Thanksgiving week - beginning of #RWRunStreak 2018!

Week-beginning thoughts: It's Monday. Run streak will be 41 days this year

Monday
Did: strength
A bit of a lackluster lifting session today, but got it done and also worked in some more stretching because it felt so nice to do yesterday at yoga! My hips/legs are so inflexible. Need to be better about stretching (I always say that).

Tuesday
Did: 6.31 mi @ 8:07/mi avg #10kTuesday (3 consecutive)
Yesssss so happy with this run! The temps were perfect - upper 40s/low 50s - from start to finish. Ran with a couple of the faster guys from the early downtown group so I knew it would be a push to stick with them, and I was right. It felt hard but good! I was worried they wouldn't show up (the early group has been a little flaky/thin recently) but they did and saved me from a 10k Treadmill edition. We did the RU7 route and cut off the loop around the zoo which mentally seems shorter, but it makes you go allll the way up from one end of Main Street to the other (i.e. gradual but hilly). Felt so good though - yay!

Wednesday
Did: rest
Walked a little on the treadmill desk, but after yesterday's pretty hard run I figured rest was good for tomorrow's planned race. Plus, Friday will probably be active rather than the usual rest...

Thursday
Did: TreesGreenville Turkey Day 8k
Race Report here

Friday
Did: 3.02 @ 10:05/mi avg
Just a few short stroller miles in the neighborhood for Run Streak day 2/41.

Post-run selfie

Saturday
Did: 9.5 mi mountain biking
Headed down to Isaqueena with a group from Piney Mountain (Tad, Sonya, John, and Brandy). It was a fun, casual ride but nice to get out in the woods on two wheels, as always! I wasn't sure it would be a good ride based on the cold + rain, but the showers moved out just in time and we had a really great ride.

It wasn't as bad as it sounded.

The crew

Post-ride refreshments

And I did my 1-mile loop in the neighborhood when I got home for the #RWRunStreak Day 3/41. 7:39/mi avg for the just-over-1-mile loop.

Sunday
Did: 8.55 mi @ 9:08/mi w/ stroller
D and I were out in TR this afternoon for a nice stroller run on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Just an out and back in two directions with no real goals, just spending time running. Was a beautiful afternoon for a run, and we both enjoyed our time together. Keepin' the #RWRunStreak alive for Day 4/41.

North End of the SRT

Race Report: TurkeyDay 8k

I didn't train specifically for this race and didn't have any goals, just to enjoy the morning with this family tradition and run with D in the stroller.

It was chilly!

Before the 8k & 5k started, there was a 1/4 Mile "Tot Trot" for the kids.

At the start line

I keep thinking he'll get the hang of these things, but he tends to get freaked out by so many people being around and only wants to cling to my hand and walk. We walked most of the way, then he sprinted about 50 meters, tripped, and then wanted to be carried the rest of the way. Oh well, he earned his medal just like everybody else.

All the Tots were bib #1

Then it was quickly time for us to get lined up for the start of the race. We had corrals on our bibs, but it wasn't enforced at all and the pace signs along the start were WAY too close together for the number of people in the race. Like 10 feet apart and then by the time we inched our way forward (with the stroller) we only made it up to like the 11-14:00/mi area. Oh well.

Here we go!

I don't have much to say about the race itself, other than I spent the entirety of the time trying to get around people. I rarely got to a point where I could just steadily run the pace I wanted to run. It's obvious by the pace graph that I was all over the map... getting stuck behind people, breaking free, sprinting to the next roadblock, and then doing it all over again.

Range from 14:00/mi to under 7:00/mi

I did have lots of nice people who offered encouragements and kudos as I sprinted by with the stroller. Scott stuck with us the entire race, which was also nice, and we were able to finish the race together.

The worst part was the very end of the race, where with a 1/2 mile to go, we re-joined the 5k course to head to the finish... which was uphill and narrowed down to 1 lane due to construction. I ended up walking a lot of the final stretch because everyone in front of me was walking!

My feelings

We did still manage a sub-45 time (sub-9 pace) for the race, which is respectable with the stroller and given the conditions.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Will definitely consider a more strategic way to get to the start line next year... it's not bad enough that I'll swear off the event forever, just need to remember it and figure out how to adjust!

Travel week

Week-beginning thoughts: Going ahead and acknowledging that this may be a challenging week with work travel, but going to do my best.

Monday
Did: strength
Good lifting today. I've stopped writing down my lifting because I find it tedious and annoying. I get better work done just going for it. I can sometimes remember what I did, other times I don't... I did 4 rounds of everything, with the first 3 at "normal" weight / 8-10 reps each, then the last one at a lighter weight / 12-15 reps. I read somewhere that doing lighter weight/higher reps on the final set of each lift can help flush out the lactic acid. Part of me is like, "But I like being sore... how do I know I worked out if I'm not sore?" hehe.

Tuesday
Did: 6.2 mi @ 8:28/mi avg
Treadmill #10kTuesday, progression style! Cold and rainy = no early group downtown, so I headed into work early to get this done on the 'mill. Not my favorite, but some good tunes made the miles tick by decently. I did a progression run for this, clicking up the pace with each mile...
9:30, 9:00, 8:30, 8:00, 7:30, and a final half-mile at 7:00/mi before cooling down for the remaining 0.7 miles.

