Lake Sammamish Half Training 2017 Week 1
This week’s training was all about easing: easing back into mileage and long runs, easing back into speed work, and easing into winter running. We had cold weather in December, but this week was downright frigid (for the area!).
My body definitely felt the difference between weeks of 3-5 mile easy runs and a week of 30 mile half marathon training. I waited the appropriate amount of time before pushing pace or mileage, so I think it’s a combination of the cold and that first week back into training that left everything feeling a bit more difficult than normal.
I know I just ran CIM at the start of December, but I couldn’t resist running the Lake Sammamish Half Marathon again. I broke 1:40 at last year’s race and enjoyed the race so much. After Lake Sammamish in early March, I plan on focusing on base building again and take an off-season in the summer.
Monday: Rest Day
My body felt the effects of snowboarding and falling on my butt and knees repeatedly from the previous day, so a rest day was the best thing to do to start my half marathon training. This was one of those serious rest days – my Garmin repeatedly buzzed at me to walk, but I just embraced the last lazy day of Christmas break.
Tuesday: 5 mile easy run & Pilates
A cold snap hit Seattle and it was 22 degrees with a wind chill of 15 when I went on my run. I’ve become soft to the cold after living in the Pacific Northwest for a couple years. Back in Northwest Indiana, 22 degrees would be a welcome respite this time of year.
Thankfully, I had some new winter running gear to keep me warm. I got a Buff for Christmas, and it may just be one of the best pieces of winter running gear I’ve tried. I kept it over my mouth and nose for the first mile so the air warmed up a bit as my lungs adjusted to the cold.
I find that incorporating the magic circle into Pilates workouts elevates them from a core workout to a total body strength work.
Wednesday: 7 mile tempo run
Exactly one month out from CIM and I ran my first speed workout since the race. The first speed work back after down time is never easy for me, so I didn’t place high expectations of this workout. My goals was to get it done as best as I could and tune into my effort rather than pace on the run.
My workout was: 20 minute warm up, 2 x 10 minutes at tempo effort with 3 minutes easy recovery, then 4 x 30 second surges as I cooled down to 7 miles. I averaged 7:21/mile for the work intervals, so overall I was really pleased with this workout.
Thursday: 3 mile treadmill run & 30 minute strength and mobility training
The good (read: ice-free) running trails are too far away from our current apartment for early morning runs and large icy patches throughout our complex and surrounding neighborhood made it not safe for running in the dark. So Ryan and I took to the treadmills, which was timely after the Treadmill Workouts for Runners round up.
I chose Allie’s hill workout and kept my pace at a comfortable clip to keep this an “easy” run. Easy being relative because running up a 6% incline is rarely easy, but the constant change of the incline in this workout made the treadmill so much more comfortable, both mentally and physically, for me.
I want to structure my strength training slightly differently in 2017. In addition to getting in 2-3 sessions per week, I want to dedicate 5-10 minutes of a strength training session to mobility work. I did a set of the Myrtl routine, then did a medicine ball workout with single leg deadlifts, squats, single leg bridges, pull overs, and push ups. I finished with core work and foam rolling.
Friday: 10 mile long run
My car thermometer read 18 degrees, which would make this my coldest long run ever. Back in Indiana, by the time it was this cold, there was a thick layer of snow and ice on the ground. This run wasn’t easy, but it was still a good run overall. My handheld water bottle froze and I felt like my muscles had limited mobility and power (especially on the hills!), but I made it through my first long run back after CIM.
My scheduled workout included the last 2 miles at a moderate effort (approximately marathon pace). I wasn’t sure if I could hit this pace after how brutal the final 100-foot hill felt, but somehow I managed to complete those miles in 7:58 and 7:52.
Usually, my Mizuno gloves keep my hands, but my hands were so cold even after this run that when I greeted Ollie upon arriving home, the poor pup jumped and pinned his ears back at how cold my hands were. I have absolutely no temperature regulation in my hands: in 35 and above, gloves are too warm, but once it dips below 30-35, my hands turn into blocks of ice.
I ordered some Saucony running mitts based on Angela’s recommendation. Even if Seattle warms up, we are planning a trip to Bend, OR in February and we just can’t go to Bend and not run, even if it is cold outside!
