The last two weeks have been nothing short of a craziness for me. Work is busy. Life is busy. Mileage is building. Toss in a special project, a holiday and my Sister’s bachelorette party weekend and you have nothing short of pure madness.
Here’s what I had on deck for weeks five and six of my Chicago Marathon training:
Runs for Weeks 5 & 6 of Chicago Marathon Training
Out of those six runs, I ran 4.5. I would say that is pretty good. 🙂
Week 5:
Tuesday / Track
Do you know those days when you wake up and you know you really, really should go back to bed? That’s how I felt Tuesday. But I didn’t want to cancel on my training partners so I dragged myself out of bed.
Even though I have all of our workouts in my calendar, I try not to look at them ahead of time so I don’t psyche myself out too soon. When I got to the track I found out we were running 400’s. This workout is nicknamed “The Puker” though I don’t mind it.
After our coach ran through how many sets we should do (2 sets of 4 to 6 x 400’s … we chose 5) and at what pace (5k pace), she reminded us that Thursday was a holiday and considered an “on your own” run. Then she said something that hit me: “Or take it as a rest day. Especially if you’re feeling fatigued.”
That was it! Fatigue was exactly what I was feeling. Just hearing the word made me want to cry.
I set off around the track and my legs were like lead. I couldn’t seem to pick them up. I was hot. I was slow. I couldn’t breathe. I was miserable.
After my first set of 400’s I stopped to get a drink of water. My running partners were chatting when I interrupted.
“I’m going home,” I said.
They looked at me like I had just announced that I had killed a baby kitten with my bare hands. <Blink>
The sad part is that I didn’t even have it in me to explain to them that I was about to collapse. I muttered that I was taking Thursday off too and walked away as they stared at the back of my head.
- 400 / 1: 02:48.09 / 10:33/mi
- 400 / 2: 02:44.45 / 10:33/mi
- 400 / 3: 02:36.22 / 10:00/mi
- 400 / 4: 02:26.35 / 09:24/mi
- 400 / 5: 02:30.90 / 09:37/mi
Thursday / Nothing (see Tuesday)
I did get to see some fireworks though. 🙂
Fireworks at Lake Eola
Saturday / Long Run (10 mi)
Saturday’s run was another “on your own” run. Our group got together with another training group and we had a run from our group leader’s house followed by a potluck breakfast. After running 16 miles the previous week, I was overconfident for these 10 miles.
We started a little later than usual (6 am) and it wasn’t long before I was sweating terribly. The neighborhood we were running in didn’t have a lot of shade and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I thought I was going to die.
I cursed myself for only eating a peanut butter protein bite before the run. I could feel the energy being zapped out of me.
I’m still not quite sure how me and my training partner managed to finish the run, but we did.
- Distance: 10.42
- Time: 02:16:19
- Avg. Pace: 13:05/mi
Breakfast afterwards was yummy and full of laughs. Afterwards, some of us headed over to the pool. I couldn’t help but shake my head at the clouds that now seemed to be plentiful in the sky.
Cross-training
I did an hour of yoga on Friday. It was amazing.
Week 6:
Tuesday / Track
Tuesday we did three sets of ladders (800, 600, 400). I was also attacked by a frog. Well, I actually stepped on it. But that was the second frog I had stepped on in a week. I am starting to feel like word has gotten around that I will assist in froggy suicide.
Also, I forgot my borrowed Garmin so I just ran as fast as my body felt comfortable doing so.
Thursday / Hills (5 mi)
I use the term “hills” very loosely. Those of you that actually have hills might call what we have “a slight incline in elevation.”
I forgot to hit the start button on my watch until we were over halfway through our first mile.
- Distance: 4.70
- Time: 58:41.73
- Avg Pace: 12:28/mi
Saturday / Long Run (18 mi)
Remember how I said that these last two weeks were crazy busy? Well this past weekend was the craziest part.
Friday night I left my job at 5:15 PM and did the following:
- Picked up dinner from my favorite Thai place in Winter Park – Siam Garden
- Dropped dinner off at my house
- Picked up my friend Rox
- Drove to Mall of Millenia to pick up a little something for the girls and the future bride
- Went to Total Wine and picked up weekend supplies for the bachelorette party
- Hit up Dick’s Sporting Goods for energy chews
- Dropped Rox off
- Went to Publix and picked up snacks for the weekend
- Went home and washed running clothes
- Ate dinner
- Went to bed
All by 11 o’clock. Not. Too. Shabby. And just a few hours later I was up at 3:15 AM for a 4 AM start time.
All week I had psyched myself out for this run. Running 18 miles can go good … or it can go bad. Since my 16 miler a couple of weeks earlier had gone so well, I just assumed this run would be horrific. People don’t get two good long runs back-to-back, right?
It ended up being quite the opposite. Those 18 miles seem to fly by. In between all of the laughter and the jokes, I almost forgot I was running! Runs like Saturday’s are why I run. Run’s like the previous Saturday’s run are why I think I’m crazy.
Everyone credited my oatmeal and egg pancakes for my delightful mood. Not me. I think I was just so happy to be running and not thinking.
- Distance: 18 mi
- Time: 04:11:52
- Avg Pace: 13:59/mi
Afterwards I grabbed some breakfast with the group then headed home to get ready for a weekend at St. Pete Beach with my little Sister that’s getting married in just a few weeks. How I lasted until until almost midnight with the ladies is beyond me.
Sister, sister.
Cross-Training:
None. But I did stay at work late every night working. Does that count for something?
How do you fight fatigue when training for a marathon?
I Sweat Pretty 
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