IT'S RACE WEEK, GUYS. Seriously can't believe at the end of this week I'll be out running the Chicago Marathon for the third year in a row. Here's a recap of really my last two weeks of training. Don't worry a post on race goals and taper madness will come later. Here's a recap of weeks 14 & 15 of my Chicago Marathon training.
Marathon Training 2016 Week 14 (9/19-9/25) Monday: Rest Tuesday: Charm City Run training group coaching, 3.1 miles I wanted to squeeze in a workout but didn't make it there early enough due to traffic. BLAH. Wednesday: November Project-Baltimore workout at the top of Fed Hill and run there/back , 5.0 miles Thursday: Tempo Run with 4 miles at race pace, 8.4 miles cooler temps mean HOT DAMN feeling strong Friday: Nuun Year Dash virtual run , 5.25 miles Saturday: Long run coaching and a couple miles to finish it out, 15.04 miles
I FINALLY got the chance to meet Erica in person and she joined me for 6ish miles around the Inner Harbor!
Bloggers always need a photo op
Sunday: Dogfish Dash 8K, 4.9 miles Felt really strong and held a faster pace than I expected I was 8th female with a surprisingly speedy, beer-loving crowd. Full race recap to come!
It's time for another recap of how marathon training has been going. I've been travelling a ton so my schedule has been kind of all over the place with lots of resting/travel days thrown in.
I still can't believe I'm already weeks into training and got my corral assignment for the Chicago Marathon this week. I'm in C again like last year. Corral C party anyone? That definitely gives me a twinge of anxiety knowing that race day is approaching quicker than I think!
Marathon Training 2016 Week 3 (7/4-7/10) Monday: #traverbal to November Project DC (1.0 mile plus lots of burpees!) Tuesday: 5K Coaching Group and hill workout, 5.8 miles Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Tempo Run in Boston along Charles River, 6.2 miles Friday: Summit Ave hills with November Project Boston and SARAH :) Saturday: Rest Sunday: 15.0 miles for long run split into morning and afternoon runs. Made the afternoon run route so that I stopped at Blackbird donuts because #motivation. Total miles: 34.0
Marathon Training 2016 Week 4 (7/11-7/17) Monday: November Project Boston Destination Deck Workout + run there/back, 4.2 miles Tuesday: 5K Coaching group and Shack Track and Field Run, 6.7 miles Wednesday: November Project Baltimore Pokemon BAL_1 workout with lots of stairs!, 5.0 mi Thursday: Rest Friday: November Project Summit Workout, 3.2 miles Saturday:#ECSON Marathon Relay at Blue Mountain, hilliest 10K ever plus some easy extra miles, 10.7 miles Sunday: Rest Total miles: 29.8 Lows Travelling for a volunteer weekend in Boston and then #NP_Summit threw off my schedule a little bit, but I think things went fine despite having to be flexible and taking some more rest. I try not to stress and just fit in most of my workouts if I can when travelling. I didn't fit in all 13 miles on Saturday for Week 4 but that hilly 10K makes up for it in my mind! Definitely need to foam roll more and drink more water for real. Highs Getting to run with Sarah and go to November Project Boston twice and then getting to go to NP Summit were amazing. I'll recap NP Summit sometime soon when I figure out something to say besides OMGITWASAWESOME. It was really great getting to run in different places, challenge myself with some workouts, and hang out/workout with different people these past couple of weeks.
Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Ontario. Yup we ran up that hill.
How do you deal with training when you are travelling?
Disclosure: This giveaway is
sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill as part of a campaign through my partnership with
SweatPink and Fit Approach. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own!
While the fact that summer is flying by makes me sad, I have
been trying to pack my summer with as much awesomeness as I can. I haven’t even
been able to keep up blogging but if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you
know I’ve been having some fun this month in Boston and at November Project Summit 4.0 in Canada last
weekend (posts to come!). Lots of travelling and eating out or on-the-go for sure!
Let’s be honest though, travelling and having fun are
exhausting so that’s why I was glad to get some new Bob’s Red Mill Protein and Nutritional Boosters
in the mail packed with 20g of protein to stay #summerstrong. I received 4 varieties including Vanilla, Chocolate, Chai, and Protein & Fiber Booster.
