Thanksgiving Week

 Not taking much time off from work, and Thursday starts the annual Runner's World Run Streak #rwrunstreak 

Monday

Did: 3.31 mi @ 8:47/mi avg + 15 min core/bodyweight exercises

Midday run in the neighborhood followed by 15 mins of core & bodyweight exercises at home. I guess I did enough pushups/burpees because I was sore on Tuesday.

Tuesday

Did: 6.7 mi @ 7:54/mi avg Track Tuesday

5x800 (3:18, 3:29, 3:30, 3:29, 3:26) on the track with the crew this morning. It was lovely and chilly! Not all that fast for the repeats, but most of them measured closer to 0.55 mi instead of 0.5, so the pace clocked 6:00-6:29/mi which makes me feel better. It certainly felt faster and harder than a 7:00/mi pace. 

Wednesday

Did: 55 min DIY sculpt 

I never got the Zoom link for the virtual class I signed up for (first time that's ever happened!) so I decided to just make up my own routine and cranked up my music. It actually went pretty quickly to fill an hour, which was surprising considering I usually get bored about 30 minutes into any strength routine. It was a little haphazard but turned out OK. 

Thursday

Run Streak Day 1

Did: 17.5 mi road ride + 3.11 mi run @ 9:07/mi avg

Started off the morning with a road ride with Scott after the early morning rain moved out. It's been a while since I was on my road bike but ended up being a nice ride!

Right after we got back I headed out for a quick 5k in the neighborhood. It reminded me of triathlon days and the legs didn't want to move at first. Got into a good stride after a while and finished out the miles with no problem.

Not the Turkey Trot I'm used to.

Friday

Run Streak Day 2

Did: 60 min power flow w/ Jessica + 2.34 mi @ 9:12/mi 

Lots of crow during today's yoga but felt good and strong! Followed in the afternoon with a short run in the neighborhood for the run streak.

Saturday

Run Streak Day 3

Did: 13.14 mi @ 9:37/mi avg

Some days you just wake up and decide "I think I'll run a half marathon today." And so I did. It was a casual out-and-back on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, but felt good to do some long steady miles. 

Pretty colors on the trees still. :)

Sunday

Run Streak Day 4

Did: 13.6 mi mountain bike ride + 1 mi run

Bike ride with family and a good friend today. Started off a little sluggish but got into the groove after a few miles and enjoyed the ride. Ran a quick mile loop in the neighborhood when we got home just to get the streak mile done. Legs are pretty toasted!

Another strong week

Monday
Did: 60 min Power Flow w/ Jasmine

Nice class on the sunny but cool screened porch. Not too taxing today, just stretchy goodness.

Tuesday

Did: 7.49 mi Track Tuesday + half of Power Flow w/ Jasmine

Started off the morning with chilly Track Tuesday w/ Matt. Felt pretty good and strong today, and got in more distance than past weeks, so that's always a good sign.

1600 - 7:23

400 - 1:35

1600 - 7:14

400 - 1:34

800 (moderate effort) - 3:37

Signed up for Power Flow class and did half of it before I decided I was tired and would only half-ass it if I continued, so I stopped midway through class. Did not regret this decision. 

Wednesday

Did: 3.15 mi run + 60 min Soul Sculpt w/ Brionna

After deciding to sign up for something crazy I figured I would need to combine running + strength training more often. So I headed out for a quick 3 miles before sculpt class. Brionna's class did not disappoint! Tough stuff, tons of arms and back, great workout.

Thursday

Did: 60 min Soul Sculpt w/ Melissa

Sculpt class two days in a row - whew! This was an insane day of meetings and I could have easily said "I don't have time for this" but made it happen anyway and of course felt much better because of it. And let's be honest, I wouldn't have accomplished much in that hour if I'd taken it to do something else. 

This was my insanity

Friday

Did: 4.37 mi @ 8:47/mi + 60 min Power Flow w/ Jessica

Got a few miles in around the neighborhood just in time before yoga started. Yoga was good, I felt a little sloppy/lazy which I attributed to having just gone for a run and needing lunch (reasonable). Still got a few good side crows in, though!

Saturday

Did: 8.1 mi trail run

Decided on Paris Mountain as my trail run location for this morning. It was super nice, even a bit on the warm side, but felt good to be running trails once again. I even made it all the way up Sulphur Springs without any walking breaks!

North Lake was like a mirror - so calm

Remnants of storm Zeta

Sunday

Did: 3.9 mi hike

Hike with D & some friends (and their pups!). Super nice day out, not a difficult hike but pretty view at the end. 

Solid week

 Monday

Did: 60 min Power Flow w/ Karina

I almost bailed on this one because I've got a sniffly 5-year-old home with me today and I was just not focused AT ALL, but I stuck with my plan and got it done. It was a warm sunny day for class out on the back porch, but turned out pretty nice. Felt good and strong today. 

Tuesday

Did: 6.37 mi #10kTuesday in 2 parts

Met up with Matt to run early, but skipped the track since he's just recovering from a 50k this past Saturday. We did an easy (8:19/mi avg) 5-ish miles up and back on the Swamp Rabbit in the humid (wtf November) darkness. Finished with a mile back in the 'hood to get my 10k done. 

Wednesday

Did: 2.94 mi @ 8:40/mi + Soul Sculpt w/ Melissa

Got out for a few quick miles in the neighborhood in a light rain. Followed up with Soul Sculpt which was a real butt-kicker (in a good way). Burpees, oh my!

