07-30-2015

5 Reasons You Should Hire A Running Coach

I’m back! I was in South Carolina for 9 days (Myrtle Beach) and it was great. Although I was working throughout the trip, I took time off from blogging…I wouldn’t have had time anyway. Most days were spent on the beach, and evenings were spent exploring, dining, etc. It was really fun!

Anyway, being back means getting back into the grind of marathon training. Unfortunately, I only ran 3 times (total of 10 miles) while away. The humidity killed me and on one run I could barely even finish 2.5 miles. I just ended up giving up and enjoying the break.

Now I need to get back into it ASAP…Chicago isn’t as far off anymore! As some of you know, I’ve been working with a running coach, and wanted to talk about why it may be beneficial to work with a running coach yourself. I’ve touched upon the topic in the past, and wanted to add in some new insight.

5 Reasons You Should Hire A Running Coach

Workouts Aren’t Set In Stone

When you follow a plan found online or in a book, it lays out every workout for you which is great. But what if you can’t do that workout that week or want to change things around? Sure you can just pick another workout from a different week of training in the book, but how do you know if it is really beneficial for you and where you are in your training?

While I was away, I tweeted at Marc saying that I didn’t want to do the tempo run workout he had listed for me because of the heat. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hit those paces so I asked him if there was another workout I could do.

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He responded quickly with a new worokout I could do and we were able to move around the training plan. He knows what my goals are and prescribes workouts based on those goals.

Tough Love

I wrote about running by effort a few weeks ago, and a Twitter exchange with Coach Marc. He basically told me I need to stop worrying about pace while running and go by effort. When you have a running coach, you have someone who will (hopefully) tell it to you like it is. 

When I used to complain about running in the rain, he’d always respond with “Are you going to melt in the rain?” Ha! I don’t mind it as much anymore. The only real thing I actually didn’t like about it is the sopping wet shoes and socks but whatever.

A running coach should be able to “be real” with you, whether it’s you complaining about weather conditions, you having doubts about a workout, or you not wanting to run, etc. I’ve heard it all! Whenever I want to skip a run, I immediately think of what I would tell Marc…I can’t just say “I didn’t feel like running today” so I just suck it up and go for a run.

Working Through Problems Together

Marc and I have gone back and forth for years (literally since 2010) about my shin problems. I have consistent shin pain that never goes away no matter what I do. So it has become an issue of just managing the pain and trying to avoid it. He always sends me helpful information or links he might find online, and whenever I can’t do a workout or run, I am able to tell him it’s because of my shin pain. He will tell me to take it easy or go cross-train instead, or offer different options depending on when in training we are (such as don’t run the planned 5K race this weekend or take a few days off to ice and stretch).

A good coach will help you work through your issues, whether it’s injury related or something else. I would do this with my clients when I was a personal trainer as well. If they had some recurring issue, I’d always think of them when I came across articles that could potentially help them. Plus, if nothing else, you have someone to vent to about your running problems! I’m pretty sure my friends could care less about my shin pain/don’t understand why I keep running if my shins hurt :)

Piecing A Training Plan Together

Marathon training (or any training) isn’t just about the running. A running coach will help you put all the pieces of the puzzle together, that includes cross training, strength training, core, drills, etc. Marc has sent me videos of warm-up drills to do before runs, and schedules in XT and lifting into my schedule so I know when to do what. It’s not just a guessing game.

Answers Your Questions

If you have a question about a training plan in a book, who are you going to ask? You can try to tweet the author (The coaches who wrote Hansons Marathon Method actually do a good job of replying) or searching online or contacting other people who have done the plan, but you might not get the answer you’re looking for.

When I have a question about something, I usually just tweet to Marc and he responds in a timely manner. Such as yesterday:

Screen Shot 2015-07-30 at 10.41.32 AM

 

If you have a random question, it might not be found in your training book or it will be hard to determine the right answer. Having a running coach means you  have someone who you can ask anything related to running, and they should be able to help OR they will work to find you the answer.

