You may remember that back in May I was supposed to run the Frederick Running Festival half-marathon, which was postponed at the time. I had put in about 6 weeks of training before I found out it would be postponed. Over the summer we were given the options to defer our race entry to 2021 or 2022, or to run the race virtually on or before Labor Day weekend. I chose the virtual option, although I wasn’t 100% committed to running a virtual half.
Back in April I ran a virtual half which ended up being a PR (but was it really if it was a virtual race)? At the time I didn’t want to do any more virtual half-marathons. Then the heat and humidity of the summer came along and my motivation for those kinds of races went way down. It wasn’t until this week that I started thinking I may actually want to do this half. I think the slightly cooler temperatures helped with that decision.
Weekly Run Down
Monday: 5 Stroller Miles + Glutes/Core
Tuesday: 4 Stroller Miles + Glutes/Core
Wednesday: 3 Stroller Miles + Glutes/Core
Thursday: 3.2 Stroller Miles – Glutes/Core
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 13.1 Miles
Sunday: 3.7 Stroller Miles
Total: 32 miles
Week of the Frederick Running Festival Virtual Half-Marathon
For a variety of reasons, I didn’t do my usual strength training workouts this week. I did keep up with some body weight and band exercises focused the core and glutes. I also foam rolled almost every day. As the week went on and I thought I might run the half, I figured it made more sense to not do heavy lifting and just keep things easy.
Work was really busy last week so it was kind of nice to have one less thing on my plate in terms of those harder workouts. However, I’m ready to get back to lifting again this week.
Lots of Stroller Runs
As you can see from my weekly run down, we did lots of stroller runs this week. On Wednesday when we went out there was a light mist, and it started raining about a mile in. By the time I started heading back home it stopped. I don’t think Grayson minded the rain because he kept sticking his hands out from the cover that I had over him. Only his feet got wet when the cover was down.
Some days he does great in the stroller, and others its a struggle the whole time. But getting out in the mornings for a run or walk is part of a routine, so he is always willing to go out at least for a little while.
Frederick Running Festival Virtual Half-Marathon
I haven’t really done any hard workouts lately, but I’ve kept up with my long runs this summer so I felt comfortable covering the half-marathon distance. I knew I wouldn’t race it or even run it really hard. It was 65 degrees with lower humidity, which is much better than it’s been over the last few months. However, it was about 40 degrees when I did my last virtual half-marathon. Despite the warmer temps and slower pace, I did a few things better this time around:
- Later start time so I wasn’t half-asleep running at 3:56 am (I started at 5)
- Carried water with me
- Actually took the fuel I brought with me (raisins)
- Took a nap that afternoon (did I take one last time? I can’t remember but probably not)
- Ran mostly by effort and only glanced at my watch when I hit each mile split
I ran a very similar course which is pretty flat and close to home. I wore my headlamp because I didn’t want to have my Knucklelights in one hand and my water bottle in the other. On Friday I changed the battery of my headlamp, but when I got out for my run it wouldn’t turn on. I think I just need a new one. It’s been giving me trouble for awhile.
Post-Race Recovery
I felt like my recovery went really well and I wasn’t even sore after this race, probably because I didn’t “race” it. I’ll admit I didn’t stretch at all, but I did drink a smoothie as soon as I got home along with some Nuun before showering and having a real breakfast. On Sunday I got in some time with the foam roller.
Next up is a 10k in early October. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so I will actually be motivated enough to do some workouts before that one!
You may also like:
Back to Running in the Heat and Humidity
Taking a Break From Running
If you have done multiple virtual races, did you do anything better the second (or third) time around?
Have you been racing virtual races or just running them for fun?
Has it cooled off by you this week?
I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down!
Great going! The cooler weather definitely motivates me for running, but I haven’t found motivation for 13.1 yet. 😉 It’s great stroller runs are part of your routine — that daily outside time is so great for both of you.
I think knowing I didn’t have to run the 13.1 miles (I could stop at any point) helped with just getting out there. The problem now is I’m less motivated to run early when its still so dark out!
Being gone all weekend (until just about an hour ago), I have not looked further ahead of tomorrow for weather…but I think the temps are gonna plummet considerably. UGH. Being on the bike, that’s gonna be a major #BRRR ordeal LOL Great job on your virtual race!
Oh yea that will be tough for sure! Thank you!
Well done on your virtual race performance.
I’m currently doing the Garmin Coach training for the half marathon (I’m using Coach Amy – having been married for 27 years, I’m used to being told what to do by a woman 🙂 ). Although I’m doing the training I have no specific race I’m aiming for, virtual or otherwise. It is just a matter of seeing what the training is like.
