CSWS: Week 9

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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I was really excited for this week because I was planning to run my highest weekly mileage in two years. Yay! I just wasn't sure how my body would handle it. I wasn't as concerned about the first two workouts of the week, but the last four days included a lot of mileage [for me]. All I could do was put myself out there and hope for the best.
 

This was, by far, my favorite way to cool off this week.

 

• 7/17: 4.01 miles, 9:15/mile. I stayed close to home and met up with Sarah K. for this run. It was so incredibly humid outside. I was happy to run short and easy knowing that things would only get longer and sometimes faster the rest of the week.
• 7/18: 10.01 miles, 8:34/mile; Bis/Tris/Glutes, 40 minutes. Steady State Run. Everyone else needed 8 miles so I did a 2 mile warm up before everyone arrived (9:21/mile). I knew I needed some warm up miles if I was going to keep up with these ladies! I got pregnant and they just kept getting faster (except Jackie...she got pregnant and stayed fast the entire time!!)! LOL. The remaining 8 miles averaged 8:23/mile which is in my pace range for the workout. Run highlights: Opossum sighting of which I missed, Marion screaming when she saw it, Jeanne at the top of the hill acting like a possum, our resident zoologist (Dani) telling us all about opossums, and Jackie saving me from a car driving too damn fast around the traffic circle.
  

  

  (s)miles in Dublin. [Jeanne, Jackie, Marion, ME, Dani]

• 7/19: Yoga, 50 minute class at the Y; Shoulders, 30 minutes. Running rest day for me! I had a late start to my work day so I was able to check out a morning yoga class at the Hilliard Y.
• 7/20: 10 miles, 8:46/mile. Track day! Fartlek Workout: 5.36 mile warm up, 12 x 1 minute hard/easy (approx. 3 miles), 1.64 cool down. I had a lot on my mind this morning. Running alone in the dark always has me on edge, but it's my reality some days. The positive is that it allows for prayer time. The word "excuses" was stuck in my brain. I was exposed to many situations the hours leading up to this in which people seemed to have excuses. I was trying to work through this and how it was affecting me, etc. I let out my frustrations via a conversation in my head, but the run just wasn't clearing my mind. When I got to the track to start my intervals, it all seemed to go away as I was focusing on each faster minute. As I headed home for my cool down, I still couldn't shake the thoughts from my head. This might be the first time a run couldn't clear my mind!
  

  

  The moon kept me company.

• 7/21: 8 miles, 9:16/mile. This week I promised my pal I would start intentionally putting an easy, not too short run the day before my long run. I haven't been avoiding it on purpose...I've just been scheduling as it fit more conveniently to my personal schedule as well as when I could find partners. That changes NOW! I will do what I have to do to run strategically...even if it means running solo. I met Jessie in Gahanna for some easy miles. We weren't sure how the weather would play out. It rained very little, maybe only a minute, but it was lightning throughout the entire run. It seemed to be far away, but still a little scary. Probably not my smartest decision! The air was super thick, but we survived the run. It will only make us stronger, right?!
  

  

• 7/22: 17 total miles: 8.75 @ 9:15, 8.25 @ 8:19. That storm, though?! Wowza. I planned to run some miles with Katie and Tamara, and we had our eyes stuck on the weather apps. Begrudgingly, we decided to meet at 5:30 a.m. thinking we'd have just enough time to finish before the storm hit. Not so much! We were about 8 miles into our run when it started getting very dark behind us. We stopped to check the radar to make a decision. We were pretty close to Katie and Tamara's homes and not as close to our vehicles. We decided to play it smart and run to Katie's house. Halfway through that mile, it got BAD...wind, lightning, rain. Crazy pants. We hauled ass to Katie's garage, dried off, and Katie drove us to our cars. I wasn't looking forward to finishing on the treadmill, but glad I had that as an option. Also, it would help me keep pace for my race pace miles (trying to look at the positives!). I got on the treadmill, ran 1.25 miles to reach 10, and set it to 7.3 mph (8:13/mi) for the final seven. Things started getting mentally tough during my fourth race pace mile, but that only lasted a mile...thank goodness! I'm just happy everyone came out of this run without a scratch.
  

  

  Compression and coffee in a mug...my Saturday regulars.

• 7/23: 6.10 miles, 9:15/mile; Hatha Yoga Class, 1 hour. I had this new route in my head that incorporated the new trail section in Gahanna, BUT I missed my turn and we didn't get as much of an adventure as I had intended. Of course, it was crazy humid making it tough to warm up. Once we got past the first half of the run, we were cruising right along. I was surprised at how good my legs felt during this run. Sure, the pace was easy, but I've had some easy paced runs feel pretty crappy!
  

  

  I love my Sunday morning chaos...most of the time.

 

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I am SO happy with how this week ended. I know there are people that run WAY more than I do, but getting 55 miles this week was a HUGE milestone for me. It's been a long time since I've done that. Fourty-one miles the last four days including speed work and race pace miles...I'll take it!

 

My only annoyance right now is my left hip tightness. I've been so focused on loosening up my right piriformis (the one that was causing my radiculopathy), that I've neglected my left hip tightness as well as my back tightness. My left glutes have been getting a lot more attention the past three days. The tennis ball has been my best friend. It's feeling much better today so I'm hoping that trend will continue. Again, if it  doesn't subside completely in a couple more days, I will make a date with the massage therapist.

 

This coming week, I will be enjoying my first 20 miler of the training session!!!