Tag: Training

Week 30- Headcase

If I could stop injuring myself, that would be great.

Also could the ants stop invading my bathroom? I know they are just looking for water in the heat wave but there cannot be ants on the toilet seat!!

Last week was a little off. I started the week with a possible concussion and just rolled on from there. This is not the first time I’ve had a concussion, nor is it the first time I’ve given one to myself. Oops.

So that was fun.

Monday- 1.5 miles/ Rest
Once I finally figured out what was wrong with me, I knew there was no way I was running that day. I just went home and tried to chill in a dark room.

Tuesday- 3 mile tempo, 1.5 up/down/ 1.5 miles
I was still feeling off- less dizzy, mostly head pain. I took my run super slow and easy. Which might have happened anyways as it was almost 100*.

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ 2x 1 mile repeats, 1 mile up/down
I decided to attempt what I thought was the easier of my speed work and as it was 105* out, I headed to the gym. Yeah no. Lingering head pain made me super wobbly on the treadmill. My Garmin tracking was way off again too. Then I had a coughing fit and was getting the stink eye from other gym goers so I bailed. 2.25 miles done

Thursday- 3 mile tempo, 1 up/down / 2 mile tempo, 1 up/down
I didn’t feel like the previous day had been an actual workout so I decided to attempt my other speedwork. It was 95* but there was a decent breeze so it felt ok. I actually probably would have finished the whole workout but I had worn the wrong shorts and the thigh chafing was extreme.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ Rest
Friday snowballed and by the time I left work I was not feeling it. Plus it was the last Friday of the fair and I didn’t want to deal with any potential idiots on the roads.

Saturday- 1.5 miles/ Rest
I had to work on Saturday so I had already planned on pushing my long run to Sunday. Which, considering it was 106* seemed better anyways. I meant to get out in the evening for the missed 1.5 mile run but didn’t.

Sunday- 10 miles/ 9.3 miles
I set an alarm but still snoozed for 2 hours, I was out the door a little after 8. It was still too hot. I don’t know if I was still feeling the affects of the giant bruise on my noggin or what but somehow this run turned into a walk and then a shuffle. I was not feeling it at all. I kept moving forward but it was like I had no ability or desire to move any faster. It was one of those old type runs where I was running to a certain place and then my mom was picking me up to go to lunch. I hit the meeting spot at 9.3 and didn’t even care enough to push it to 10.

16.4 miles for the week. 6 miles off target and the workouts were kind of a farce but it was better than it could have been. And my head is feeling better and the heat wave broke, so yay!

How was your week?

Week 29- Return

Ok, reentry to work was a little rough.

Monday and Tuesday were the last of my vacation days. They were hot ones. Not gonna lie, I was pretty lazy these days. I did finish a book so maybe not too lazy. Then it was back to work.

My body felt out of whack from sitting in my chair at work. I had a headache by the end of the day on Wednesday, Thursday and FRiday. Oh no, am I getting old?? I really do like my job, I just felt a little achy last week. 🙂

I got a little too flexible with the drag and drop feature of my training app. I had big visions of how the week was going to go. I really should just stick to the plan. I was also supposed to run a race on Saturday but that didn’t happen.

So instead of highlighting what I should have done, how about just what I did?

Monday- 2 miles
I was fried from Sunday’s trail run and anytime in the sun made me feel abnormally hot. I found a baggy race shirt, left the pack behind and made it out for a shuffled 2 mile run. T- shirts are hot! Who wears those?? Did I mention it was 100*?

Tuesday- 2 miles up/down, 6x 400 at 5K pace- 4ish miles
Still in the middle of a heat advisory, I took my sad self to the gym. I had originally hoped to run my long run on this day as it was the last day of my vacation but I knew that wasn’t happening on the treadmill. So I did Thursday’s intervals instead. The treadmill and my watch disagreed so even though the treadmill said I nailed my repeat paces, my watch had me a minute slower. Grrrr.

Wednesday- 2 miles
The temps dropped drastically so this was a breezy, cool 2 miles.

Thursday- Oops
Was planning on either my mile repeats or my long run but The Lion King called instead. And copious amounts of popcorn.

Friday- Nada
I have to start running in the morning. Even though I take my bag of gear inside every Friday, I don’t use it. By the time we close, I am just done. Especially this Friday.

Saturday- 10 miles
It was supposed to be cooler and I woke with a migraine so I pushed my run to the afternoon. It was 80 but there was a good breeze so it should have been fine. However I tried to throw my mile repeats into the workout instead of running a steady pace. Yeah, I flamed out. I finished the run but was off pace for both the 2 repeats I did and then the later “easy” miles. It was actually my second slowest 10 miles ever. ha! Thanks for that tidbit Smashrun.

