My coach sent us our long run schedule when we started the season, but he doesn’t send me my weekly workout schedule until Saturday or Sunday before the week begins. When looking at this week’s running schedule, I saw a 12 mile long run and assumed it was recovery week. However, once my coach sent my schedule I realized that the 12 miler would kick off recovery week, not end it, meaning that I had another week of tough workouts ahead. I was VERY much looking forward to the recovery week, and the email from my coach warned me that I would be very tired this week, but that it would all pay off on race day. Turns out he was right about the tired part, so let’s hope it pays off!
I had been really looking forward to the recovery week becuase the last recovery week I had, I ran a half marathon! It has been 2 months since I have had a long run under 16 miles without racing a half marathon. Yikes! Although overall I have been feeling great, mentally I was ready for a break. I had already decided to pause 21 Day Fix workouts this week and replace them with yoga, only when I felt like it, and I decided to continue with that plan anyway.
If you remember, I ended Week 12 with a 18 miler with 7 miles at goal pace, which his another factor in my heavy legs. But let’s get on to it:
Monday: 6.3 mile tempo run. Tempo intervals were 8 minutes long starting at marathon goal pace (8-8:10), then half marathon goal pace (7:40), then 10k pace (7:20-30) and the final one was a progression starting at MGP and working down to 10K pace. Despite Actual paces: 8:01, 7:38, 7:55, 7:44. I missed the 10k pace effort on the 3rd interval due to a nice hill in the there but overall I was happy with this run.
Tuesday: 11 mile run. This was really tough. My friend Ashley couldn’t meet me so I had to do it on my own. My legs felt so heavy and didn’t get any better. I kept playing games with myself – You only have to do 6 miles. Ok, you can do 8 miles. Ok how about 10? Well if you’re going to do 10, then do the full 11. Had I been self-coaching, I would have scrapped this run. The main reason I kept going was that my coach had warned me in his email that I would feel this way. I knew there was a purpose for the run (aka running on tired legs) and that got me through.
Wednesday: In the afternoon I did Beachbody Yoga Studio: Core Strength (30 min) and Post Workout Cool-down Stretch (10 min). I loved both of these, especially the cool-down stretch which is great for runners as it targets the hips. I will be doing this stretch routine quite a bit. Beachbody Yoga Studio is included in the Beachbody on Demand All Access membership. 
In the evening I headed out for my group speed workout. Thankfully I never know in advance what the workout will be, but I was thinking it might be on the easier side due to the “recovery week” I thought I would be having. No such luck. Jim told us afterward it was the hardest workout of the season so far and I definitely agreed. It may have been one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done. It was 9 miles of hill repeats mixed in with intervals. Basically, there was three rounds and each round started with an out and back up a steep hill and would end with a 1,200 or 1 mile interval on flat ground.
The second round added on 6 minutes of hill repeats (hard up, moderate down) and the third round added 12 minutes of hill repeats between the first hill and the interval. The last intervals on flat ground was a 1 mile repeat @ 10k pace. I was DEEP in the pain cave on this run. I was trying to keep up with a group of guys and they were my main motivation to keep up the pace. I kept telling myself that I only have 4 Wednesday night workouts left and that Jim knows what he’s doing. My legs felt like led going up the hills and felt SO much better on the flat. My 1,200 paces were 7:53 (goal was MGP) and 7:33 ( goal was 1/2 Pace) and the final mile was 7:21 (goal was 10k pace). I have to say – Jim comes up with some creative workouts and this was by far the most original of them all!
Thursday: Rest day. As soon as the run was over on Wednesday I asked Jim if I could take Thursday off. I had a busy day planned and the only way for me to get the run in would be to wake up early (which I hate doing on Thursdays because I always get to bed late and it takes me forever to fall asleep after the hard workout) or miss out on a playdate I had scheduled with friends and run with the stroller instead. I was so exhausted, rest seemed practical and I went with it.
Friday: 5 miles easy on the treadmill. My legs actually felt good again on this! Later I did Beachbody Yoga Studio Yoga Abs (10 min) and Release the Tension (11 min).
Saturday: 12 mile run. Yay! A recovery run! This was my last run with my friend Kelly who is running the Big Sur Marathon this weekend. As usual, our route was hilly but it felt so great to be done so quickly! My legs were tired still, but it was manageable. This officially kicked off the real RECOVERY WEEK!
Sunday: Beachbody Yoga Studio Strong but Simple Flow (60 min). I LOVED this workout. It was harder than I thought it would be and I was actually pretty sore the next day, but it felt so good to do it. The moves were all basic, but we held them for a good amount of time and moved quickly which made it more difficult. I will definitely be doing this one again.
Weekly Totals:
- Miles Run: 43.3
- Hours Strength/Yoga: 2 hours
This week was tough but I know I’ll benefit from the hard miles. I really, really enjoyed exploring the Beachbody Yoga Studio and felt like it was a great compliment to my training this week.
Do you like to do yoga at home? Have you ever done a hill repeat/speed work combo?
Holy cow! You are a beast! I don’t think I’ve ever trained that hard so I commend you. Jim is such a great coach and I seriously can’t wait to see how much you kick ass next month! (I’m actually thinking about having Jim coach me for Chicago to try something new.)
Thanks Kate! That means a lot coming from you! I hope I kick ass too!
And I think you’d really like getting coached by Jim!!