“Work your edge.”

There is power in those words.

This phrase is something one of my instructors at Barre3 has been saying during class to us lately. {I joined Barre3 in July to incorporate more strength training into my weekly schedule and to focus on all those areas where runners are often weak, such as glutes, hips, core, hamstrings and upper body. I absolutely love it, by the way, and have been going 2 days a week.}

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to work your edge. This is what it means to me:

• When you reach what you perceive to be your limit, push a little harder for a few more seconds. We always have a few more seconds to give.
• Don’t quit just because it is hard. The hard is what makes you stronger.
• Get the most out of your workout – find one more gear.
• Get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.
• You are stronger than you think. Prove it.

To me, working your edge is all about believing you are strong and showing that strength. It’s about doing what we say we’re going to do. It is about never giving up. It’s about finding that place where you think you might die, but also seeing it through to the finish because the payoff is always better than giving up or giving in.

With 8 more weeks until the Chicago Marathon, I’m going to work my edge. I’m going to find that inner strength – that next level I’m not sure is always there – and be proud of my effort.

Here is what last week’s training looked like.

• Monday: 8.01-mile easy run
• Tuesday: AM: 5.5 miles of speed work, including 6 x 800-meters at 6:35/mile pace with a slow 400-meter recovery jog between each/PM: 1 hour of Zumba with my good friend Jeanine who has been trying to get me to take a class with her for a year
• Wednesday: 1 hour Barre3 strength work
• Thursday: Botched tempo run – I planned to run 7 to 8 miles with 5 to 6 miles at marathon pace. I waited to run until after work. When I got on the treadmill a really bad storm started. 3.5 miles into the run, the power went out and the treadmill shut off. I was really disappointed because I was feeling great, but apparently this run just wasn’t meant to be.
• Friday: 7 easy solo miles
• Saturday: 14.5 hilly and extra humid miles at an average of 8:44 pace. Despite nearly 3,000 feet of total climbing during the run, we managed to run the second half of the run in the 8:30s and 8:20s which I was happy about. After the run, I walked an additional 1.5 miles as a cool down
• Sunday: AM: 5-mile recovery run; PM: 1 hour Barre3

Total miles: 43.51 + 3 hours of cross training

What does “work your edge” mean to you? How did your week of training go last week? What is your goal for this week?