Category Archives: Marathon Training

Weeks #4-11 NYC Marathon Training: The Good, the Bad & the Evolving

It has been eons since I’ve posted, and for that I can only sigh. It seems that when my training started ramping up, so did “life,” which means that writing and sharing my journey back to NYC became a luxury I didn’t have time to indulge in besides a quick Instagram story here or there. I’m back now though, and even though the weeks have already started to blur together like a Polaroid dipped in water, I’ll try to bring you up to speed with a quick recap of the past eights weeks.

In a nutshell, training has been filled with high highs, a few low lows, and a whole lot of regular training days thrown in all along the way. It’s been a sweet dance of savoring the journey and reveling in the effort of pressing personal fitness boundaries again, while also managing the frustration of trudging through several weeks of healing injury setbacks–the price paid for pushing too hard too soon.

Here’s a look back at my training schedule (July 10-Sept 3). I share all the minutia here because I also consider my blog a digital diary, which I enjoy circling back to at times. If you aren’t interested in the daily details you can scroll down to Things I’ve Learned.

Week # 4: Healing hip/glute/SI injury, but still trying to keep moving forward
Mon 7/10-XT (swim 525 y, spin 25 min, elliptical 1.25 miles, strength 15 min)
Tues 7/11-Rest day and retail therapy buying new fuel and Hoka Clifton running shoes [ !! 🙂 ]
Wed 7/12-Strength 40 min
Thur 7/13-Spin class (60 min, 25 miles), strength 20 min
Fri 7/14-Elliptical 1.5 miles, walk 1.25 miles
Sat 7/15-Elliptical 1.65 miles, tested running on treadmill .25 mile (no bueno), strength 10 min
Sun 7/16-Walk 1 mile

Week #4 You know you’re an optimist when you’re buying new fuel and shoes while you’re injured.

Week #5: Still healing
Mon 7/17-Elliptical 3 miles
Tues 7/18-Pool running 50 min
Wed 7/19-Walk 1 mile
Thurs 7/20-Spin class 40 min (12 miles), walk 1 mile
Fri 7/21-Jog 1 mile on treadmill, pool running 30 min
Sat 7/22-Core
Sun 7/23-Run 3 miles

Week #5 still healing–pool running and an emphasis on going especially easy, gently stretching, and good nutrition helped me turn the corner. Love all the apricots from our tree this time of year!

Week #6: Slowly getting back at it
Mon 7/24-Elliptical 3 miles
Tues 7/25-Spin class (60 min, 21 miles), strength 40 min
Wed 7/26-Run 4 miles EZ at Lake Los Carneros, walk 1.5 miles, core 25 min
Thur 7/27-Swim 1025 y, pool running 15 min, strength 10 min
Fri 7/28-Run 3 miles EZ at Ellwood Bluffs trail
Sat 7/29-Run 8 miles w/ 1-minute walk breaks Goleta Beach bike path
Sun 7/30-Rest

Week #6 slowly getting back at it–just trying to stay consistent

Week #7: Trying to build back up
Mon 7/31-Run 4 miles (Nite Moves course)
Tues 8/1-Spin class (45 min, 12 miles), strength 35 min
Wed 8/2-Run 5.75 miles w/Becca at East Beach (Go Team B & B!)
Thur 8/3-Yoga 35 min
Fri 8/4-Run 3 miles at Ellwood Bluffs trail run
Sat 8/5-Run 10 miles w/ 1-minute walk breaks (UCSB Campus Point, More Mesa, Goleta bike path–took a spill and injured my elbow–argh! are you kidding me?)
Sun 8/6-Rest

Week #7 trying to build back up and not lose my mind when I added an elbow injury to the mix. WTF?

Week #8: A busy week calls for consistency with flexibility
Mon 8/7-Run 4 miles on Patterson bike path, strength 15 min
Tues 8/8-Rest day, Core 10 min (Taylor Swift concert in LA!)
Wed 8/9-Run 4 miles at Lake Los Carneros after getting home at 3am from TayTay, Elliptical 2 mile
Thur 8/10-Spin solo 48 min, strength
Fri 8/11-Run 3.2 miles w/Becca at Goleta Beach bike bath
Sat 8/12-Run 10 miles in the evening w/ 1 min walk breaks along the waterfront and at SBCC track
Sun 8/13-Rest, Walk 1 mile, (helped friends move)

