Week two of training went really well. It was a lower mileage week than week one but that wasn’t bad because next week is going to be pretty intense- I’ll be hitting my longest run ever and I think highest mileage week ever.
I did well integrating strength training into my training this week however I would really like to start getting back into doing more ab work, especially planks. Over the summer I was able to do a 4-minute plank and now I struggle to hit 1:30. That needs to change. Here are my workouts from this week:
Monday: Cross-training day. I went to a 45 minute boot camp class at our gym at work. We did a lot of different strengthening exercises. I was still a bit sore from my 14-miler the day before so the instructor, Kari, gave me some modifications.
Tuesday: Easy 3 miles in 26:40 at 8:53/mile. Ok, this was a little faster than “easy” pace but I ran half of it with some of my speedier coworkers and when I left them to run the other half, I felt really good so I decided to keep up the pace.
Wednesday: 5.2 miles in 51:26 at 9:58/mile (hill workout). This was my really, really tough hill workout that I wrote about earlier this week. This hill is no joke and takes no prisoners. I’m going to incorporate this hill into my training as much as possible throughout my training schedule because it will get me in the best shape possible to conquer Hurricane Point at Big Sur.
Thursday: 3.25 miles in 28:29 at 8:45/mile. Again, faster than I should have run but I felt good and it was freezing so I wanted to be done fast.
- Also, I did a 45 minute Gentle Flow yoga class after work- perfect way to finish off my runs for the weekdays.
Friday: REST and foam roll.
Saturday: 10 miles long slow distance in 1:35:39 at 9:33/mile. This run was probably the coldest run I’ve ever experienced. It was not fun or enjoyable and breathing was really hard. Besides it being uncomfortable, I got the miles in and my pace was pretty good. My hips were super tight though for the rest of the day but I think that had to do with the cold.
Sunday: 4 mile recovery run in 39:00 at 9:33/mile. I’ll admit, I was supposed to run a 10-K today but after my long run on Saturday, my hips were still tight, the ground was blanketed in snow and I didn’t want to risk hurting myself at a race I didn’t plan on actually “Racing” just because I signed up for it a few months ago. So, I opted out and I’m not ashamed. I had a good run (albeit it was SUPER snowy and icy on the roads) with the roomie instead and that was fine by me.
Weekly Mileage Totals: 25 miles
See all training recaps here.
Fit Girl. Happy Girl. 
Nice solid training week nice one :-)
Thank you!
What style plank do you do? I’ve seen a few different modifications for arm placement online. Also, did you notice a change in your torso from doing so many? What about in running? I work out daily and am truly in very good shape, but my tummy is still a keg – I want a six pack!
I’ve actually been thinking about doing a post on this. I tend to do regular planks, propping myself up on my elbows. Also, I like side planks to work on my obliques.
When I was doing them in the summer (I did them much more often then and need to get back to the routine) I noticed a huge difference. I had legit abs and it was great. I also noticed a huge difference in my running. If you think about it, your abdominals make up the majority of your core which supports your back and posture. Having better posture helps you breathe more efficiently, making running easier.
I’d suggest incorporating planks into your exercise routine. Start off easy, holding for 30 seconds and try to build up over time. You’ll notice huge improvements!