CSWS: Week 13

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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My two little loves.

Thoughts as I entered this week:

1) Am I really less than a month away from running a marathon? It feels like I haven't raced in forever so the feeling seems foreign to me.

2) My mileage is FINALLY decreasing! I think I got the message across that I'm over these 4:30 a.m. runs.

3) More sleep in my future! See point #2.

4) Rest for my hard-working body. Realistically, I still have some tough workouts in my future, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

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• 8/14: 8.03 miles, 8:56/mile. Track Day! I took my fartleks to the track with Meggie who had some 1000's to run. Three mile warm up, 12 x 1 minute hard then easy, 2 mile cool down. I felt good overall...getting tired, as I should, towards then end of the workout.
  

  

• 8/15: Chest/Back workout, 30 minutes. Running rest day with just enough time to hit up the gym after work. 
• 8/16: 8 miles, 8:31/mile; Core Power Yoga, 1 hour. Steady State Run. I told Elizabeth I would help her with her speed workout this week. I was pleasantly surprised to see Katie and Amy! I'm glad Amy took over my roll of helping Elizabeth because I was perfectly happy with my steady state pace! Katie and I knocked out some low to mid 8s while those ladies rocked it out a little faster.
  

  

  [Elizabeth, Amy, Katie, ME]

• 8/17: Bis/Tris/Glutes/Yoga, 1 hour. I did 40 minutes of strength training followed by a 20 minute yoga practice. Looking forward to my weekend miles!
  

  

  Stretching that left hip of mine!

• 8/18: 8.03 miles, 9:00/mile. Well, I did it again. I was supposed to run 9 miles but let myself be happy with 8. I met up with Amanda, Elizabeth and Anna. We did about 3.5 with E and Anna, when Amanda asked if I'd speed up a bit because she wasn't feeling well (we also had more mileage). Amanda needed 8 miles so I just stopped with her. I just wasn't feeling like doing one solo. Call me a lazy ass. I will need to make up for this missed mile so I can get 50 for the week!
  

  

  [Amanda, Elizabeth, ME, Anna]

• 8/19: 18.01 miles, 9:09/mile. LOVED this run! There were six of us with varying distances. Katie, Brandi, and I set off at 6:30 a.m. for 4 miles then came back around to pick up Noemi, Brittaney and Lisa B. We then did a 6 mile loop. I was feeling good with only 8 to go! We did a 5 mile out and back to get Brandi her miles. Then Katie, Noemi, and I set off to finish off our miles. I loved running this in segments. It kept my mind focused and made the miles fly by. I think the highlight of the run was the last 3 mile section. We explored a part of Westerville I had never been to. Highland Lakes, maybe?  I just remember Katie saying we might want to kill her when we see the incline we had to go up. LOL!! I'm not sure what came over me...I was just feeling awesome. I wanted to tackle that hill. I marched up that thing with purpose and loved every second of it! Since the other girls had two additional miles, we parted ways for my last 1.5 miles. I ended my run with an 8:28 and 8:05 mile! The conversations we had were so full of positivity. On top of that, we had a nice refreshing sprinkle in the middle of our run. Great, great run.
  

  

  Had to get a pic of my bunny buns.

• 8/20: 8 miles, 8:44/mile. I wanted to allow myself an extra morning to sleep in (and Jimmy had church rehearsal so I'd have to go extra early). I opted for an afternoon run...too bad Ruthie had me awake at 6:15!! UGH. I decided to head to the trails in Gahanna to give me a little shade in this brutal heat. It provided me at least 3 miles out of the sun.
  

  

  Had lots of fun on this toasty run!

 

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Since I cut my track workout by two miles AND my Friday run by one mile, I added a mile to my Sunday run so I could get 50 for the week. There was no way I was going to be happy with 49! That's a weird number.

 

Although this coming week has decreased mileage (only 42!!!), I have two harder workouts that terrify me. On a positive note, I get to run the Emerald City Half as my long run for the week! Hopefully being out there with thousands (or hundreds) of runners will keep me on task for my race pace miles. I'm also hoping it will get me in the race spirit. I haven't raced since July 4th!