Hey everyone! It’s Monday and I know many of us dislike Mondays (end of the weekend) but this week I’m taking it as a fresh start! After a rough week last week, I’m ready to get started with a new plan.
I did want to mention, several of you, as well as my training group leader, said that marathon blues are a very real thing! Good to know I’m not the only one who gets a little depressed when the big day is over.
But how do you solve a problem like this? You start a new plan!
A month or two ago I signed up for the F^3 Half Marathon here in Chicago. Honestly, I’m not sure what F^3 stands for, but the race is on January 26th and it’s the fourth annual F^3 half. They warn that the race will sell out (they cap it to be small so it has a grassroots feel). The reason I signed up for this race is because 1) I wanted something I’d start training for about a month after the marathon and 2) they say the race takes place no matter the weather – ice or snow. I took this as a new challenge and thought it would get my butt outdoors to train during the winter.
I also hear they get creative with their medals – last year it was a bottle opener!
So, where does that leave me now?
Well, to train for the race I’ve decided to follow another Hal Higdon plan. It worked well for the marathon so I’m sticking with him. I am, however, going to try and follow the intermediate plan, rather than the novice 1 or 2. It incorporates speed training which is something I’ve wanted to work on. However, it may be a bit much for me so I’m willing to work with it, I might do 3 days of running instead of the 4 it suggests. We’ll just see how it goes.
I know I mentioned that I also want to get back into strength training, but I work best on a plan, so I’ve decided to sign up for Tina’s Best Body Bootcamp again. I participated in it’s inaugural round last spring and loved it, I just couldn’t work it into my schedule since then.
Bootcamp starts in 1 week, so until then I’m just going to follow a simple 3 days of strength training and running whenever I feel like it, with a longer run on Saturday. This past Saturday I headed out for 5 miles and turned it into 6.
My legs were SUPER tight, but other than that I felt pretty good. I do have two post-marathon injuries to report: my foot and my toe! Both the right.
The top of my right foot really hurts, it feels bruised. I have to lace my right shoe really loosely and even then I tend to loosen it again after an hour or so wearing tennis shoes. I’m hoping it’s something that will just go away…
My right big toe, however, is a whole other issue. I’d heard about “black toenails” from other marathoners but felt lucky I never had a problem with it. Well, after the marathon I discovered a lot of blisters on my toes and one had formed under my big toenail. I’ve done a lot of reading up on it and found I basically just have to wait for it to go away, either get better or fall off (OMG I KNOW, EWWWWW). Luckily it’s stopped hurting too much so we’ll see how it goes… And you’re welcome, I’m sure you wanted to know all about my feet.
What’s your workout plan right now?
Any black toenail advice??
I signed up for that half marathon too. It’s my first one. I was going to do the Schaumburg turkey trot half but some things came up where I can’t do it. Eek black toe nails?! Maybe ice it or put bandaids on it? Have a great Monday.
I’m sure the F^3 will be fun!
Call me crazy but I love winter running.
I’ve never run the F^3, but last January I ran the Polar Dash in Chicago. It was actually postponed because of a snow storm, and the day they rescheduled it for there was ANOTHER snow storm the night before, and it was still snowing during the race. Despite the conditions, I had a fantastic time, and I really loved training in the winter.
I’m excited, I hope it’s snowy but not icy! Haha much prettier that way and a little less likely that I’ll fall…
That’s crazy!! I don’t know if I could force myself to run in the snow and ice – I like warmth too much! But that’s an awesome idea to stay motivated in the dark winter months!
I’ve been doing a lot of pilates recently, and my abs are gradually showing!
I’ve never tried pilates! My gym has a class but you have to pay extra… rude.
I followed that plan for the half-marathon I just ran. Loved it — though you might find it a bit difficult keeping up with strength training towards the end, I started to get pretty exhausted. Just beware!
I was getting the same problem with my foot too. I googled it and it turns out that I was lacing too tightly through my foot. I changed up my lacing method and it went away on one foot. Stretching out my ankles (pointing & flexing, rolling it in circles) has helped somewhat with the other. Compression socks are great for it as well.
Good luck, Katie!! I’m glad that you’ve picked a new goal and are moving forward! (And good luck in advance about the weather! I’m running my first marathon in February up here in Canada — talk about extreme conditions!)
