Training Log – Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon (Week 1)

Well, here goes!

I am officially starting my training program for the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon. I still can’t believe I will be running 13.1 miles in a few weeks, and I am even more surprised that I am contemplating my “next Half” after that–see what happens when you have a bunch of crazy runner friends!

My main goal for Annapolis is to train without getting injured and pace myself during the Half so that I finish happy and want to sign up for another one. 🙂 Based on my finish time in the GW Parkway Classic, I think I can aim for a sub-9:00 min/mile pace.

I am going to follow the same basic pattern I did for training for the GW Parkway Classic, doing weights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and taking a rest day (with yoga or a walk) on Sundays.  One of my weekday runs will focus on speed work or hills (alternating weeks) and the other will be easier (and preferably outside).  Stretching, foam rolling and yoga will continue to be integral to my injury-prevention program.

April 18
21 min elliptical
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
squats/lateral raises
bent-over rows/hamstring curls/leg extensions (Bowflex)
chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)

April 19 (speed intervals)
Warm-up: 5 min @ 3.7 mph; 5 min @ 5.7 mph; 5 min @ 6.0 mph; 5 min @ 6.3 mph; 5 min @ 6.5 mph
Intervals (Set 1): 2 min @ 6.7 mph, 1 min @ 6.0 mph X 3
Intervals (Set 2): 2 min @ 6.9 mph, 1 min @ 6.0 mph X 3
Intervals (Set 3): 2 min @ 7.1 mph, 1 min @ 6.0 mph X 2
Cool down: 90 sec @ 6.0 mph; 90 sec @ 5.7 mph; 4 min @ 3.7 mph
Notes: I wanted to do a long warm-up since I haven’t pushed my pace since the race. I think that was good, but next time I may cut down the time I spend @ 6.3 mph and 6.5 mph (maybe to 3 min each?) because I won’t always have 55 min to spend on the treadmill. The 7.1 mph pace felt challenging, but good and not insanely fast. On the other hand, my lower back is feeling a bit tight, and I do think those last intervals are to blame.

April 20
10 min elliptical
free weights: same routine as April 18
Notes: I had to leave the house early for a day trip to Boston, so I cut my elliptical time short, but I still was able to do my full weights routine.

April 21
4.5 mile neighborhood run
Avg pace = 9:20 min/mile
Notes: My split times were all over the place from almost 10:00 min/mile for my first (warm-up) mile to 8:30 min/mile for the last 1/2 mile. The weather was great (mid 50’s) and I felt really good.

April 22
20 min elliptical
free weights: same routine as April 18, plus I added a few reps of the crazy “upside down plank up the wall” that I saw in Self magazine. Yowzie!

April 23

Twists program of my Rodney Yee A.M. Yoga for Your Week DVD

April 24 (Easter Morning Run)
9.0 miles over the Wilson Bridge to National Harbor
Garmin Data: Total Distance = 9.0 miles; Avg. Pace = 9:20 min/mile
Split Times: 9:44, 9:21, 9:06, 9:04, 10:14 (hunting for water at National Harbor), 9:25  9:04: 9:00, 8: 59