Monumental Training, Week 9.5...

Because "Monumental Training" is more fun to say than "International Training"...
(if you're new, I have the Detroit International Half Marathon two weeks before the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon)

Why Week 9.5?  Well, A. It's Wednesday, the week is half over! Get with it!  And B. I'm just going to tell you what's going on up to now, including today.

. . .

I broke my ass.

I'm going to call that my theme of the week.

I repeated that several times over the last few days.

I didn't really.

but

Owwwwwww.....

I actually had this problem two weeks in a row. This week, I was just a touch smarter, and maybe a bit tougher, about it. Monday is squat day. Last Monday, I squatted heavy, did some box jumps, did some kettlebell swings, ran 5 miles on Tuesday, and couldn't walk by lunchtime. I'm pretty sure Wednesday ended up being bench press only, and then I waddled back into the house...

This Monday, I squatted heavy again, completed 3 reps each at 85, 95 and 105. Then I did 4 rounds of 10 box jumps, 10 walking lunges with the 45lbs bar, and 10 pushups on the box. Tuesday, I ran 4 miles (it was supposed to be 5, but I ran out of time).   Today though... I could move! Sort of. So I did bench presses and 4 rounds of 10 burpees, 5 ring rows, 5 shoulder presses each arm at 20lbs, plus some ab work.  I have weak shoulders and I hate burpees. But I got it done!  I'm quite proud of that.

My long run on Saturday was a hot (literally) mess.  The schedule called for 12 miles. I didn't rush out the door, and knew it would bite me in the ass, but at about 9:00 a.m., I loaded the Camelbak and off I went.  Heading out the door, it was a perfect 68, and I was on mostly shady neighborhood streets. I was clipping along at about 10:20, which is faster than my normal race pace, but it felt good. I knew I was going a bit fast, but didn't stop to reign it in.

By mile 5, I was hurting. I was out in the sun. Nothing but the sun. It was hot. I could feel the heat in my face, and wanted nothing more than to quit already.  I slogged through the next 5.5 miles. At around mile 10.5, I had to pause and stretch, hiding gratefully in the shade under a tree. I even texted my husband to tell him I was struggling. "Finish it. You don't quit."   I beat myself up a bit, because, yes, I sometimes do quit. But I am not proud of quitting, ever. So I kept going. It was not pretty. In fact, it was agony.

I trudged home, collapsed, and promptly checked the weather. In the 2 hours I'd been running, the temp had gone from 68 to 78, with not a cloud in the sky. Considering the mild summer we've had, and the very cool mornings I usually run in, 78 was HOT. (I know this sounds ridiculous, but mornings this summer have been in the 58 - 62 range, and obviously no sun.) Also, my early splits were 10:28, 10:25, 10:02, and 10:38.  The early speed showed in the late slow.  But! It's done. Another long run in the books, and 12 miles closer to the Monumental Marathon!

Feeling buff post-long run. And showing off my new Inov-8 tank top, which performed beautifully!

What are you training for?  How is training going?

Monumental Training, Week 8...

Week 8 was a bit eventful...  I wrote myself a pretty intense workout Monday, still cranked out my miles Tuesday, and regretted it by lunchtime Tuesday!

Monday, I did a 3x5 of squats at 75, 80, and 95, did ab work, and did 3 rounds of 10 box jumps, 10 push-ups on the box, and 10 kettlebell swings at 35. By the time I was getting up from my desk that day, I was hurting! I managed to crank out my 5 miles Tuesday, and well, can't even remember the rest of the week! I felt pretty badass until about Tuesday afternoon though!

This weekend the schedule called for a 5K race instead of a long run, and I was happy to oblige. Dear Husband decided to run with me since he started a new strength program this morning. Usually, he runs "with" me, and leaves me in the dust within a half mile. But, he decided to stick with me and push me along. We ran a 29:29 5K... my PR is 29:25. I'll take it!

Things have been extremely hectic at work, so I keep meaning to write more, and just, well, not. In the grand scheme of work/life balance, I have to work, I have to marathon train, and I have to find time to relax for my health.

What are you training for? How is your work/life/training balance?

Cross Training The Husband's Way...

Day Two of Whole 30!!    (Remember, I'm actually doing Chris Kresser's Your Personal Paleo Code 30-Day Reset Diet... but it's easier to call it Whole 30 since that's more well known).

