Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
I’m pretty sure that I CONTINUED will be tattooed on my forehead at the end of all this.
I went through a super funky funk in Week #13. Here was my original note:
This was not a successful training week for me — and I’m generally feeling bummed out. I know you can’t rush marathon fitness, but I feel as though I should be better conditioned than how I feel during my runs (particularly my easy ones). I have my first 20-miler next weekend, and I just don’t know if I can do it.
But I feel completely opposite of that feeling as I’m sitting here today. I’m EXCITED about Saturday’s 20-miler, and despite feeling really fucking tired (sorry… ear muffs), I know that I CAN do it. So: SHUT UP, BRAIN.
MONDAY I should have looked at my training plan earlier; I didn’t realize that my strength workout was scheduled. I rested.
TUESDAY Easy run day, followed by a core workout. This run felt really good – and I must have been running the right effort level because I felt like I could have run 5 more miles.
57:48 / 11:32 average pace
Splits: 11:40, 11:31, 11:29, 11:27, 11:28
WEDNESDAY I had Intervals on my training schedule and took another rest day. We originally had our Broadway subscription tickets on Friday evening, but we changed our tickets since I had to wake up super early on Saturday to drive out to the Hawkeye race.
THURSDAY My weekly yoga class at Life Time Fitness; felt really strong and class was much-needed.
FRIDAY Rest for my 25k! Spent some time foam rolling before bed.
SATURDAY Drove out to Solon, Iowa for the Hawkeye 25k — a trail course and my first 25k race! Race recap coming soon. I wish I could have enjoyed it more (though I certainly did enjoy parts of the course), but I was too deep in my funk to really have fun. My effort level felt harder than what I thought it should be and I couldn’t push past the negative thoughts.
After finishing the 15.2 miles of the course, I ran another 2.08 miles. Those last miles were SO SLOW that I gave up trying to complete the one additional that I needed to make 18 for the day.
15.18 miles / 2:52:11 / 11:20 average pace
2.08 miles / 25:35 / 12:20 average pace
SUNDAY I waited until late evening to complete a run on the treadmill (after eating a bunch of tacos! haha) and followed my run up with another core workout.
2.06 miles / 25:13 / 12:13 average pace
BECAUSE.
WEEKLY RUNS: 3 runs WEEKLY MILES: 24.32 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 243.58 miles
Join your fellow runners in Burlington! New discount for Vermont City Marathon: Use code BibRave10 to save $10 on your registration!
Wow, it’s been almost 4 months since I’ve posted a race recap! Ragnar Luckenbach was my first race of 2017. I didn’t sign up for any races at the beginning of this year, as I wanted to focus on my base fitness for marathon training. Ragnar was a fun break away from usual weekend long runs, while still getting in my mileage.
My trip to Texas didn’t start at all how I expected — I got a really awful migraine as we were descending into Austin and ended up really nauseous during the cab ride to the hotel. I ended up spending nearly the entire first day in Austin curled up in a ball in a hotel bed cursing the light and that the water was turned off in our hotel for a few hours due to maintenance.
And puking.
Like I said: not a great start to a long weekend of running in the Texas heat.
I opted to stay in our downtown hotel room instead of joining the group — just in case I didn’t get better. I was pissed that I traveled all the way down to Texas, and I wouldn’t be able to run. By nighttime, I was finally starting to feel OK and could keep some Gatorade and plain Cheerios down. Then I knew I could rally and Ragnar would happen.
A few weeks prior to race day, our team lost someone due to deployment — and we had to find a new teammate (which we did), but I got switched from Runner 12 to Runner 10. I was OK with the additional mileage (see: marathon training), and I was still in Van 2 (still all strangers to me!). And then Ragnar changed the legs/mileage on us a few times before race day. And then the rental company didn’t save us a van, so we ended up in an Infiniti SUV. And then Ragnar cut 2 legs off the last day of the race, and we had run a leg with one of our van-mates. One of our teammates missed her 2nd leg at a major exchange because the race book was super confusing in our delirious and exhausted state (we were at the wrong stop).
