A "Normal" Week... of 40+ miles?

Week-beginning Thoughts:

1. I'm gonna try to make this the week of consistency after last week's travel interruptions.

2. Maybe I should make a training plan for my 11/4 half marathon?

3. Racing a half marathon sounds hard... and long... and i don't think I really wanna race it. Also, I hated the Alpharetta Women's Half course and am not excited in the least by the idea of pushing the pace through it.

Monday

Did: LIIFT4 Week 8 Shoulders, 3.02mi with stroller @ 9:59/mi avg

I've got one more workout left on the LIIFT4 course this round. I started off really strong, but never really upped my weights throughout the program. The first time I did it was during COVID, and it was SO much better. I guess because I was home all the time and could really dedicate time/effort instead of "fitting it in". Oh well. I'm sure even half-baking it was better than not doing it at all. 

I hadn't planned on running today, but, when I picked up my littlest and asked, "What do you want to do this evening?", the answer was "Can we go running?". I couldn't say no to that, so we enjoyed a preview of fall. 

Tuesday

Did: 6.32mi @ 10:02/mi avg

Back in town with the crew. 

Wednesday

Did: 6.37mi @ 9:11/mi avg, 3mi walking

I planned my off day out in advance this week, scheduling PT for 10am instead of right after school drop off to facilitate enjoying the morning time. A few weeks ago, I'd run with my TP through a beautiful flat-ish road with scenic views. I decided to plan a route that would let me run that at sunrise. I felt slow on the front end, but tried to play some mental games and make it an out-and-back so the return trip would be faster. 

Splits:

9;45

9:43

9:52

8:49

8:37

8:10

Mission accomplished.

Thursday

Did: 4.08mi @ 9:43/mi avg

This run felt alright, but I was glad it was only 4mi. 

Friday

Did: 4.06mi @ 9:53/mi avg

I saw an opportunity to hit 40mpw and seized it. I've hit this number exactly ONCE for a single day since catching COVID in Spring 2022. My legs felt heavy, but I couldn't tell if that was just the cumulative mileage or my knowing and thinking "you're doing something on tired legs". 

Saturday

Did: 11.15mi @ 9:53/mi avg

Wanted 10-12. Got it. Another over 40mi seven day average. 

Sunday

Did: 5.56mi @ 9:27/mi avg

Really enjoyed my solo run this afternoon out to the greenway, through the shade for a bit, and back. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 40.6

Week-ending Thoughts: 

• I can do hard things
• Grateful for my body
• I think I might want to train for another marathon soon... (yeah, we went from "a half marathon is long" on Monday to thinking about double that in less than seven days)

PNW

 Week-beginning Thoughts:

Oh, hi, there, race week. Didn't see you coming .... 

Monday

Did: LIIFT4 Week 7 Legs HIIT and 30min yoga

Opted for yoga this morning instead of anything else, and got some HIIT in after work. 

Tuesday

Did: 7.18mi @ 9:31/mi avg, plus ~5K walking 

I had to fly across the country today for a professional thing. I might've been able to run early this morning before the flight, but decided to bank on finding a good place to run once I landed in Seattle. I checked out greatrun's recommendations, and opted for their downtown/Medina route, since it had a nice map and seemed close to my hotel. It ended up being a bit hillier than expected and without sidewalks for about half of the residential route. I contemplated turning back at times, but saw enough cyclists to feel pretty safe around the hilly curves. 

Wednesday

Did: 3.55mi @ 9:36/mi avg, plus 2.5mi walking 

I hoped to get up to one of the higher points near my hotel for a view of Mt Rainier, but clouds and fog limited visibility. Still got a nice sunrise. 

Thursday

Did: airport walking

Friday

Did: LIIFT4 Week 8 Chest/Back lifting 

Body is still struggling with the 3-hr time change. I went to sleep fine, but work up at 3, couldn't get back to sleep until 4:30, and then was up by 5:30 for work. Kinda wanted to run in the afternoon, but had so muhc work to catch up on. Got in a quick weights-only workout, though. 

Saturday

Did: 10.23mi @ 9:54/mi avg

nice to be back with my TP

Sunday

Did: 6.01mi with stroller @ 9:59/mi avg

longer run near the river today

Total Weekly Mileage: 27

Week-ending Thoughts: It takes a lot of work to run 30mpw. LIke, I only missed "a few days" and it was impossible. 

Race, and the week after

Monday

Scheduled: WU, 5K Race, CD 5K

Did: 1mi WU, Big Peach Sizzler 5K, CD = 7.21mi @ 8:40/mi avg
Today was a great day!

