This workout gave me some hope for St. George that the fitness will be there in 5.5 weeks… The more laid-back approach may be the key for me. Last year, I became pretty obsessive over splits/workouts/doing all of the things for St. George, and this year, I’m trying not to really think about anything and go with the flow without any pressure from myself. It’s what I did for Boston 2022, and that was the best race I’ve ever had, so I’m trying it again.
My coach had us do a progression within a progression run… The goal was 7:00, 6:45, 6:30 & 6:45, 6:30, 6:15 & 6:30, 6:15, 6:00… We had our friend pace us, and we ended up going faster, but it all felt really smooth, so we just followed him–> 6:58, 6:35, 6:20 & 6:34, 6:19, 6:02 & 6:14, 6:07, 5:54! There was a 5ish minute recovery jog in between sets. 14.1 @ 7:01 pace.
The key for this workout was to definitely take one mile at a time. Before the 2nd set we all told each other it was our last mile, we all lie together now. Why focus on anything else than the mile at hand!?
The Strava graph makes the uphill and downhill look more dramatic than it is… although the uphill had me breathing much harder than the downhill.
I liked how this workout progressed with each mile within each set and also from one set to the next. I think my coach is teaching me to avoid flying and dying;)
I am pretty sure the school hasn’t ever seen me in anything other than workout clothes.
The first thing Beck wants to do when he wakes up is go out and see Jack Skellington. He is a mini Andrew.
Maybe we should have waited a decade or two to buy new furniture. This definitely left a mark.
The neighbor boy came over to pick Skye up in his jeep for chicken nuggets at his house.
Finished off with some grass chats!
Marathon in a month has begun for our kids!
Sincere question: How in the actual how is today the last day of August?!
I guess this means it is time for the best combo on the planet… salted roasted peanuts and candy corn.
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Candy corn thoughts and feelings?
Did your August feel like it flew by, too?
Tell me what your workout is today!
Question from Andrew—> What is your most embarrassing running story?
-It was probably the time I didn’t have to tell anyone that I peed my shorts during my first sub 3 but decided to tell blog about it anyway.
24 comments
KJ
Yesterday I caught myself telling a colleague how we needed to get something for work done in the next few weeks otherwise we would be struggling to fit it in before the holidays. That sounds outrageous but once the school year starts, it’s all downhill and time becomes a flat circle. I love the chaos of work, school, sports activities and weekend events but it sure does make time fly by!
I got in 7 miles this morning at a faster pace than I was expecting. Headed out for an easy run but felt good so worked to make it more of a tempo run with a few faster miles in the middle. The cooler morning temperatures in our part of the county are very much welcomed! And the super moon was super bright!
Have a great Thursday all!
The Hungry Runner Girl
KJ, those types of runs are the absolute best. Low expectations but then it turns into a really great run. I think the weather helped me yesterday too. I bet your coworker was grateful for that tip. I bet your weeks fly by when school starts. I hope your morning is off to a great start!
LizW
Try Bar Keepers Friend on that stain!
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I stained my brand-new quartz counter, and it took it right off :)
Ashlea
I swear by bar keepers friend! My mothers tenant left a big stain in the bath tub, nothing would remove it. She thought she had to replace the tub…I told her to try BKF and it took the stain away…It even takes permanent marker out!
The Hungry Runner Girl
That is AMAZING! WOW! Thanks for the help!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Purchasing right now! THANK YOU for the help Liz and I am so happy it was able to get the stain off for you. I cried when I saw my hutch yesterday!
Courtney
Have always loved candy corn but now I almost *need* to have it with salted peanuts, since you introduced us to the combo years ago. Okay yeah where the heck did August go?????!!!! Just walking today :) And embarrassing running… oof. I’ve definitely had to poop a few times and done awkward walks or pooped in the woods (I live out in the sticks… and can’t believe I’m sharing that now LOL). Also I tripped while running on the treadmill and ate it hard, getting everyone in the gym to stare at me. Palm, meet face. HA! Have an incredible day, Janae!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I am so glad we are both in the same place with this… the peanuts are required. I hope your walk was a beautiful one. OH YES hahah we all do it! It’s just the way the human body works haha. Oh I didn’t know about the treadmill fall. NOOOOOO. Thank you for sharing with us:). We are all in this together. Thanks Courtney, you too!