Thanks, Chelsie! And I plan to change up the intermediate plan if I need to, I think it may be too much but I wanted to at least give it a try!
It sounds like you have a good plan set in place for yourself! Good for you girl!
Thanks, Ash!
this looks like a great plan! so excited for you to begin.
Thanks, Alex!
I am moving out of my apartment soon and won’t have a free gym anymore so my plan is to run on the treadmill as much as possible. If the weather starts getting bad and I can’t run outside when I move, I want to know that I took advantage while I could!
It’s always worth trying to run outside in bad weather – I did a few long runs last year in snow and it wasn’t as bad as I thought! Haha just requires some good gear!
I used the same plan for my recent half. I really liked the 1 day a week of speed work. I found that as the mileage increased, I dropped the Friday runs since I did my long runs on Saturdays and ended up running only 4 days a week instead of the 5. I used the extra day to make sure I got in some strength, which helped keep the rest of my body really strong (minus the foot of course). I never had any IT band issues, hip issues, calf issues, like I have in the past. good luck!
Good to know it worked for you! Thanks, Sarah. And I hope your foot gets better soon!!!
Way to be disciplined! I’ve heard really good things about the bootcamp. I think I might have to check it out!
Definitely check it out, sign up ends tonight!
I am a big fan of Hal Higdon’s plans. I used his Novice plan for my first marathon and now I’m using his intermediate 10K one. I just wanted to give myself a plan before marathon training starts in November.
I am actually loving the speed work. I’ve gotten so much faster and stronger (that may have to do with the decreased mileage in a 10K vs. a marathon training plan though.
I’m starting the intermediate marathon training plan on November 16. Very anxious. Let’s hope for another mild winter.
I’ll hope for a mild winter for both of us! And I used to do speed training too, last year, but I ditched it during marathon training. People told me working on speed and that kind of distance for the first time could be too much and get me injured. I’m excited to get back to speed work!
I’m doing the F^3 Half Marathon!!! Yes, yes, yes! Man, it will be cold! I don’t have a plan yet but I don’t really think I’ll take this one too seriously. Probably just slightly increase my long runs from 7-12 the months before. You totally just described my injured-not-so-injured foot from the last 6 weeks! The top of my foot hurts to the touch and is swollen. Exactly like if my laces were to tight. But they weren’t! Doctor, finally, tomorrow.
Let me know what’s wrong with your foot! Haha it might be the same
I am trying to get in at least one good run a week, one good spin session, I teach TRX on Tuesdays and Muscle on Wednesdays, then I have two days of whatever exercise I want- circuits, kickboxing, you name it!
I love the variety!
I’ve got a race on Sunday and then I’m doing Best Body Bootcamp as well! Seriously. SO. STOKED. I need to make up my mind about what I want to do in the coming months running wise, though. I know I want to run the marathon next year, so I want to keep up a decent milage pre-marathon training, but I also don’t want to burn myself out…. Whatever. I overthink these things waaayy too much haha.
Maybe just keep up a certain mileage per week? Or do one long-ish run once a week?
Several of my running club buddies did the F^3 race last year. I think it stands for something like “F-ing Freezing Friends” or something similar. I believe it was started by a group of friends who wanted a winter half marathon to do.
As for black toenails, I’ve had two. My toenails don’t usually fall off. The new one just grows out under the old one and I just keep clipping off the old one. They stop hurting after a week or so. And then you just go on like normal 🙂
Ahhh thanks for the toenail advice, that sounds way less scary than what I was imagining
Erin (the poster above) is right. The race director of F3, Kim, and I were in her car and decided it would be fun to have a winter half here. She and I had both traveled to warm places to race in the winter and figured we should do one here. The first year was mostly a fun run from Universal Sole. The next year was a little more put together but still not legit with permits and all. And then last year was the real deal! I did the half last year and volunteered the two prior years. Kim has really turned it into a great race and puts a ton of work into it.
I think it may have been me who actually coined the title. F3 Stands for F***ing Freezing Frozen Lake Half Marathon. I’m signed up for this year again. There were def icy parts last year, you have to be careful. But we had a better weekend than Polar Dash!
