CSWS: Week 8

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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A date with my boy.

Halfway there!!! I've finished week 8 and the second of four training blocks. This block continued to incorporate all of the various types of runs (listed at the end of THIS post), but increased mileage and intervals as well as incorporating race pace miles in two of my long runs. My weekly mileage ranged from 44 to just over 50 miles. Fifty miles is what I peaked at for my first two postpartum marathons this year. I'm excited to venture towards the upper 50's again. I hope my body can handle it!

Black beans!!

At the beginning of this week, I was dealing with a tight calf and piriformis in my right leg...same one I had issues with earlier this year. It felt as tight as it did the month before I ran the Little Rock marathon. I ended up getting a massage a few days before I ran that race. I decided, if the tightness persisted after the weekend, I would probably fork out the cash to get another massage. It really seemed to help the first time around. It never bothers me while running...just during the day when I'm sitting in my car. I was definitely getting referred pain from my sciatic nerve being compressed. Fortunately, the tightness seemed to subside by Friday and never really came back after my long run (which I suspected might irritate it). 

 

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• 7/10: REST. I'm pretty sure I did nothing at all. My legs definitely needed a break.
• 7/11: 6 miles, 9:55/mile; Chest/Back/Glutes, 40 minutes. Today's workout included hill repeats. I met some ladies at the Hoover Dam for 10 x 30 second hill sprints. Warm up, recoveries, and cool down were slow. I definitely worked hard on my sprints, though. Doing the hills probably didn't help out my tightness issue, but the workout needed to be done!
  

  

  Morning view.

• 7/12: 6.01 miles, 8:39/mile. Today called for an easy run. I met up with Jackie and Marion in Dublin!
  

  

  Stoplight selfie! [Marion, ME, Jackie]

• 7/13: 10 miles, 8:40/mile. Workout: 4 mile warm up, 6 miles progressing 8:15 (MP) to 7:45(HP). I couldn't find a partner for this workout!! Ugh. I was a little nervous about getting up early and running solo. Historically, I find an excuse not to run anytime I'm put in this situation. I prefer not to run alone in the dark. Because of my reservations, I decided to run two 5 mile loops so that I was decently close to home at all times. Let's talk about the weather...it decided to get really hot and humid this week. Today was no joke! Garmin tells me it was 79 degrees when I was running. I didn't check the humidity before my run, but it was 92% when I finished. Geez. I could feel it! My warm up was incredibly sluggish (look at those splits! LOL).
  

  

  I didn't know how I was going to hit these paces. I kept telling my self I could shorten the number of fast miles...but then I felt as if I would have been cheating myself out of a workout. I decided to would target MP for 2 miles, 8:00 to 8:05 for two miles, then work my way towards 7:45 for the last two (actual splits above). The entire workout was a struggle. I felt like I was fighting for every second. So frustrating. I wasn't nervous at all about hitting these paces when I saw the workout. I was more concerned about being alone. When I started running, I knew it would be a tough day. I'm just happy I survived without getting struck by lightning (the weather was eerie).
  

  

• 7/14: Yoga, 40 minutes. I did a workout from Yoga Journal magazine. I was hoping to find a private room at the Y, but they were having classes. I had to do it in public! Ugh. I'm sure I looked like a weirdo.
• 7/15: 18.03 miles, 9:13/mile. I was really looking forward to my long run this week. It's been a while since I've hit that number! Also, I didn't have to add any race pace miles so there was nothing to be afraid of. I met up with several of my regulars in New Albany for a little exploring. It was a gorgeous morning! So much cooler than the crazy ass weather we had at the end of the week.
  

  

  My favorite part about Saturday.

• 7/16: 5.29 miles, 9:29/mile; Hatha Yoga Class, 1 hour. I met Sarah K about 3 minutes from my house for an easy run. I needed this run! My pelvis was a little stiff/sore from my long run, and this was just what I needed to help loosen it up.
  

  

  It was a skirt kind of day.

 

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This coming week should definitely hand me some challenges. I'll increase my mileage to 55 including only one running rest day. Postpartum, I ran just 4 days a week except for my 50 mile weeks (ran 5 days during those weeks). It's been two years since I've done this so I'm a little nervous. I'll certainly continue to listen to my body, but I'm hoping my body brings me success!