There was a lot of shit happening and changing, and I was doing my best to adjust. But it all felt very chaotic!
Location: We started outside of Austin in Bastrop, Texas and ended 200-some miles later in Luckenbach.
Registration and Cost: This was a pricy trip for me, considering travel costs (flights) and hotels and gas/rental splits and team t-shirts. And two days of PTO. My portion of the relay registration was $48.04 for a 12-person team.
Packet Pick-Up: Captains/van leaders picked up our “packets” which mostly included our Ragnar t-shirts, snacks and temporary tattoos (this was at the first main van exchange on the route). We were part of some bib tracking testing program, which we picked up at the start line — so the team shared a belt for the duration of the race (and changed it out with the slap bracelet at the exchanges). Together, we had to watch a 10-minute video about safety and the Ragnar Rules (no pooping in yards, OK?). Twice, because a couple of us had to meet our van mates at the start line.
Swag: I love the Reebok t-shirts — so soft and comfortable; I’ll actually use it. I got an extra one at the finish line in a larger size, which will be awesome for sleeping. I was also able to grab an extra for my husband.
Weather: Oh god, where do I begin. This was probably not the right race event for me, considering how awful I perform in the heat. To be honest, I didn’t realize how far south Austin was and also didn’t know that peak heat in Texas is in late afternoon/early evening (corresponding with my legs of the race, naturally).
Scenes of Texas: Lots of farm animal sightings on these open lands — and yes, Texas has hills.
IT WAS SO HOT, IT WAS MISERABLE. On my first leg the temps reached 91 degrees and I super bonked out only 4 miles into my run. I wanted to quit and roll up in a ball on the side of the road (all gravel roads, btw). I walked a lot and was in full sun for the entirety of that leg. I’m pretty sure I said out loud that I wouldn’t run the marathon if it was that hot. :-/
And you can basically repeat that for my 3rd leg on Saturday, which was also warm and I was legit wishing for rain — and add in 600+ ft of elevation gain.
Course and Elevation: I’ll just let these elevation maps speak for themselves.
Whose idea of fun was this?!
First leg (3:56 pm): 7.6 miles / 1:27:39 / 11:21 average pace / 214 ft elevation gain
2nd leg (3:19 am): 2.75 miles / 26:18 / 9:33 average pace
YAY! Nighttime run – this was fun and though it was still humid, I felt good and fast. And I got some real food before our nighttime legs started; we found a Longhorn restaurant that could seat 6 of us quickly on a Friday night. A loaded sweet potato and grilled chicken salad never tasted so good. AND I got some actual sleep (at least a couple hours worth). Outside. On a sidewalk.
Splits: 9:32, 9:30, 9:38 [.75]
3rd leg (12:55 pm): 6.85 / 1:18:23 / 11:26 avg pace / 661 ft elevation gain
Another hot, sunny day – Ragnar ended up cutting my original leg, so this was my partner run. The elevation was brutal and basically all uphill. I had to walk quite a bit.
Splits: 10:56, 10:46, 10:51, 11:05, 11:16, 13:01, 12:15 [.85]
Ragnar van life — and my Iowa tan.
Aid Stations: Unless you were on an unsupported (or no van access) portion of the course, your aid station was your van. And if your van didn’t meet you somewhere on your leg, you were basically supporting yourself (or relying on the kindness of strangers for ice when you were seriously overheated).
Finish Line: The finish felt very… uninspired. The announcers called our team name as we ran in together and there was a photographer taking staged pictures and some vendors were set up (most looked to be closing down), but it was honestly the most boring race finish ever. There was a booth giving out free pizza (I couldn’t have any, obviously), and I was STARVING. I didn’t see anywhere else where I could purchase food. Since Van 1 had been hanging out all day, they were ready to leave (and was my ride back to Austin), so I didn’t even get to explore Luckenbach at all. I guess that’s a potential downside of being in the second van — I get it, it’s an exhausting adventure.
