Harborside Week 4

September 24, 2017 by 26 Comments

Week 4 of Harborside Half training is done and what blur of a week it was! It was one of those weeks where you stare at the calendar on Sunday night, take a deep breath, and brace yourself for the scramble to come. J was traveling so I was doing the single-parent thing…throw in the dog returning from board and train and the usual school/sports/homework dash and you start to get the picture.

Source: Tiny Budha

Workouts happened when they happened…there was some running, a little hiking, time on the Arc Trainer, and some yoga…with an assist from the newly-returned pup!

New meaning to downward dog!

I also got some time with my massage therapist who gave me an earful about needing to balance my running with more strength work. She has a point…strength work was noticeably absent from this week’s workouts and has been hit or miss lately. Past experience has taught me that I am not one of those people who can just run…my body holds up much better when supported by strength training.

So this upcoming week I’m re-committing to strength training. My friend E just joined my gym and we’ve made a pact to meet every Wednesday (and most Fridays when kids sports schedules allow). I’ll be incorporating the RunnersConnect Kettlebell for Runners program. I had started to do some kettlebell work with Trainer Stacey before she left and I’m looking forward to getting back at it.

So how was your week? Are you consistent with strength training?

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. If you do a weekly training recap, be sure to join this great link-up for inspiration and motivation! 

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Filed Under: half marathon training, Harborside Half Marathon, Schedule vs Training, Strength training, Weekly Wrap

March Runfessions

March 25, 2016 by 8 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month…so you know what that means….time to cleanse my sweaty soul with some Runfessions. Link up with Marcia from Marcia’s Healthy Slice and join us, won’t you?!

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Runfession #1 — I’ve lost my running mojo! Despite looking forward to running a half marathon again, I’m not feeling in any kind of groove – in fact most days….I runfess that I just don’t feel like running.

LOST_MOJO

Runfession #2 — I’ve been letting my schedule totally rule me instead of the other way around. I haven’t been good about carving out dedicated time for my runs and workouts – instead just trying to jam them in when I can. The end results is I’m feeling kind of stressed to just check off the “workout box” instead of looking forward to that time. Might be contributing to Runfession#1 – don’t ya think?

Runfession #3 — I’ve been thinking that it might be beneficial to work with a run coach who can help me improve my gait and mechanics. I was really enjoying the work I had started while I was doing PT – they had a good team…might be time to reconnect. I’m just feeling like I need someone to observe and correct…or at least make suggestions 🙂

Kinvara 7

Photo Courtesy of Running Warehouse

Runfession #4 — I am lusting after the new Kinvara 7, but am really having a hard time justifying spending the cash – I have 2 pairs of Mizunos and a pair of ISO Zealots all in great condition with low mileage. Yet still I covet…

It's time for #Runfessions! Link up with @teamarcia and share Share on X

OK so now it’s your turn….what do you run-fess?

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Filed Under: Runfessions, Schedule vs Training

Training Check-in: A Week of Shuffling

August 5, 2014 by 15 Comments

Well for as good as Week 1 felt, Week 2 was meh at best! A combination of various family obligations, schedule changes and the hangover effects of dealing with insomnia, left me in a state of constant shuffling last week. Shuffling of workouts to fit them in…and shuffling with tired legs out on the road.

check in

So this is how the week shook out:

Monday:  Needed to push this run to Tuesday.

Tuesday:  Again, needed to push this run till later but was sure I’d get it in. By late afternoon I needed to concede that I was just too damn tired so I skipped the run.

Wednesday:  Weekly Pilates Barre class

Thursday:  4 miles of intervals plus 2 miles warm-up and cool down. Ugly but done.

Friday:   Cross-training on the bike

Saturday:  Needed to leave uber-early to drive to Maine so moved my run to Sunday.

Sunday:  I was exhausted when I started…Was suppose to do 7 but called it quits after 5.8 miles.

