Week 4 - Training Summary

This week was filled with firsts! First full week I ran in a neutral shoe and they feel terrific. First time I have ever run over 70 miles in a week. First time I have ever run over 26.2 miles at one time. First time I have run 3 hours on a treadmill. This was a tough week dealing with earthquakes and hurricanes but I got all my runs in and now this next week on my training schedule, I take a little step back focusing on rest and recovery. I need it because my body is sore and tired. All in a very good way though.


TOTAL MILES WEEK 4: 74.08 


8/22 (Monday) - Rest Day
I traveled back to Alexandria today. Joc and I were on the road by 5:45am. I had lunch with a good friend and hoped to golf, but ended up spending the rest of the day running errands/doing chores.
8/23 (Tuesday) 5:37am - Interval Training
My weekday workouts are increasing in length, so that means I have to get up even earlier. I always set my alarm for 5am, and hit snooze at least once. It is very dark still at 5:30am and the moon and stars are brightly shining. I aimed to do 6x1 mile repeats. I did a 2 mile warm up run to the track and then proceeded with the intervals: Mile 1 - 7:05; Mile 2 - 6:52; Mile 3 - 6:44; Mile 4 - 6:44; Mile 5 - 6:40; Mile 6 - 6:37. AMAZING that just 1 month ago I struggled to do 4x1 mile repeats! The body is an amazing machine. You will hear that a lot from me.
8/24 (Wednesday) 5:27pm - Easy Run
Oh these pesky evening workouts. It takes every ounce of motivation for me to get out there and do it. If it were not for my Wednesday night running partner, I am not sure if I could or would do it. She did great though and we ran 7 miles! When we started running together about a month and a half ago, she could not complete 6 without stopping. I am very proud of her.
8/25 (Thursday) 5:31am - Tempo Run
I was pretty happy with my run this morning. Tempo runs are not too bad. A lot of people complain about them, but I'd rather do them then speed work any day! I ran in my new Asics Cumulus 13s. I took back the Brooks Ghost 4s. They were too stiff and my foot was slapping on the pavement. It wasn't hurting me, it was just annoying. I like the Asics although I like to wear my shoes kind of tight and I have a narrow foot, so they seem to bunch a little at the toe. We will see. If these don't work, I am going back to the Mizunos. I ended up running a 3 mile warm up, a 3 mile tempo averaging a 7:12 pace and then cooled down for 3 miles.

    My new kicks - Purple laces make them faster I think.

8/26 (Friday) - Rest Day
I was stressing all day about getting my runs in this weekend. You see, Hurricane Irene is threatening to take over the weekend. Rain is ok to run in. I can handle that. Rain and 50 mph winds? Well that is a different story. One of my biggest cheerleaders helped me through it. He pointed out that it looks like if I start early enough on Saturday, I will at least get my 4 hour run in and to just start there - focus on one run at a time. Weather is weather and I can't control it. Put one foot in front of the other and take one step at a time.
8/27 (Saturday) - 4 Hour Run - 6:59am
I started out at Teddy Roosevelt Island this morning. It was really muggy and the air was heavy. You could tell a storm was brewing. I ran across the Key Bridge, into Georgetown, on the Capital Crescent Trail for a bit, then on the C&O Towpath. This is a heavily wooded path along the river and canal. I often see all sorts of wildlife - ducks, geese, herons, turtles, squirrels, and on occasion a snake or deer. This morning I did not see one sign of life. Isn't that funny that they knew the storm was coming? The run, in general went pretty well. This is the longest I have ever run. At mile 24, I almost broke down but pushed through. They are doing some construction on a bridge over the towpath and have redirected foot traffic to a temporary trail that is short but steep and sandy. My feet were literally sinking in the sand. I was on the verge of tears thinking "this is too hard" but I swallowed hard, pushed up the stupid hill and kept on going. I didn't have negative splits (running faster the second half) on this run, which is what I always try to do but I did finish strong, running my last mile in 8:11. I ran a total of 27.54 miles.

        All quiet on the trail today.

8/28 (Sunday) - 3 Hour Run 6:30am
Irene forced me inside today. Yes, a 3 hour run on the treadmill. If I can do that, mentally, I can surely do 50 miles. The first 15 minutes was truly the toughest. I was sore from yesterday and the thought of having to spend the next 2 hours and 45 minutes on that machine was hard to fathom. I just split it up into 5 mile segments because that is doable for me. I told myself I could stop after any of the segments but I did not. The weather broke about 9am just when I had 30 minutes left. I thought about finishing up outside but by that time, I just had something to prove to myself. I wanted to get at least 18 miles in and ended up running 20.54. Not too bad.

