It seems weird to say I’m on week #4 of Grandma’s training when I look at the plan and it is at week 10.  Have to remind myself that I had a solid training cycle for Little Rock Marathon as my base, so I’m not “behind”.

Grandma’s training, week #4 went really really well.  It was the highest mileage week to date.  It’s also the first of four weeks in a row that will be in the mid to high 60’s for mileage (let’s hope for temps too!).

Recap of Week #4:

• Miles run: 65.6
• pilates: 2 times

Monday: 10 easy (9:16) w/ about 4 of the miles hilly.  Pilates.   Ran it just before watching coverage of Boston Marathon.  Thought about Boston the whole time!  SO hope that I get that qualifying time down so that I can actually register and be there next year!

Tuesday: 8.5 miles (8:34) w/ 30 minutes tempo at 7:56 pace.  The tempo pace felt easier than last week.  Still tried to force myself to be between 7:50 – 8:00 and not go crazy and make it faster since this is a big week with hill repeats and the first 20 miler.

Wednesday: 8 easy miles (9:17).  Took it nice any easy.  Light snow the whole time.  Ugggg!

Thursday: 8 miles (9:18) w/ 8 x 400m hill repeats.  I wasn’t in to the hill repeats.  Just wanted them to be done.  I took them slower and concentrated on form, instead of speed.  This is the last hill repeat workout of the plan.  Track work replaces them next week!  (And I’ve already been lectured by Meghan that I better not embarrass her and show up at the track when her team is working out! I’ll probably end up just doing them on the road – tracks intimidate me!)

Friday:  5 recovery miles (9:40).

Saturday: 20 hilly miles (8:59).  The first 20 miler of the training cycle and it felt great!  Easy, almost.  Woot!

Sunday: 6 recovery miles (9:41).  Pilates.  Legs felt good.  Heavy, but  no residual soreness.  Weird because I was sore last week just from my 13 mile race (which was at hard effort, not full out race).  Starting today, Easter Sunday, with a run was the best!  It is sunny and 33, but going to get to 60 today!  All God’s creatures were excited to see the sun – they were chirping and running around.  Perfect start to the day!

Happy Easter everyone!

I was in charge of dessert for our meal.  I found a recipe in this month’s Food and Wine from a fancy San Francisco pastry chef that is a twist on traditional carrot cake.  It is a cocoa carrot cake with cocoa crumble.  Sounded super interesting, so that’s what I went with.  It looks and smells delicious!