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Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon Training–Week 8

Hey party people! It’s hump day! That means that we’re half way through the week and you can already see Friday evening over the horizon! How has your week been thus far? My office is pretty empty this week as most of the local schools have Winter Break this week. That has been WONDERFUL for my productivity. Half as many meetings means that I feel as if I’ve already squeezed 5 days of work into 3!

I can’t believe that the half marathon is just 8 weeks away! I’m really looking forward to being back in Savannah for the half marathon! My friend Gretchen is visiting Savannah this week for work and seeing all her pictures on Facebook made me yearn for warmer weather, blue sky, sunshine, the beach, Southern Food and seafood. I’m hoping that in between the half marathon we can squeeze in some family time on the boat!

Speaking of the race, the discount code (healthyhappierbear) is now good for $10 off entry fee! I love that the race is sponsored by New Balance and that they are giving out the awesome gym bags as swag instead of t-shirts! New Balance is hosting the Fashion Fitness Expo on the 27th which means there will be lots of great apparel and gear to try! 

Last week’s training went really well, making me feel like my goals for this half marathon are attainable. The course has LOTS of turns which worries me a bit but, worst case scenario, I have a second goal race just 4 weeks later as I’m most likely going to run the Geneva Half Marathon again this year. It’s a gorgeous course and simple since it’s local. But, I can’t think about race day yet because I still have weeks of training to complete and last week’s training to recap for you!

Monday: Oh sweet, glorious yoga Monday. Kerrie and I are both craving this class now, texting with excitement during the day. Each week I fall a little bit more in love with it as the teacher is now familiar with us and providing lots of adjustments. I also attribute this class to my recent choice to commit to a yoga challenge. My body just needs yoga these days. My muscles and mind thank me even if I only do one pose!

Tuesday: This was a fun daily double day which included BodyPump during lunch followed by spin class with Bo after work. I took it a bit easier in spin as my legs were already toast from the thigh and quad focused BodyPump class.

Wednesday: My mid-week tempo/speed workout became a 3 mile fast paced run as I was at the office later than expected and just felt blah. The frigid weather combined with tired mind and body meant that my heart wasn’t in it. Afterwards, when I told Jess, she commended me for not forcing it. I was proud of myself for being honest with her as it is easy to try and cut corners, especially when the coach is based in a different country.

Thursday: My running buddy enjoyed one too many drinks during a work dinner, so I ran 8 miles solo. The pre-dawn miles were frigid but the cold air only motivates me to run faster! I kept a 9:44 pace which felt almost easy at times. I came home and immediately moved into legs up the wall position followed by some hip openers as the run combined with spin left me feeling a bit tight & “crunchy”.

Friday: What started out as a relaxing first day of skiing quickly became a physical challenge. The slopes were far steeper and technical than what we typically ski which meant I was sweating the entire afternoon. We got stuck in some off-piste areas which required navigating through deep powder. Luckily the company was wonderful because otherwise I would have been miserable! My muscles were screaming after 6 hours of skiing!

Saturday: Our group headed to Les Houches for 5 hours of skiing which was a non-stop cardio workout. We were going longer, skiing down to the base of the mountain at times, and pushing our pace. The views were surreal and this picturesque area quickly became one of my favorites.

Sunday: My entire body was sore when I woke up but luckily I had Casey & Joel to push me out to the slopes. We spent 2.5 hours skiing Le Tour, braving the wicked wind gusts. At moments it felt as if we would blow over but luckily, we made it through the day with no serious falls.

So like I said, it was a pretty great week of training even though it only included two runs. The week previous included four runs and this week will include at least 3. And hey, skiing is great cross-training right? Winter and snow this good only lasts for a while, even in Switzerland!

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Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon Training–Week 9

Before we get into the training recap for last week, I have to pause and share the #likeagirl campaign in case you haven’t seen it or heard of it yet.

Last night, my company Procter & Gamble, aired an Always ad which portrays young girls doing all the wonderful things that girls can and should do such as running, fight and throwing. The difference is that when asked, the young girls portrayed their strongest selves whereas their older female and male counterparts portrayed the old stereotype. If you haven’t watched it, check out the clip for yourself.

The ad has taken social media by storm with companies and women sharing what they proudly do #likeagirl.

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If you share you’re #likeagirl on Instagram, let me know so I can check it out! I shared mine earlier this morning upon watching the ad on YouTube!

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Even Deena Kastor and USATF joined the commentary on Instagram and Twitter! Here’s a great recap from Runner’s World!

Last week’s training made me feel almost as strong as all these social media posts! It didn’t start out on the strongest note but by the end of the week my legs were sore from strong runs and my glutes and abs were feeling the strength workouts!

Monday: I’m in love with the 60 minute restorative yoga class Kerrie and I are attending each Monday night. There is a different focus each week but every class leaves me feeling emotionally and physically lighter, more relaxed and ready to conquer the week! Last week’s class included lots of cooling inversions such as legs up the wall and supported wheel.

Tuesday: I had to be at work super early and ended up staying past 8pm which meant that this ended up being an unintended rest day.

Wednesday: I have a new favorite running workout known as PICK-UPS! This workout consisted of  10 minute warm-up run, 5 x 1:00 hard with 1:00 recovery jog between each, 10 minutes at easy pace followed by the 5 x 1:00 intervals repeated again. The cold weather made me push through this 50 minute workout faster than normal, clocking an average pace of 8:58!