All in all, it’s been great to have someone to help me create my training plan and someone to talk about running with. You know you’re in good hands with Coach Marc since he has been running forever. He ran in high scool (and recently was inducted into the South Jersey Track Coaches Hall of Fame) and ran collegiately at Villanova as well. He also currently coaches high school and track & field. So yeah…you know he’s pretty knowledgeable about running and training!

If you want to learn more about his coaching services, head on over to his website! He also offers other services such as video gait analysis and training logs (which are great).

Do you have a running coach? Would you ever consider hiring one?

5 Reasons You Should Hire A Running Coach #runchat #fitfluential #sweatpink
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03-12-2015

Why You Should Get A Gait Analysis

Recently, I talked a little about my running form and asked for your thoughts on the importance of sneakers. I’ve been doing more research and actually listened to a very interesting podcast hosted by blogger and elite runner Tina Muir. Check it out here.

But from what I’ve read, when it comes to running, there are many important factors besides pronation, which is usually what they look at in running stores. Just because you over pronate or don’t, doesn’t mean you must wear a certain type of shoe (like stability). The more important thing is to find shoes that are comfortable for you. Which I do think is true because any time I have tried wearing stability shoes it just doesn’t feel right. Here are two points discussed in the podcast:

  • If Haile Gebrselassie walked into a running store, he would likely be put in motion control shoes, but he wears neutral shoes; things are not always as they seem.
  • How heel striking does not lead to a greater risk of injury; In one study, over 90% of elite and sub-elite marathoners were found to be heel strikers!

No really, listen to it to learn more…it was interesting stuff!

So anyway, on Instagram you may have seen some of my slo-mo videos I had my mom take of my while running. I wanted to see what my running form looked like and also get feedback from Coach Marc, who offers gait analysis services.

Why You Should Get A Gait Analysis

When I looked at the videos, I thought I pronated, but then other people said I don’t…so who knows ;) I sent the video over to Marc, and he sent me back cool photos showing the angles in my running. Here are a few examples:

gait analysis

gait analysis2
Pretty cool stuff right? He also looked at my video and saw during my kick back, my feet were kind of going to the side. He said, “Think of a piston in a car – if it had the same non-linear motion as your feet when they are behind you, the car wouldn’t operate smoothly. Form drills prior to running and maintenance post-run will do wonders for your pains and your form.”

The drills he mentioned are A-skips, B-skips, high knees, butt kicks, etc. I do usually do them in my warm-up but only for probably a total of 2 minutes max. He does them with his XC team for about 15 minutes during a warm-up. Clearly I need to do more.

I do want to go to a sports therapist and get an in-person analysis done so perhaps they can really tell me my issue with my shins. But from what I now know from these videos, hip strength and working on my form might help a bit. This is why it could really benefit you to get a gait analysis! Here are some key reasons (besides to see whether you pronate or not):

  • You will be able to see how your body moves. I had no idea my legs kicked back and inwards as I ran. This could be causing issues and I had no idea about it.
  • An experienced person will be able to look at the video and instantly pick up on muscle weaknesses and imbalances, like hip drop, which I read more about this week.
  • Provides you with a “before and after” source so you can see your improvement. You can try to change your gait or strengthen weak muscles but how will you know it worked if you have nothing to compare it to?

I really liked this quote from Active regarding why gait analysis is important:

Gait analysis is about looking at your entire body as a holistic organism—a single amazing unit. It goes far beyond an untrained eye watching you jog in a pair of sneakers.

It really is so much more than just your feet and the degree to which they roll inward or outward. Often times, it could be issues like core strength that are contributing to your lower leg issues, not necessarily if you overpronate or not.

