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in Races, Running, Weekly Run Down · May 2, 2021

Pittsburgh Virtual Marathon Relay Week

This weekend I ran the Pittsburgh Virtual Marathon as part of a relay team. It was a fun way to do a virtual race and it got me motivated to run on Saturday when it was cold and windy! Other than that the week was full of ups and downs. Let’s take a look at the last week of workouts.

I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon as part of a virtual relay team. It was a fun way to to d race virtually while connecting with other runners. Check out my recap of the race as well as my other workouts from this week.

Weekly Run down: Pittsburgh Virtual Marathon Relay Week

Monday: 4.3 Stroller Miles + Mobility
Tuesday: 5.3 Miles + Core
Wednesday: 4 Miles + Light Strength Training
Thursday: Rest Day (Mobility + 10 Minutes Yoga)
Friday: 2 Treadmill Miles + Core
Saturday: 8 Miles (1.5 Mile W/U + 4.2 Mile Race + 2.3 Mile C/D)
Sunday: 3.6 Stroller Miles

Stroller Running

On Monday I was off so we went for a stroller run in the morning. I couldn’t remember this run and had to look back on Instagram to jog my memory. It was SO windy! The temps were in the 40s but “felt like 35” and it sure did when running into the wind. Luckily it warmed up later in the day. I really do not like stroller runs in the wind, especially when it’s cold! (I bet Grayson agrees.)

monday run

Morning Runs

On some of the days I worked I got out for my run early since we wouldn’t have time to go after Grayson got up. The weather was pretty good on Tuesday and Wednesday. Oh yea- on Wednesday it was really hot! Then by the end of the week it was cold again. Friday morning I woke up to the wind howling and since I was doing a really short run I just did it on the treadmill. Treadmill running keeps my runs shorter and easier than they usually would be outside.

Tuesday run

Core/Strength/Mobility

For a few reasons I didn’t do my usual two heavy lifting sessions this week. I did do more frequent workouts that were more focused on the core without using heavy weights. I also worked on mobility, especially for my mid-back. I am already feeling the effects of sitting in my office chair at work all day again. At home I move around more, but when I’m at work I barely get up!

Pittsburgh Virtual Marathon Relay

I ran my leg of the Pittsburgh Virtual Marathon Relay as a part of the Brooks Running Run Happy Team on Saturday morning. My leg was 4.2 miles. Since I haven’t done speedwork in awhile, I was thinking I would aim for around 10k pace or run it as a tempo run.

It was 43 degrees and WINDY which made this run challenging. Not to mention, I haven’t done any faster running in 2 months. I managed to run it at a 7:25 pace which I was happy with. Since it’s not a typical race distance, I guess it’s an automatic PR!

Pittsburgh Marathon

Check out the reel our team made for the baton pass off!

What’s next?

I have no idea! I’d love to get a small race on the calendar, but I keep going back and forth about it. I haven’t found any that make sense at this point. And after reading Deborah’s post about the cicadas last week I think I am going to be hiding inside for four weeks.

Overall it was a better week. We spent just about the whole weekend outside, which was fun and tiring. This week I’m off on Friday, and am planning to do some extra stroller runs this week for the Happy Runner Family spring series. Let’s hope the weather cooperates!

You may also like:

  • 5 Reasons to Run the Pittsburgh Marathon Virtual Relay
  • Virtual Race Resource Guide
  • 6 Tips for Preparing for a Virtual Race

How were your workouts last week?
Did you have a roller coaster week of weather too?
Any virtual/in-person races happening lately?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down!

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Previous Post: « Runfessions of April 2021
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deborah Brooks says

    May 2, 2021 at 1:21 pm

    Great week for you! I got so confused yesterday when they asked us not to post our Pittsburgh stuff yet until we got the swag. Now I don’t know what we are supposed to do bc we already posted all the other stuff. Anyway it was fun to connect w new team mates!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 1:34 pm

      Our team was confused too! But we had already posted saying we were doing it Sat so we just went with it. And we had made our reel in advance. I’m going to post more about the race once I get my gear. Maybe a mini recap on IG or something. It’s weird that it’s taking so long to arrive!

  2. Kim G says

    May 2, 2021 at 2:31 pm

    So cool that you were able to do the virtual Pittsburgh Marathon as part of the relay team. I can definitely see how that would be motivation to run outside when the weather isn’t that great. I also don’t have any races on my calendar for this year as none of the local races are back to live events just yet.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 3:21 pm

      There have been very few around here. One that was supposed to be in May moved to July. It looks like maybe the summer ones will take place. We’ll see!