Tuesday

Scheduled: 10KTuesday, easy

Did: 5.68mi @ 10:43/mi avg
Legs were sore and tired today. Opted to cut the route short and celebrate yesterday's race with a easy day... turned out to be a good idea, as the household had some GI issues later that day. 

Wednesday

Scheduled: didn't plan this far in advance

Did: 5K walk, plus 3.17mi with stroller @ 9:22/mi avg

Took oldest kid for a walk downtown in the morning, finished up with running little one in a stroller around the track at soccer practice. 

Thursday

Did: rest
Enjoyed an off day

Friday

Did: 4.32mi @ 9:53/mi avg, LIIFT4 Week 7 Legs

Saturday

Did: 10.3mi @ 9:54/mi avg

Legs = sore :) 

Sunday

Did: 1.13mi with oldest + 3mi stroller run = 4.13mi @ 11:14/mi avg

Legs are still sore and tired. Good day to run with the kiddos at whatever pace they want. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 34.8 

Week-ending Thoughts:

Proud of my race, happy for my health, and grateful for be sore and over 30mpw again 

Race Report: Sizzler 5K

Previous PR: 22:18 (2/1/2020)

90% Goal: sub 26:00
50% Goal:  25:00
10% Goal: 24:30
Result: 23:42 (23:51 gun time)


Training:

4 weeks of my homecooked training plan.

• 2-3 LIIFT4 sessions per week
• Tuesdays of hill repeats or "solid" mileage
• extra 5K on MW or F
• 1-2 rest days
• speedwork Thursdays (anywhere from 200m repeats to ladders or tempo)
• long runs up to 13 on the weekends
• usual stroller runs on Sundays, sometimes with a tempo push

Not anything defined or organized, but the best execution I've had of anything since long COVID. Today was all about just seeing where I was at. I was hoping for around 25:00, but truly would be happy with whatever I did as long as I felt like I pushed and didn't hut myself. 

Pre-Race:

It was a little strange not planning much or meeting anyone at a race. I figured out what time I was leaving right before I went to bed, and just planned to drive towards the start line and follow signs for parking. It's rare for me to look for signs and not have a spot picked out with GPS directing me towards it. 

headed out

I was on the fence about which sports bra to wear and what to bring with me for this point-to-point course. Ultimately, I opted to wear my phone in my KoalaClip on my back with a sports bra that I was 95% sure had worked with it before and hold my smaller handheld. I knew I wouldn't need it during the race, but wanted it since I was going to jog the course in reverse afterwards as a cooldown, instead of taking the bus. 

I decided I'd have a better chance at a good time if I did a warm-up, so I slugged through a mile. I think it helped. 

Eventually, I made it to the start line, where I found myself with a few other moms running with their sons, who looked about the same age as mine, which made me miss my kiddo. I'd intentionally not signed him up for the race because I wanted to have my OWN race, but, it's kinda like traveling for work in an airport-- when your kid isn't with you, you miss them. 

Race:

I had a disaster within the first 100m of the race. My KoalaClipped phone fell off the back of my sports bra, and I lost a few seconds trying to go back to grab it. Ugh. I spent the rest of the race with my phone in my hand, which wasn't ideal, but I had no where else to put it...  I retrieved my phone, but the KoalaClip slipped out of my hand, and it wasn't worth getting trampled or losing time for. 

The first mile felt like I was just getting my gears moving. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard. It was just "yes, I'm definitely working". The course starts uphill, which was also rough, but I knew it would get better after the first 400m. The first half mile of the course actually went pretty quickly, and I was so grateful to have signed up for the 5K and not the 10K. I can handle 3 miles. After all, the first mile is getting up to speed, and knocking it out. The second is about thinking and pacing math. The third is where you just "hang on". Then you've got the last 0.1 to kick. 

I fell in with a pack of a few kids and a few adults that tended to run the same pace as me, and enjoyed the fact that our race had started at 7am, before the sun had come up too much. With 67 degrees, it actually felt quite nice. My watch clicked 7:37 at the first mile, and I was pleased to see I was ahead of pace. 

The next section of course had some nice, very small rolling hills. I was able to mentally look ahead and play some games with "just get up the hill". "Just one more mile, and then you're in the home stretch", I'd tell myself. I fought not to look at my watch much, because I didn't want to just phone it in if I was going to hit 25. I wanted to know what I could do and not be tempted to "just ride" if I was hitting pace easier than expected. 

Another mile down, also sub 8. I liked running a place where I kinda new the terrain and course. I could look for landmarks and check off boxes as I passed them. I realized I might actually be able to hit sub 24, and got excited for a minute. Then I got a little worried when my watches seemed off when I passed one of the 10K mile markers. but fortunately they were spot on again when I passed my 3mi mark and kicked it into the finish. 

