Rough Week, but getting it done

You are what you put in.  If it were easy everyone would do it.

Day	Planned	Actual	Comments
Monday	60 Min AR	31 min	Treadmill Run 10'11"
Tuesday	4x10 AT	4x10ish	Great Push
Wednesday	XT	Trainer Day
Thursday	60 Min AR	50 minutes	4.86 miles 10'17" pace
Friday	Off	Off	Closet day
Saturday	60	60	5 miles 11'59 pace
Sunday	12	15	11'50" pace

Started Monday with a quick run on the treadmill.  5 minute warm up and then pyramids. Ended up getting 3 miles in, and then did some 10 pull ups and some ankle strength exercises.

Tuesday, I did track work out it was 4 sets of 10 minutes at or below a 10 minute pace, followed by 3 minutes of recovery.  Ended up getting in 5.6 miles in during this work out.  Overall exhausting but felt great to get it done. Hips were sore after the run.

SBRC - Heavy Medal Tuesday

Wednesday, back was bothersome in the morning.  Then went to a work out with Kei. Did a lot of glutes work out. Got demoted from the squats due to not having proper alignment.  Need to work on that.

Thursday, did the Poinsettia Loop run at sketchers.  As always it was challenging.  At mile 2ish, my back was flared up with a shooting pain.  Ended up finishing the work out.  Back was tight and tender the rest of the night.

Thursday Night Run with SBRC

Spent all day Friday re-doing my closet.   It exhausted me mentally and I feel like impacted my weekends run.


Saturday... Legs were achey both Friday and Saturday night.  I woke up not feeling it, but still made sure to get my hour run in.  My legs felt like I was running through quick sand.  It was not a great running day.  Ended up with 5 miles.

Sunday, I had planned for 12, but wanted to do 16.   (The thought of LA marathon around the corner was starting to get to me and I wanted to get some additional miles).  Due to the achy legs, I ended up taking 2 advil before the run.  Run again felt sluggish.  My legs didn't want to move, but I decided no matter what I was going to be out there for 3 hrs.  Ended up with 15.1  miles at an 11:50 pace.

May not have felt great this weekend running, but pushed through and it will help me be ready for anything on race day.

Training grade: A-

Birthday Week: Rainy Day fun and Pasadena Half

Day	Planned	Actual	Comments
Monday	60 Min AR	37 minutes group XT	3.41 miles 10'53 pace
Tuesday	4x10 AT	3x10ish	lower back leftside bothersome
Wednesday	XT	Trainer Day	lots of core
Thursday	60 Min AR	44 minutes	4.07 miles 10'50" pace
Friday	30 Min	Off	Long work day
Saturday	Off	Off	Expo
Sunday	13.1	13.1	Pasadena Half 2:15:30

Started out this week on Monday celebrating my birthday.  It poured Monday-Thursday morning, so lots of liquid sunshine training.   Monday I ended up running 3.4 miles in the rain prior to heading to DGF for a group workout class.   Prior to going to the class, I had to head home and change clothes and shoes to get dry.  The cross training consisted of a variety of arms, core, and legs. I felt I ended up getting a well balanced work out from strength to cardio on my birthday.

Monday Run: Finally Get to wear my Chicago Jacket

Tuesday, the rain kept coming and track night was cancelled.  I looked at what I had packed to workout in, and everything was warm weather related.  So instead of overheating in the gym on the treadmill, I headed to the track to get it done.  (there were about 6 of us crazy people there getting it done on our own).  I ended up doing 3x10 minute threshold with 3 minute recovery.  However the first threshold was a little shorter, due to trying to get in-sync with the other people.  Starting on the 2nd set, I ended up getting a shooting pain up the left side of my back every time my left foot hit the track.  Fingers crossed, I just slept wrong.

More Rain Run Fun

Wednesday was a trainer day.  Kei had me focus on rolling out my back and stretching prior to starting workout.  We did a lot of core and balancing exercises.

