Tag: race week

Run!, Slacker, Training

Week 32

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Race week arrived and I don’t think I’ve had a bigger case of the whatever’s.

I worked hard for 13 weeks and then the last 2 was eh. Life, right?

Things were a little crazy last week as I canceled my hotel room on Monday and then rebooking another on Thursday. Work had it’s moments and asthma and I aren’t getting along. But I had a great race weekend to look forward to and I was bringing multiple people with me this time. More fun, right?

Except, I need to stay out of stores that sell purses. Full Stop, seriously.

Running wise though, my runs went surprisingly well.

Plan vs Reality

Monday- Up/down 1.5 miles, 2x 1 mile at goal pace/ 3.5 miles
I set out to do the workout but wasn’t feeling it. Instead I ran- ok mostly walked- a warmup and then ran 2.5 of the steadiest miles I’ve run in a long time. I’m counting it as a win.

Tuesday- 1.5 miles/ MM 100 7
I had post work plans and just decided to not even try to run. I did however squeeze in a MM 100 workout. While I love the workouts, I decided after this to put them on hold until after the race- my hamstrings were so tight.

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ 1.3 miles
Ever have that vain moment where you think -“I’ve done a week of MM100 workouts, those cute shorts should work for running now”? Haha, nope. 1.3 was all my thunder thighs could handle.

Thursday- 3 miles w/strides/ 3 miles w/ strides
I did exactly what the plan said! Yay!

Friday- 1.5 miles/ Rest
Nothing but work and heading home to pack for Oakland.

Saturday- Road trip!
We all packed up and away we went. We did a little shopping, some pizza eating before checking into the hotel. Then it was more shopping and more eating before trying to get some sleep before the race.

Sunday- 13.1 miles
Oaktown Half – Recap to come.

21.02 miles for the week.

How was your week?

animal encounter, Recap, Training

Week 22- That Stings

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

20.6 miles for the week. If you looks strictly at the number of miles run vs the plan- I nailed it . The details reveal a much different story.

Last week so up and down. Actually more down. I dealt with a possible leg issue, my sleep doesn’t seem to be getting any better, splinters in butt and then an ant attack. Oh and asthma issues. I’ve joke I should be called Calamity Runner instead of Slacker and last week it really fit.

Planned vs Actual

Monday- 1.5 miles / 1.5 miles
Easy running on Monday. It felt odd doing so few miles on a day off work but I was keen on sticking to the plan. The odd part was the twinge in my left ankle that started about 40 minutes after my run.

Artsy or moody?🤔

Tuesday- 1 up/down, 3.5 mile tempo/ 3.5 blow up
I headed back to the lake path figuring the flat, friendly, sandy trail would help me focus on my pace. Big dreams. I couldn’t have been more wrong. My left foot and ankle were pissed. I couldn’t get my breathing under control and I was nowhere near hitting my paces.

I had 2 failed tempo miles before I called it and walked it in. Then to add insult to injury I sat on a wooden bench to at least enjoy the sunshine and wound up with splinters in my butt. 😂

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ 2.2 miles
I kept it super easy and honestly probably walked half of it. My ankle was angry but not as pissed as the day before. I was still very nervous about any running especially since I had a race only a few days away.

Thursday- 4 miles/ Zero
I decided rest was best and resigned myself to the red dot in Final Surge. I was supposed to go to a networking event after work but this was when the ant attack happened. I went to get gas as my car was on empty. As I was filling the tank, I decided to wash my windshield. Partway through I felt stings on my right foot. Look down to my right foot, ankle and shoe are covered in ants. I scream and kick the shoe across the gas station lot, I throw the squeegee too. Then I am hopping around on one foot trying to brush the ants off while the stinging turns to pain and of course my dress decides now is time to do a Marilyn Monroe impression. I flash all the workers in the auto bay. I finally got them all off, jumped in the car and drove straight home. I jumped directly into the shower but my foot was bright red with bites and swelled. Yay. I’ll spare you the pic I took- my toes are ugly. 😒

Friday- 1.5 miles/ more rest
Rest, rinse, repeat. Except today I felt like things were crawling on me. 🐜

Like my makeshift arm warmers?

Saturday-7 miles/ Road trip!
I knew my long run would be Rock N Roll San Diego this week which meant long run on Sunday and not Saturday. It was also a very long drive down. But I made it to the expo around 3:30. Picked up my stuff, did a little shopping- I forgot my water flask and Gatorade Endurance at home. Doh! I tried to turn in early to get as much sleep as I could. Haha!

Sunday- Rock n Roll San Diego
Race recap up soon.

How was your week?

Ambassador, BibRave, Run!

No Sleep til Oakland

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Disclaimer: I received an entry to Oakland Running Festival as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

It’s race week!

How did that happen? Then again the last few weeks have kind of been a blur so that explains that.🤣

Speaking of sleep, it hasn’t been going so well this week. I just tell myself that it’s all the more reason to love the Oakland Marathon start time. 9:30. Which is one of the latest times I have ever started a race.

It kind of makes me nervous- I’m going to be running until when? Haha. I am sure I will appreciate the late wake up call on Sunday but it’s odd.   I’m used to 6:30 start times, 8 is late.  Maybe race mornings are the reason I can’t run early?  Nope, just lazy.

