Wine and Dine Half Training: Week 6

I can't believe I'm half-way through my training for Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon and in just over 6 weeks, I'm going to be earning my Coast-to-Coast medal :))))

This week the miles ramped up quite a bit and I'm feeling the effects.  It's all good though. Just means I'm working hard.

Monday 9/17/12 - Run: 4 treadmill miles (2.5 mile tempo). Kept my tempo pace at a 10m/m (a few seconds slower than last week). Tempo felt good and I can feel my endurance and strength coming back. Had another appointment with the chiro & massage therapist again after school.

Tuesday 9/18/12 - XT - 2 mile, easy walk.  Checking out my route for neighborhood 800s.

Wednesday 9/19/12 - Run: Yasso 800s around my neighboorhood. 1.5 mile warm up/cool down in 17:00 (11:20 pace), then 2 miles of 1/2 mile repeats (4x800) with a 4:30 rest in between sets. Averaged a 9:04 pace. This was a huge test for me. I've only ever done speedwork on a treadmill and it was a huge boost to know I could maintain those paces outside as well.  I was sore for days.

Thursday 9/20/12 - Nothing, nada, ziltch 

Friday 9/21/12 - Again, nothing. 

Saturday 9/22/12 -  Run: 8.17 miles in 1:30:58 (11:08 pace but ran awesome negative splits - starting at 12:05 and ending at 10:41 or 10:10 if you count the last .17 miles). I keep hitting longer and longer runs and this one felt really good.  I met a friend at 0 dark:30 and had a great run.  The conversation made the miles go faster and the company made the dark less scary.  I only tripped twice. Or maybe 3 times. Never actually fell down though :)

Sunday 9/23/12 - Recovery walk while taking in Artprize (a huge art competition here in town for the next couple weeks). Very slow walk but I think we covered about 2 miles and it helped with some of the kinks from the week.

I'm extremely proud of going outside my comfort zone and completing those 800s outside.  That was probably one of the hardest workouts I've ever done (and will only get harder since I have 5x800 this week).  I see some speed peeking through here and there and my endurance keeps getting better.  Sadly, I'm now fighting a cold and I hope it doesn't frak up my remaining runs this week (I did my tempo yesterday before the cold knocked me on my butt).

Did you do any workouts (or anything else for that matter) that put you outside YOUR comfort zone this week?

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