Monday, January 29, 2018

Weekly Roundup 1.22-1.28


Week 5 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

This week was weird.  But the good news is I am still feeling great, injury free and I am another week closer to my goal.  I took it easy on the running but I went hard in the gym with the next program progression thanks to Greg.

On Monday I did my first (mid-thigh) full clean and a bunch of other exercises I was not familiar with before hitting the treadmill.  Tuesday was a rainy mess so stayed after work for another treadmill run and then on Wednesday went right to high hang power cleaning.  These new workouts were kicking my butt so I decided to skip my run.

  
I had an extra hour Thursday morning so I brought G out for 2 miles.  When I got to work, I started logging into all our social media accounts and saw that a sexual assault happened less then a half mile from my work.  The news article said a female in her 30s was walking just before 5:30pm when a man grabbed her by the wrists and dragged her into the woods.  Reading this I literally freaked out.  I had flashbacks to the time I was followed on a run.  I was shaking.  Those are MY roads.  It’s so unfair that women have to feel unsafe doing the things they love.  The things that make them feel free.  I didn’t run Wednesday night when the alleged incident happened but I so often run right by there when I work until 4pm.  It could have been me.  It could happen to anyone.  It’s also a good wake up call and reminder how screwed up this world is and to always be alert and aware of your surroundings.  

I shared my safety tips for runners and walker a few years back.  You can read them here: http://www.jenrunsfastblog.com/2013/11/running-safety.html

So I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid to run long on Friday.  My goal was to run another 14 and Friday was my only option to do it because Saturday was Rehab 2018—our annual day of staff training, inservice presentations and team building activities.  The morning was single digit temperatures so I waited until noon to run when it was about 28 feels like 18 degrees.  It was also my way of procrastinating and trying to talk myself out of the run.  I knew I needed to get in some hills so I grabbed my mace and headed to Falmouth to run the Falmouth Road Race course x2.

My mom was getting out of work as I approached Woods Hole so she came by and checked on me, which was nice.  Overall my run felt great and I actually felt like I could run for hours.  I wasn’t checking my watch.  I just ran.  There was a little bit of fear but my mom was tracking me and it helped that I know that course so well I could probably run it with my eyes closed.  When I ran my first 14 miler two weeks ago, I thought my 7:20 average pace was a fluke but I ended up averaging 7:23 pace this week!  I couldn’t believe it.  It really makes me wonder what I am capable of in April… although I hear the Boston course can get the best of anyone.



Other highlights:

·      On Friday night I went back to the gym for my third workout of the week.  This one featured… BOX JUMPS.  I was literally thinking about them all week.  If you didn’t know, Jen can’t jump.  Erin stayed after work and joined me for a workout and we had a box jump party.  She’s 4’11.  I’m 5’4.  Her box was about 3 feet higher than mine.

·      Rehab 2018 was so fun!  The morning was filled with presentations but in the afternoon we got in the pool for a hard workout before some intense team building competitions which included team entrance dances...

Upcoming events:

·      11 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 1.22.18
4 treadmill miles (30:47)
Greg’s Workout #7
Burdenko H2O
1’ rowing
12,887 steps

Tuesday 1.23.18
4 treadmill miles (30:42)
Taught spin class
13,282 steps

Wednesday 1.24.18
Greg’s Workout #8
8,902 steps

Thursday 1.25.18
2 miles with G (19:21)
Taught spin class
Power Water
18,581 steps

Friday 1.26.18
14 miles (1:43:30)
Greg’s Workout #9
26,320 steps

Saturday 1.27.18
45’ pool lab
1’ rowing
7,528 steps

Sunday 1.28.18
Taught spin class
Burdenko H2O
13,189 steps


ICYMI

This week’s mileage: 24 miles
This week’s G mileage: 2 miles
January Totals: 104 miles
2018 Totals: 104 miles

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Weekly Roundup 1.15-1.21


Week 4 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

4 weeks down, 12 weeks to go!  I originally planned this week to be a down week—as in I was building on my mileage for the first 3 weeks then I drop back for an easier week before I start another building block—but mid-week I kind of changed my mind.  Next Saturday is our annual day of staff training, inservice presentations and team building activities leaving Friday as my long run day.  I get nervous when I have limited options so I ended up running a little longer this week so I have the opportunity to back off next week instead.

Monday I opted indoors to avoid the icy roads and ran on the treadmill.  I sent a message out to my running friends on Tuesday morning and committed early to Tuesday night run club.  I’m glad I did because I almost backed out.  We all need a little boost sometimes.

  
I was not in the mood to run on Wednesday so I went right into lifting.  Craig showed up at 4 and we got it done.  I felt a little guilty when I got home so I grabbed Georgie and we did a few loops around the block in the dark.  Night running with her is so fun.  She is so focused!

An ideal weekend running schedule for me would be an easy run Friday morning, gym Friday night then a long run on Saturday.  I work Sundays so that is my day off—even though I teach spin and swim.  I have found that when I run long on Friday, I feel awful on Saturday.  Tired legs, unmotivated to workout and extra lazy. 

This weekend worked out as planned and the weather actually cooperated.  I ran Friday morning with G then finished up with another 4 miles on my own.  That night I went to the gym and crushed my workout.  I even did a pull up!  My first pull up!  I was so proud.  I had been working on eccentric pull ups—jumping up and slowly lowering—but randomly decided to give it a try without the jump.  I was standing on the platform so the next progression would be to pull myself up from a hang.  Progress!

