Week 11 Recap - Subzero temps and 6am Club

After an extended holiday season with lots of traveling and jet lag, these last few weeks have finally felt normal again. Last week my focus was on a big change: to start running in the morning as a devoted member of the @6amclub!

As a natural night owl (see my previous post here), trying to get up at 6am really frightened me! I was worried about fueling before my run (could get by without it?) and whether I'd actually be able to get out of bed! And as luck would have it, last week also happened to be the start of a major cold spell. Would I really be able to go to bed early, climb out of my warm bed, and then step out into subzero temps at 6am?

Turns out I am!

Wednesday was my first attempt. After being uncharacteristically organized and getting all my running kit ready the night before, AND getting myself to bed around 10:30....it wasn't as miserable as I thought it would be. In fact I was so determined to do it that I slept restlessly, anticipating that I needed to get up. On Wednesday morning I woke up, got dressed, and went out the door. I did it quickly, so I wouldn't have too much time to think about it.

The cold definitely affected my runs last week, but I was happy to find that I could get through a run without having something to eat first. I stuck with the early starts until Saturday, when I got up to eat breakfast before my long run.

I felt good about my mile repeats on Wednesday (nearly at target pace!) and long run on Saturday (my longest run ever by a wee bit).

Just two weeks until the Brighton Half Marathon. My 6th half! One more week to keep pushing before a mild taper. The plan is to continue with @6amclub to make sure I'm ready for it when my new job starts in 4 weeks.

So now I know....I CAN be an early bird!

But a questions still remains. Will the night owl return....?


PS
16 weeks until my first marathon in Edinburgh! Hopefully training for Brighton means I'm well on my way!

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Week 2 Recap - A little tweaking

Week 2 is done and dusted. Feeling great because last week was my highest weekly running volume EVER--46.34 miles. I also hit most of my targets during my hard workouts, and it makes me feel so good to know that I CAN DO IT!

I've had to make a few adjustments, though. Earlier in the week I was feeling so frustrated because I took an unscheduled rest day on Tuesday. I just felt so tired! Looking back, I realized that I'd been doing the same thing over the last few Tuesdays.

No rest after my long runs clearly hasn't worked for me, so it seemed right to move rest day to Tuesdays since it was naturally falling there anyway. Then I re-jigged things so that every hard day is followed by an easy day. Now my weekly training plan basically looks like this:

Monday -  Easy + hill sprints
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Hard (threshold, intervals, etc)
Thursday - Easy
Friday - Hard (threshold, intervals, etc)
Saturday - Easy

Seemed to work pretty well for week 2, so interested to see how it goes from here!

Week 3....I'm ready for ya!

Week 1 Recap - Finding the courage to be slow

My training for the Brighton Half has started! I was looking forward to it after a solid prep week. Plus for the first time since my cold in October, I was really feeling like my old running self!

The week wasn't without its ups and downs, though.

I think my increased mileage during prep week affected me for the first few days. I was a little more tired than expected so took an unplanned rest day on Tuesday. But after that I felt much better and now seem to be adjusting to the new routine. Here's planned vs. actual:

PLANNED
Mon - Easy 5mi + 5 x 8 sec hill sprints
Tues - Unplanned rest day
Wed - Easy 7mi
Thurs - Easy 6mi
Fri - 8mi, last 20 min moderate
Sat - Rest
Sun - 9mi, last 20 min moderate

ACTUAL

Now, I know it all must seem very slow for someone who's trying to run a half under 2 hours. But for this training plan, I've decided not to be scared about being slow. When the plan says easy, I go easy.

I used to worry that my easy pace was just too slow--that I was supposed to go faster. Could a pace that's barely faster than walking be okay?! So I always made sure my easy runs hovered around a 10 min/mile pace.  But now I've accepted that my easy pace is my easy pace, and try to go by feel. I don't panic if I'm running a 12-minute mile if that's how I'm feeling that day. But I make sure I focus on achieving the pace requirements for the hard workouts. That's a MUST....

...and why I was happy with my long run today. I picked up the last two miles as I was supposed to, even though I had to run into the wind!

I've never taken this approach before, and maybe there IS such a thing as being too slow. But for now it feels right, and I'll just have to see what happens over the next few weeks.

On to week 2!

