Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts

November 15, 2017

Annapolis Half-Marathon Training: Race Week

Good Morning! 

It's Race Week! 


This Saturday, I'll be toeing the line of the Annapolis Half-Marathon. I'm pretty excited! It's been a while since I've raced and I really miss it. 

I'm not going into this race as well trained as I would have liked. When I signed up, I knew that I had three straight weeks of travel toward the end of training but I backed up my training schedule enough to be able to get all of my training runs in with the idea of having a long taper.

And then I got the flu, which derailed everything.

I did manage to get in an 8-mile long run while I was in Seattle but aside from a couple of 3-mile runs in London and since I've been home, that's the only running I've done in the last two weeks.

At least I'm well rested?

I never had goals for this race. In fact, I needed this race more for the training aspect of it than the finish line. But I'm now realizing that I wish I had been able to train for a PR, or at least a strong finish because I think it will be my last long distance race for a while. I've been thinking a lot about running lately and my goals for next year and I think I want to scale back the long distance running and focus on strength, flexibility, and speed. I've never been a flexible person but lately, it's starting to alarm me just how much flexibility I've lost.

For now, though, I'm just going to toe the line, put one foot in front of the other, try not to be too cold, and have fun out there! There will be oysters at the finish line, so that's a pretty good motivation right there!

Do you have a fall race coming up?


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October 30, 2017

Annapolis Half-Marathon Training: On Getting Sidelined

My last post about my training for the Annapolis Half Marathon was all about making time to run. In a way, I almost feel like I jinxed myself by writing that post because, that week, it seemed almost impossible to make time to run. I also just felt really tired all week and by Friday, I was down and out with the flu.


I was supposed to run 8 miles that weekend but instead, I spent half the weekend sleeping and trying to recover. I even missed a work trip to Indianapolis that I had been looking forward to for months. On Thursday, I was feeling a little bit better and my colleagues and I headed deep into the Eastern Shore of Maryland for an overnight retreat. It was a lot of fun, but it was pretty exhausting.

I got home Friday night and decided to see how my lungs were feeling for a run on Saturday. I managed 3.5 miles and planned for 8-10 early yesterday morning but I was exhausted and slept in. I had an acupuncture appointment and brunch plans with a friend and by the time I got home, I was exhausted and my knee was bothering me. I opted for some at-home yoga which seemed to be exactly what I needed.

With three weeks until Race Day, I'm a little bit nervous that I haven't gotten in these key runs but at the same time, I feel like I've been sidelined by something like this almost every time I've trained for a race. I'll be traveling a lot over the next two weeks so it'll be super important to make time to get those runs in but I do still think I'll be in good shape on Race Day! I just need to stay focused to get there!

What do you do when you get sidelined from training?

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October 16, 2017

Annapolis Half-Marathon Training: On Making Time to Run

At my last job, I used to be wildly creative about how to get my workouts in during the day. I would often run the 7 miles to or from my office or get in 4-5 miles at lunchtime either outside or on the treadmill. I had a running group with a couple of coworkers and we would get together for 4-6 miles a few afternoons a month to knock out our training miles.


I remember the constant barrage of comments from people asking how on earth I found time to run every day! The answer was short - I didn't find time to run, I made time to run.

That hasn't been the case in the last few months. I've found it really hard to make time to run. Part of it is my work schedule, which is wildly different every day. I carry my laptop to and from work so on the days I do go into the office, I can't run there or back and early mornings have been more of a struggle than ever this last year. 

Over the last two weeks though, I've really tried to make running a priority, making time to run whenever I can, and trying to plan out my running in advance.

I've done pretty well with getting in 4 runs per week. I thought about trying to bring that up to 5 but I usually only do that for a marathon or if I'm aiming for a certain time. I want to run Annapolis to run. I know I'll eventually set at time goal when I get closer (I always do), but for now, I'm just trying to see where things take me and I'm pretty happy with where they've gone. 

My longest run was yesterday - 6 miles at an average pace of 9:18. Considering I couldn't run more 2 miles without stopping just a few weeks ago, this is pretty significant, especially since I didn't feel well yesterday.

I was better at cross-training my first week of training than this past week. I made it to yoga and a barre class. This past week, I didn't do anything. I've felt a cold coming on and opted to rest more than I normally would have so that I could get all of my runs in without wearing myself down. 

This week is Week 3 and it's a relatively normal week. My long run will be 7 or 8 miles and I'd like to get some more cross-training in but I have a few busy nights with some Junior League stuff so we'll see. It's about making time though and that's the plan! 

The good thing is that that 6-mile run really made me feel ready for Annapolis. It's been a long time since I've really trained for a half and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do next month!
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October 3, 2017

Half-Marathon Training

At the peak of my running fitness, I could easily head out and run a half-marathon without much thought. My PR was just under 1:55 and it seemed every time I ran the distance, I could chip away at my previous PR. I went through a stretch where almost every time I ran the distance, I would PR.