Book Reviews: Ultramarathon Man and Run!

Yes, I am a little OCD about this JFK 50 Mile training. Ok - a lot. I won't apologize though. I am putting some aspects of my life on hold to complete this goal, I know. I am missing out on family weekend getaways, happy hours, golf and a whole host of other things that I normally enjoy but this is just what I need to do right now. There is beauty in moderation and there is nothing moderate about training or running 50 miles. Again, this is a one shot deal for me. If I am going to do it, I am going to do it right. Part of my OCD is reading as much as possible about ultra training. It was highly recmommeded that I read Dean Karnazes' book, Ultramarathon Man. I also picked up RUN! and read them back to back.

Both books inspired, humbled, scared, intimidated and gave me hope that I can do this. They are quick but passionate reads. Dean doesn't come off as some egotistical media "darling" as he is portrayed in many circles. Nor does he make himself out to be some superman-type. What makes him so awesome is his undying passion, persistence and heart. He takes the reader on the journey through the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run - which I shed a tear or two reading - to the Badwater Ultramarathon - which is just nuts - to the first marathon ever held in Antarctica. His uncanny ability to push through pain is amazing. He also so honest in his approach. It's basically about placing one foot in front of the other.

"How to run an ultramarathon ? Puff out your chest, put one foot in front of the other, and don't stop till you cross the finish line."

But the wisdom that Dean passes on from his deep drowning moments of despair he encounters in his races are the best moments in the books. He discovers life.  

"Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip."

These books took me on a whirlwind of emotion and just motivated me to get out there and run. I hope to meet that guy one day.

Week 3 - Training Summary

I knew this was going to be a weird week. I have been planning on visiting Mom to help celebrate her 60th birthday for a couple months now. I also knew I needed to get my long runs in. I wanted to be able to relax a little on the visit, so I opt'd to do my super long run on Friday morning. There are not very many running route options on Catawba Island and even though the route can be pretty, there is heavy traffic at times and can be annoying. I figured if I could just get one long run in there on Saturday morning, then I could kick back for the rest of the weekend - which I did!


TOTAL MILES WEEK 3: 59.77 miles


8/15 (Monday) - Rest Day
I decided to take a rest today instead of anything light. I knew my week would be jammed packed and the next rest day wouldn't be until next Sunday. I actually had my light out by 10:03pm tonight!
8/16 (Tuesday) 5:51am - Interval Training
Even though I was in bed relatively early, it didn't make getting up at 5:30am any easier, but I did it! It's still dark at 6:00am now - yuck! I am not ready for fall. I did my 2 mile warm up to TC William Track. There was a slight breeze/wind which made it challenging going North on the track, but I am pretty happy with my times. 2 x 2 mile intervals - #1: 7:28 pace; #2 - 7:12 pace. I thought about how much easier it would be to do these intervals on the treadmill but this training isn't about taking the easy road. I will soon enough be forced inside to slog away on the belt. :-( 
8/17 (Wednesday) 6:12pm - Easy Run
It would have been easy to ditch my run tonight. My 22 year old running friend cancelled and my legs/whole body just felt tight and weird. Heavy legs are the worst. I think it has something to do with me sitting too long at my desk. I need to get up and walk around more. The first mile was rough. I was running pretty hard and ended up at an 8:51 pace! I kept going though and mile by mile, I started to loosen up and feel better - mentally and physically. Mile 2 - 8:12; Mile 3 - 7:47; Mile 4 - 7:49; Mile 5 - 7:26; Mile 6 - 7:17. Well, I guess I made an easy day not so easy but it felt so good to get in a groove after a tough start. I never regret a run. I do regret when I do not run though. 
8/18 (Thursday) 5:59am - Tempo Run
I got my gait analyzed at Pacers yesterday and sure enough, I have been wearing the wrong shoe. I have been wearing a pretty heavy duty stability shoe for the past 6 or so years - the Mizuno Alchemy. I am clearly a "neutral" runner though and have decided to try out the Brooks Ghost 4 shoe. This morning was my first run in them. I felt like I was slapping my feet a little which I don't really like the feel of, but I am going to try them for a couple more runs. I did my 2 mile warm up and cool down, with a 3 mile tempo in between at a 7:20 pace.
8/19 (Friday) - 3.5 Hour Run
I started out at 5:30am in Old Town Alexandria, right outside my gym with the plan to shower and take off for the airport from there. I started out pretty slow with a 9+ minute pace, but by mile 5 or 6, I began to average 8:40 miles. I am happy with that. I ran over the Key Bridge into Georgetown, connecting with the C&O towpath. Nice and flat. About half of my run was on pavement on the Mt. Vernon trail and the other half was on packed dirt. This is a path I often run and there is something very nice and comforting about running on a familiar route. New paths are nice and I have committed to exploring new places but knowing what to expect around the corner is nice. With 7 miles left, I started to pick up my pace even though I was struggling mentally. 3.5 hours is a long time to run. I ran 8:15s for several miles, 8:09, 8:07...It felt so good and was so satisfying to be done. I am proud of myself. I ran a total of 24.43 miles!!!!
8/20 (Saturday) - 2 Hour Run
Well this morning was really a test on running tired. Mom's party lasted until about 11:30pm, I was in bed by 12:30am and up at 6:30am. I really just wanted to get this run out of the way. My first couple miles were SLOW but I eventually found that 8:35-8:40 pace. Surprisingly, nothing really hurts today. I really thought this run was going to be a lot tougher after all the miles yesterday. I took my first ice bath after the run. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating and we will see if it helps with recovery. More in a future blog entry. My body may be getting used to this torture. Ha! I ended up running 14.20 miles in the Brooks Ghosts and I don't think I like the shoes. The slapping is really irritating. Maybe I will give them one more chance.
8/21 (Sunday) - Rest Day
I got to sleep in today! It was the first morning in a long time. I actually can't remember the last time I did not set an alarm. I woke up about 8:15am and lounged in bed until 9am...ahh! I had a massage scheduled for 11am, so the whole family had breakfast and relaxed. It was kind of a rainy/cloudy morning and no one felt guilty about being lazy. My massage was heavenly. She, of course, spent a lot of time on my legs, working out all the kinks. It was uncomfy at times, but a good uncomfy if that makes sense. I walked out of there feeling really good. My body feels completely rested and recovered as I am sitting here at 11pm. I need to make a regular habit of getting massages to help speed up recovery.

