Kelly the Culinarian: Training Tuesday: The Temptation Edition

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Training Tuesday: The Temptation Edition

I cannot believe how soon the marathon is.  It kind of freaks me out.  I feel like I've only gotten slower this summer, which is disappointing considering how much time I'm spending working out.

Part of why I'm not getting faster, I'm sure, is because I'm eating like crap.  Despite busting out miles upon slow miles, I've lost a total of one pound this month during the August DietBet Challenge. It's great news for the other challengers, since it's unlikely I can lose more than four pounds in the next two weeks, so they'll likely get my $20.

Perhaps if I could get these temptations under control, my running would feel easier. I got up early Saturday and set out for a very slow 19 miles.  It was lovely weather and I explored the Prairie Path, running as far east as Beverly.  I really enjoyed this path as there were more bathrooms, water fountains and runners than my usual route, but I couldn't figure out how to get back home easily.  I ended up finishing 20 miles and feeling pretty good about it, despite the fact that my overall pace was 11 minutes.

I also did a weight-training circuit at the gym that's closest to me, which is always a hilarious experience. It's a super old school, meathead kind of weight room that's missing a lot of the equipment I normally use.  Additionally, I have to drive through the Steak n Shake parking lot to get there and stare at Taco Bell while I run on the treadmill.  No wonder I'm finding junk food hard to resist.

This week, I'll be running 12 miles on Saturday with Kim during my step-back week.  My goal is to focus on my food a bit more and give my runs my best effort as we inch towards the marathon.

This week's motto: Life itself is a binge. (from Julia Child, of course)

9 comments:

Erin said...

Are you doing any speedwork? If not, it's not unusual to get slower during marathon training. Speedwork also amps up the calorie burn, too!

KellytheCulinarian said...

No, I've done next to zero speedwork, so that must be my issue.

Pete B said...

Eating right is always a struggle, but with the marathon looming, I am trying, like you, to resist too much fast food and the like. Now that my weekly miles are consistently above 40, I am losing just a little bit of weight every day. I was struggling to lose a pound over the last two months.

Kim said...

Running longer does slow you down, as does the heat! Don't worry about it! Your goal for your first marathon should be to make it to the start line, healthy, and finish healthy :)

I ran 20 a few weeks ago at a 12:00 min pace! My 22 was around 10:45. It's crazy how much it varies. And running with friends helps. What time do you want to meet on Saturday before the ZOOMA run?

KellytheCulinarian said...

If I could keep it around 9:30, I'd be quite happy with myself.

Kim said...

You know your long runs are supposed to be 1-2 mins slower than your race pace, right? :P

KellytheCulinarian said...

But when I did 20 last week, is 12 still considered a long run?

Kim said...

Yeah, even your last "long run" of 8 before the marathon is considered a long run. Don't race your long runs :)

Maggie W said...

Hey what do you mean slow ... I ran 17 last weekend at an 11 min pace. I was happy just to get it done! Also I too have heard that marathon training makes you slow. If you are only training for endurance, that will happen. Especially through the warm summer months.