Sunday, September 20, 2015

Weekly Wrap # 7



Welcome to the Weekly Wrap!

This weekly linkup is hosted by yours truly and my good friend Tricia @ MissSippiPiddlin.  The purpose is to connect with and support other active women.  We want to hear about your weekly adventures.  You are encouraged to include anything you did to be active or anything you considered fun.  Please tell us how you amazing women accomplish it all.  You can summarize your whole week or just a small portion of it.  It's up to you!  See rules here.




Monday was my typical rest day.  On a lunchtime trip to Target, I found a new flavor of Zone Perfect Bars.  Has anyone else tried the Cinnamon Roll?  Very yummy!  I love that this bar has 15 grams of protein.  A Zone Bar is my typical second breakfast each day, a few hours after my first one of oatmeal with milk and berries. 




An easy run was on the schedule (I don't follow) for Tuesday.  But the weather was cooler than normal so I wanted to bump up my effort a little and decided on a progressive run to get in a couple miles at a faster pace.  My splits were:  10:00, 10:11 (oops) 9:40, 9:24, 9:05 (average 9:40).  I ran in my new Mizuno Wave Inspire 11 shoes.  My left pinky toe came back singing the blues.  Uh-huh, the toe box is smaller. {Heavy Sigh}

Mizuno, stop changing the shoes!
Wednesday, again the weather was nicer and I didn't want to waste that on the scheduled easy run.  I decided to do another progressive run, this time for 6 miles: 9:57, 9:57, 9:23, 9:34, 9:26, 9:01 (average 9:33). 

Thursday was a rest day and my throat was hurting.  Ugh.  But after 24 hours it was better.  It guess it could have been allergies.  I've had a niggle on the top of my left foot since last weekend.  It doesn't hurt while running, just afterwards.  Yeah, unfortunately I need to be able to walk too. This niggle was making me very nervous about my long run Sunday.

Friday, I ran 6 slower miles (9:58 average pace).  My foot felt better after this run.  I was highly encouraged about that. 


Saturday we headed to the lake early as we were having people over later.  The lake was simply beautiful, although a little choppy from wind.  The water had already cooled 6 degrees.  You can definitely tell Fall is coming.  I got three long ski runs in, probably more than I needed with my super long run the next day.  After 3-4 hours, we headed home because my in-laws were traveling over, and all of the kids and grand kids would be there.  There was a chaotic house full of people swimming, playing cards, eating party food and watching football {Roll Tide anyway}.  Mrs. Party Pooper called it a day around 10.  I needed an early start for Sunday's run.  It was forecast to be a hot day.




After a quick breakfast of yogurt, I hit the street Sunday morning just before six.  It was a pleasant 66 degrees. I tried not to look at my pace and run easy for the first third and hopefully speed up a little after that, which is my strategy for the marathon.  I looped around my mailbox three times and had a bottle stashed in the woods at one of my U-turn points.

I had 3 GU, 1 banana, 4 salt caps, 32 ounces of Gatorade Endurance and at least that much water.  I began losing the precious shade around mile 15.  At mile 18, I headed to the neighborhood park so I could run the last very warm miles in the shade.   It was 88 degrees when I returned home.


This happened too!  Thanks, Fitbit!

I had no rubbing, no chafing, no cramping, no pain --- nothing.  By no means, however, do I want you to think that running 23 miles felt easy.  It did not.  These long runs have been both a physical and mental challenge for me.

It boils down to putting one foot in front of the other...over and over, even when you think you can't take one more.  {Naturally this puts a song in my head.  Put one foot in front of the other, and then you'll be walking out the door...    Can anyone guess where that song is from?}

After 40 miles this week (a personal record) I am happy to be a resident of Taper Town.  I think I'm as ready as I can be for the Chicago Marathon!

And that's a wrap!





Tell be something fun about your week!

Are you training for something?  How is it going?
 




51 comments:

  1. 45000 steps in one day!!! Get it girl!!!

    I know right....cut it out Mizuno and all shoe makers!!!

    Is that you on the water ski-how cool!!!

    Enjoy your tapering-you have earned it!!!

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    1. Thanks for the kind comments. I am enjoying my taper already.

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  2. Congratulations on your long run. That is impressive. I would never be able to do that long of a run by myself. Glad there was no pain during it. That's always a good thing. I have never tried that flavor of zone bar but it sounds delicious
    Cinnamon roll without the guilt:)

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    1. I ran every one of my training miles solo. I'm not sure anyone would have wanted to put up with me. I love cinnamon this time of year.

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  3. I haven't tried Zone Perfect Bars yet. Way to rock 23 miles!! You are awesome! Sounds like you're ready for the Chicago marathon. Enjoy taper time!

