Welcome to week seven of my Shamrock Half Marathon Training Recap. Each week, I’ll share how my training went and what the week looked like. I’m doing this because: 1) I love reading about how other folks train and 2) it’s great for me to have a record of what I did each week. Also, honestly, it helps keep me accountable when I know I’ll be writing about it. I also post almost all of my runs on Instagram as well. I wrote about my thoughts on my training plan after one month here, if you want to check that out.
Monday: I ran 3.09 easy miles to Pure Barre, took class and then ran 1.33 easy miles home for a total of 4.42 easy miles.
Tuesday: Track Day! I was back on the track this week. Remember, my Tuesday workout has shifted over to longer repeats and this week I had 6×1 mile repeats on tap. I was terrified. I decided to take this to the track even though it was a LOT of laps . My goal was to do each mile repeat at 8:59 pace. My splits were: 8:59 / 9:01 / 8:52 / 8:59 / 8:49 / 8:44. This was a crazy hard workout but I felt strong. With warm up, recovery and cool down, I ran 9.17 miles. I took an evening Pilates class (more about that next week) and it was the perfect thing to stretch me out!
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: Tempo Day! My trail was clear again and I had an excellent tempo run. One mile warm up, five tempo miles (9:02 / 8:50 / 9:01 / 9:05 / 9:01) and one and a quarter cool down miles for 7.25 total. I felt really good after this run! Good enough that I went to Pure Barre that night!
Friday: Four easy miles – my knee had been bothering me here and there for about a week and it was very tender on this run. Spoiler alert: sadly, it didn’t get better.
Saturday: I was in NC for a friend’s baby shower and managed to convince my friends Caitlin and Rose to run 12 miles with me. It helped that they’d just signed up for a half marathon next month. We had a great (cold) run and I was so lucky to have such excellent company! My knee just hurt a tiny bit during this run but after? It was on fire!
Sunday: I drove the 4 hours back from NC and attempted a shot at a easy four miles. That did not happen. My knee was hurting so much that I could barely walk without a noticeable effect in my gait, nonetheless run. So, I walked two miles with Caitlin (not the NC one, my DC Caitlin) and decided to make an appointment with my PT. I suspect that wearing my old schools is a big part of the problem. I have purchased one new set of shoes and will be buying another new set this week. I’m also hoping that after a bit of rest, my knee will clear up – I’m sure sitting for four hours in a car wasn’t helpful. I’ll keep y’all posted!
Total mileage for the week: 39 miles
Total mileage for the year: 198 miles
Total mileage for this training cycle: 244.11 miles
I am sincerely hoping my knee issue is easily fixable and was in fact, due to my shoes. I am hopeful that I’ll be able to get in most, if not, of this upcoming week’s workouts!
Do you have a PT on call? If not, who do you call when you have pain while running?
ooh sorry to hear that your knee is hurting you. Maybe you just need a rest week? Looks like our weather is iffy again this week so may be forced rest for a few days
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date-February
Weather doesn’t stop me! I’m gonna get in to my PT, but I really think it was the shoes! Thanks for the well wishes 🙂
Nooooooooo! I hope your knee calms down. Hopefully it’s just patellofemoral tendonitis and it will calm down quickly!!!
Thank you Wendy! I hope so as well!! 🙂
Working in a running store, most of the time shoes are the culprits of knee pain so I wonder if it’s that? I have gotten very serious knee pain (that honestly I thought I had just broke my knee cap) and by changing shoes it went away in a few days. I hope it’s a simple fix for you as well!
Hollie recently posted…Corvette Diner
I’m really hoping it’s shoes – I know mine were way over mileage so I’m hopeful!
I saw the Insta pic with ice on your knee!! Hopefully it’s the shoes and you will be back to running pain-free again. Good luck!!
Thanks Allie – feels better today – not completely gone but definitely better, so I’m hopeful!
I hope PT goes well today and that your knee is sorted out after a few short days of rest! Stay positive!
Thanks – it feels way better this morning so I’m very optimistic!
Sorry about the knee 🙁 Fingers crossed that it clears up quickly. And great job with that track workout! Looks like you killed it.
Chaitali recently posted…Rock and Roll DC Half Marathon training – week 9
Great job on your strength and tempo workouts! It’s funny. Last week I felt some soreness in my feet, which was really odd for me. I wondered if I was getting PF but then realized that I was way past due to change out my shoes. I have a backup pair ready to go so there was no reason for the delay. I just totally forgot! As soon as I switched to my new shoes, the soreness went away. So I bet new shoes will help, but also watch your paces. I’ve read reports from a number of people who tried to run faster paces than what the plan calls for and got injured.
Jennifer @ Dashing in Style recently posted…JASR Half Marathon Training: Week 10
I’m hoping it’s shoes – I wore my old shoes for the 12 miler and my knee is still sore this morning but MUCH better so I’m hoping I can get in an easy run today.
You have been crushing your workouts! Sorry to hear about your knee–fingers crossed it’s just the shoes and nothing else!
ouch – hope PT and new shoes clears it up quickly!
Mar @ Mar on the Run recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date – February 2016
I had knee pain a few weeks ago. Seemed to be a combination of super cold temps and old shoes. Got my new pair and haven’t had any pain. I hope it works out as easily for you, too! Have a good week!
Elizabeth recently posted…POSTPONED??!! Training Week 14
Whenever my knees are feeling a little creaky, I make a point of doing most of my runs on the unpaved part of the mall (though that gets boring quickly!) or at least off sidewalks. Cement and my knees have not been friends since about 3 days after my 25th birthday!
I really do think it’s shoes (and my PT agrees) – my 12 miler was on a nice paved trail…but with my old shoes 🙁
Hope your knee is feeling better soon! Letting my shoes linger longer than I should almost always creates problems for me, I’m not sure why I put it off though since I LOVE buying shoes! 🙂
Ha, I know, right? Thanks for the well wishes!
Knee pain is always the clue for me that I need new shoes. I started rotating 3 pairs to make sure that doesn’t happen!!
Yeah, I rapidly got closer and closer to my shoes threshold and then passed it with all the miles. Taking this few days off is a small blip overall in my training – and probably key in recovery!