  3. Kimberly Hatting says

    May 2, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    Your relay sounded fun! They’re much more fun in person, obviously, but with technology it would be easy to be in contact with the teammates at least. Our roller coaster week was the previous week (I think?); this past week was all about the wind and sunshine LOL

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      I’ve had enough of the wind! There have been so many mornings I’ve woken up to it howling outside. On Friday afternoon it sounded like our house was going to blow over. A few weeks away part of our shingles actually ripped off from the wind!

  4. Chocolaterunsjudy says

    May 2, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    My friends did a small RL race today, but obviously I didn’t (a few more days til full immunity, plus just super busy still).

    It’s so hard to move around at work! Glad your back is getting some relief.

    We stayed mainly chilly & cloudy & windy all week long. And lots of rain too. Lovely, right?

    Congrats on a new distance PR! They’re sweet. 🙂

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      That was definitely one of the benefits of doing a new distance! I think I would have been frustrated running a 5k or 10k knowing I wasn’t in shape to come close to those PRs.

  5. Jessie says

    May 2, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    What a fun way to do a virtual race! I love it.

    OMG, those cicadas….eew! I would be hiding inside as well.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 7:55 pm

      I know, they are so gross! I’m glad they’re not dangerous or anything but they’re so big!

  6. Jenny says

    May 2, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    Sounds like you’re back to normal! Congrats on your 4.2 mile PR, ha ha… seriously, that is a great pace. When is this cicada invasion I’ve been hearing so much about supposed to happen??? Maybe Grayson will like it… you never know.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 7:58 pm

      I think it’s supposed to start in the next week or so! Haha I was telling my husband I’m worried Grayson will try to eat one lol. He literally tries to eat everything he finds.

  7. Melissa says

    May 2, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    A virtual race and a relay? How cool!! And great job on all the stroller runs..I havent done any this year- first the weather was too cruddy and now I’m so pregnant it’d be a stroller crawl!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 7:59 pm

      I couldn’t imagine pushing a stroller while pregnant! I know lots of women do it but it seems so hard.

  8. Wendy says

    May 2, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    Congrats on the virtual marathon relay! That would be the only way I’d run a marathon these days, lol. Nice pace!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 2, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      Thanks! It was a fun way to participate in a big event without actually having to train for a marathon.

  9. Marcia says

    May 2, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Great job on your leg of the relay! What a fun virtual event. I haven’t seen much in-person racing around here….not that I’m looking too hard, haha! Yes sitting all day takes a real toll on the back.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 3, 2021 at 4:50 am

      I will looks for races once in awhile but I mostly just follow emails that come out from races I’ve signed up for before or from my local running store.

  10. Coco says

    May 2, 2021 at 9:29 pm

    We had a few windy days this week — I thought that was March weather! Great going on the virtual half – a 7:25 pace is amazing.
    Take care of your back!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 3, 2021 at 4:51 am

      Thanks! Yes, the wind definitely reminded me of March weather. On the warmer days its not quite so bad but we definitely had some chilly days still this month!

  11. Renée @runlaugheatpie says

    May 3, 2021 at 7:40 am

    lots of miles for you this week in ALL conditions it seems! I can imagine it’s a small adjustment period of sitting in your office chair practically all day again. Great work on your leg of the virtual race – pretty speedy!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 3, 2021 at 7:58 pm

      Thank you! Its definitely an adjustment to being in the office and I will need to be mindful of moving around more. I just feel like its safest to stay put in my cubicle!

  12. Jenn says

    May 3, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    Ew to cicadas!
    You did a great job with your virtual relay!
    I actually did quite a few strength workouts this week, and I’m pretty happy about that! It feels good and my muscles remember what we used to do, so I’m seeing results fairly quickly.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 3, 2021 at 7:58 pm

      Thats great that you were able to do so much strength training! I am really dreading the cicadas.

  13. Michelle D. says

    May 3, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    A marathon relay sounds like fun! Congrats on running a strong leg.

    The wind continues to be crazy – I can’t imagine how hard it is to run with a stroller in it! Great job!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 4, 2021 at 4:25 am

      Sometimes pushing the stroller into the wind feels like I’m not moving at all! I do lots of little loops so I’m not always moving in the same direction.

