Week 7: Training for the Rockin K Trail Marathon

Back in the saddle and back in Kansas where it is cold and yucky!  We had not only ice predicted, but again heavy snow.  Sigh.  I am so over it!  I want to be back in tech Ts and shorts.  I am really, really digging this plan I made.  It may not be scientifically correct and it ever changes (who am I?), but I am loving it!  I am really loving the cut back weeks and slow and gently builds.  If this plan works, this may be my new marathon training plan forever and ever :)  Knocking on a huge piece of wood as I type this, I think between Cross fit, using the 4:1 run walk ratio, AND a kinder gentler training cycle without hard core speed work, my injury prone body is way more happier and productive.

Monday:  Cross Fit.  Today's workout I dubbed death by burpees.    I try not to judge any work out when i peek at it on my phone app, but this one I knew was going to be tough for me, the hater of all things burpee.  I am still not doing a full push up, more of a sprawl to the floor and then jumping my legs in kind of burpee like, with a jump up once I gather my butt off of the floor.  I also got a PR on my back squat by lifting 115 lbs on my 1 max rep.  The scary thing is, I think I could have gone heavier!  I am really enjoying starting this journey of heavy lifting and can't wait to see what my body can do.

That is a field of solid ice

Tuesday: Easy 6 or 7.  Since I am really playing with my running cycle and trying new things, like running by feel.   The weather was pretty cold (feels like 7 when I ventured out), so I debated about putting a full face mask over my head and face, but instead went with a buff, which quickly froze stiff from the cold and my breathing.  I decided to go ahead and get the 7 so I could do one less mile later in the week.  We saw lots of migratory birds once again so maybe spring isn't too far off?  The snow geese are back and there were larges groups of some smaller birds flying through, which I think is a good sign that spring may be around the corner.  Afterwards while drinking my chocolate milk, I got the shakes.  I took a hot shower thinking that would stop it but I couldn't stop shaking.  I don't know what was wrong, my blood sugars seemed fine and I was completely covered up in good warm dry clothes.  So weird.

Wednesday:  Dead lift day!  Except when I woke up yet again, ice was glazed on everything.  Sigh. I can't deal with this ice any longer.  I went back to bed and woke up to Andrew's school being on a 2 hour delay.   I figured I could hit open gym and get er done then.

Thursday:  Easy 6 or 7.  I decided when I started that I felt good and since the weather looked horrible for the weekend, I would much rather get as much outside as I could.   This was my first frozen eye lash run, mainly because I had to kept my buff up over my face and that was causing everything to freeze up including my buff.  I was nice and toasty, even though it was feels like 8, as I grabbed my Craft jacket that I got from trying out Mercury Mile boxes, my nice Nike wool base layer shirt, and my road runner fleece running pants. I also double gloved and put a running skirt over my pants to keep my bum warm.  It was a really nice run body wise too and I got to see two bald eagles.  I just took stella today so we could have a mommy and me running session.  Sometimes we just have to have girl days and leave the boys at home.   

Later we headed to the gym to make up the work out I missed on Wednesday.  I worked up to a PR on my dead lift at 138 lbs for 3 reps.  The WOD was a little wonky but I tried my best.  We had two sets of things we did.  One minute we did hand stand push ups or sitting down shoulder presses for me (15lbs) and then went and did 8 push ups (the rest of the time was rest).  Then on the second minute, we did a kind of confusing dumb bell series including dead lift/hang clean, and front squat.  We did as many of those in order as we could until 40 seconds was up and then we had 20 second rest.  We did five rounds of the two sets for a total of 10 minutes.  My shoulders were toast after this!!!!

Friday:  REST DAY!  My son had yet another day off of school, this time not sure why?  Not weather related as it was planned, so we took our time getting ready and getting to the office.  Boy was I SORE from the work out the day before.  Part of me wanted to get my weekend runs done since it was going to be a balmy 40 degrees.  The weekend weather looked horrible but it just wasn't meant to be for me work wise.  I haven't had 8 hours of solid work in a long time and today was the day and I loved it!  I miss working hard all day every day (which sounds weird but I do better when I am super busy)

are you taking selfies? DON'T TAKE MY SELFIE!

Saturday:  18-20 miler.   I gave myself a range since I am keeping this schedule loose.  I would have loved to get two 20 milers in or even a 20 and a 22 miler because this race is technically 28 miles total.  I was in and out of the struggle bus throughout the whole run.  The 16 mph NNE wind made running that direction very challenging, and there are several legs of my route that headed that way.  I did around 13 miles and then headed to the house to get a re load of tailwind bottles.  I am really digging my tailwind right now and take in a bottle with 2 scoops every hour.  I skip fueling for the first hour  of running and have been doing a few GU chomps or Cliff shot blocks a few minutes before I head out. Then post the first hour of running, I am getting one bottle/2 scoops down per hour.  My body seems to really like it and other than taking a pit stop when re filled my bottles, no code browns during my run :)  I still have to squat and pee a few times in ditches usually, but it is what it is. I am sure when it is hot outside my body will use that liquid more efficiently.   I also saw 9 bald eagles.  They were enjoying the sun and the crazy wind. I couldn't take any pictures because my phone likes to die when it is cold out.  I was doing lots of silent squeeeeing under my face mask.

side eye game on point

Post running I was HANGRY.  Like take a shower and then eat.all.the.things.  I haven't been that hungry post run in a long time.  I had me a nice bacon cheeseburger, some fries, some fried mushrooms, and some cheese cake for dessert.  Yes, I guess it was a cheat day, and I inhaled everything including two nice beers and I don't regret it.

Sunday:  easy 4.  Since I had run 19.4 the day before, I technically only needed 3.6.  We woke up to around 3 inches or so of fresh snow and feels like -11.  EEEK.  I love running in fresh snow, but that wind chill didn't sound like fun, even for a quick run.  I was pretty sore, probably from dead lifts and then 2 days later 19.4 miles.   I opted for an instead mill run and got er done with the help of some Steve Aoki bumping in my ears.  I took it super duper easy too.  I have a massage appointment with Miss Trina at Rising Phoenix Wellness coming up and probably one more tune up with the Bringer of Pain from Body First. I am really glad because doing max lifts minus shoes really has my PF flared up (note to self, don't do that again) and my hips are kind of feeling a little wonky. 

I am doing a new link up with Kim from Running on the Fly and Deborah from Confessions of A Mother runner.  Kim has been an inspiration for me for years and is why I gave Ultras and timed ultras a try and Deborah has also been one of my favorites for years.  Check out the blogs in the link up!  Have a great week!