California International Marathon Training Week 16

California International Marathon Training Week 16

As CIM quickly approaches, my workouts are becoming increasingly more race specific. This week my mileage dropped but I had a marathon goal pace run and a hard long run.

Just two more weeks to go until race day! I opted for an 18 week plan instead of 16 weeks since I was still building my base up after a hiking injury and did a speed segment early on in training. It’s sort of surreal to think that CIM is so soon!

I also have TWO exciting items to share with you today: a discount code for a meal service and a Healthy Holiday Challenge!

California International Marathon Training Week 16

Monday: Rest Day

After a 54 mile week last week and a lot of time in the car over the weekend, I welcomed a rest day.

Tuesday: AM: 7 mile easy run; PM: 15 minute Pilatesology workout

I bought a new, shiny pair of Saucony Kinvara 7 shoes to break in before CIM. My goal is to put 50 miles on them before race day, so they’re still new and springy but ever so slightly broken in and conformed to my feet. I adore the color of these shoes! Don’t they just look fast?

California International Marathon Training Week 15

Wednesday: 10 mile marathon goal pace run

This run was exactly the type of run I need during the marathon taper. 10 miles will be my longest run at marathon goal (although a few weeks ago I did 14 miles in the middle of a long run at 10-20 seconds per mile slower).

I must confess: I was a bad running coach. I attempted to find a different route to the paved trail, but I got a bit misdirected in East Seattle’s maze on roads. I had a meeting mid-morning and wanted to make sure I had time to run, drive home, shower, eat, and walk Ollie and Charlie beforehand. So instead of including a proper warm up, I just spent the first mile working up to goal pace.

My run went like this: 1 mile working up to goal pace, 8 miles steady at goal pace, and 1 mile alternating 0.10 of a mile at goal pace and 0.10 of a mile surging at a harder effort. My effort felt comfortable and my gait felt smooth and controlled. I finished feeling as if I could have kept going at that pace – a stark difference from how I felt during my 10 mile tempo runs with Hansons, where I felt fatigued by the end.

Thursday: AM: 5 mile easy run; PM: 15 minutes strength training

I split this run into 2 miles with Charlie and 3 miles with Ollie. It was finally cold enough to wear capris and gloves. I love the cool, fresh air of late fall/early winter runs.

California International Marathon Training Week 15

For strength training, I did a quick workout with the resistance band: squats, lateral band walks, bridges, clamshells, pushup with mountain climbers, and a plank matrix.

Friday: 16 miles with 6 miles at marathon pace

The last very long run before the marathon! Next week I’ll  have just 10 miles as my long run, so this is the last time I’ll run longer than ~90 minutes before race day.

This was another confidence-building workout. My legs felt a bit heavy and slow for some of the middle miles, but I was able to pick up the pace to my marathon goal pace of 8:05/mile or even slightly faster (with the exception of a slower mile with a quarter mile climb).

It was also COLD for this run: 38 degrees at the start of the run and the first frost of the year. This was perfect for practicing my fuel and hydration at the temperature that will probably be on the day of CIM.

Saturday: Rest Day

REI has their winter sale right now, so of course we had to go shopping. My parents treated us to an early Christmas present of SNOWSHOES! We are so grateful and excited to use these. Our microspikes can only take us so far on snowy hikes, and winter is one of my favorite seasons for hiking.

There’s snow in the mountains now also. I am so excited for everything winter sport related: running in the cold, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and more!

Sunday: 4 mile easy run

Ryan, Charlie, Ollie, and I ran a few easy miles in the way. Ollie is a far faster runner than Charlie and Ryan’s been improving his speed as I’ve been in marathon training, so Charlie and I kept the pace easy for his little puggle legs.

How was your week of running?
How do you stay healthy during the holidays?
Love or hate winter running?

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22 Responses

  1. I love the color of your new Saucony’s – so pretty and yes, definitely fast! Last night it snowed a little bit so I’m getting more excited for winter. While I love not having to deal with ice, frigid temps and snow up the wazooo, it’s time.

  2. I don’t mind winter running so long as it’s not windy, snowing and remains bright and sunny lol. the cold is one thing for me, it’s the other conditions that can get to me. I do like the color of those shoes! so much better than my boosts lol

  3. All of a sudden it got really cold and windy here! I had a good run on Saturday and it was in the 40s, but shortly after it got much colder. I don’t mind running in the cold but its the wind that really gets to me. Love the new shoes- they look so speedy!

  4. Looks like a great week of workouts and the marathon is almost here! I also have the Kinvara 7 and really like them, they are light and responsive but have a lot of cushioning. I probably wouldn’t wear them for a marathon, but that’s a moot point for me now being injured. I do like wearing them for shorter runs though- but I think a half would be my max in them. The colors are always the best!

    1. Thank you! I don’t like shoes with a lot of cushion and these actually have more cushion that the Pure Connects which I ran my first marathon in. I hope your injury is better soon!

  5. Wow, two more weeks! I love those race pace workouts toward the end where you hit the splits with such ease, they are great confidence boosters! But, oof, a workout like that with no warm up sounds brutal!

    I love winter running 🙂 I’ll take it over summer any day, as long as I’m not slipping on any ice!

    1. Yeah, it was rough without a full warm up so I took the first mile slightly slower. My Google Maps got me stuck in some traffic so I was short on time! And yes, winter running over summer running!

  6. Two weeks, eh? WAHOOO! That 16 miler is impressive! I fully endorse a solid longer run 2 weeks out (a lot of training plans cut mileage too much in the last 3 weeks). You are SO READY for this. I hate winter running, and how do I keep healthy over the holidays? I’m not sure! I guess I just keep running!

    1. Thank you! I agree – too many training plans cut the mileage back too far in advance. 16 is a good amount less than 20, but it’s still a marathon specific long run. And yes, just keep running! 🙂

  7. I can’t believe it’s almost time for CIM!!! I feel like these last few months flew by! I am so excited for you and wish I could be there to cheer you and Tina on!! I will be cheering from afar and I know you are going to rock it. THOSE SHOES look so fast and so pretty – I love getting new shoes for a marathon!
    Great job on your workouts – a good way to keep the turn over in your legs. And yay for snowshoes! Every year when we rent them, I always think we need to buy our own. Snowshoeing is one of my favorite things to do in winter!
    Happy Thanksgiving Laura!! 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Natalie! I do wish you could be there – maybe in a future year we’ll both run CIM! We rented snowshoes once last year and loved it – so this was an awesome gift! Snowshoeing is so fun in winter. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

  8. Looks like you have had a solid training cycle. I’ve enjoyed following and reading your posts on training runs and strength workouts! Hello Fresh is a meal service I have not tried, but I love the quality and convenience of so many of these meal delivery services! I will be cheering and sending positive running vibes next Sunday December 4th!!

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