Week-beginning Thoughts:
So, this week is going to be a bit interesting. I'm finishing up 21 Day Fix Extreme Real Time from Beachbody on Demand while also starting my fourth time through Miler Method. After my 6:08 PR mile earlier this summer, my training partner and I thought it would be fun to give the program another go in early fall, to take advantage of the cooler temps, and opted to actually sign up for the full program with Coaches Nick and Sierra Willis (instead of just repeating the plan I'd done with their training group back in 2016).
Miler Method Histories:
Roll the Tapes (a summary of #1 and #2)
6:08 (#3)
Since finishing our 10 days of 10 miles (10x10 Challenge) a couple weeks ago, I've had some knots in my lower calves, so I'm not really sure how this training cycle will go. I don't feel nearly as strong or healthy as I did going into MM#3 in June, but the weather's also better, and I've been doing a lot more strength/cross-training, so maybe it'll be good?
Just like last time(s), I modified the Miler Method plan a bit to suit my schedule.As written, the plan was:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: hills/strides
Wed: easy
Thurs: tempo
Fri: optional easy
Sat: track workout
Sun: long run
I'm modifying it to:
Monday: easy
Tuesday: hills/strides
Wed: rest
Thurs: track
Friday: optional easy
Sat: long run
Sun: tempo (probably with the stroller?)
Monday
Scheduled: 5-7mi easy
Did: 5.35mi easy run @ 9:07/mi avg, 0.17mi cool-down walk, 21 DFX: Day 15- Upper Fix, 3mi bike ride with kid
I was a little nervous about my calves this morning, and wore my compression sleeves as a "security blanket" for the run. I'd planned on doing an easy 3 and, if I f felt great, I'd continue for another 2 to get to the lower end of my scheduled workout. I ended up feeling GREAT and did a little over 5, before cooling down with a walk. Hooray, awesome weather.
When I got home, I knocked out my 21DFX workout while my kiddo played outside with caterpillars. SO nice that it was cool enough to get a workout done outside.
...then finished the day out with an easy 5.6mph bike ride with my potato. That was awesome.
Tuesday
Did: 21 DFX Day 16- Plyo, Core Circuit, 6.29mi @ 9:58/mi avg (3x60s hills + 4x30s hills)
Got up at 4am, which left me precious spare time to get through:
1) brushing my teeth and pulling my hair back
2) prepping my water bottle (shoulda done that the night before)
3) a 30min 21 DFX workout
4) the core circuit
and be out the door to meet my training buddies for a 4:50am 10KTuesday.
...and then I forgot I hadn't input my workout into my watch.
...and then I realized I didn't know how to do that with my new (Polar) watch.
...so I wore both the Polar and my old Garmin (which got the workout programmed into it). :P
I didn't feel super confident in my calves today, so I kept the effort easy, especially since we hit the big hill in the neighborhood near the park.
60s repeats:
1) 0.12 @ 8:34/mi
2) 0.11 @ 8:45/mi
3) 0.11 @ 8:44/mi
30s repeats:
1) 0.06 @ 8:32/mi
2) 0.05 @ 9:21/mi (thought I felt something in my calf)
3) 0.06 @ 9:05/mi (did feel something in my calf, but it moved downward as I ran, so I felt better)
4) 0.06 @ 8:06/mi (had training partner next to me as we did our last 30s one together)
Nutrition wasn't the greatest. I struggle with food every time I have to go into the office. I never bring enough :P
Breakfast: Larabar
Post-run: Greek yogurt smoothie, protein mix + coffee
Morning: coffee w/whole milk, overnight oats (greek yogurt, strawberries, oats)
Snack: KIND protein bar
Lunch: spinach salad with roma tomato, carrots, celery, corn, and pork shoulder plus apple
Snack: roasted veggies (cauliflower, zucchini, celery, squash)
Dinner: roasted veggies with pork shoulder, chardonnay
Evening: a couple taco shells, peanut butter oat bar, deli meat, and some wheat thins :P
Wednesday
Scheduled: Rest
Did: 21 DFX: Dirty 30, 2mi walk
Got up and got my 30min workout in, and then enjoyed a morning walk on the phone with a friend before work.