I looooove what F^3 stands for, that’s near what I was guessing! I’m excited to run it!
My advice is dark nail polish…your lucky it’s fall and you can rock the boots. I have taped a toenail when I got nervous it would fall off. My feet also take a beating with running….the rest of my body is actually pretty responsive (fingers crossed)
Haha I’m glad it’s fall too, this would not be pretty with sandals!
I just finished my first half marathon this weekend and I’m in the same boat as you. Not really sure what to do now. I need to find another race to train for. I want to work on getting FASTER.
I will still continue to do 2 days of strength training and 2 days of yoga.
I need to do more yoga, keep that up, it really helps!
glad to hear from an expert that the marathon blues are a thing…i definitely have been bouncing back and forth between still rocking an endorphin high and being bummed that it’s done. so i did the same thing you did…registered for more races. it makes sense right? lol. we’re crazy.
I hear a lot of people tend to register for another marathon right after completing one!
It’s always best to have a plan! Glad you’ve found one 🙂
I experienced the black toenail thing when I was a dancer. Mine did eventually fall off (ugh) but not until a new nail had grown underneath it about halfway up my toe. So even if you do lose it, you won’t be completely nail-less!
haha okay good, I was pretty concerned
You are cray for doing hte F^3, big ole F^NO for me.
Hahahahahaha I won’t even expect you to watch, that would be even colder!
I’m really hoping the F^3 doesn’t sell out. I’d love to run it but don’t want to sign up until I see what shape my legs are in post-Goofy!
I hope it doesn’t either, I’d love you to run it with me!
I got a black toenail last year during the marathon and while it never fell off, it grew back with a huge ridge where the blister was. Don’t worry though, a year later my toe is back to normal!!!
haha okay good! I’m just worried it will affect my running, but luckily it has stopped hurting!
Sounds like a good plan! The half will be a nice change… and the training for that kind of distance is not so dang stressful. Sorry to hear about the injuries you are facing, ugh 🙁 I wish I had useful advice, but alas I got naaaathin! Other than crazy-awesome healing vibes 😉
Haha healing vibes sound good, thanks!
I haven’t run a full (or even a half), but I feel like I’d have to do the same, especially having such structured training for 4 months and then it’s over. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
Zero experience with black, falling off toe nails (fortunately!), but good luck! Ha.
I want to be friends with you on Daily Mile, but I don’t know how to go about finding you and I just searched for myself and there are like 10 pages of “Caitlin S.’s”
if you click on the image of my run it should link you to my page!
Yay! Request sent.
Hmmm lets hope that we have another mild winter because I really want to do some fun races in Jan-Feb! I actually ended up with bruised (not really black) toenails on both feet after the RnR half. I’m grateful that I didn’t lose the nails BUT the nails are not exactly…alive…and I can see the new nail growing underneath (ew…sorry :/ but does that make sense?) So don’t worry quite yet!
Haha I’m hoping for a mild winter as well, although I always am!
Congratulations on running your first marathon!!!! that’s awesome!! what was your time? my first marathon is in november!!! ekkk!!! i’m getting nervous/excited! i love that you decided to do a half! i already signed up for a half in april because i need something to look forward to after marathon training is over. good luck with your black toe nail!! my one toenail turns black all the time ughh
Check out my re-cap! And good luck on your marathon!!! http://www.peaceloveandoats.com/2012/10/08/chicago-marathon-race-re-cap/
I just found your blog but had to comment to reassure you on the toenail issue. I got my first black toenail 1.5ish years ago and it FINALLY fell off a week or so ago and to be honest, it looks so much better now with the weird toenail off. In the interim until I have a real, full toenail again, I just painted my toe where the nail would be and you can’t even tell a thing is different! Sorry for a super TMI first ever comment (from me) on your blog but I totally relate to the feel of it at first! I was literally in tears last summer when it happened and I thought I might loose it 🙂 Turns out it really is no biggie!
Thanks for reading Kinley! Haha and nothing is too TMI for my blog! Thanks for the advice, it’s good to know it’s not as frightening as I imagine it to be!
I was just checking out the F^3 half the other day. I’m trying to decide if I should sign up for it…
Sorry about the black toenail.
DO IT. And then we can all go out for breakfast afterwards! Something warm.