The team captain handed out the medals, which all had something unique on the back. I liked that mine read “Ragnar Thing.”
After party: An hour ride back to my Austin hotel, where my husband was waiting for me with a tub of pulled pork from a local BBQ joint and some ciders. That shower was probably the most amazing I’ve ever had. The next morning, we found an ALL GLUTEN-FREE cafe with an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and OMG that capped off an awesome weekend.
Total bullshit: At one of our runner exchanges, a wasp crawled up my long-sleeve shirt and stung me on the forearm. It hurt like a mother, and I was trying not to be a huge baby about it because I was with people I didn’t know at all. There were a lot of times that I felt isolated on this trip, and this was one of them. I had no access to soap and water or Benadryl or medics. One of my teammates in the van was a school teacher, so I got a little comfort and aid from her — immediately icing the place where I got stung. I ended up having a large local reaction with a considerable amount of swelling. All I could think about was how thankful I wasn’t allergic.
Experience: Ragnar is something completely out of my comfort zone, and exactly why I had it on my Goal List for 2017. There were some lessons learned (I should have brought a yoga mat or sleeping bag and an extra water bottle — not just my handheld for running) and definitely things I disliked (I didn’t like not having my own bib — I keep all of mine and display on my bib wall, but another teammate had already claimed it); though there was definitely a lasting confirmation that I would probably do another one (just… probably not in Texas).
OVERALL THE GREAT: My first Ragnar race! THE GOOD: Cowboy Camping and nighttime running. I sincerely loved being outdoors in the dark. THE BAD: Getting stung is certainly memorable… and not in a good way. THE UGLY: Ugh, the heat. I can’t.
TL;DR: Consider your location and your van mates when planning to do your first Ragnar. I think those things can definitely make or break your experience. Not having an actual van can increase the negative consequences exponentially.
The Tipsy Crew!
OFFICIAL TEAM RESULTS
The Tipsy Crew
33:58:46.7 (+6:57:07.9)
22nd place in the Mixed Open division
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
March mileage, a hot-and-sweaty Texas run, and How to Spot a Traveling Runner
I looked back my training blogs from my first marathon at the same training week, and I am consistently in awe of how I was able to run that race. Though I do miss run-commuting from work! And check out that comment about gels. Maybe I need to buy those lemon shortbread cookies again?
I’m in that part of training where I’m reconsidering all my choices to do marathons. This week, my brain is going to unhappy places and I’m finding all the excuses to cancel the remainder of my race calendar for summer and go back to racing half marathons. Or something. I know this will pass, but it’s an awful negative loop.
Blame it on the Texas heat for my mood maybe.
But this reminds me that I need to find my mantra for this race. Because things are bound to get ugly.
MONDAY My usual rest day. I had a great call with my coach — who had just finished her own Ragnar relay. So I got to pick her brain A LOT in preparation of my first adventure. One piece of advice she gave was to GET OUT OF THE VAN and lay flat whenever possible. It ended up being the best advice.
TUESDAY An easy run day on the treadmill at home — starting with some foam rolling and ending with a set of Strides.
4 miles (plus an extra .4 for the Strides) / 49:22 / 11:06 average pace
WEDNESDAY Tempo Run! We’ve been having some really unpredictable weather in Iowa, so it was another treadmill day. I’m not made about it, but sometimes doing speed work can be difficult. Like, are you supposed to have negative splits in your middle fast miles?
5 miles / 53:02 / 10:36 average pace
Splits: 11:04, 10:25, 10:04, 9:48, 11:41
THURSDAY Traveling Day — off to Austin, Texas for Ragnar Luckenbach
FRIDAY First day of Ragnar! I don’t want to spoil the race recap too much, but my first leg was 7.6 miles. And it was hot.
SATURDAY Ragnar Day Two: I had two legs — 2.75 miles in the middle of the night (yay!) and another 6.85 miles in the afternoon (still hot!).