Thursday, I got out of work late.  Ended up being late to SBRC sketchers run night, so I did 4 miles along the strand, stopping by the store afterward to say hi to everyone.  By the time, the run started the rain had subsided, and ended up being perfect weather. No lower back pain on the run.

Ended up taking Friday and Saturday off from working out.   Went to the expo on Saturday to pick the race packet and then just enjoyed Huntington Gardens.

Sunday was RACE DAY for the Pasadena Half Marathon.  I wasn't expecting much since I have been slacking on my training for the month of December, so I was just going in with a training run mentality (happy if I was under 2:30).  The morning started by leaving my house around 4:50am (Way to early).  Ended up sitting in traffic to get the car parked, but managed to get there and parked by 6:20am, and get a photo with a few of my SBRC friends.  Plenty of honey-buckets at this race which was really nice.  Race started at 7am.  I couldn't figure out how to get into my correct corral so I just started in the last corral.  I set up my watch to notify me if if my pace went above an 11min pace.   The first 2 miles is a nice uphill climb.  I saw one of our run clubs parents a little after 2 miles, left my long sleeve shirt with them and got a selfie thanking them for being out there and cheering us on.  Continued on, overall I was feeling like I was at a good comfortable pace. We ran down Colorado Blvd, Lake Street, and then headed towards Cal Tech. At the Cal Tech turn around, my close friend was there cheering me on and joined me for a little bit of the run.   A little past mile 8, I ran into on of my SBRC friends.  It was her 30th birthday, and she was on track to PR.  I had figured I was off my PR time, so I asked if she wanted me to join her.  She said sure, as long as I didn't mind.  We ended up running the last 4-5 miles together.   At mile 12 we ran into another SBRC member, and we all pushed each other to the finish, with my friend PR-ing on her birthday.  (In hindsight, had I stayed on my own, I probably would have PR'ed myself, since the last 4 miles were pretty much downhill or flat, and I still had plenty to give, but who knows what would have happened, and I will have to wait for another day). At the finish line, I had another friend cheering me on (she did the 5k) and we were able to catch up at brunch after.  Overall, I finished at 2:15:30  (my PR time is 2:13:47, so definitely had an opportunity).  I need to figure out my long run shoes.  The current shoes are not working and causing pain in my foot, hoping lowering my drop will help out with that.

Good morning PreRace SBRC

Ny Sou around 6.5  

Saying "hi" to Ny Sou

SBRC Bossing it with Amy and Joe

Post Run Pic with Sarah

I may not have gotten 100% of the workouts completed, but due to the rain and training conditions I overall give myself a A-/B+ for the week.

Back on Track

Day	Planned	Actual	Comments
Monday	60 Min AR	30 minutes	Treadmill pyramid
Tuesday	4x10 AT	4x8 AT	Coach Mark stepped us back for the week
Wednesday	XT	Trainer Day	Arms, and balancing
Thursday	50 Min AR	Off	Going away HH
Friday	Off	Group X 3.3 miles	Arms and Core
Saturday	16 miles	13.1 miles	11:40 pace
Sunday	Off	Off	Off

Okay starting to get some mileage on.   Started the week with a 30 minute treadmill routine.  I was feeling burnt out from the previous week and it was cold outside.  I started with a slow warm up, and then started at 5.0 and ramped up the speed by .1 or .2 every minute until I reached 15 minutes.   Then recovered and started the pyramid again.  Its how I entertain myself on treadmill. Keeping constant speed is tedious and boring.

Tuesday I headed off to track.  I dreaded it.  I hadn't been at a true track work out since november.  It was as tough as I thought would it would be.  Mark took pity on the group, and we ended up doing 4 8 minute Threshold, with a 2 minute recovery.  Per schedule it was suppose to be 10 minute with 3 minute recovery.  Happy to do the 8 minutes, as I was dying in the last set, but I pulled it off.

Wednesday was a trainer day.  We started with a lot of balancing type exercises, followed by some arms and chest press type exercises.   (overall I feel like I whine way too much this year.)