  14. Zenaida Arroyo says

    May 4, 2021 at 6:13 am

    Great job on the virtual race! And you did it fast! Ha, I would struggle in that pace for longer runs since intervals are long enough for me. 🙂 This is the year of cicadas? Of course it is for 2021!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 5, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      I guess they come out every 17 years or so. I’m not looking forward to it!

  15. Lisa @ TechChick Adventures says

    May 4, 2021 at 1:06 pm

    Yep, one really warm day, and now windy and cloudy. I feel like painting my toenails wasn’t really worth the effort. LOL! I have been putting on the occasional swipe of self tanner too because I might just bust out my shorts again soon! Great job on your relay leg!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      May 5, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      Hopefully it will warm up for good soon!

Trackbacks

  1. Enjoying Solo Miles and Stroller Miles • Mile By Mile says:
    May 9, 2021 at 6:03 am

    […] at this point I would rather it be warm than cold. I wore some of my gear from last week’s Pittsburgh Marathon Relay and tried on my medal for the […]

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Life Is What Happens When You're Busy Running Marathons

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Would it even be race week if I wasn’t a ball of n Would it even be race week if I wasn’t a ball of nerves and not able to sleep? This is my first big marathon in 10 years, my first time traveling to a race in 10 years, and my first time spending the night away from my kids. And of course I’m tapering so I can’t run off the nerves 🙃 #marathontraining #taper #richmondmarathon
Looked like fall, felt like summer 🍁 I was definit Looked like fall, felt like summer 🍁 I was definitely overdressed for this run but it was nice to not wear gloves or a headband! This was the run I needed a week before my marathon. After last week’s disaster of a long run it felt great to just run an easy 10 miles. (And these days 10 miles feels like nothing). I think I figured out the fueling and shoes 🤞so nothing left to do but take it easy, carb load, and get in the right mindset! Is it unseasonably warm where you are?

#running #marathontraining #longrun
Yesterday’s long run was not what I wanted it to b Yesterday’s long run was not what I wanted it to be. The plan was to take the day off from work, head to the trail where I could run 10 uninterrupted miles at MP (16 total) and practice my race day fueling while wearing my race day shoes.

What actually happened? All week I was stressed about this run and the condition of the trail. We had lots of rain on Thursday, and Friday was forecasted to be very windy. I tried to get in the best mindset possible, reminding myself that I won’t be able to control the conditions on race day. Meanwhile, I haven’t been sleeping well thanks to my 2 year old waking up every night, and my watch has been basically telling me that I’m losing all my fitness and need a week of recovery.

While I started the run feeling pretty good, after 11 miles (7 at MP) my stomach turned and I almost got sick on the side of the trail. I just couldn’t recover from that. The best I could do was run the rest of the miles easy, and needed some walk breaks. On top of that, my shoe kept rubbing my foot on top and I stopped twice to retie it. This has never happened before and now I’m questioning what shoes I should wear for the race. The trail was also in rough condition with several trees blocking it, lots of wet leaves, and rocks/sticks that I had to look out for.

I just can’t believe how bad I felt for the last 5 miles of this run and I can’t pinpoint the cause. Am I overdoing it with the fueling and can’t handle it on harder effort runs? Was it something I ate recently? The hard part is there’s no time to really try something different before the race, as all I have left is a 10 mile easy run next weekend.

I’m trying to remember that one bad run does not take away from all the good runs this training cycle. I’m using today to reset and move on so I can make the most of my last 2 weeks of training. It’s not the way I wanted my last big long run to go, but I suppose it was good practice for pushing through even when I felt pretty awful.

Who else has had a terrible long run close to your race?

#running #marathontraining #longrun
Spent almost every step of this 21 mile run questi Spent almost every step of this 21 mile run questioning my life choices. Like waking up at 3am to run 12 miles on the treadmill and 9 outside. This was a crazy week with a kid that wasn’t sleeping great and fighting a cold and super busy days at work. My legs were just tired the whole time today. It was really hard to run outside after so many treadmill miles and my pace was much slower than inside.

I reminded myself that this is peak week. It’s supposed to feel hard. If it was easy everyone would do it. I ran 53 miles this week and am not injured. The weather is perfect. I’ve gotten in every planned run of this training cycle so far.  I get to do this. 

And I managed to finish strong with my last 3 miles the fastest of the (outside) run. I owe that to a solid fueling plan and taking all my gels even when I really didn’t want to.

3 weeks to go until race day!

#running #marathontraining #longrun
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