You think you're gonna have a bad run? Then you'll have a bad run....

I've been really happy with my running these last few weeks, with no motivation issues. In fact, I felt like I was getting better and better with each run! But this morning I just didn't feel like running AT ALL. I dragged my feet (more than usual!) and could not bring myself to even think about intervals. I don't know if it's because I'm about to go on holiday....or the depressing scenes around London and the UK that played over and over again on the news this morning.

I knew, JUST KNEW that if I did intervals they would be bad. So instead of my planned 5 mile run with intervals, I decided to do a 6 mile fartlek. Figured the extra mile would be good since I won't be able to run tomorrow, and the fartlek would let me throw in a few random sprints when it wasn't too crazy on the Southbank. How easy it is to just avoid something you're supposed to do!

Not the worst run I've ever had (like when I wasn't fueling properly), but I just never really felt comfortable. I definitely didn't feel the flow, not for a moment. Looking back though, I'm sure my lack of motivation and just that feeling of "why do I have to run?" contributed to my general blah-ness out there. If I had kicked myself in the ass I'm sure I would have felt differently. I've read so many articles on self-belief, visualization, mental toughness...and how it's just as important as physical training to set yourself up to do well. I thought I was going to have a bad run, so I DID have one! So next time I'm feeling reluctant I'm going to give myself a stern talking to! I'll remember my injury and tell myself how lucky I am just to be running! HA!

I'm off to California tomorrow morning....so excited to see my family, in particular my niece and nephew. I'll be busy spoiling them over the next week, but will definitely find time to squeeze in a run or two.

Ca-li-for-nia here I come....right back where I started from.....

Stay safe, London. I'll be thinking of you!

My first 14 miler and only 6 weeks left....

After last week, I decided to switch my long runs to Saturday so that I could stretch my legs with an easy run on Sunday. Yesterday I was up early to have breakfast before going back to sleep. I was really more in just a semi-conscious state but it was nice to think that I wasn't really getting up too early! I actually made it out the door before 9am with my Nuun and 2 High5 IsoGels.

Instead of making several loops along the seafront, I decided to see how far out of Brighton I could run. I went past Brighton Marina for the first time and while it was nice to have pavement to run on, it was hilly (at least, hilly for me!) and right next to a busy road. I had a good 5 miles or so before I started to slow down a bit, hampered by the ups and downs. But overall I still felt okay and was happy when I could finally stretch my long run to 14 miles!

My longest ever run and probably the highlight of week 10. Really excited to finally go further than half marathon distance. My running volume was the highest ever for me too--36.2 miles--and while I'm not quite hitting my target pace for the long runs yet, overall I'm feeling good. Can't believe that I have just 6 weeks left until the Dublin Half. With a few holidays scheduled from now until then, I know they'll fly by!

Oh, and a footnote to my review of High5 IsoGels. Definitely easier to take than traditional gels, I felt they took a while to kick in, about 15-20 minutes. I've used them on a few runs now including yesterday, and while I really like the liquid form I have to say.....IsoGels are off my list. Compared to the Kinetica and PowerBar gels, they work too slowly and don't give me the same sustained burst of energy. A little disappointing as I really liked the idea of a non-gel gel...

Could I be starting to feel the flow?

You've probably heard of flow, sometimes referred to as "being in the zone". One definition of flow from the LIVESTRONG website is:

A state of effortless concentration that results from a period of intense focus. It is the goal of all sport psychology because athletes report being in a state of flow during their best performances. Flow begins at the point that focus stops becoming difficult and starts becoming easy.

I've read a lot about flow but thought it only applied to athletes, those that have the capability to do amazing things at an unbelievably high level. I just always hope to feel good when I run, and so far this week I have.

Wednesday's steady run felt good despite the heat. My goal was just to keep an average pace of 9:45/miles for 7 miles. Can't churn 'em exactly on pace yet, but towards the end feel like I settle into a pretty good rhythm.

Yesterday's 6 miles of "controlled discomfort" was tough as I spent the first few miles running into the wind. Just haven't been able to find a way to overcome it! Pretending that the wind is not there doesn't seem to help. But once I changed direction I was probably helped a bit by a nice little tailwind. Goal was 1 mile warm up, 4 miles at half marathon pace (9:09) and 1 mile cool down.