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    1. Zone Perfect Bars have many yummy flavors! Dark Chocolate Almond and Chocolate Peanut Butter are two other favorites.

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  4. Sounds like a good training week to me. You must be looking forward to your Chicago marathon.
    Doesn't you just love it when a run comes together ? Your long run, even if hard, sounds great. I would love to see a post about your nutrition & how you are fueling for training...
    Thanks for the link up !

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    1. I worried about my two extra long runs and both went extremely well. They were hard, but that definitely was expected. I am very excited about Chicago and hope the weather is nice.

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  5. Congrats on making it to the taper! 23 miles is awesome...you are right, even when things go as well as they can it doesn't make a long run like that "easy"! Great job this week!

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    1. Thanks! I don't ever imagine I would think a long run like that would be easy, no matter what.

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  6. Yeah, just throw your no chafing in my face. :) I had to walk my cool down with my left arm held away from my body! And little did I know there was chafing under BOTH arms.

    Then again, thank God, it wasn't 88 here either. Probably at least 15 degrees cooler!

    And still there was chafing . . .

    You're doing great!

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    1. Thanks! I've had arm pit chafing before and it's definitely not pleasant. It always surprises me though. Like, how'd that happen?

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  7. Oh, wow! 23 miles! You are amazing! My feet hurt after two miles yesterday!. I like the Zone bars, fudge graham is usually my go to at the airport snack shop, since they carry them. So frustrating about the shoes. I hate when you get a model you love and then they change something from one version to the next. Enjoy the taper!!

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    1. Thank you! Zone has many great flavors and more protein than many of the other bars. The shoe thing really irritates me because they always change something.

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  8. Holly, I hate to hear that your shoes bothered you but I'm glad you've shared this info; I have trouble with narrow toe boxes, as well, and I've thought about trying the new Wave Inspires...hmm, not anymore - ha! I wish shoe manufacturers would leave their shoes alone, right? What a great week of training, girl! I know you're going to do great in Chicago and, well...it's Chicago; it's going to be awesome. Enjoy your rest and get your body ready to rock it out! Thanks so much for hosting the link up and I hope your Monday goes well.

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    1. I've even felt variations with the toe box in the same generation of shoe. That really stinks. I'm very excited about Chicago and hope the weather is nice. I'm already enjoying the taper too.

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  9. I hate when they change too much with newer model shoes, too. I loved the Ghost 6's, but I can't wear the 7's or 8's for smaller toe box issues. I guess I could try a wide, but I just went back to the Asics Gel Nimbus 17. I wore the Nimbus 13 years ago and went to Brooks when the Nimbus 14 model didn't work for me. Awesome job on your training! Enjoy your taper!

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    1. If I had known the toe box was smaller, I could have tried a wide. It's such a huge investment for the shoe not to be perfect. Lesson learned, I should have tried it in a local store before ordering on line. I'm already enjoying the taper, even if it's a mental thing!

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  10. I'll have to look out for the Zone bars. I eat a protein bar before I leave work and hit the gym so my stomach's not empty and I have extra calories to burn.

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    1. They have so many delicious flavors, I'm positive you could find a flavor you like! The extra grams of protein is nice too.

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  11. Congrats on your long run and weekly PDR (that long run must have been a distance PDR, too?)!!! The shade went away for the last few miles of my LR this week too and man, that sun drains me! But it was only in the 60s here. 88?! Yikes! You will be ready for Chicago!

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    1. Yes, 23 miles was a PDR over my previous of 21. 88 degrees really sounds hot, but I was OK as long as I had the shade. The humidity wasn't August bad, so tolerable.

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  12. 23 miles!! i'm in awe. You will do great on your marathon. I hate when they change. Mizuno Wave Rider 18s were at least better than 17s. Who knows what the 19s will be like. The older Hokas have a wider toe box than the newer ones so I didn't buy them.

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    1. Thanks, Darlene. I hope so. I'm going to try the shoes a few more times. Maybe they will loosen up a little after wear. They are just such a big investment to not be perfect!

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  13. Wow, 23 miles with no pain or chafing is great! I'm sure it wasn't easy but that's impressive, especially with the heat as you finished. I hope you enjoy your taper :)

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    1. Thanks! Conditions are always different on race day, but hopefully I am prepared. I am already enjoying the taper, at least from mentally feeling like I can "rest"..

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  14. Good Lord you ran a 21 and a 23 miler this cycle? Dang! My limit is 22 and I'm sticking to it. You are definitely as ready as you're going to be. Welcome to taper town!

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    1. It was a mental thing, Marcia. I just had to know if my body would hold out. It did. It was probably a risky move on my part and one I'll probably not repeat in the next training cycle.