Saturday: 5 mile easy run
A few degrees warmer made all the difference on this run! Ryan, Ollie, and I ran 5 hilly miles together at a comfortable pace. Ryan and I have reached a point where we have the same easy day running pace, although I don’t think of us will ever reach the pace that Ollie wants to run on every run.
I probably would have cut this run short if not for Ryan, since I was feeling pretty stiff from hitting my highest mileage since early December. As with most runs, I felt so much better once I got two miles in.
Sunday: Snowboarding
Ryan and I had our third and final snowboarding lesson. We spend two hours going down green slopes (and, for me, falling and getting back up at least twice per slope) with our instructor and one hour on our own. It was bitterly cold and windy, but so much fun again. And someday I’m going to master those turns. Someday.
Nutrition
One of my culinary goals for the new year was to finally make my own sourdough starter (and to get it right this time). Making starter means discarding a bit of the batter each day…which means daily baking! I cooked these sourdough waffles (using King Arthur Flour White Whole Wheat), which kept us energized for snowboarding on Sunday. Thanks to the overnight sponge, they weren’t a pain to make the morning – they probably came together in a matter of 15-20 minutes. (Not the best photo, but our apartment’s lighting is not the best in the morning!)
[Tweet “Easing back into training and winter #running via @thisrunrecipes #halfmarathon #lakesammamishhalf”]
How do you handle the cold weather on your runs?
How was your week of running?
When do you take an off-season from racing?
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Latest posts
Does Cooling Down From Running Really Matter?
May 7, 2025
How Many Gels Should You Take for a Marathon?
April 23, 2025
Should You Take Advil Before Running?
April 9, 2025
How to Taper for a Marathon
April 3, 2025
Science-Based Tips to Improve Your Running Economy
March 26, 2025
33 Responses
It got really cold here at the end of the week too! Usually winter is my off-season since its so hard to get in lots of runs when there is always snow and ice. Great job getting your first long run done on such a cold day!
Thank you! I think winter does make for a great off-season when there’s snow and ice – it’s just too hard to train for pace in those conditions!
I definitely don’t love how cold it is right now but it’s supposed to warm up a bit this week! I do ok when there’s no wind combined with the frigid air but I definitely prefer when it’s above freezing out there!
That’s what they said about our weather and now the forecast has changed! Oh well. Even when it’s above freezing it feels so cold because of how damp it is here!
What a great week back into the swing of training! I really hope the Saucony RunMitts work for you. I wore them both days this past weekend in single digit temps. But like I said, it’s the after that usually is worse than the during for me. Hand warmers help a ton too!
Thank you! I’m really excited about the RunMitt being waterproof, because the heavy rain can make my hands so cold even when though the temperatures are above freezing at that point. Too bad they were back ordered and won’t arrive until the end of this week – the forecast looks cold again this week!
What a great week…although SO cold! I’m battling the same temps here and I know those mittens will help a lot. SO glad you tried and “enjoyed” my hill workout on the treadmill. It’s amazing how much quicker a treadmill run can be when you’re focused on incline and timing, right? Hope you have another great week my friend!
Thank you! So cold – I’m excited for the mittens to arrive, thanks for the advice! I really enjoyed your treadmill workout – it’s probably one I will repeat when I’m inevitably suck inside when it’s too icy to run early – all that rain can freeze overnight. I hope you have another great week!
When I walk home from the hospital, it is usually around 10*, and my quads will actually freeze. I don’t know why, but my quads can’t handle the cold at all, lol. I tried to run across the street and could hardly pick my legs up! You should try the plastic glove thing! Maybe you will actually find some plastic gloves, unlike me, lol
Lol my quads get so cold also! Maybe it’s because it’s so easy to layer everywhere but there.
Since I live in Pennsylvania, cold is just something I have to learn to deal with! I’ll typically just add on more layers and force myself outside. It was pretty cold here this weekend..in the single digits with wind chill below zero! I wouldn’t mind living somewhere warmer right about now..
Brrr that is really cold! I will say that I don’t miss that degree of cold!
I don’t really take an off season… If I get injured, that’s my off season. I just had my first off season in 2.5 years. I probably should take a week off after a huge race, I guess. I just never did (always took cutback weeks). Then again, I don’t do marathons either…
It was cold here this weekend and my run was 28 degrees Sunday, brr! Thankfully it was an 8 miler and not really a long run, but it was still cold!