Samantha
I am also trying not to obsess about splits, especially with humidity here in MD. I did a four mile tempo at goal hmp pace and it felt so hard (although every single miles was exactly 6:39, even with hills!), but dew point was 72. A few days later the humidity stopped and I did 8@6:45 pace and barely felt like I was working.
I’m so nervous for this half because I have not really raced one before and I only have three more weeks. I think my goal pace is possible, but definitely need good weather.
Also, I care so much because I could win a handcrafted duck decoy and if that isn’t the best prize for top 3 ever, idk what is. It’s huge and several of my friends have it. 1:27 has always been good enough for a duck, but watch this be a crazy fast year. Hoping for cold weather.
I also peed in my marathon, but I don’t feel too embarrassed. No one I could have sat down at a port a pot and gotten back up again to race. Plus it poured for a few miles, so no on could tell anyway!
Katie A
I love candy corn – it used to be my preferred race fuel, back when I was fueled by candy!!
YES, August completely flew by..we have back-to-school night tonight, and our school year starts next Tues. I was listening to a neuroscientist talking about the perception of time yesterday & he was saying something about how we can blink less to slow down our perception of time – apparently blinking more will speed up our perception of time. Sounds weird, but I guess it has to do with triggering the dopamine hormone. So I will just be over here trying my best to not blink as I frost my 7 yr old’s birthday cake, feeling like he was just born last week..haha :)
What age did your kids start trying the marathon-in-a-month? Our school doesn’t do anything like that. It seems like that has been a really fun goal for them to work towards!
Have a great day!
The Hungry Runner Girl
How have I not brought candy corn on my trail runs yet?! Brilliant to use it as race fuel. Okay, please send me that podcast! I am going to avoid blinking all day now. That sounds so interesting and I’m guessing you will probably be blinking the tears out of your eyes… they grow up too fast. Our school starts it in Kindergarten! Walking counts for it too:). It is so fun and the kids are so motivated about it! Bring it to your school:). Thanks, Katie!
Kristine
Our August flew by! Summer has been fun and busy
I am just going for an easy run today. I have been bike commuting on the days I go into office.
Yes I was also talking about the stanley tumblers and they are the best lol!
Most embarrassing running story…I was trail running with friends in squamish and tested a frozen lake which was frozen but I slipped and dropped my iPhone which slid our in the ice. Then I had to go ice fishing lol. It was well documented. After my friends made sure I was OK they were laughing their heads off and cameras and camera phone out.
Have an amazing day and grass chats are the best!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I love that you bike commute! I seriously do not know how I drank water before my Stanley haha. NOOOOOO hahaha oh my goodness, and you found it?!? Oh my gosh that is. hilarious. Thanks Kristine, you too!
Samantha
I am also trying not to obsess about splits, especially with humidity here in MD. I did a four mile tempo at goal hmp pace and it felt so hard (although every single miles was exactly 6:39, even with hills!), but dew point was 72. A few days later the humidity stopped and I did 8@6:45 pace and barely felt like I was working.
I’m so nervous for this half because I have not really raced one before and I only have three more weeks. I think my goal pace is possible, but definitely need good weather.
Also, I care so much because I could win a handcrafted duck decoy and if that isn’t the best prize for top 3 ever, idk what is. It’s huge and several of my friends have it. 1:27 has always been good enough for a duck, but watch this be a crazy fast year. Hoping for cold weather.
I also peed in my marathon, but I don’t feel too embarrassed. No one I could have sat down at a port a pot and gotten back up again to race. Plus it poured for a few miles, so no on could tell anyway!