Even if my eating has been full of more
treats and less greens, having a post-workout smoothie with some protein and
fruit or veggies is an easy way to refuel this summer.
This
giveaway ends July 30th, 2016, 12 AM EST. The winner will be notified via email right
away. If I don’t hear back from the winner within 24 hours I’ll have to pick a
new winner. Delivery of the prize is by Bob’s Red Mill.
How are do you #fuelyourawesomeness this summer? This post was linked up with my fave Friday Linkup ladies Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia as well as Nicole, Jill, and Amanda .
{Read about Weeks 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 ,7&8, 9&10 of my training} Weeks 11-14 of training are here already.
Be sure to check out the hashtag #breathedeeplyandrunchi on Twitter and Instagram for more snippets of my training!
#breathedeeplyandrunchi
Chicago Marathon 2015 Training Recap
Obviously I've been busy and training has been going okay although my marathon goals have changed from the beginning of training. Since I'm being on training, here's a big ol' 4 week recap.
Week 11
Week 11 was a really great week of training with just over 40 miles in for the week. I've added at least one day a week of just lifting in the gym at school which makes me happy. My tempo run this week was done on a cooler day, and it was one of those runs where my tempo paces felt really natural. This week I did a really solid 20 mile run despite falling and scraping my knee in the dark on the first mile of the run as I was on my way to meet up with a group to run with. My knee was a little sore but my hand took a bit hit. I awkwardly tried to hold a tissue on my hand during the run and cleaned it all up after I got him. Falling during running will never not be embarrassing. I also happened to be decked on in my new favorite Brooks Running hat and an appropriate Brooks shirt.
Post-run Cream Cruiser ice cream sandwiches at the farmer's market also make me feel better about my fall (see bandaged knee).
So big, but of course I ate it all.
Week 12 This week had slightly lower mileage than I wanted but lots of great, shorter workouts. I had two 4 mile runs that felt really hot, humid, and hard. This week also included a super fun November Project-Baltimore workout that featured our awesome yearbook photos thanks to Pixilated.
This week's long run was 15 miles which included the Charles Street 12 Miler race which didn't feel as great as I wanted but was still a fun race.
Double-thumbs up aka my classic running pose
Week 13 On Labor Day a bunch of us November Project-Baltimore people traverbaled and went down to the NP-DC workout. It was super fun to visit another tribe and get in some different #hillsforbreakfast at Meridian Park.
Loving my fresh new DC tag
This week also included a bunch of running including NP-Baltimore workouts on Wednesday and Friday as well as the Shake Shack Track & Field Run on Tuesday. My long run started out with me planning on only running my 17 miles, but the route I ran with some November Project people on the northern part of the city to Charles Village and along to the Robert E. Lee Park trails proved it would probably be a few miles longer. The group I was running with was running 20 miles and since I was feeling good I decided to get in my 22 mile run. It was nice to have a group of people to motivate me and made the run less painful than it otherwise could have been. We finished the run just in time because as I sat down at breakfast to eat my chocolate chip pancakes at Light Street Cafe with the run gang it started to rain. I was thinking about breakfast for the last 1/4 of that run!
It was weird how chill I felt afterwards when I finished 22 miles. I took a moment to sit by the Inner Harbor and stretch and soak in the moment. I saw my friend on his way to work right after and he said I looked like I was about to start my run, not be finished with such a long one! Training doesn't get easier, but certain parts of it are definitely different each time around.
Repping my Momentum jewelry shirt and Footnotes of course
Week 14 This is the week where school and my new schedule really started to catch up with me so it was struggle to fit in some workouts and runs. I had a quick treadmill run one day and a quick lifting session at school on Monday. I also had to take a rest day on Tuesday instead of on Sundays like I frequently do. My long run was a 17 miler (for real this time), and I was totally mentally not feeling it. I got up super early and the city was eerily quiet and seriously foggy. I was feeling so over training and waking up really freaking early to run this morning but thank goodness for running with NP-Baltimore people who kept me motivated and entertained throughout the run.