Had a stitch through part of the run (maybe I didn't wait long enough after eating 2 slices of toast with peanut butter and honey). But I try to run through stitches so I can deal with them during a race if needed. 

Before this run I warmed up with a cannonball as recommended by @runlikeacoyote. I couldn't do the Rockies (well, I tried but I almost fell on my face!) but I was amazed by how the other exercises helped me to loosen up, in particular in my hips. I'll be doing this again and will definitely work on those rockies!

While these runs definitely felt good, I actually think that for a few brief moments on these runs that I might have been in the flow....a glorious minute or two when I felt like I was running--really running--with almost no effort! When I run I *DO* talk to myself and say things like "flow" and "relax" and "rhythm" but nothing really happens. I do it more to stay focused and stop my thoughts from drifting too much. So this happened without any expectations and almost no realization until I thought, "HEY, this is feeling different, feeling GREAT, feeling like I'M A RUNNER!"

Could a natural born shuffler like me actually be feeling the flow?! Is it really possible for ME to have effortless concentration?

All I know for sure is that I'm feeling good!

As a 150 pound man I'm a slow jogger....as a diminutive runner I know my own pace!

For me, Tuesday means intervals! I was woken up by a heavy rainstorm, but luckily things were dry by the time I actually got up. Following my new rule I had some cereal and yogurt for breakfast. Then after some general procrastination, I headed out for my run. I KNEW it was going to be hot today but I absent-mindedly walked out the door without any water! But (with my head still in a cloud) I wasn't worried, didn't turn around and figured I'd be fine. How wrong I was!

My Garmin always pesters me when I run intervals, but today it was ESPECIALLY bad. I actually started off with an amazingly fast (well fast for me!) warm up mile somehow, but when it came to my first interval this is what happened:


Garmin: Speed up! You're only going a slow jog!

Me: What? I'm going faster than my warm-up. And today that was FAAAAAST.

Garmin: I'm telling you, you're too slow. SPEED. UP.

Me: I am NOT going too slow! My arms are pumping, my legs are striding, I'm breathing hard. This has to be a SLOW RUN at least!

Garmin: WRONG. It's a slow jog. NOW SPEED UP!


And so we bickered this way for the rest of my 0.5 mile interval, until it suddenly hit me. Yesterday I switched my Garmin Training Center over from my work laptop to a netbook we usually use for traveling. Yes, so I could log all my runs while on holiday! I'd transferred all the data from my watch, but then I must've forgot to set my profile to my own specific paces.

My Garmin thought I was a 150 pound man and was using the default paces. Clearly someone's slow jog was MY run!

Good realization but it meant that it was down to ME to hit my target pace, without the help of my usually trusty Garmin. My run was hard in the end--I blame it on heat + trying to run too fast + stoopid you didn't bring any water. I did a lot of walking in between and even stopped during the 3rd interval. But after checking my interval times I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was pretty close to my usual 8:20/mile target.

When I first got my Garmin it made such a difference just to be able to know how fast or slow I was going. Now I'm really happy that I have some sense of my own pace, even without a GPS watch. And the next time I feel like I'm running either too fast or slow.....I'm going to trust my instincts, no matter what that pesky Garmin is telling me to do!

Eureka! The revelation of week 9

I had some plans today, so this week I moved my long run to Saturday. After some frustrating runs last week--and a particularly rough long run when I totally fizzled--I spent this week testing out my new fueling strategy. No, nothing complicated and scientific...I just made sure I had a real meal before my runs. On Saturday it meant that if I wanted to beat the crowds on the seafront, I had to get up EARLY. Well, early for ME on a Saturday. Up at 7am, I stumbled in the kitchen and had two pieces of toast and a cup of tea for breakfast. I debated on whether to go to bed for another hour, but hung in there!

I left for my run about 2 hours after eating (don't know if I could've gone out a little sooner but I'm a procrastinator!) armed with Nuun in my water bottle and 2 gels. Still slightly apprehensive, I was encouraged by my other runs this week, and decided to go with the following game plan--try to settle into target pace (10:00/mi) as soon as possible, instead of getting stuck in low gear. And just think to myself, relax and get into the flow!

