Marathon Training - Week 1 Recap

    

     I sit here looking back on my first week of marathon training feeling satisfied with how it went but also knowing I got a long way to go.  Basically what lies below is a quick little synopsis of how each day went and how I felt.    

Sunday:

     Day one is in the books and it felt pretty darn good.  I had 4 miles with 2 at race pace so I hit miles one and four at a easy pace and picked it up on the middle two.  I kind of like that set up; it gives me a chance to stretch my legs and get into a rhythm.  My average for the day was a 9:24 pace and I was able keep my pace pretty steady for each mile.  All in all it made for a perfect start to the week.

 

Monday:

     Yep a day off already, but this is how my plan is set up so I will take it when I can get it.

Tuesday:

     Today was an easy pace run and I felt like I struggled to keep my pace steady throughout the run, but when I got back and saw how my miles landed I guess I didn't do to bad.  I wanted to stay at the fast side of my pace allowance, which was 9:45, and other than getting a little fast on mile two I did just that.  I love these early morning runs just as the sun comes up.  It is still a little to dark for my when I head out so I use a head lamp and a red flashing butt lamp for safety, it is so peaceful out.  I hate having to crawl out of bed in the mornings and it is very easy to just skip it, but I always feel so much better after I am done.

Wednesday:

      My long run went very well today.  I tried out my new Camelbak Marathoner vest, and to say I was in love by mile one would be an understatement.  I will be posting a full review of it later, but I will say this; it made my run a lot more enjoyable from start to finish.  Without having all that extra weight hanging on my hips I felt like my running form stayed solid throughout my entire run.  I still don't know at what mile markers the marathon will have their aid stations set so I decided I would refuel every two miles with my Clif Shot Bloks and hydrate at those points as well.  Do to the heat factor I also hydrated a couple of other times during my run, just for a safety factor.  My goal was to try and not go out to fast and try to maintain a steady pace from mile to mile.   My pace was a little faster than I had scheduled for myself, but I was feeling good and I managed to keep my pace pretty steady throughout.  I only had two miles that dropped off a little bit more that the others, while my first and last two miles were my fastest, which makes me feel real good about where I am at.

Thursday:
Ahhhhhhhhhh a much needed rest day.  Legs are a little tired today, but all and all I still feel pretty good.

Friday:

I got up this morning and the last thing I really wanted to do was go for a run, but I need to be committed to this so I crawled out of bed and did it.  Turns out it was all worth it.  Last week I hit by accident my fastest mile ever without the aid of a long steep down hill.  Today I was just starting mile 2 and I was feeling really good so I decided to give this mile a go at my mile record.  I finished mile 2 with a 7:55 and was extremely happy with that.  I am sure I could have pushed harder but I still had 2 miles left to go and my goal isn't the fastest mile its the marathon.  Other than my work in mile two I did pretty well keeping my pace fairly consistent.

Saturday:

     Wow today was a tough one!  I woke up exhausted for some reason and my legs just felt like jello.  I got ready anyway and headed out the door.  If you look at my times for all three miles you probably wouldn't think this was so tough for me, but it sure was.  I will say I did find my groove pretty early and my legs started to open up a little after a half mile or so.  Today was just slightly more humid than the last couple of days, so take that and add a sunrise run on a bike path surrounded by trees and you have a perfect combo for the bugs to be out.  I hate to say it but I probably got 1/3 of my required protein for the day while on this one.  I maintained good pace and even though I was tired and didn't want to do it, I got out there and plowed through it.

Week two begins now!

* For quick access to my entire Marathon training journal click the "Marathon Journal" tab just below the Running In The Fat Lane header