As I had mentioned, Coach Marc provides gait analysis services along with this virtual coaching. If you want someone to take a better look at your running form and give you suggestions, definitely check him out! Plus, if you need a customized training plan in general, I highly suggest you connect with him and see if his coaching would be a good fit for you.

Have you had a gait analysis done?

What do you think is the weak link in your running?

Why You Should Get A Gait Analysis #fitfluential #runchat
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12-11-2014

Give The Gift Of A Running Coach!

We’ve seen all the holiday gift guides for runners and fitness buffs…and probably added a lot to our own wish lists, or at least I have :)

Well, I have another great idea you can add to your wish lists or gifting lists - a running coach.

Hire A Running CoachPhoto Credit: Minchioletta via Compfight cc

As you all know, Coach Marc helped me train for the Philly Half, as well as train to get faster in general and work towards a 5K PR. It was great having someone who would write a specific training plan for me, and also provide accountability and support. Because really…if you know someone will be checking your training log to see if you ran that day, you’ll be less likely to skip that run.

I think giving the runner in your life, whether beginner or advanced, a running coach, even for just a month, will greatly benefit them as a runner. Here’s why:

  • As I mentioned above, provides accountability and support. This is especially important for someone who may be just starting out and doesn’t know much about training specifics.
  • A coach provides you with a personalized training plan tailored to you. Marc asks you how many days you want to run, cross train, have off, etc. If you have conflicts or injuries, he will change up the training plan for you to suit your needs. 
  • Access to a knowledgeable source. Marc recently was inducted into his high school’s Athletic Hall of Fame! He won three individual Group 4 titles in track and the cross country and a Meet of Champions title in cross country. He then went on to run at Villanova University. This guy knows his stuff. Have questions about cross training? tempo runs? track workout paces? Recovery? He can certainly help!
  • Someone to go back to the drawing board with. Have you ever had a bad race and have no clue why? Having a coach means having someone to go back and look at your training to see what was lacking. Your coach will be able to create a new plan for the following training season based on previous races, improvements you’ve had, workouts, etc. You always want to be progressing your workouts, whether it’s running or lifting. Following the same training plan every year will lead to the same results.

I have progressed as a runner since I started in 2010. I know much more about running in general, and my body can handle different things now versus when I was first starting out. Having a running coach helped me navigate that time in between. It’s awesome having someone tell you exactly what pace to run track workouts or tempo runs in. 

So definitely check out Coach Marc if you need a gift idea this holiday season! If you know someone whose resolution will be to start running in 2015, this could be perfect for them. And if not, then take a look at Marc’s training logs – that is a great gift in and of itself! I gave a detailed look into the log here.

Have you ever worked with a coach?

What is on your runner wish list/what are you giving your fellow runner? I want new sneakers…or anything from lululemon :)

Give The Gift Of A Running Coach! #runchat
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11-17-2014

Last Week Of Philly Half Training!

Last week was the last week of training..woohoo! This week is taper time. I can’t believe it’s finally here. Although these past 15 weeks haven’t been specifically training for a half marathon (it’s been training to break a 5K PR), I have prepared to run a strong half marathon as well by doing long runs and tempo runs. 

When I started working with Coach Marc, I told him “I want a 5K PR this season…but I do want to run a fall half too. But the PR is most important.” So that’s what we’ve been working on. And hey, I’m only 1 min. away from that PR! I’m running a 5K Dec. 6 and Dec. 20 so it has to happen at one of those…right??!

Anyway, here’s last week’s training:

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 2 mile warm up, 10×400, 1 mile cooldown. I did this at my local park again and it was tough. For some reason felt harder than when I did 1000 meter repeats here! Last track workout before the half.

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Off. I was supposed to run 3 miles but was feeling SO tired that day. I said I would run the 3 miles on Saturday instead. Spoiler alert – I didn’t.