Yep, that's the Inner Harbor. Totally looks like The Mist attacked.
Sunday was the super awesome Empowered by Gundalow event. We didn't get quite enough people to sign up to run with me which makes me sad, but I totally understand because there was tons of races this weekend. I was happy enough to go help out with the barre class at Pop Physique. I definitely felt the burn-it had been a while since I've taken a barre class. My legs were especially feeling it since it was the day after my long run, yikes. The after-party at Ryleigh's Oyster was really fun and reminds me why I love Gundalow Juice and all the amazing people who are involved with and support the company and the Baltimore fitness community.
{again thanks to Pixilated for the fun photobooth!}
The bad: Weeks 11 & 12 I really needed to be more hydrated. It was another hot and humid stretch of weather. Weeks 13 & 14 I was noticing really how tight my hips have been. It's probably due to the lack of stretching plus all the sitting at desks in school during the week. The good: I'm happy that I made it through my 20 and 22 mile runs and that they actually felt pretty good. No injuries and not even much post-long run soreness which is weird to me, but I'm not complaining. So happy to be starting taper!
Things to Focus on: I really need to tighten up my schedule and actually plan workouts for the beginning of the week when I'm busiest so that they happen. I seriously need my morning runs as stress-relief.
I haven't talked about it in much detail in a while, but November Project-Baltimore is still my favorite, almost two years after joining in.
Thanks to Facebook photos, it's all everyone thinks I ever do-no, seriously.
It was really great to have tribe members to organize long runs for marathon training this summer, which let me get to know many people a lot better. Although I may be a little more reserved than other tribe members, I have just as much love, pride, and enthusiasm for this tribe and appreciate all their love, support, and sweaty hugs. I thought it was time to show my tribe some love!
Reasons Why November Project-Baltimore is Awesome (and you should join us!)
1. The tribe is weatherproof and never cancels any of our FREE workouts-we embrace it.
And sometimes we make snow angels.
2. We do lots of fun things outside of workoutsincluding happy hours, training runs, dinners out, and races like the Cupid's Undie Run in February.
Also free workouts mean more money for beer and food!
Yeah, most of us are actually friends and not like those people you kinda stare at while you work out in the gym.
3. We love running stairs and #hillsforbreakfast.
I know that least Sarah and I think stairs are the best.
4. We race everything.
It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are.
There's always a friend you can "convince" to run a race with you.
Or bopping each other on the noses. Or curtsying when you say "good morning".
Or building plank pyramids at the end of the workout.
6. We like giving hips-in hugs.
There's nothing like a big sweaty hug early in the morning.
7. We are really happy to be working out with November Project at 6:30 AM (or 5:30 AM!).
Just trick yourself into getting to the workout before your brain knows what's happening.
8. We love Baltimore and supporting our community.
There is so much Baltimore pride present, and the tribe is always supporting things like local 5Ks,community events, great organizations like Back on My Feet, and even the awesome cafes like Light Street Cafe and Grace's Acre that allow us to takeover after workouts.
Helping out with the Back on My Feet Baltimore shoe drive earlier in the summer
9. We are great at taking photos and rocking neon-colored grassroots gear.
We promise you'll get an awesome new Facebook profile photo if you come workout with us. AND WE HAVE A CRAB TAG which is obviously awesome.
10. Our workouts change every week and are always fun and sometimes strange. The workouts include everyone's favorites including lunges, burpees, hoistees, and partner push-ups.
We also really love squatting with our good friend "Sally".
11. We work out so early that we see amazing sunrises over the city of Baltimore.
#ididitfortheinsta
12. We have AMAZING co-leaders that keep things fun and the energy high as well as do a great job of making it a welcoming environment.
Shout-out to Pat, Sydney, and Nick for being amazing people!
November Project Baltimore is one of my favorite things about living in the city. I can't believe how many friends I've made through the tribe and love knowing I can always count on someone to be up for something, no matter how crazy it sounds. I'm so happy the tribe embraced this crazy runner lady.
Get the latest updates and weird photos on Facebook or check out the blog.