Thursday
Scheduled: 10-15min WU, 10min tempo, 5min rest, 200/300/400/600/2x200 (with 2min rest between), 10-15min CD
Did: as written (6.51mi @ 9:01/mi avg), 21 DFX Pilates, Strength Circuit
I love track days. I wasn't really sure how today was going to go, but was still looking forward to getting back into workouts. Today was a ladder at mile pace (6:00 goal)
Tempo: 1.38mi in 10min
200 0:39.8 (way too fast-- should've been 0:45)
300 1:05.4 (too fast- should've been 1:07.5)
400 1:29.4 (good- should've been 1:30)
600 2:30 (I took the "Do this all at mile pace (you can go slower on the 600 if you're feeling tired)" direction from my coahes a little too liberally)
200 0:46.6 heh... yeah, this was slow
200 0:43.0 stronger finish = yay
It felt nice to be back on the track, and I liked the variety in the ladder (though the 600 was definitely hard). Considering it's been a couple months since I've done any speedwork (with a focus on distance, via the 10x10 challenge, and a couple weeks off from running for my calves), I felt good about where I was at today. Plus, it's always great to go into a hard day of work already having accomplished something hard before 6am. ;)
The evening was a bit of a struggle for me. Miler Method workouts + my actual WORK mean I'm struggling to fit in the 30min workouts from 21 Day Fix. I'll be glad when this week is over and I'm "only" doing Miler Method for my workouts. I got the Pilates done after the kids went to bed, knocked out my Strength Circuit (from Miler Method) and then headed to bed.
Friday
Scheduled: 4-6mi recovery run
Did: 4.05mi @ 10:05/mi avg, 21DFX Lower
Uggggghhhh. Here's how my morning went:
2:15am start hearing baby noises
2:35am decide baby is definitely awake; get up, feed/change/put baby back to sleep
2:50am opt to go to the basement in an attempt to sleep without sleeping cat/husband noises
3:15am hear baby crying, but know my husband's on call for that
3:15-3:59am continue to hear baby crying, be unable to sleep or even relax
3:59am baby stops crying and appears to be back asleep
4:00am my alarm goes off
I'd planed on knocking out my 21 DFX workout, then heading out for a ~4mi run. That meant I'd need to get up at 4:00 if I was going to be done, showered, and ready by 6am when my family is up.
...but SO TIRED.
I reset my alarm for 4:30 and decided I'd skip the 21DFX workout this morning (which meant I'd have to do it in the evening, UGH), and then, within 5 minutes, the baby was making more noises.
I had two options:
1) continue attempting to sleep, which guaranteed the workout wouldn't happen, but I might function better at work... if I actually got to sleep
2) accept defeat on the sleep front and go workout, something I could control completely
I opted for #2, and enjoyed a nice recovery run, going super easy.
Did lower fix after dinner, and was very grateful to go to bed knowing I only have two more of these workouts.
Saturday
Scheduled: 8-10mi easy, 21 DFX: Day 20, core circuit
Did: 10mi easy @ 9:57/mi avg, 1mi walk, 21 DFX: Cardio, core circuit
I've had a pretty good track record this year of 10mi (or more) runs every weekend, but took the last two off due to calf issues. It felt nice to be back on the greenway with my husband pushing the kids in the double stroller for what's become our Saturday morning ritual. I had a few times where my calves felt a little tight, but nothing that lingered long enough for concern.
Used the baby's second nap of the day to knock out the 20th 21DFX workout (cardio), and finished off with the MM core circuit before watching the first quarter of the Clemson football game.... and promptly falling asleep.
Sunday
Scheduled: 15-20min WU, 10min tempo, 10min CD, 21 DFX: Day 21,
Did: 21 DFX Yoga, workout as scheduled + 1mi walk with stroller
Baby woke up at a normal hour today (4:30), which meant I had an easy feed/change cycle before having about an hour to myself (before everyone woke up for the actual start to the day). While I enjoyed finishing off 21 DFX with yoga, I'll also be grateful for the extra time next week to do other things, like knock my run out early, sleep, enjoy some coffee and a book in my reading nook, or, more likely, pack my lunch for work. :P
I wasn't sure what to expect out of my tempo run. I'm normally around a 7:30 pace, but had two "other" factors today:
1) I was pushing a stroller, albeit "just" the single with the baby
and
2) after a sneak peak of fall, the humidity is back in full swing. I hadn't even left my driveway before the weight of it felt heavy all over my body. Ugh.
gorgeous morning at the river
Total Weekly Mileage: 36.6
Week-ending Thoughts:
- I'm proud of myself for sticking it out for all 21 days of 21 Day Fix Extreme. It's a nice program, and I think I'll come back and repeat it again when I'm not also in the middle of a running training cycle.
- It's nice to have an online training community again.
- I think the Atlanta humidity is worse now than it ever was earlier this summer. :P
- I'm not excited about having to go back into the office full-time this coming week, and worry a bit about how the extra stress and time spent showering/doing my hair/getting dressed/packing ALL THE FOOD (no, seriously, my biggest concern to going back in-office is just figuring out how to prep/pack all the food I need to get through a day and how many reusable containers I'm going to have to wash each night) will impact life and training... but "I've had worse".
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