I really like my coach and I am so happy to have found people to run with. At my tempo run this past week, people were cheering me on and it felt so great to have a group of people to train with.
I bought a training book by Brad Hudson titled "Run Faster." Embarrassingly, I've never read a book about HOW to train for a marathon. For my prior marathons, I just downloaded a training plan from Runner's World or WHEREVER and implemented them. These plans typically didn't involve any speedwork (on my part). I just ran how I felt and never tried to push myself (with the exception of my training for the 1/2 marathon this past spring). In order to get better, I'm realizing that I have to do something different and really push my body. I'll let you know what I think of the book.
So, hubby and I have kind of been fighting lately about when we want to start trying to Baby II. I kind of want to run ONE more marathon (after Fall Marathon) in March/April before we start TTCing again. Husband wants to start trying NOW. Seriously. He said that I could run the Fall Marathon pregnant. I guess I'm just not really ready and don't feel entirely recovered from this past pregnancy. I mean, I still ache "down there" after a long hard run. And, I haven't really done any ab work post baby and let's just say that my stomach is no longer parallel to my body. I'd like these things to be resolved before we start trying again. But, I guess I'm not getting any younger...and if it takes a while again, I'd kick myself if I didn't begin sooner rather than later given the stats for fertility treatments and age. More for another blog post...
In other news, I ran more miles this week than I EVER have! I topped it off with an awesome 21-mile run @ 7:30 pace. I finally feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things and am going to be ready for the marathon in SIX WEEKS! I had hoped to put in some double workouts to get my total mileage up to 80ish, but babe wasn't sleeping this past week and I was too exhausted.
Weekly Mileage:
Monday, September 28, 2009: 6 miles w/ jogging stroller
Tuesday, September 29, 2009: 1.25 mile warm up, 1 x 1600, 2 x 1200, 2 x 800, 1 x 400 2.5 mile cool down (~8.5 miles)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009: 11 miles
Thursday, October 1, 2009: 10.2 miles
Friday, October 2, 2009: 1.5 mile warm up, 10 K @ 39:31, 1.5 mile cool down
Saturday, October 3, 2009: 11 miles
Sunday, October 4, 2009: 21 miles @ ~7:30 pace
Total Mileage: ~76.7 miles
Previous Weekly Mileage:
Monday, September 21, 2009: 4.25 miles w/ jogging stroller
Tuesday, September 22, 2009: 1.75 warm-up, 6 x 800, 2.75 cool down (~8.5 miles)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009: 11 miles am/ 3 miles pm
Thursday, September 24, 2009: 9 miles am
Friday, September 25, 2009: 9 miles am w/ 4 @ 6:08 / 3.5 miles pm
Saturday, September 26, 2009: 10 miles
Sunday, September 27, 2009: 16 miles w/ 8 @ 8:08, 2 @ 6:30, 2 @ 6:48 (not sure about the rest)
Total Mileage: ~74.5 miles
yeah, the belly thing is not cool. and i've been doing LOTS of ab work. i guess we need to take a long hard look at the peanut butter.
ReplyDeleteThose are some serious miles! I can barely manage to work 20 miles into my week!
ReplyDeleteThe baby thing is hard. Our kids are 4 years apart. We would have liked them closer, but it didn't work out that way. That said, I was 35 when I had #2 and it wasn't a problem. Having a big space between them has worked out fine. As far as the body issues, even with them four years apart, my body will never be the same. There are just some changes that aren't really reversible.
Good luck!
MCM Mama
Your blog is so inspiring! I swear, I wish I could run the way you do and love it like you love it. The baby thing is hard. I am soooo not mentally there and yet I know that I'm not getting any younger. My hubby would be totally for it too and I worry about it taking longer this time than the first time as I've heard that's the situation with many people. It's hard... it really is. Wish you were closer. We could meet up at a little coffee shop and talk.
ReplyDeleteHave you talked to your coach about the lack of specificity of your workouts, that you feel you need more details? Just wondering but maybe he can help - or maybe if he recognises his own limitations he could point you in the direction of somebody who coaches similarly but has a lesser workload and more time for individually tailored workouts?