If you are in Baltimore come join the tribe #bemore_bmore for a free workout on Wednesdays 6:30 AM (and 5:30 AM) at Rash Field and Fridays at 6:30 AM at Patterson Park.
If you are still confused about what November Project is, check out the website .
See if one of the tribes in 23 cities across North America is near you, just waiting to give you a sweaty hug. Have you ever worked out with November Project? Do you belong to an awesome fitness group?
{Read about Weeks 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 ,7&8, of my training} Weeks 9 and 10 of training are here already. It freaks me out the race is only 6 weeks away now! Luckily I have another two solid weeks of training behind me.
Be sure to check out the hashtag #breathedeeplyandrunchi on Twitter and Instagram for more snippets of my training!
#breathedeeplyandrunchi
Chicago Marathon 2015 Training Recap
Week 9
Week 9 was a solid week of training despite the fact that I was trying not to push it hard due to my freak toe injury . I wore my more stable Mizuno Wave Enigma 5 shoes for running and took an extra rest day on Monday. I got in my favorite run, Shack Track & Field, this week. I switched it up and got a root beer float after the run which hit the spot! Thursday I went to a bootcamp class at Beachfit which was a nice change of pace. I also found a ride over to the workout so I went to my first everFriday NP workout. I had been using Fridays as a cross-training day but decided to have some #hillsforbreakfast since my schedule for work/school has changed. I loved the workout and the different vibe of Fridays!
NP #hillsforbreakfast at Patterson Park
Druid Hill Park as the sun came up was worth the early wake-up call.
I also did a group long run again with some NP people and got in a really solid 17 mile run at an average of 9:04 min/mi with some fabulous views. My fueling and water intake felt solid and there were no issues during the run besides a little humidity. I treated myself to this gluten-free caramel pastry & coffee which was as if a biscuit and a muffin had a baby-YUM. Of course I had some serious breakfast eating when I got home and showered as well.
Week 10 This week really rocked. The weather was a bit warmer and humid again so there were many sweaty runs. I got in a quick treadmill run and a speedwork treadmill intervals two nights after work. Tuesday I finally went to another yoga class at the Under Armour Headquarters gym. With views like this in the morning, it's hard not to be feeling zen, body & mind.
I also made it to November Project on Wednesday and again on Friday for hills!
Saturday was a big long run of 18 miles, the longest of my training cycle so far. I met up with a group of NP people at 5:30 AM with my new Energy Boosts and new Lululemon running skirt on and was ready to tackle some miles despite barely being awake!
We ran a path that took us around parts of the Baltimore Half Marathon route, going north of the city. I stuck to my own pace so at some points I fell behind the group. I do really like meeting up with people and trying different running routes I normally wouldn't these past few weeks. Despite just-before-5 AM wake-up call, I felt super great and accomplished after getting my miles in and made sure to stop at Starbucks on my way home for some water and a frappucino with a big smile on my face. That post-run high is amazing sometimes.
Remember you can always use my code BREATHEBLOG to save 10% off sweet Bondiband headbands like the ones I always sport!
The bad: Incorporating more yoga in my life, for my physical and mental health. I also need to make sure I'm getting in enough water because I've been starting to feel really dehydrated and thirsty again after a few good weeks of water intake. The good: I'm happy with where my mileage is at. I know some people suggest running more but hanging out around 40 miles a week seems to be working for me right now. I've been mixing up easy miles, workouts, and long runs without feeling run down.
Things to Focus on: Since I'm starting grad school, I need to make sure I keep a good balance of sleep, work, training, and run so I can keep my sanity and continue training strong.
I've been asked all the time about where are the best and safest places to run in Baltimore or what running groups are in the city. I figured since this blog often covers Baltimore running events and groups, I should make an unofficial mini guide with some resources for new runners in the city.
First of all you know I'm going to mention November Project Baltimore. It's not a running group or club but rather a free fitness movement. We do a lot of running, eat hills for breakfast, and chase PRs. It's some running, stairs, and body weight circuit exercises mixed in with sweaty hugs, high-fives, and laughter. If you don't know anything at all, November Project is an international free fitness workout group currently in 21 cities (and counting!).