Wednesday - work travel
Did: nada

Thursday - work travel
Did: 2.97 mi beachfront run
Took the opportunity to enjoy the warm (HUMID) Florida sunrise along the beach. I didn't have any distance or pace goals, just wanted to get out and run. Did about 2.5 miles then walked on the sand with my feet in the water for the last half mile back to the hotel. Such a nice way to start the day.

Sunrise colors

Palm Tree Christmas lights

Toes in the sand

Friday - work travel
Did: nada

Saturday
Did: 6.1 mi @ 9:22/mi w/ stroller
This was truly just a "get out and do something" run, and we did just that. D and I started from Gateway Park in TR, ran to the north end of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, then a little bit into TR when we returned before heading back to the car. It was a nice casual run, beautiful fall weather, and then we enjoyed some time at the bike park afterwards. So nice to not really have any time constraints or schedules, and it was so good to spend the time with D after being away all week!

Sunday
Did: yoga
A local bike shop/beer place had an event for $10 yoga class + beer. A couple friends and I made it into a girls' afternoon and it was so nice! They're planning to make it a monthly thing, so hopefully we'll get to go again. Such a nice change of pace for a Sunday afternoon. :)

Now that's more like it.

Monday
Did: strength
Felt good and motivated today. Got in a solid lift, 4 rounds of everything, working back up to max. weights from where I was before. I think I'll be sore tomorrow.

Also, sometimes a shared gym is gross. 😖

Tuesday
Did: 6.2 mi treadmill ladder #10kTuesday - starting the streak again!
Got on the treadmill this morning for a ladder 10k Tuesday workout. Considered running outside, but it was grey and drizzly and I didn't have any kind of light-up gear, so was safer indoors at work. I was struggling by mile 2, but pushed through and the back half of the run went by pretty well. Did a 400/400/800/1200/800/400/400 with 400 rest in between each, plus 1 mile warm up and cooldown on each end. All of the speed intervals were between 6:30-7:00/mi pace, which is slow for speedwork but considering I've not done any in over a month, I guess I can't be too disappointed.

Wednesday
Did: 10.5 mi stationary bike intervals
Wanted to get up and ride the trainer at home this morning but sleep won that battle... it was the right choice. Didn't have time to pack up my bike for an actual ride this morning but I threw some bike shorts into my bag "just in case" and got down to the gym after a morning meeting ended early - hurray! I'm not a fan of the stationary bike but eh, better than nothing and worked up a good sweat.

Thursday
Did: 4.6 mi @ 8:12/mi avg
This was SUCH A GOOD RUN. I headed out in the afternoon, which is usually a terrible time, plus it had just started raining. I said "whatever" and went out anyway, and I was grinning the entire run.

Also, apparently it ended up being a progression run?? Nice.

Friday

Did: nada
Yeahhhhh it's a rest day. Actually feel like I earned it this week!

Saturday
Did: 10.1 mi @ 9:37/mi
Got out right at sunrise for some solo miles with the goal of making it to double-digits for the first time since injury. It was nice and cold but felt perfect for a run! Started out through Green Valley, took the Swamp Rabbit down to Furman, and looped through campus before heading home. Felt good and steady throughout the run and of course loved having this done before breakfast. YES I'M BACK!!

Sunday
Did: 20.7 mi road bike ride
Went out for a solo road ride in the afternoon, and quickly found that the legs were more tired than I'd anticipated. My goal was still to do ~20 miles, but I did the first half on more challenging hills then followed it with some Swamp Rabbit + Furman miles to finish up. A lovely crisp fall ride!

Week-ending thoughts:
I didn't even both with week-beginning thoughts this time since things never seem to go as planned. Finally a good week, though! Of course next week will be challenging again due to travel for work. I'll do my best!

Struggle bus. But still moving.

Well, last week (10/29-11/4) was a struggle for motivation.

Monday I lifted at the very end of the day (snooze) then went for a walk outside because it was so nice.

Skipped 10kTuesday because Reasons. (by Reasons I mean lame excuses that really shouldn't have mattered, but there you go)

Ran at lunch on Thursday (4.44 mi @ 8:56/mi) and felt good afterwards, but I can tell I'm losing some fitness and that makes me mad at myself.


Saturday, however, was EPIC and one of the best days in a long long time. I got to spend 5+ hours in the woods among leaves the color of fire, crystal blue sky above, and two wheels under me. Good friends, laughter, and 2,300+ ft of elevation gain in Pisgah.

Ahh, Pisgah.

 

 

 

 

  

Bike friendsssssss 💛

Post-ride recovery beers are the best.

We were on the bikes for 5 hours and covered almost 20 miles. I haven't ridden this long on a mountain bike in a long time, so I was especially happy that my 2nd ride in the past month since injury was this good! We didn't get home until almost 8pm after departing around 9am, so it made for a LONG day but man that's the best kind of exhaustion.

ETA: more pics from the Piney Mountain Bike Lounge page...

Stopped at the end of Squirrel Gap Trail

Almost to the top of the climb, but the best views!

Not sure where this was, but there were lots of rocks!!