Tag: Training

Run!, Slacker, Training

Week 20- Hello, allergies

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Maybe I am taking the Sunday rest thing a little far- I can’t seem to write my posts on time anymore.

Last week was odd. A little bit of allergies from the week before turned into a full blown allergy attack. Which I have now figured out was aggravated by whatever the plant lady sprays on the plants on work. They have all been moved very far away from me now.

I was a little better with both food and breaks last week. Well, let’s not talk about Friday.

Planned vs Reality

Hiding the swollen eye

Monday 1.5 miles /1.5 miles
Holy allergy hell. I became super bad at work but still attempted my run. Yeah no, it’s hard to run straight let alone walk when your right eye is almost swollen shut. I walked this one in.

Why do I keep choosing hills for speed work?

Tuesday 3.5 mile Fartlek/ 3.5 mile fartlek
Generally, I love fartleks but this seemed more ladder like. I started with the longest segment first- 5 minutes- but my over eagerness and a downhill maybe contributed to me gassing out. I was glad the recovery segments could be walked as I was still an allergy mess.

Storm’s a brewin’ and no this is not filtered

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ 1.5 miles
Not much to say just went out and did it.

Thursday- 3.5 miles with strides/ 3.5 miles with strides
I was super tired and so did not want to run but my legs were disagreeing with my body. They were running too damn fast. I couldn’t figure out why I was so gassed until I looked at my watch – Oh, hey sub 9 and this is not a strides segment. Crap. Slow your roll, legs! Yeah no they kept doing their own things. I was walking when my allergy tainted breathing raised it’s head.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ nada
Yeah, oops. I planned on running but knew it was likely I was working the late shift. Then computer drama happened and I never went out and got my running gear. Boo. Driving home, I told myself to get over it and just change and run when I got home. Then I was almost in 2 accidents within a mile of my house and went nah.

I beat the rain!

Saturday- 6 miles/ 6 miles
I played a game with the rain and hoped I picked the driest time to run. I think I did! It only sprinkled a little on me while I ran but poured later. I felt surprisingly good on this run. I made my pace window (mostly) and managed to negative split. Who knew? I say mostly on the pace as my first mile included a .5 mile warmup walk but I wasn’t pushing the distance with storm clouds over head. However, I finished feeling good- physically and mentally.

Pretty new shoes

Sunday- Rest/ Rest!
I went for some shopping in SLO… in the pouring rain. Part of why I went was to return the Torin’s I picked up in March. I loved my first pair but this pair was not holding up. The soles were trashed after less than 100 miles. I could have gone through Altra to complain but I didn’t want another pair of Torin’s- this version felt like there was zero cushion. So after trying on multiple pairs of shoes, I came home with a pair of Launch 6. Fingers crossed!

16.1 miles for the week. 5/6 workouts. Would I still be me if I hit every single workout?

How was your week?

BibRave, Run!, Training

Week 19-Sleepy and Sneezy

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Too bad those aren’t just the names of dwarves.

  • 2019 Race Schedule (so far):
  • 6/2 RnR San Diego (Thanks BibRave)
  • 8-11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)

I am still adjusting to all the changes. While last week I was better with food and water at work- it wasn’t a great deal better. I never before realized how relaxing those lunch breaks in the comfy chair were! Hindsight, right?

And to help matters out (insert sarcasm) allergies are beginning to bloom. People love to look at the wildflowers but they never mention the brown mess to follow. May 1 marks D Day when it comes to “weed abatement”. The city may be slow when it comes to fixing potholes but you can be damn sure they will mow everything in sight lickety split. Between the white, fluffy pollen blowing everywhere and the dusted, dry brown weeds left behind- allergies are packing a punch.

So let’s get to the week.

Planned vs Actual

Monday- 1.5 miles / 1.65 miles
Headed for the river path after work. The weather was a bit chillier than I thought it would be so I was glad I packed a long sleeve layer. I didn’t really have time to get warm.

Tuesday- 1 up & down, 2.5 mile tempo/ .64 up, 2.5 tempo, .31 down
I haven’t run a tempo since Hanson’s broke me in 2016. I was tempted to bail. I was considering a race on Saturday- so that would count right? But instead I told myself to grow up and just do it. Did I nail tempo pace? Nope. Mile 1 was too fast and mile 2 I ran out of steam but I wasn’t horribly off. And it didn’t suck! Woo hoo!

