Photo Op!

I'm in Week Two of Thirteen for Marathon Training!

Here's what's going on. I didn't run my five miles :O I decided to be SUPER lazy instead...so a GREAT idea (except I might go broke) from R was that I make a jar, and put $5 or $10 in it every time I skip a run. I would love to say $10 because then my cheap butt will probably never miss a run, but if I make it $10 and keep being lazy...ouf. Hello bankruptcy. :)

$10 it is!

(starting now...that last missed run doesn't count!)

Anyway, I went to MVT after work, it was about 48 degrees...under armour tights, long sleeve shirt from VHTWHM (trail half mar.), my MCM finishers jacket, my ear warmers, off and on gloves. Maybe just a tad too much clothing up top for 48 degree weather...

And I forgot my watch. Luckily, I have run the MVT enough times to know where about 3 miles stands. I went down the MVT heading towards Alexandria.

Still daylight (barely)!


Then I turned to go up to Arlington Cemetery and went down the trail past the graves (so beautiful with the Christmas wreaths laid at each tombstone), and over to Iwo Jima.

Where I took this slew if pictures.

I thought I looked like that creepy guy from Harry Potter who doesn't have a nose, so I tried again and came up with this little gem:

Which was great, except I failed to get the whole thing in the frame....so I tried again (and :again and again and again...I will spare you ALL of my attempts)

Then I decided to hell with it, close enough...and a bus driver kept staring thinking I was crazy, I'm sure. I just wanted a picture with my MCM finisher's jacket and ear warmers by the monument that I actually finished the race. What what?! Good memories.

I grabbed a sip from the water fountain and was on my way again, hitting up Rosslyn, then getting back on the MVT briefly to get back to the car. It comes to about 3.5 miles ish I think.

It was a fun time and I wish the weather could stay in the high 40s or in the 50s every time I run. It feels waaay better than the summer heat or chilling winter. And I absolutely love wearing those under armour tights, they are so friggin comfortable. I just want to wear them everywhere...lounge in them...sleep in them...

I failed to do my Sunday prep of food for the week, so last night after my run I went to Giant for supplies, and made some tasty chicken broth skillet chicken, chicken broth brown rice, and broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and mushrooms in...you guessed it...chicken broth. So good though! And garlic... :D Nom.

Today I am considering a Holiday Lights Run with DC Capital Striders running group for a 4.5 run and sing type shindig. Hoping it doesn't rain though...

I also found out yesterday that the RnR DC Marathon has a lovely 5.5 hr cut off. Which is good and bad...I need to get under 5 hrs for my qualifying time for JFK, but 5.5 was my time for MCM...so we shall see. Makes me want to bust my butt harder! Besides, the course looks a little 'easier' than MCM.

Since I only have twelve (thirteen including this week) weeks to get my crap together to run a faster 26.2 miles, I looked up some twelve week marathon training plans and this is what I found from RW:

(with my tweaking and starting Dec 26)

WEEK ONE: 75% of max weekly mileage
Key Workout #1: 3 x 1.5 miles at tempo with .5 mile recovery
Key Workout #2: 10 mile steady long run, 10% slower than MP
Two easy runs of 4 miles each

WEEK TWO: 85%
#1: 2 x 2 miles at tempo, .5 mile recovery
#2: Progression long run 13 miles
Two easy runs of 4 miles each


WEEK THREE: 95%
#1: 4 mile tempo run
#2: 15 miles, 10% slower than MP
Two easy runs of 5 miles each

WEEK FOUR: 75%
#1: 3 x 2 miles at MP, .5 mile recovery
#2: 5k or 10k time trial
Two easy runs of 6 miles each

WEEK FIVE: 100%
#1: 3 x 2 miles at MP, .5 mile recovery
#2: 16 miles
Two easy runs of 5 miles each

WEEK SIX: 75%
#1: 3 x 2 miles at MP, .5 mile recovery
#2: 15k or half marathon race
Two easy runs of 3 miles each

WEEK SEVEN: 90%
#1: 3 x 2 miles at tempo, .5 mile recovery
#2: 18 miles
Two easy runs of 3 miles each

WEEK EIGHT: 100%
#1: 5 x 2 miles at MP, .5 mile recovery
#2: 16 miles at 10% slower than MP
Two easy runs of 3 miles each

WEEK NINE: 75%
#1: 3 mile tempo run
#2: 20 miles
One easy run of 3 miles

WEEK TEN: 100%
#1: 2 x 4 miles at MP, .5 mile recovery
#2: 18 miles at 10% slower than MP
Two easy runs of 4 miles each

WEEK ELEVEN: 75%
#1: 2 x 3 miles, .5 mile recovery
#2: 13 miles, last 8 at MP, do early in week 11
One easy run of 3 miles

WEEK TWELVE: 50%
#1: 6 miles, last 3 at MP
#2: MARATHON
One easy run of 3 miles



Yeeeeah. A little hardcore. We'll see how much money that jar has by the time March 17th rolls around :D