Week 2 - Training Summary

The adrenalin is starting to wan a bit (just a bit) but that is pretty typical with any training cycle. I just have to mix it up especially when it comes to my weekday work outs. I have got to say, that I did pretty well with my sugar intake and sleep routine this week, but it is a constant battle. Whenever I am feeling a little stressed, I look for the gummy bears. I know it sounds silly because there many many more dangerous activities I could partake in that would be a million times worse, but it's just one of those things. I took two full rest days this week. I am a bad rester. I am going to make sure I at least do yoga or very light cardio this coming week on my off-running days. It really helps flush all the junk out of your system. Overall, I am happy with the way I felt this week. 


TOTAL MILES WEEK 2: 54.28 


8/8 (Monday) - Rest Day
My legs were pretty tired from the weekend runs, so I decided to take a well deserved rest day.
8/9 (Tuesday) 5:56am - Interval Training
I really didn't know if I had it in me this morning. I just took one lap at a time though and actually ran them faster than I did last week! It was hard, but felt good. There was a guy dribbling a basketball, doing drills (100 yard sprints) around the track and he really helped to keep me going. Every time I heard him coming from behind, I would try to keep up.  I ended up doing a 2 mile warm up, then 4x1 mile repeats: Mile 1: 6:49; Mile 2: 6:43; Mile 3: 6:42; and Mile 4: 6:36. Then, cooled down with a 2 mile run home.
8/10 (Wednesday) 5:27pm - Easy Run
I gotta tell you, I have really begun to love my morning runs. It is getting harder and harder to stay motivated all day but meeting my spunky 22 year old running friend holds me accountable. I like running with others too! It is a nice change. Plus she told me today that she has decided to do a marathon!! I get so excited when my friends decide to take that leap. It's a journey they will never forget! We ran 6 miles at a 8:45 pace.
8/11 (Thursday) 5:55am - Tempo Run
It is amazing what a difference a little less humidity makes! The cooler air (75 degrees) was actually refreshing. I felt a little tired starting out, but took it easy on my 2 mile warm up and cranked it up a bit to run 3 miles at tempo pace (7:15 miles) and then cooled down for 2 miles. My legs felt strong and I could have probably done another mile which is good because I will start to increase my mileage on my week day runs next week.
8/12 (Friday) - Rest Day
To be honest, I am not really good at resting. I know it's good for me, but I tend not to eat right and it's an excuse for me to be lazy. I will have to start just doing light cardio/yoga/stretching.
8/13 (Saturday) - Blue Crab Bolt 10K + 6 miles
On my official schedule, I was supposed to run for 90 minutes today. I really wanted to do this race though. It was a trail race in Little Bennett Park in Clarksburg, MD. I decided to do the race, then run after, to get to 90 minutes. I will do a race recap in another post, but I ended up running a total of 12.06 miles - 100% on rough terrain - for 1:55. Trail runs are an entirely different beast. It was tough!
8/14 (Sunday) - 3 Hour Run
Although I am not thrilled with my peformance today, I am certainly not embarassed either. I intentionally took it slow, which isn't easy. I wanted to run every mile between an 8:45 and 9:00 minute pace which I did. I know it seems weird because I accomplished my goal but I feel I let myself down because I could have pushed it harder. I can't explain these strange mental games that go on inside of my head as I transition from a 5K-10K-Half Marathon-Marathon road racer to an ultramarathon girl. I do know I HAVE TO GET OVER this way of thinking though. What the heck? I just ran 21.01 miles in 3 hours, 7 minutes and 23 seconds! I ran on a new section of the C&O towpath starting in Carderock and turning around a little past the 20 mile marker under a beautiful canopy of trees which was fortunate becuase there were a couple pretty heavy down pours. This caused my iPod to short out at mile 10, but that's no biggie. I can't run with it in the race either, but it's currently in a bag of rice. No snakes today, but ran into a mama deer and her baby who still had the little white spots on it's coat - we both startled one another. I was pretty sore after I finished and soaked in a hot bath of Dead Sea Mineral salts my Aunt Jane sent me from Tel Aviv. I am trying to avoid having to take an ice bath, but I know it's gonna have to happen at some point. Oliver wanted to join me in the bath:

