PUMP up the JAMmie! – Week 10/16

I can’t believe Jack & Jill’s Marathon is in six weeks. Week ten has been great. Lots of variety, especially with the triathlon creeping up in just three weeks! The rest day on Monday was so valuable, and the long run workout this morning was exactly what Lifelong Endurance wanted it to be for me – a confidence builder! The perfect way to close out the week, especially since my long run last Sunday was no bueno.

Monday, June 11th – recovery day!

I recovered so hard today! Spent the entire morning bingeing on the S Town podcast (thanks for the recommendation, Karmen) and cleaning my house.

Then I went for a stability session with Kristen, which was perfect. It was gentle but challenging and about as much as I could handle today.

Then I got some groceries and basically cooked and baked all day. Here we have the sweet potato cookies, superhero muffins, and meatballs, all from Run Fast, Eat Slow.

Tuesday, June 12th – hard day

• 3k easy
• 8k ~5:00/km
• 3k easy

That felt fantastic and very manageable, which is great considering GMP is 5:00/km! So happy that I love running again after last Sunday..

Next up, my last swimming lesson + 650m. Huge thank-you to Anne-Marie, who has me feeling like I more or less know what I am doing and will swim confidently at the Tyhee Lake Tri!

Before dinner (the meatballs, omg) 7k cool-down run. Felt so fucking good! I love rain running! And maybe I was excited for dinner? The effort felt relaxed, but pace was quicker than usual easy pace!

Wednesday, June 13th – easy day

I did a lot of stuff today, but all things were kept easy!

1750m swim, which was awesome and I felt smooth and confident. Right after, 10k of dirt road and trail (tired AF) – this run felt like shit. Happens. I still had fun playing with my GoPro!

Later, an unplanned 27.5k ride with a bike gang of girls! I think I’m really getting the hang of the gears on my road bike.

Thursday, June 14th – easy day

2000m swim – awesome.

10k at easy effort, but it happened to be one of those magical runs where it felt easy but I was running fast!

Finally, a glider session with Kristen! I asked if we could leave the legs alone because of the workout tomorrow.  We did all core, holy crap.

Friday, June 15th – hard day

• 3k easy
• 8 x 1k @ 4:46-4:30/km, 2:00 rests between
• 3k easy

I was so excited for this workout! I woke up with a sore throat but felt okay. My core was SO sore from the workout with Kristen, but the good kind of sore. Once I got going thought I realized how sore my arms and shoulders were, too.

It went pretty okay, but in the third rep I almost threw in the towel. I was so fking frustrated with the excessive traffic and wind, on top of how tired I was feeling. Looking at my Garmin, I’d already run over 6k. I asked myself “why the hell would I bail on this now? Just do your best and stop being obsessed with it being perfect.” And so, I kept going, and it went fairly well! on number seven, it was so windy that I could barely hit pace while going DOWN a huge hill and that was also infuriating haha. I got this new woman app on my phone and yesterday it gave me a notification that said “PMS is coming” HAHAHAHA I wonder if this had anything to do with my attitude? I finished the last interval, slightly under pace, and was almost back at my vehicle, so I just ran to my chocolate milk and called it a day. Over it! 13.25km total.

Saturday, June 16th – easy day

Easy 7k in Terrace

Lake swim!!! I picked out a ~150m stretch between two buoys and swam lengths. The swimming lessons have done WONDERS.

Sunday, June 17th – long run workout!

• 5k easy
• 8k of 90 sec @~4:50/km, 90 sec @~5:20/km
• 5k easy
• 6k progression ~5:05 down to 4:49/km
• 4k cool down

Omg. The cold that started Friday morning really got me. I almost cried when my alarm went off because I didn’t even sleep, just rolled around mouth-breathing all night. That being said, I was still looking forward to this workout after listening to The Champion’s Mind on the whole drive home from Terrace the night before. I gave myself permission to take the two easy 5ks really easy, and vowed to tackle the faster parts piece by piece and try not to think ahead.

I can barely believe I made this happen, but so proud that I did. During the second easy 5k, I felt that the next progressive set was impossible, but a lot can happen in five recovery kilometers. I went back to reminding myself to just run one kilometer at a time and to NOT obsess about it being perfect. It fuckin worked. SO HAPPY.

After food, water, bath and nap, Jessie and Erin picked me up for our swimming practice!

yes!!!! Lakelse was really good practice, but I could see the bottom because I was so close to the shore. This was a better simulation for the race. Dark sea monster water, way longer stretches, and no boats or sea-doos to be nervous about.

So yeah! Six weeks out from the marathon! As Coach Andrew would say, about four weeks left to “get the hay in the barn” and then we taper. A bunch of my taper time will be on Haida Gwaii so there will be some sick photos coming at you!

SUMMARY

WEEKLY MILEAGE:  90 km

INJURIES/PRE-HAB?  good to go

SLEEP?  good! lots of naps

NUTRITION?  got back on track this week! Also, long-run fueling went well.

CURRENTLY READING:

just finished The Champion’s Mind – Jim Afremow. I listened to this on audio. The narrator was okay…the content was what I like. If you are goal-obsessed, you’ll like it.

now it’s time to re-visit How Bad Do You Want It – Matt Fitzgerald (one of my faves)

CONFIDENCE BOOSTER(S):  definitely today’s long workout.

NEXT RACE:  Scotiabank Vancouver Half & 5k – next Sunday!