spending my time doing one of the things I love the most, and just taking time for myself. Those couple of hours I spent at my coffee shop felt like heaven. :)

I hope you have an excellent week this week! And hey–how’s your dad doing? I was thinking about him over the holidays and hoping that all is well. :)

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running chasing coyotes Saturday morning was awesome…I had the roads and trails to myself in da dark……and two coyotes (or maybe I just saw the same one twice…wild life!)…..I like 18 weeks to marathon, or half marathon…I’ve a 33K trail run in July….how about forever weeks…weird thing, I googled my name, and apparently I ran Pikes Peak in the 80s?…funny, I didn’t start running until 1995..and there’s no way there’s another person with my name….?

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