Day 1 was fairly easy, except the husband and I were both very hungry in the evening. I think we may have not planned in enough carbs and need to do a better job of incorporating them throughout the day. I'm not planning to share everything I eat, but if I come up with a great recipe, I will definitely share those!  For example... no idea how I originally found this, but here's the recipe I'll be using for dinner tonight... Mexican Shredded Beef ..  Real spices, no junk, and so good!

Today also officially kicked off training for marathon #2. Training techincally started yesterday with a rest day... today was Cross Training. I've given Dear Husband control over my cross training for at least the first half. This gives him Mondays and Wednesdays, and I said I'd lift Thursdays since Friday is CT/Rest and I plan to just do Yoga/Stretching.  I'll backtrack just a bit to let you know how terrifying today was...

I finished my first Wendler Cycle over the weekend by testing my one-rep max.. Bench didn't improve much, probably because I only really worked chest one day a week. Shoulder press I couldn't work because the weights we have are too heavy..  So here they are (May 6 / June 14):

Shoulder Press: 55 / 55

Bench Press: 70 / 80

Deadlift: 125 / 150

Squat: 80 / 115

Yup... 35 pound PR in squat!  I was not anticipating that... I hate squats and love Deadlifts.

So..  DH decided to roll right into another Wendler.  Today's workout:

Wendler Squats: 3x5+ at 65, 80, 90

3 Rounds, no rest: 15 second hollow hold, 15 second glute bridge

3 Rounds: 20 air squats, 15 lunges, 10 box jumps, 1 minute rest

Yes, you're reading that correctly...  my 'light' first week of Wendler exceeds my previous PR.  Ooof!  By the time I got to the first air squats, my legs didn't want to function!  Got it done, but tomorrow's 3 mile run should be an adventure!

The post-workout view... from flat on my back!

Ass-kicker!   But I not-so-secretly love box jumps..

The best thing about this morning though?  I planned ahead and made a frittata last night!  DH was headed to to the gym before work as well ( I always use our garage gym / the sidewalks for running), so I had to plan ahead a bit..   Super easy!  7 eggs mixed with 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk..   Browned and crumbled the sausage in a cast-iron pan, added red onion and 1 Tbsp coconut oil, let the onions cook a bit, then added the kale.  Once kale and onion were cooked, added the eggs, and popped it in the oven at 375 for about 10 minutes.   Boom!  Protein ready and waiting when the workout finished. 

Yummmmm....  See? Whole 30 is tasty!

Do you have any Whole 30 recipes, or great ways to stay fueled and hydrated while doing Whole 30??

Pick It Up and Put It Down...

Last post, I hinted that my training was changing course for a bit. I think strength training is extremely important to athletes. I still don't want to go completely to CrossFit with my husband, but I like to use many of the same moves. I don't mind kettlebell swings, hate burpees (like everyone), enjoy box jumps, deadlifts, hang cleans, etc. My training plan for the Monumental Marathon officially kicks off on June 15, and it starts light, so I gave my husband 6 weeks of free control, as long as I can still run a minimum of 3 miles, 3 times per week.

So. He has me doing a Wendler Cycle. We're doing deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and shoulder presses. Step 1 was to test my one-rep max so we could map out the rest of the cycle.

Lifting around my husband involves an embarrassingly high level of grumbling and pouting. He critiques my form and I get crabby. He pushes me too hard and I basically throw a 29-year-old tantrum. Yeah... it's fun.  But, God bless him, he doesn't give up on me. I guess it's nothing worse than 19-year-old Privates in the Army threw at him.

My 1-rep max as of May 7:
Squat: 80
Bench Press: 75
Deadlift: 125
Shoulder Press: 55

I was bummed because my deadlift is down 10 pounds from last summer, but hey... I barely lifted since last summer. We have a great garage gym setup with squat rack, bench, bar, box, etc. all from Rogue Fitness. Can't recommend them enough. High quality gear and made in the USA! Dear Husband has never let me off easy... "my" kettlebell is 35 pounds, our bar is 45, and the lightest dumbbells we have are 20. I'm a firm believe that women should lift heavy. Your purse weighs more than your 5 pound dumbbell, so how on earth will that get you fit??