Friday: 8 miles. Last long run! I always feel so sluggish the first 2 miles, anyone else? After that I felt great. Finished in 1:21. Though I learned not to wear shorts when it is below 40 degrees out. My legs were totally numb when I finished, and I think that’s why the last mile was so hard. I ran with my mom and her friend who is also training for Philly. It will be her first half marathon! She is faster than me and my mom so I predict that she will finish before us. Maybe we’ll use her as a pacer ;)

 

A photo posted by pattyrivas13 (@pattyrivas13) on


Saturday: Oops didn’t run. Dan and I were at the Rutgers game, which is always an all day affair. No I did not wake up early to run. I was going to but let’s be real, I just don’t do morning runs.

Sunday: Easy 3 on the treadmill. Threw in some hill repeats at half marathon pace and 2 400 repeats at 5K pace. Then did some lifting. 

So that’s a wrap! I will be writing a post on my thoughts on this training cycle soon, but I have really enjoyed working with Marc. It provides me with accountability, and it’s nice having someone to answer all your random running questions :) 

I think I’m as prepared as I can be for the half. I really didn’t skip many runs this cycle (except for last week, let’s ignore that). One thing I know I can improve on is cross training. I do lift, but I know I should do more cardio based cross training as well.

Anyone else running the Philly Half??

What is your favorite way to cross train? If you’re a runner and love spinning, have you found it improves your running?

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11-13-2014

How To Negative Split Your Next Marathon

We’ve got another great post from my running coach, Marc, today. He’s going to be talking about the elusive negative split. I don’t think I have yet to do that in a half marathon or marathon…maybe next weekend in Philly? We’ll see :)

Let’s read!

negative-splitPhoto Credit: ~Oryctes~ via Compfight cc

Marathon running is hard enough as it is. Don’t make it any harder by using up all of your energy before you get to the finish line.

Plan to negative split – which means going out a shade slower for the first half and coming back quicker. Here are 3 ways you can practice doing this.

  1. During your long runs, go out at just slightly slower than your typical long run pace. This will ensure you feel good and give you that extra push to run the last few miles at a quicker pace. Remember, the more you practice going out comfortable and under control, the easier it is to do it in a race.
  2. Know your fitness. If you aren’t ready to run a marathon at a specific pace, you shouldn’t try and do it for the first time during the race. Prepare your body for what you expect it to do during the race. This includes doing tempo runs, threshold runs, and long runs.
  3. Prepare your mind. If you want your body to run a specific pace for 26.2 miles, you also have to train your brain to be able to handle the amount of time you’ll be spending on your feet. You can’t train your brain without logging some hefty miles, so the brain and the body are one in the same. Be patient with your brain – when you see a long run of 20 miles on your calendar, but you’re starting out at 8, you might scare yourself. 

Remember, marathons are tough, but with proper work and training, anything you put your mind to, you can achieve.

For tips, tricks and your very own training plan, visit trainwithmarc.com. 

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Have you ever had a negative split in a race?

Do you practice negative splits or race pace during long runs? 

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10-20-2014

Philly Half Marathon Training Week 12

Another week down. I actually had a decent week of training minus 2 days missed due to some pain which I’ll get into below. Here’s how things went last week:

Monday: Lifting. I hadn’t lifted in like 2 weeks so after this session, I was SORE. My glutes were sore for days. I did this leg workout.

Tuesday: Track workout! I really do look forward to “Track Tuesdays.” I love running on the track and feeling fast (well, fast for me). My mom and I warmed up with 3 miles, then did 6×400 at 2:00 min. per lap. That was the goal, we actually did: 2:01, 2:00, 1:56, 1:54, 1:57, 2:01. I think I could have gotten the last one in sub-2 as well but it got dark out fast so I actually was just following the white lines and also didn’t want to sprain an ankle. It’s the first time I have consistently been able to do several 400s under 2!

 

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Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 3 mile group run at FitBlogNYC. This event was put on by Fitness Magazine and was awesome! So many goodies given to us bloggers, including sneakers. Will definitely be going back next year. We ran 3 miles along the West Side Highway. It was great meeting a bunch of new fitness bloggers!