NP-Baltimore meets at 6:30 AM on Wednesdays at Rash Field (there's a 5:30 AM group too!) and 6:30 AM on Fridays at Patterson Park for a hill running workout. It is weatherproof and goes on sun, rain, or snow! Check NP-Baltimore out on Facebook for updates and fun news.
Running Clubs
Baltimore Road Runner's Club (BRRC) is an running club for both competitive and recreational runners that includes a paid annual membership and is sanctioned by the Road Runners Club of America. Membership includes dirt cheap races, training programs, social outings, and volunteer opportunities. They have many events on road, track, or trails so there is something for everyone.
Me running the 2015 Prettyboy Trail Race held by BRRC
Baltimore City Pacemakers are a group that rotates Saturday long runs through the Baltimore area as well as Wednesday morning workouts at the Gilman Track. List of Running Clubs (some I mentioned and some others) from Falls Road Running
Running Group Meetups
Federal Hill Runners is a free group that meets Monday nights at 6:30 PM in front of Federal Hill Fitness.
Charm City Run-Baltimore holds a free fun run every Thursday night at 6:30 PM. It's a great run for the 8-11 minute crowd and sometimes features special events and wear test opportunities from shoe companies. You can also head right across the street to World of Beer right across the street for a free beer! Shack Track and Field is a free run hosted the second Tuesday of every month at 7 PM starting at Charm City Run-Baltimore ending at the Shake Shack on Pratt St. The runs are posted as events on the Facebook page for each city. After the run you get a free beverage of your choice-I usually go for a milkshake!
Hopkins Marathon Team offers free group training runs targeting both Fall half and full marathons.
Running Routes
This list of places to run in Baltimore from Charm City Run is a great guide to places to run in Baltimore and Maryland and includes some of my favorites. There are so many places to run so I've included my personal most common routes and favorites. My main running route is running along the Inner Harbor. If you hug the water you can run all the way from Canton through Fells Point to Locust Point and even make it to Fort McHenry and run that loop. There are usually lots of people walking or running so it's a pretty safe route.
I feel so lucky to run with this view almost everyday.
Another great route is around Patterson Park, which is where November Project does its weekly hill workout. It's a a nice loop which allows you to run a variety of distances. Loch Raven Reservoiris a nice weekend route I ran a few times with the Charm City Run marathon training group. Part of it between Morgan Mill Road and Providence Road is closed to cars (but open to pedestrians) on the weekends so it's a great place to get a long training run in on paved and off-road trails. The NCR Trail is a popular route for runners and cyclists alike which extends up to the MD-PA line. You can run all the way up Charles Street from the downtown to the county. A nice route is to take either Charles Street or Saint Paul Street up to Johns Hopkins University-Homewood area. You can run further and link up with the Robert E. Lee Park, around Roland Park, head towards Druid Hill Lake, or take 33rd street up to Lake Montebello.
These are just some of my favorite and most common running routes but of course there are a ton of places to run! Another fun thing you can do is go on Strava or Map My Run and see what routes people have created and where most people run! I also helped out with this article from Baltimore Magazine about the Best Running Routes around Baltimore which includes some of the routes I mentioned above along with some other options.
Running Resources
Charm City Run-Baltimore is my personal go-to running store, but they have locations all throughout the state. They are the sponsor of many races, can help you get fitted for shoes, and run great training groups for anything from a 5K to an ultra-marathon.
Falls Road Running is another local running store in the northern part of the city that holds fun annual races such as the Celtic Solstice 5 Miler and Dreaded Druid Hills race as well as other events and running teams. Team That's What She Said is a great local running blog that also is a training group. Their blog offers great race recaps and Baltimore running community updates.
*Always run at your own risk. While most areas of Baltimore are safe for running, be smart and run with a group or friends, especially in an area you are unfamiliar with. If running alone I wear my Road ID, sometimes carry my cellphone, let someone know where I'm going, and even have a mini pepper spray wristband to wear.Baltimore is a wonderful city-just remember to be aware of your surroundings and be smart!
