What a week of training I had last week! Dare I say training is getting easier? I’m not sure, but what I do know is that it has been enjoyable. I really loved training last week and even starting plotting my NEXT marathon. You know it’s a good week when that happens.
My goal for the week was to get in five 21 Day Fix workouts and five runs, including a speed workout, mid-week long run and long run. I achieved them all, including my longest run post-baby, a beautiful 20 miler down the coast.
Monday: 8.4 mile run. It was Labor Day and I headed to the beach while Mike stayed home with Siena and ran one of my old favorite routes – from Moonlight Beach to Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach and back.
Monday night we had a wonderful dinner hosted by Mike’s uncle at the beautiful Hotel Del in Coronado. It was a wonderful evening of good food and family!
Tuesday: 21 Day Fix Dirty 30 Extreme and Lower Fix Extreme. I’m not sure putting these two leg-heavy workouts back to back was the smartest idea, but I did it this way knowing that my speed workout was Thursday and my long run was Saturday and I didn’t want heavy legs going into those. By the end of the second workout, my legs were toast. I actually even subbed out some of the lunges in Lower Fix for planks out of fear of not being able to walk the next day (surprisingly, I wasn’t even that sore!).
Wednesday: I met up with my new running friend Kelly for a 5 mile trail run in the San Elijo Lagoon before work. I’ve run in the lagoon before but never before work and never on one particular portion that was especially beautiful. I love exploring new areas by foot and I had pretty major runner’s high afterward!
Thursday: 7 mile tempo run (3 x 10 minutes with 3 minute recovery between). I did this on the treadmill while Siena napped. I’ve actually been enjoying my treadmill runs. I turned on Scandal and it was a particularly intense episode (I’m a few seasons behind) and the miles just flew by. That afternoon I was able to also get in Pilates Fix. Pilates is the only 21 Day Fix workout that I’ll do while Siena is awake because I can do it in the living room (as compared to the garage where the weights are set up which is a death trap for a baby) and she’s pretty entertained with my funny moves.
Friday: Upper Fix Extreme. I got up early and did this at 6 a.m. I didn’t do any other workouts that day and it was nice to be able to get a lot of work done during naps.
Saturday: 20 mile run. Melissa, a blog reader (hi!) who did my June 21 Day Fix Challenge Group, and is also training for the New York Marathon suggested we do some training runs together. We had never met in person but had emailed several times and found we had a lot in common (she has a daughter just a couple of months younger than Siena). Her coach had her only running 15 miles but it ended up working out well since I tend to quiet down in the final miles of a long run while I’m suffering. We met at 6:30 a.m. and ran 15 miles together without a single pause in conversation – the miles just flew by as we talked about running, babies, birth stories and life. I could tell immediately that we are going to be fast friends and I’m already looking forward to more runs together. Times like these really make me thankful that I started this blog and that it has provided me with so many opportunities to connect with new friends.
Sunday: During Siena’s first nap I headed out for a 3.1 mile run/hike on the hilly loop near my house. This was meant to be a recovery run so I purposely walked the steep hill up to the trail and any other steep hill. I even took a couple walk breaks just for fun. The point was to shake out my legs after my long run, not to do any more damage. In the evening after a family pool party at Mike’s parents house, I did 21 Day Fix Yoga. It felt SOOO good to stretch. I really needed the mental break too. I stayed in savasana for extra long.
Weekly Totals:
- Miles Run: 43.5
- Strength Training: 2.5 hours
While my speed is still lagging, I am seeing big improvements in my endurance. I felt pretty good until about mile 18 of my 20 miler, which is not nothing. I can still remember when a 5 mile run felt really far in those first months after having Siena, so a 20 mile run with 15 miles that flew by is a pretty big improvement. The human body is pretty miraculous and I need to remind myself of how far I’ve come every time I want to beat myself up about being slower than I used to be.
How was your week? Have you ever met someone for the first time and hit it off while running? Do you prefer to do your tempo runs outdoors or on the treadmill?
Looks like you had an amazing week! Can’t wait for our fix to start!
I just know you will have a great marathon! You consistantly amaze me
thanks adrienne!