Weekly Workouts 8/29-9/5

Monday: I was craving a run because I didn't run Sunday. After a really awesome circuit, I decided I didn't need a run...but I went anyway. It felt good to just take a jaunt around the golf course before dinner!

I cooked, stuck dinner in the oven to stay warm, ran 1.65 miles, and came back to gorge myself on tacos.

YUM.

Tuesday: I conquered my fear and did 3x1600s! I now know I can push those faster next time; oh yes, there will be a next time!

We made sure to warm up with dynamic stretches and an easy loop first, and I think that really helped.

Wednesday: Elizabeth and I did the cardio boxing video from last week again. We just really enjoy it! It gets your heart rate up, but it's fairly low-impact, and it's a nice full-body workout.

I am in LOVE with Skirt Sports' fall prints. I was skeptical of the orange but in person they're so bright and fun!

Thursday: Rest.

Friday: We ran before work because I had a flight to catch in the afternoon. The humidity and heat were back with a vengeance, so it wasn't our best run, but at least we got it done!

Running before school is hard. We never go quite as far as I'd like because of time constraints.

Saturday: We got a few miles of walking in at Chagrin Falls and downtown Cleveland, so while I didn't do a workout, I was still active. I did try to get up early to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and run Saturday, but I was too tired!

Steph and me climbing birds in Cleveland's new downtown Square.

Sunday: Travel and rest.

Monday: We pushed our long run to Monday (because there was no work for Labor Day) and did just about 7 miles. It felt good to run long again but part of me is just not enjoying long runs right now.

Drenched.

My legs are tired for the first few miles and I'm having trouble breathing in the humidity. I need to be more diligent about doing warmups first!

Did you have a good week?
I hope you enjoyed your long weekend!

ABK

I was Scared, so I did it

This week, when Helly wrote about her 1600s, I responded with this:

This is such a great example of how fellow runners and bloggers really inspire each other!

My speed work consists of 400s, 800s, and bridge repeats. Once in awhile I'll throw in a tempo run, but I have avoided 1600 repeats because they freak me out. The idea of holding a really fast pace for a full mile again and again is just daunting!

But Tuesday was gray and drizzly, and I had that blog post and my comment bouncing around in my head, and I just decided that's it. I know I can hold a good, fast pace in a 5k because I did it not too long ago, so why do 1600s scare me so much?

I decided to finally try them out.

I told Elizabeth we'd aim for a 9:00 pace; I wanted to be conservative because I had no idea what to expect.

I was thrilled with the outcome! They weren't the fastest - in fact, they felt a little easy and I know now that I could have pushed harder; I never know what my limit is going to be when I try new speed work - but I felt so strong for conquering my fear and trying a new workout!

Next time I'll aim for a more consistent <8:40 pace the entire time.

Of course, now this means we'll have to repeat it at some point; I've opened a can of worms. But I was reminded of how invincible a good, successful, challenging workout can make you feel!

Also, our park added a sign demarcating it various routes and their distances, which is a nice little addition!

The breezy, rainy weather definitely helped, but I'm feeling a little better every day about crushing this 10k no matter the weather. My body just feels stronger and more capable than it has in a long time, and I'm excited to see my hard work pay off. Hopefully it pays off in the long run for longer distances, too.

Tell me about a workout you crushed that raised your spirits!
What's your favorite distance for repeats?
Who has inspired you lately?

ABK