I didn't quite hit my target pace, but overall I felt SO MUCH better during this week's run. I felt pretty good the entire time, and that was even with a surprise hill near Brighton Marina. I was especially happy that I was strong enough at the end to pick the pace back up. Tired, but strong. A world of difference compared to last week when I felt absolutely drained.

So long run yesterday meant I had an easy 3 miles today back in London. Nice to have a relaxing run along the Thames, and felt good getting my legs going after the long run yesterday. Maybe I should always have an easy run after my long one!

Week 9 has gone well, and a weekly mileage of 32.5 is my highest ever! And of course, my big revelation for the week is that I must have a real meal before running. Yes, even if it means I have to get up early! It's made a big difference to my energy levels before running, even compared to energy beans or drinks. I feel like being well fueled gives me a better chance of a good running day--and that's great! Eureka!

Proper fuel = better run

I ran again in the evening last night to continue testing my fueling theory. A few meals under my belt and a reasonable level of hydration...and hopefully I wouldn't run out of steam like I did last week. Conditions were nice on the seafront but a little muggy. Not too bad for a 5 mile tempo run: 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at 9:09/mile half marathon goal pace, 1 mile cool down.

Was really happy because the run felt good. Tried to make sure my warm up wasn't too slow, and settled into a pace quickly. Continued to feel strong at the end and was happy my "controlled discomfort" was a bit faster than half marathon pace.

Last week's bad runs and some experimentation this week have made me realize two important things:

1. Fueling properly is important before I run, and for me that means a meal. Sport beans or drinks aren't enough after a night's sleep
2. I have a few miles to lock in my pace. If I get the pace right at the start, it's much easier to stick with it and even speed up. If I start too slow OR too fast, I will end up dragging in later parts of the run.

I'm doing my long run tomorrow instead of Sunday, so plan on getting up early (really, I will!) to eat a good breakfast before running a few hours later. Let's see if my run feels better that it did last week!

Duh....night owls run better at night!

I am definitely, absolutely not a morning person. I don't like getting up earlier than I have to, I HATE early morning flights, and I even set my alarm based on the number of snoozes I think I'll need. A night owl through and though, I usually get my second wind around 10pm. The clock chimes and I suddenly morph into a creative, productive individual and finish everything I should have done during the day.

Despite my natural tendency, I've always preferred to run in the morning. It's a fight to get myself up early enough before work, and sometimes I just can't do it. But when I run in the morning I start off the day with a feeling of accomplishment, like I've already completed the one thing I absolutely had to do. And best of all I don't have to worry about when to squeeze my run in later in the day, or worse--miss it all together because it's a late night at work.

I've noticed the last few weeks that some of my better runs have been later in the day. Sometimes at lunch, sometimes in the evening--just not first thing in the morning. I might struggle with stiffness, stitches or other random niggles, but I never have that feeling of zero energy like I do in the morning sometimes. Yesterday, I did my steady 6 miles in the evening after work, and felt GREAT. I was able to set a good pace at the beginning, had a comfortable rhythm during the run, and felt strong at the end.

So different to last week, when I ran in the morning and felt like I was starting to struggle a bit. That's when it hit me.....maybe I'm just not a morning runner! I'm a night owl, and night owls are best at night!

But I don't think the answer is that easy. I *actually* think it's down to having enough fuel in my tank. As my runs get longer, I do better when I've eaten real food. I run better later in the day because I've had a meal or two under my belt. The sport beans or energy drinks I usually have in the morning just aren't cutting it.

So how can I test this theory? Well, I'm running again this evening and hope to have another "Yes, I AM a runner" run. And then on Sunday, I'll do my long run in the morning but actually get myself up early (yes, I said I'm getting up early on the weekend!) and eat a real breakfast two hours before I attempt another 13 miles. I hope that making sure I'm properly fueled to a level that is optimum for me will result in a more consistent performance. I'll keep you posted.

Of course if that doesn't work, I'll just have to run at night!

Intervals, a nagging watch, and Dakota Fanning

My 13 mile run on Sunday was a slow slog! But encouraged by a rest day and relatively fresh feeling legs, I headed out for intervals this morning. Last week I traded intervals for hill training, so it's been a while since I'd gotten my feet to move at more than a snail's pace. Intervals are never easy for me and as always my Garmin just wouldn't stop saying "speed up", but getting around the 8:30/mile mark is always good for me. I *did* rest by walking a bit in between.

