Fingers crossed! 
I tried an experiment on Saturday that didnāt go very well. I have a goal of running a marathon in 2015 and wanted to see how I would do with a longer distance. The previous Saturday was a 10 mile run and normally I always run straight through, generally at around an 8:30 pace. I decided I would try the Galloway method and see how long a run I could get in. I did 5/1 intervals but by mile 14 I was really stuggling. I ended up finishing 16.7 miles and was pretty convinced thereās no way I could run another 10 miles. I may have been too fast during the run segments as my overall pace was 9:29 which was faster than the 10:00 pace I had been thinking was realistic. So Iām putting those thoughts on hold and going back to my regular routine which will have be doing long runs (no walking) in the 10-12 mile range for the next month or so as I train for the half marathon the first weekend of May. Then I guess Iāll try to figure out what to do for marathon training. Looks as if a fall marathon would be my only hope.
PlantMom-great job with the beach run. It is hard work to run in sand!
Wow, CB I personally think that jumping from 10 to 16 miles at a very good clip was huge progress! Iām no marathoner but after reading all the tales here and āwatchingā the progress of people here and in RL , I think you still have a very good shot at 2015 if you want to. I believe Sabaray did the Galloway method for her marathon. Iām sure others will give you fabulous tips and lead you down the best-for-you training route.
What % of marathoners really donāt walk some? Seriously, Iād have to wonder and Iād like to know.
Yeah, CB, 16.7 is a big leap from 10 the week before. Donāt articles usually talk about sticking to 10% weekly increase max or possibly 15% (somehow Iām thinking I read that somewhere once upon a yesteryear). Awesome job. Go marathoners and halfers! And the rest of us, be we running, walking, yoging, lifting, biking, meditating, or what have you.
C3B, did you eat anything around mile 13-14? You might have hit the proverbial runnerās wall by the time you were over 14-15 miles into your run. What you described is exactly what happened to me, a marathon rookie, during my first training. I would run a pretty fast half, and then my legs would just cave in. The pace would drop from 8-something to 9-10, and there was nothing I could do to move my body faster. I started reading (and listening to marathon gurus MOfWC and my other marathoner friend) and discovered that there is a huge difference between running a half and running 15-16 miles for a person of my size and average running abilities. I absolutely needed that extra shot of energy because my body just did not pack enough. And since it takes a while for even a fast absorbing gel to act, eating it at mile 13-14 was more helpful than waiting until the legs started telling me that they needed more energy.
Anyway, kudos! I personally despised my first experience with 16 miles and thought that my marathon dreams were doomed. I got over that barrier - with CC encouragement, GuBrew, and some (disgusting) gels. You will get there.
C3B, if I can do it, I know you can. I agree with Deborah T - thatās a big jump and I donāt doubt you found it discouraging. I know youāll get good advice from the more experienced runners here, but I trained with two other women - we did use Galloway for any mileage higher than a half. If we were just running a half or less, we just ran. As distance increased we used Galloway, but starting with intervals of 3 to 1. During the race itself, we used intervals of 4 to 1 until mile 18 and then went with straight running. As MOWC told me, the goal for your first should just be to finish. Those last miles are brutal.
Todayās workout was two gorgeous walks with Sabadog and Sabapup. Sabapup has been terrorizing the squirrels and rabbits in our yard to no end - one squirrel in particular - and I think he met his end yesterday. Strangely enough, I think she knows it too.
As a general rule, C3B, you may want to limit your increases in volume/intensity to 10% per week taking into account duration (distance) and length of work interval/recovery intervals. Even though you are able to push yourself to do more in a given workout, your body has not adapted to the increase in workload and you can quickly find yourself in overtraining leading to a breakdown of your performance and ability to recover. You need the foundation built through incremental progressions. Hang in there, it will come.
Read it and weep all of you poor souls stuck in nice Naples, Florida sunny weather. I drove up to the White Mountains and did my favorite winter hike up to Lonesome Lake, then walked across the frozen lake. Still plenty of snow, but a nice sunny day, temps in the mid 30s in the parking lot. Carried the snow shoes, but did the whole hike in the more aggressive trail crampons (one step up from MicroSpikes). Glorious day, good workout, legs are sore.
Iām admiring your day and workout, but not weeping, iDad!
Fingers crossed for your entry, Sabaray!
One final run on the beach this morningābetter sand, much easier. Back to reality tomorrow.
I had a workout with my trainer early todayāfocused on core and body weight exercises. Had to go to a meeting in Boston and got a chance to walk a few miles at lunch. Even though it was cold, the sun was shining and it almost felt warm.
PlantmomāI think just walking on the beach can be difficult. I do it often in the summer and think itās good exercise.
SabarayāGood luck with your race entry.
There is (was) an overturned semi blocking one of the major surface streets around here. Add some heavy rain, and I am glad that I can walk far and fast! So downtown walking is my exercise for today.
I would slow the pace way down as you build the distance. Goal is time on your feet! Good point by Bunsen on the nutrition.
5.4 miles this am and now back in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee.
Sounds nice, iDad, but Iāll take warm!
weight lifting upper body routine w/core tonight. 4 sets benches with Olympic bar, 3 sets standing cable flys, 3 sets dual stack cable lat pull downs, 3 sets standing db presses, 3 sets standing curl bar curls and 3 set standing alternating db curls, followed by 4 sets of core. The standing exercises are a great opportunity to engage core, support muscles and stabilizers. Brings a more complete neuromuscular engagement than machines with a fixed and supported body position.
Those are surprisingly tough. The ācheatā I have to avoid is arching the lower back in an attempt to turn overhead presses into easier chest presses!
I have occasionally done kneeling overhead presses. Those take the legs out of the picture, but challenge the core.
Yup, IDad, I take full advantage of the walls of mirrors in my gym for just that reason. And then focus on engaging core from my gluteus to my abs.
Thereās reason to celebrate this morning! As of 2:15 am, I am officially training for the 40th MCM! I am so excited! So excited that I ran my horrible hill in celebration this morning. Woo hoo!
Yay sabaray! Iām excited for you!
Wonderful sabaray! Very cool!
Congrats, sabaray!
I know Iām whining, but having 1 car for the last 6 weeks can be annoying! (Hās car was taken to the burbs due to the overwhelming amount of snow. Weāll get it at Easter.) Both yesterday and today H took the car, leaving me unable to get to the gym. Iām trying to make up for it by some fast urban walking. OK, done whining.