Friday: 9 miles. This was a decent run. Didn’t feel amazing but didn’t feel awful. Just felt tired starting mile 5ish. Average pace was 10:33 per mile. I’ll take it.

 

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Oh yeah, so the pain I told you about…that’s the reason I didn’t run Saturday and Sunday? Well, after my 9 mile run, I walked around to cooldown, then sat down to stretch for 10 minutes. When I got up, as soon as I took a step with my left leg, there was this really sharp pain on the side of my foot. I couldn’t put weight on it. I was kind of scared I broke a bone in my foot or something. I took a shower but it wasn’t going away. Took some Tylenol and then after an hour it subsided a bit.

Now it is not hurting me when I walk around but it hurts when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or something, and hurts when I first wake up. I decided to give myself two days off to rest it and hopefully it’s nothing. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?? I wear orthotics in my left shoe (it’s my left foot), and sometimes the outside of my foot hurts a bit, I guess because of the arch support – but it has never hurt that bad. Hmm…

Anyway, tomorrow is another track workout so I hope my foot is fine by then!

How’s your training going? Have you ever felt pain and immediately assumed the worst?

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10-13-2014

Philly Half Marathon Training Week 11

Last week I was sick for the first half of the week…so a few runs did not happen. But I do want to talk about what I did do!

Wednesday: Easy 4 mile run with my XC team. Well, easy for them, not for me. I was still pretty stuffy and mucous-y so I felt weak towards the end. But oh well, got it done.

Afterwards, I went to a yoga class with two friends. I bought a Groupon for a local studio in Morristown, NJ called Be Well. Classes are about 6-10 people. I was really excited for this because I have never done yoga in an actual yoga studio. I’ve done yoga videos and lululemon community classes but never in a studio.

The class we were taking was a “strength” class, and yeah it was hard! We practiced a bit of crow pose which I still can’t do. Ugh! Meanwhile my friend easily gets into it and gets up into a headstand…and it was her first yoga class! My two yoga goals are crow pose and to be able to hold a hand stand.

Anyway, the class was great. It was a good combo of stretching and strength work, especially in the lower body. My hamstrings were pretty sore for a few days. I’m excited to continue doing yoga and see where it takes me.

Thursday: No run – worked until 8 pm.

Friday: 7.5 mile run. This run went really well. It was a very hilly run…up and down and up and down. But my mom and I maintained a consistent pace throughout. There was one hill that was definitely at least a half mile long if not longer. But you just gotta keep cruising along and not think about it.

It’s crazy to me how a little over 2 months ago I could barely finish 3 miles, and now 7.5 miles “ain’t no thang.” Well it is challenging but I remember my first 3 mile run I honestly didn’t think I could finish. 

Oh and I won PRO Compression socks through Coco! I wore them on my long run because my shins have been giving me trouble and they fit perfectly. So cozy and snug.

 

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Great 7.5 mile run! (Finished the .17 after I stopped run keeper) pretty hilly run but glad we averaged about 10/mile! Also, love my new @procompression socks!!! Bright pink is what I’m all about

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10-06-2014

Philly Half Marathon Training Week 10

Wow I’m at week 10 already! I realize that my training recaps will be longer than a usual half marathon training program. That’s because training for this half isn’t my only goal. Marc and I started working together with the goal of breaking my 5K PR and getting faster…and hopefully running a half marathon PR too! I’m recapping the weeks of training that lead up to this half, but it isn’t necessarily a half marathon training plan. Does that make sense?

Okay here’s what I did last week:

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 1 mile warm up, 5×2:30 min. at 5K goal pace (8:00-8:10) with 2 min. jog in between, 1 mile cool down. This was tough but felt really good! My mom and I did this on the track so we could keep track of our pace and distance better.

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Ran an easy 4 miles with a friend.