Sunday- 4ish miles
I knew I was behind miles for the week and part of me planned on running twice this day. The other part won. I did run up and down a steep trail though. Ok, power hiked up and ran down but still. Again, I ran in the afternoon but it wasn’t too bad. The trail had its shady parts. Though I did kind of want to jump in the water at the end.

22.5/25 miles for the week. Still short but I am calling it good.

How was your week?

Week 27- Panic

This week was up and down and topsy turvy and that was before the earthquakes.

Yeah, Cali’s been moving around this week. On one hand the former wanna be geologist in me is excited by earthquakes. On the other, my town suffered a lot in the last big quake about 15 years ago. Downtown was leveled, a sulfur spring ruptured and numerous other buildings were condemned. And for some reason it took almost 10 years to cap that damn spring. Downtown was rebuilt but we had a giant hole blocked off in the library parking lot for years. A stinky one at that.

In other news, going back to work the day after the 4th of July was hard. It was like the Monday of Fridays. Anyone else not have a long weekend?

And then I played tourist in my town on Saturday and ventured out to the Lavender Festival.

Plan vs Reality

Monday- 1.5 miles/ 1.5 miles
I don’t recall much about this run other than I got it done. I didn’t even post about it to social media, ha! But I took a pic so I guess it really happened.😛

Tuesday- 2 mile up/down, 3x 1 mile repeats at 5K pace / 1.5 up/down, 3 miles of pain- yoga
I’ve been beginning to realize that I may over overstepped with the training paces on my training plan. Reality hammered that home with this run. Not only did I tank the paces prescribed, I ended with a possible injury. I knew I should have quit during the second repeat attempt but I am stupid. So stupid. I limped back to my car hence the shorter cool down.

Wednesday- 1.5 miles/ Nada
I limped around the office all day, that was fun. My stomach also decided to hate me so that was fun.

Thursday- July 4Th! 4 mile fartlek/ MM100
I thought about trying for at least an easy run but decided to be smart instead. Boo. I did attempt a very slow workout video.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ Nada
My leg felt better until the end of the day but I was just fried and didn’t run. I really need to figure out how to run in the morning. Especially when I work open to close.

Saturday- 9 miles/ 9 miles
I actually got up early for this! Except nasty humidity rolled in so I actually think it was hotter than my last 2 long runs in the afternoon heat. Oh and I got fried. So much for sunblock. I also think it was the slowest 9 miles I’ve ever run. I had a freakin’ panic attack around mile 3. I started noticing the symptoms just before crossing the bridge. Which could have been partly fueled by the previous nights tremor. I’m not a big fan of bridges, at least not being on them, so why I chose today of all days to run across it for the first time in months, I have no idea. I refused to let the panic attack win and just slowed way down anytime I felt the usual symptoms. I also explored a side path off one street in an effort to distract myself.

Sunday- Rest/ Rest
I thought about trying to make up some of the 7 miles I missed throughout the week but ended up napping instead. Oh and I started Stranger Things 3.

15.3 miles out of 22.5 for the week. My leg is still not right so I am holding out optimism for the week to come. Plus I went in and adjusted the paces zones in my training plan so now they should at least be achievable.

How was your week? Have a good 4th of July?

Week 26- Don’t Bet on Me

I wouldn’t even bet on myself.

I am my own worst enemy.

2019 Race Schedule (so far):
8/11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)
7/20 Vintners 5 Mile or Rock to Pier 10K (not looking good)
10/ 6 RnR San Jose (Thanks BibRave!)

I started the week with some drag and dropping of my training plan on Final Surge. I appreciate this feature with my training plan but the last few weeks, the ease of changing has enabled my inner Slacker to be even more Slacker like. I had a work function on Thursday and I knew I had to make adjustments for that.

I’ve also fallen into the bad habit of reading other blogs, but not commenting- I’m sorry! I’ve also stalled out in the book I am reading and the book I am listening to. May I should have called this post “Stall” since I kind of feel like that describes my running too the past few weeks.

Plan vs Reality

Monday 2.5 miles w/ strides/ 2.5 miles w/strides
I had originally thought about moving my hardest workout of the week to Monday but I was still dealing with migraine fog so I am glad I didn’t. I headed to the lake path for a few easy miles with 6 strides… or 7, I kind of lost count. My mom was out there too, she decide to join me and do a few laps of the lake herself.

Tuesday 1.5 miles/ 1.5 miles
I am really beginning to love these easy days. I am starting to realize that not every run has to be long to be worthwhile. Any movement is good movement. Sometimes I forget this.

Wednesday- 1.5 up/down, 2x 2mile repeats/ 1.4 up/down, 2x 2 mile repeats
I was scared of this workout. I didn’t think I could do it. I have also been starting to realize that I may have over reached with my goal for Oaktown Half and may need to adjust my pace settings. My goal for this workout was for each repeat to be at 10k pace- 9:32-9:49. I’m not there yet. But I tried- the miles ranged from 9:58 – 10:21. And they were hard. So hard. Oh did I mention it was almost 90 and I forgot water too?

