Monday: I have a love/hate relationship with PopSugar and the way it talks about fitness. There's a lot of garbage about cleanses and losing weight on their website, but their workouts are really great for small spaces and limited gear. I found this link to 13 5-Minute Workout Videos and they are exactly what I need for Mondays.
I only did the videos pictured above because I wanted to focus on my core and stretching, but the leg workouts look really good, too.
Tuesday: W/U .3 @ 9:40; 1 mile @ 8:10; 4x800 @ 8:19. Elizabeth and I did some speed work at the park. My plan was do mile repeats, but after the first I knew I had to adjust the plan. Whatever horrific cold I had a couple weeks ago has finally caught up with Elizabeth, and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. She didn't ask me to adjust the plan, but I could tell by her wheezing that it was for the best; I really didn't want her to keel over!
The change in color gradation was so cool! I love cloudy sunsets.
We ended up finishing the workout by doing half-mile repeats. We kept a really good pace and I felt pretty strong, but I probably rested more between them than I should have. Technology worked for us today, so that's a bonus.
Wednesday: We played around on the Blogilates website and chose a few videos to target our legs, abs, back, and arms. It's been awhile since we've done Blogilates so it was a nice change to come back to!
Thursday: The day before a race I usually rest, but I just felt like running. Elizabeth and I did a moderate 4 miles. My legs felt great, but the humidity is still really taking a lot of effort out of me. Even with a walk break around 3 miles, we were able to keep our pace sub-10, so I was happy!
It left me feeling both physically ready for Friday's race and nervous about the weather conditions.
Friday: Howl at the Moon 5k! This was a night race and the course was almost completely unlit. I had a great race - more details to come in the recap this week - and had zero calf pain! Downward dog is working!
Saturday: Rest! We slept in, then drove up to see my family for a not-really-but-kind-of Rosh Hashanah dinner.
Sunday: 9 miles with Elizabeth. I was absolutely exhausted. My legs felt okay but my body was just dragging. We kept a very slow pace and took some consistent walk breaks every mile or so.
I'm actually surprised our paces aren't more varied! It felt like we were all over the place.
It felt cool at the start (75 degrees) but the 89% humidity caught up with us, I guess. Can we have fall weather yet?!
This week I got in all my workouts as scheduled and felt really good! This was a solid one!
Monday: Rest. Tuesday: Elizabeth and I ran 5.3 miles over the bridge. It was really humid and warm, and I felt completely useless. I had to walk a lot and just felt really sick and lightheaded. The run took us an hour, which was much longer than I had counted on for the mileage, and my right calf was tight the entire time.
We ran up the bridge both times and then walked at the top before the descent; I also needed a walk break in mile 4. Obviously our splits speak for themselves.
If Elizabeth hadn't been with me, I would have quit early. This was one of those days where having a workout buddy really paid off. I think my issue was partially low blood sugar (I had a Coke as soon as I finished the run and felt better.)
Wednesday: Wednesday I was still having some weird lightheadedness. I went home after work and did this video...
...followed by lots of stretching and some planks, etc. I was really just focusing on getting my calf feeling right. Thursday: We had to run in the morning because I had another 5-8pm training. We did 3.4 miles at 5:15am and I felt really good. I took a salt tab before the run, and I think that made a big difference! I need to remember this and keep taking salt pre-run until the weather breaks.
I like that morning runs are all about fitting in as many miles as I can before I have to get back home...there's less pressure for mileage and more of a focus on time.
Friday: When I got home from work, there was constant thunder but it didn't quite look like rain. I got changed and went outside to run around 6:30, but literally made it five steps before lightning streaked across the sky directly overhead. NOPE.
LOL...that quick turn-around!
I really was excited to run and was feeling really good, but had to take my workout inside. I did some core and ab work, then squats, lunges, and some pushups and kettle-bell swings. Just a general full-body workout. It felt good, but I wish I had a treadmill!
Saturday: Rest.
Sunday: Elizabeth and I took a new route and ran 9.5 miles. The run felt awesome. It was 75 degrees with 91% humidity, but I felt great! My calves were still tight for the first 2.5 miles or so, but once they warmed up my legs felt strong. Considering I have a few little races coming up now, I need to figure out how to warm my calves up so they're not tight early in the run.
