This week has been one of the more challenging weeks I’ve ever had while training in the winter. I think I got really spoiled the last two winters or maybe I just took to my treadmill more. Or maybe it’s that I’ve surpassed the half marathon distance for my long runs and I haven’t had to do that in four years.
So far this week, these are the things that tried to mess with my training but have not succeeded:
1. My knee – On Monday, I decided to run because it was going to be the nicest day this week. I managed to get out for x miles, even though I’d run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I ended up stopping mostly because I was too cold, but I was also feeling twinges in my knee.
2. Presidents’ Day – The kids had Monday off, so I needed to keep them busy. Luckily so did Beer Geek, which allowed me to get in the run mentioned on Monday.
3. Snow – As expected, it snowed on Monday night, leaving 4 inches on the ground. Our county did its usual less than stellar plowing, plus my knee was still a bit sore. Normally I would have tried for a slow few miles, but I was afraid of slipping and hurting my knee more.
4. School closings and delays – The kids were out on Monday for the holiday, on Tuesday for snow, went in late on Wednesday, and are going in late tomorrow. I love my children, but trying to marathon train and work when your kids are constantly underfoot is not the easiest thing to accomplish.
5. Cold – This one looked like it was going to take me out.
Thankfully, my northern friends all told me to get my butt out there, so I did. I wore a pair of fleece lined running tights under my heartbreaker skirt, Procompression socks under my new wool Feetures (love!), a running bra, tank top, heavy half zip, running jacket, and wind breaker. On my head, I wore a buff and a running hat and had two pairs of gloves on. Guess what??? I was still barely warm enough. In fact, I wimped out at mile 13 when the wind picked up and finished up with two miles on my dying treadmill. Today, thanks to 2* as the actual temp, I’m hitting the indoor track for 8 miles – 64 laps. Oy.
But the amazing thing??? I’m on track with my training despite the craziness of my week.
[Tweet “If you want it badly enough, you’ll make it happen. #noexcuses #marathontraining”]
Could someone please send spring now???
And just to stay with the actual theme, here are 5 awesome races to run in the DC area this year:
1. RNR DC half or full marathon (I’ll be doing the half)
2. GW Parkway 10 miler (I’ll be there!)
3. Frederick Running Festival Half Marathon (I love this race but have to miss it this year)
4. Woodrow Wilson Half Marathon (still on the fence as it’s Ragnar DC weekend)
5. Marine Corps Marathon (I absolutely plan to be at this one!)
Once again, I’m linking up with the lovely ladies of the DC Trifecta: Cynthia, Mar, and Courtney.
i am really really hoping i get to run marine corps w/you. and by with you, i mean maybe see you in the distance 🙂 you are rocking it. i’m so ridiculously excited you are back to marathons! 🙂
I was in DC last weekend and loved running through the city. I’m doing Cherry Blossom but I think I will defnitely start checking out more races in the area! Hope your knee feels better soon – good job getting that long run in. Philly is in the single digits today!
It has been the craziest week of training, I agree. And I was pretty thankful to be on the taper train at this point, so it helped to not need mega miles in the midst of it.
There are so many great DC races and I rarely take advantage of that. Would love to try GW Parkway some year in particular!
It’s definitely been a tough week for sure. My training has definitely suffered as a result of all of the school days. I’m so bummed you aren’t doing Frederick this year!! You are the reason I signed up last year…bummer that I had to defer! I wanted to do WW this year too but not sure with Ragnar, I’d like to think I’m badass enough to do it, but I don’t want to risk it with MCM only a few weeks later!
Ahh I am 4/5 🙂 I have yet to run the Frederick Half.
This week has definitely been an unusual one in our area. Kudos to you for not letting all of those obstacles get in the way of your training! I’m not running RnRDC this year since I’ll be running Shamrock the weekend after, but I’m hoping to make it out to cheer all of you on!
Good job getting it done! Love the no excuses attitude. 🙂 I would love to come run some DC area races!!!
