RV: Week 3

Running Vacation

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Reunited and it feels so good! My cousin Niki.

I wasn't sure how much running I'd be doing my last week of running vacation. Runs seem to be harder to make happen when I visit my mom because of where she lives and the fact that I have to run solo in a strange place. She lives in the country where 1) roads are 55 mph with no shoulder and people who speed. 2) roads have no speed limit, they aren't wide, have no markings for lanes at all, and peoples' dogs run loose and attack you (circa 2015). 3) you have to drive 30 minutes to Winchester, VA to run with a person you don't know well just so you don't have to run your long run solo. 4) you have to drive to a bike trail positioned between a highway and the woods to run solo and pray to God you don't get kidnapped.
 

Just in case, I wore the mask.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get my goal of at least 30 miles. I ended up using my dogs as a means of feeling more safe on shorter runs. It meant a lot of out and backs, but the trade-off was worth the comfort of feeling safe.

• 11/20: 4.64 miles, 9:57/mile; Shoulders/Legs, 40 minutes. The run went from four people to two when I woke up. I texted Lisa B to ask if she'd hate me if I slept. She talked sense into me, and I got my ass up to run. I'm so glad I did. I would have regretted staying in bed. We went into this run thinking we would run 5 miles, but we also didn't have a route or even care if we actually met the 5 mile goal. We were like, "4.64?! Sounds good enough to us!"

  

• 11/21: 7.05 miles, 9:42/mile. Again, I had no real plan. I just knew that today's run was to meet up with friends to send our friend, Mary, off to surgery in style. Someone posted that they wanted 7 miles, so I decided to join her just in case I didn't get as many miles when I went to my mom's. 

  

  HUGE group of donut lovers.

• 11/22: 4.77 miles, too lazy to do math to average the three runs. This was my first morning at my mom's house, and I was dying to get out there and run. I decided I would take both of my dogs and my sister's dog for a run (separately, of course). I wasn't sure how far each of them could run and didn't want them to get hurt. I did know that Sophie could run at least 2 because we had done that before. I took her out first (she averaged 9:05 for 2 miles). I then ran Angel (1.39 miles, 9:21/mile) followed by Hachi (1.38 miles, 9:35/mile). This was Hachi's first experience with running so we were testing things out. As we were running, I was quickly reminded of the elevation close to my mom's house. If you combine the three runs, I had 526 feet of elevation in under 5 miles! LOL. You do not get that in Columbus. 

  

  Sophie was the winner...probably because the hills killed me by the time I made it to Hachi. LOL!

• 11/23: 3.10 miles, 9:18/mile; Yoga for Hips, 30 minutes. I thought about resting today because my legs were so freaking sore from running yesterday! The running bug bit me again, and I just had to get out. I figured a little 5k wouldn't hurt me. Since Sophie is my endurance athlete, I took her with me. I'm trying to slowly increase her distance. We enjoyed a nice, cold, and sunny run that included dogs and ducks on the loose. 

  

  Soph and I enjoyed the rays.

• 11/24: 8.03 miles, 8:55/mile. This is going to be called my long run this week. I want to keep my weekly vacation miles at 30, and I knew I'd want to run with Sophie tomorrow. I went to the local bike trail in Martinsburg for this one. I ran on it during Christmas vacation last year, but didn't go more than 3 miles out. I forgot how hilly it was! It's up and down literally the entire time...NEVER FLAT. It was a nice change from flat Columbus. The day was perfect...40 degrees, very light breeze, and SUN! So much sun.

  

  Taking pictures of yourself running is way too time consuming. I now understand why my IG pics suck and what the others go through to get good ones!! LOL!!

  
  

  

  Seriously...I wish I lived here to get regular hill action.

  
  

  

  I took a video of me running up and down this hill just to get the shot. There was absolutely no one around to make fun of me.

• 11/25: REST. Because I'm freaking sore from running hills! LOL.
• 11/26: 2.5 miles, 9:16/mile. I just wanted to run enough to hit my 30 mile goal for the week. I took my sweet Aussie girl along for the ride. We took a moment to snap a selfie in front of a decorated tree. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!

  

  O Christmas Tree!

   

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Well, running vaca is officially over! It's been fun, but I'm so excited to get back to a training program. I've connected with a big group of runners who are all training for the Carmel Marathon at the end of March. It will be nice knowing that we are all in this together.

 

This time around, I will be coached by my friend, Zach. In week one, he already has me doing things I've never done before! I'm looking forward to something different to challenge me and improve my running!!