Low Mileage Week + 5k

I was going to call this a recovery week, but then I remembered that I didn't technically take it very easy this week at all...I just had reduced mileage.  I'm imagining that my legs needed some recovery time from the 27 miler, but it was hard to take it too easy because they didn't feel like they needed recovery.  But taking it easy for recovery seemed like a good excuse to skip the run today, even though maybe by today it doesn't matter anymore.

This week : 

M : 20 minute yoga

T : run 7 / 8:16 / 591 ft

W : hill workout 6.5 / 8:23 / 909 ft

R : TRX 30 minutes 45/15

F : off

Sa : warm up : 2 / 7:44 / 95 ft

race 3.1 / 6:43 / 194 ft

cool down 2 / 8:40 / 128 ft

Su : 15 minute yoga

total miles : 20.6

Yoga is not my favorite, but it is definitely helping me keep the hip pain at bay, so I guess it's good that I started and ended the week with yoga.  I've also made great strides with my frog stand this week, I can now hold it for about 10 seconds, and I can come out of it smoothly instead of falling on my face.  I'm about to find out what the next step is between frog stand and handstand.  

Tuesday's run was cold with blowing snow, but of course I ran anyway.  I wasn't sure how many miles I was going to get, but as usual, once I settled into the run I felt great and went farther than I expected to.  It was my first run post-27 miler, and everything felt good.  

Cold and snow can't stop me from running!

On Wednesday I ended up with a day off school because of ice on the roads, with temperatures too cold to melt it off the untreated roads.  Because I live in the south where they don't know how to deal with ice and snow on roads... I was lucky I was running late that morning, normally I would have been already well on my way to work at the time the call was made.  But I was dragging, so I was just on my way out the door when the call was made.  (And when I say late...I just mean later than usual.  I still would have been early to work.)  I ended up settling on the couch to read all morning, and took a nap for about an hour.  It was pretty cold and windy outside so I put off the run all morning, but then went out around 12 to get it done.  I did a loop warmup that was about 1.6 miles long, then did suicides up and down the hill I live on.  There are 3 side streets off the main part of the hill, so I ran to the first one and back down, then the second, then the third, then all the way to the top, around a short loop, and then made my way back down one street at a time. I ran hard going up, and jogged back down each time.  Then I ran my warm up loop in reverse as a cool down.  The hill I ran was pretty steep, so all the times running up it wore me out!  

the beginning of the hill...

I was a bit sore on Thursday, but I needed my TRX for the week so I went ahead and did it, and I didn't spare my muscles at all.  I upgraded myself from 30/10 to 45/15, and did a lot of tough leg work.  It didn't seem like the brightest idea 2 days before a 5k, but I decided marathon and strength training was more important than a 5k.  

TRX fun

I took Friday off because I like to take Friday's off...but also because I drove to Lewisburg after work.  I hadn't been here since Christmas it's nice to be back!  It would have been weird to celebrate St Patrick's Day anywhere other than the Irish Pub in Lewisburg!  I'm on spring break now, so I get to spend several days here.  I'm looking forward to a TRX class at the gym on Monday morning and running some mountains at some point!

Saturday's 5k was the Celtic Knot 5k which I have run about 6 times now.  I missed it last year because of a sprained ankle.  I was really sore from the hills on Wednesday and the TRX on Thursday so I was afraid to run too hard.  I also want to work towards negative splits in races, but there's a giant hill in the last mile of this race so negative splits seem rather unrealistic.  I gave it a negative split effort though!  I started out a bit easier, instead of starting as fast as possible like I usually do for a 5k.  Then I pushed a little harder for each mile.  I finished in 20:52, not the 19:45 I had 2 years ago, but a good time for where I am in my training right now, especially since I really haven't been training for a sprint race!  

I had planned to run today, but my hip was bothering me yesterday, and I got lazy, so I ended up just doing some yoga.  

frog stand success

Grateful for my running buddies!

