Stressful Week

Week-beginning Thoughts:

It's been a rough few weeks, and I don't see it getting any better this week. Trying to go in with a good mindset and at least focus on getting some solid lifting in. 

Monday
Did: LIIFT4, Week 1 Back/Biceps

Tuesday

Did:  6.33mi @ 9:26/mi avg
Might have stressed on this run and ended up going sub-9 the last mile... 

Wednesday

Did:  LIIFT4 Week 1 Shoulders

I really thought today was Friday when I woke up... but it wasn't. 

Thursday

Did: 2mi WU, 6x400m/200m, 1mi CD = 5.27mi total @ 9:05/mi avg
I felt a need for speed this week. Track delivered. Wasn't sure what I'd hit, but just wanted to make it hurt and get something positive out of this week's mental state.

1:41

1:44

1:46

1:42

1:46

1:40

Friday

Did:  LIIFT4 Week 1 Legs
I hit over 60 hours of work this week. And not good work. STRESSFUL work. 

Saturday

Did: LIIFT Week 2 Shoulders

I really tried to sleep in, but it didn't happen. Thanks cats + kids. Got a short HIIT workout in. 

Sunday

Did: 8.14mi @ 9:42/mi avg

Finally had a good night of sleep (first in two weeks!), a good run, and a pleasant morning. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 19.74

Week-ending Thoughts: 
Well, it's better than last week? 

Still Injured...

 Week-beginning Thoughts:

Looking forward to finally getting back to running with friends

Monday
Did: 1hr lifting

Tuesday

Did:  6.33mi @ 9:41/mi avg
So nice to run with the gang. <3

Wednesday

Did:  4.14mi@ 9:42/mi avg

This run was harder than it should have been, but my legs felt fine. 

...but then I felt a light strain in the upper/inner right calf in the evening D----it.

Thursday

Did: 3xLIIFT-off workouts
Chest, triceps, back, biceps, legs, and cardio = 1hr workout

Friday

Did:  Half & Half Harder
20min cardio HIIT/20min yoga

Saturday

Did: 6mi @ 9:43/mi avg
Calf had a few moments in the first two miles, but then settled in... but was definitely sore in that one spot afterwards. Ugggghhh. Iced.

Sunday

Did: LIIFT4 Week 1/Day 1, 5K on treadmill with walk/run intervals

A bit of ambient soreness in my calf when I think about it = decided to recommit to LIIFT4 for the next 6 weeks as my primary outlet and just run what I can/when I can. 

Did a walk on the treadmill, and opted into a couple quarter mile jogs, and then finished wtih a mile of running since everything felt good. Guess we'll see how stupid of an idea that was tomrorow.

Total Weekly Mileage: 17.59 still pitiful, but better than last week

Week-ending Thoughts: 
Definitely feel like I'm just being thrashed about in a tumultuous ocean storm right now on multiple fronts... Sigh. Life. 

Calf Strain Week

Week-beginning Thoughts:

Pretty sure my calves are strained... Still in WTF land about how/why, but oh well... At least I'm not training for anything.

Monday

Did: nada

Calves sore to touch in bed... guess that means I'm not doing much of anything.

Tuesday

Did:  1hr walk on treadmill + 20min chest/triceps lifting

Calves still a little sore to touch in bed, but felt fine on treadmill. Stayed away from any leg-related lifting or cardio.

Wednesday

Did:  30min walk on treadmill + 26min back/arm/shoulder lifting + 10min core, 30min walk

Right calf felt a little funky during the walk, so I stopped short of my hour goal. Lifted weights for another half hour and finished with some core.

Thursday

Did:  1hr real outdoor walk, 30min lifting

Friday

Did:  30min lifting, 5min treadmill run

Saturday

Did: 2.10mi treadmill run @ 9:35/mi avg + Control Freak Lifting Week 1: Total Body

Sunday

Did: 4mi treadmill run @ 9:26/mi avg

Finally healthy?

Total Weekly Mileage: 6.61 pitiful

Week-ending Thoughts: 
Not really in a good place right now... 

Happy New Year, I guess?

 Week-beginning Thoughts:
Sick. Ugh.

Monday

Did:  nada

Tuesday

Did:  nada

Wednesday

Did:  nada

Thursday

Did:  1.6mi walk

Friday

Did:  3.78mi @ 9:40/mi avg

This took a lot out of me.... 

Saturday

Did: 8.26mi @ 9:38/mi avg

Calves were super sore from yesterday, and the run felt really hard too. My calves felt destroyed by mid-afternoon and I'm wondering if I don't have super mild strains in both of them? From WHAT? Being in bed for a week and then literally doing easy mileage? UGH

Sunday

Did: 1hr strength training

I couldn't even straighten my legs this morning to walk to the bathroom without pain, so I opted for an upper body workout only today. Felt nice to do some LIIFT4-ing: back/biceps/triceps/chest. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 12.04

Week-ending Thoughts: 

So much for a good start to the new year :P 

Rough Close of 2021

I love looking back on the past year and doing a review of accomplishments, goals, progress, data, etc. so the fact that this entry is happening a week into the new year kind of tells you how life is going for me... 

2021 Goals:

keep lifting on a regular basis

I actually did really well with this, only pausing (very intentionally) during marathon training

complete at least one three-week Beachbody Program following nutrition to a T, just to see what happens ;) 

I did, and it was really successful. 

break a 6:00 mile (I know I can)

While I didn't achieve this goal, I'm pretty freaking proud of my 6:01

Other Accomplishments I'm Proud Of:

Marathon training alongside my running bestie without a goal race in mind for myself... and still scoring a PR on a "random Saturday morning marathon"
Top 1000 cup at Peachtree, and an 'A-Wave' bib
no running injuries

By the Numbers:

• 1745 miles run (new annual max)
• 273 hours, 05 minutes, and 16 seconds spent running
• 9:23/mi average pace for the year 
• 45 days were affected by illness, plus another 29 days where I was still dealing with some sort of health issue and ran (doesn't include my bout of complete unilateral deafness, which was another ~14 days)
• 2 new PRs (marathon and mile)

Looking to Next Year, Goals:

I'm kind of at the point with running where I don't really have/need goals? I know I'm going to keep running 30ish miles a week, because it's what I do. I know I'm going to keep up with speedwork, because that's how our training rolls. I guess this year I'll try to focus a bit more on the things that aren't where I want them to be, and that's really less about my fitness routine and more on spending additional time on and with my family.

...but because this is a fitness blog:

• train for and race a 5K this spring
• don't go more than two weeks without a 30min lifting session