Geneva Half Marathon Training–Week 5

Oh how I wish every week of training could be just like last week. My body felt strong, the workouts were challenging but enjoyable, work and my travel schedule didn’t get in the way of any workouts, and I was able to enjoy a few workouts with friends which makes things even more fun!

Here’s a round-up of what went down last week in the world of half marathon training.

Monday: Nothing helps me get out of bed on a Monday like meeting a friend for a few pre-dawn miles! I had 5 miles on the plan so I decided to knock out the first 3 miles solo, enjoying sunrise along the lake, before meeting my friend Lauren for the final 2 miles. I kept each mile under 9:45 which was my goal for the run while not finishing completely exhausted.

Tuesday: This 35 minute easy run was squeezed in during lunch. The treadmill minutes flew by thanks to How I Met Your Mother! If you’re stuck on the treadmill for a run, try switching things up with a no thought required tv show or movie. I love getting movie ideas from RunEmz who watches a different movie almost every day as she racks up double digit distances on her treadmill! 

Wednesday: Holy sore legs, this speed session left my legs screaming for two days! The workout included 2 miles of warm-up at a 10:00 minute pace followed by 12 x 30 second sprint intervals at a 4.0 incline followed by a 30 second recovery between each sprint. I finished the workout with a one mile cool down as I gasped for air, trying to catch my breath. 

Thursday: I finally took advantage of the yoga class which is offered three days a week at our office. The 60 minute yoga class was what I would consider in intermediate class with lots of balances and long poses. It felt great to stretch out my body and take advantage of this great office perk!

Friday: My only activity for the day was 20 minutes of foam rolling while catching up on The Good Wife! (Holy moly last week’s episode was a surprise!)

Saturday: I really wanted to run with my favorite London running ladies but I knew that in preparation for the half I needed to tackle this run solo and follow the plan. Gia wanted me to do 9 miles ensuring that I avoided traffic lights and stops as much as possible. Since the pace goal wasn’t an aggressive run, a 10 minute mile or faster, so I focused on my mental strength during the run. I did two loops around Regents Park enjoying the gorgeous flowers and blossoming trees. The middle 3 miles were definitely tough but the rest of the miles felt perfect! My average pace for the run was a 9:53 – perfectly on plan!

Sunday: We always see the Barclay’s Bikes in London but so rarely take advantage of them. Due in part to the gorgeous Spring weather, we were inspired to rent bikes and explore some parts of London we haven’t seen before. The hour long bike ride was a hilly one and it definitely had my heart pumping and sweating by the end. It was the perfect way to squeeze in some activity together!

What’s up for this coming week? The name of the game this week is pushing my body and logging the miles! I’ve already enjoyed a few cross training sessions including yoga and swimming but the end of this week includes four straight days of running!