Marathon Training

My next race is around the corner (Utah Valley Marathon, June 9th) and I have not posted in awhile. Sorry about that for all you loyal fans (all 2 or 3 of you!!) Ha ha! I know this blog is mostly for me, but I do appreciate that some of you actually enjoy reading my rants and raves about my tri training.

What have I been up to lately? A lot of running, a lot of biking, a little swimming, and some much loved and needed R & R. My husband and I went to Lake Powell with some good friends last week and did absolutely zero training - it was great!!

So a few milestones in my training have happened over the last few months. Probably the most important one for my endurance training is that my heart is getting measurably stronger, which means that at the same heart rate as previously, I can do more work, push harder, go faster. My coach has me do a bike test on my computrainer about every month or so. I have seen marginal improvements over the first few months of doing the test. But this last time (mid May) that I did the test there was a significant change in my heart rate as compared to the first time I did the test in January. Not only did I get a higher score for the test (which means I went longer and pushed more wattage (power)), but my HR was 20 bpm lower throughout the first half of the test, and 10 bpm lower through the 2nd half of the test. And during my recovery minute (between each hard interval), my heart recovered more quickly and to a lower HR before I started the next interval. For those of you who understand this HR thing, you would know that I am pretty stoked on that. Basically it means that for the same effort, I can do more work, which means I can go faster, and go faster for longer - which is the goal!

Second milestone is a combination of two runs I have had recently, an 18 miler and a 16 miler. Both were ones I was a little afraid of, because of what was prescribed.

18 miles - 3 mile warm up (slow: 9-10 min pace), then 14 miles at marathon pace (8:23), then last mile at 5k pace (7:00). I did it! The 14 at marathon pace varied between 8:15-8:29, but averaged faster than 8:23, then my last mile was an 8 min pace - not my 5K pace - but it was all I could push out at that point. It was the first run where I have legitimately felt like I might actually be able to run a Boston qualifying marathon. The second run, the 16 miler, was this morning. I was less afraid of this one than the 18 miler, maybe because I did that one. But the run was supposed to be 2 mile warm up (zone 2 HR), then every other mile at 8 or below, with the recovery mile as slow and bringing my HR back into zone 2. It was a great run, my coach and my good friend came along with me (we are all running the marathon together), our first 2 fast miles were right at 8 min pace, then the rest of them were 7:40 or lower with the last one at 7:30 min/mile pace. And during the recovery mile my HR dropped into zone 2 (140s for me). The bonus about this run is that I felt great at the finish and knew I could have kept going.

Third milestone was riding 120 miles this past Wednesday. That's the longest I've ever ridden. From my house all the way down to Colorado Springs, and back. It was a great ride, averaged 17mph on rolling hills with a couple of good climbs. The first 10 miles heading back are all pretty good uphill.

One concern I have had recently is that I will sometimes get tingling all over, and lightheaded when I finish a longer training session, I am fine through the end of the workout, but as soon as I stop, it hits. And I did that after the 18 mile run and also the 120 bike. I am experimenting with nutrition and supplements to see if I can figure it out. I am pretty sure it is not dehydration, which would be the first conclusion many would come to.

Anyway - that's it for now - marathon is 2 weeks from today! I feel ready!