This was it. My spring training using Runner’s World Run Less Run Faster came to an end with the Chicago Spring Half Marathon this morning. I enjoyed the training plan very much, and felt it got me to the starting line feeling confident. I stuck to the plan pretty closely up until Ragnar Trail Richmond when I adjusted the week before and the week after to accommodate the many miles I asked my legs to run on the trails of Pocahontas State Park.
Bill flew to Austin for business on Monday morning, and I went into overdrive determined to finish up my spring painting projects before I boarded my flight for Chicago on Thursday morning. Guess what? I did it! No more talk about painting and my love/hate relationship with it until my big reveal in a week or two. In the meantime, here’s a hint from the last of my many projects…
I chose to workout during the first three days of my taper week, and moved my Thursday run to Wednesday since Thursday would be a travel day. I knew that once my feet hit the ground in Chicago I’d be walking quite a bit, but hoped that Saturday could be a more relaxed day off my feet.
- Monday
- Lift – 1 hour
- Rodney Yee’s Yoga Conditioning For Athletes (affiliate link) – Yoga for Runners
- Tuesday
- Interval Run- 1 mile warm-up, 6 x 400 at 8:00, 8:00, 8:00, 7:47, 7:47, and 7:35 pace (7:47 goal pace), 1 mile cool-down, 400 easy recovery between intervals
- Rodney Yee’s Intermediate Yoga (affiliate link) Integration
- Teeter Hang Ups (affiliate link) Inversion – 15 minutes
- Wednesday
- Steady Run – 5 miles at 8:48 pace
- Teeter Inversion – 15 minutes
- Strength Training – 1 hour
- Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga For Beginners (affiliate link) – Yoga For Flexibility
I got home from my run with my speedy friend Kathy and remembered to follow-up with a conversation we’d just had. As soon as I walked into the door, I looked up last year’s results for the Chicago Spring Half. I was surprised to see that there were ten-year age groups, not five. I was also shocked to see that everyone older than sixty is lumped into one age group. Yikes, remind me not to run that race when I’m 81!
Perhaps Kathy had given me this little good luck gift of a Momentum wrap bracelet at our run that morning thinking ahead to when I’m 81 running against 60-year-olds! BTW, Saturday evening around 9 PM I popped on the half marathon website and discovered that this year they had five year age groups!
- Thursday
- Walking – 7.5 miles
I met our friends Janet and Rich (Julie’s parents) to fly together to Chicago on Thursday morning. (Bill would be flying directly from Austin). Janet and I laughed when we saw each other because we were both wearing our running shoes – both of us afraid to let them out of our sight. I could buy new running clothes at the expo, but custom orthotics and perfectly broken in running shoes aren’t easily replaced. Who am I kidding? My shoes arrived from Amazon (affiliate link) on Wednesday!
Once in Chicago we met up with our “children” (our son Joseph is married to Janet and Rich’s daughter Julie) for a little sight seeing and dinner. During our walk we passed this sign and stopped for a picture.
- Friday
- Core exercises – 15 minutes
- Yoga for Runners
- Walking – 9.5 miles
Normally I don’t include any walking miles in my daily workout report unless I specifically go for a walk. While in Chicago, I am noting those miles because I’m walking much more than I normally do…
- Saturday
- Walking – 6 miles
We had a delicious lunch at Doc B’s where in addition to a Southwest chicken salad, I got my favorite pre-race food of sweet potato fries. Yum! For our pre-race dinner we had pasta and a salad at J and J’s apartment.
- Sunday
- Chicago Spring Half Marathon – 1:59:05
- Walking – 4 miles
Janet and I each had a great race and lots of fun. Spoiler alert, I might have placed second in my age group! I’ll post details in my recap once I get it up; however, I doubt I’ll be able to get the recap complete until the first week of June though, because I’ve got another busy week coming up.
After showers and relaxing, we spent Sunday afternoon enjoying the beautiful Chicago weather, and I might have slipped a margarita in there somewhere!
- Weekly Overview:
- Weight Training: Monday and Wednesday
- Running: Tuesday – 5 miles, Wednesday – 5 miles, Sunday 13.1 (Total: 23.1 miles)
- Biking: zero
- Walking: 27 miles
- Yoga: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Teeter Inversion: Tuesday and Wednesday
- Average Steps Per Day: 18,233
- Average Hours Sleep Per Night: 6:41 hours
- Questions:
- Have you traveled for races?
- If so, what’s been your favorite “racecation?” Prior to this trip, my favorite racecations were (in this order): Big Sur Marathon, Boston Marathon, and Steamtown Marathon
- Did you race this weekend?
Have a great week!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.
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I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
It’s nice to see someone running without rain! Looks like you had a fun time
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Run Safer At Night with RunLites + Giveaway
We had a blast! I was amazed to see pics of soggy runners back home. Fortunately, it looks like there’s less rain in this week’s forecast.