Daily:  Core work & rolling

Clearly the mileage suffered…Some weeks you just have to do what you can and move on…last week was one of those weeks!

So the goal of week #3 is simply to get back on track!

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Filed Under: crazy week, half marathon training, Schedule vs Training

Discombobulated

June 15, 2012 by 7 Comments

Perhaps it’s that my youngest finished Kindergarten on Tuesday, while my oldest doesn’t finish 4th grade until next week….

Perhaps it’s that post-ear doctor visit I still cannot hear clearly out of my left ear (apparently it will clear on it’s own…and it takes time…note my skepticism)….

Perhaps it’s end of school-year fatigue (how many concerts/art shows/class project presentations, etc can one attend in the course of a week?)…

Perhaps it’s that I haven’t been sleeping well – I deal with bouts of insomnia from time to time…

It’s probably a combination of all of the above that’s left me feeling just a step off all week. It hasn’t been a bad week at all…and I’ve even managed to get my workouts in. There’s been a little less running due to the inability to get up uber-early (not sleeping well will do that!) – but there has been some running, even track work today, along with strength training, yoga and running around in whatever new game my son has invented for us in the backyard.

I’m sure next week will be a bit more of the same until 4th grade is complete  and lacrosse and t-ball season wind down. Then we can all shift gears into summer mode!

How about you? Have you shifted to a summer routine yet?

 

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Filed Under: kids, Schedule vs Training, school vacation, summer mode

Playing catch up

May 2, 2012 by 10 Comments
Source: Google Images

I’m starting to get that hamster wheel feeling again where I’m running as fast as I can to stay on top of everything! This is literally the third post I’ve started in the past couple of days…the previous two are lying in Blogger ghetto unfinished…hopefully this one will have a better fate.

So I’ve mentioned before that I’m playing race coordinator for my sons’ school 5k and Fun Runs. Well the big event is Sunday and the running joke among our race committee is whether we’ll be bald by then (from pulling our hair out!) Seriously between the last minute requests, finding enough volunteers, and managing all the little logistical details – this has been an almost all-consuming activity in this final week (trust me I have the laundry pile and empty refrigerator to prove it!). At least it looks like Mother Nature will cooperate!

I was just looking back over my April runs and I’m underwhelmed. I had hoped to hit higher mileage, and while I’m feeling pretty good about my speed work and finally getting some hill work in, my long runs have been lackluster. I’ve been dealing with some quirky foot pain on the top inside of my right foot that has led me to cut two of my long runs short. Thankfully, ice, KT Tape, rest and Monday’s trip to the massage therapist all seem to be helping. A nice thing about my April runs is that I did a handful with my friend E – the runs have been chatting and fun, a nice change of pace for this typically solo runner. And, on Saturday, I helped nudge E to her longest distance to date (7 miles!), while getting 8 1/2 pain-free miles for myself. Yesterday was another 5 1/4 comfortable miles, so I’m encouraged I can crank things up a little in May!

I have to give a huge shout-out to my husband J who ran his first trail race on Sunday and placed 3rd AG, and 22nd overall! The boys and I had a ball cheering him on and I love the fact that he’s already scouring race listings for his next trail run 🙂

The “must get done” list is long today, but I’m determined to get my strength training in. Luckily it’s my weekly TRX Rip Trainer class so I’m less likely to put it off than if I were on my own today. I’ve got 6 miles of negative splits on the plan for tomorrow, so fingers-crossed my foot continues to respond well, then I can look to go back to double digits on Saturday.

How’s your week going?
Did you have the April you hoped for?