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  15. Awesome job on your 23 mile long run! You sound very ready for Chicago! Enjoy your taper! I will have to look for the cinnamon Zone Bar. Love cinnamon rolls! :)

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    1. Thanks, Sharon. I hope I am ready for Chicago, but you know how race day is always different than training - at least for me. I'm as prepared as I can be. We'll see how it shakes out.

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  16. Your family party sounded like a blast! I love when we have a household of chaos..aside from the clean up! I am so jealous of your 66 degree weather!! What What?! I can't even imagine that!!! Have a great week HoHo!

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    1. Well, the 66 degrees lasted exactly 30 minutes. LOL. It's always fun when everyone comes over. What cleanup? That's what a good DIL is for! Joking.

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  17. Gotta love a little Christmas in July :) Now I have that song in my head!

    Enjoy your well earned taper! Can't wait to see how Chicago goes - I'm sure it will be great!

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    1. That was always a favorite Christmas special. And yes, I've been singing it since I wrote this post. It's time to move on to another song! Thanks for the well wishes.

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  18. Sounds like a great week, congrats! I'll have to try those bars!

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    1. Thanks, I'm happy to be tapering now. Zone has so many great flavors!

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  19. I'm so impressed with your long run--88 degrees at the finish? Yikes!

    You are so ready.

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    1. Thanks Wendy, I hope I'm ready. But I also hope Chicago is NOT 88 degrees at the finish. That would not be good at all.

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  20. Nice! You've earned your taper!

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    1. Thank you! I plan to relish it. And eat. And sleep.

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  21. Wow, HoHo, you are KILLING your training. A 23-mile long run, woo hoo!!! Way to push through, especially in 88 degree temps at the finish. WOW. I topped out at 20 miles when I was training for Chicago, and was SO happy to stop at 20. =) Welcome to your taper!!!!!

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    1. Thank you Emily. I'm glad to have that one under my belt. Whew! It was a mental thing for me. I had to know I could go the distance...and twice. Now I'm worry about that other 3.2 miles. LOL.

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  22. I went to two stores this morning looking to see if they had these new Zone Perfect bars. You know I'm a big fan! Neither store had them, boo! I know this just makes you sick about your shoes! If they want to change them up they should just come out with a new shoe with a new name and leave the old ones alone, ok maybe change up the colors but that's it! I was going to ask you how you fueled for this long run so I'm so glad you posted it! I tried my best to somewhat cat nap during the game. I really did want to see it but being at the campground, the hubs could only see it on his tablet an that just wasnt' doing it for me. Every time I'd doze off he'd hollar! It was a nail biter to the end and had we not run out of time I'm not sure the outcome would be the same. No matter who you pull for if you don't like two teams playing THAT hard then well you just don't like football! :) We had a great Weekly Wrap Link up! It takes me a few days because Monday's are so busy for me at work but I enjoy reading each and every post! Hope you have an awesome week! :)

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    1. I'm surprised my crew kept it quiet enough for me to fall asleep. Shocked, actually. Bama needs to get behind their quarterback, whoever it's going to be, and stop messing around. I wish I could have seen the whole game but I knew it would be so late finishing! There's nothing quite like SEC football. I do enjoy reading everyone's post too. It's like following family. :) And the more the merrier.

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  23. Yes, that song is from an old clay-mation Christmas special. Oh, in full disclosure...that watch was stopped every time I made a pit stop. If I don't stop it, then I have no idea what my pace is. And I had to keep that under control! I forgot to say that I ran this entire run in my HR target zone too. I was really proud of that. I can't find my old shoes any more in my size. I think I went through 4 pairs of that model!

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  24. Whoo hooo! Yea, 23 miles is NEVER easy! Way to go! Great job! DOn't you hate it when they redesign shoes...bummer about the new Mizunos and the smaller toe box. That is one of my pet peeves when they do that!!

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    1. It's a huge pet peeve of mine because I've run in the wrong shoe before with almost catastrophic consequences. I need one I can ALWAYS rely on!

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  25. Ugh I hate when new shoes don't fit like the dream the way the old ones did. So frustrating! As you know, I just went through that too.

    I like doing progressive runs and fast finish runs. They make me feel strong and kind of bad @ss. :)

    Great job on your long run! I love getting out there super early to beat the heat. Plus you still have so much of the day left when you get done. And I like the feeling of being out in the quiet morning when most others are still sleeping. Such a great feeling to have that final long run in the books, too!

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    1. Progressive runs are my favorite. I'm so sluggish in the first miles because I'm right up out of the bed anyway. Then I wake up and am ready to work hard. I love my quiet morning runs!

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