A champion is committed to a vision, a dream that originates in thesoul and evolves into action.

I'm 6 weeks into my training and I'm loving it.  Is it hard?  ABSOLUTELY!  After my run test my run pace was established.  My easy runs are now a 9:15 pace and my tempo runs (medium level) are an 8:13 pace.  I love that I'm out of the 11:00 minute per mile pace, but man who knew 9:15 could be so tough?!?!  A 9:15 pace was NOTHING to me before this training program with my coaches, but with the introduction of my new head to toe form and cadence I am both physically and mentally exhausted and sometimes barely able to keep the 9:15 pace.   

My program is a combination of strength and core enhancement (lifting) and running and because it is so different from what I've been doing I'm sleeping better and I'm in a constant state of "good sore".  I explained this feeling to one of my coaches and her response was along the line of "isn't it a great feeling to keep changing up your workout and tricking your body?"  It is...I've never felt better!  

I did a 40 minute tempo run (8:13 pace)...I was dying between the heat and the "grueling" pace.  I tired to stay as consistent as possible, but it was really hard.  I decided I will do all my tempo runs on a track since it's flat and I have a better shot of keeping my set pace...the only problem is 40 minutes on a track is sooooo boring.  

When I trained for my 1st marathon it was all new and exciting  so I never got bored....I actually LOVED  every bit of training.  During the last marathon training program it became so tedious-I really hated training. (Tho I missed training when it ended) This new training program is totally different from the combination of lifting and running to doing timed runs as opposed to distance runs I feel (even having 22 weeks left) I won't be getting bored.  The training plan my coaches have me on keeps me on my toes-literally and figuratively!  Ha Ha  

Sometimes the training is tough and I know it's only going to get tougher, but Boston is my goal and I need to push myself to get there.   I guess some people just get that about me. 

I must talk about running a lot and my students must listen to me and talk about me at home because I got one of the most thoughtful gifts ever from a student at the end of the school year.  I got the Alex and Ani Champion bracelet.  The quote says, "A champion is committed to a vision, a dream that originates in the soul and evolves into action. The winged sandal of Hermes, the Greek messenger of the gods, represents limitless potential as it radiates the ability to reach goals swiftly and share messages of love clearly. Look within your heart to summon the energy to finish the fight, believe in the impossible, and become a champion."  WOW!   I think it looks pretty sweet next to my running watch!  Thanks #8 I can't wait to get to my dream!  

"If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have received." -Unknown

When I left off in my last post I mentioned the running test I was to take for my training. After the initial freak out of seeing "Run-hard TEST" I spoke with my coaches only to find it was an east 10 minute warm-up, followed by 3 miles as hard as I could go/sustain for 3 miles, followed up with a 10 minute cool down. 

Work was crazy the day of the test and after work was crazy with errands.  I finally got home around 8:30pm, changed, and hit the track.  I don't know why I was so nervous...it was just running and I run all the time.  I had to do this run test for my coaches to get an idea of my pace for training...that's it.  I know I was nervous since the last 4 weeks of training was full of easy runs (pace being in the high 10 minutes zone as I was working on form) for 30 or 40 minutes.  I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to go fast again.  I warmed up at my slow pace and got set to time my 3 mile. 
As I ran my test, as hard as I thought I'd be able to go for 3 miles, I felt awesome.  I 'd look down at my watch thinking it wasn't working because the time was too quick or the splits were off, but it was  all correct. 
It wasn't anywhere as bad as I thought it would be.

For my timed test I ran:

Total Time: 21:59.8

Total Distance: 3.03 miles (7:16 avg)

Mile 1: 7:05

Mile 2: 7:24

Mile 3: 7:19

remaining amt: 0.03 

 

Changing my form has really helped me exert less energy to run quicker.  After it was done I thought, "I could have gone harder". ha ha

 

Bring On The Next Phase Of Training! 

 

"If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have received."
--Unknown

ahhh I jinxed myself...

Yesterday I wrote about my training so far.  I mentioned the "easy" runs I've been doing.  I've quite enjoyed looking at my schedule each week and seeing "run-easy 40 minutes" or "run-easy 1:10". Today I looked at my schedule for the week and noticed "run-easy 20 minute" tomorrow and thought, "that's weird, only 20 min?"  then saw on Wednesday I have a meeting with my coaches with a workout titled "Run-hard TEST"  I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous.   I knew this was coming but it frightens me as I still have 24 weeks of training....I don't want to leave "easy" zone just yet ha ha

Check back Wednesday night! 

167 days to go....

It's been a while since my last post...(I feel like all my posts start this way) 
At the end of my last post I mentioned I hired coaches.

While this is costing me a small fortune I am thrilled with this decision!  I do ZERO thinking with this training/coaching..I just listen and do...so far, so good! ha ha 
I've completed 3 weeks of my 28 week training program. 
While I don't actually see my coaches often I do communicate with them on a fairly regular basis...mostly because I email them with a million questions!  (I've met with them once and they told me I ask the most questions out of anyone ha ha)

Here's how it goes...
I filled out a LENGTHY questionnaire about me as an athlete, my running past, my goals, etc.  They develop a training program based on my needs.  My ATP (athlete training plan) each week is posted to secure website.  If I need something altered I email them and they change it and we move on.  Apparently I'm to stick to the program and not make my own decisions about when changes need to happen and what those changes should be.  My schedule is based on recovery days.  My training also includes a prescribed strength component which I do about twice a week. Another major change with this training is what I run. For my two previous marathons I ran 4 days a week based on mileage. This program has me running for amounts of time. I will never run a 20 mile training run with this program. While it's new and I'm REALLY working on trusting this plan.   I like how it's going so far.  Every so many weeks we meet and they check things, make changes to my form, test my pace, etc.  For my first meeting they watched me run and gave me form tips.  I thought I was a good runner....apparently I'm wasting a lot of energy when I run.  I have an entirely new running form from head to toe. 
 
Introducing the new Kelly....
-My foot strike is now focused on landing on the forefront of my foot.
-My body lean was off and now I lean from my ankles, not my waist. 
-My knees go forward as opposed to up and my feet stay behind me. 
-My arms are held at a 90 degree angle with my hands by my waist, AND they stay at my sides as opposed to crossing in front.  I keep my shoulder back like I'm trying to pinch them together.
-My cadence has been altered also....my target cadence is 180 (aka each foot hits the ground 90 times in a minute)  I have a much shorter stride now. 
-The biggest change is that they currently have me running MUCH slower.  Apparently I have to learn to run slow to learn to run fast....I get it but I don't get it at the same time.  I'm having a VERY hard time with this.  At this point in my training, I should be running about an 11 minute mile, but I just can't get that slow.  Combining needing to slow down and all the aforementioned changes (including each foot hitting the ground 90 times a minute) I am mentally and physically drained at the end of each run.  (I can't listen to my ipod when I run because it's too distracting when I'm trying to listen to the metronome tap out when my feet should be hitting the ground)

At my next meeting with my coaches I will be timed on runs to see a good pace to set me out with.  I'm looking forward to getting a quicker pace but I know once they have me doing speed drills I will miss these days where my biggest problem is not being about to run slow enough ha ha

"We all have dreams, in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort."
- Jesse Owens