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ 1.5 crawl
I was feeling so tired, so very tired. I figured 1.5 would be easy… but it wasn’t. I felt like I was running through water. The run turned into a walk.

Thursday-3 miles w/ strides/ 3 miles with strides
Again, I was feeling abnormally tired. However I went out and did the damn thing. Know how to really pick up the pace in your last set of strides?? Have a snake slither across the path.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ Nada
Big fat fail. Based on how I felt Wednesday/ Thursday, I decided late Thursday evening that I was taking the day off on Friday. I still packed my gear- not sure why. I had also decided that I was not running the race on Saturday.

Saturday- 5 miles/ 5 miles
When will I learn???? I was tired so I slept in. Which meant I headed out for my run in the afternoon, which for the first time in a week was 80 some odd degrees. However, I was slightly prepared this time and walked anytime I felt warm, even if I wasn’t tired per say. I didn’t make my paces but I think if you adjusted them for the temps. At least that’s I am going to lie to myself. And while I was hot, I didn’t feel defeated like I did in last week’s long run.

Sunday- Rest/ Rest!!!!!
Keep me out of furniture stores! I was shopping with my mom for Mother’s Day and while I did get her her choice of tables- I also picked up a new end table for myself. Doh!

14.6ish miles for the week. Or something like that. 5 out of 6 workouts. I’m getting there!

How was your week?

Run!, Slacker, Training

Week 18-Embrace the Change

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

First full week with Endure Strong Coaching and first full week at the new job. I got this!

Maybe.

I think I can, I think I can. Maybe, this week took a lot out of me. Well, and the previous week. I need to get better about how/ when I eat now. I also drank way less than normal and that is not good. I ate so much crap but at the same time not enough. I lost 3 pounds but can’t claim that it was out self control and healthy choices.

  • 2019 Race Schedule (so far):
  • 6/2 RnR San Diego (Thanks BibRave)
  • 8-11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)

Planned vs Actual

Monday- 1.5 easy miles/ 1.53 miles
Short, easy miles. I can do this!!! Except I will say that figuring out a 1.5 mile route is harder than it sounds.

Tuesday-2.5 miles hills/ Nada
I was having lingering wardrobe malfunction issues from Sunday’s race and any movement hurt. I had mostly ignored it the day before but I just couldn’t.

Wednesday- 1.5 easy miles/ 2.64 miles hills
I chose to do the missed workout instead of the easy run. I still wasn’t comfortable exactly but the hills felt decent. Until I checked my elevation gain at the end and realized it kind of sucked. But I ran that hill multiple times!

Thursday- 3 miles with strides/ 3.1 miles with strides
Strides are fun! The rest was easy miles and they felt ok. The mileage doesn’t worry me with this plan- the back to back running does which is why I chose a beginner plan, ha!

Friday- 1.5 miles easy/ 1.72 miles easy
Wait, what? Running on a Friday? After work? I don’t think I can…I did! And again planning a 1.5 mile route was the hardest part. Oh and this “easy” run had more elevation gain than my hill workout a few days back. Ha!

Saturday- 5 mile long run/ 5 mile slog
The long run wasn’t long so when I woke up to a spinning room courtesy of my head and not an earthquake this time. I went back to sleep and figured I could just run later. Which I did but it was freakin’ miserable. I was hot, overheated, dehydrated and just couldn’t. I should have turned around 2 miles in and taken the short cut but I pushed on. I wouldn’t call it running, it was mostly walking and then stopping to try to prevent more damage to an already popped blister. Plus, the shoes I wore on Wed- Friday had pissed off my left ankle.

Sunday- Rest day/ REST day
I did nothing. I tried to nap but couldn’t, boo.

14 ish miles for the week. And I only missed 1 workout! Who am I????

How was your week??

Run!, Slacker, Training

Week 17- Again

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Oops- I skipped 16, hah!

Last week was jam packed full with life, work and running. Also Avengers but possibly not enough sleep.

  • 2019 Race Schedule (so far):
  • 4/28 SLO Half Marathon
  • 6/2 RnR San Diego (Thanks BibRave)
  • 8-11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)

As I mentioned in Friday’s post my work world saw a lot of change last week. I had 3 days to pack and transition out of my former position/location and I was in the new one by Thursday.

