The Chicago Marathon - Accomplished!

I know I slacked off on blogging about my training, but I promise I DID do it all!!!!  I finished the marathon in 4:04, 7 minutes slower or about 14 seconds per mile slower, than my last one, but overall I was happy.  The weather was warm and windy and I almost ate it on mile one when I tripped on the bridge going over the Chicago River.  This is an entire 16 week training schedule for an intermediate type runner.  You can always play with it a little bit, and add in strength training and core work as well.

Goal Mileage	Key Workouts	# of Easy Runs
23	Fartlek - 1 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	2
	Long Run - 6 mi
25	Fartlek - 4 x 2:00 (1:1 rest)	2
	Long Run - 8 mi
28	Tempo - 2.5 mi	2
	Interval Workout - 4 x 1/2 mile
	Long Run - 10 mi
32	Tempo - 3 mi	2
	Fartlek - 2 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)
	Long Run - 11 mi
27	Hill Repeats - 8 x 30-60 sec. hill (jog rest down hill)	2
	Long Run - 12 mi
34	Long Run - 13 mi	4
39	Tempo - 3 mi	3
	Long Run - 15 mi
42	Fartlek - 2 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	3
	Long Run - 18 mi
32	Tempo - 4 mi	3
	Fartlek - 4 mi easy then 8 x 3:00 (1:1 rest)
40	Interval Workout - 1.5 mile, 1 mile, 1/2 mile (5:00, 3:30 rest)	3
	Long Run - 20 mi
45	Interval Workout - 6 x 1/2 mile (3:00 jog rest)	4
	Long Run - 16 mi
41	Tempo - 5 mi	3
	Long Run - 20 mi
45	Fartlek - 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 (1:1 rest)	4
	Long Run - 13 mi
38	Interval Workout - 2 x 1 mile hard (full rest)	4
	Long Run - 11 mi
30	Tempo - 2 mi	4
	Interval Workout - 1 mile, 1/2 mile hard (full rest)
15*	Interval Workout - 1/2 mile, 1/4 mile hard (full rest)	2
	CHICAGO MARATHON
	*Does not include race

Chicago Marathon Training Week 10

I know I'm a little late on posting this, as this is last weeks training schedule, but I'm running a 6 week E health coaching course and had to get that out on Monday.  But here I am today, getting it done!  Week 10 is in the books, and it was rough!  My runs were hard last week, but I took 2 days off after my long run and am feeling better this week.  So here goes:

Total Mileage - 43 miles
Long Run - 18 miles
No key workouts

Run #1 - 7 miles - easy

Run #2 - 10 miles - very easy. This run took place before work and it was hot and really hard.  Sometimes you have those days. On the plus side I got to see the Blue Angels practicing for the Air and Water show!

Run #3 - 8 miles - easy

Run #4 - Long Run - 18 miles - this run was also hard but I got it done with a 9:46 pace.  Again, it was hot and humid.  I got up at 4:45 am to get this run done before it got to the high temp of 91 that day but it was still warm.  I wasn't nearly as fast as I wanted to be but I know that it's ok for the long runs.  Two weeks until my first 20 miler!!! Hoping it will cool down a bit.  Cross your fingers!!!

Chicago Marathon Training Week 9

Week 9 is done! It was a good week in running.  I completed all of my miles in 4 runs which was nice.  3 rest days were awesome!  I did some stretching, some relaxing and some sleeping in those days!  I have 43 miles to do this coming week and I'm going to try to do the same thing!  Here was the week 9 breakdown:

Total Miles - 41
Long Run - 15 miles
Key workout - Tempo Run - warm up 2 miles, 3 mile at tempo, 2 mile cool down

Run #1 - 8 miles - easy

Run #2 - 10 mile tempo - 2 mile warm up at a 8:40 pace, 3 mile tempo around a 7:45 - 8:00 pace, 5 mile cool down.........I was feeling good and wanted to get in more miles, so I just kept going!

Run #3 - 7 miles - easy

Run #4 - 16 mile long run - 9:28 pace - I felt good up until mile 13-14.  I wanted to stop but I pushed through and only walked through my water stops.  There's a hill I always run up at the end of the runs and my treat for doing so is a little bit of walking at the top, so that happened too.  Left the house at 6:30 am so I was back around 9 and ready to take on the day!