The one thing that sucked about this run is that our tracking failed at the very end. The Nike+ app has been going through some changes, and it's been awful. It glitches all the time. Today, it was working on my phone and watch without trouble, and I saw our splits about halfway through and heard the voice feedback at the end as it gave us our final pacing updates, but when I went to turn it off, it froze up and completely deleted our splits! I know early in the run we were at a 10:58 pace; at the halfway point we were at a 10:45; and by the end we were at a 10:35 overall pace, so I know we had some good negative splits. I'm pissed that the app ate my data.
I've contacted customer service and I'm glad I'm not the only one having issues - usually Nike is pretty good about changing things when many people complain.
I'm not the only one having this issue; the comments on the support pages and app store reviews all reflect that the new update is garbage. I've used Nike+ since 2009 and am comfortable with it; I like it better than using a Garmin. But if they don't clean up the new app, I'm going to have to stop using it.
Other than that, this long run was perfect! Again, I still need to figure out what to do about my calves early on during runs - if it takes 3 miles to warm up, then I need to bear that in mind on race days. Still, this was an improvement to how I felt Tuesday, so I'm happy! It was a great way to end the week!
I have a confession to make that I think most runners will identify with but fitness types might sneer at. I really don't like yoga.
I know it's good for me and would help improve my running, but I just get so bored! This week, though, I worked my legs pretty hard and my back, calves, and hamstrings have been knotted up. I pushed through the discomfort on my run Wednesday night (which was awesome and fast and chilly and perfect), but decided that the price I had to pay for pushing the pace was giving yoga another try.
Mile 3 was the bridge; I kept my pace peppy! I was playing around with my Apple watch and using it as a remote to take pictures after my run...What do we call this pose? Awkward lady in the park?
I googled Yoga for Runners and the first video I clicked ended up being the perfect one for me. I love the instructor's voice and the flow really focused on stretching your hamstrings and IT band and improving posture. And it was only 20 minutes! And at the end she was so soothing and all "stay in Savasana as long as you like, just lie there, just relax" and I am all about naps so I was all over that.
I liked that some of the poses were more like stretches - like the runner's lunge - instead of just poses. The instructor was easy to follow and not too over-the-top with the "feel the energy of your body and the entire world coming together" and all that jazz. So in short, maybe I can try yoga again now; maybe I didn't like it for so long because I never found an instructor I cared to listen to!
I think I usually get bored because I don't feel like yoga is a workout, but I need to wrap my head around the fact that stretching and resting are parts of any good training plan; not every workout needs to leave me sweaty and spent, right?
Guess which pose is my favorite.
So, as I aim to improve as an athlete and incorporate cross-training this year, I think I'll give yoga another try...at least once every other week to start, and I'll see where it goes from there!
Do you like yoga? What's a popular style of fitness you don't like? ABK
It's a good thing I've finally got a "real" long run under my belt, considering that December is a mere two months away!
This Sunday, Kristin and I went out for 16 and 14 miles, respectively. Taking into consideration what I'd learned on my previous long run, we decided to do a 4.75 mile loop that would allow us to stop at our cars for fuel, rather than carrying.
This was the best decision ever, and it makes me feel even more confident about BDR's double-looped course.
We kept a steady 12:xx pace until the last mile or two, and I was happy with our overall pace. It's well within my prescribed pace for long runs on my plan. I know that careful eating this weekend helped make this run successful.
I can't afford to miss even one more long run. This won't be easy; the weekend we're gone for Matt's race is going to make my planned 18-20 miler really difficult to complete, but I'm determined to make it happen.
For my own benefit, I'm posting some details here so I can have a repeat performance on my next long run.
I definitely need to refuel better, but I never have an appetite after a long run. Chocolate milk seemed like the easiest way to get some protein.
I also had time for some dynamic stretching to warm up pre-run. Kristin was getting her extra two miles when I first parked at our meeting spot, so while I waited for her to return, I did some high-knees, butt-kicks, walking lunges, Carioca (also known as cross-overs), and these weird stretches that make you look like one of those novelty dippy water birds.