I knew the week had a lot going on so I front loaded my miles. Which works for the old Slacker but the new Slacker started a new training plan with a Coach last Monday and totally failed at week 1. But more on that later.

Oh and it was Endgame week so you know I had to clear my schedule for those 3 hours. Well plus the time to ruminate on it. 😂😢

Monday- 2.3 miles
I wanted to run in work town as a sort of Sayonara run but a super heavy marine layer rolled in. Instead I headed to the lake path for some easy breezy miles. It was kind of a so long run to the lake path as well. It’s now in the wrong direction of travel so I have to really want to run there to drive there.

Tuesday- 4 miles
The marine layer held so I headed out for my goodbye run. We actually ran really late that day and I would have blown it off if it wasn’t my last chance to run there. I was slower than normal but I was also pausing to take a lot of pictures so it makes sense.

Wednesday- Yoga
Oh, good golly. I did another Beachbody yoga and it kicked my ass. I was looking for a gentle flow/ stretch for the lower half but this was freakin’ intense. I also had the first coaching call with Endure Strong.

Thursday/ Friday- Adapt
No working out just survival.

Saturday- Work/ Expo
I worked a shift in the morning, it was busier than the last Saturday shift I worked. Once off work, I jetted down to SLO to pick up my race packet for the next morning. And maybe do a little shopping. Then I couldn’t take it anymore and made an evening showing of Avengers: Endgame. 😍

Sunday- SLO Half Marathon
What was I thinking? Race recap to come.

19.5 miles– getting better.

How was your week?

Run!, Slacker, Stomach, Training

Week 17- Rollercoaster

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

This week was ummm, interesting.

  • 2019 Race Schedule (so far):
  • 4/28 SLO Half Marathon
  • 6/2 RnR San Diego (Thanks BibRave)
  • 8-11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)

I realize that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to training and even though I can admit that, fixing it is another story.

The week had some work stresses and some good news but that also brings a kind of stress as well. A good one but it allowed me to rationalize too much Slacker-ness. And pizza.

In nerdy news, I finished my re-watch of the majority of the Marvel movies over the weekend. Bring on Endgame!

Monday- Nada
I need to run on Monday’s just to combat my own laziness for the rest of the week but I didn’t. Instead I finished my parent’s taxes. Does raising your blood pressure count as exercise?

Tuesday- 3.1 miles/ Liift4/ Transform20
I had a doctor’s appointment late in the day but I had planned on running. Then the appointment ran way late and I was coming up with every reason to skip my run. I was tired, it was late, I had to pee, it was Bibchat night, etc. I drove past run town and kept going. When I made it home town, I made a sudden freeway exit and headed for the river path. I told myself to get out of my own way and just run. It was a surprisingly decent 5K. I would have run more but I really did have to pee.

I did a few more workouts once I was home.

Wednesday-Nada
I was feeling sore from doing 3 workouts the previous day but I had planned on running. However the weather changed that when it knocked down a tree which took down power lines and started a couple fires in the State Park. Which is where I planned on running. Yeah, I could have run somewhere else but that seemed like a pretty big sign.

Thursday- Rollercoaster
I should stop planning. I got some great news which had me pumped and nervous. My mother also gave herself a concussion again so I spent the day checking on her via text and then headed home right after work to see how she was in person.

Friday- Still riding the emotional rollercoaster.

Saturday- 5 miles
I had aimed to complete my long run on Saturday but when my cell and then my work cell both started ringing in the predawn hours, my day was thrown off. I didn’t sleep well and ended up napping more than I should have in the afternoon. Part of me considering skipping my run entirely but I laced up anyways. Blisters not withstanding, it was a surpisingly good run. I stopped twice to put more BodyGlide on my heels but the damage was done. Maybe I should give barefoot running a try?

Sunday- 6.2 miles/ yoga
Long run fail. I overslept in the morning so that meant I had to run before Easter dinner. Which might have been fine except for lunch. I went to lunch with my mother and brother but we chose a place that I know tends to screw with my stomach. I ate less than I normally would but it wasn’t enough to stave the inevitable. I was sick a few times before I headed out to run. I was hoping things had calmed down but I was wrong. I was barely 2 miles into my run when my stomach protested. I tried run/walk intervals but those gave way to just walking. And deep breathing. I eventually admitted it wasn’t happening so I just slow crawled back to my car.

14.26 miles for the week. No, I am not concerned about next week’s half at all.

How was your week?