So...  for the next 4 weeks, I'll be lifting 4 days per week. And running 3 days per week. I'll double-up on Thursdays, so my new training schedule...

Monday: Squat
Tuesday: Run 3-4 miles
Wednesday: Bench Press
Thursday: Run 3-4 miles, Deadlift
Friday: Shoulder Press
Saturday: Run 3-6 miles
Sunday: Rest

Coach Husband swears to me I'll see advances in my 1-rep max and in my running. And I definitely won't stop lifting during marathon training. Strong legs are a big help when your mind is ready to give up.

So now I will pick some things up, and then put them down. And then do it again and again.


Do you weight lift while running? How do you cross train? 

The Critic...

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

But, Mr. Roosevelt, what would you say if the critic and the man in the arena were one and the same?

Hi, my name is Stacey, and I am my own worst critic. I beat myself up and belittle myself. I compare myself to others, even though they probably don’t even notice. I project my own insecurities, and cast a shadow of doubt on myself.

Last week, I realized just how bad things have become when I missed my morning workout. Rather than thinking, “OK, I woke up with stomach cramps and could not physically have run. I will try again later.” I thought, “What a failure. You were supposed to run 5 miles. Stop making excuses.” It ate at me all day. That day, it all ended fine because I did make it out, and had a great run. But the whole story repeats itself over and over. I still look at my weekend run as a failure, even though I got my miles in, because I couldn’t get it all Saturday, and then couldn’t get the full 12 Sunday. I slept this morning instead of strength training, and even though I can do it tonight, I’m sitting at work berating myself for not just getting up and getting it done.

I attack myself when runs are hard, blame myself when I haven’t gotten enough sleep, give in when I can’t move a weight I wanted. I see Tweeters complain about how a slow run for them was an 8 minute pace and mentally respond with disgust and disbelief because my averages are in the 10-11 minute range depending on distance. My stepsister decided to start running after I did, and I agonize over every result, wondering why she’s faster, why she’s better.

I’m sure most of us have seen The Oatmeal’s fantastic “Blerch” comic. I’m pretty sure I have the Blerch and the Jerk following me. One tells me to give in, to be lazy, to eat that cheat food, and the other one berates me endlessly after I listen to the first.

The Jerk isn’t always a bad thing, but it IS a bad thing when he gets out of control. The Jerk can come in handy sometimes… a mean little Critic following me around, punching the Blerch in the face is a good thing.

But the Critic, the Jerk, has become too strong recently. No one else is comparing my results. In fact, most people are super supportive, even when results aren’t that impressive. Only I use that comparison to beat myself up. My competition should only be against myself. And, truly, failures walk hand-in-hand with triumph. If I have never failed, how could I feel as great of joy when I succeed? “who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming…”

It is hard to accept, hard to learn, that coming up short, whether it’s an aborted long run, a run that wasn’t as fast as you hoped, a weight that simply won’t move, coming up short is part of the battle. It is what makes the eventual victory so sweet. The failures and struggles give power to the victory, to the success, to the PR. 

Maybe this is the mantra, the way to silence the Critic, the Jerk, to remind him over and over that there is no effort without error and shortcoming. If it were all easy, if there weren’t delays and failures, errors and shortcomings, there would be no victory, and no reason to keep going.

“who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Dare. Dare greatly. Take on those challenges. Silence the Critic by setting goals for yourself, not for others. If I compare myself to others and then decide it isn’t worth it because I feel I’ll come up short, if I take one perceived failure and decide it’s not worth fighting for success, if I refuse to dare - then I belong with those cold and timid souls. If I do not dare, I do not deserve victory, and I do not deserve to call it defeat. When that voice, that Jerk, that Critic, pops up in your head, remind him that you are daring. That you may have failed today, yesterday, and the day before, but you are striving, you are daring greatly, and you’d rather have the face marred by dust and sweat and blood than sit aside and believe in critics.

Workout of the Day: will be 4 rounds: 20 kettlebell swings (35lbs), 10 shoulder presses - each arm (20 lbs), 10 lunges (40 lbs)

Song of the Day: "Pompeii" - Bastille

Running in the CamelBak Marathoner Vest

Let's stick to a theme here... when I review stuff, I've run in it. Not just shoes. So "Running in" means it's a review..

