Interview With Myself

Thank you so much for all of your stories about favorite races!  I do plan on taking the time to sit down and reread each and every comment and get back to you in some way unless you have no link to e-mail or blog. This might take me a few days but I'll get there. It was so energizing to read all of your stories.  


I'm feeling really great with my base building.  Most of my miles have been in the range of 7:45to 8:45ish so I've been keeping them easy and just focusing on building up some mileage before I start with an official Boston plan.  I've had plenty of miles to reflect on my plan, mileage and staying injury free.  Several of you have asked questions or sebt e-mails asking about my training so I thought I'd put some things out there for people that have training questions.  This is my self-interview. Ha! This is how I am entertaining myself in my short 30 minutes of ME time today.  


How many miles did you say you wanted your peak weekly mileage to be?  80


Where did you get that number from?  I pulled it from my butt.  Seriously, it was just a number out of the sky.  It wasn't based on any research, thoughtful consideration of data, or wise understanding of training.  


What kind of mileage are you running right now?  The last few weeks have been in the 50 mile range.  Last week was 50 and the week before that was 49.  I'd like to shoot for 55 this week. Possibly 60 the next.   


Do you still think you're going to do 80 as your peak weekly mileage?  Ha!  Can I do it?  Yes, probably but it would mean that I'd probably have to slow down a bit with a lot of my mileage.  This is where I have to consider quality vs. quantity.  I'm not so sure it would be wise for me to try to hit this number AND still hit all of my quality workouts. 

What is a more realistic goal?  Taking the advice of a very wise friend who knows her stuff and combining it with my risk-taking and dreamer of a self, I'd like to think that 70 is a more solid and realistic peak weekly mileage for me. She advised 65 so I may very well follow her advice and stick with that.  We shall see.  

What does 70 peak weekly mileage mean?  This means that I will certainly NOT be running 70 miles every week of my training cycle.  The goal is to have some higher and lower weeks so that your body can absorb the training and not take on too much every week.  I plan on doing lots of LISTENING closely to my body and increasing wisely and gradually.  I might only have 2 weeks at 70.  This seems okay right now.  I will reevaluate if necessary.  


Where do you find time to workout with your motherhood duties and blog keep up and everything else?  There are definitely things that will need to be cut out of my life.  It is all about prioritizing.  My life will not always be all about training for a marathon but this is a time in my life that I'm going to dedicate to training hard for a marathon.  To some, this might seem silly but it is important to me and I'm willing to put other things on the side for a few months.  We recently purchased a treadmill and this will help tremendously with the time issue.  I will most likely have to get my lazy bum out of bed early on some days and find time to fit in around quiet time/nap time when my oldest is at school.  It is possible to fit in the mileage that you want and still be a great mom, wife and friend.  However, it just takes knowing what you want and making the time for the things that are MOST important.  Not everyone will understand but really, you can't please everyone.  


What kinds of thinks will you have to cut out if you are going to be serious with mileage, training, and self-care?  Reading my book club book, seeing friends as often, staying up late, responding to comments, facebook, e-mail, reading blogs and probably a few other things. When I start worrying about not getting to everyone and not being able to be there for everyone all of the time I will consult the Dr. Suess: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those you mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  Of course this is all within reason.  Obviously I will still take time for those that I love but my friends will hopefully understand when I am just not up for going out and staying up too late or when I have to bail on a social engagement like book club or girls' night out.    


What things are most important to you to maintain during training?  The quality time with my kids and my husband, self reflection time, eating healthy, and spiritual time. 


What are you most excited for with this upcoming Marathon training?  I'm so very excited to take my training to a new level of commitment.  I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with this one body and one life that I have when I give 100%.  Now is as good of a time as any!  Bring it!  My main goal is to improve and feel STONG!  I'm also excited to be training at the same time as some very dear and wise friends who I continue to learn from every single day!  I'm excited to encourage and be encouraged. Inspire and be inspired.  You girls know who you are!  


My quiet time is officially over and this means that self-interview time is up.  Hope I answered some of your questions that you've e-mailed me with.  


Happy Monday!
Amanda

Manly Music

There is something sexy about my husband walking in the door from a 12.5 mile run in the forest!  Even when he smells like mud and sweat, it is still a turn on to know that he is taking care of himself and training for a race with me!  I love that he is sharing in something that I love so much.

One thing we do not share when it comes to running is the music we listen to.  In fact, I rarely can listen to my husband's playlist for longer than 2 minutes before I want to smash a window or tear my hear out.  His playlist consists of such bands as:

Rage Against The Machine
Godsmack
Breaking Benjamin
Metallica
Puddle of Mud
Seven Dust
Disturbed

It is music that gets him revved up and ready to rock his workouts.  It usually does the opposite for me.  But yesterday when he got home, I grabbed the iPod that we share and I hit the road for my 6 mile run.  I knew I didn't have long since we had to make it to a party later so I was too lazy to change the playlist.  I'm not always one that listens to music anyway so I thought I'd just give his music a try.  Instead of draining me like it usually does, I actually felt tough and focused!