Week #8 A busy week calls for consistency with flexibility. I don’t usually like to run in the evening, but had to squeeze my 10 miles in late. It ended up being one of my favorite runs. #dontthinkjustgo

Week #9: After a storm comes a rainbow
Mon 8/14-Run 4 mile trail recovery run at Ellwood Bluffs, core 30 min
Tues 8/15-Spin class ez (50 min 11.5 miles)
Wed 8/16-Run 5.71 miles w/Becca on the She.Is.Beautiful 10k course
Thurs 8/17-Spin class (45 min), strength 35 min (elbow still healing), walk 1 mile
Fri 8/18-Drive up to San Francisco to take my daughter back to college (epic)
Sat 8/19-Drive back from SF before the storm hit. (doubly epic)
Sun 8/20-Run 12 miles w/ 1-min walk breaks from Leadbetter Beach up around Douglas Preserve and back down to East Beach and back

Week #9 A fair amount of stress wrapped itself around this week with taking my daughter back to school in San Francisco, a C_r_a_Z_y drive both ways up and back on the 101 (an overturned celery truck may give you a glimpse into it for starters), and a hurricane heading our way for the first time in a century. But, of course, it all worked out, and as Katy Perry tells us, “after a storm comes a rainbow.”

Week #10: Steady as we go
Mon 8/21-Core/strength 35 min, walk 1.5 miles, PM stretch
Tues 8/22-Elliptical 3 miles, run .50 miles on treadmill
Wed 8/23-Run 5.5 miles (SBCC track and hill repeats at Leadbetter, strength 35 min
Thurs 8/24-Spin class 45 min, strength 45 min
Fri 8/25-Run 3 miles (UCSB Campus Point trail run), strength 30 min, walk 1 mile
Sat 8/26-Run 7 miles w/ Becca (UCSB Campus Point and Goleta bike path)
Sun 8/27-Rest, walk 1 mile in nature

Week #10 steady as we go-enjoying the journey, especially running with my friend Becca, who always adds a dollop of light and levity to our miles.

Week #11: Finally feeling strong again!
Mon 8/28-Run 4.75 miles w/ rolling hills on Mt. Drive, strength 35 min
Tues 8/29-Spin class 50 min, strength 40 min
Wed 8/30-Run 6 miles at SBCC track w/ some 800s and 400s
Thur 8/31-Spin class 55 min, strength 30 min
Fri 9/1-Run 4 miles Goleta Beach bike path and UCSB (testing more new shoes)
Sat 9/2-Run 14 miles w/ 1-min walk breaks (Hendry’s Beach, Modoc bike path, Cliff Drive, Douglas Preserve, Shoreline Park, back down to Hendry’s)
Sun 9/3-Rest, walk 1.5 mile

Week #11 feeling strong again-stoked to be up to 14 miles, and loving a hint of fall in the air

Things I’ve learned

The older you get, the more closely you need to listen to your body. Ignoring niggles and telling yourself “It’s not that bad” when you feel an ache or a twinge doesn’t often pay off. Twenty-five years ago, when I ran my first marathon, I know for certain I got away with a lot more if I over-trained, under-slept, or over-indulged. At 57, there’s much less room for error. Rest and recovery are as important as reaching new distances or pace numbers. Mobility, mindfulness, and quality nutrition are as important as day after day of quality training.

Instead of pushing back against a body that has had the privilege of enjoying so many fun fitness adventures over the decades, and now may carry a few creaks and scars from those indelible moments, it’s time to lean in and embrace this it for what it can still do and celebrate every step, no matter what speed it cares to move. It’s truly a gift to be able to keep running and challenging ourselves, and a gift that many, many people in this world never get a chance to experience. Can I get a “Hell yeah sister” from anybody else who knows exactly what I’m talking about? 🙂

Rest and recovery are as important as reaching new distances and pace numbers.
Mobility, mindfulness, and quality nutrition are as important as day after day of quality training.

~The evolving athlete (me)

Highlights

With the help and generosity of so many of you, I’ve not only reached my $2,620 fundraising goal for Team for Kids, but surpassed it!! I’m so appreciative of all your good wishes and your help in paying it forward to the next generation of runners. Thank you!!!

Congratulations to Anna Stump for winning a new pair of Hoka running shoes during my fundraising giveaway for Team for Kids. I hope they make your feet happy and your heart full as you log your miles, knowing you have supported a great cause and are helping make a difference in the lives of kids.

