Week 4 Recap

I can't believe it! I'm already finished with a whole month of training.  How is that even possible?  I think it's going pretty well so far, but nothing in life is perfect!

Here's how Week 4 was supposed to go:

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - 3 miles speed
• Wednesday - Rest/Cross Train
• Thursday - 2 miles easy
• Friday - Rest/Cross Train
• Saturday - 7 miles
• Sunday - 2 miles easy

Here's how Week 4 actually went: 

• Monday - Rest (really, is it any surprise that I'm super good at this one?)
• Tuesday - 3 miles speed (hit the paces for my mile repeats, though the second one was a bit of a struggle)
• Wednesday - Hour long gym session (that I'm STILL sore from, nearly a week later. Ugh)
• Thursday - 2 miles easy (super slow, was pretty darn sore)
• Friday - Rest
• Saturday - 7 miles (this run went ok.  really slowly, and the humidity was terrible, but it was ok.) 
• Sunday - 2 miles easy (this felt super easy)

All in all, not bad.  But that hour long training session on Wednesday pretty much killed me.   This was supposed to be my week of getting into strength training, and instead I have been popping pills and laying with a heating pad for the past 5 days.  NOT pretty.  I cancelled the appts I had scheduled for this week - no way am I risking feeling like this for another week.  Lord have mercy.  Ugh.  I guess I'm going to have to workout on my own for awhile - in short, easy bursts - until I'm a bit stronger, then I can go back to seeing Aaron again.  Blah.  

Saturday is the 5K I signed up for, and my coach seems excited for me - she said she'll be sending me a "race plan" in a couple days.  I've never had a race plan before! LOL  I guess I won't be winging it after all. 

What are you up to this week? Anything fun?  12 days till Disney! 

Runners and Walkers and Bikers, Oh My!

This morning I rolled my lazy self out of bed and hit the streets for my long run of the week.  7 miles on the schedule, and I was feeling tired and sluggish and just kind of blah.  It took me a solid three miles to start warming up, and even then I wasn't feeling great.   It was humid.  I was tired.  Blah, blah, blah.

Then I passed a guy who smiled and said "Good morning, again!"  (we'd crossed paths earlier) and I smiled back and said good morning, and just started to kind of magically feel better.  There were so many people out this morning - biking, walking, running - and I started to have this feeling of "This is my tribe.  These are my people."

Running is a solitary sport.  Even if you run with others, or in races, you are still on your own.  There are no "assists" in running.  You can't pass off the ball to someone else and have them score.  You are responsible for every step, every mile.  You and you alone are crossing the finish line.  (Ok, there are relays, but still.  You know what I'm saying!)   Yet there is such a great community among runners, an understanding between us - whether we're running to stay in shape, stay sane, or to bring home a trophy and a check.  We are all out there, pounding the pavement when others are still asleep.  We're sweating during long runs in weather that would keep most people in a chair drinking lemonade all day.  We seek each other out and have long conversations about Vo2Max or which is better, Gu or Shot Blocks.

My community of runners is mostly online.  I have found a home in the virtual world of running, and while I'm comfortable there and love the people that I've met, I've often wished for someone to run with or to sit and talk with without the assistance of a computer.

Today, my wish was granted when I discovered that a local running store is opening a new location practically in my backyard, and that they are holding weekly Saturday runs on the very same path/trail that I run on.  I am beyond thrilled, and can't wait.  Had I heard about this yesterday, I would have gone this morning, but of course I found out about it AFTER my run.  Next week I have the 5K and then I'm in DisneyWorld, but the weekend after THAT, I will be there.  Waiting in the morning sun for my tribe.

This isn't exactly my "happy dance," but it's close. LOL 

Sore Feelings

I left the gym yesterday sweaty but happy.  An hour long session with my trainer was tough, but I actually felt like I was doing something good for my body.  Around 1 a.m. this morning, when I tried to roll over in bed and was met with pain and overwhelming soreness, I was immediately reminded that runner =/= physically fit.   Holy moly.

I've been so sore all day that I have literally done nothing.  As of this writing, I have managed less than 2,500 steps according to my Fitbit.  It's 6 pm, people.  I'm also still in my pj's.  

My abs hurt.  My chest hurts.  My neck hurts.  I am one big ball of sore.   Yet as soon as my husband gets home, I'm going for my scheduled recovery run - and as I look over the list of exercises I did with Aaron yesterday, I can't help but grin a little.   

I am not a "gym rat."  I do not enjoy "working out."  At all.  I'd rather run and do nothing else, but I know that doing other things will benefit my running (not to mention my overall health), so I'm giving it a go.  

For the record, here's what I did yesterday: 

60 raised leg crunches w/10 lb weight

60 (each leg) 1 legged Jack Knives

30 leg raises

60 cross body mt climbers

60 dumbell rows (20 lbs)

60 deadlifts (20 lbs)

1 set (12) Smith Push Ups 

45 seated rows (35 lbs)

30 reps knee raises on Power Tower 

45 reps row twist (25 lbs)

Hardest for me were the leg raises and the jack knives.  The last set of knee raises were hard, too. My core is so weak that I was pulling with my neck during the jack knives, and by the end, I was near tears (out of frustration).  

I'm hoping that this will get easier as I go, but for now..... owie.    Someone pass me the Tylenol, please!

Not just running, but exercise and a healthy lifestyle, too!