Week 1

Phew! Week 1 of marathon training is in the books. I am following the Runners World Smart Coach plan. Tacoma City Marathon is the race that I am training for and since the plan I am following is only 16 weeks long I have time to ease into it.

Monday: Rest Day/Cross Train
Yep, you read that right. My plan began with a rest day! What the heck?!? I decided to take matters in my own hands and hit the spin bike. It was my first time on the bike in several months. I'm happy to report I was still able to walk comfortably the next day. 30 minutes on the bike followed by 10 minutes on the rowing machines and a short core workout.

Tuesday: Run - Easy Run
The schedule called for 6 miles but as I stated above I am easing into training. The hubby and I hit the YMCA for 4 miles around the track. Followed up the run with a short arm workout.

Wednesday: Rest/Cross Train
I had full intentions of working out today but I got called into work so it turned into a rest day.

Thursday: Run - Tempo
I hit the treadmill for 5 miles at a tempo pace. It felt good to run the legs at a faster pace.

Friday: Run
I once again had to bypass my plan for the day to be a mom. Oh well...being a mommy is what comes first.

Saturday: Rest/Cross Train
I decided to make up the miles I missed on Friday. My focus was 4 miles of hills while maintaining a steady pace. Mission accomplished! Then it was off to the pool for an hour with the kiddos.

Sunday: Run - Long Run
It wasn't quite the long run I had hoped for distance wise but after watching the Seahawks game and being so tense for the entire second half of the game...you get what you get. Seriously, did you watch the game? You know what I mean then! The hubby and I hit McCormick Woods trails for a nice, cold 6.5 mile run. I have decided the best way for me to slow down and focus on my long run is to add some trail work in.

This was my run happy moment of the week.

So that's it. My first week of marathon training. It may sound boring to most but to me it's pure bliss.

Total running miles: 19.5
Total bike miles: 14

My goals

Okay folks, I have a few goals that I have established for this year. I will continue to update more throughout the year as well.
Here it goes:

1) Blog at least once a week.

I am notorious for starting a blog then stopping shortly after. I intend to keep up with this one.

2) Run a minimum of 2013 kilometers this year (1251 miles)

I hope to achieve more than that but it is still a goal of 100 miles more than 2012. I hope to remain healthy and motivated.

3) Run a 4:15 marathon or better.

This will require lots of training and it will also mean 18 minutes off my current PR. I would really love to get a 4hr marathon but I want to be realistic when setting this goal so I will aim for achievable and set it where it is still going to take work to get it.

So...there you have it. Goals have been set. Now if only I can get over this nasty cold and begin my training. Wish me luck!

Yukon Do It!

Another end of the year run doing the Yukon Do It! This was my first ever half marathon just 2 years ago and today it is my 25th half marathon!

To help cut down on race fees this year I did a lot of volunteering. Thankfully YDI was offering a free race bib if you volunteered. I was all over it. I helped with packet pickup the day before the race.

Race Morning:
I woke up with a sore throat and heavy lungs...no buena. I chose to just enjoy the run instead of racing it. This worked out in my benefit. The hubby and I stuck together for a lot of the course. I was holding him back but it was nice to have conversation on the run. The course is along the waterfront for a majority of the run which is just beautiful. The course creator, Ginger, and I run this route about once a month.

Somewhere between mile 5-6 we came across our favorite site on this run...the camels! Camels in Port Orchard, Wa. It's a fun site in 30 degree weather.

We saw Ginger (who was out due to a recent injury) as we turned the corner to head into Manchester State Park. We stopped and posed for pictures :)

Coming back out of the park we stopped for a few pictures of the camels and continued on. My lungs were not liking the hills so I walked them. It gave me a big burst of energy for the downhills! The hubby took off at about mile 10. I just took my time and enjoyed the scenery. I finished the course this year in 2:03:06. It was about a minute off of my course PR here so I was pleasantly surprised at the finish. I wish I was feeling better because I think today would have been a great day to pull out a new PR in the half marathon.

After the race I went back out onto the course to watch my friend Brian finish the last mile of the marathon. I ran the final mile with him. Overall, it was a great day. I look forward to this race every year!