Easy how those margaritas tend to slip in, huh? It sounds like you had a fun weekend in Chicago. I’m glad to hear they changed the age groups but I’m willing to bet you would have placed had they stayed the same. As I age, the run less concept is sounding better and better. I hope you’ll post your thoughts on the whole training cycle and experience. Thanks for linking with us Deb.
HoHo Runs recently posted…Something New (WW #42)
A second margarita might have slipped in after I posted on Sunday… and a mint chocolate ice cream sundae from Ghirardelli’s.
Awesome job on the race! and congrats on AG place 🙂
I have not done many racecations, I hope I get to one of these days! I like running and then being able to explore and have fun. I did that at Disney once, very fun.
That was a whole lot of walking! best way to explore when on vacation!
Karen recently posted…Darling and Drizzles
Thanks, Karen! That’s one of the things I love about being in a city – walking everywhere!
Congrats on a speedy race! Sounds like you had a lovely time in Chicago. One of these days I’ll get up there for a race.
MCM Mama Runs recently posted…Lifetime Half #56, State #28: New England Series – Massachusetts
This was our second visit to Chicago in about six months. Of course with our son in school in Chicago, I’m sure there will be plenty more visits, and perhaps more races.
Congrats on the sub-2 and the AG placement! Looks like you had a great time. Looking forward to the recap.
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Running Down the Week
Thanks, Wendy! Would have loved to have met you, though. Another time!
I have to travel for most of my races, but I have had a few race-cations…. Grandma’s Marathon (Duluth, MN) was awesome!! I”m headed to Route 66 (Okla) in November 😉 NO racing until June 4th, then I have a 13.1 (Des Moines) and a local 13.1 on the 11th. Awesome finish time on your race!!
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Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Sunshine, Planking, and DOMS…Oh MY!
Sounds like you have some fun races on your calendar!
That’s a hellalotta walking! Congrats on your AG prize – will be watching for the details!
Coco recently posted…Celebrating Transitions
Thanks!
Glad to see they narrowed it own to 5 year age groups instead of 10. And yea, that is crazy that 60-99 are lumped in as one age group. That’s just like saying once you turn 60 your ability level is the same as a 99 year old. That is so NOT fair! Everyone has a right to earn an AG award in their appropriate age group and having that big of span is just wrong and disrespectful!
We do race-cations often. My favorite were probably rnr Vegas and all the Disney races.
They also changed the 60 and over age group to 75 and over with 5-year age groups all the way up to that.
Glad you had a great race! I look forward to you recap. I haven’t traveled to many races. Most of my out of town races are in Orange Beach or Gulf Shores, AL because my mother in law has a condo there. There’s so many great runs there and it’s nice to save on travel expenses.
Debra @HappyRunningSole recently posted…Weekly Wrap
That’s a very good reason to travel to both of those places for races!
I love visiting Chicago! I actually like being there when I am not racing so that I can enjoy the nice run trail along the lake. It’s funny when traveling for a race, it’s like….do I run around the city and explore…..or do I save my legs for the race?! Such the dilemma right? You did great on your race. One of my favorite racecations would have to be RockNRoll New Orleans because I am not sure when I would have otherwise made it out there but what a super fun place to visit! Not sure how I managed the race with all the wonderful food and drink though. I also really enjoyed Boston (as a spectator for my husband). I got to run along the river and didn’t have to save my legs since I was running the marathon. That’s cool that you did. What an experience it must have been!
Diane recently posted…Springtime Christmas in Catalina and Running the Trails
I love running on the trail right along Lake Michigan. I took some super fun pictures with my GoPro last fall running along there with the Chicago skyline in the background.
I’ve never been to New Orleans, but my husband and I were just talking about going there sometime.
Congrats on your race! I had a couple of friends run the half marathon, I would love to travel to Chicago (or really anywhere) for a racecation! I still have a few months before ZOOMA Cape Cod!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Weekly Wrap: Approaching Memorial Day
ZOOMA Cape Cod sounds fun. Enjoy! I ran ZOOMA Annapolis last year with friends and it was fun – and hilly!
It looks like you had a really fun week! I would love to get to Chicago for a race soon! I think there is a big race conference in Chicago toward the end of June. I am trying to convince the hubs to go with me:)
Lauren recently posted…No Bake Coconut Oat Bars
Thanks for the tip on the race conference. I should look into it for next year!
Congrats on placing in your AG — awesome (and that’s a big race).
I’d have a hard time picking a racecation!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Freedom is never given . . . it is won (Philip Randolph)
Thanks, Judy!
Wow Deb your run less training really paid off for you sub 2 that is awesome! I only dream of these times but you have put in the work ahem, Ragnar totally helped don’t you think?
Walking really does need to be counted in my book sometimes on trips I’ll get in 18-25,000 steps sometimes that is a lot of walking around! Can’t wait to hear about this race! Congratulations to you!!
Tricia recently posted…5 Ways to feel Crappy on Vacation
I think Ragnar really took a lot out of me – it takes some time to recover from running 34 miles in under 20 hours (especially at my age). I’m not sure how much it might have affected my race in Chicago, but I know it did to some degree. Even so, I’m so glad I ran it!