Even though I’ve reached my personal fundraising goal, there is no finish line when it comes to raising funds to help kids continue to live an active and healthy lifestyle. If you’d still like to contribute to Team for Kids, you can do so HERE. I’d be thrilled to raise just $200 more to reach an even $3,000 by October. Who is in?

Things I’m loving right now

I’ve been struggling to settle into running shoes this training season because my feet are getting a little more sassy. The latest pair I’m trying is Saucony Kinvara 14s. They are light, breathable neutral shoes for short-medium distances. So far, so good! Bonus–they were super discounted. The color might be a little too bright for some, but not for me! Bring on all that sunshine on my feet. 🙂

Lately I’ve been setting aside my beloved music and opting for an audio book during my long runs to mix things up. I’m really enjoying Liz Robbins’ A Race Like No Other: 26 Miles Through the Streets of New York. It takes me right back, reminding me why I’m working so hard to get to the starting line again. It’s all about the unique energy, diversity, and quirky details of the city…and then of course, the running.

Even though I’ve been lifting weights on and off since high school and am familiar with all kinds of strength exercises, I realized I was haphazardly throwing together my core and strength work, or spending way too much time overthinking it. Instagram has a way of “reading our minds” [#eyeroll] and Kim Miller Fitness’ strength training for runners kept popping up in my feed. I liked her approach so I finally decided to give her app a whirl. It has been great, saving me time, introducing me to new exercises (videos included), and taking the brain strain out of this important component of training. Link to check it out: Kim Miller Fitness Insta: kimrunsthemitten

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little catch-up session. Thanks for coming along on this long and winding journey with me! I love sharing it with you!

I’m heading back out the door for a run now, but drop me a comment if you can spare some of your precious time, and tell me one thing that has made you smile over the summer with your fitness, or life in general. Positive energy is contagious. Let’s spread it far and wide!

xo Becky

PS: If you’ve missed any of my previous NYC Marathon posts, you can click here to check them out:

Kicking off 20 Weeks until the NYC Marathon

Week #2 of NYC Marathon Training: Patience & Grace

Week #3 of NYC Marathon Training: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Week #3 NYC Marathon Training: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

I couldn’t think of a more appropriate reminder this week. Credit: Leo Soleoado

It has been a week of highs and lows and a whole lot of recovery, reflection, and rollicking fun.

On Monday I launched into the week fired up, ready to take on a speed work session that I knew would push me hard: 16 x 200s on the track. And indeed it did. When it was all said and done though, I left tired, of course, but feeling strong. The best part was that it was an excellent mental boost pushing through the discomfort that comes with trying to regain running fitness. I ended the day doing 40 minutes of core work and foot exercises, then focused on recovery—eating nutritious food, re-hydrating, stretching, foam rolling, soaking, massaging my legs with my Theragun, then elevating them on a wall, and finally, going to bed early. Boom. All good stuff.

Monday pushing around the red oval followed by core and foot exercises.

Tuesday was the 4th of July and I was happy to be able to give back to our running community by volunteering at a local 5k trail race, the Semana Nautica at Elings Park. I loved seeing many of my friends crush this tough course–with smiles on their faces, no less!

Race day on a cool, gray 4th of July. Go John and Ashlee!!!

My Tuesday training schedule called for cross-training so in the late afternoon I did a short run on our ElliptiGo in the garage followed by some upper body strength work and stretching. After yesterday’s toughie at the track, I took my recovery day seriously.

Tuesday ElliptiGo cross-training, arm weights and stretching.

Wednesday is when things took a turn. An easy 6 mile run was on my schedule with a prescribed 10:37 pace. While I felt good during the run, hitting not only my pace down to the second during those 6 miles, and focusing on my cadence and technique, I knew in my heart of hearts that the pace I was running was not truly “easy”—especially on a warm afternoon with little sleep the night before. You know where I’m going with this…

A warm afternoon 6 miler on a blue sky day. Loved some cool watermelon afterward.

At about mile 4.5 my body let me know. Specifically, my left S.I./glute/hip started feeling a little jacked up, and even though I knew better, I pushed to the end because I told myself that it wasn’t that bad. How many times have we all said those same delusional words to ourselves over the years, only to pay the price for our stubborn determination? Or is that just me? Argh.

