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in Half-Marathon Training, Running, Strength Training, Weekly Run Down · February 17, 2020

Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1

My first week of half-marathon training is complete! While I have been running half-marathons and long distances pretty consistently, I haven’t actually TRAINED for a half-marathon in years. I think the last time I officially trained for one was in 2012. (I sort of trained for another in 2013 but didn’t follow an official training plan). So I am excited to be back at it! Let’s take a look at Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1.

Week 1 of Training for the Frederick Half-Marathon #running #halfmarathontraining

Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1

This was a good first week of training. My runs went better than expected and I moved some things around so they were all done outside. I may have woken up at 3:30am on Friday for my long run, but it was nice to get it done before the weekend started!

Weekly Run Down: Frederick Half-Marathon Training

Monday: Strength Training + Foam Rolling
Tuesday: Rest Day
Wednesday: 4.24 miles with 6 x 400 repeats + Core Work
Thursday: 20 minutes Spinning + Strength Training
Friday: 8 miles
Saturday: 3.75 Easy Miles
Sunday: 3 Stroller Miles

Frederick half-marathon training week 1

Speed Work

It’s been a few years since I ran 400 meter repeats. Most of my “speed work” these days are more in the form of fartlek runs and they’ve been time based rather than distance paced. What I found was that I was definitely willing to push myself more when I knew that the faster I ran, the faster I would be done. The only challenge was I did these on the roads so there was a slight incline. I still felt like I put in a good effort. 

Frederick half-marathon training week 1

Long Run

So as I said I moved this run to Friday. I just got the urge to get it done. We had plans to go out to dinner on Friday night for Valentine’s Day and I didn’t want to feel like I had to limit my wine due to having a long run the next day. I also thought it would be nice to be able to do my shorter runs outside over the weekend when it was light out.

At 3:35 am I got up, made some coffee, pumped, got dressed, did a warm-up, and was out the door at 4:30. I stayed close by home and just got it done. When I got back I had time to take a quick picture and shower before Grayson was up and ready to start the day at 6. 

Frederick half-marathon training week 1

Strength Training/Cross-Training

This was week 5 of the strength training plan that I put together on my own. I’ve been slowing increasing my weights and reps to get more of a challenge out of the exercises. I think the hardest but most effective move I do are the step-ups onto a bench. I’ve been holding 50 pounds of weight and doing 3 sets of 6 on each leg. I definitely feel the burn by the end!

I also got in 20 minutes of spinning and 12 minutes of yoga. 12 minutes is more than the 7 minutes I did last week so that’s a win! Honestly I just use it as a way to get in some stretching right now because most of the time I walk in from my run and don’t have time to do any sort of stretching.

Frederick half-marathon training week 1

Run Angel Ambassador

This week I shared on Instagram that I am a Run Angel Ambassador in 2020! Run Angel is a personal safety wearable that has a button to push as an alarm in case of an emergency while also sending a message to your identified contacts with the time and location of the activation. I’ve been wearing mine for 2 years and it makes me feel safer when I am out running!

Run Angel Ambassador

How were your workouts last week?
What is the earliest time you will wake up to run?
Do you do speedwork on the roads or on a track? By time or distance?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Catrina says

    February 17, 2020 at 6:36 am

    Full marks for getting up at 3.30am! Awesome!
    12 minutes of yoga is nice! My yoga has disappeared completely over the last few weeks. I need to get that back on track. 😊

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      Thanks! I just have to remind myself 12 minutes is better than nothing with the yoga. I’ve just had a hard time committing to more than that lately!

  2. Beckett @ Birchwood Pie says

    February 17, 2020 at 7:36 am

    I would love to figure out a way to get my long run done during the week sometime. The earliest I’ve ever gotten up is 5:20 so am I even a runner;-) Congrats on a solid week!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:22 pm

      Haha there was a time was 5:20 was my earliest! It’s just gotten earlier and earlier over the years!

  3. Wendy says

    February 17, 2020 at 8:11 am

    I don’t think I’ve ever ‘formally trained’ for a half! I usually just throw in some long runs to my normal running routine, lol. Kudos to getting up at 3:30 to do your long run. I’m sure I told you that I used to get up at 4 on a regular basis to get my runs in when the guys wre little. A running mom’s gotta do…

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      I think my 4am wake ups are going to continue for the foreseeable future. I just hope the 3:30 wake ups dont have to become a very regular thing.

  4. Deborah Brooks says

    February 17, 2020 at 8:52 am

    Wow getting up at 3:30 is dedication! I did not run when my kids were young so thankfully I was never forced to do that. Did you make it through dinner without falling asleep? Nice week of training and thanks for linking up

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      I wake up at 4 every day so honestly 3:30 didnt feel all that bad!

  5. Jessie says

    February 17, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    It’s always the best feeling to get the long run done before the weekend. I like your reasoning too- a bit more wine 🙂 hehe!

    Awesome week of training for you!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:25 pm

      I had to remind myself that it would be worth it to be able to relax and have an extra drink! It was good motivation:)

  6. Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy says

    February 17, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    Great first week of training! I’m always so impressed how parents get it done. Youth, I guess (comparatively).

    I always train for mine. For me it just help prevent injury.

    I usually do speed work by distance. I think 4 am is about the earliest I’ve gotten up for a run (not race, though).

