Run Dolly Run: Revel Marathon Training-Two weeks worth of updates

My apologies for this being a long rambling post. I just started working with my coach again, and when it comes to describing some of the longer runs, I want to include all of the gory details, and I can go on and on about the little incidentals, and annoyances.

Week of February 27-March 5th
Monday 2/27- Unintentional Rest day- I forgot my shoes at home.

Tuesday 2/28- 9.3 Miles 55 minutes general aerobic, 20 minutes tempo/steady state, with a 1 mile cool down. This run was a bit longer than usual because I was trying to make up for Monday's day off.

Wednesday 3/1- 3.3 miles at recovery pace.

Thursday 3/2- Another Rest day. I had already planned on taking the day off from running. I used flex time at work, to go to my son's class for Nevada Reading Week. I read my son's kindergarten class a story.

Friday 3/3-17.6 Miles

As comfortable as my 15 mile run felt the week before, that wasn't the case for my last long run. It was a grit your teeth and dig deep during the last hour kind of run.

On Friday I used a few vacation hours so that I could leave work early, It had been a busy morning but I was looking forward to running during my lunch hour and then just extending the run. I didn't expect it to be so hot either. When I ran my 15 miler, the temps were a mellow 55 degrees. On Friday it was 70 degrees when I got started at 12:30 pm. The trees were starting to bloom, and I wasn't used to all of the pollen.

I wanted to run a route that would be mostly free from traffic. So, I headed out to Heritage Park. I discovered this park a few weeks ago, and it has a nice two-mile paved loop. Heritage Park is also a short distance from the River Mountain Trail Loop.

My plan was to do a few loops around the park and then head out into the trail loop. I brought salt tabs, energy chews, water, and Gatorade with me. I had planned to make a few stops by my car to drink fluid.
I wore a tank top and shorts, but sunblock might have been a good idea too.
I ran three loops around the park, (just over 6.2 miles) I stopped by my car to pound some Gatorade, and I took a small bottle of water with me, I also ate a salt capsule. I headed up Burkholder road, and the climbing began.

I borrowed this photo from Yelp.

I climbed for a mile and a half and I noticed that my arms were feeling itchy. I felt like I was holding back during the climb but when I reached trail head, I was feeling pretty tired. I ate a few chews and I headed through part of the River Mountain Paved trail. This trail is a wonderful resource for cyclists, runners, and walkers. But, I always feel spooked because it is isolated, and cell phone reception can be spotty. It also felt so much hotter near the mountains.

This picture is from a previous
LVTC Holiday Half marathon race.

I made it through the trail portion back out into a different neighborhood I was about 10 miles in and debating on flipping a u-turn back into the trail loop. But, I decided against it. I stayed on the residential streets and made my back to Heritage park. I had hoped to pick up the pace during the last few miles, but that was not happening. I ran two more loops around the park and called it a day at 17.6 miles. Here's the data.

I took a cool shower when I got home but, the pollen had caused me to break out in hives on my arms.

Saturday 3/4- Rest

Sunday 3/5- 7.3 miles general aerobic with hills and strides. It was cool morning.

37.6 Miles for the week

The week of March 6-12
I reached out to my coach Brent Bowers again, to help me prepare for next month's race... I wasn't able to reconnect with him until I finished up with school. I didn't want to have the additional stress of hitting workouts, and I didn't have any extra cash. Last month I was running, and doing some tempo work. But, now I feel that we are going to kick things up a notch.

Monday 3/6- 45 minutes general aerobic and 20 minutes tempo. The first 20 minutes of the General aerobic pace felt hard. I was still feeling tired from the last long run. But, during the tempo portion things went well. I ran most of the route uphill, and the tempo portion was downhill

I wanted to practice downhill
tempo pace

Tuesday 3/7- 4.4 miles recovery with strides. I kept forgetting things all day long. I forgot my Garmin, I forgot to bring my hat. etc.

Wednesday 3/8 6.2 miles- 20 minutes warm up, strides, 4 x 800 at half marathon pace. I haven't done intervals in over six months. And these hurt. I ran two miles to warm up, and I did a few strides, In between each 800 I jogged for .25 miles. Here's the data: 3:42, 3:35, 3:35, 3:36 Then I ran a short cool down. I think these may have been faster on a track, and not around the business park.

Thursday 3/9 3.5 Miles recovery. Hello, Heat! Today Las Vegas hit 80 degrees. I do not want to carry my handheld bottle just yet.

Friday 3/10 13.1 Miles 2 miles warm-up, 10 miles at Steady State, 1 mile cool down. I had hoped to do this run in the morning. But, I had a few meetings that morning, that I couldn't reschedule. I used flex time and took, an extended lunch break. There was a little bit of cloud coverage, but the sun beat me up during the 2nd half. I chose a route that was sort of flat, and it was an out and back course.

Part of the route was on busy roads, but I did manage to run a few miles in the Wetlands Park. I made sure to turn off my headphones while I was in the park. It's a beautiful area, but I needed to be aware of cyclists, and possibly sketchy folk. Homeless people sometimes camp out in the wash.

these pictures are from another time I was out at the wetlands.

I stopped twice briefly once at mile 5 to buy a bottle of water, and towards the end of the run, I got stuck at a red light. I was really hurting during the 12th mile. But, overall I'm happy with how this run went. Here's the data.