What my recovery week looks like, and on to the next race

It's been a little over a week since the half marathon, My legs are still feeling a little rubbery and sluggish.  I'm going to attempt my first long run later on this week.  I hope to run somewhere between 10-13 miles.  I don't want to push myself too hard too soon and wind up injured.

Recovery Week

After a big race, I will usually be so sore that I have to take  the next day or two off from running. This was the same for Saints and Sinners.  I was shuffling the day after the race and walking up and down the stairs was painful.

Sunday 9/28-  REST

Monday 9/29- REST--  I'm also a big believer in true rest days... Not 45 minutes of cross training on the elliptical because I'm not running or a hot yoga class.  Rest means rest.

Tuesday  9/30- 4 miles at lunch time.  I was really ambitious and wanted to run 5 miles.  I ended up running only 4 miles.  I wore my Garmin to try to gauge my fitness/recovery pace.  My legs were very sore but, I'm glad I ran to get some of the lactic acid and soreness out of them.  I ran 4 miles in 37:34 (9:21 average pace)

Wednesday 10/1 Five miles at lunch time.  Again I wanted to run 6 miles but, my legs aren't ready yet.  I ran 5.42 miles in 49:13 (9:05 average pace)

Thursday 10/2-  Rest

Friday 10/3  Three miles on the treadmill at recovery pace.

Saturday 10/4 Rest

Sunday 10/5  One hour run...  I wore my Garmin to keep track of the distance and time.  I tried really hard not to look at my pace... I chose a hilly route....

Up the hill to Sunrise Mountain

I kind of like running hills when my legs are tired/sore.  I can't really run at a Tempo pace yet so I feel like I'm still working out my legs with out forcing them to run faster...  It took me about an hour to run 6.5 miles.  I also stopped at the  top of the hill to  take in the view of the Las Vegas strip

I think I finally figured out the zoom function on my camera phone. 

Monday- Today I forgot my Garmin at home,  I ran close to 40 minutes on my lunch break.  I drove over to Cornerstone Park for some change of scenery... My legs are still feeling sluggish... 

My Next Race is in 6 weeks!!!

Earlier this year I was on the fence about training for a marathon.... I made it through the Summer with a pretty good running base and I have decided to enter the Marathon distance for the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon.   I haven't raced a full in over four years and I am really excited to go for it this year!!

It was always in the back of my head while I was training for Saints and Sinners Half Marathon, and depending on how that race went, that would be where I would set my race goals....

I'm throwing it out there because I want to be held accountable.... I would like to run a sub 3:30 marathon....

This will be the first time that I will be racing with a Garmin.  I think this will help me to not crash and burn like I have in so many of my other marathon PR attempts.  

I have about three weeks to get some big runs in.  I'm happy that I at least got a 14 mile run in before Saints and Sinners... This week I plan on doing a long run of 10-13 miles.  Next week I am jumping up to a 16 mile long run, and then the following week (about 10 days later)  I will either do an 18-20 mile training run....  Then I have three weeks to taper.... 

I also need to figure out my nutrition and fueling strategy.  This is the weakest point in my game plan right now.... I really did a shitty job of fueling during the Saints and Sinners Half and I bonked so hard during the last two miles... 

Photo of me barfing after last weeks half marathon.

For a half marathon I can get by with just drinking Gatorade and carbing up really good the night before.   I'm going to start practicing eating during these long runs.  

I'm scared but, ridiculously happy that I get to race a marathon later on this year.