Week-beginning Thoughts:
So, I ran a PR 5K on Saturday, but still have four weeks in my training plan.... That's weird.
So, I ran a PR 5K on Saturday, but still have four weeks in my training plan.... That's weird.
Monday
Scheduled: rest
Did: rest
Did: rest
Tuesday
Scheduled: 6.3mi hills
Did: 1mi WU, 2mi tempo, 0.18mi recovery, 1mi tempo, 0.13mi recovery, 1mi tempo-ish, 1mi CD = 6.25mi @ 8:50/mi avg
Because I've gotten SO much from my tempo workouts, I opted to do another one today instead of the hill workout that was scheduled. I'd originally planned to do 2x2mi tempo, but found the first 2mi incredibly hard. I hit the pace I wanted (M1- 8:07, M2- 7:57), but seriously felt like puking at the turnaround.
Lesson learned: Do not eat a Larabar 5min before you're going to go run.
I took my recovery, and then bargained with myself: do one more hard, then finish up with a sub-9 last one, and call it good.
So I did.
M3- 8:00
M4- 8:38
Did: 1mi WU, 2mi tempo, 0.18mi recovery, 1mi tempo, 0.13mi recovery, 1mi tempo-ish, 1mi CD = 6.25mi @ 8:50/mi avg
Because I've gotten SO much from my tempo workouts, I opted to do another one today instead of the hill workout that was scheduled. I'd originally planned to do 2x2mi tempo, but found the first 2mi incredibly hard. I hit the pace I wanted (M1- 8:07, M2- 7:57), but seriously felt like puking at the turnaround.
Lesson learned: Do not eat a Larabar 5min before you're going to go run.
I took my recovery, and then bargained with myself: do one more hard, then finish up with a sub-9 last one, and call it good.
So I did.
M3- 8:00
M4- 8:38
Wednesday
Scheduled: XT
Did: 20min strength training
To bed at 11pm, up at 2:30am, and up again at 5am.... but I ended up getting a short workout in while baby giggled happily around 5:30. It wasn't much, just using my resistance band (thanks, Fit4Mom) for some rows, lat pulls, bicep curls, etc. and then my old Miler Method core workout. Still, felt good to do something.
Also, I've got new health insurance with my new job, and it has a pretty sweet "healthy lifestyle" incentives program (Humana's Go365). To earn points, we have to go through little online programs about how to motivate ourselves, and what we want to do to "get active". While part of me rolls my eyes and says, "seriously? I'm already a runner", it's also a neat opportunity to reflect on how far I've come.
I used to be like their primary audience. I used to make tons of excuses about why I didn't have time or why working out wasn't necessary for me. I used to have motivation problems. Now, nothing I do on a workout front is "optional" in my head. I don't even question how/if/why I'm going to run, because it's as ingrained in my lifestyle as taking a shower or scrolling Facebook on my phone.
Did: 20min strength training
To bed at 11pm, up at 2:30am, and up again at 5am.... but I ended up getting a short workout in while baby giggled happily around 5:30. It wasn't much, just using my resistance band (thanks, Fit4Mom) for some rows, lat pulls, bicep curls, etc. and then my old Miler Method core workout. Still, felt good to do something.
Also, I've got new health insurance with my new job, and it has a pretty sweet "healthy lifestyle" incentives program (Humana's Go365). To earn points, we have to go through little online programs about how to motivate ourselves, and what we want to do to "get active". While part of me rolls my eyes and says, "seriously? I'm already a runner", it's also a neat opportunity to reflect on how far I've come.
I used to be like their primary audience. I used to make tons of excuses about why I didn't have time or why working out wasn't necessary for me. I used to have motivation problems. Now, nothing I do on a workout front is "optional" in my head. I don't even question how/if/why I'm going to run, because it's as ingrained in my lifestyle as taking a shower or scrolling Facebook on my phone.
 |
| 16 years ago, I looked like this |
Running hasn't just changed my health. It's changed my entire outlook on myself and my life. I'm so glad I started
Thursday
Scheduled: 1mi WU, 6x800 (3:20 or 9mph)/400, 1mi CD
Did: 1mi WU, 4.5x800/400, 1mi CD, 0.5mi walk
I've been worried about this workout since I saw myrequired goal splits yesterday. Then the anxiety heightened when I realized the forecast was 100% thunderstorms, meaning I wouldn't be going to the track with my teammate, and would have to do it myself on the treadmill.
Cue additional anxiety when I realized that the 3:20 goal split was a 9.0mph pace on the treadmill.
Did: 1mi WU, 4.5x800/400, 1mi CD, 0.5mi walk
I've been worried about this workout since I saw my
Cue additional anxiety when I realized that the 3:20 goal split was a 9.0mph pace on the treadmill.
Never have I ever run 9.0mph on a treadmill.
...and then, last night, my oldest was kind of sick, which meant that someone else in our family (likely me, since I'm the requested "cuddle buddy" all the time) is about to get sick.
...and then said kid was up crying/coughing/sick at 3am.
So, all things considered, this workout was really not fated to happen. I ended up being wide awake at 3:30am and figuring that I might as well just get up and run now, since the chances of going to sleep were slim, especially since there are other children in the house that might also be waking up and needing me.
I did NOT want to do this workout. At ALL.
I reluctantly started running, and the 6.0mph warm-up pace felt like I was already on the hard intervals. Lord, this was going to be a long workout. I put on some Outlander, and tried to focus on that.
"It'll be over in an hour."
Eventually, I felt comfortable, though I still wasn't quite ready for the gun to go off after the warm-up mile.
It's just two laps on the track.