My Two Track Idols

Running on the track is a new thing for me. I didn't run track in high school and never made it a consistent training practice in preparation for my other races. I am really beginning to enjoy my track workouts though. I will never like them as much as being out on the trail, but they do make you mentally tough and are a heck of a lot better than the treadmill. I am ok with the monotony. I don't have to worry about hills, bikes shooting past me with their little annoying bells, tripping over a crack in the pavement, etc. It is a nice change of pace. When I am out on the track their are two people that I think of often and inspire me. 

#1 - We will call her tough little "G" who is on the New Wave Track Team. (She is pictured below in purple.) I volunteered to help at one of their track meets one Saturday and this little girl did not fool around. She is 8 years old and her focus, determination and drive once that gun went  off made me smile, laugh and tear up. Whenever I find myself on the track, not focusing, I think of her. Man is she fast too! 

#2 - Shalane Flanagan (Olympic Bronze medalist, American Record holder for the 3K-5K-10K, 2nd place finisher at the NYC Marathon) is just a pretty, efficient runner. When I get tired, my running form suffers which then causes my hip to hurt becuase I am not engaging all of my core muscles. I am certainly not built like Shalane and I will never "float" like her, but I can certainly try.  

Shalane Flanagan - Nike Running from Grow Film Company on Vimeo.

Week 1 - Training Summary

Week 1 is out of the way and I did it! I followed my training plan to a tee and feel really good - both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, I think I bruised both of my toe nails, but it was bound to happen. Better sooner than later! The one thing I am really going to have to work on though is my sleep and nutrition. I have been going to bed too late. The lights should be out by 10pm if I am going to get up before 6am to run. Then, there is my wonderful sugar addiction. I love refined sugar - anything gummy - it's my perfect drug. It's an endless cycle. I am not getting enough sleep, therefore by 2-3pm in the afternoon I start to feel sleepy and what's a better pick me up than gummies?!? They make me feel great for about 30 minutes, then of course the sugar crash happens. So, the answer is to get 8 hours of sleep and continuously fuel throughout the day so I don't have the blood sugar spikes. That will be a focus of mine this coming week. The synopsis of my training week 1...