Next week - 43 miles.  Bring it on!

6 Weeks to a More Amazing You

I will be starting a FREE E-health coaching series on August 17th.  This series will include one weekly email for 6 weeks with health tips and tricks as well as recipes to get you headed in a healthy direction.  If you are interested, please contact me at meganmosley@ymail.com or fill out the form below and I'll add you to my list!

6 Weeks to a More Amazing You Sign Up Form

Chicago Marathon Training Week 8

This week was a long one!  Total of 37 miles completed, including a half marathon yesterday in the humidity and heat!  Wasn't my best time, however I needed to run today still, so I didn't want to push so hard that I was too sore to get my 4 miles in today.  Here's how the week broke down:

Total Miles - 37

All Easy

Long Run - 13 miles

Run 1 - 8 miles

Run 2 - 9 miles

Run 3 - 3 miles

Run 4 - 13.1 miles - Biggest Loser Half Marathon - We had a lot of family and friends do the half and the 5k as well, making this run fun!  It was 90 degrees and sunny out, but we all finished!  I placed 4th in my age group with a 1:57 (my PR is 1:48 but considering the weather I was ok with that time). Keith's mom WON her age group for the 5k walk!!!!!!  This run also included a 2 mile walk to get to the race for warm up and a one mile walk to get to brunch at our friend's Rachael and Greg's.  After brunch we relaxed the rest of the day :)

Run 5 - 4 miles - I'm also getting a massage later today!  

Have a great Monday everyone and happy running!!

Chicago Marathon Training Week 7

The mileage decreased a little bit this week.  That doesn't mean I still didn't want to eat everything in sight.  I did do meal prep today, so I have a lot of fruits, veggies and sweet potatoes prepped.  I still need to hard boil some eggs and I'll be all set for the week.  I know it's hot, but I made my made over Zuppa Toscana soup, and black bean burgers are on the menu for the week, as well as a brown rice with lentils, tomatoes, cucumbers and feta dish.   I've been listening to No Meat Athlete podcast on my way to work, so thought I would try a few vegetarian dishes this week.  This coming weekend is the Biggest Loser Half Marathon so it's time to really fuel the body right!

Total Miles - 30
Key workout: Hill sprints - 2 miles warmup, 8 x 30-60 second hill sprint (jog back down the hill for your rest), 2 miles cool down 

Run #1 - 4 miles easy.  The way my work schedule is I usually run the day after my long run.  Needless to say, they are usually not very long.

Run #2 - 7 miles of hill sprints.  This was hard.  I like speed work better.......

Run #3 - 4.33 miles easy.

Run #4 - 4.82 miles easy.

Run #5 - 10 mile long run.  It was hot and I was sweaty.  I had to run slow but I felt pretty good!  

#TeamOneStep  #ChicagoMarathon #NoMeatAthlete 

Chicago Marathon Training Week 6

The miles are really starting to increase, which means one thing.  I want to EAT everything in site.  I'm trying to keep a lot of fruits and veggies in the house so I don't eat poorly, and last night I made a big batch of brown rice.  Today I'll hard boil some eggs for the week and roast some sweet potatoes and other veggies so that I have healthy food on hand.

Total Miles - 35

Key workout: Tempo - 2 mile warmup, 3 miles at tempo, 1-2 mile cooldown

Key workout: Fartlek - 2 mile waump, 2 x 3:00, 2:00, 1:00 hard (equal rest), 1-2 mile cooldown

Long Run - 12 Miles

Run #1 - Easy 4.5 miles - I wanted to do more, but the way my schedule works out, I am running the day after my long run.  So it was slow and steady.

Run #2 - Tempo Run - 7 miles - This was my first sub one hour 7 miler in a long time.  Thumbs up!

Run #3 - Fartlek Run - 6 miles

Run #4 - Easy 3 miles

Run #5 - Long Run - 14 ish miles.  It was between 14.04 and 14.57.  Always a discrepancy in my timing devices.  I once looked down at my watch and it said I was doing a 16 minute mile.........not true.  At least I know how long I was running.  If you count this run as 14.5 then I hit my mileage for the week!  

I also started reading Born To Run.  I'll give my review on that book when I've finished :)