Needless to say, it did not go well. By the time I got out of my car back at home, I could barely put weight on my foot without shooting pain to my hip and lower back. Out came the ice, Advil, arnica, foam roller, lacrosse ball and yoga mat for stretching. This chica was not messing around. Later it was a soak in epsom salts and more arnica and ice.

By morning, it felt a little better so I optimistically foolishly decided to head to my Thursday spin class where I cranked out some high octane miles. I did relinquish high gears and climbing out of the saddle, but still put in a significant effort. Afterwards I did a quick lower leg weight session on machines where I could sit. The universe did me a favor and saved me from myself though, when a phone call pulled me away from the gym and sent me to go work on something that needed immediate attention. It’s a good thing because a short while later, my lower back/glute/hip was completely off the rails.

Here’s where the logical, smart person in me finally took over…

Continue reading →

Week #2 of NYC Marathon Training: Patience & Grace

Like the sign says at Women’s Athletic Club of Santa Barbara, “It doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger.”

Getting back into marathon training shape has felt harder than I imagined it would (and should) be, but as I give myself grace, relax about my current pace, and just focus on the purpose of each run, enjoying the journey along the way, I’m starting to feel like I’m heading in the right direction again.

Small differences. Sweet moments of joy. Tiny increases in my speed and cadence. A little less huffing and puffing. A little more gliding. Each contributing to a renewed sense of positivity.

The hardest part is being patient with myself, even though I know full well this is not a sprint, but rather a long, winding marathon adventure, filled with zigs and zags, hills and valleys, and a whole lot of time to think and appreciate the process.

What made the difference this week, besides patience and consistency, was adding in a little speed work, reminding my body that it could get out of first gear and hold up to the additional load. Nothing crazy, just some up tempo running and a 1-mile time trial. Even more than the physical gain, the mental gain was just what I needed to reassure myself that my body could hold up to the strain. Having a history of injuries during marathon training over the years, I’ve likely been overly cautious as I’ve been building back up, but now I know as I ease into it, I can trust my body, which is unbelievably freeing.

Here’s what Week #2 of training looked like:

Continue reading →

Kicking off 20 Weeks until the NYC Marathon

My friend Janet and I are running the NYC Marathon together on November 5th.The two of us have been friends for nearly four decades after being thrown together as college roommates our freshman year at Lewis & Clark College. We took this selfie back in April during a run we did when she was visiting from Oregon. We were laughing so hard, it’s lucky we didn’t fall off the cliff!


When I signed up to run the New York City Marathon with my friend Janet last November, I was incredibly excited, but because it was so far off, it felt more like a gauzy notion than a substantive goal. If you want to know how it all started, you can read my blog post about it HERE. Now, with 20 weeks to go, this shit just got real. I couldn’t be more fired up, focused, and ready to take on four months of disciplined training.

My number one goal is to get to the starting line in one piece. That means staying healthy, happy, and injury-free, ready to charge through the five boroughs of New York with Janet who is running her first full marathon. Let’s go! There is nothing like your first marathon, and I can’t wait to share that experience with her.

My second goal is to savor this special journey back to the Big Apple. This will be the 25th anniversary of the first time I ran the New York City Marathon. My first adventure through the city back in 1998 got me hooked on marathons for life. It became the first of nine marathons I’ve run so far, including two which were part of Ironman triathlons. I’m especially excited to return to the Big Apple to run my 10th marathon and soak up that “Only in New York” energy.

My third goal is to raise funds for Team for Kids, a fantastic nonprofit that brings free health and fitness programs to schools in NYC and across the country. Team for Kids focuses on developing healthy attitudes toward running and physical activity, building confidence, and boosting motivation, which of course, is totally my jam. By being part of this team and raising funds, I’m thrilled to be able to pay it forward to the next generation of runners so they can experience all the joy and life-changing benefits this sport has to offer.