This week : 

M : 20 min yoga for hip flexibility

T : group run mile repeats 7 / 7:42 / 0 ft
(6:29, 6:28, 6:32)

W : 30 min TRX full body

R : group run 10 / 8:44 / 499 ft

F : off

Sa : group run 12.2 / 8:49 / 696 ft

10 minute ab workout

Su : hill workout 4.6 / 7:36 / 318 

total mileage : 33.8

I was tired and starting to drag this week, but my running buddies helped me stick to my schedule!  I love that they will keep me on my schedule and run with me even when none of us really want to!  It was cool and rainy on Tuesday, and none of us liked the idea of a track workout, especially not with inactive recovery to get cold standing in the rain.  There is a loop around the brewery where we meet that is just barely longer than a mile, and mostly flat.  I proposed that we run mile repeats on that loop, alternating easy and hard.  I said we should do 2-3 hard miles.  The guys agreed that 2 was probably enough.  But after the first, I knew for sure that 2 was not enough.  I was doing 3 whether or not I had company.  We were spreading out on the fast miles, but regrouping for the slow ones.  They weren't thrilled with the idea of 3 hard miles, but they weren't going to let me go alone either.  So we all made it through the 7 miles together.  My legs felt strong, but my lungs were struggling hard.

 After almost 4 weeks of trying to get in touch with the doctor for an inhaler refill, I finally received a message that morning saying it couldn't be refilled because I hadn't had an appointment in over a year.  I was pissed that it took them so long to get me that message. Also, I think it's ridiculous to need a yearly visit just for an albuterol inhaler.  A previous doctor of mine filled it for about 5 years without seeing me before cutting me off... Thankfully, I had a doctor I know here ready to fill the prescription for me when I gave up on my previous doctor.  I got to pick up my new inhaler on my way home from Tuesday's run. And now I am enjoying having oxygen on my runs again!

On Wednesday, I really didn't feel like designing my own workout, so I went on YouTube and found a TRX video that looked promising.  It was a good one, but I had to modify some things because they only place I can hang my straps is in the hallway, and it's not wide enough for all the exercises!  It was a bit hard to workout while fasting for Ash Wednesday, but I managed with only a bit of light headed-ness and some low energy.

On Thursday, I was even more tired, and really not feeling like running 10 miles.  I told the group I wouldn't mind dropping the plan and running less.  But they said if 10 was the plan, 10 was what we were doing!  So glad they keep me on track.  We did the 10 miles and of course it didn't feel half as bad as I thought it would.

I was supposed to work out on Friday.  I spent the whole drive home from work telling myself I was going to go for a jog and workout.  Then I got home and changed my mind.  I put on sweats and decided I wanted to keep Friday as my rest day.  I made myself sushi for dinner and spent the rest of the evening on the couch.

Saturday I drove out to Glade Spring to meet the group for a long run.  Mollie mapped us out a nice moderately hilly loop on low-traffic roads.  It was nice to run somewhere different.  The slow group pace left me with plenty of energy even after our 12+ miles.  So when I got home I made myself do the ab workout I had skipped earlier in the week.  15 exercises, 30/10, plank every even number. #6 and #8 were side planks, the rest were planks on my elbows.  Odd numbers were all assorted core exercises.

I was feeling good today and it was back up in the 50s after a cold week, so I had to get out and enjoy a run.  Once I was out there, I decided it was time to enjoy some hills.  I love my group, but I miss my solo runs, and I miss really pushing the hills!  So I made up a route as I went, hitting all the good hills for pushing.  I ran a moderate pace in between the hills, and went up the hills at something between race effort and sprint.

February Summary

Less mileage than January, even accounting for the fewer days, 

but I did start working out this month, so that is a plus! 

The plan for next week : 

The real hope for Saturday is 26, but after the last 20 miler, I don't want to push it.  I'm hoping that having a new inhaler will make all the difference and that I won't have any trouble adding the extra 6 miles, but if I don't feel up to it, I won't push it.  I'm mapping out a route that gets me to the finish in 20, and has option the option to add a 6 mile loop at the end if I want it.