Bayshore Half Marathon Training: week 6

How am I into week 6 already?? Holy cow, time is flying!  Hopefully this (and all the giant potholes in West Michigan) are signs that spring is on its way.

Here's how this week played out....

Monday 2/18/13 - Plan: RUN easy 5 miles at 11:14 pace.  Did: RUN very easy 5 miles at 12:31 pace.  My daughter wanted to run with me and had never run more than 3.1 miles.  We ran a hilly route and I'm so proud of her for sticking with it (granted, she really had no choice since we had to get back to the car).

Tuesday 2/19/13 - Plan: CROSS TRAIN.  Did: BIKE - We had yet another snowday so I hopped on the trainer for an hour and biked a slow 13.3 miles.

Wednesday 2/20/13 - Plan: RUN tempo 4 miles with 2 mile temp at 9:26 pace. Did: RUN - got my tempo done on the dreadmill before work because I knew the afternoon would be crazy. Completed 4 miles in 41 minutes, including w/u, c/d and 2 tempo miles at 9:19 and 9:24. Been running my indoor runs in my Newton Running Gravity's and they've been treating me well :)

Thursday 2/21/13 - Plan: CROSS TRAIN.  Did: CROSS TRAIN - went to the barefoot conditioning class I've found at my gym.  Lots of lunges, squats and balance work left my legs fried.  Finished with RUN - 1 mile on the indoor track in 9:43.  

Friday 2/22/13 Plan: CROSS TRAIN. Did: BIKE - tried to push the pace a bit and finished 10 miles in 39:48 (15.1 mph).  This is pretty fast for me on my trainer, so I'll take it.  

Saturday 2/23/13 - Plan: RUN "long" run of 6 miles at 11:14 pace.  Did: RUN - hilly and slushy 8 miles at an 11:18 pace (1:30:25).  This was mentally a very tough run for me, with a mini breakdown in miles 5 and 6 because I'm so sick of slipping and sliding but I pulled my shit together and kicked ass on the last 2 miles, running them in 10:49 and 10:32.  

Sunday 2/17/13 - Plan: BIKE Did: REST - the rest day wasn't entirely intentional, but life just got in the way. This is what I wrote on my dailymile post: Beer me! Aside from church this morning, I have not sat down all day. Multiple loads of laundry, an hour-long trip to the grocery store, house cleaning & a trip to the mall. After all this? 3 1-minute planks & 10 modified triceps push-ups, just so I could say there was some real exercise in there. Did I burn any calories today? Most likely, NO. But sometimes you just need to say "screw it" and pass the bottle opener. It's 5:00 somewhere.


Life is definitely about balance and sometimes you just need to say "f*ck it" and take the day off.

So, the running is going well.  I'm loving my Newtons (and really hope the weather gets decent so I can wear them outside - they don't have any stability or much traction so I'm worried about the slushy streets).  What's missing?  Strength training - I have been seriously slacking in this department and I can tell.  My weight is coming down, but I'm soft and my back is sore after my long runs because my core strength is GONE.  I need some help getting back on track with the lifting.  Hold me accountable...m'kay?