I haven't taken the half-marathon distance seriously in almost five years. It's crazy because it doesn't feel that long. When I got injured in 2013, I set my sights on bouncing back to the full marathon. See, I was happy with my 13.1 race time but I was itching to get a sub-4 marathon under my belt. I think my push to get back to the full marathon distance is the reason it took me so long to get back to running and why I kept getting hurt. 


I used to run 2 or 3 half-marathons every time I trained for a full but for a number of reasons, I haven't run any 13.1 races while training for either of my last two full marathons.

This year, I set my sights on a spring marathon and, for a number of reasons, that didn't happen. I haven't run anything since Disney this year (which feels like a lifetime ago) but I'm itching to run a strong race. I know it might not be smart to jump into training for a half when I've run so infrequently this year but I feel like I need that distance to stay focused. I hate the 10k distance and the 5k is too short. I need something to train for that will challenge me and make me feel like I'm back to running.

I've decided on the Annapolis Half-Marathon. It's a course I've never run which is fun, it's close to home, and you get oysters at the finish line. What could be better?

Last week was the first week I consistently ran in a long time. I did two 3-mile runs and two 2-mile runs. I was hoping to get more cross-training in but honestly, I was really tired last week and didn't make it a priority. I definitely want that to change moving forward so my plan for this week is 4 training runs, and one class each of spin, barre, and yoga.  

We'll see how it goes! I'm excited to actually be training for something. It's definitely motivating me to get out the door and run when I'm tempted to lay under a blanket with a book in the mornings!
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March 26, 2017

Sunday Sweats 13

I like to do my long runs on Saturday. It gives me the flexibility of having another day in the weekend in case something comes up. It also gives me the chance to start my training week on Monday. I've always struggled when my long runs have fallen to Sunday. I need to take Monday off and then I feel like there's a lot of pressure to get that workout in on Tuesday. If it doesn't happen, my whole week is thrown.

That's how this week went and it didn't turn out great. 


Monday: Planned Rest

Tuesday: Skipped
Tuesday was an unusually busy day at work and, when I left the office at 6 pm, I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. At 7:00, when I was still stuck in traffic on the bus ride home, I knew I wasn't going to run. By the time I ate and wrapped up a few more things for work, it was 9:30. 

Wednesday: 4 miles (9:08 pace)
Wednesday was another crazy day but I booked some gym time on Classpass at a gym near my airport and settled in for 4 miles. My legs were pretty antsy from not having run in two days and I felt great. The miles flew by and felt easy, despite being below my goal pace, and I walked out of the gym feeling great about this run.

Thursday: 6 miles (9:19 pace)
I did not feel like running on Thursday. I had a stomach ache and was a little sore from the day before. Knowing I needed to run, I set out with the aim to do 4 miles and save my 6-miler for the next day, but about 2 miles in, I felt pretty good and kept going. It was a nice, solid run, and I was really happy with my pace. I also had a Nancy Pelosi sighting at the Capitol!

Friday: 4 miles (9:08 pace); Yoga (60 minutes)
Friday's run called for 4 miles with 2 at marathon goal pace. My target pace for a sub-4 marathon is 9:09 but over the last few weeks, I've been running close to that for my average runs. I decided just to see what I could do and ended up with my 2 target miles at 8:49 and 8:51. I was thrilled with this. I ran to a yoga studio downtown and then took a vinyasa class set to the soundtrack of Hamilton (which sounds awesome but didn't quite work.

Saturday: 4 miles (10:07 pace)
I went to bed Friday night with plans to either run 4 or 14 on Saturday morning, depending on how I was feeling. When I woke up, my entire lower body hurt. I was so sore. I wasn't even sure about getting these 4 in but I decided to head out for a shakeout run and see how I felt. The first two miles were tough but then I settled in comfortably and it felt good to shake things out. For the rest of the day, though, I had a really bad tightness in my glute that foam rolling and stretching weren't helping. 

Sunday: Skipped
This morning, I really dragged my feet to head out for my run. My glute was still sore from the day before. I woke up, made breakfast, stretched, foam rolled, got dressed and headed out. Despite the weather saying it was 60, it felt much colder. I came back inside, changed, and headed out again. I just wasn't feeling it.  I desperately needed a rest day after running every day since Wednesday and when I started my watch and headed down the block, I knew this wasn't going to happen. I tried to psyche myself into the run and about 2 minutes in, I gave up and headed home.