I'm determined to get faster and hope intervals will put a spring in my step and help my long runs. Week 9 has begun...

OH, and celeb spotting! As I ran past Brighton Pier on the way back home I saw Dakota Fanning! Surrounded by her entourage and sporting a pixie cut, she was eating chips! To make sure I wasn't hallucinating from a tough interval, I googled and found she's filming in Brighton! http://www.celebrything.com/socialite-life/dakota-fanning-bundles-up-on-the-set-of-%E2%80%98now-is-good%E2%80%99-photos/

Believe it or not, Dakota Fanning is not my first foray into celebrity spotting on the run. While running in London I've also seen Eddie Jordan and David Cameron. OK, not as exciting as seeing Sporty Spice at a Giraffe restaurant on the Southbank....but sure helps to make a run memorable!

Have you ever spotted someone famous while out on a run? Tell me who!

13 miles but still wishing for my pre-injury self

I was really excited about my run today, as it was my first EVER 13 mile training run. Prior to today, I never went more than 11-12 miles when training for a half. But determined to up my weekly mileage, I've put 13 and 14 mile runs in this time to see if it helps with my sub-2:00 goal.

I did my best to eat well and stay hydrated yesterday, got about 7 hours sleep, and then went through my pre-run checklist (yes, the slightly obsessive one I shared in my last post). The weather was beautiful outside and most importantly, there were no gusty winds! My plan was to run easy (which to me means about 10-11:00/mi) and just try to do the full distance. The first half of the run was relatively comfortable, but around the 7 mile mark I realized that I was locked into a slow slog. And I don't know about you, some days once I set a pace it is SERIOUSLY set, and I find it hard to really break out of it. I didn't get my second wind (after a 2nd gel) until mile 9...and by second wind I mean I no longer felt like I couldn't take a single step more--I felt like I could at least continue forward very slowly! Was so happy when my Garmin finally beeped that I had hit 13 miles.

Not really the run that I was hoping for and got me thinking...I don't think that I've had a really good long run since my injury yet. You know, the kind were you feel comfortable most of the way and you feel even stronger at the end? Nope, it's been quite the opposite, where I feel more like my long runs have been a struggle just to complete the distance of the week.

It reminded me that I'm still not back to where I was before my injury (a groin injury--left adductor and hip flexor), when I was really starting to feel like I was running well and getting faster. Take a look at my last long run, just about 1 year ago:

I was doing 9 miles at a sub-10:00/mi pace, and finished strongly at the end. A big difference compared to my long runs now. I starting running again in January, and thought I would have a good solid base by the time my training for Dublin started...but maybe I've overcooked it a bit. Wonder if it's worth reducing miles, focusing on quality....and perhaps try to break sub-2:00 at the Poppy Half in November rather than in Dublin.

What do you think? Sensible, or is it a just a very tired (and slightly discouraged) runner talking?

An un-tempo 5 miles

Yesterday I had a GREAT run! One of those where you feel fast and get stronger with each mile. One of the days when I want to scream, "I love being a runner!"

What a difference a day makes. I left the flat happy that the rain had passed, looking forward to my tempo run. It was the same as last week, 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at half-marathon pace (9:09/mi), 1 mile cool down. Right away as I took a few steps, I had a stitch! I was like, no big deal, have had hundreds before....I'll just warm up and be fine. And besides, I've definitely had runs where I started off feeling awful, but they turned out to be a great run by the end.

But today that was not to be....stitch eventually went away but I never really felt comfortable. I did my first two tempo miles at roughly the right pace, but then completely lost it in the third. There were even two guys casually running at about the right pace but I couldn't keep up. I get frustrated when I feel like I'm pushing myself but I'm not getting anywhere.

I was relieved when my cool down mile finally arrived, and was so tired by the end that I stopped running as soon as I hit 5 miles and walked the rest of the way home!

This week has been a bad day, good day, bad day so far! I wish I could feel more consistent!

Tourists, fire alarm, tv crew...and 6 crazy miles

I had a terrible meeting this morning! It was one of those times where you leave the room mumbling to yourself, "How could I have been so stupid?" Just one of those days, and I knew the only way I could stop scolding myself in my head would be a run. Luckily I had a enough time to squeeze one in at lunch.

