Big Sur Marathon Training: Week Two

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

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.

Embrace the Hills

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

When you register for Big Sur you have some idea of what you’re getting yourself into- hills, lots and lots of hills. In fact, it’s known for the infamous Hurricane Point, a two-mile long stretch around mile 10 that has runners climbing 520 feet, but they swear the view at the top is worth it!

Well, I grew up and lived in eastern Massachusetts my entire life and while we do have some significant hills, they are mostly rolling hills. So when I moved down to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania for my job at Runner’s World, I knew the hills were going to be a shock to my running system.

I was scared, I’ll admit it. I’ve never been a huge fan of hills and my cousin, and closest running buddy, can attest to that. Whenever she suggests a race I ask- are there any big hills or is it mostly flat?

But now that I live in the hilly valley and am training for a very hilly marathon, there’s no more avoiding the hills. Yesterday during lunch I went out for a run with a few of my coworkers to tackle a monstrosity of a hill- the 10th Street Hill. This hill has roughly the same elevation gain as Hurricane Point but over about half of the distance. So, it’s steeper but shorter.

I knew it was going to be really hard but after my hilly 14-miler last Sunday, in which I ran all of the hills, I thought I’d be ok. I told myself it would be fine if I had to walk part of it or maybe run the flats and walk some of the hills. Take it easy, find a rhythm and breathe.

We did a 1-mile warm-up around the neighborhoods and then as we began to head up 10th Street, Tish Hamilton, an executive editor at Runner’s World, gave me a run down of what was ahead. She said we’d start to climb a hill, then there would be a false flat, followed by a steeper hill which would take an almost 90 degree turn to an even steeper hill that would climb to the top.

I was glad to have an idea of what was ahead but I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be as steep as it was. I had to walk about half of the distance and even walking it was a hard effort. It took me awhile to get to the top but once I got there, after running the last incline, I felt proud. Yes, I had to walk some of it. Yes, I was disappointed because everyone else was able to run the whole thing. But this was my first attempt and a first attempt is better than no attempt.

We finished the run with an additional hill and then started our descent back down. The whole run was just over 5 miles for me (the other ladies did one repeat at the last hill) and I finished feeling good. More importantly, I finished knowing I was to try it again and again until I can run the whole thing.

Did I mentally psych myself out? Yes. Could I have pushed harder? Probably. But for me, the key with training for this marathon (my first marathon) is to get to the starting line healthy and prepared. This won’t be the last time I see the 10th Street hill, in fact I’m going to incorporate it into my training as much as possible, but it was the first time and it’s only up from here.

Until we meet again, 10th Street!

Follow my training here.

Settling in for the Long Run

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

My run included 2 miles of very peaceful trails along the river.

I ran 14 miles this past Sunday on a chilly, yet very sunny, eastern Pennsylvania morning for Big Sur training. I’ve tackled a 14-mile run only once before- last September- while keeping my cousin and friend Lindsey company on a long run for their first marathon. But last Sunday was the first time I’ve ever tried the distance solo.

I’m actually a big fan of solo long runs. I might not be saying that when it comes time to run 18 or 20 miles but for now, and in past half-marathon training cycles, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. I get a lot of thinking done during these runs- about work, my family, friends, this blog, what I’m going to eat post-run and everything in between. I also listen to music and am guilty of singing along out loud during my run. While the time spent during the long run is enjoyable, it can only be made possible by properly preparing yourself mentally beforehand, in my opinion.

So, how I do this? I look at a long run kind of like a long car ride. You know it’s going to last awhile. You also know you need to pace yourself, don’t go too fast to avoid burning out, but don’t go too slow to prolong the time spent traveling longer than necessary. While it’s tempting to look at your speedometer during a long car ride to see how many miles you have left, the same can be said about constantly checking you GPS watch during a long run. It’s like asking, “Are we there yet?”

Instead of the fervent watch-checking and constant song-changing, opt to settle in for the ride. That’s what I tell myself at least, in preparation of a long run. I know it’s going to be long, I know it’s going to take a lot of energy but I know it’s going to be a fun and probably memorable ride so I settle in to my comfortable pace, sit back and enjoy as the miles fly by.

How do you mentally prep for a long run?

Big Sur Marathon Training: Week One

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

Running in the cold isn’t too bad when you have a cute outfit!

Week one of training for the Big Sur International Marathon went really well despite this week being record-breaking, and bone-chillingly cold! I successfully completed all of the runs on my training schedule and only one of them was on the treadmill.

I’m not sure I mentioned what training plan I’m using yet but since I’m running Big Sur with the Runner’s World Challenge, I’ve opted to train according to the Runner’s World First-Timers plan. While this is a beginner’s marathon training plan it’s designed for runners who have already run at least one half-marathon (I’ve run two) and consistently run five times a week. This plan was perfect for me because when I was looking at other beginner plans, many of them have you running only three to four times a week and with little to know hill or speed work. I am going to need hill workouts for Big Sur to make sure I’m adequately ready for Hurricane Point and the other monstrous hills along the route, but I also need speed work (in my case Yasso 800s) to keep my endurance up.