I hate, hate, hate carrying stuff while running, and I hate the very idea of water/fuel belts. I've previously run with a handheld bottle. I actually threw it away in the middle of one Half Marathon, and ended up replacing it because it was only $10. But, with some very long runs in my future, I needed a means of carrying fuel and hydration. Very shortly into my search, the CamelBak Marathoner Vest caught my eye...  along came Christmas money, and I ordered it!

I received the vest during a bit of taper week, so it took a while before I finally got to try it. Here, I tried it on the night I got it...

Front View

Side View (almost flattering, isn't it?)

My immediate impression was that the vest was comfortable. I was very impressed by the number of adjustment points. There are two adjustable buckles across the chest, the top is fabric, the bottom is elastic. There are adjustable buckles at the sides, which zig-zag between 3 points of contact. The straps are actually attached by velcro, so you can elongate or shorten at the shoulder. 

The vest has several reflective strips, which is wonderful (visibility is SO important). There are two large pouches on the front, one on each side. These could easily hold fuel, an extra water bottle, gloves, a neck gaiter, etc. Above these are mesh storage, covered by a small overlap, which is great for something like your keys or cell phone. The tube comes over your shoulder, under two straps, and then has two available clips. The front also features and integrated safety whistle. 

On the back, you have some additional reflectivity, a zippered flap that allows access to the reservoir, and a mesh and elastic pouch that is perfect for storing an extra layer. 

Just messing with it that night, I was very impressed by how easy it is to adjust each strap. Even with gloves on, it is easy to either grab the extra strap and pull, or lift up on the buckle to let a little out. I was, and remain, confused by the whistle. It doesn't seem to come off, despite having an elastic strap. But if it remains where it's attached, I physically can't bend my head down to use it if needed. Maybe I'm missing something, but I probably will go ahead and snap the plastic soon, just so I can use the whistle if I ever need... hopefully I never do need it, but I'm glad it's there!

Front View

Back View

I can't figure out this whistle...

Ok, so, finally it was time to USE the vest! I had a 12 miler on my schedule and I was ready to go. I purchased the CamelBak Elixer in Berry, and premixed it in a different container, then poured the mix, plus additional water until the reservoir was full. When I first lifted the full vest, I was a bit concerned about the weight, but the wide shoulder straps do a great job distributing the weight. Even with a full vest, three Island Boost packets, and my phone, the vest felt pleasantly light. 

Take the time to mess with the straps. One thing I learned very quickly.. leave everything just a bit looser than you think you'll want. I started out with everything pulled snug, and quickly realized it was too restrictive to breathe properly. I loosened everything just a touch and it was perfect. Unfortunately, my first outing with the Marathoner Vest was short-lived. I only got about 3.65 miles in. Why?  Well... at mile 1.5, I realized my tube was frozen. At mile 2.5, I was thirsty, so actually stopped, removed the vest, and tried to tuck the tube inside so my body heat would thaw it. At mile 3.65, I gave up and called the husband to pick me up. Then I called REI in the hopes they would have the insulated tube.  (They did.)

In the picture above, you can actually see the insulated tube is attached. I went back out today, and the insulated tube worked well... no more freezing. I am both annoyed and OK with this. I understand the extra cost involved if CamelBak just gave the insulated tube with the Vest, but it is frustrating to buy a $100 hydration pack, and then need to spend another $20 for a new tube. Not to mention, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the old tube. Store it in case the insulated one breaks? Except, if the insulated one breaks during Michigan winter, the old one would do me no good.

Frustration aside, I was very pleased with the vest. I found it easiest to leave the tube outside of the upper clip, and just use the lower clip, but I had no problems clipping it in or out... all very easy to do while running. Again, it is very easy to adjust the straps while running, so don't ignore them; play with them and get things set right. I love the side straps, which allow for a personal, snug fit.  It is weird initially to hear the water sloshing around behind you, but I surprisingly didn't feel it. In fact, after a while, I barely felt the vest, which is great.

My biggest frustration with the vest is that everything seemed, well, long.  I am about 5'6", 140 lbs. and everything was long. The straps were long enough that I occasionally hit them on the arm swing, the hose was a bit long, so I had to sort of curl it toward me.  The length of the actual vest was fine though, so I guess I can't really complain.   You do feel a bit warm on the back, but this time of year, I'm not complaining!

