CSWS: Week 10

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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My girl.

 

Week 10?! Time is just flying. This week felt a tad bit funky because we had planned a family weekend trip to Lake Erie. I had to do my long run on Friday to avoid doing stupid amounts of miles in a place of which I'm unfamiliar.

Also, this week, I increased my weekly mileage just a bit from last week and planned to run 58 miles. Because of the tightness I had last week, I was going to give myself the option of taking an extra rest day if it was needed (by just taking out my easy 5 miler).

 

• 7/24: 4.03 miles, 10:08/mile. My friend, Meg, and I needed some one on one time. It was, as always, great to see her and the miles seemed to fly by.
• 7/25: 10.01 miles, 8:24/mile. Speed day! Workout: 2 miles up, 3x3200m with 2-4 minute recovery (I did 400m because my mind works in distance...I don't need to be confused at 4:30 in the morning), cool down to 10 miles. To say I was nervous is a slight understatement. Anytime I see that I have to run 7-anything more than one mile, I get scared. Then I was thinking about all of the miles I had run up to this point. I was going on day 6 of running without a rest day ( I would have just over 55 miles in those 6 days when I finished this workout). I used a rest day as motivation to get through it. The workout wasn't as bad as anticipated. I was trying to just get a feel of the pace so that I didn't have to look at my watch the whole time.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  
• 7/26: Core Power Yoga Class, 1 hour. Today was a running rest day! I decided to switch my rest day from Saturday to today. Hopefully it does me well. I've been wanting to check out this free yoga class the past couple of weeks, but Jimmy has had rehearsal so I haven't had the opportunity. I REALLY liked it and hope to return!
• 7/27: 9.3 miles, 9:19/mile. I continued my trend of doing a longer-than-short distance run the day before my long run. Tomorrow is my first 20 miler of the season, so I made my 9 miler today's agenda. I had to wake at the wee hour of 3:50 to meet some ladies for a 4:30 a.m. start. My legs felt so tired! I thought a rest day would have done me some good. Maybe yoga was a little more intense than I thought. I'm not sure why I felt so tired, but I did. Hopefully this doesn't mean my long run will feel the same way.
  

  

  We're just happy that it's over and we can get coffee.

• 7/28: 20 miles, 9:12/mile. My first 20 miler this training season! I met up with Jessie so stupid early...earlier than yesterday!! I broke up our run into a 10.25 mile loop and a 9.75 mile loop. The course was awesome. We ran through places I've been a bazillion times, but it felt so new. My legs felt great the entire time (even with all of the inclines!). I couldn't believe it. My only complaint was that I got really anxious the last mile. Even though I enjoyed the run, I think I was just ready for it to be over with.
  

  

  Tour de Gahanna.

• 7/29: 5 miles, 9:14/mile. We did our annual family trip to Lake Erie (which is why I did my long run yesterday). I set off with no course in mind. I wanted to explore the town a bit. I stumbled across a walkway that crossed the water to the lighthouse, but I couldn't go all the way down because it was flooded! Ugh. I decided not to look at my watch except to check my distance. I felt really good considering I ran mucho miles yesterday.
  

  

  The view is gorgeous as long as you don't look at the ugly water.

  
  

  

  Attempting yesterday's yoga challenge in sand.

• 7/30: 10.01 miles, 8:58/mile. We all have runs that we fail...this was one of mine. I was supposed to run 10 miles with 4 of them between 7:21 and 7:37. I knew it would be tough putting it at the end of my week, but I didn't have much of a choice. I went into it with a positive attitude, but knew during my warm up that I likely would not be able to accomplish the task at hand. I did my 4 mile warm up and started my first fast mile. After feeling fatigued, I decided I would at least try to run marathon race pace. I didn't want to look at my watch because I feared failure. That mile was 7:53. When I saw that split, I decided I might be able to hold that for at least two more miles. My next mile was 7:35. At that point, I had to stop for a moment. The sun was so hot and my legs felt so tired. I had a decision to make, and something was telling me to suck it up and go for it. Almost a quarter mile into the next mile, I decided to slow down. I just couldn't hold the pace I needed. I decided that I would get my 10 miles and be happy rather than try to run more fast miles and hate my run. I never really felt like I was giving up because I at least gave it a sincere effort.
  

  

  I failed the workout, but loved the run anyway.

 

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Although I ended on a not so great note, I'm happy with my week as a whole. I ran all the miles without all the tight muscles! My tightness has not been an issue since Tuesday or Wednesday. I am absolutely fatigued, but that's no shocker after running those miles. All I kept thinking this week was "This dedication better pay off!" The early mornings got to me this week. It was a struggle, but I don't regret any of it.

One on one time with my boy at the beach.