Also, since my plan is a 16-week training plan, I had to “officially” start on week three of the plan because there was overlap with the Disney Half-Marathon. But, I had a pretty solid base so there shouldn’t be a problem on the go forward. Here were my workouts last week:

Monday: Rest- I usually cross-train on Mondays but I was driving home from Massachusetts for my birthday weekend so I didn’t have time.

Tuesday: Easy 3 miles at 9:20/mile (28:00)- ran this during lunch and it was absolutely freezing outside! I’m talking 18 degrees with a feels like temperature of about 9 degrees and 15 mph winds. COLD. But I did it anyways and felt great after.

Wednesday: Easy 5 miles at 9:43/mile (48:40)- I folded on this run and decided to do it on the treadmill. I hate treadmill running for two reasons- 1. It’s the treadmill; and, 2. I ran much slower on the treadmill because I’m afraid of tripping. I wanted to get the mileage in and my co-workers keep reminding me that my easy runs should always be run at an easy pace, painfully easy. So, I guess the treadmill is a good way to ensure I’m taking it easy.

Thursday: Easy 3 miles at 8:39/mile (26:00) and 45 minutes of Gentle Flow Yoga- Oops, so much for that easy pacing. I did a 3-miler again during lunch but it was so cold, I couldn’t help but speeding up to get inside faster! I felt really good though and enjoyed the run more than Tuesday’s run. I also did yoga with a Megan and Cait after work. None of us are fantastic yogis (although I’m really trying to do more of it!) but we all wanted to try out a class offered by our work. I thought it was a great class, although I wouldn’t have minded it to be a bit more intense but I guess that’s what Gentle Flow means.

Friday: Rest and foam roll

Saturday: Easy 3 miles at 9:16/mile (28:00)- I was supposed to do my long run on Saturday but after we had some snow in the Lehigh Valley on Friday night, which turned to ice overnight, I decided not to leave me fate at the hands of the Valley’s snowplows (or lack there of) and reschedule my long run for Sunday. I was going to take the day off completely but the sun came out in the afternoon and I was itching to head out. Luckily I was able to get my roomie to come out with me. It was one of the best runs I’ve had in awhile because we were able to just chat and enjoy the roads to ourselves.

Sunday: 14 mile long slow distance at 9:34/mile (2:14:00)- Dun, dun, dun! The Long Run! This was my first long run of Big Sur training and my longest run since last September when I attempted the 14 mile distance with my cousin and friend. However, this time I was running solo and it felt amazing! I wasn’t really nervous about this run going into it. It was going to be cold, but I bundled up, and it was going to be long but I was prepared. While my route was much hillier than anticipated, I tackled the majority of the hills with no problems at all. Honestly, I was impressed with myself. My route took me all around town and included about two miles of trails along the river which was really relaxing. I felt my pace was comfortable and was amazed that I ran the full 14 miles faster than my first half-marathon time!

Weekly Mileage Total: 28 miles

I hope everyone else’s training went well this week. Happy running!

See all training recaps here.

Running the 2013 Big Sur International Marathon

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I’ve had a mix of emotions going into writing this post- I’m terrified, excited, confident, determined but mostly scared. But, I’m putting it out there and it’s happening, I’m running my first full marathon this spring and it will be the Big Sur International Marathon on April 28.

I know- Big Sur is probably not the best first-timer course; it’s extremely hilly, the conditions vary (a few years ago part of the course was wiped out by a landslide) and it’s just plain hard. But, it’s also a destination race, a race that is on thousands, maybe millions of runners’ bucket lists and I have the opportunity of a lifetime to run it with the Runner’s World Challenge, so that’s what I’m going to do. What’s that annoying saying again? Oh yeah, YOLO (you only live once).

Over the last few weeks leading up to the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend (in which I ran the half and PR’d by 17 minutes, cough, cough) many of my co-workers at Runner’s World have been insisting I run Big Sur.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” they said.

“You may never get this chance again,” they said, trying to guilt-trip me. Thanks, guys.

“You’re running it,” one flat-out said.

My parents think I’m over-doing it and have asked me why I don’t just stick to half-marathons for a while. My dad, a 16-time 26.2 veteran, even said I should wait to run my first marathon. I get it, they are parents, it’s their job to worry.

But in all of this persuading me to run or not run the marathon I realized I’ve only been listening to other people when I should really be listening to myself, to what I want to do. The truth is, my 2013 goal was to run my first marathon, and I just assumed it would be in the fall. But there is no reason I’m not ready now, so I’ve decided, whether people like it or not, I’m running it. What do I have to lose? My goal is to simply finish, no goal time in mind and to enjoy the entire experience.

My friend Lora, who will BQ at the Eugene Marathon on April 28 (same day as Big Sur!), posted an inspiring quote on the interwebs the other day that more or less sealed my decision.