SUNDAY Since this was my first trip to Austin, we walked around and explored downtown, including some of the riverfront trail. I honestly felt really good, considering what I put my body through over the prior three days.
WEEKLY RUNS: 5 runs WEEKLY MILES: 26.7 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 219.26 miles
I also had 104.1 total miles for March — my biggest mileage month ever. CRAZY!
Join your fellow Maniacs in Burlington! New discount for Vermont City Marathon: Use code BibRave10 to now save $10 on your registration!
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
Running in shorts, running in birds, and running on new trails…
Earlier in the week, I decided that the combination of my “new” office location and the late start of yoga didn’t work for me, so I took it off my weekly schedule. I’ll be returning to my former office space next week, so I’ll be back to my 25-minute commute. Whomp, whomp. I had plans on Tuesday night, so swapped my usual Monday Rest Day to include an easy run — and then took ANOTHER rest day because I was just generally feeling like poop.
The good thing is, the workouts that I DID do, felt awesome. I mean (*spoiler alert*)… besides the long run in the rain. Having a confidence-boosting week — and finding the “wins” even in these tough runs — was a really good push over the halfway hump in my marathon training.
MONDAY YAY! They finished the paved trail by my house, and I now have a completed 4-mile loop nearby. The weather was brisk (probably too much so for shorts!) but pretty great considering how long winter has stuck around. I got in 4 miles + a set of Strides.
TUESDAY Scheduled Rest Day, since I had wine/dinner plans after work.
WEDNESDAY I felt like CRAP – tired, unmotivated and really stressed out. I didn’t run. And then I felt crappier because I “kitchen-sinked” my husband after he had been traveling for a couple days. SIGH. Moving on…
THURSDAY It’s like someone flipped a switch on my mood, and I was so glad that I delayed my run a day. I felt AMAZING — and my paces proved it.
Man, that was a confidence builder run! ? I used the sidewalks and trails around my neighborhood again because it was SO NICE and so many people were out and YAY SPRING IS COMING. I kept passing the same couple in different directions on the trail, and it kind of cracked me up.
FRIDAY Rest + foam roll
SATURDAY Well, this training run goes right in the memory books: 40 degrees, rain the ENTIRE time and good ol’ Iowa wind. It was miserable, awful, no good, terrible. But I finished my dang 15 miles sopping wet (13 with the Striders running group; 2 miles afterward on Drake’s campus). I was SO COLD after this run and shivering pretty bad by the time I got home (despite changing out of my wet clothes in the car). A super hot shower and layers of fleece fixed me right up.
I packed Cytomax with me to try again and snacked on a Pamela’s gluten-free fig newton bar (Figgies & Jammies) during the run — and didn’t take any GUs. I’m still not sure about my fueling strategy for the marathon and what’s really “working,” but I’ve got a WHOLE MONTH of long runs to tweak my plan.
SUNDAY A 25-minute recovery run on the treadmill, followed up by a core workout.
2.20 mi / 11:24 average pace
Lots of foam rolling before bed! My legs were feeling pretty beat up, but by Monday I was back to normal.
WEEKLY RUNS: 4 runs WEEKLY MILES: 27.3 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 192.56 miles
New discount for Vermont City Marathon: Use code BibRave10 to now save $10 on your registration! Prices are set to go up on April 1, so this is a great time to commit to your summer marathon.
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
As the runners like to shout out: WOOOOOOOOOOOOAH, WE’RE HALFWAY THERE! Halfway through Marathon training!
This was a drop-back week for me, as I rest and recover from the first half of training — and prepare for some serious mileage. Per my conversation with my Coach, the theme of the week was: Focus on something other than running. Kinda weird coming from a running coach, right? But the intent of that was to save my mental energy and let my brain refresh. I think most of us runners — especially those in the middle of marathon training — seemingly eat, sleep, bleed, (eat again probably) running. The downtime can help a runner be reflective in how training is progressing, but also be a wake-up call to do. your. strength. training. That said, this was also the week to NOT add anything crazy or new into my schedule.