Thursday: I did a strength workout #1 during lunch which included lots of body weight plyometric work THEN I did a 60 minute spin class with Kerrie after work. My legs were dead by the end of the day but it felt great to enjoy two sweaty workouts.

Friday: Mary and I met early Friday morning so we could get the long run done before work. I knew I wanted to focus on fun runs with friends in London so this 7 mile workout was the perfect thing to squeeze in before flying to London. I started with 3 mile tempo at a 9 minute pace then did 4 miles slower miles with Mary, keeping around a 9:45 pace. Even though my legs were tired from spin and strength workout the previous day, it was great to push through the “lead leg” feeling and a mentally strong run!

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Saturday: My girlfriend Casey just started running again after an 8 year break. I was SO thrilled to go on a 5k run with her through Notting Hill and Holland Park as part of her half marathon training. She’s running the Richmond Half Marathon in March so we included quite a few hills on Saturday’s run to help her prepare.

Sunday: My last run of the week was definitely the most fun as I had the opportunity to run the London Winter 10k with these lovely ladies! We PR’d in fun instead of pace and merely focused on keeping a steady, constant pace during the 10 kilometers.

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Your Turn – I’m looking to update my BlogLovin’ in search of running and workout inspiration. What is your favorite blog these days?

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Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon Training – Week 10

Hey gang! If you’re in the Northeast battling blizzard conditions, I hope you are staying warm and safe. I am sure many people are forced to change their running plans or resort to the treadmill this week as it sounds like it’s going to be nasty weather. If you need some inspiration before your treadmill run, check out this race recap of a treadmill marathon!

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Since it’s Monday that means it’s time to share last week’s training with you guys. I’m really pleased with last weeks training. Jess has done a great job making training work for my schedule which will often include winter sports during the weekend. This weekend that meant a day of cross country skiing but in the future there will be quite a few ski weekends thrown into the mix.

I was able to easily stick with a mix of cross training though I did fall short on the strength training. I find it’s so easy to do this when traveling as I far prefer it over hotel gym cardio machines but when I have other cross training options, it’s always pushed aside. Therefore, this week my goal will be to prioritize strength workouts just as much as my running!

Weekly Workout Recap – Savannah Half Marathon Training Week 10

Monday: Easy Run + Strides + Yoga I forced myself to roll out of bed early for a pre-work run. It wasn’t easy on a Monday morning but I was wide awake and energized after the 4 miles. The cold weather helped me move faster than planned, resulting in an “easy run” at 9:33 pace.  After work, I met a few friends for an hour of yoga at InnerCity yoga. The class is a relaxing class that has a different focus each week ranging from cooling inversions, twists and even a full class of hip and shoulder openers. The teacher, while newer, has a calming voice and does lots of adjustments during class which really helps me gain so much more from the 60 minutes.  I think this will be a regular part of my weekly workout schedule, becoming a social event, as each of us enjoy the class so much!

Tuesday: Swim+ Strength After snow and ice kept us from making morning swim practice, we rescheduled swimming for after work. I have no desire to swim after work again as the pool was packed. There were 10-12 people sharing a lane and every few minutes the lifeguards would close another lane due to competitive swim team practices. Regardless of how little I enjoyed the workout, the 40 minute swim felt great!

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Wednesday: Spin I feel like this spin class should actually count as a strength workout as Bo and I had a private class due to many no-shows or last minute cancellations. Matt made us work hard the entire class and showed us no mercy. He focused in on my cadence and resistance, making sure that I was loaded heavy for the multiple climbs. I was dripping sweat and out of breath when class ended!

Thursday: Pick-Ups I really enjoyed this early morning run! I run a lot faster in the cold weather so  the pick-up minutes were easier and faster than expected though by the end my quads were burning. I started with a 15 minute warm-up followed by 2 minute repeats at 80% followed by 2 minutes at 40%, repeated 4 times. I finished with 10 minute cool down on the way home, slowing down to catch my breath and shake out my legs a bit. By the end of the workout my glutes and thighs were burning due to the spin workout and speed workout less than 12 hours apart!

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Friday: Long run I woke up around 6:15, chugged some DailyBurn Pre and ate a few dried figs before heading out the door. The Weather Channel website said it was 28 degrees but felt like 21 degrees. Well, I think they meant felt like –21 degrees as this run was DOWNRIGHT freezing due to the damp air and blustery wind. Even in three layers and windproof gloves I was so uncomfortable that I called it quits at 6.2 miles, 10 minutes short of the prescribed 70 minute workout.

Saturday: Cross Country Skiing I now understand why many say that this workout burns more calories than any other. Holy heck was I sore after my first cross country ski experience!

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Sunday: Rest I enjoyed a complete rest day save for walking up and down our four flights of stairs, unpacking the car and foam rolling. Spending five hours on the sofa watching movies (The Hundred Foot Journey left me craving Indian food in a HUGE way) and catching up with family on the phone was the perfect end to the weekend.

Your turn – How’s your training going? Did you get all your workouts done last week? Are you having to make changes due to this week’s snow? What’s your least favorite workout of training that always gets pushed aside?

PS: I’m working with the team to get the comments issue fixed – sorry guys! Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean I’m not reading and responding to them!

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