Daily Archives: September 24, 2023

Week #14 NYC Marathon Training: Honing the Details

Running a marathon is simple at its core: lace up your shoes, train for 16 to 20 weeks, then conquer 26.2 miles, hopefully while creating unforgettable memories all along the way. Obviously there’s a whole lot more that goes into it though: the details–and the details are what can make or break your level of enjoyment during the race, and training in general. This week has been about noodling out some of the details of the race, from fuel and hydration to shoes and clothing choices to timing and logistics, while at the same time consistently plugging away at training, one day, one work-out at a time.

Even though this will be my 10th marathon (including two I ran during IM races), I still get nervous/excited like it’s my first marathon all over again. The one thing that wraps me a warm blanket of calm on race day is hammering out all the logistics well in advance. Having an awesome training partner like Janet helps in that department, even though we live 900 miles apart (she’s in OR and I’m in CA). Texts and DMs have been flying back and forth during the week with thoughts and questions, all of which are coming together in my mind and then landing squarely on my hand-written “Race List,” something I always lean on for races and big events. Without my list, my mind spins in overdrive.

As John Wooden once said, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” Taking the time to think them through and test them usually pays off tenfold.

Here’s a peek at my Week #14 training schedule (Sept 18-24):

  • Mon 9/18: Run 5 miles, strength 45 min. (Kim Miller Fitness legs/glutes)
  • Tues 9/19: Spin class 60 min (23 miles), strength 20 min arms
  • Wed 9/20: Run 7 miles (track) 1.5 mile warm-up, 5x800s w/ 400 RI, 2 mile cool down, core 15 min.
  • Thur 9/21: Yoga 30 min, rest day
  • Fri 9/22: Run 5 miles, core and mobility work 25 min.
  • Sat 9/23: Run 12 miles, walk 1 mile with my hubby afterward
  • Sun 9/24: Rest & recovery day, yoga, walks

Monday: Nothing feels quite as good as starting the week strong, and being able to enjoy another fab fall-like run. I chose a new route to keep it fresh, which included a few little hills, knowing NYC includes five bridges with sneaky inclines and descents, along with several deceptive hills in the last few miles near Central Park. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Kim Miller Fitness app is helping me keep my strength workouts short, sweet, and focused

Tuesday was another heart-pumping outdoor spin class with my favorite instructor, Kristine. Good tunes, great vibes, and a killer workout with hills and sprint intervals, always leaving my spirits high and my body drenched in sweat. Afterward I did a short dumb bell arm workout session at the gym.

Wednesday was a “hurt so good” kind of training day with a 7-mile track workout, starting with a 1.5 mile warm-up followed by 5 x 800m intervals with 400m recovery intervals, finishing with a 2-mile cool down. Good stuff. Felt great to finally move my feet a little faster.

What started out as a cool morning quickly heated up so I had to lose the hat, peel off my arm sleeves, and consume two bottles by the end of my workout.
It has been a while since I’ve done speedwork so I was especially diligent with stretching, foam rolling, Theragun’ing, and rolling my calves with “the stick.”

Thursday I opted for yoga and foot exercises, and then went on a 1.5 mile walk at Lake Los Carneros with my hubby. All in all, a nice recovery and reset day.

Rest is good for the soul. Since I’m not planning to win New York :-), I’m trying to settle into my training plan and tweak it to fit where my body is at so I get to the starting line in one piece.

Friday was a 5-mile maintenance run, which I chose to knock out on Mountain Drive, a scenic, windy road in the foothills of Santa Barbara. It never disappoints with its views and gently rolling hills.

Later in the afternoon it was time for some core and mobility work.

Saturday’s long run was shorter this week (12 miles) to get the body rested up for next week’s 18-miler. I had the pleasure of running the first 8 miles with my friend Becca (the other B in Team B & B), who is currently training for a half marathon. Yay Becca! We ran from Leadbetter Beach to Montecito and back on another spectacular SB morning. The miles flew by so quickly, we almost blew past our turnaround point. That’s the power running partners. Afterward, I finished up with 4 more miles–up Shoreline Drive on the Nite Moves course and back. It was noticeable how much longer those 4 miles felt solo.

Time zips by when you’re laughing and telling stories. On the last part of my run, when I was solo, I finished my audiobook, A Race Like No Other: 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York, which not only got me even more excited about the race, but got me circling back to honing the details.

Here are a few of the details that are getting sculpted into shape…

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