☔

Thursday

Did: 4.92 mi @ 8:25/mi

Felt good to get out and push a loop through Green Valley. It's far too warm for mid-November, though, and I'm looking forward to the cooler temps that are supposed to be coming this weekend. 

Friday

Did: 60 min Power Flow w/ Jessica

I'm getting better at twisting half moon and I lifted one leg in crow pose ("Flying crow") although it did not last long and definitely did not look graceful. But still... finally back in the routine enough to see some progress in advanced poses! 

Saturday

Did: 11.0 mi trail run 

A couple days ago I got the urge for a good long trail run, so that's just what I did with my Saturday morning! I headed to Dupont and spent a few hours running in the forest. It was just what I needed, although the trail I'd targeted as my "destination" turned out to be rather underwhelming. Oh well, it was something new and now I can say I've been there (and I don't have to go back lol). 

Maybe I was inspired by memories of Sky to Summit 25k that I ran a year ago (and was occurring this weekend)?

It was 35F in Dupont when I got up this morning - beautiful chill and had the trails mostly to myself for the first part of my run.

I was not aware that there was a creek crossing. 

Sometimes you just gotta get your feet wet.

Then there was the ankle-deep mud... 

Made it to the "destination" point... this was the nice view.
Underwhelmed! 😐

The underwhelming trail took me to an unmarked trail that was more interesting... had lots of large boulders visible through the trees which was pretty neat.

Something about those bald rock faces. 

Overall it was a great run and I really loved being back on the trails!

Sunday

Did: 2.56 mi hike w/ D

Hiked up to Falls Creek Falls with D this morning, nice overcast to start and sunny by the end. This was a special hike because the last time I did it, I was 32 weeks pregnant with him, and now I got to bring him back. :) It's a hard, steep hike up to the falls, and then a steep technical return down the same trail. D did really well, and we enjoyed the beautiful falls!

Starting off

water crossing

big rocks to climb up

Excited to be getting close! (Falls in the background)

Yessss we made it! 

Snacktime

Um, it's November?

Monday

Did: 60 min Soul Sculpt w/ Kerilyn

Good way to start a Monday, felt good to get moving and get this done in the morning. 

Also, love this Ellie outfit ✨

Tuesday

Did: 6.7 mi @ 8:19/mi Track Tuesday

Ran in the frosty early morning with Matt & Chris. First really cold day of running but it felt great! Did a downward ladder starting with 1 mile.

1 mile - 7:09

1200m - 5:21

800m - 3:23

400m - 1:34

Plus, the benefit of time change is a lovely early sunrise over Paris Mountain in the distance.

Wednesday

Did: 3.1 mi @ 8:28/mi

Got out for an afternoon 5k around the neighborhood. Not much but better than nothing.

Thursday

Did: 4.06 mi @ 8:36/mi

Another neighborhood run, just getting in a few miles.

Friday

Did: 60 min Power Flow w/ Jessica

This was a great class, although too many forearm planks and such for my taste... my right forearm is still a little bruised from falling at the campground a couple weekends ago, so it's hard to do them properly. :/

Saturday

Did: Ville to Ville Relay!

I had legs 1 & 7, which meant I got to start the team off with 4.23 mi @ 7:47/mi at 5:30 in the morning in the DARK on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Thankfully there were others around me so I stuck with them pretty closely. Then in the late morning I had 7.27 mi @ 8:09/mi avg as the second hardest leg in the event - was pretty rolling elevation until the end which was tough! My goal was to finish under an hour, and I got it done in 59:15. Pretty pumped about that performance, and reminded me how much I miss racing and doing relays. It was such a fun day!

Dark run!

Pretty fall colors at the transition zone

Run all the miles, Drink all the beer

Finish Line!

Our team finished the ~62 miles in 8hrs 38mins which was faster than our projected time and much faster than last year. Go Team Quest!

Sunday

Did: 2.6 mi walk & 4.4 mi bike ride w/ D

Took a walk with D in the neighborhood over to the trails at the equestrian park in the morning. We enjoyed some of the fall colors and seeing the aftermath of storm Zeta from the previous weeks.

Colors

Big roots

Always have to find the best sticks

Trail buddy

Later in the day we joined a few friends from the neighborhood on a few loops on bikes. A fun relaxing day!

PS Hey look I actually posted something on Sunday when I finished the week. 😆

Wonky schedule week and then I forgot a week.

Monday 10/19

Did: nothing

Traveling home on airplanes wheeeeee.

Tuesday 10/20

Did: 6.71 mi @ 8:15/mi avg Track Tuesday

Got out early with Matt & Chris, and while I didn't feel super strong it did feel nice to get out. Weather was perfection (high 40s/low 50s). Right glute was tight, probably due to not having done yoga in about a week. 😩 Did 800s and 400s, all hovering around the 7-min/mi mark... not speedy but trying to put in the work. 

Uhhh well I don't know what happened the rest of this week. I did yoga and ran 3 miles on Friday, then left to go camping. Saturday rode my bike with the camping group. Um, yeah. 

Then the next week I did Monday power flow, Tuesday #10kTuesday plus a virtual 5k with some friends (total 9.3 miles for the day), Wednesday did sculpt and then nothing for the rest of the week due to power outages and just crazy weekend stuff.

MMMMKAY so. Yeah.