But there wasn't a track. The treadmill was different. Instead of owning the pace myself, able to ebb and flow, I was going to be pulled along at a static pace by the belt, whether I liked it or not.
Spoiler Alert: I did not like it. I did not like it one bit.
As soon a I touched the "9" on my 'mill, the belt felt like it was going WAY TOO FAST.
How can I even get my legs to turn over that quickly?!!?
I don't know how, but I did. In fact, I managed to hang on for an entire 800m.
...and then it went downhill. I had one decent recovery jog, another 800 where I started at a 9.0 and dropped to an 8.7, and then, by the third interval, couldn't hang onto an 8.0 without feeling awful.
I ended up doing 4.5 repeats, at:
3:19
3:25
3:23
3:36 (yeah, that's when I knew it was bad)
and 1:50 (equivalent 800= 3:40)
and then calling it quits.
I never stop in the middle of a workout, but when I couldn't hold an 8.0mph without feeling rough, I knew nothing positive would come out of pushing myself through more repeats. It's actually pretty cool to be so in-tune with my body that I can tell when I'm getting sick based on my athletic performance.
...and then said kid was up crying/coughing/sick at 3am.
So, all things considered, this workout was really not fated to happen. I ended up being wide awake at 3:30am and figuring that I might as well just get up and run now, since the chances of going to sleep were slim, especially since there are other children in the house that might also be waking up and needing me.
I did NOT want to do this workout. At ALL.
I reluctantly started running, and the 6.0mph warm-up pace felt like I was already on the hard intervals. Lord, this was going to be a long workout. I put on some Outlander, and tried to focus on that.
"It'll be over in an hour."
Eventually, I felt comfortable, though I still wasn't quite ready for the gun to go off after the warm-up mile.
It's just two laps on the track.
But there wasn't a track. The treadmill was different. Instead of owning the pace myself, able to ebb and flow, I was going to be pulled along at a static pace by the belt, whether I liked it or not.
Spoiler Alert: I did not like it. I did not like it one bit.
As soon a I touched the "9" on my 'mill, the belt felt like it was going WAY TOO FAST.
How can I even get my legs to turn over that quickly?!!?
I don't know how, but I did. In fact, I managed to hang on for an entire 800m.
...and then it went downhill. I had one decent recovery jog, another 800 where I started at a 9.0 and dropped to an 8.7, and then, by the third interval, couldn't hang onto an 8.0 without feeling awful.
I ended up doing 4.5 repeats, at:
3:19
3:25
3:23
3:36 (yeah, that's when I knew it was bad)
and 1:50 (equivalent 800= 3:40)
and then calling it quits.
I never stop in the middle of a workout, but when I couldn't hold an 8.0mph without feeling rough, I knew nothing positive would come out of pushing myself through more repeats. It's actually pretty cool to be so in-tune with my body that I can tell when I'm getting sick based on my athletic performance.
 |
| not pretty, not as planned but done |
Friday
Scheduled: 3-4mi easy
Did: rest
Kid has flu. I'm next. :/
Did: rest
Kid has flu. I'm next. :/
Saturday
Scheduled: 5mi hills
Did: rest
No fever today, but opted to take it easy and give my body another full day to recover from the funk. Enjoyed playing outside in the snow, though.
Did: rest
No fever today, but opted to take it easy and give my body another full day to recover from the funk. Enjoyed playing outside in the snow, though.
 |
| and having some coffee after :) |
Sunday
Scheduled: 2mi WU, 4mi tempo, 4mi CD
Did: 6.23mi @ 9:32/mi, Big 5
I knew heading out that I wasn't going to do the workout as prescribed today. After a few days out sick, it wasn't smart to do double digits, much less any tempo work. I did, however, hope that I could make it four miles. I told myself I'd evaluate a few times on the run, giving myself an opportunity to bail out every two miles. If I felt awesome and 100% excellent, I'd go the full ten, at an easy pace. Otherwise, whenever I started to feel less than 100% awesome, I'd turn at the next mile.
I felt great at the 2mi mark, but a little tired at the 4mi. On any other day, I'd chalk it up to mental blergh and push on through to 10, but I've learned enough in the last decade of running to realize that would set me back more than "only running some of the mileage".
Proud of what I accomplished, and prouder that I was able to gracefully cut a workout "short".
Did: 6.23mi @ 9:32/mi, Big 5
I knew heading out that I wasn't going to do the workout as prescribed today. After a few days out sick, it wasn't smart to do double digits, much less any tempo work. I did, however, hope that I could make it four miles. I told myself I'd evaluate a few times on the run, giving myself an opportunity to bail out every two miles. If I felt awesome and 100% excellent, I'd go the full ten, at an easy pace. Otherwise, whenever I started to feel less than 100% awesome, I'd turn at the next mile.
I felt great at the 2mi mark, but a little tired at the 4mi. On any other day, I'd chalk it up to mental blergh and push on through to 10, but I've learned enough in the last decade of running to realize that would set me back more than "only running some of the mileage".
Proud of what I accomplished, and prouder that I was able to gracefully cut a workout "short".
Total Weekly Mileage: 17.47
Week-ending Thoughts:
- Man, I remember when 7mpw was an incredible, "omg, that's SO many miles" feeling. Now, I look at the 17.47 and think, "omg, that's, like, nothing". lol
- If I had to get sick, the week after my time trial was a pretty good time for it.
- My show chorus is looking at getting a group together for a gimmicky run in May. I don't relish the thought of paying over $50 for a race just to get a bunch of themed crap I won't use/wear/appreciate, but I will say that it is really freaking cool to be fast enough that I might have a shot a placing.