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Filed Under: family running, foot pain, playing race director, Schedule vs Training, to do list

Monday Motivation

October 31, 2011 by 7 Comments
Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks
“Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”
— Peter Maher
Thanks to this weekend’s Nor’easter, my race on Sunday didn’t happen. It’s been postponed until this coming Sunday. Since I woke up yesterday to a bad cough and no power & no heat, I was just as happy to hold off. The good news is the early forecast shows next Sunday be a clear day in the 50’s!
It looks to be another crazy week ahead but with a little creative calendar juggling I think I can get all my workouts in — including the 11-miler I’m off to do now!
Have a great Monday & Happy Halloween!
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Filed Under: crazy week, Monday Motivation, Schedule vs Training, weather

One of "those" weeks

October 23, 2011 by 6 Comments

This past week was definitely one of THOSE weeks! You know the kind…

….the kind when you look at your calendar and wonder what happened to the white space?!

It was the kind of week where I was juggling family commitments, client projects, volunteer responsibilities and trying to squeeze in my workouts – wait how is that different from any other week? 🙂  There are just some weeks when this juggling act feels in control, manageable…and then there are weeks like this one where you feel like someone has increased the speed on your treadmill when you weren’t looking!

It was the kind of week where I was really grateful for the escape time a run can provide – time to think through kitchen remodel options, or to sort through the to do list and prioritize…or best of all, to unplug and just enjoy the meditation of the run!

Ah but now it’s Sunday, the long run’s done and the ITB (for the most part) behaved. So now it’s time to enjoy some down time with J and the boys…to pick pumpkins, do some baking (with the apples from last Sunday’s apple picking trip) and watch some football! A perfect end to one of those weeks!

Enjoy your Sunday!
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Filed Under: crazy week, Schedule vs Training, to do list

Thursday Thoughts (aka 3 Things)

June 30, 2011 by 6 Comments

Crazy schedule wrapping up the school year, plus taking a a few days off after the race turned June into one of my lowest mileage months this year.

With school finally done, we’re settling into a summer routine around here and I’ve been pushing the alarm clock back to get those early morning runs in – must be working cause I woke up at 5:30 this morning without the alarm…only problem was today’s a rest day.

I loved reading everyone’s comments about how fast to do a long run. I have 10 miles on the plan for tomorrow. This will be the first time going back up to double digits since the race so I’ve decided to just run by feel and see where I come out pace-wise — should serve as a good benchmark. I’ll also be testing out my Nathan hydration belt.

Can you believe tomorrow is July 1 already?!?!
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Filed Under: 3 things, early morning runs, long runs, Nathan hydration belt, Schedule vs Training

Trackwork Thursday

June 16, 2011 by 7 Comments

Just as I thought, between the weather and crazy schedules, the theme this week has quickly become – fit the workout in when you can! So this morning Trackwork Tuesday became Trackwork Thursday.

By the numbers:

6 – # of high schoolers I have to weave around – I’m still not sure what kind of PE class that was they were doing but they didn’t stay long.

2 – # of 1600’s, with splits of 9:31 and 9:11! (Smart Coach target was 10:18)

4 – # of total miles run

3 – # of times I thought I was going to throw up during the first 1600. Fortunately I didn’t and the second interval felt much better.

4 – # of times I cursed myself for not getting up earlier to get ahead of the heat; followed quickly by the number of times I told myself to “get over it and get it done.”

0 – # of times I felt any knee pain!!

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Filed Under: Schedule vs Training, Smart Coach, track work

Monday Motivation – Week 2

June 13, 2011 by 6 Comments
“Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way.
Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.”
— Marsha Petrie Sue
Week 2 Plan:
Monday – Rest Day — (Much needed since I took advantage of the rainy day yesterday to push my pace a bit)
Tuesday – Track work (4)
Wednesday – Easy run (2) & Strength work
Thursday – Yoga
Friday – Long (8)
Saturday – weekly Pilates reformer session
Sunday – Easy (3 or 4)
My schedule this week could get a little nutty as my boys’ schools continue to jam everything into the final few days of school – Seriously, why do teachers do that? So I may have to play with the days a little to get it all in.
When it becomes a battle of your schedule vs. your training – if you have to give up a workout in your plan, which one do you forfeit?

 

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Filed Under: kids, Monday Motivation, Quotes, Schedule vs Training, track work, training