Friday: 8 miles. Longest run since last November!! We felt really good even though it was a hilly route. Averaged 10:15 per mile. I sped up the last mile and ran in 9:09. Great fall run :)

 

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I did my long run on Friday because Saturday I had a XC meet in PA, so our bus left at 6:30 AM. Once I got back I went right to Rutgers for the football game against Michigan. Our first Big 10 win!

 

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So yeah no running on Saturday.

Sunday: Didn’t run. I had felt a tickle in my throat on Friday and by Sunday I was just feeling pretty sick and congested. Well, I still am because I took a sick day today.

At least today is a “cross training” day so I don’t feel as guilty skipping it. I just feel so stuffy and tired. My eyelids feel so heavy. I’m all about resting when you need to – no need to force in workouts.

How was your weekend? Anything fun? Next weekend is me and Dan’s 6 year anniversary :-O!

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10-02-2014

Why You Should Keep A Training Log

Do you track your training – whether it’s lifting, running, cycling, etc.? If not…you should!

Using a training log helps you keep track of your progress. I love being able to look on old notes to see how far I’ve come, as well as what I’ve lost or what weaknesses to work on. For example, a few months ago I can look back and see that I couldn’t do any unassisted pull-ups. Well, now I can do 4.5. Though not in a row…I need a 1-2 min. break in between each one, but still ;)

I keep a training log when it comes to my lifting AND my running. So I want to talk about how you can use one for both of these different activities.

Training LogPhoto Credit: Jonathan Rubio via Compfight cc

RUNNING LOG

There are many ways to keep track of your running. You can use a good ol’ notebook, or online tools like Google docs or Daily Mile. I try to keep up with Daily Mile but I’m really bad at updating it.

Benefits of keeping a training log for running are:

  • You’re able to see how consistent you are with training (or inconsistent which has happened to me).
  • If you’re a numbers person, seeing increasing mileage and paces can help motivate you
  • You can track how you feel on runs. If you have been feeling a certain way on certain runs, write it down. You may see patterns.
  • You can track amount of time spent running, as well as cross training and lifting.
  • Once the season is over, you can review your log and see what you did well vs. what you can work on next season.

The tool I work with is Google docs, because that’s what Coach Marc has me use. His training log is seriously awesome. I am able to see my year in review, my training plan, and each month broken down into miles I’ve ran (based on what I put in obviously).

He has a notes section where I can write how I felt in each run (which he reviews to tweak my plan as time goes on). It’s so funny reading notes from my 2011 log before my first marathon. And also funny to see how my training has progressed so much since then.

Here’s a screenshot of the “year in review” section:

training log
I think it’s cool you can see previous months AND years miles. This version of his is newer from the ones I was using since 2011 which is why my yearly miles don’t show up.

Oh also, you can input what shoes you wear so you can track how many miles they have. No more forgetting when to replace your shoes!

Each month tab on the bottom allows you to input your miles, pace, shoes work, notes and more. See below:

running log
Pretty cool right? The cooler thing is you don’t have to be coached by Marc to have access to this training log. He sells them on his site. He also has a special offer for you all: if you buy the 2015 log, he’ll give you the 2014 log for free, so you’ll be set for the rest of this year and next year. Just mention my blog in the comments of his order form :)

Even if you don’t order one, start using a running log for yourself. You may be surprised at the results, and you may even improve your running! Make sure to track miles, type of run, pace, how you felt and what sneakers you wore.

Lifting Log

Okay so you don’t run? No problem. A log is just as important in strength training…maybe even more important. You don’t want to be one of those people who goes to the gym day in and day out, does the same workout, and never sees results, right? Not keeping a training log can lead to a plateau.