I’ll be honest and say the whole virtual race thing doesn’t really do it for me. It’s the excitement and motivation provided by hundreds or thousands of other runners and spectators that make me want to do formal races, and so the thought of doing what I do anyway, just with a medal and/or T Shirt doesn’t get the juices flowing.
I have mixed feelings about virtual races. For this one, I didn’t want to defer because I’m not confident we will be racing in the spring, and I didn’t want to wait until 2022. I don’t think I’ll want to pay money for any more virtual races, but we’ll see.
Great job on your virtual half marathon! I don’t think I have it in me to run 13.1 for a virtual race. By now I don’t really care for them anymore. I like the challenges and hopefully will find something that will keep me motivated. Well, not that I am not motivated right now but something to keep me going. I hope that made sense.
It has cooled off here and I am loving it. I am excited for Fall. As long as I can still run in shorts then I am happy. Definitely not ready for tights.
Totally agree about the shorts vs tights! This weekend we got a taste of cooler mornings but now its supposed to get a little warmer again.
That’s a pretty nice finish time for a ‘not racing it’ 13.1! Great job Lisa! I’ve got a virtual 13.1 to do this month that needs to be run on the actual course. Should be interesting as I will use a new-to-me app to guide me.
Thank you! That sounds like fun to be able to do it on the course. As long as the app works like its supposed to!
High 5 on your half! It’s definitely much harder to motivate yourself for 13.1 than it is for a 5 or 10k. I’ve treated all of the virtual races that I’ve do so far as real races, but b/c I have kind of a lot of long races in October I may need to drop down to “just finish” effort or double dip and use the same run for more than one race (if I do this I’ll run the distance later on to keep myself honest).
My virtual half last spring went well, the only thing I need to improve is planning the course a little better. I have several 10 mile routes to choose from but I didn’t really plan how to get to 13.1 so the last part of the race got a little repetitive.
My course was very repetitive, but that doesn’t bother me too much! That makes sense to not race all your races since you have alot of them this fall.
Congratulations on the virtual race! I haven’t fueled with raisins before, but it makes sense that they would be a good choice.
I forget where I got the idea to use raisins, but I haven’t bought any gels so this was all I had. It was raisins or my son’s applesauce pouches, and those wouldn’t fit into my vest as well!
Nice job getting the half done! I haven’t run a half since 2/19 & don’t expect I will be anytime soon. I expect Grayson is like anyone — we all have good & bad days, even toddlers!
I’ve just been doing virtual races for fun, and pushing just a little. I know I’m not going to PR, I haven’t really “trained” all year & I just need that race atmosphere. Or maybe I just don’t want to push that hard when it seems everything in life is harder anyway, LOL!
I totally get it! It’s hard to push during virtual races without the race environment and also while there are just so many stressors going on right now.
Good job on your race! I’m thinking raisins would be hard to eat while running. I’ve never tried that.
Kudos to doing that!
Thanks! They are not the easiest but they weren’t too bad. The hardest fuel to eat I’ve ever taken was swedish fish!
Awesome job on your virtual race! I’ve never tried eating raisins during a run but I can see the appeal because of the sweetness.
Although I wasn’t planning on signing up for more virtual races, I have a virtual 10K and half marathon next month (I couldn’t pass up the prices!)
I didn’t have any gels so I figured raisins were better than nothing! It’s great you have some virtual races to work towards this fall.
Well done on the virtual race! It’s been all about running for fun on the trails for me this summer, but you’re right: The break in the heat changes things. Running is a whole different animal when it’s cooler!
I’ve definitely been more motivated on the days when its been cooler!
Sounds so amazing and like you made all the right decisions!
I’m so proud of you.
I have a spate of virtuals coming up next week (just two 5Ks for now), and I plan to treat them as races, in my “diminished capacity.” It will be fun to see what I can do. No, it’s not any cooler. Boo.
I think that sounds like a great plan! Hope your virtual races go well!
Perhaps you haven’t done any “hard” workouts lately, but you’ve maintained a solid base. Your body will respond well when you start kicking it up a notch
My husband and I ran the Frederick Marathon back when it was a full marathon. Even though it was really hot the year we ran it, I loved it and did very well. I loved that it had a porta potty every mile! Isn’t it weird what we remember? I either won my AG or first place masters female… don’t remember which, but remember the porta potties! LOL
I don’t think I knew that the Frederick Running Festival used to be a full! I ran the half in 2009 and I don’t remember anything about the porta potties lol!