As Coach says: There’s plenty of weeks left to worry about training (and mileage and fueling and… and…). FOCUS. Worry about other things, like, GETTING MARRIED.
My weekly plan included only 3 runs (all easy), 2 strength sessions, and yoga.
MONDAY Rest – and bi-weekly Coach call.
TUESDAY Strength workout for runners with kettle bell and TRX.
WEDNESDAY Easy 3-mile run (ran 3.17 to celebrate the upcoming holiday ?)
39:09 / 12:21 average pace
THURSDAY Skipped yoga; felt pretty energy-drained (thanks, PMS) and distracted about work and wedding stuff. Probably all the more reason to go to yoga, right? NOTED, UNIVERSE.
FRIDAY Wedding Day (and Rest Day) 😉
SATURDAY 7 easy miles on the treadmill
1:25:58 / 12:16 average pace
SUNDAY Easy 2-mile recovery run. A beautiful day in Iowa — we saw 70 degrees in the late afternoon! And though my motivation to run was low, I really wanted to be outside. Followed up my run with two rounds of my strength workout using both my kettle bell and TRX.
19:49 / 9:52 average pace
I also had a massage on Sunday morning. Every month, I’m dealing with a different issue – right hip, left calf, right glute, left hamstring… this session, seemingly a bungled up right quad. The last couple days I’ve had some right knee issues, and I wondered if something else might be the root cause. So, I’m spending some extra time stretching my quads (like, really stretching) and focused foam rolling. And I’m probably not going to wear those shoes on a long run anymore, just to be safe.
WEEKLY RUNS: 3 runs WEEKLY MILES: 12.7 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 165.26 miles
Getting so excited to see Burlington in person again!
The Vermont City Marathon is only two months away (plenty of time for experienced runners to train!). Use discount code BibRaveDsct17 to save $5 on your registration! Prices are set to go up again April 1.
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
Longest trail distance (and a crazy map drawing!), easy runs at home on the treadmill and more strength training with the kettlebell.
I got two awesome runs out on the dirt trails during week nine of training — which was not quite following my written workouts, though it helped me through a kind of a stagnant, tired patch of my marathon training cycle (go away, cold weather!). Though I went off-plan on my coach, I did ask in advance if swapping my long run day to Sunday was OK (and what workout I should do on Saturday) — AND got in SIX days of workouts. And then I did my longest run ever on dirt trails. It was a good week to kind of go “rogue,” since now I’m enjoying a cut-back week for my marathon training mid-point.
ON THE SCHEDULE:
Two strength workouts
YOGA!
Tempo Run
Long Run
A couple Easy runs
MOAR FOAM ROLLING!
MONDAY Scheduled Rest Day! I also did some foam rolling on my calves and feet.
TUESDAY Strength workout with my kettlebell (I’m seriously so happy that I asked for this for Christmas!). I also love starting my week with strength — a nice ease-in after resting, which helps me focus for the week ahead.
WEDNESDAY Tempo Run on the schedule… but I ended up meeting a couple trail buddies at Jester Park after work for 5 miles. I did one of my long runs here in the fall, and it’s such a wonderful park.
5.2 miles / 57:50 / 11:12 average pace / 127 elevation gain (per Garmin)
THURSDAY Finally back to my Yoga Roots class after a couple weeks off. It felt GLORIOUS — even though it’s always so hard — but the instructor always keeps the mood light and makes us laugh and reminds us not to take ourselves so seriously.
FRIDAY Started off with a 5-minute walk and then ran for 40 minutes at an easy pace. Back on the treadmill!
3.62 miles / 41:18 / 11:24 average pace
SATURDAY Since I swapped my long run to Sunday, my weekend Recovery Run became another easy run. Another notch on the treadmill. And some foam rolling to keep those tight muscles in check.
2.0 miles / 21:53 / 10:56 average pace
Ready for trail running season!