Here are the benefits of keeping a lifting log:

  • You can track what weights you use for every exercise. This means as the weeks go by you can steadily increase your weight, as opposed to forgetting what weights you used for what, or staying at the same weight.
  • You can track what workouts/exercises you do on certain days.
  • You can track sets, reps, and tempo. If you’ve done the same number of sets and reps for 4 weeks, it’s time to switch it up.
  • You can write notes about how you felt during lifting sessions. For example, I write down “felt good” so I know that the following week I need to increase my weights. Or I write “Stay” which means to stay at the current weight I’m using because it’s challenging.

For my lifting log I am old school and go with a notebook and pen. I have a small notepad I bring to the gym, but then I transpose everything when I get home to my bigger notebook. Yes I could use an app or the Note app on my phone but I like pen and paper for this.

Here’s what my lifting log looks like:

PS – the middle row is my brother’s weights. I wish I could bench 75 lbs.

Anyways, the information I like to write down is the exercise (and what exercise it was paired with in a set), number of sets, number of reps, tempo if I’m using one, and weights. On the right you see I have W,R,W,R repeated (for weight and rep). That denotes the number of sets. This is my system to remember how many reps I did on a certain set, because if I get to the last one and can only do 8 reps as opposed to 10, I need to remember that for next week. Did all that blabbering just make sense?

I looked up strength training log and a lot of things came up. Find one that works for you. I haven’t used this tool, but BodyBuilding.com offers a custom log creation tool. Check it out!

No matter what your workout is, keeping a log is important. Even if you don’t care about numbers or stats, wouldn’t it be cool to look back in a few years and see how much progress you’ve made? It’s almost like a diary (oh man I don’t even want to read my middle school diary). I look back on my first lifting logs ever and see that I could barely dumbbell press 10 lbs. That makes me feel awesome about how far I’ve come.

Do you keep a training log? Did you keep a diary as a kid? :-P

Why You Should Use A Training Log #runchat #fitfluential
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09-22-2014

Philly Half Marathon Training Week 8

I can’t believe I’ve been consistently running for 8 weeks now! No joke, I had not really ran since last year’s NYC Marathon. My mom and I were just talking about how we can’t take an elongated running break like that again. Starting from zero seriously sucks. And we do really want to start working towards a BQ…even if it is years away ;)

This past week went really well! Here’s my training:

Monday: Planned – XT + strength training, Actual – nothing. Felt SO exhausted today. Ever have those days? No energy. Oops.

Tuesday: Track workout – 8×400 meters. We did a 1.5 mile warm up, then the repeats in 2:05-2:06. Last one was 1:57. Half mile cooldown. Felt really good. The last few were tough but I love track workouts. Track workouts > long runs, any day! I saw this on the bulletin board inside my high school and thought I’d share…I certainly need to read this on my lazy days:

 Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 3 easy miles. I also did strength training after which included squats, deadlifts, cable rows, tricep rope pulls, ANNNDDDD I did 3 unassisted pull-ups!! Sure I had to take a break in between each one but still!!!

Friday: Planned – XT Actual – nothing. Ended up going shopping with my mom…sue me ;)

Saturday: Planned – 7 mile long run, Actual – 6 miles. We explored a new park and it was absolutely beautiful. We just didn’t know it closed at 6 pm, so we got kicked out before we could finish 7 miles. 6 miles will have to do!

Sunday: Easy 3 miles. I was really dreading this run. I honestly debated on even going, thinking “Do 3 miles really matter?” Then I remembered my mom and I talking about how we need to be more consistent if we want to work towards a faster marathon next year. And I thought about other runners I see on Instagram and how they get it done. So I laced up my shoes and went. And surprisingly, felt awesome!! Isn’t that how it always is? You dread a run but then end up feeling unstoppable? Moral of the story: get out there even when you really don’t want to ;)

I’m excited to keep getting faster and fitter with Coach Marc! I think I’m running another 5K mid-October, then a 10K in early November before the half marathon.

What’s on your training docket this week?

Can you do unassisted pull-ups? If so, I’m jealous!! I’m working on doing continuous pull-ups :)

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