Pushing Limits: Rock 'n Roll VA Beach Half Marathon

My BRF wanted to run RnR VA Beach Half, so we signed up for it a few months ago not realizing we had to run 17 miles the week of the race. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue however, I really want to run a sub 2 hour marathon this year. 

I've decided to still go after this goal regardless of the extra miles I will be running prior to start time. I know this will be a huge challenge for me but that is the purpose of training. Train hard so that on game day it will be easy. Sunday I will run around 3 miles as a warm up, chase the 2 hour pacers to the finish line and run a 1 mile cool down. Lately, I've been asking myself, "how far can you go?", "are you really pushing yourself?" and I intend to find out over the next 8 weeks. 

#Letswork

Fitspiration Friday: Sanya Richards-Ross

She is EVERYTHING!!!

Namaste

I went to Yoga after hill repeats today. Today's class was amazing! I feel like I'm getting stronger with my execution of advanced poses. The instructor really took the time to walk around and help position our hips and feet so that we could twist properly into the poses. One of my fave poses from today's class is below. I have no idea what the name of it is but my quads loved it! My quads have been sore since Tuesday's strength training class. Hot Vinyasa Yoga is slowly becoming my favorite workout during training. Definitely need to make time to incorporate yoga twice a week into training. 

Get Right Get Tight: Week 11 of MCM Training

After my last long run fiasco, I've decided to incorporate more yoga in my training. I need to practice being still, more zen-like if you will. Strength training has helped tremendously during marathon training and yoga is another form of it. Yoga will help strengthen my core and my mental endurance. Here's my schedule for this week:

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Strictly Strength (muscle endurance class) and 4 mile easy run

Wednesday: 8 mile pace run 

Thursday: 6 hill repeats (roughly 4 miles), F.I.T. (muscle endurance class) and Hot Vinyasa Yoga 

Friday: Hot Vinyasa Yoga 

Saturday: Cycle 

Sunday: Rock 'n Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon (17 miles. Have to tack on 4 miles for my long run) 

#LETSWORK

Getting Over That Hump!

"Those who want success should think like a planter. They should understand that having the right seed is an essential key to success, but they must also understand that the soil that they entrust to the seed is just as vital...can you honestly say the environment(s) you are in will yield the kind of harvest you are expecting?"  ~ Eric Thomas 

Happy Hump Day!!! 

Music Monday #MM

Long Run Report: 13+ miles of Getting Over that Hump

Hands down, this run was the worse run I have had during training so far. Over the past couple of days I've been in a funk and I have allowed some people to interfere with my feng shui for my life. Needless to say, I could not shake this funk I was in, even with my run. I could not mentally check into this run at all. To make matters worse, I kept forgetting to restart my Nike+ watch so I ended up running over 13 miles. Learned a few things from this run:

1. Fall has arrived. Leaves are already changing colors and falling. Where did Summer go?

2. My mental is strong. I wanted to stop after 2.5 miles but I refused to quit. I wanted to stop after 5 miles but I refused to quit. When I ran out of water around the 10 mile mark, I wanted to use that as an excuse to stop. At each point I told myself to push through the bs and get it done. 

3. 9 weeks to go! Time to reevaluate goals and make sure I am on track with training. I need to note my strengths and weaknesses and finesse my plan to meet my needs. 

4. Music is a great distraction. By mile 5 I was so over this run and I had to turn up the tunes. "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida is my go to pump up song. 

5. I need to listen to my gut. I was not feeling this run. I should've waited to run on another day or even later in the day. Sometimes, even when there is a schedule to be followed, it is best to just go with the flow instead.