SUNDAY Met a flock of Turkeys (or, since we’re domesticated, do they call us a Rafter of Turkeys?) in the city at Center Trails for my long (and cold) run of the week… just in time to meet Daylight Savings Time square at 8am CST. These trails are AMAZING — and probably my favorite in the area so far (there are SO MANY trails here in Iowa to explore!). I love the mixed terrain and that these are tucked into city limits. There’s a lot of activity here — and a lot of fat bikers (not bikers who are fat). I love to see mixed use of the trails and people out having fun outdoor in winter. The Center Trails webpage also has a conditions indicator — like when it’s closed due to it being too wet and muddy.
I did another test run with Cytomax, and I’m still unsure if I want to use it on marathon day. I have only a couple more weeks to decide and fine-tune my fueling strategy. At this point, I haven’t really found something that I love OR something that I dislike — mostly just “this works” and adaptable to everything so far (I am not a light packer!).
I was SO COLD when I got home (there were multiple layers of fleece) and I couldn’t nap, which was a bummer. But a big ol’ bowl of chili for dinner was just the ticket to warm me up.
14.08 miles (trails) / 2:56:21 / 12:31 average pace / 358 elevation gain (per Garmin)
WEEKLY RUNS: 4 runs WEEKLY MILES: 24.9 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 152.56 miles
Isn’t Burlington so pretty???
The Vermont City Marathon is only two months away (plenty of time for experienced runners to train!). Use discount code BibRaveDsct17 to save $5 on your registration! Prices are set to go up again April 1.
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Illinois half marathon and 5k as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
A year ago, I finished the Gasparilla Ultra Challenge — a total of 30+ miles across 4 races. In 2015, I completed the Steel Challenge — a 5k and half marathon. I am also doing the Minnesota Nut House – Totally Nuts! challenge this summer and a DIY 2x Half Marathon series over Labor Day weekend with a friend who is crossing off two more states in her 50 States Quest.
I really like the challenge of challenge races (and let’s not kid ourselves, the extra medals are awesome). And I was excited to see the I-Half Challenge as part of the Illinois Marathon weekend. This will be my first time visiting the Champaign-Urbana area AND I’ll be crossing a state off my map!
The Illinois Marathon has a few different options for its I-Challenges: All include the 5K on Friday; and then the 10K, half marathon, full marathon, or marathon relay on Saturday. You receive:
Two shirts (5K shirt plus the 10K, half marathon, marathon, or marathon relay shirt)
Three medals (5K medal plus the 10K, half marathon, marathon, or marathon relay medal as well as an I-Challenge medal [different for each I-Challenge])
Bragging rights
Challenge events are unique to each race – some are back-to-back AND multi-day races (like Gasparilla) and others are two different mornings (like Pittsburgh’s). I liked the idea of doing a race in the evening before waking up to do a half, particularly on a Friday night and Saturday morning, with enough time to drive home and recover for an entire day. This race fell perfectly into my marathon training and will provide some good mental training for me too. My goal for training is to do something similar (evening run, followed by a morning run) — not every week, but tossing in a few here-and-there for practice in running on tired legs.
I don’t have any goals for the half marathon aside from having some fun, getting in my miles, and cheering on my fellow BibRave Pros who are completing the full. Also, I’m not currently registered for any other 5K races (yet) this year, so I might attempt to actually race the 5K. We’ll see…
Room for more Runners! The Illinois marathon weekend is coming up April 20-22. Want to join me in Champaign-Urbana? Use discount code: “bibravebonus” for $15 off all race weekend events (excluding the Youth Run). *Note: discount code needs to be entered towards the end of the registration
If you want to compete in an I-Challenge, do not register for two races separately. Instead, register by choosing one of the I-Challenges:
Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Vermont City Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
Tired feelings, new Launch Shamrocks and BibRave buddy!
Week 8 was my time to focus on foam rolling, recovery, and good habits in general — especially as it was my first 25+ mile week since November. Daily stress is fatiguing me pretty hard, and I know big mileage weeks only add to that feeling. And there are a LOT more weeks that are going to feel like that. I haven’t raced in a while though, so I’m getting excited as I approach some of those dates on my calendar.