I didn't ever kick the way I normally do, but pushed a bit harder in the downhill leading up to the line. Solid effort. Solid finish. 

Reflections:

I cried after I saw my time. Not only had I beat 25, I'd beat 24, and got a few nice placements to boot. It's been SO long since I've been able to push myself, or even stay healthy long enough to have any sort of actual training. Long COVID last year, a few random illness setbacks this year, and some fallen arch issues have kept me out for so long. 

Today wasn't a race. It was a victory lap, in more ways than one. 

So grateful for what my body was able to do today. I think I spent the entire 5K jog back to my car smiling. 

Sizzler 5K: Week 4/4

 Week-beginning Thoughts:

I really like this having only four weeks of training thing. It's a really manageable, bite-size way to come back into the game. 

Monday
Scheduled: LIIFT Circuit

Did: nope... but I did do (2) 10min walks at work
All the best thoughts/intentions today, but none of the execution... 

Tuesday

Scheduled: 1mi WU, solid middle, 1mi CD

Did: WU, 4xhill repeats, CD = 6.50mi @ 9:50/mi avg
Hill repeats instead of the solid since I missed those a few weeks ago. 

Wednesday

Scheduled:  two of the following: LIIFT4 Week 7 Day 1, Day 2, easy 5K

Did: Lifting from chest/back/shoulders, plus 3.11mi @ 9:18/mivg

Busy day, trying to fit in coffee with a friend, annual physical, dental procedure, and soccer/karate/pickup madness. It was NOT easy to fit in working out too, but I'm proud I got this done. 

Thursday

Scheduled: 15min WU, mile/800/400/200 ladder down with 400m recovery, CD
Did: as scheduled = 5.14mi @ 8:50/mi avg

This felt good-ish, but my arch definitely had something happen midway through the 800. It wasn't BAD, but wasn't the comfortable feeling I was hoping for pre-race.

Mile: 7:44

800: 3:37

400: 1:42

200: 0:48

Friday

Scheduled: LIIFT 4 Week 7 workout (day 2 or day 3)
Did: 10 pushups, 6.26mi @ 9:49/mi avg

Figured it I wasn't going to do a long run this weekend, I should get a little mileage in today to rest up for Monday. I postponed the run a bit longer than I maybe should have, but am proud to have gotten it done. I ran the HILLIEST route because that's what I had available to me near kid's afternoon activity, but enjoyed letting myself go slow. 

Saturday

Scheduled: 8mi gentle progression, LIIFT  4 week 7 day 3 or day 4
Did: 6.16mi @ 9:59/mi avg

Decided I needed more of a taper for Monday, so I skipped out on what I'd previously planned. This felt nice, though. 

Sunday

Scheduled: easy 2mi stroller, LIIFT 4 week 7 day 4  
Did: 1hr walk. 100m swim

Again, I found myself wanting more taper, so I skipped running for like 6 days in a row and enjoyed a cool morning walk instead. Spent the afternoon at the pool and did a few laps of swimming (with my fins). Swimming is HARD. lol.

Total Weekly Mileage: 27.2

Week-ending Thoughts:

Feeling pretty chill/good. We'll see what happens tomorrow... 

Sizzler 5K: Week 3/4

Week-beginning Thoughts:

I really like this having only four weeks of training thing. It's a really manageable, bite-size way to come back into the game. 

Monday
Scheduled: LIIFT Circuit

Did: LIIFT4 Circuit Week 6
Yassss, I woke up and worked out before work today! 

Tuesday

Scheduled: 1mi WU, solid middle, 1mi CD

Did: as scheduled, mas o menos= 6.53mi @ 9:18/mi avg
So moist. Uggggh, Georgia in August. Can't wait for Run-tober. 
I didn't really pick up the pace until the third mile, 'cause we were having great group conversation, but then I did :)

10:17

9:41

9:09

9:14

8:58

8:42

closed at 8:17/mi avg

Feeling good about these "solid-y" runs, especially after struggling so much with Sunday's "tempo". 

Wednesday

Scheduled:  LIIFT4 Circuit, easy 5K

Did: LIIFT4 Circuit and Shoulders, 3.12mi @ 9:20/mi avg

Got up, did the lifting (minus the HIIT part, because I figured that would be taken care of my run later), walked a mile before PT, PT, and then an easy 5K. 

