Carmel Week 1: Getting Into a New Routine

Getting Into a New Routine

 

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We had lots of fun in leaves this week! We have bagged about 34 bags so far. UGH.

Last training cycle, I followed the CRC Advanced Training Program. I followed it well minus the ever popular strides. UGH. What's my deal?! I did them ONE TIME. I just kept telling myself they wouldn't make a difference (obviously they serve a purpose...I'm just a weirdo). When Zach sent me an example of workouts he gives his athletes, I knew the pre and post-run part of it would be a challenge. The challenging part isn't the actual task, but convincing yourself that it's important and will benefit the body.

 

Some of the new stuff added into my routine include:

-leg swings

-lunge sequence

-skipping

-plank sequence

-leg exercises to target the stability muscles (these I already had in my routine...just not immediately after my run)

 

Another thing I'll have to get used to is running a certain number of minutes rather than miles. It makes route planning a little more challenging! Despite that, I've done a good job so far of estimating the distance.

 

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• 11/27: 5.62 miles, 8:54/mile. Today's workout called for an easy 50 minutes with 3x8 second surges after 30 minutes. I had time to run after work which allowed me to enjoy the wonderful sunshine. Shorts in late November?! Yes, please!! Since I was in Hilliard, I made it a point to run down my favorite street.
  

  

  Shorts in November?!

• 11/28: 6.07 miles, 8:17/mile; Chest/Back, 30 minutes; Yoga, 15 minutes. Today was my first speed day in FOREVER. I was a little nervous because of that. I probably could have gone a little faster, but I didn't want to get too crazy in week 1. I need to figure out how to set my watch so that I can monitor my overall pace in a certain number of minutes. I'm not sure my FR 15 will even do that! Because of my lack of watch knowledge, I'm not totally sure how much my pace increased for each segment. The workout was 10 minute warm up, 30 minute progression, and 10 minute cool down. The 30 minutes was to be 15 at a steady pace (I always imagine MP + 10 seconds), 5 faster, 5 faster, and 5 fastest. In my head, I had myself maybe progressing to 10k pace for that last segment. I'm not really sure if that's what I did or was supposed to do, but that's the way my brain interpreted the instructions based on Hal Higdon tempo runs I've done in the past.
  

  

  My go to speed partners! They will keep me in line. [Tamara, Katie, ME]

  
  

  

  I caught my friend, Heather, at Power Train!

• 11/29: 6.83 miles, 8:47/mile. Another easy day with surges. The weather has been PERFECT this week! I can't believe it's the end of November. I took advantage of the shorts weather and ran after work. I played around with the settings on my watch to see if I could get paces during certain segments.
  

  

  This weather is simply perfect! ANOTHER shorts day.

• 11/30: Power Yoga, 45 minutes. I use the term "power" loosely today. Every night this week, I've come home and worked on getting the dang leaves in my hard piled up and put into bags. We have so many freaking leaves in our yard. It's ridiculous. Because of this, I've had some tight and sore hamstrings! This morning, I couldn't even touch the floor in my forward fold! Obviously, that made my practice a bit tough this morning. I did my best, forgot the rest, and made coffee.
  

  

  This morning was tough.

• 12/1: 5.02 miles, 8:59/mile. The workout consisted of 45 minutes of easy running with 3x20 second strides in the last 10 minutes. I met Tamara at Schneider's for the second half of her long run. It rained yesterday and got below freezing last night. The roads were slippery!! We managed to escape unharmed.
  

  

  End of the month means I tally my mileage.

• 12/2: 12.3 miles, 8:58/mile. Some friends agreed to meet at my house in the early morning hours so that the hubs could leave for his Bible Quiz Tournament. Jen and I set out for a 4 mile loop in which I missed a turn on the route because we were yapping. In order to avoid being harassed by a certain unnamed person, Jen kept our pace in line so that we were running EASY. We returned to my crib to pick up Sarah and Britt for the last 8 miles. We took a tour through part of my neighborhood and headed to the trail (the very place where we almost died on a bridge...it was shaking to the point I thought it might break from under us!). We left the trail and ran through the neighborhood close to Columbus Academy. When returning, we made sure to cross the bridge one at a time. Guess who was the guinea pig?! Not only did I go first on the bridge, I was politely cursed for having a couple of little hills at the end. I'm a bad friend, apparently. Hehehe.
  

  

  Runs and Mimosas make everything better! [3/4 of Jen, Britt, Sarah, ME]

• 12/3: 3.49 walking miles, 17:13/mile. Today's workout called for a 45-60 minute walk! I immediately contacted my friend, Meg, to join me. She's preggo and doesn't get to join me for runs at the moment (enter very sad face). These long walks also give me the opportunity to take Sophie (my Aussie) for some exercise. After Jessie called to see if she could join, we met at Creekside to enjoy the lights, bare winter trees, and beautiful homes in the area.
  

  

  Brrrr!! [Jessie, ME, Meg]
   

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Week one seemed successful. I ran a total of 35.84 miles, and didn't look at my pace for any of them! I'm looking forward to finding out my workouts for this coming week.

Fun at Creekside!