I haven’t written a Weekly Wrap in a while because quite frankly, I haven’t had much to wrap up! But given that this is the last Wrap in Wendy and Holly‘s linkup, I felt obliged to throw my hat into the final ring. London is just nine weeks away and between the ice cold winter and my crazy travel schedule, I haven’t done much running since the first of the year. Because I hadn’t been at it in a while, I decided to just walk on my treadmill last Sunday to help get myself back on track. I walked three miles and it felt great to be moving again.
Here is how the rest of the week went down:
Monday: Another 3 mile walk on the treadmill
Tuesday: 2 mile run/walk intervals on the treadmill + upper body weights
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5 mile run/walk intervals on the treadmill
Friday: 5 mile run/walk intervals outside
Saturday: 12-hour work day
Sunday: Rest
I usually do very loose run/walk intervals where nothing is scheduled and I just run when I can and walk when I have to, but when I did the Surf City Half Marathon a couple of weeks ago, I tagged along with a fellow BibRave Pro who had set her watch to do 3-minute run/40-second walk intervals. Since I’m so out of shape it became difficult after a while for me to just have 40-second walk breaks, but I like the idea of the set intervals rather than just winging it.
For my five treadmill miles on Thursday I did 4-minute (slow) run/1-minute walk intervals and that seemed to suit me very well – so much so that I’ve decided to stick with that strategy as I prepare for London. I am hoping if I keep up with my training I can get to 9-minute run/1-minute walk intervals by the time I get to Chicago in October. I thought I had my Garmin set to the 4-minute run/1-minute walk intervals when my neighbor and I ran together on Friday, but alas, there were no beeps or buzzes so I just kept my eye on the time. We did pretty well for the first three miles, but I did need more walk breaks toward the end. Baby steps…I will get there!
How was your week? I’m linking up with Wendy over at Taking the Long way Home and Holly at HoHo Runs for this week’s (final) wrap-up. Be sure to visit their blogs, and check out a few of the other linkers while you’re there. You may just find a few new friends to follow!
I will be running the London Marathon on April 28th, raising funds for Whizz-Kidz, an organization that provides wheelchairs and mobility devices for children and young adults. If you’d like to contribute to my fundraising efforts, you can do so by clicking on the link below. Any donation, big or small, will help and is greatly appreciated!
Click here or on the picture to get to my fundraising page!
I’m so excited for you to run London!
It will be here before we know it!
Looks like a pretty active week!
I’m hoping to build up my mileage as well as my strength training this year. Time will tell…
I got sick last week so it was pretty low key. Hopefully, this week will be a little better that way.
I am late catching up with responses; hopefully you are much better by now!
My week was great. Got to do all of my running in Florida which was such a treat!
Great job with your workouts this week!
Florida sounds amazing right now!
I’m getting excited about London and I’m not even running it! I can’t wait to be there at Westferry cheering everyone on.
I will keep my eye out for you!
I found it pretty hard to set intervals on my Garmin Fenix. I think I had to create a new activity — and then it’s not easy to adjust — very annoying.
I finally figured out how to do it. I still find myself watching the time, but I’m trying to discipline myself to just wait for the signal.
I’m working towards 9 min run/1 min walk intervals as we speak. I’m hoping to pull that out for my spring races. We’ll see! I will say that the treadmill really messes with my head…
I am hoping to graduate to a 9/1 interval by the fall!
The run/walk intervals are a great strategy, I think, given your crazy work schedule. I have never followed any specific intervals for walking, but have just walked when I needed to (or through the water stations). Good luck!!!
I’ve historically been haphazard about it – run when I can, walk when I need to. I think a set interval strategy will help me in the long run.
I did the set run walk intervals for months and now I am trying to extend them. I will probably be doing them in some way for cherry blossom
I wish I could keep up with you but there’s no way!
I’m like you. I run until I’m tired and then I walk. But for my first marathon I think I should adapt intervals. The problem is deciding what to do. My friend does 5:1. Another 2.5:.5.
Right now I have to get my leg healed.
Funny, my first marathon ever was the only one I consistently ran, albeit slowly!
I use set intervals and it has saved my butt more than once. I feel like I can go forever, as long as I’m listening for my watch’s beeps!
I’m so excited for you for London! You are going to have the most amazing time.!
It’s so nice to look forward to those walk breaks. With 4/1 intervals, I feel like I will be faster in the end.
Crazy to think that London is just 9 weeks away! Run/walk intervals have been my saving grace in the past – sounds like a good strategy!
Hey, if those intervals get me to the finish, I’m more than happy to do them!
London is one of my favourite cities and to run their marathon would be a dream come true! So you can imagine how excited I am for you! I like your approach – very sensible and you will definitely get there! Best of luck!
I’ve never been to London, so I am really looking forward to the trip. We will be there just a short time, so running the marathon is the perfect way to see the city!
I have really been focusing on consistency in my training. I was all over the made for a few months but have a program and sticking to the plan.
I am still a work in progress!
9 weeks will pass before we know it. As we all freeze here, London is warmer than usual. I hope we don’t have a hot day. The intervals sound great. I walk whenever my HR is too high, which is often. I should set up regular walk breaks and yet I know I won’t. Where are you staying in London?
Finally catching up on responses here – I’d prefer warm over cold, but it’s easier being a slow runner. I would not have survived Boston last year or Tokyo this year!
I started training with run/walk intervals last Summer. It made a huge difference when I did IM Lake Placid last year. That is so exciting that you are running the London Marathon, I would love to do that some day!!
Fingers crossed I will stick with the plan!
Looks like you had a pretty active week! I wish I could say I did the same, but…alas. Hopefully it’ll get better next week though!
Some weeks are better than others. It largely depends on my work and business travel schedule. January was overwhelming.
so sorry I’m so late reading your weekly wrap! I just wanted to say that I think run/walk intervals are great and they really help ME in any case focus on the longer distances. I ran the 2nd half of Amsterdam marathon like this and it kept me focused! London is generous with the time limit I believe, so you will be fine! It can be so hard with the time of time constraints you have (I know you don’t want to run out in the dark alone, for example) but if you have a plan and you execute that plan in training and the race then you’ll rock it!!