I am staying at the race hotel so that’s going to be new too. I feel fancy. Just kidding. I may or may not have my mother traveling with me- it’s up in the air. 🤷‍♀️

I have increased my mileage but not by much so I am treating the race as a well supported long run. And fingers crossed none of the issues from Surf City pop back up. I know I said I was cool with my slower time but it doesn’t mean I want to do it again.

The only thing I am mostly stressed about is driving to Lake Merritt on race morning, I know I am going to run into race detours but I am not sure where or how many times.   The marathon on the 5K start at 7 and 7:30 respectively.    Fingers crossed for smooth sailing!

Oh and what pair of shoes to wear.   Can’t my feet just be happy?

Ever run in Oakland?  Any shoe advice?

Ambassador, BibRave, Run!

San Jose- Ready or Not?

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll San Jose as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

How is it race weekend already?  It just can’t be.

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited but I am also in denial because I don’t feel ready.   I missed a few runs and few miles along the way with this training plan.  I did well with the first 8 weeks of cross training then stumbled for 3 weeks.  This week has been strong again but is it enough?  I’ve been feeling poorly for 2 weeks now and stressed at work.  I haven’t run a half marathon since June and this is the longest race break I’ve had in years.

Ok, that sounds like I am freaking out.  Maybe I am.  Which is why I am reassessing that big goal I laid out in my first San Jose post.  And that finishing time goal I claimed on Athlinks.   I didn’t run enough flat.  I have a lingering right leg issue.  Work has become crazy (lost 2 employees in the last 3 weeks).  I am not canceling my PR goal just pushing it back a few weeks.

A bear!

So new plan- do what my legs and lungs want to do.  Take in the sights of San Jose- all I have seen before is the airport.  I am sure the city has more offer than that and what better way to see it than by running with a few thousand other people?

I love Rock n Roll races and what better way to shake the cobwebs loose than with some miles and good music along the way.   And for once the race doesn’t start at the crack of dawn.  Great news for a Slacker.  😛

So, here’s to a 4 day weekend (did I mention I took Friday off?) to decompress and run it all out.

Wish me luck!

BibRave, Run!, Training

Week 35:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 7

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Upcoming Races-

  • SLO ULTRA 5K-9/2
  • Rock n Roll San Jose 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)-10/8
  • City to the Sea 13.1-10/14
  • Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
  • Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you Bibrave!)- 11/12

So, I’m finally on the right week.  Did anyone notice that I posted “week 32” 3 times?  Haha, I really need to pay more attention when I copy and paste.

Last week was fairly uneventful outside of running which is fine by me.  Plus this week is shaping up to be crazy so I needed a calm one.

This was a surprisingly solid training week.  It had it’s ups and downs but when it came to sticking to the plan, it was pretty solid.

The plan called for a step back week with a 5K race instead of a long run.  So it should have looked something like this- 4 mile run, 3 mile run, 5K race, maybe an extra easy run if I was feeling it and 4 Liift4 workouts.

Monday-3.1 miles
My legs do not like running the day after a long run.   Not even a recovery run, my right leg and hip protest but running on Monday was fit my schedule.   I kept it slow and easy and a little shorter than plan called for but I knew there was only so much my leg was going to put up with.  That said, it was a decent few miles.

Tuesday- Liift4
I really meant to do this in the morning but nope.  Another late night work out.  We’re in the final 2 weeks of the challenge and my arms were shaking.

Wednesday- Rest
Oops.  I meant to run but was easily distracted on the way home.

Thursday- 4.2 miles/ Liift4 legs
My hip was so stinkin’ sore.  I’ve been trying to use my chair this week and I just can’t, it hurt my hip.  Or aggravates my IT band.  Whatever.  By Thursday, my hip was pissed by 3 days of trying to make do.  I had to stop and stretch it out various times throughout the run.  I didn’t feel like things really loosened up until the middle of mile 3.   By then I was done.   Then at home I did the Liift4 leg workout not knowing what a sweat fest I was in for.  😛

Friday-Rest
After the brutal leg workout the day before and having a race the next day, I thought rest was the best choice.    If you read Friday’s post, you know I wasn’t exactly stoked on the race but one of the upsides of the new location was that it was a 10 minute drive from work.  So I hustled down on my lunch break to pick up my bib and shirt.    Funny thing- a local runner I’ve met before was working packet pick up so I chatted for a moment but could tell that he had no idea who I was.  Ha!

Saturday- SLO Ultra 5K
Race recap to come.  I’ll just leave you with this-

Sunday- Liift4
I had hoped to add in that extra easy run but without giving away race details, I still wasn’t feeling quite right.    I decided to just play by ear and see how things went and that ended up being the Liift4 workout late in the evening.  I am fine with that.

10.7 miles for the week.  Low but I did all the required workouts for the week. I missed a Liift4 workout but that was also deliberate- I tend to pass on the ones that are entirely HIIT because I end up breaking myself.   Seriously.  I cannot do a mountain climber without hurting myself- no matter how many modifications I make.

How was your week?