I’m so proud of you for sticking to your training. We had #allthesnow last year with school closures and such. It’s fun for a day or two, but a whole week of no school is ridiculous (not to mention making it up in June).
My achilles/ankle is having sympathy pains for your knee.
…and, yeah for Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half! Can’t wait to run it this year and at least see you for lunch/dinner in the fall.
Good for you! Those weeks can be really tough mentally to make yourself get out there.
Nice going! Winter is so tough. The Marine Corp Marathon is always very intriguing to me… love the pomp and ceremony I think!
Great list. I’ll be doing the RnRDC half too. I’ll have to look at some of these other ones. The Woodrow Wilson one looks cool that I’ve seen before, but I’m away that weekend.
I have a cousin that lives in the DC area and keep telling the hubby we NEED to go do some races up there. I love DC and think it would be so much fun!
Totally with you on the training for a half during the dead of winter dilemma. I was set on doing all my long runs outdoors but “feels like -18” drove me to the treadmill this week. But like you, at least I got it in!
The snow has totally dampened my training. RNR DC is probably going to be rough for me!
Way to get it done! It seems there are tons of races in the DC area to choose from. Hope your knee is better soon.
I want to do the Rock n Roll in DC so bad! Lots of great races out there!
I am really hoping to run Marine Corps this year! Great list of DC races, most of them are out for me this year, but hopefully next year I’ll be running some!
And kudos to you for getting out in the cold! I was not having it, and spent a lot of quality time with the ol’ mill this week! 😉
God for you for getting it done, the cold has really hurt my training. I have 9 miles on Sunday and am dreading it because it will be terrible weather out and 9 on the treadmill is just dreadful.
I love you humor and perspective 😉 way to get it done this week – it has been BRUTAL so no one could fault you for not getting it done, but you did! Maybe I’ll see you at MCM!
No twinges in the knee! No!
Someday I hope to run MCM…I’ve got to get my teenagers launched, tho…
I bet the RNR DC will be exceptional! I would run the half, just so I could enjoy it more. 🙂
Currently I am holding off on registering for too many races until I know what’s up with my back. I am registered for a Triathlon Training Camp which I am super stoked about. It looks like you have a great race line-up!
I just hear great things about MCM! It has quickly been added to my bucket list. Sorry the weather has been so cold over there. I am not kidding when I say it feels like spring over here in California.
After four years in a row of training for a spring marathon, I finally wised up and didn’t register for one this year! Winter training is tough! I like your attitude though, make it happen!
I don’t mind cold, but running for 3 hours in the cold sucks!
I had a lot of miles to do in the cold today but didn’t feel I could bail after telling you to dress for it. The worst part was when I was done and had to get home in my sweaty clothes (how did that happen). I only went 11 miles but I am so slow that I was out there forever. Between the uneven surface in places, the wind chill and my knee that seemed on the edge of acting up I have had more fun other runs.
Ha! That’s my problem too – I’m just out there for so long!
Marine Corps is on my bucket list…I need to see if the lottery is already full? Not sure. I am on the search for a fall marathon! I was thinking that or Chicago :-O
Sign up for the lottery is in early March, so you still have a bit of time.
Oh the track run. We have a couple of indoor tracks that we can run on when real feel is -40C (yep…we get that cold a lot over our winters). each is about 9 laps to the mile. The most I’ve lasted is 6 miles. I am horrible for losing track of my lap count.
I’m really struggling too! I’ve never trained for a marathon so I have never spent so much time on the treadmill! It is making me bonkers. I can survive a long run on the treadmill, but not 20!!! And I can now say I can run in 30 degree weather, but not 10!!! Good for you.
Good luck with your races this year! I have done the GW Parkway Classic and loved it. One day I plan to do the Woodrow Wilson Half. As much as I love the MCM and even though it is a big year for the race, I am bypassing it this year to either run in Mew York or Philly. I will be jealous hearing about all the MCM news!