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      Thank you! I agree there is something to be said for using a training plan to help prevent injury. I guess most of the time I was focusing on the marathon distance and it was just too complicated to add in another training plan for a shorter race.

  7. Jenn says

    February 17, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    Congratulations on your ambassadorship! Safety is so important and I love this concept.

    I used to wake up at 4:15AM to go for runs. I had to be home by 6:15 at the latest to help get little man out the door for school (he starts super early) so that was my option.

    You’re doing great.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:27 pm

      Thanks! It’s always nice to get the runs done early, even if it means a super early wake up. I just remind myself that this schedule won’t last forever!

  8. Laurie says

    February 17, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    I haven’t “formally trained” for a half in a long time either but it IS appealing to push myself to see exactly what I can do. Your training is tough! I ran the Frederick (Maryland) half years ago. Good luck! I will be interested to follow your training. And kudos for the early, early morning wake-up!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:28 pm

      I ran it in 2009 (I think?) I thought it was a pretty good course but a little boring at times. I chose it mostly because its not too far away and pretty flat!

  9. Kim G says

    February 17, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    Woohoo! Awesome job on your first week of half marathon training. I don’t think that I’ve properly trained for a half marathon in a few years – hence why my PR is from 2015 or 2016 – oops!

    Congrats on your new ambassadorship!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 17, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Thank you! My half PR is from 2015 and I ran it while training for a full. So hopefully I can set a new one with some actual training!

  10. Kimberly Hatting says

    February 18, 2020 at 8:19 am

    Well done on that long run! I had a couple of very early (even for me LOL) runs on Friday mornings last fall when I was training for MCM. One of them, was an 18-miler (I think?)…I left the house around 4:30, did 6-7 miles on my own, then met Barb around 5:30ish for some more miles…then finished off on my own. It can be done!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 18, 2020 at 7:00 pm

      And that’s why marathon training makes me nervous right now! I think I would need to start at 3am to get an 18 miler done if I had to do it during the week!

  11. Michelle D. says

    February 18, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    Great first week of training! And, huge props to you for getting up and out so early to get your long run done on Friday – that’s some serious dedication!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 18, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      Thank you! It wasn’t too bad 🙂

  12. Renée says

    February 19, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    girl, 3:30 is still the middle of the night 😉 I’m not a wake up early and run person but if it happens I try to do 5am wakeup and out the door before 5:30.

    seriously though – great first week!! setting yourself up for success!!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 19, 2020 at 7:43 pm

      Haha thank you! A 5:30 run is still pretty early too!

  13. Zenaida Arroyo says

    February 19, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    Great job waking up so early for your long run! I think the earliest I’ve been up is 4am during the summer. Got my run done before it got too hot.

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 20, 2020 at 3:56 am

      Thanks! Yea, its nice to get those summer runs done early and beat the heat!

  14. Lisa @ TechChick Adventures says

    February 19, 2020 at 9:03 pm

    Great job on the first week of training! I do like to get my long runs done before the weekend rolls around, but it hasn’t fit in to my schedule lately. Pumping does add a bit of complexity/time to the morning routine I can imagine – way to get it all done!

    • Lisa @ Mile By Mile says

      February 20, 2020 at 3:56 am

      Thanks! I try not to move things around too much, but when it works out its nice to get that long run done early!

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Fall is pretty good too but there’s nothing like Fall is pretty good too but there’s nothing like seeing the sunrise on a morning run! As an early morning riser I would be fine with a 4am sunrise but I know that’s not for everyone so I will just enjoy the 2 months of the year when the sun is up (almost) as early as me. #morningrunner #sunriserun
Let them be your reason, not your excuse. I coul Let them be your reason, not your excuse. 

I could sit here and tell you how hard it is to train with 2 young kids. How I rarely get a full night’s sleep anymore. How they got me sick the week before my race. How my SI joint just isn’t the same since my pregnancies. But that wouldn’t be fair, because I need to listen to my own advice that I give them about how to keep working hard and that there will always be obstacles to overcome.

After my race on Sunday I was thinking about how my Kindergartner has been working for a special award all year long. Many times he has told me he just wants to give up, because he works so hard for months at a time and still hasn’t earned it. I keep telling him that if he keeps working hard he will earn it, but what’s most important is that he gives his best each and every day. All those good days add up and even if he doesn’t earn the award, it will mean he had a great year.

Don’t I need to take my own advice and remember that all the good training days add up, even if I don’t get the outcome I want on race day? Before my race he kept telling me to do my best, and that he would give me a prize (artwork) even if I don’t win. So maybe all the lessons I am teaching him are starting to pay off? #motherrunner #halfmarathon  #frederickrunfest
I can pretty much see the humidity as I look back I can pretty much see the humidity as I look back on these videos. After a few days to process my race I am feeling better about how it went and starting to focus on what’s next. I guess it’s officially time to acclimate to the heat and humidity because it’s not getting cooler any time soon! My full recap is up at milebymileblog.com

Have you acclimated to the warmer weather yet?

#run #runner #runchat  #frederickrunfest
Happy Medal Monday! This is a unique medal because Happy Medal Monday! This is a unique medal because the middle part is actually a removable pin! So you could take it off and display it somewhere else. What is the most unique medal you have received at a race? #run #halfmarathoner #frederickrunfest #medalmonday
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