MONDAY Rest Day
TUESDAY This felt like the longest 4 miles that I’ve ever done! But my paces were pretty fast for a slower-than-easy run. This is probably why I’ll always run with a watch.
4.32 mi / 42:39 / 9:32 average pace
Splits: 9:44, 10:25, 9:47, 10:03
Ended the run with 4×20 second strides (and a big chocolate milk, of course).
WEDNESDAY Rest Day (planned in advance, since I had a social thing after work)
THURSDAY Interval training day! I always get so excited for speed workouts, as they allow me the time to FOCUS on my runs instead of zoning out on the treadmill watching the third season of Desperate Housewives. And while I can’t run fast for long distances, running fast is SO FUN. Though running fast on the treadmill kind of freaks me out!
Overall, this was a weird run. I felt like my legs couldn’t turn over any faster, though felt like I didn’t even workout when my sprints were over. I was running so hard on those 400s but not even out of breath!
Finding bad habits in the week already taking over, I made sure to get some foam rolling in after my run.
FRIDAY Rest Day (unplanned). Skipped my strength workout that was on the schedule, since some impromptu fun plans came up after work. I moved my Strength Day to Sunday, alongside my recovery run. I still need to do better on getting in my strength workouts and foam rolling.
SATURDAY Long run with the Capital Striders in the AM (UGH, start times changed to 7am, and it was ROUGH — but I made it). I completed the 12-mile route, and then came home to do an additional 2 miles on the treadmill. I honestly just had enough of the cool weather, and I was REALLY hoping to enjoy the expected 65-degree day. Alas, it was NOT in the 60s at 7am and wasn’t until well into the morning that the temperatures warmed up. At least it was sunny?
SUNDAY I originally planned to meet some Turkeys out on the trails, but I had a gnarly headache in the morning — and I just knew there was no way I wanted to wake up for another 7am run. No fun on the trails for me!
Ahhhhhhhh….
Sunday is my weekly recovery day; beyond doing my usual recovery run, I also needed to make up my skipped strength workout from Friday. I want to start GOOD recovery habits rather than using Sunday as a make-up day. So I finally took my first epsom salt bath using the San Francisco Salt Company’s Epsoak Muscle Soak. I get really antsy sitting in baths (similarly, I always think 5 minutes is TOO LONG for foam rolling. Patience is not my virtue.), but forced myself to stay the entire 20 minutes. And my body felt GLORIOUS when I was done. All my muscle soreness was gone (along with my hot water to shower afterward).
On Sundays, we recover. If I’m not having a massage, I’ll be using the salts. And foam rolling for longer than 5 minutes. Promise.
WEEKLY RUNS: 4 WEEKLY MILES: 27.1 miles TOTAL TRAINING MILES: 127.66 miles
the week:
I got moved again at work this week, and hopefully we can stay put until being able to go back to our regular office space because I miss my routine (but like my currently-shorter commute). While I shouldn’t be surprised at the effects, all of these changes have really caught up with me physically and mentally this week.
weekend:
The weather is supposed to be really nice on Sunday, so I’ve got a fun trail date with my fellow Turkeys!
I’ve got an awesome giveaway for you: If you’re not already aware, I’m running the Vermont City Marathon this May. One of the race sponsors is Hoka One One, and they’ve partnered with my blog to provide a pair of shoes to giveaway! Hoka will supply any model to one winner (*provided your choice of shoe is in stock).
Leave a comment on my Instagram giveaway post OR this blog post on which Hoka One One shoe you would pick if you won.
That’s it! Giveaway ends at midnight on March 14, 2017. And I’ll announce a Winner at random on March 15.
YAY! SHOES!
Disclaimer: Hoka One One is a sponsor of the Vermont City Marathon and is providing one pair of shoes to one winner. I received a free entry to the Vermont City Marathon, courtesy of BibRave.com. Use discount code BibRaveDsct17 to save $5 on your VCM registration!