Here’s a snapshot of what my first official week of training looked like:

Week #1 (June 18-25)

Sunday: Run 55 min easy pace [5 miles] plus 10 min dynamic warm-ups and 10 min cool down and stretching

Monday: REST (walk, core and foot exercises, and stretching)

Tuesday: Cross-train (45 min spin bike [12 miles approx], 30 min strength training)

Wednesday: Run (45 min easy pace [4.2 miles] plus 10 min dynamic warm-ups and 10 min cool down) as well as 30 min core exercises, and 10 min foot exercises

Thursday: Cross-train (45 min spin bike class with Kristine [13 miles approx], 30 min strength training)

Friday: Cross-train (45 min elliptical [4.5 miles], 15 min rowing, 30 min core exercises)

Saturday: Run (76 min easy pace [6.5 miles] plus 10 minute dynamic warm-ups and 15 minute cool down walk/jog), as well as foot exercises and stretching

Sunday: REST (walk, foot exercises and stretching)

Snapshots:

Sunday long run 5 miles easy pace
Tuesday x-t spin bike plus weights
Wednesday 4.2 miles easy pace
Friday x-t elliptical running 4.5 miles, plus rowing and core
Saturday long run 6.5 miles easy pace. Road, bike path, trail, sand and a nice ice bath for the legs in the ocean afterward


Highlights:

• Spectacular weather after three months of Graypril, May Gray and June Gloom.

• The simple fact of being consistent and knowing one week is officially in the books. And looking forward to rocking next week!

• Raising $860 for Team for Kids in the first week of fundraising. Thank you to James & Hensley, Jenni, Emma, Sarah & Richard, Susan, Jen, Deborah, Kirsten, and Christina! With your generosity, we are now 1/3 of the way to my goal of $2,620 (for the 26.2 miles I’ll be running). My gratitude runs deep.

If you’d like to support my marathon effort and help create running programs for schools across the US, and get kids fired up about a lifetime of health and fitness, click on the link to my Team for Kids fundraising page HERE. No donation is too small, and for every $10 you donate, you will automatically be entered into my giveaway for a pair of Hoka running/walking shoes. All the details are in the link.

Cheers to our awesome fitness community, setting new goals and to kicking off another adventure!

Happy running!

xo Becky

On the Road Back to the Big Apple

It was 4:30 Monday afternoon when a text dinged my phone. Trying not to be annoyed by it, but too curious to ignore it, I opened one eye and squinted, barely lifting my head as I struggled to find my phone. I had been curled up on the couch battling the virus from hell for several days now—the kind where your ribs are so excruciatingly filleted from coughing, you wonder if you may broken them.

When I saw the text was from Planet, however, my other eyelid popped open without complaint.

Reaching for my glasses, and blinking to clear my eyes, I delved into her lengthy message. It didn’t take long before a huge smile swept across my face. The gist of it was that after watching the New York City Marathon the day before, she was reminded of how badly she had always wanted to do this Bucket List Race, and how she had finally decided the time was right. I knew that feeling well. Things hit you at just the right moment and then there’s no turning back. The best part was that she asked me if I’d like to come along for the ride.

“OMG LOVE IT!!!!!!!!” I answered a bit later after the fog lifted from my brain. “It’s such a fun race. I have the bug too. I have literally been googling marathons for the past few days. Let me give it some thought…”

I had just completed Ironman California two weeks earlier, and although I still recovering, I was already thinking about my next adventure. Running New York with Janet (Planet) would be a hoot, and an honor, and the perfect challenge to share with my dear friend whom I’ve known ever since we were thrown together as roommates our Freshman year in college–mind-bendingly, thirty-eight years ago. How is that even possible—especially since we often both still act like our shoe sizes?

The last big adventure Planet and I had done together was a girls trip to Tibet and Nepal in 2000. Journeying to Lhasa, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Kathmandu, and points in between was a trip that will forever be seared in my memory. We had always hoped to do more epic adventures together, but life has a way of getting in the way.

A half hour later I texted her again, “The more I think about it, the giddier I become! I ran my first NYC Marathon 25 frickin’ years ago…it would be such a blast!!! EPIC!!!”

That’s really all it took.

“Shall we hit the register button?” I asked after another round of OMGs, pump up emojis, and exclamation points on both ends.

“Let’s do it!” she replied.

Thus began Janet and Becky’s Next Big Adventure! November 5, 2023 is now boldly marked in red on our calendars


Because we were afraid to take our chances with the lottery in February, we both joined the New York Road Runners charity team, Team for Kids, which raises funds for youth running and community programs. Being a youth running coach myself, this felt like a perfect fit and a meaningful way to give back to the sport that has given me so much over the years.


The countdown is officially on! Three hundred and sixty days until we head to the Big Apple to toe the line on Staten Island!

Now my ribs have even more motivation to heal quickly!! 🙂