Marathon Training Week 1: There Were Donuts. And Beer.

According to my marathon training plan, I’m on week 9 of my marathon training plan (out of 25!) but I’m more treating last week as Week 1. Week 1 of “no more messing around, kiddo”, and actually follow the plan.

Which, I kinda did. Woah.

On Tuesday I did a speedwork session on the West Side Highway – 3 x 1M at 7:41 pace. I have to admit, my plan has also gotten to the point of being actually kind of hard to meet my targets. I remember last year that I struggled through July and then suddenly got faster in August; I’m hoping for the same again. Running south I was helped by a fantastic tailwind that had me run a glorious 7:29 in my first split, and a decent 7:37 on my second. Split number three was straight into the wind, and was a very dismal 7:58. I remember when running a 7:58 mile was an awesome achievement. I kept my marathon training plan from last year and am happy to see I scribbled times on there. Old school.

 

Is there really anything to say here? Go faster?

Tuesday was a late night at work, and Wednesday was an even later night thanks to an awesome dinner with girlfriends which meant I didn’t close my work laptop until 1am. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that tired on Thursday and sucked it up for my tempo run. Well, sucked it up sorta. I had epic technology fails which led my iPhone to tell me I was running at a 6:30 pace. I felt good and strong, but not that good. I know that when the lady said I was done I wasn’t really, but there’s something about knowing that you aren’t being measured that took the fight out of me. So my 4M tempo was not the splits below, and neither was it 4M. Must do better next time.

Saturday’s long run was a lot more fun, because running with friends is always more fun. I slept through my alarm (the stupid SleepCycle alarm that flat out doesn’t work – another rant for another day), and was therefore rushed and late meeting Shaya in the park. Instead of a leisurely run down the West Side Highway I instead had to run directly down Broadway from 86^th Street to 23^rd Steet. Yes, through Columbus Circle and Times Square. I can only explain the tourists in Times Square as having jet lag, because there is no other earthly reason for them to be hanging around at 8am. I met Shaya sufficiently “warmed up” and we headed to the East River. The plan was to run around lower Manhattan and over the Williamsburg Bridge. Neither of us was very enthusiastic about running the Bridge, and so when we met Loren and Katie at the bottom of it, we were happy to skip it. There will be other days for bridges.

The four of us ran at a very comfortable pace that allowed plenty of time for chatting and catching up. It was really fun, although there was much debate about the best way to run through Battery Park. (Apparently, through a parking lot, Katie. Ahem.) The weather was overcast and even slightly cool (or just cooler than 90F), which made for some nice, easy running. By mile 11 or so my legs were a little achey, but in general, fun and relaxed. 14 miles done at a chilled out 10:07 pace.

 

Mine! All mine!!

The whole point of long runs is of course the eating afterwards, which we did in epic style with iced coffees and multiple donuts at Doughnut Plant. The Banana Peanut Butter? AMAZING. Must, must try.

Shake Shack has dog parking. Moose had a whole hot dog while at Shake Shack. It might have been the best day of his life.

 

Maybe the weirdest thing about marathon training is what it does to my schedule. I have no problem going back to bed for multiple hours after a long run, then waking up and starting my weekend at 4pm. And then staying out way past my bedtime on Saturday thanks to my messed up jet lag body. Sure, it might not work for everybody, but frankly, when its cooking outside and feels like a sauna, what could be nicer than an air-conditioned nap? I did get up much later, and had one of those perfect weekend evenings where you wander around your neighborhood drinking iced lattes, buying cupcakes, trying on dresses you can’t afford, eating Shake Shack, and getting free beers until 2am with an old friend. That’s pretty much my definition of how all weekends should be.

 

I ate this after Refine Method. It’s a banana soft serve with chocolate and peanut butter and pretzels. Yes, please.

And wait! There’s more! Not only did I run all my runs this week, but I also fit in a Refine Method class (blurgh, killer as always, ouch), convinced my whole project team to do the 100 pushups challenge, and went to yoga. The yoga instructor made us do laughing yoga. I didn’t laugh. It sounded really creepy. Like, people were flat out chortling. At nothing. No way.

What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened in a yoga class with you? Did you have an awesome workout week or did you skip everything and eat ice cream instead?

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