Cherry Blossom 10-miler: Training Weeks 6 & 7

- Mel

Less than a month away from the Cherry Blossom race, and less than two months away from the Pittsburgh Half. WOO! Racing season is upon us.

Week 6
I rested my knee throughout the week (with a little RICE), hoping for no long-term injuries. Saturday was my 5K race in DC (recap here) and NO KNEE PAIN! (Thank the Running Gods.)

Total runs: 1 (just the 5K, ma’am)
Weekly mileage: 3.1

Week 7
I’m ready to add back in some CrossFit training into my week, and already have yoga on the calendar for next weekend, because three rest days in a row is not my style (and I feel like I’ve finally settled back into a routine since starting my new job two months ago).

Monday: 7 miles post-work. NO COAT! And a lot of rolling on these shins that are tight. Woof. Also, I’ve been finding some hilarious things along my runs, which fuels my brain. Today: a big turd on the 16th Street Bridge, some sort of Taco Bell wrapped thing face-down on the sidewalk (you know that guy was SO MAD), and a guy wearing a shirt that read “I Cheat.”

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: RESTED

Thursday: REST DAY

Friday: Intended for a run, buuuuut the boyfriend invited me to early happy hour to watch some SPORTS.

Saturday: Definitely overdressed for this run, holy crap too many layers. But yay, 5 miles in the sunshine (or 4.5 if you go by my watch, SIGH). Also, apparently I swam across the river and back AND did a mile in five minutes per my MapMyRun course.

Err, there's not a bridge there.
Err, there’s not a bridge there.

I also saw a lady on a unicycle going over the pedestrian/multi-use bridge on my run today. She was dressed in performance gear like you see the Tour de France dudes wearing. And not just any unicycle but a THICK BIKES unicycle. So bad ass. There is also some really cool graffiti art and messages down along the Allegheny riverfront, if you’re into that. I also somehow had a bug go down into my bra (under a tank, a zippy shirt, and a jacket).

I love this so much.
I love this so much.

Sunday: Good news, I got in my 8 miles today (8:08); bad news, my left knee started bothering me again (this time around Mile 6). Sooooo, I’ll be watching that again this week. I had the boyfriend drop me off in Regent Square area (8 miles from the house), and I ran down (up) Forbes through Schenley Park, up through Oakland, down Fifth and all the way through to downtown, swung around the point and crossed the river. That was a really fun adventure.

Total runs this week: 3
Weekly mileage: 20.44 miles
Total training mileage: 30.56 + 3.1 (week 6) + 20.44 (week 7) = 54.10!