Thursday

Scheduled: 15min WU, 10min tempo, 8x200/200m, CD
Did: as scheduled = 6.01mi @ 8:42/mi avg

I wasn't feeling very fast this morning. It's been a miserable week of weather, with overnight "lows" in the high, humid 70s. The tempo on here was pretty great once I got there, though. Depending on which watch I believe for distance, it was either a 7:18/mi or 7:45/mi pace, both of which are good. 

The 200s were mentally tough. I always run intervals based on track markings, but, for some reason, I programmed my watch workout to go off distance. I have no idea if the track we run on it actually 400m, can't see clear marks, etc. but normally go off of landmarks when I'm doing a workout. Today, I was "waiting for the beep", and it wasn't a consistent distance visually. I hated it. 

No idea what I actually ran. Garmin had me at 200m with paces between 5:40-6:18/mi-- probably a too fast estimate. Polar had me around 6:30/mi, which means I didn't actually run 200m, but did it at a respectable pace. Either way, this was a worthwhile workout that left me feeling stronger than before. 

Friday

Scheduled: LIIFT shoulders
Did: nada... well, I did PT and some push-ups, but nothing real.

Saturday

Scheduled: 11-13mi
Did: 13.13mi @ 9:58/mi avg plus 2.2mi stroller walking

Felt great on this one. Started off not feeling like running a half, but knowing I needed to do for my training (after all, it's week 3/4), and telling myself it didn't matter how slow, but I was going to get the distance. TP and I had a great 10mi together, and then I finished up. By the time I was solo, I felt good. 

Sunday

Scheduled: LIIFT4 Legs, 1mi WU, 15min tempo, 1mi CD
Did: only the run, as scheduled, = 4.23mi @ 9:39/mi avg, PT

Didn't LIIFT today, but go my stroller tempo run in-- 8:31/mi avg, and felt much stronger on it than last week. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 33.0

Week-ending Thoughts:

Really happy with how this short cycle is shaping up. 

Sizzler 5K: Week 2/4

Week-beginning Thoughts:

I'm looking at this week like I look at lap 2 of a 1mi race. This should be the fun week. :) 

Monday
Scheduled: LIIFT 50/50

Did: hot 3.15mi @ 9:29/mi avg

Another Monday morning where I didn't get up to workout before work. I really should reconsider making that part of my plan, eh? Fortunately, I was motivated enough to go for a run during kiddo's sports practice that evening. It was hella hot, but I was so proud for getting it done. 

Tuesday

Scheduled: 2mi WU, 6xhill, CD to 10K

Did: 6.31mi @ 9:52/mi avg
Husband's sick and I felt tired, so I bailed on the hill repeats and just ran easy instead today. Solid decision. 

Wednesday

Scheduled:  LIIFT4 Circuit, easy 5K

Did: LIIFT4 Week 5 Back/Biceps & Chest/Triceps, 45min walk
Didn't do the 5K, but have "caught up" on workouts for the week. 

Thursday

Scheduled: 15min WU, 4x800/400m, 15mi CD
Did: as scheduled = 5.63mi @ 8:50/mi avg

Still don't feel 100%, but man am I grateful to have an illness in the house that I can run through and doesn't take me down. I thought about trying for the 3:44 I remembered seeing on my Indicator sheet today, but that seemed hella fast... especially when my first two-lap closed in at 3:54. That said, after seeing my fourth, I probably could've/should've been pushing a bit more throughout.. 

3:54

3:53

3:47

3:34

Friday

Scheduled: LIIFT shoulders
Did: LIIFT4 Week 5 Shoulders and Legs, PT 

Right arch is sore after yesterday's speedwork, so I did my PT (really need to be better about proactively maintaining that) and got the rest of my lifting workouts done for the week.... then ate half a pizza and ice cream from the container. Some nights are like this. 

Saturday

Scheduled: 11-13mi
Did: 13.19mi @ 9:54/mi avg

Really proud of this one. Got up and met TP for miles at 4:30am, then continued after she stopped at 10mi, and even sped up and felt GREAT. My last mile was a sub-9 :D 

Sunday

Scheduled: WU, 15-20min tempo, CD, LIIFT4 Legs
Did: as scheduled = 5.03mi with stroller @ 9:40/mi avg

Started today with sleeping in, watching the World Cup, eating an omelet, and then made it out to the river for a stroller run closer to 10am. I was NOT feeling it today, but wanted to get something done. The warm-up was hot and I had tired legs, and the tempo never really felt like I got into gear, but it got done. 

Tempo segment: 1.73mi @ 8:40ish/mi avg.... pretty pitiful for a "tempo" push, but maybe that's just where I'm at these days

Total Weekly Mileage: 33.3

Week-ending Thoughts:
Good long mileage, solid lifting, and maybe starting to get a handle on this year's "normal schedule".