Even though it was super windy, Saturday turned out to be a great day for a long run.  The sun was shining.  It was about 40 degrees.  I slept in, drank some coffee and I was ready to go!

I got out the door around 10:30am and headed toward Cotuit.  I think I mentioned a few weeks ago how much I enjoyed running there.  People were so friendly—and on this run I passed so many runners and walkers.  I even met up with two Cotuit firefighters at one of my beach rest spots.  They just happened to be working that day and spotted me while driving around town.  


Overall my long run felt great.  I continue to run based on feel and I rarely look at my watch while I’m running.  It’s so great to not worry about pace and it’s just what I need mentally to get me to Boston.  You never know, I might just surprise myself when I get to that start line in Hopkinton.  When nothing is certain, anything is possible.

Other highlights:

·      Last week I asked my Instagram followers what I should do with my hair because I was having a hard time deciding.  Even though 61 percent said to “chop it off,” I ended up only getting a trim.  I was talking to one of my spin and swimmers on Thursday night and he told me the story of Samson and how he lost his strength when his hair was cut.  So with that in mind, I decided I will let my hair grow—hopefully long enough so I can it donate after Boston!

Upcoming events:

·      12 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 1.15.18
3.5 treadmill miles (26:35)
Greg’s Workout #4
Burdenko H2O
13,731 steps

Tuesday 1.16.18
Marathon Sports Run Club! 3.43 miles (31:09)
Taught spin class
20’ walk with G and mama
19,157 steps

Wednesday 1.17.18
1.5 miles with G (14:48)
Greg’s Workout #5
10,468 steps

Thursday 1.18.18
Taught spin class
Power Water
12,691 steps

Friday 1.19.18
1.55 miles with G (14:40)
4 miles (29:39)
Greg’s Workout #6
15,526 steps

Saturday 1.20.18
12 miles (1:30:00)
18’ walk with the fam
24,926 steps

Sunday 1.21.18
Taught spin class
Burdenko H2O
1’ rowing
11,741 steps


ICYMI

This week’s mileage: 26 miles
This week’s G mileage: 3 miles
January Totals: 80 miles

2018 Totals: 80 miles

Monday, January 15, 2018

Weekly Roundup 1.8-1.14


Week 3 of 16

“I’m on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.”

I am three weeks into training and I feel FANTASTIC.  Easy runs are getting a lot faster—and I‘m sure I can thank weight training for part of that.  I have put absolutely no pressure on myself this training cycle and it has made a huge difference both mentally and physically.  I am running super relaxed and feel very comfortable and very STRONG.

The week started out with a treadmill run and lift sess on Monday.  I wasn’t feeling it on Tuesday so I opted out of Run Club and decided to cuddle up on the couch with a book instead. 

Side note: I just finished Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence by Gary Mack and moved on to Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.

The sun is beginning to set later and later and I was actually able to get outside for 5 miles after work on Wednesday without feeling rushed.  I threw in a mile of Fartlek running and ended my run to another incredible sunset.  We had what felt like a heat wave on Thursday so I got G back out for a short run in the morning before work.


Mother Nature threatened to mess up my weekend run plans yet again.  My boss told me we have to take advantage of every good run opportunity from now until April so with that in mind, I ran long on Friday.  The weather was warm, humid and unbelievably windy.  I was in Falmouth for an appointment and kept refreshing the hour-by-hour forecast all morning before finally just heading to the bike path and getting it done before the storm.  Plus—I was dying to see the frozen ocean.




I posted to my Instagram page that “There’s just something about that first 14 miler…”  14 miles is a milestone that makes marathon training seem real to me.  Once you get past that first 14 miler, it opens the door to 16.  If you can run 16, 18 is within reach.  Then there is 20 and if you can run 20, you can run 26.2 miles.  At some point during the 16-weeks, my mindset goes from “I have to run 14 miles” to “I ONLY have to run 14 miles.”  It becomes a treat.  The first 14 is also a good benchmark and a reminder to trust the process and stay patient because let’s face it—it’s only going up from here…

Other highlights:

·      I got a new Mantra Band!  Fearless: To be fearless is to do what scares you, to take a chance, to make a change.  To love again.  And to get back up after you fall.  To be fearless is to know your fears, but never let them stop you.

Upcoming events:

·      13 weeks until the Boston Marathon!

Monday 1.8.18
3 treadmill miles (22:38)
Greg’s Workout #6
30’ spinning with Leslie
Burdenko H2O
12,841 steps

Tuesday 1.9.18
Taught spin class
8,848 steps

Wednesday 1.10.18
5 miles with 1 mile Fartlek (36:09) <--6:52
30’ spinning with Leslie
13,611 steps

Thursday 1.11.18
1.46 miles with G (13:44)
Power Water
13,338 steps

Friday 1.12.18
14 miles (1:42:43)
24,787 steps

Saturday 1.13.18
1.49 miles with G (14:34)
3 miles (23:18)
Greg’s Workout #6
12,532 steps

Sunday 1.14.18
Taught spin class
Burdenko H2O
14,101 steps



ICYMI

This week’s mileage: 28 miles
This week’s G mileage: 3 miles
January Totals: 54 miles

2018 Totals: 54 miles