Just Runnin'

Week-beginning Thoughts:

It's Thursday. I don't know what I was thinking at the beginning of the week. 

Monday

Did: rest

Tuesday

Did: 6.25mi @ 9:58/mi avg

Run/walked for the first two with one of the gang, and then straight ran the back four... all under 9:30. It's like I was venting or something... Feels really good to be able to run that comfortably that fast. 

Wednesday

Did: rest

Considered running, but got home last from chorus last night (YAY, CHORUS), and then couldn't sleep thanks to post-nasal drip and a barking, nagging cough. Opted for rest. 

Thursday

Did: 5mi @ 10:40/mi avg

Still dealing with post-nasal drip-induced sleep complications. Blergh. Did run/walk with a friend this morning and felt good, though. 

Friday

Did: rest

Could've used some more rest this morning, but at least I had a decent night's sleep. Rested.

Saturday

Did: 10.06mi @ 10:48/mi avg, Big 5

I'd planned on 13 today. We did the first 7mi run/walk style to hang with one of our teammates, then continued straight running. Around mile 9, my knee started to hurt, so I opted to turn with my remaining teammate and be happy with 10. Lesson learned: maybe actually stretch/try to do something when you're injured instead of forgetting about it and hoping it goes away on its own. :P 

Sunday

Did: 4mi @ 10:06/mi avg, 2mi with stroller @ 10:44/mi avg
I did not feel like getting up and running solo this morning. My normal Running Mamas group wasn't an option today since we were heading to my parents' house early to get our little one. We'd planned to spend the morning up there, the afternoon at my husband's soccer game, and then the evening taking care of house stuff and bedtime routine (read: if I didn't run in the morning, it wasn't going to happen). 

so I got up and got ready to run

As always, once I got going, I was fine. In fact, I think I even enjoyed a solo dawn run a bit. The run itself turned into a bit of an unintentional progression run, with mile splits shaking out at:

10:38, 10:20, 10:08, and 9:20

So glad I got out and did it. 

In the afternoon, my little one pointed out that it was Sunday Runday, and that we had to go running. Fortunately, my husband's soccer game was NOT at the same park it had been at a few weeks ago, and running the trails while he warmed up was an option. So, I took the stroller out for two easy miles, and then enjoyed sitting out on the picnic blanket in the sun, drinking Gatorade and ice water. :) 

Total Weekly Mileage: 27.49

Week-ending Thoughts:

• Less than 30mpw just feels like slacking off... lol 
• I'm grateful that my body's still handling pregnant running so well. I'm starting to slow down a bit (especially with the warmer weather), but not letting myself focus on pace, and just being grateful to still enjoy running, especially at the distance I'm doing
• I'm not worried at all about my knee, and plan on doing a little stretching each day for the next week, and trying to get through a pain-free ten miler before ramping back up to consistent 11-14mi long runs on the weekends as long as I can. 
• I'm looking forward to starting a 10K training plan next week with the end goal of the Peachtree Road Race, 7/4 (24 days before my due date)

Um... Running?

Week-beginning Thoughts:

I really beat up my knees pushing the stroller down those mountains yesterday. Ugh.... 

Monday

Did: rest

Tuesday

Did: 6.36mi @ 10:16/mi avg, Big 5

This run got faster than it should have due to some therapeutic venting. Had a bit of cramping, but that subsided with a short walk break. Felt good. 

Wednesday
Did: nada

Work is kicking my a-- this week. I opted for sleep instead of running.

Thursday

Scheduled 1mi WU, some sort of ladder, 1mi CD = 5-6mi total

Did: 1mi WU, 200/400/800/400/200/400/800/400/200, 1mi CD = 5.5mi @ 9:29/mi avg, Big 5
It's really hard to recap these runs when I'm essentially writing an entire week's entry on Sunday afternoon. I wanted some sort of speedwork today, but nothing terribly long or intense, so a ladder seemed ideal. I felt good on all my intervals, and focused on my arm swing, which I think helped me keep my pace sub 8 (wooo). Had a little trouble on the cool-down, since it was downhill, and my knees still feel the pounding from last weekend, but, overall, a great and necessary run during an incredibly stressful week at work.

200: 0:59
400: 1:56
800: 3:54
400: 1:56
200: 0:56
400: 1:55
800: 3:54
400: 1:56
200: 0:49

Pretty consistent on the 400s/800s at least.

Friday
Did: nada
I'd planned on getting up and taking my potato to the river for a sunrise stroller run, but this week of work sucked the life out of me. When I got home last night, I couldn't even find the energy to make it up the stairs to change out of work clothes before crashing on the couch. When I woke up, I felt sick (congested, groggy, fatigued) and opted against a run. Could I do it? Sure. Was it the right call to skip it? Absolutely. 

Saturday

Did: 10.01 @ 11:18/mi avg
My other running mama friend is about a month and a half ahead of me and has started doing run/walk intervals for her training, so we did those for this run. It's amazing how easy this double digit run felt since we weren't pushing our cardio AT ALL. I had some trouble after mile 8 with my knee (again, on the downhills), but it seems to be getting better since it's taking longer and longer for it to act up on runs this week.

Sunday

Did: 4.1mi @ 11:07/mi avg with stroller
Same run/walk pattern as yesterday. I had some issues with my bump support band and couldn't get comfortable for the first two miles, but then found the "just right" place and enjoyed the last half of the run. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 25.97

Week-ending Thoughts:

• Life has been super tough this week, and, as always, I've been grateful to be able to use running as a coping method. Though, I'll be honest, I'm kind of sick of having to HAVE a coping method for life.
• I miss having a training plan, so I'm looking at starting a 10K program to set me up for Peachtree. Hoping to still keep double digit runs on the weekends; especially if my main training partner is going to be run/walking, this seems manageable.