I ended up with what I felt was a great run!  Granted this was a recovery week so I had some extra energy and wasn't as fatigued as I might have been with a harder week of training.

6.21 miles in 47:15
7:37 average pace
mile 4 @ sub 7 pace

I might listen to "Manly" Raging Music more often.  Or Not.

This week I start Build 1 Phase of my training plan so things get harder.  The focus for this phase is:
To continue to increase aerobic capacity and endurance; increase fatigue resistance @ 3,000 pace and 10k pace.
Mon:  Off
Tues:  7 miles @ base pace
Wed:  Dynamic stretching, 1.5 mile warm up, 8 x 400m @ 3,000 pace (shooting for 6:05 pace), 3 min active recovery and then 1.5 mile cool down
Thurs:  spin class and 20-50 min recovery pace run.  Resistance workout, weights
Fri:  Dynamic stretching, 1.5 mile warm up@ recovery, 2 x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace (shooting for 6:39) 1.5 mile cool down
Sat:  2-6 miles active recovery and resistance workout
Sun:  12 miles @ base pace

My mantra will be the same as it was on Friday:

"It's Gotta Get Harder Before It Can Get Easier!"  

I'll leave you with a picture or two from last night.  Let's just say that today I'm dragging.  I'm really needing some sort of a boost to make my 9 mile run happen today.

I love this man!

Happy Valentine's Weekend!
Amanda

It's GO Time!

Yep, that's right!  It's time to start training for something again!  I'm healed and feeling stronger than ever.  Funny to say but I'm kind of thankful for my hamstring injury...it has definitely made me more determined to push myself to new limits!  


Wow, thank you so much to all of you for your advice, feedback, encouragement and wise words on my last post.  I had no idea that I would get such a great response.  I loved everything you had to say regarding fast marathon courses.  You're right, a marathon is a marathon....26.2 is 26.2 and to get a PR on a fast course doesn't take away from anything!  


I'm officially registered for the Newport Marathon on June 4, 2011!  It feels good to have something nailed down and have a goal to focus on.  

I've chosen a program to put my faith in and see where we go together.  I've heard good things and I'm  just going to trust.  

The Brain Training Marathon Training is 24 weeks. Tomorrow will be starting week 4 for me since I started a little late.  The training is broken up into 4 phases:  Base, Build 1, Build 2, and Peak.  During this time, it includes tune-up races at the end of week 12, 16, and 20.  I have never done a program like this with tune-up races so I'm just going to trust the process.  I'm actually kind of excited to have some little races in between.  I think in the past, I wouldn't have liked this idea.  

Here are some other races I've worked into the 24 week plan to serve as tune-up races:

Week 12:  Still looking for a 5k but thinking of the Shamrock run on March 13th (this would be week 13 but close enough)

Week 16:  Registered to run the Vernonia Half Marathon on April 10th with my husband.  This was supposed to be a 10k but I think that if I remember to not race too hard then I should be fine. 

Week 20:  Registered to run the Hippie Chick Half Marathon on May 8th.  This will be a scheduled tune-up race

Week 24:  June 4th.  Race Day Yay!

My hubby was sweet enough to get me a wall calendar to write my plan down.  I will also be planning his training plan too.  Since he will be running the Vernonia Half Marathon with me, I'm not so sure how fast and prepared I want him to be...especially if it is only supposed to be a 10k tune-up race for me.  I might have to let him beat me.  No, really, he is faster than me.  

Today was an 8 miler at base pace.  The book shows me how to figure out my base pace according to where I'm at right now and according to my race goal. Having a Garmin works wonderful for staying on track with this!

Here is where I figured out my Target Pace Level for my starting point.  I am supposed to move down about 4-6 numbers by the end of the 24 weeks and as I improve.

This chart also helps for when I need to know my pace for speed workouts like 1 min farlek intervals.  I would want to be running these at my 1 mile pace according to my TPL which would be around a 6-6:15 mile pace at the start of this program.  When I did it the other day, my fartleks were right at 6 min pace and a little under.  

And here is about what each week looks like.  Each week includes work on stride/form, resistance and strength work, speed, intensive endurance and extensive endurance.

Feels great to be back to training for something!  

1.  What events are you training for in 2011?  

2.  If you are not a runner or triathlete reader, what is something big you are working towards in 2011?  

3.  Question for you running friends about the New York Marathon...I know it is a lottery but I also know you can qualify.  Are there only specific races you can qualify at or are most certified courses NY qualifiers?  How does this work?  If you race the qualifying time for NY are you guaranteed to be able to get in if you register in time?  

Amanda

Books That Speak For Themselves!

Let the reading begin!  Gosh, I LOVE books!  I'm so excited to get these beauties in the mail today.  Thanks to ERG and Jill from Run With Jill for the great suggestions.

Oh, and I do plan on getting to some of your blogs today.  So many of you have left such thoughtful comments and I want to make sure I have time to come visit your blog and give you the same thoughtfulness so please don't think I'm just being rude and ignoring you.  Just trying to fit it all in between taking care of my kids, running, and you know, life.  :)

Have you read any of these books?  Tell me about them?  What's your favorite?
Amanda