So last week was a good running week .

It was the first week ever (I really think – ever) that I did all of my runs.

For half marathon training, most plans suggest 4 days of running, 1 day of cross training, and 2 days of rest. On a good week, I get 3 of my 4 runs in. I end up doing 2 shorter runs during the work week and 1 long run on the weekend.

All of a sudden last week I was sick of feeling bad for skipping a day and decided to suck it up and squeeze in my runs even though my schedule was tight.

I got to do my second run of the week with my speedy friend Mal who pushed me to run at my goal race pace (which is a full 3 minutes slower than her MARATHON race pace, might I add). The miles were fun because we could chat the whole time which made the run go by really fast.

Before I went home, I made sure to tell her that I was planning on waking up the next morning to get my third run in before work – so if I didn’t wake up, I would look like a tool.

I bet you can guess…I don’t even remember turning off my alarm.

But you have to give me a teensy bit of credit because I did a do-over the next morning and woke up in time get my morning run in.

Kind of amusing that the world is beautiful and serene in the morning when you get out of bed before the rest of the world (this almost never happens so I wouldn’t know).

All the animals were out explorin’ in the early light.

Runner’s high + coffee = a good morning at work.

I put off my long run until Sunday so I could have a few drinks on Friday. It was a sweaty and uneventful long run except that I am loving that it is the time in my training that I get to use FUEL.

I don’t really like gels but cannot get enough of sports jelly beans and gummy chews.

I’ve from multiple sources that it is good to use fuel (food or drink that replenishes your electrolytes) if you’re running for over an hour.

And in the next few weeks my runs are going to keep getting longer. 

Week #4 Recap

Monday: 3 mile run

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: 3 mile run, race pace

Thursday: rest

Friday: 3 mile run

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 7 mile run

Do you EVERYTHING your training plan says to do? Do you skip some days? Eek, I skipped cross this week! 

At first I was slightly concerned to go away this past weekend to Tuna’s fam’s house in WVA. This was solely because I didn’t want to do my long run in the hilly mountains. But Tuna promised me we would find somewhere flat so I could get my 6 miles in without dying. I was thinking of going to the high school track, but it would have taken a while to drive there.

So instead, we settled on a much closer field in the neighborhood.

It was PERFECT running weather outside.

The field had some pros and some cons: it was outdoorsy and super flat, but it was maybe half the size of a track.

We tried out some dynamic drills to warm-up. Please don’t make fun of me.

Tuna ran the first few miles around the field with me!  It was a sweet perk that I could plop my handheld on the ground and only grab it when I needed a drink.

At least I had some scenery..

…while I went around. And around. And around again. 

This pic is quite hilarious to me.

I switched directions halfway through so my mind would stay stimulated enough to dodge the deer poop.

It turned out to be a good progression run! 

Still slow, but I try to remind myself that long runs are supposed to be 30-90 seconds slower than your goal race pace. 

We continued to enjoy the gorgeous views of WVA and finished the night off with salads for dinner. (And a lot of [not pictured] movie-watching snacks, whoops.)

Week #3 Recap

Monday: rest 

Tuesday: 3 mile run

Wednesday: 2 mile run

Thursday: yoga

Friday: rest

Saturday: 6 mile run, 8-minute abs

Sunday: rest

How was your week of training?

What level will you go to in order to run on FLAT?