Thursday I ended up going to a going away happy hour.  I had hoped to squeeze a run in afterwards, even packed my stuff, but in the end friends won out.

Friday is normally and off day, but managed to get a 3 mile run and do group training day.  It was a lot of arms and core.  I had no grip strength in my left arm.  However, saturday I was sore in my core.   (It hurt every time I coughed).

Saturday, I ended up getting in 13.1 miles.  Felt pretty good for not having ran that distance in awhile.  I was able to keep my heart rate in a good zone overall.  Ended up running up 190th, but had to walk about 3/4's up the hill.  

Sunday, I rested.

Overall I give myself a B+ for the week.

Got a little off track over the holidays

Day	Planned	Actual	Comments
Monday	60 Min AR	51 minutes	run with time 12:57 pace
Tuesday	4x10 AT	4x8 AT	recovery was walking
Wednesday	XT	Trainer Day	He took it easy on me
Thursday	50 Min AR	42 minutes	4 miler
Friday	Off	Off	Rest
Saturday	50 minutes	8 miles	11:10 pace with Frances
Sunday	14 miles	approx 10 miles	12:45 pace

So its been awhile.  I had come up with a plan for LA Marathon training.  However, the year end holidays kind of derailed me.    I did have some good adventures.  Including a last minute trip to Cocoa Beach Florida to cheer my friend Erica on at the Space Coast Marathon.   Less than a week before race weekend, I learned that the half still had slots available.  So I signed up to kill some time while she completed the marathon.  Ended up being a PR for me by 12 minutes!!!  2:13:48 Woot Woot!

In Action

Space Coast Race Start: I did the half, Erica and Dirk did the full

Happy Finisher: PR!!!

Over the holiday break while I was in Gig Harbor, Wa, I was able to meet up with one of my old middle school friends for a 5 mile run through Point Defiance.  Nothing like a good run to converse and catch up on life.

Rachel and I running around Point Defiance

I was planning on really kicking into gear when I got back from Christmas on the 26th, but ended up catching a nasty cold that wiped me out.   I took 3 days off of running, and then took it easy the next few runs.   But I did head up to PV Bluffs for a very short sunset run.  It was nature at its best.

Woohoo, feeling a little better

Point Vicente Light House

Point Vicente Interpretive Center

I also picked out my "A" race for the year.   Mixing it up this year with another major triathlon.  Ended up registering for Santa Cruz 70.3 on Sept 8.    So once my LA Marathon training comes to an end I will be transitioning to Tri training.   Looking forward to mixing up training come summer and fall.

Okay, now lets discuss this week.

Monday-I was still recovering from my cold and met up with Tim for a very relaxed pace 4 miler along the Manhattan Beach Strand.  It was a great way to celebrate the 2018 year as we transitioned to 2019.

Tim and I year end celebration run

Tuesday was New Years Day, so there was no track night.  The track schedule showed 10minute Threshold, with 3 minute recovery 4x.   I ended up doing a 8 minute threshold 2 minute recovery due to still recovering from being sick and walking the 2 minute recovery period.

Wednesday I met Kei at for a trainer day.  I think he took it easy on me because i was winded just doing strength exercises.

Thursday - SBRC Sketchers Run Night.  I ended up doing my own strand run because I didn't bring any lights to be seen while on the road, plus I don't know if my body was quite ready for a 5 miler after a full day of work.

Saturday- Met up in PV for a great run with Frances.  Managed to get 8 miles in with a few hills.

Sunday - Got in a solid 10 miles.   I was training via Heart Rate, so trying to keep it under 158.  Which turns out ended up with a very slow pace (upper 12 minute pace).   (Not sure to be exact because I was having technical difficulties with my watch).   But met up with Jaq for a few miles which moved my pace up to sub 11 minute.

Jaq and I mid run

Hermosa Beach

Anyways.  Its time to focus, and hit training hard. LA is 12 weeks out and every run counts.

Training Grade:  A (This week), D+ (December)