Milestones – 8 Weeks to Race Day
This week’s recap: This was a big week of milestones…
- Biggest one day total of 20.5 miles
- This was my first 40 mile week, with a previous high weekly mileage of 32.6. Note that this is an unusually high increase in weekly miles for a training plan but there was a purpose to this gain I’ll explain in a minute and I spent a lot of time in recovery activities!
- My beautiful baby Sophie is 6 months old (I’ll be running a marathon when she’s just turning 8 months old!),
- I had a birthday and turned 31 years old
- And of course, a very big countdown moment: my first marathon is 8 weeks away! San Francisco, here I come!
Guest Blogger and 1st Time Marathoner Libby looks strong 16 Miles into her long run!
The Birthday Run Challenge Weekend
On Monday, June 6, I turned 31 years old. I did the whole party and big celebration when I turned 30, complete with a trip to California to spend several days going up and down the Pacific Coast Highway with my husband. But I’m not the type of person to have a birthday party every year as an adult. But I wanted to celebrate whatever great place I’m in each and every year. This past birthday year has included adding a beautiful baby to our family and pushing myself to be the best I can be, and running is a huge part of that for me.
So a week before my birthday I outlined a Birthday Run Challenge. I wanted to do 31 miles on my 31st birthday weekend, and I wanted friends to join me in this celebration, much like they would for a birthday happy hour or party!
Libby ready to tackle a long run with friends for her 31st birthday!
More than 10 friends RSVPed and came out for the runs Saturday and Sunday to help me celebrate another year of health and good fortune. It wouldn’t be a challenge if it wasn’t hard and doing 20.5 miles on Saturday, then following it up with another run of 10.5 miles Sunday, was a hard fight to accomplish! I had such a fun time doing it and felt so loved having so many friends come along for the weekend’s adventures. Report and pictures here…
8 Weeks To Race Day
So THIS is how you celebrate a birthday. I’m now 31 miles After a weekend of 31 miles, I still went and did a hard hour of butt-kicking strength training with my trainer at the gym on my birthday evening. I came home to do a big Epsom salt soak. Why push so hard even on my birthday? Because the marathon in just 8 weeks doesn’t care that it’s my birthday! It’s still coming up, and I’m going to be ready for it!
By The Way, Running Time Commentary Continued…
Last week I talked about how we spend our running time. I’ve followed it up with a blog post about my own typical week, how my own time breaks down, and some great comments and feedback from other runners. Thanks to those who volunteered their comments, like Derek W., Michelle K., Kevin L., and Kristin T.!
Coming Up This Week: A fun speedwork night with North Texas Runners – because speedwork’s always more fun in the Texas heat with friends! And generally trying to keep my overall weekly mileage up while having a stepback week to recover in my long run by taking that weekend run down to about 10 miles.
Libby Jones has been running for 5 years, is a self-described “serial half-marathoner”, but has never attempted the marathon distance. She is also an active part of the Dallas-Fort Worth running community. She is the Founder and Race Director of the New Year’s Day Half Marathon in Allen, Texas; the Executive Race Director for Heels and Hills, a non-profit geared towards getting women fit and active; the North Texas State Representative for the Road Runners Club of America; past Dallas Running Club President & 2008 RRCA Scott Hamilton National Outstanding Club President Award Winner; and an RRCA-certified running coach. She’s also a wife to Steve and a mother to Marissa (3 yrs) and Sophie (3 1/2 months). Read her blog “The Active Joe” and follow her on Twitter @libbyruns