ReplyDeleteMan those are huge miles - good for you! Keep up the good work, maybe you need to somehow distract hubby, point him in the direction of a project that will occupy his mind for a few months til your marathon is over :)
I just devoured that Run Faster book. LOVED IT! I really learned a lot and I like Brad Hudson because he is not as conservative as you get when you read a lot of other run training books. I will say this- it is NICE to have a personal coach telling you what to run and how fast and all that. I have benefitted immensely this year from having a personal coach. You just then have to go out and find a training partner (or two) who is willing to do YOUR workouts- otherwise you train alone a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm with ya on the baby #2 thing (you're not alone on the still hurting a bit down there after a long/hard run!). Scott is 46 already so he's wanting another one right away and I'm thinking I want one more racing season before we start to try again. Of course, we got pregnant right away the first time though so I'm not expecting TTC issues... hmmmm... Good luck with that choice! I would NOT run Richmond pregnant though. Surely he can wait a couple more weeks??
Good mileage! I'm with cherelli about the coach - go ahead and see if he can be more specific. In the meantime, it's nice that you have a group to run with.
ReplyDeleteBaby, baby. Claire is not destined to be an only child. My husband is one and doesn't want to have just one child - siblings are nice. So the when...hm. Claire was a surprise the first time around so it is odd to have the whole "when" discussion.
I am so impressed at your mileage. You are a running machine!
ReplyDeleteAs athletes, I think it is so easy to say 'just one more season' before wanting to try again. All of my friends with children born around the same time as Elena are on round #2 and I just can't believe it. I have often wondered what is wrong with me that I don't want to jump back into the pregnancy and newborn thing again as fast as everyone else? I have just decided that Elena and her future sibling are going to be about 4 years apart, which is OK with my husband and I.
My stomach will never be the same. I have wrinkle skin there so unless I get a tummy tuck, I am stuck with it for life. I just tell myself that my new stretchy stomach was a good trade for my daughter.
Again....WOW on the mileage! Awesome work! Since I don't have a coach I can't help you out there. But if I were to get a coach I'd have to get a more personal one, just so I knew exactly what to do. I guess most plans do since tempo runs should be run at certain percentages, and track work, too. But it's still nice to have it all laid out for you!
ReplyDeleteAs far as baby #2...I know exactly what you're feeling. I, too, am still having pain down there on long runs. Holy cow it hurt two weeks ago after my 18-miler. I know I need to work on the abs and adductors and abductors to make it better...and do some pilates and yoga. But sheesh, it's just so hard to make the time :-).
Hubby and I decided that we are now not not-trying. We'll just see what happens. I have the calendar all lined up with when I am supposedly fertile, so we'll see. Part of me is thinking "why did we wait so long" because I see people who are getting ready to have #2 and I'm sorta jealous. I know I'm ready now....but i couldn't have predicted that 9 months ago :-)
Don't you just wish it was as easy as going to the market and picking it up?? So not far :-)
Add me to the "down there" pain club. I still have it after longer runs.
ReplyDeleteI am the opposite though. I want to start trying for another child now and I think my husband is much more apprehensive (can we afford it, how will things change, etc.).
So many choices...
woo your mileage is so high. Impressive! The baby #2 thing is so scary, I'm thinking about this too, and I never went back on the pill, so I kind of just hope it happens w/o planning.
ReplyDeleteI love working with a coach that is super responsive and tailors everything for me. Money well spent. And she works group workouts in if I let her know about them so would you have to give up what you have going at the track?
ReplyDeleteYour mileage is crazy impressive. You are tough.
As for another kid, I am just not there yet annd luckily David is on the same page. Zach keeps us plenty busy. We're thinking maybe we'll try again around this time next year. But I have to worry about whether we'll get knocked up as quickly again because it took clomid the first time. But if we aren't fortunate enough to get pregnant again, I think I'm okay with just one.
I think I'm older than most of the rest of you (39 now), so I've already made the decision that 1 is enough. I just can't imagine doing the pregnancy thing again already and I don't want to be doing that in my 40's. I don't know about the "pain down there", but maybe that's because my long runs are only 10-11 miles. I do relate to the loose skin around the belly and the "non-parallel" abs. I understand that the loose skin does eventually tighten back up, but it takes a while. I should probably do more ab work, which I intend to do through the winter.
ReplyDeleteAs the others say - you're mileage is impressive. I've long accepted that I'm no runner and will never match real runner mileage. About 30 mpw is what I can handle.
Anyawy
great post....
ReplyDeleteI feel a little embarrassed for considering my running in when I want to TTC next but why should it be that way?
I like Daniels Running Formula (Daniels) and Advanced Marathoning (Pfizinger)
Oh, good. I'm glad I'm not the only one that aches "down there"! I was worried that I wasn't healing correctly or something. I wonder if this will ever go away or if things are permanently changed.
ReplyDelete