She Runs by the Seashore

I’ve been running A LOT.

I know this is relative from runner to runner. But during my Salisbury Marathon training, I’ve been running many more miles than I usually do. Since I also run a lot of miles at a relatively easy-for-me pace, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the roads and trails.

My high mileage and many hours spent running means I have much less free time. So, that’s part of the reason this February wrap-up isn’t getting written until March 11 — and I still have more posts to write, too.

But here goes for February…

1. I ran 166.45 miles. As I noted in the intro, this is my highest-mileage month ever! My previous highest-mileage month was September 2018, during which I ran 155.43 miles.
2. I hit the halfway point of marathon training. I was considering writing a check-in post at the halfway point, but again, because I’ve been spending so much time running — along with other commitments — the time just got away from me. I’m planning to write a training recap at the end of this training week, when I begin my taper. I did check my training for my last marathon, which was Freedom’s Run in October, and when I came to the halfway point of Salisbury Marathon training, I was 12.68 miles ahead of where I was at that point in my Freedom’s Run training. In the first half of my recent 16-week training cycle, I ran 238.03 miles.
3. I ran one race. I participated in the Maryland-Washington, D.C. RRCA Club Challenge 10 Miler on Feb. 24. It was my first and only race of the year so far, and the course was tough, but I enjoyed repping the Eastern Shore Running Club, challenging myself and spending time with friends. Read my recap here.
4. I ran in two new-to-me locations. These were Mutton Hunk Fen on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland. Click on the location to learn more.
5. I’ve really been slacking on yoga. I enjoy going to yoga, but with the amount of running I’ve been doing (see the pattern?), in addition to helping out with Girls on the Run, staying really involved with the Eastern Shore Running Club, and of course, working full-time, I made it to one February yoga class, which is unfortunately the only time I’ve gone this year so far. I will have to make a change soon — the taper may help.
6. I didn’t go to the gym during February. At least I’m doing slightly better on this one, because I’ve gone once during March so far. I’m not much of a gym person, but I hope I can get myself to go at least a few times a month.
7. I’ve been working on my speed. I was 10 seconds slower than last year at the RRCA Club Challenge, but I ran that race on tired legs. I have been working some on my speed. I ran tempo miles at paces that started with a 9 on three occasions in February, and I ran six 800s one day with times that ranged from 4:21-4:40. Since my marathon goal is sub-4:45, I’ll want to be able to run 10 of these in sub-four-minutes-and-45-seconds for my Yasso 800s. I also ran a solo 5K for speed in 29:23 (which, spoiler alert, I already ran faster than that for a solo 5K this month).

So, I’ve certainly been getting those miles in. Although I feel like I do post a lot of happy photos, it has not all been easy. I’m looking forward to the taper, when I should both be able to have more time for myself and also be a better partner in getting things done at home.

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