TOTAL MILES WEEK 1: 52.87 miles


8/1 (Monday) 5:30pm - Rest Day/Easy
This was a planned rest day after running 18 yesterday morning, but my legs were feeling really tight, so I opted to go to the gym to do some very light cardio. It really does help to move and work the tightness out. I did 30 minutes on the Stairmaster (which I have not done in ages), 30 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes of stretching and strengthening. My legs definitely felt better once I was done. Just nice and easy.
8/2 (Tuesday) 5:55am - Interval Training
Early mornings at the track are so peaceful. I did a 2 mile warm up run to TC Williams high school, then 4x1 mile repeats. I probably pushed it a little too hard, because you are supposed to feel like you could do another and I did not feel that way. I like my times though! Mile 1: 7:18; Mile 2: 6:50; Mile 3: 6:45; and Mile 4: 6:42...then the little piggy ran 2 miles alllll the way home.
8/3 (Wednesday) 5:35pm - Easy Day
I have been running with one of my former colleagues on Wednesday evenings. She's only 22 and doesn't race but man is she tough. I will be scared of her if she starts racing. She is building up her mileage and we ran 6 miles at just shy of a 9 minute pace. We ran on the Mt. Vernon trail towards Belle Haven.
8/4 (Thursday) 5:56am - Tempo Run
It wasn't as hard to get up and do my tempo run as I thought. I actually felt really good. Two mile warm up and cool down again with a 3 mile/7:30 pace tempo in between. 
8/5 (Friday)
Rest Day!
8/6 (Saturday) 7:14am - 3 Hour Run
I was really nervous to start this run. I am not sure why, but I know I did not want to fail or be unable to complete it. My training plan called for a 3 hour run. My long runs will be based on time, not distance from here on out. It was a nice, cloudy, high-70s morning on the C&O Canal towpath. I have to start bringing my camera on these runs because it was gorgeous. A snake crossed my path at mile 12 and then of course every twig on the path freaked me out after that! I ended up logging 21.03 miles and feel really proud of myself. More importantly, I felt good despite not bringing any nutrition - which is a HUGE no-no. You can't run that distance and not refuel. That was a rookie move on my part. I spent the rest of the day just keeping active. As nice as it would have been to go home and take a nap, it's important to just keep moving. 
8/7 (Sunday) 7:02am - 90 Minute Run
OUCH! My first couple strides were painful and I felt all the miles from yesterday. But, about .75 miles in, all the kinks were worked out and I started to feel better. My piriformis muscle is going to be an ongoing pain in my ass. Literally. I was scheduled to run for 90 minutes which I did on the Mt. Vernon trail starting at about Mile Marker 11, heading towards DCA. It's my home turf and I run on this path all the time. I know the hills, curves and all the cracks in the walkway. I ended up running 10.76 miles, averaging an 8:22 pace per mile. Again, keeping with the theme - Just keep moving - I headed to play 9 holes. I was feeling tired, but it really does help just to keep moving. It hurts when you stop.

Let the Games Begin!

Yesterday was the start of my 16 week - JFK 50 mile training program. (Don't worry, I am not going to blog about EVERY run. I will most likely post a synopsis of my weekly runs every Sunday evening.)  I have researched a bunch of training plans and created a hybrid that will fit my lifestyle as well as help me reach my goals. Ultra training is not about speed, or even distance, but rather time on your feet. Hence, the core element is the long run "sandwich": back-to-back long, slowish runs on successive days (Saturday and Sunday) bookended by two days of total rest or VERY EASY cross training. I added a bit of long, but not-so-fast interval work to boost muscle strength, stamina, and aerobic capacity. This will hopefully keep me from settling into a slow slog. I like running fast and really feel good (physically and mentally) after doing interval work/tempo runs. 

Last year, I reconnected with two high school friends (now husband and wife) at the Marine Corps Marathon. He has been an invaluable resource helping me prepare for what lies ahead. I can't tell you how much I appreciate both of their support and encouragement. There is not a run that goes by that I don't think of the two of them. More on that later...in any regard, he recommended a book called, A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning. It was originally published in 1955 and it took me a couple weeks to get my hands on a copy, but it finally came in the mail yesterday. It is 550 pages of anything you ever wanted to know about ultrarunning. I was so excited to start reading it at lunch today!

I get a lot of the same types of questions from people when I tell them I am training for this race. After the "WHY?", some other questions include:

• How long will it take you to finish?

My goal is just to finish. This will be my first footrace going further than 26.2 miles. I don't know how my body/mind will react to the course, the distance, the weather that day, etc... I will do everything in my power to prepare, but you just never know. I would be thrilled to come in under 11 hours, but again realistically, I just want to finish.

• How do you stay focused and motivated?

Sitting here right now, on Day 2 of training, I do not consider myself an ultramarathon runner. This race on November 19 will probably be the longest I will ever run. So, if I am going to do it, I am going to do it right. It's 16 weeks of training. That's it. Sixteen weeks is nothing! On November 20, I will be able to say I ran an ultramarathon, check that box and move on. Then again, it may be something I fall in love with - I hope I do, but my goal is just to cross that finish line one time with a smile on my face. Visualizing myself finishing is enough motivation for me right now - on Day 2 of training :-)