Asheville Marathon Training — 7 Weeks Out

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IMG_0016According to my training plan, I was supposed to be spending the first two weeks of Asheville Marathon training doing a ton of Orangetheory and running 10 and 15 mile long runs respectively.  As I wrote last week, I really needed a second week of recovery after the Mississippi Blues Marathon.  That trend continued this week, until Snowzilla hit and then my options were really limited.  I cannot bring myself to get on a treadmill except during an Orangetheory class, so the idea of doing a long run indoors had about as much *traction* as my feet out on the ice.  But I tried to make the most of the snowy weather!

Here’s my recap…

Monday

  • Rest

Tuesday

  • Reformer pilates

Wednesday

  • Rest
  • Whole Foods adventure in the falling, slippery snow, which I think should count as a core workout

Thursday

  • Pilates.  I was signed up for my usual reformer class but the instructor wasn’t able to make it because of the pre-blizzard snow we got on Wednesday night.  Instead of sending me home, the pilates studio let me join a mat pilates class going on at the same time.  I haven’t done mat pilates in literally years and was never a huge fan (which is why I am always preaching about reformer!).  But this was actually great.  It felt like a hard workout, plus a friend I hadn’t seen in a while happened to be in the class.  A good reminder about the value of mixing things up once in a while!

Friday

  • Quick pre-blizzard lift (leg presses, deadlifts, kettlebell swings)
  • Several pre-blizzard walks (photo above)
  • Order Yaktraks on Amazon

Saturday

  • Nearly everything is closed except a cafe/ramen spot a couple of miles away.  Thus, double-date urban blizzard hiking (5 miles)

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Sunday

  • Trudged through snow for about 10 miles, was exhausted afterward but got to spend about 3 of those miles catching up with a friend, which was wonderful, and the day was so sunny!

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So, no the planned 15 miler didn’t happen.  Nor did I do any speedwork.  Will I get in the 17 miler this week before my honeymoon next week???  We shall see…

I’d love to hear what everyone else did during the blizzard.  An indoor workout?  Venturing outside?  For those that regularly brave the elements–what are your best tips for running in the snow/ice/slush?  Should I try out these Yaktraks I got???

4 thoughts on “Asheville Marathon Training — 7 Weeks Out”

  1. I’m fairly new to the East Coast. I’m originally from San Diego, Ca, land of the sun, 365 days a year. I work out indoors during the winter when there’s snow and ice on the ground. But I just want to be outside! Do you have any tips for winter running? Any shoes that you recommend for running in the snow?

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    • Welcome to the East Coast, Stacey! I really liked walking outside (5-10 mile legit walks) during the snowstorm when running didn’t seem very feasible, and it was a great workout trudging through the snow! (I can’t imagine even trying to run in 2 feet of snow.) But now that the streets and sidewalks are mostly cleared, I’ve run a few times in my trail running shoes, which have a better tread than my normal shoes. Maybe give that a try? Also, I bought Yaktracks, these treads that you can attach to any shoe, but those are really intended for use on packed snow and ice rather than cleared paths with a few slippery spots. So really, footwear and what is feasible it will depend on your terrain. For winter running in general, I highly recommend getting lightweight layers you can use on runs but then take off as you inevitably get hot. I like thin, non-bulky gloves and earwarmers that I can stuff into pockets, for instance. And we always always overdress, so think about pullovers that you can wrap around your waist when needed. But the biggest challenge is just getting the motivation to get outside when it’s chilly! Good luck and thanks for reading!

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