Returning home from 70+ degree weather to the 40s and seeing termination dust on the mountains with fall in full swing was not a change I was prepared for. And not entirely due to the cold; there have been some changes in my running as well. Currently, all my training runs are scheduled to be run at an easy pace, but I have so much energy every once in a while that I do more of a tempo run. And it feels great to run a little faster! I recently informed Coach Laura that I would like to officially add speed work because these slow runs are getting monotonous. Plus, how am I supposed to improve my time/pace running slow all of the time? Being conservative because of my history of injuries is not a bad plan, however. She did add a weekly progressive run which involves picking up the pace in the last 0.75 miles of the 5-6 mile run so it’s still on the conservative side. Injury prevention is key in order to keep running at all, so I will take conservative for now.
What could be going better are the long runs. I struggled on the 14-mile run two weeks ago but completed it. And because of that difficulty, Laura reduced my next scheduled long run of 15 miles to 13. Seven miles into that run, I climbed a steep hill and couldn’t keep going. So, I had to walk a little bit; nothing wrong with that. When I reached the top of the hill, I tried running again and couldn’t keep going. I was completely depleted. I walked the 6 miles or so back to my truck.
Part of the problem is that I have yet to find a fueling regimen that works for me, and hydration has also been a concern. I do not like gels or chews! I have tried so many. They make me nauseous. I drink Skratch hydration mix and water before, during, and after the runs. But it’s hard to remember to keep drinking water throughout the day (it’s just hard to drink water, period).
Laura suggested adding a little protein to my pre-run snack. My brother, also a runner/cyclist, suggested I try a peanut butter and banana sandwich about an hour before I run. I tried it and felt much better on this week’s long run. I plan to make this part of my pre-run snack for future long runs.
However, that long run was supposed to be 11 miles. Even though my other runs this week went well, I knew I wasn’t up for 11 miles. This is a down week, so all the runs were fewer miles than the prior build-up weeks. The mid-week runs are going great, but the problem is that I am not recovering well, which can undoubtedly affect the long run. So, I have some work to do regarding dialing in my diet, hydration, and eating better for recovery. It’s all trial and error. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Yes, the marathon I plan to run is also a change. Well, sort of. I could still run CIM and probably finish, but I don’t want to just get through it; I want to do well in the race. And I need more time to get ready. So, I plan to withdraw from CIM (you can transfer/sell your bib to someone else in this race) and set my sights on the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon in March, which I was planning on running in addition to CIM. Seeing how things have gone, that probably needed to be better thought out. But, I have a much greater chance of doing well in that race given the base I already have established and the fact that I have 168 days (24 weeks) to build on that mileage base. Plus, I have family in the area, making it even sweeter. And if all goes well, my brother-in-law may run that race with me.
The good news is that I have been running for several months without an injury. That’s awesome! The running plan will need adjusting to reflect a build-up of base miles before marathon-focused training starts around the end of November. Hopefully, I will be a stronger runner by then, and the long runs will be easier.
Back to Alaska
So, Scott and I took five days to return to Alaska (you can read about our trip to Idaho here). Scott had to work along the way, and I was trying to get in some of my training runs, so we did take a little longer. Again, like last time, it was mostly driving and enjoying the views. We did not have much time to stop and explore the areas.
Although, we did stay at the really nice, cozy, and comfortable Overlander Mountain Lodge in Jasper. I woke up early in the morning to take the pups out, and the area was overrun practically with Elk. They were everywhere! Fortunately, the pups had a different focus, and I was able to steer clear of any confrontations. That would not have been good.
Pups were ready to travel and happy to be home.
Kiddos are back in school, but the whole family has been sick :(. Hopefully, I will get to spend some time with them soon. Until next time…
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