Because I definitely wanted to clear my head, no iPod for me today. A good thing too, because although I knew it would be busy on the Southbank, it ended up being even crazier than I imagined! I had to get past both the London Eye and a 'This Morning' tv crew not once, but TWICE...there was a fire alarm at the Tate Modern causing tourists to run frantically out of it...and I nearly had a major collision with another runner! Nearly! Considering there were moments when I had no way to squeeze through the crowds, I'm pretty pleased with my run today.

Felt much better than I did yesterday when I just couldn't keep a brisk pace. Today I tried to stay relaxed and find a rhythm with each mile (learned about rhythm when watching the documentary on Eddie Izzard and his marathon challenge)!

Nothing can change what happened at my meeting this morning, but I'm definitely in much better spirits after my run!

Conquering the Hilton Metropole Hill...and unexplained tiredness!

So Tuesdays are usually my interval days, but I thought I would mix things up by alternating intervals and hills. I keep reading about how GOOD hills are to build strength and stamina, but I've avoided them for a long time--ever since I was surprised by a very hilly Windsor Half Marathon! (Anyone remember that hill around mile 7 that seemed practically vertical?!) Also, as a city girl I tend to run on very flat courses on pavement (Brighton seafront and along the Thames) and there aren't really hills close by.

But I decided I had to try and beat the hills because I do find that even the tiniest little slope throws me off during a race. The challenge would be to find a hill where I didn't need to use transportation to get there. Luckily, I remembered there were a few little hills on the Brighton seafront.....and I figured, little hills are better than no hills, right? So today I conquered the Hilton Metropole Hotel Hill! Can you spot it in the photo?

Yes, my hill is there in front of the hotel on the left. As it was my first hill session I didn't set any times or do any sprinting. I had a nice 1.5 mile warm up to the hill, then went up and down the hill 3 times in a big loop, ran a little more until I hit the 2 mile mark, turned round and did the hill 3 times again, and then headed home!

Not a very fast 4 miles as I felt tired today (more whinging about that later) but I have to say that my quads are feeling a little bit more tired than usual! So please, do you think:

• A good city hill for a beginner?
• Too small for hill training?
• Okay size but should do super sprints up and down?
• Why don't I just drive to the Downs and run some real hills?!?!

There is another 'hill' closer to the Marina that's about 4 times as big. Maybe I should use that one? Maybe....

On another note, do you ever have one of those days when you just feel tired but don't know why? Yesterday was a rest day, thought I ate pretty well, had a reasonable night's sleep, and I didn't feel dehydrated. So my run should have been fine, right? But it was just one of those days when even though I didn't feel like anything was specifically wrong (eg cramp, stitch), and I didn't feel like I was struggling with my breathing or anything, I just could not get myself to run any faster! No amount of coaxing seemed to make a difference.

Anyway, I guess there are always some days like this. I'll just have to make sure I rest up tonight so I'm ready for a steady 6 miles tomorrow.

Surviving a Sunday run on the seafront

I checked the weather report last night before bed, and it said dry in the morning, rain at 1000, then dry at 1300. Since I'm not a morning person I thought fine, I'll sleep in, have breakfast and do my 10 miles at 1300. Of course, by the time I finished breakfast it still hadn't rained and the report had changed to thunderstorms from 1300 until 1900! By then I was fed up with the Met Office and decided to head out, rain or not.

Conditions on the seafront have been really variable this past month, and today the gusty winds were back! Great going east with the wind in your back, but running into the wind going the other direction was miserable. :( Was headed home for the final two miles but barely moving...so I decided to turn around and run the other direction even though it meant a long walk home! Can you tell which direction I'm running based on my splits?

Still didn't get the pace I wanted (10:00/mi) but figure I got an extra workout running into the wind--and at least the rain held off. And this Sunday's run felt much better than last week, when I just couldn't take another step by the end!

Running on the seafront in Brighton is always a bit tricky later in the day, especially with all the tourists around this time of year. I try to navigate around people as best as I can, looking ahead for gaps and I usually don't have too many problems. But today was a close call...guy was standing, looking right in my direction and there's plenty of room for me to run to the right side of him. I was sure that he saw me, but right when I was passing him he decided to point at something in the sea and almost clotheslined me! Luckily I saw his arm come up and ran into it without too much drama. We both apologized and I happily got away unscathed! I guess sometimes being a slow runner is a good thing!