I think my fueling on the run was perfect, and I liked having ice easily accessible. I suddenly understand why they give people ice chips after surgery, instead of a glass of water.
Post-run, I did some stretching. Miles 13 and 14 were were rough; I'm glad I didn't jump right up to 16. Today I feel great. Must be due to pigeon pose.
Kristin captured me in all my glory.
I'm so happy to finally be back in the long-run game. I'm finally mentally there, and I'm going to use every last day before the day wisely.
Tell me about your last long run. Do you prefer to run repetitive loops, one single big loop, or an out/back? ABK
So, that whole "moving Monday's run to Tuesday" thing seemed like a good idea at the time, but immediately afterward I remembered why I never skip a Monday.
I wanted to do upper-body T25 with Elizabeth Thursday, so I was faced with the decision to do another three-in-a-row (shakeout Tuesday, speedwork Wednesday, upper-body Thursday) or do a double workout Thursday.
My legs were pretty tired from my recovery run because I can't seem to keep my paces slow enough when I'm only doing a couple miles, so I opted to rest Wednesday and double it up on Thursday.
In short: awesome. choice.
After warming up with T25 and getting my cross-training in that way (the upper-body video includes core and some light cardio, too), I came home and had a snack, then headed to the park.
I forgot to take off my necklace and didn't want to pause...so I had my classiest workout ever.
I'm really lucky that Matt likes to hangout when I run sometimes. He not only makes it to every race to cheer me on, but he even watches me train...how much more supportive can you get?!
And he even took photos and read the Stephen King book I recommended. Love.
I had some Gu because I was starving, then did a mile warmup on the road before heading to the loop. My plan was 6x400 if my legs held out, which they did.
Verdict on this new-to-me flavor: pretty tasty, a slightly thicker texture than the Salted Caramel or Espresso. I'll buy it again.
I slipped an extra 400 into my repeats and was happy to see my paces coming down again. I kept my intervals around 8:20. The highlight of the run was when a high-schooler, who was pacing a friend and going the opposite direction, reached out to high five me.
It was a really pretty night; there were probably at least a dozen other runners out on the loop.
That was a first, and it really pumped me up. I always feel weird encouraging strangers or offering a high five but maybe I should do it more often, because it feels good to be on the receiving end of that kind of good will.
I look so speedy!
After my run, I watched my sister's recent yoga flow and felt a little envious of her flexibility. I guess that's good motivation, right? I have to brag on her a bit because she got certified as an instructor recently and is pretty freaking amazing. You should see her handstands.
I'm still feeling very up this week. I have 15 or 16 on my plan this weekend and feel 100% confident that I'll get it done. I finally feel ready for it!
Do you ever double-up your workouts?
Do you high five strangers, or do you draw the line at a wave/nod?
1. I began marathon training Monday for the Space Coast Marathon. Fingers crossed that I avoid injury this time around and finally am able to tackle my first full marathon!
I'm working hard to really stay on track by recording actual workouts in black over my color-coded prescribed workouts.
Despite the "cool" temperatures in the mornings, I'm still combating 90+% humidity, which makes breathing tough. My tempo run tomorrow is scaring me already!
2. Remember when I was a finalist for MLB's All Star Teachers? Yeah, I found out this week that I won!Matt and I will be going to Minnesota for the All Star Game, plus I'll get to participate in all kinds of special events. If you voted thank you. This is surreal. I've already given an interview for a local paper...I feel like I'm dreaming!
The 29 other selected teachers are simply amazing. I'm in great company! Check them all out here: www.allstarteachers.com.
3. Thursday is Matt's and my fourth wedding anniversary. I'm hoping to put together a blog post, but maybe I'll reuse last year's. Is that the height of laziness?
Feels like yesterday/forever ago.
4. I get to go to South Florida this weekend to meet some of my online running buddies from the Sub30 Club! I'm beyond excited to meet these amazing women in person!
5. I finally bought a running skirt. The neon yellow and flounce totally deserve their own mention!
I can't wait to try this baby out!
So yeah, it's been a big, exciting week, and it looks like next week will be more of the same! This is shaping up to be a wonderful summer!
How has your week been?
Do you like running skirts?
Have you had the opportunity to meet online running buddies?
