Marathon training week 6/Squat challenge

Week six of training is in the books! It felt really good to complete a week feeling pretty good after having to take 12 days off. I can't say I did not run with some hesitancy after all the shin pain I had before, but I felt pretty good. Here is a little summary of my training runs from last week.  The numbers at the end of each date are from the squat challenge.

July 9

The marathon plan had me doing three miles and I normally do not like doing three miles, but I wanted to play it safe for a while. I mentally planned out a route before I left for my run and got started. The first mile went pretty well (8:46 split) and things only continued to get better.  I missed a turn at the end of mile one and as a result of missing this turn, the three mile run turned into a four mile run. I dropped 36 seconds off of that pace during mile two. My last two splits were 7:56 and 7:29. The average pace ended up being 8:06. Once I got home I completed short full body work out and day nine of the squat challenge.


110 squats
110 hip thrusts
320 (squats)


July 10

fun. played at the Taste of Chicago last Wednesday and I wanted to get most of my workouts done before I left for the free show.

                                                                            fun.
I felt pretty lazy most of the day so I decided I would run to a train station to complete part of my run to Grant Park. The run went really well.  I probably could have done better keeping my splits closer together but that is hard to do when you run on the streets. I still completed the run around the time I thought I would despite my up and down splits. I had a great time at fun. with two of my friends. If I had planned a little better I would have gotten there earlier to see more of Delta Spirit.


120 squats
120 hip thrusts


July 11

Another planned three mile run got extended. This time I ended up running 4.66 miles to meet up with a couple of friends before the Cubs game. I wish I could have spent more time with them but I got lazy in the morning and did not get my other workouts in earlier. The splits were ok on this run and I ended up with a decent time.


35 Bulgarian split squats
35 one-leg foot elevated bridges
330


July 12

130 squats
130 hip thrusts
340


July 13
First day of the Squat challenge I skipped

July 14

I had been looking forward to this long run for quite some time. If you have read any of my posts or remember from the beginning of this one, I had to take some time off of running. Taking time off meant that I miss the 11-mile run during that break. Another lazy morning turned into a mid-afternoon. The Mowgli's and Neon Trees were playing at the Taste of Chicago so I decided I would just run to Grant Park this time. During my long runs, I generally like to use the first mile or two as a warm-up. My legs typically get stronger as the distances get further. Despite all of that, I still felt pretty nervous about this run due to the heat and not having run that far in almost a year. The run felt great! The only time I ever got annoyed is when I hopped on the lakefront path around mile nine. I should have just stuck to my plan of staying on Marine drive. I felt pretty happy that my strongest mile of the run happened to be my last one! The legs felt great on Monday. I think all the workouts (i.e. squat challenge and Sworkit lower body workouts) I have been doing have paid off. I have also been doing this hip strengthening off of the Bob's running resources site I linked in an earlier post.  Since I am putting a lot of strain on my legs, stretching is probably the biggest thing that allows me to feel good every day;take care of your body runners!

360

I think that is all I have for tonight. The week will be busy with training runs, workouts and the Rock N' Roll Half-marathon! I plan on having at least two blog post this week. A Rock N' Roll race recap should be up Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for reading and Run Happy!