Overall it's been a good week...didn't hit my pace target for the long run but my mileage is creeping up. Anything beyond 22 miles/week is new territory for me so I'm happy about that. Week 7 recap:

Week 8 here I come! I have my first 13 mile training run planned!

Easy going Saturday

Terrible weather this morning here in Brighton (and the rest of the country)! But it meant I was able to sleep in with no guilt about not running, and the rain cleared in time for me to have a nice little run before dinner. Saturdays are my easy run days and I have to say, it's SO nice being able to run, enjoy the scenery, and daydream without having to worry about how fast I'm supposed to go!

Another week almost over with just the 10 mile long run tomorrow.....

Tempo Thursday and a few tasty treats

There was a bit of sunshine in London today when I headed out for my 5 mile tempo run. My plan was 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at half marathon pace (9:09), and then 1 mile easy.

Felt like I was doing reasonably well at keeping pace but pushed quite hard on the last 'fast' mile and even got a stitch. I was getting tired and thought I was slowing down!  And I'm positive my Garmin was telling me my pace was 9:11/mile with about a quarter mile to go. Need to work on staying calm and trusting my pace. And traffic lights are totally annoying--you have a good rhythm and suddenly you have to stop for ages! I never feel quite the same after a light (although sometimes I'm glad for the chance to catch my breath)!

On a tastier note, I received my order from The Feed Station yesterday! Now that I'm back into my long runs I need to start practicing with various kinds of fuel so I got a few things to try.

Clockwise from the top left:

High5 IsoGel - I haven't tried these before wanted to give them a go because they are supposed to be thinner than most gels and designed to be taken without water. Would be thrilled if this were true because I always struggle to gulp down gels and then drink all that water afterwards! I got 1 regular and 1 with caffeine. Both have electrolytes.

Jelly Belly Sport Beans - I've used these before and I really like them--mostly because they are just like candy! I've had the lemon-lime flavor which tastes great, and I usually eat some for quick energy if I don't have time for breakfast before an early run. This time I'm testing out the raspberry flavor and cherry, which also has caffeine. 

Power Bar Protein Bars - I don't know about you, but I never feel very hungry after a long run. I got these protein bars for recovery because I hope they'll be easy to get myself to eat one. They definitely make them sound tasty, with flavors like chocolate and cappuccino caramel crisp!

Clif Builders Bar - another protein bar for recovery. Thought I would try this chocolate bar too since Clif bars are all natural and supposed to be some of the best tasting bars out there.

Power Bar Gel with Fruit Juice - these have been my gels of choice for long runs. Not too much in a packet, the flavors I've tried have been nice, and I've never felt sick after using them. Also, I can find them pretty easily in sports or nutrition stores if I forget to order them. This one is a new formulation with fruit juice so I thought it was worth a try.

Nuun Hydration Tabs - I've been using these since a friend suggested them. Makes a great electrolyte drink without any carbs.

Looking forward to testing some of this out on Sunday!

Steady Wednesday

After speedwork yesterday (which I always find the most challenging) I was glad today was Steady Wednesday. Goal was to run 6 miles at steady 9:45/mile. I felt good today was reasonably steady, with an average of 9:33/mile.

I always find it hard to make small adjustments to my pace but constant Garmin-checking does help. Although I do worry that one day I might crash into something or someone!

As a PS to yesterday's interval session, @Runner795 rightfully pointed out I was going too fast! When I increased the interval distance on my workout, I forgot to adjust the pace. :( Will remember this for next week, and probably alternate between 0.5 mile intervals and 0.25 mile intervals at VO2 max pace.

On to Tempo Thursday!

Intervals along the Thames

I did intervals this morning, switching from 6 x 0.25mi to 4 x 0.5mi, with 1 mile warm up and 0.25mi rest in between. Trying very hard to get myself to sustain a faster pace for longer periods of time, and I hope I can get to mile repeats before the half marathon.

The intervals felt hard and my Garmin kept telling me to 'Speed up!' but they were good reminders for me to keep pushing. Hopefully it will be easier to keep pace next week. I love doing intervals outside rather than on the treadmill--it's such a different feeling trying to push the pace yourself! Will do this session  for a few weeks before upping the interval distance again.