Thursday- 1.5 miles/ Mixer
I had a feeling I wouldn’t run today due the mixer for work and that proved true.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ lazy
I originally planned on doubling up for this run and running 3 miles to make up for Thursday. Work was a little crazy and I ended up staying til close. I have a feeling I will likely do that most times I open- I feel guilty leaving before closing. Then I was just kind of done.

Saturday- 9 miles/ 3.1 miles
I was supposed to run my long run for the week but the snooze button was too tempting. So instead I headed out for a very easy 3 miler in the heat of the day. 95*- so much fun.

Sunday- Rest/ 5.5 miles
Once again, I was too friendly with the snooze button. Even as I was lying in bed, I knew I was just screwing myself over and only had myself to blame. Then as the day progressed and the temp rose, I was tempted to just bail on the run. However, after an internal argument, I made myself go for a run. Just run and see what happened. Well, it was 90* so what I got was a sluggish 5.5 miles. However that was better than being lazy.

So 18.4 /21.5 miles for the week and more red than green on my training calendar. Also a good amount of irritation with myself.

How was your week?

Week 24- Nerve

This week was good but odd in some ways.

2019 Race Schedule (so far):
8/11 Oaktown Half (Thanks BibRave)
7/20 Vintners 5 Mile or Rock to Pier 10K
10/ 6 RnR San Jose (more to come)

We started it with a red flag heat wave then swung back the other way. I had some good runs, I missed one and one definitely pushed the definition of the word “run”.

I had a slap in the face about the level of my emotional eating and tendency to eat more than I should in one sitting. But that’s for another blog post. That I’ve started and stopped a few times already.

My sciatica pain came back. Either due to my new (to me) desk chair or because I spent an hour on the treadmill this week. Could be either, could be both. Not gonna lie, wish I could go get my chair from my previous office.

Oh and I rearranged all the furniture in my bedroom over the weekend because why not?

Plan vs Reality

Monday 1.5 miles/ .8 ish miles
I am pushing it by calling this a run. I was in jeans and boots but I was moving pretty fast. It hit 105 in hometown that day and 95 in SLO. While the home town temp isn’t abnormal- that SLO temp is. I had to do an errand for work and I was moving pretty quickly. I admit when I learned there was a fire in the riverbed at home town and they were shutting down the main bridge in town, I turned on my watch while doing this errand.

Tuesday 1 mile up/down, 2x 1 mile repeats/ 4 miles -1 up/down, 2 x1 mile repeats
It was 103 in home town so I used my brain and headed to the gym. I hate the treadmill. The warm mile wasn’t bad, I didn’t nail the mile repeat paces but I was damn close. I find running on the treadmill so much harder then outside. And by mile 4, I could tell that my lower back was not happy.

Wednesday 1.5 miles/ 1.5 miles
Nothing much to say just went out and did it.

Thursday- 3.5 mile fartlek run/ 3.5 mile fartlek run
My stomach was a total asshat and I was tired and did not want to run. I was trying to rationalize skipping the run but I changed and headed out anyways. I normally love fartlek runs but this was more about getting it done. It wasn’t horrible but I was glad I pulled it together.

Friday- 1.5 miles/ Spiral
I skipped this run. My lower back was hurting pretty badly but I wonder if I just used that as an excuse. It also wasn’t a great food night and reality may have hit me.

Saturday- 8 miles/ 8.5 miles
Once again I hit the snooze button a few too many times. So another mid afternoon run was on the books. I almost pushed the run to Sunday but told myself to stop being stupid. I headed out around 3:30 and it was only in the 80’s. I started off with a half mile warmup then got to business trying to get the next 8 miles in the long run zone assigned. So close! Miles 4-6 were too slow. I ran a section of road that while shaded the headwind died. The temperature increased like wow. My stomach also cramped spectacularly in mile 5. I slammed to a halt and wondered if I could even make it to my car. There were park bathrooms .5 mile in the opposite way so I was torn which way to go. I stood on the side of the road for a while. But someone was conspiring against me- they tore down the park bathrooms!! Why?!?!?! Somehow my miles back to the car were my fastest. With moments when I had to stop and take deep breathes. In and out, in and out. It was also my first run trying a new fuel but I am not sure which way to make that correlation. Hmmm.

Sunday- Rest/ Rest
Nailed it! I actually thought about heading out to make up the missed 1.5 mile run but sleep and a migraine kept it a rest day. So I caught up on my DVR and cleaned my closet.

18.8 miles for the week. So close to where I was supposed to be!

How was your week?