Wendy
OMG… The neighbor boy picked up Skye in his jeep for chicken nuggets…. That is the cutest thing ever! And suddenly, I’m sure, you are flash forwarding to her teenage years. So sweet.
Um, yes! August flew by! But I am looking forward to cooler temps and more running. I have literally only run once since getting the puppy. Thankfully, hopefully, staying fit with cardio workouts along with my usual strength, core, and Pilates workouts too. Thank you Peloton!
That progressive progression run does sound fun. I’m going to have to try it.
Have a great Thursday!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Seriously, it was so dang cute. He had a little table set up too! I would LOVE if they got married someday ha:). I seriously almost died running in Southern California a few weeks ago, you are my hero for surviving summer running there. Snuggle that puppy for us all:). Thanks Wendy, you too:)
Molly S
That first running photo with the sun hitting the mountain!!
Yesterday I did 5 x mile with amazing weather. So grateful! But also grateful when I get in heat training, too.
I had to recently refocus my goal for my marathon from time goal to focusing on the process during training and then seeing what I can do on marathon day.
Mini tangent. I am reading Do Hard Things. Currently loving this excerpt to apply to staying calm during hard workouts: “Our level of control changes how we respond to stress. When we have a sense of control, our alarm is quieter and easier to shut off.”
The Hungry Runner Girl
Right?! It is shocking to me how pretty these mountains are. That is a HARD workout, way to go and I am so glad you finally had some good weather. It makes the biggest difference! I LOVE THAT MOLLY and I am copying it… look at us:).
That quote. I must read this book. Who is the author because I am finding a few books with similar titles. I LOVE that and I’m going to think about this on Saturday. I hope you have the best day!
Mary
Who organizes the schools marathon in a month? I love it and would like to do something at our school. I’ve thought about the cross country you do but don’t have the time for that right now as I am a teacher. But how does the marathon in a month work? Is there a prize at the end?
I’ve peed my pants in a marathon too.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Yes! They get a prize at the end for completion. The PE teacher puts it together. Each child (even kindergarten) gets the sheet and then they have a month to fill in all of the squares. It is so motivating for the kids… I see so many littles running around this month. Peeing our pants in a marathon club… haha I love it! Hope your day is off to a great start and that you have a great class this year!
Warren Footz
years ago, a training morning, and had to hit every public, some not public washroom, porta-potty, and the occassional tree during a 15K run….a coulple of them twice……..so washroom or pee intervals?
Michelle
Most embarrassing run story: I was doing a point to point run in the mountains with friends with a long car shuttle. I had parked my car at the end to drive us back when we finished, but I LEFT MY KEY in my friends car at the start. Luckily we were able to call a friend’s husband for a ride back up, but I was SOOOO embarrassed. Somehow I can do complex tax calculations but I simply CANNOT be trusted with car shuttle logistics, hah!
How cute is Skye and her chicken nugget date???
Teresa
What a great workout you had. Good job!
I am definitely pro candy corn that happy it’s only around once a year.
Here you go Andrew my embarrassing run. Just got done with a technical trail run, very proud of myself. On a flat dirt road no rocks no holes I tripped over my shoelace and shattered my elbow. Had to walk home a mile and a half because cars could not get to that road. Then I had to go in to the hospital that I work at and of course I knew everybody.
Alicia
August flew by. It was not my month though. I got sick mid August, then my gym was closed for renovations and it just threw off my routine. Then my car broke down this week. I thought I needed to go car shopping yesterday when they quoted me $4K (way more than my car is worth at this point)! Thankfully my husband knows how to fix things so I did the least expensive fix for $600 and my husband will repair the rest. We looked up the parts they replaced and one part is literally $6 and they charged me $40!! That’s some crazy up charging. Anyway happy for a new month/fresh start.
On the bright side, when my car broke down, after an hour waiting for a tow truck, the kind neighbors took me in, gave me water and snacks and I chatted with them for 2 hours turning around my night a bit. Helps to know there are kind people. They were amazing and I wrote them a thank you note.