Overall, I do recommend the Marathoner Vest. I wish it was a bit more affordable. Maybe $100 including the insulated tube.  If you're running anywhere it's regularly below freezing, just bite the bullet and buy the insulate tube. Don't worry that the package says it will keep your drink cold, it will work to prevent freezing. Save yourself the frustration, and get it all at once. Ultimately, if you're going for long runs or hikes, want hands-free hydration and plenty of storage, it is a good investment.

Highs and Lows...

Highs and lows. Ups and downs. All in one week. Maybe that's the story of marathon training?

Monday, I had a decent morning workout, but Tuesday was miserable. I went to bed Monday night and woke up Tuesday morning with what seemed to be mild food poisoning.  Stomach cramps, dizziness, the works. I dragged myself to work, focused on drinking a ton of water, and mentally beat myself up for having not run in the morning. (I am 100% my own worst critic, and extremely hard on myself).  But! When I came home, I felt decent enough to try for the plan-mandated 5 miler. And rocked it!  Felt good, went fast.

Wednesday morning was another good crosstraining day.  My workouts were...  Monday - 3 rounds of: 10 front squats at 40lbs, 5 (each leg) lunges at 40lbs, 10 wipers, 30 seconds (each side) side planks. Wednesday - 4 rounds of: 10 (each leg) single-leg deadlifts at 40 lbs., 10 tricep dips, 5 (each leg) modified bridge (one leg propped up, one held perpendicular to body), 5 regular bridges.

Thursday it was HARD to wake up. I've been trying to get up at 5 am every day so I have time to eat/coffee/restroom, run, and take care of things around the house. I was exhausted. Exhausted. But I got my run in, and somehow stayed awake for work.

Friday, I slept in. Woot.  And then the trouble started...

Saturday, I was geared up and ready for my 12 mile run. I was perhaps a touch overdressed, but you can unzip. I probably should've done my TrailRocs instead of my RoadX-Tremes, but again, even that could be overcome. The problem? I'm a salty sweater, the effort of running in the snow + being overdressed had me sweating away...  and my brand-new CameBak vest? (review coming later today)  Well, the tube froze. Froze solid. Two miles into the run. No hope of getting anything to drink. At this point, I'd done 3.6 miles, about 1 mile into the wind, and mentally, I just lost. I called the husband to pick me up and vowed pick up the insulated CamelBak tube and to try again Sunday.

Sunday... Sunday was windy. 18mph sustained with 30 mph wind gusts. Ugh! Additionally, people in Michigan seem to think that they have no responsibility to shovel their sidewalks. Not terrible when it's first snowing, awful after it's been stomped down and then frozen into little, wild ridges.  Shovel your sidewalks people!!! And if you live on a corner, sorry, you get to shovel both sidewalks. Ugh.

So I started strong, didn't even mind the first mile into the wind. I made it through several windblown, snowy sections of sidewalk (might as well be running in sand), and then at about 4.15 miles in, I turned into the wind. The crazy, gusty wind. Wind that leaves you making a running motion, but standing still. I started walking 1 minute for every 15 I ran, but there was just no way to properly recoup the effort of running into 30mph winds through windblown snowdrifts.  I made it 9 miles, but at that point, my toes were VERY painfully losing feeling. Not sure if they were numb, or smushed by the fact that I had on light cushion socks instead of ultrathin, but I may as well have had little blocks of fire attached to my feet. I was close to home and I gave in.

While I'm discouraged that I didn't get an actual 12 miler in, I'm refusing to look at it as a failure. My weekend total was 12.65. I ran a 5k and then got in 9 miles the next day! I woke up with a migraine today, but still managed to recover and run 9 miles. Oh yeah, and the weather conditions were rotten, energy-sucking ickiness. Besides, I am training for a marathon, not a sprint. Not every day, weekend, or week will be perfect. Not every run will go well, and sometimes there is a string of ick. It's a big race, and I need to look at the big picture. Overall, I got my miles. In challenging conditions. Take this one as a draw, a tie, and move forward.

Workout of the Day: 9 mile run

Song of the Day: "The Man" - Aloe Blacc   "Somewhere I heard that life is a test; I been through the worst but still I give my best".