I like to take deliberate off-seasons to avoid injury – especially with marathons but even with half marathons, my body needs the down time from mileage and intensity. That is really cold for you!
I realized hindsight is always 20/20, but I probably should have taken some deliberate time off at some point instead of having it forced upon me via injury. I plan to do that this year, take a legit break after a big half marathon. I think Savannah (April 8) will hopefully be a breathrough race for me and I can take one then. A lot of my friends in other areas took off seasons over Christmas which would be really nice except December is a great month for running here!
eeek! I bet your knees felt so sore when running after snowboarding. I cannot imagine! Stay warm out there! The buff is the best! Happy training!
My ankles definitely felt it when running in the following days!
Is Indiana a “wet” cold or a dry cold? It’s wet here so our temps, even though they’re not as low as other places, really feel cold. Like, here, it gets cold into our SOULS. It makes me feel better about being a super huge wimp. When I head out, I have to cover my neck and mouth too. I typically use a fleece scarf I bought from Old Navy years ago and it works fine. I just tuck the loose ends into my hood. I have to wear a toque, and I pull my hood up over my toque. I think you guys call them beanies.
Our part of Indiana was a wet cold – we were right off Lake Michigan and would just get snow, snow, snow and the nastiest wind chills (like, -20 and colder). It was a soul-sucking cold. Seattle’s a damp cold also just like you – even when it’s above freezing, it can feel so freaking cold especially if it’s raining!
I generally enjoy cold weather running, but my hands are like yours – either too warm for gloves or they turn into blocks of ice and then warming them back up is really painful. I actually just got the Saucony mittens and they are magical – I wore them at -2 degrees last week and my hands were only slightly chilled at the end of the run.
Oh that is good to know! I’m really excited to try them!
It was so cold last week. I feel like I have turned into a wimp with the cold this year.
I was pleased with how my week of running went consider the temps and still battling sickness. Hopefully the intended rain holds off today for my run.
Last winter was so mild that it makes this winter feel so much colder! And it’s been so damp lately that it feel extra cold. I hope you have a rain-free run!
So looking forward to start adding miles to my running. I used a different training program when I did my first half marathon a couple of years ago. I really don’t mind running in the cold but I always got nervous if the roads were a little slick. Good choice staying in for that run.
The slick roads are what make the difference between outdoor running and treadmill running for me too – especially if it’s dark in the mornings and hard to see the ice!
The Saucony mittens are game changers! I ran in -5 temps last week and my hands were fine! And I’m a freeze baby 🙂
I’m so excited to try them! Although I hope the weather here doesn’t get quiet that cold! 🙂
I am not a fan of cold winter running at all… it makes me want to hibernate and read under the blankets until spring comes! Great week one of training!
Thank you! I don’t mind the cold too much, but it’s the ice that bothers me the most!
I know it seems like a common sense suggestion, but layers are the way to go to make cold weather manageable. On Friday I ran 8 degree weather. In addition to the usual gloves and covering the ears/head, I added a layer on top (an extra tech tee) and bottom (sweats over my UA tights), and it felt just like any other run. The hardest part of cold weather running is just deciding to get out there an DO it – once you’re out there, assuming you’re dressed properly, it’s fine, even kind of fun sometimes!
I usually take off seasons in the summer, because I loathe training in heat/humidity. Obviously not this year, though – bring on those 6 AM long runs!! At least I can take advantage of the extra daylight.
I actually like running in the cold if I have the right layers – but sometimes finding the right combination is half the problem! My hands are just really what can’t take the cold and I need a warmer pair of tights. Like you, I’ll take the cold over the heat – except our cold can be humid because of rainy season.
Good for you getting out there in the cold! PNW has been unseasonably cold this year. I have inadvertently taken an off-season now! A running injury flared up in December and just wouldn’t go away. The first 2 weeks of no running were painful but 2 weeks later and it’s actually been kind of nice to have the break mentally and physically and try out new exercises – especially spinning inside when it is so cold out!
I hope your injury heals up soon! I bet spinning is a nice change of pace, especially with this weather!