Week two of marathon training is in the books! Despite the fact that I am preparing for my 5th consecutive Chicago Marathon, this is the first time I have started a training program on time. It’s also the first time I’ve stuck with it to a tee. Of course, it’s only been two weeks, but for me, that’s an accomplishment! I admittedly am a huge procrastinator, but I also seriously do not have the time to commit to a full training program. But in reality, who does? For those of us whose full-time job is NOT running, we do what we can.
To be honest, these past two weeks of training have been relatively easy for me, at least from a scheduling perspective. My work hours have been low-ish, and I’ve had no business travel at all. I don’t travel for my regular job, but I own a consulting business which oftentimes requires quite a bit of travel. Unfortunately, I’m not so good at training when I travel.
The one thing that does surprise me about the fact that I stuck with this week’s training schedule has to do with the weather. It has been humid AF in Chicago this past week, and despite my good intentions, I rarely got out to run before 11:30 a.m., by which time the heat and humidity were killer. Still, I got out there and logged my miles. Thirty-three-point-five of them, to be exact. That’s more miles than I’ve logged in some entire months! My calendar is looking pretty good for the coming weeks, so except for the week or so surrounding my son’s wedding in September, my plan is to, well, stick to the plan.
…except for next week. I am running the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon on Sunday, July 16. My training schedule calls for 11 miles two days before the race, and five miles the day of the race, so I will tweak it just a little to make it work. In either case, I’ll work the miles out so my weekly totals are about what they should be.
And so, the week in review:
Sunday, 7/2: 6 miles completed, as planned.
Monday, 7/3: A 15 minute workout was planned…and not done. Seriously? Who doesn’t have 15 minutes??? UGH! My goal for the coming weeks is to commit to the planned workouts and get them done. I know strength training is an integral part of getting ready for a marathon, and that’s been my weakness in previous years.
Tuesday, 7/4: 5 miles completed, as planned.
Wednesday, 7/5: 7 miles completed, as planned.
Thursday, 7/6: Rest day. I did walk 2 miles that evening with my son. You know, to and from the Corner Pantry to buy lottery tickets. A girl’s got to dream.
Friday, 7/7: 9 {freaking hot and humid} miles completed, as planned.
Saturday, 7/8: 4 miles completed, as planned.
Overall, I am very happy with my second week of training. For the second week in a row, I missed my planned workout, with no legitimate excuse. I am hoping the coming weeks will be better in that regard.
What races do you have coming up in 2017? How is your training going? Have you ever run a marathon…or any other race without training?
Great job on your training this week! I keep hearing that these hot and humid runs will make us better prepared for race day – I hope so!
I keep thinking the same thing about the humidity…and praying for perfect weather for the marathons!
I’ve got that RnR Chicago half on Sunday. God help me with that one. I hope it’s cloudy.
Good luck in Napa!
Oh, good luck! I hope this humidity breaks. It’s been brutal the past week or two.
Your Napa race is going to be amazing! Can’t wait to hear about it. Good luck!
Thanks! I ran it last year and fell in love! It’s such an amazing venue…it sells out in less than an hour!
I just finished week 2 of training as well, though not for marine corps. Great job with your training! So far so good with my training.
Great! I look forward to watching your progress!
Sometimes 15 minutes seems so trivial that I have a hard time fitting anything in in that time. So I totally feel you. Great job getting the rest of your workouts in!
Yes–I think I’d be better at scheduling a 1-hour workout because it would seem more important and something I shouldn’t blow off. I’ll get there…
Oh the Napa to Sonoma Half is on my bucket list! Can’t beat the combination of running in wine country. Hopefully, it won’t be as hot and humid there as it has been in Chicago or the East Coast!
Yes, I haven’t checked the weather forecast yet, but I’m hoping it will be nice. Of course running through wine country is nice no matter what!
I seldom ever train for half marathons (or anything shorter) since (usually) I’m already in “peak condition.” Well, as you know, that’s all changing this summer. I have a half in November, which will require a bit of a plan to get back in 13.1 shape due to my mini sabbatical as I recover. It ought to be interesting to see how things play out…
Great job on your training!
Yes, I’ll be watching your progress over the summer. Sucks to be sidelined, but I bet you’ll be in tip-top shape by November!
Congrats on getting your training done as planned! That’s not always an easy thing to do.. Good luck on your Half-Marathon in Napa! According to all your training you should be able to rock this one!!
Love the blue Chicago Marathon shirt btw:)
Thanks! I’m trying to be more disciplined this time around. Looking forward to Napa to Sonoma regardless of time–such a beautiful venue!
Good luck in Napa! Sounds like an awesome week and that is a ton of hot sweaty miles! I sometimes miss those little cross training or strength workouts too, then I feel like a slacker – LOL! Have a great week!
Thanks! I just looked and the early morning weather forecast looks perfect! I’m hoping these past two weeks of training in the awful humidity will pay off!
I keep reminding myself that the tough runs on the hot and humid days will pay off in the fall. I really really really hope that this is the case, especially on race day in October.
You and me both!
Great job at sticking to your plan, sometimes that is hard to do! Also great job running in the humidity.
Thanks so much! It has been brutal. I’m doing the Napa to Sonoma Half on Sunday and I am soooooo looking forward to the cooler early morning temperatures!