There is a quote that is readily used in fitness world, & I assume many venues of the world in general, that says, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”. I am not sure who coined this phrase, but it’s a concept that has guided my current training. While searching Google for a cool image with this particular quote for this blog post, I came across the image below. It was at that point that I had an “aha”-moment. THIS is more so what has driven the last few weeks of my life. It’s not necessarily the “dream”, but much more than that, it is the “discipline”.
Many people won’t understand the runner’s aspiration to be better. They won’t get the crazy workouts we do, or the insane hours of the day that we awake so that we can log a few miles. They don’t get the adrenaline rush that comes from logging multiple tempo miles at a pace that used to be your hard mile repeat time. The non-runner won’t understand why someone would run for 3 hours on a Saturday morning, & then hurry home & jump into the mommy job. They won’t understand why we are running when it’s 20 or 90 degrees outside. But that’s okay. Runners are a tight-knit, kick-ass group that “gets it”. I know I will not place in my age group at the Tokyo Marathon. I’ll be lucky to be top 10%; or heck, even top 25%. I fully acknowledge that I am still a bit away from a Boston Qualifying time. I will never be elite, & I will never be sponsored. All of that doesn’t matter though. What does matter is that I have discovered, through running that I am immensely strong & I am a dedicated woman who will push hard to get the results that I think I am capable of. These are the kind of people I LOVE surrounding myself with—which is why many of my closest friends are fellow runners.
Yesterday marked the start of the second half of training for the Tokyo Marathon. If you would have told me a year ago that I would race two full marathons within about 4 month’s time, I would have called you silly. Or crazy. Or said, “hell no”! However, it’s is happening & I couldn’t be more excited! I know, I know—some people run marathons nearly every weekend, but that is just not my style. I have always been more of a quality over quantity runner. That said—the “quality” of this training has been like no other.
If you’ve read my last few blog posts, I touched on feeling as though I had reached a plateau in my running & feeling like something needed to change so that my running could propel forward. Maybe not in those exact words, but that was essentially the gist. That change has come in the form of strength & speed training. When I trained for the Richmond Marathon, I incorporated running {a speed sess every week} & some strength training. For Marine Corps, it was nearly 100% running {mostly easy-paced with only 4 speed sessions total}. Right there was exactly what needed to change. I needed to be fast AND strong, so that in those last 2 miles of the marathon, I did not feel like I’d keel over & die. Enter my live human experiment.
The past 6 weeks have not been easy on my body, but for almost every distance I have run, I have PR’d (8K, 10K, & 10-miler). I feel stronger than ever, & obviously, the time on the watch is proving its successes! I explain all of this not to brag, but to hopefully encourage someone else who may feel like their running has stalled. I COMPLETELY owe my improvement to 2 things {aside from my appreciation of this gorgeous winter weather}: (1) Weekly strength training with my personal trainer Jack, at Jim White Fitness Studios, & (2) Attending the weekly speed work session with the group from Running Etc. on Tuesday evenings. I am amazed at the “gains” I have made since implementing just these two modifications to my training. Of course time away from the family has been tough, but these activities only take 2 hours per week. Another part of my training that I owe my recent PRs to is trying to attend weekly yoga & a 2nd weekly strength session. Luckily, those other 2 hours away each week don’t affect family time either, since strength is during school hours & yoga gives the boys an hour to run around at like maniacs the YMCA. Hehe!
You might wonder why I am only training for 12 weeks for the 26.2 distance. Well, after the MCM, I took a couple weeks off, & then did minimal training for the 2 coasts in 24 hours half marathons. After that adventure, a couple more weeks off. Thus landing my official Tokyo Marathon training at 12 weeks total. Not conventional, but no need to build base mileage with all that had gone on prior.
Here are some stats about the last 6 weeks:
Total Running Mileage: 240.2 miles {yes, that point two counts!}
Weekly Average: 40 mile/week {until writing this blog post, I actually thought it was less, since I have allocated fitness time to my strength, yoga, & speed sessions}
Shortest Run: Officially, a 3-miler with my BRF {Best Running Friend} after a class at the YMCA; however, my VO2 max test I am sure elicited a shorter distance, which I estimate was around 1-2 miles.
Longest Run: This past Saturday, 20 miles. It was the first of three 20-22 milers for this training cycle.
Favorite Training Run: Hands down, the 18-miler in which I had friends {THANK YOU Julie, Kerry, & Mary!!} rotate in & out so that no miles were logged solo. It was a blast(!!) & by far, the easiest 18-miler that I have ever logged.
Favorite Race: Two races total—a 5K {Tacky Sweater 23:01, 7:25avg pace} & a 10-miler {Tidewater Striders Distance Series 1:17:51, 7:47avg pace}. In both, I felt incredibly strong & capable. I placed in my age group in both, so I felt very proud of that. But I would say the 10-miler wins “favorite” because I PR’d my 10K & 10-miler that day!
# of Strength Sessions: 10
# of Speed/Track Sessions: 5
# of Yoga Classes: 3
# of Hours I’ve Spent at CHKD for my Real “J-O-B”: 240 hours {That’s right, my mathematician friends, 40 hours per week on average—no excuses for you full time working folks. If I can do it, SO CAN YOU!}
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post, if you’ve made it this far. Thanks for reading!
Cliff Notes Version {since I know, & have been told, that I am long-winded…. ha!}:
- I’m preparing for the Tokyo Marathon, which happens only 18 weeks after the MCM.
- Hard work & discipline, sans excuses, makes you stronger & faster.
- Weekly strength training with a personal trainer & group speed work equals PRs.
- Yoga & a 2nd strength session might help too.
- Winter running is WAY better than Summer running.
- Working full-time is not an excuse for not getting the training in.
- The Running Blonde is well on her way to PR’ing all the distances in 2016!!
I hope everyone who reads this is also well on their way to training for their Spring race(s)!! What races is everyone running!?
And, this post would not be complete without a HUUUUUGGGGGEEE thank you to my fantastic hubby, Scott, who supports all of these training adventures! Love you baby & I hope to make you proud in Japan!
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