I'm trying not to be hard on myself this week. One of my good friends gave me a sharp lesson on Wednesday when I complained about skipping my workout on Tuesday. "Be kind to yourself," she said. I know I need to be kind to myself but that means running when I know that it'll keep me from being stressed, eating three meals a day. I ate horribly this week because I was too lazy to go to the grocery store and so I didn't run Tuesday morning because I didn't have food in my house which lead to the ripple effect of me skipping today's long run. At the end of the day though, I needed the rest today and I don't feel guilty about that but I do need to take better care of myself.

I think I'll be able to get my planned 14-mile run in tomorrow but if I'm still sore, I won't. I'll just take it easy and pay attention to how I'm feeling. 

Total Miles Run: 18
Total Minutes of Yoga: 60

How did your week go?
How do you practice kindness to yourself?
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March 19, 2017

Sunday Sweats 12

When I travel, one of my favorite things to do is head out for a 3-5 mile run to explore the area I'm staying in and get a feel for what the city is like. I find that running through a city is one of the absolute best ways to see a city in action. 


So, why did I do all of my runs in Dubai on the treadmill? Well, there are a few reasons, none of which have to do with the weather.
  1. Dubai doesn't have a lot of sidewalks and most of the roads are highway roads. Dubai has some pretty insane drivers and I think that running on the streets of Dubai would be wildly unsafe.
  2. Dubai is a very conservative country in terms of dress. Most of the women where abayas and hijabs or, long pants or dresses. Even the men wear pants and collared shirts. It's pretty rare to see people in shorts, except in the resort areas. While I've never covered my head in Dubai (except when visiting a mosque), I find that dressing in anything but long dresses or pants and cardigans just draws extra attention. With temperatures in the high 80s, I didn't want to head out in search of places to run in shorts and a tank top. While Dubai is considered very safe, I didn't want to put myself in a situation that would draw extra attention to myself.
  3. I did some research and found a handful of parks that I could have gone to but I would have either had to get on the metro/in a taxi in shorts and a tank or bring clothes to the park to change into with no place to store my stuff. There is a running trail on the generally touristy marina that I've seen a people running on but again, transportation to that area would have been a challenge. 
So, I stuck to the treadmill. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how my training went this week, particularly since I was recovering from a serious case of jet lag once I got home. This week was hard. There's no sugar coating it. This was one of my toughest training weeks I've had in seven years of marathon training. Why? I didn't skip a run. I set out for every run I had on my calendar, with the idea that I would stop or cut it short if I needed to, but aside from being tired, my legs felt fine, and I pushed on. Here's a look at how the week went.


Currently Training For:
Ottawa Marathon, May 28

Monday: Rest
I had an easy 3 miles on my schedule for Monday but that factored in a planned day rest day the day before. I was pretty sore when I woke up Monday morning after late night runs both Saturday and Sunday, and spending all day Sunday roaming around Dubai so I opted to allow for myself to rest. I had either run or practiced yoga every day the week before so I was ok with allowing myself a true rest day if you can call spending the entire day roaming around Dubai a "true" rest day.

Tuesday: 3 miles (9:35 pace)
The Pilot and I were up somewhat early Tuesday morning to head to the Burj Khalifah and then spent the day wandering around Dubai. Determined to get this run in, I squeezed it at the hotel gym before a late dinner. Whether it's because I was hungry or tired from walking all day, I was ready for this run to be over the minute it started.

Wednesday: Skipped
I was up at 2 am to catch my flight to Doha, and then on to DC. While I expected the flight home to be longer than the flight to Dubai (it always is going west), this flight felt endless and some pretty serious turbulence on the landing (that caused almost every single person around me to get sick) left me feeling really nauseous by the time I got home. I knew it was a long shot to think I would get in a workout on Wednesday and I was right. 

Thursday: 5 miles (9:52 pace)
My pace on this run was a lot slower than I've been running but that was to be expected. On top of being tired, there was a lot of snow on the ground in DC and I was concerned that some of the wet patches of pavement might be black ice. My schedule called for 5 miles of hill work but I headed out with 4 easy miles in mind. I struggled through the first two miles because I was exhausted but started feeling better after 2 and ended up running the full 5 I had planned.

Friday: 5 miles (9:29 pace)
This was almost a progression run. My splits were: 9:58, 9:28, 9:24, 9:26 (damn!), and 9:13. After not falling asleep until 5:30 am and then working all day, I was exhausted by the time I headed out for this run and was falling asleep the whole time. I may or may not have dozed off at a traffic light. This was a tough one.

Saturday: 5 miles (9:48 pace)

This run was tough. Mentally and physically, it was a hard run. I was (and still am) absolutely exhausted from my long flight and desperately wanted a day off. I slept in and lounged on the couch reading and binge watching TV until well after noon when I set out. My knee had been bothering me all morning and I made it to the end of the block before I realized the run was a bad idea. After icing my knee for awhile, I set back out for 5 miles. It wasn't easy and I just felt exhausted but if there's a silver lining, it's that I kept my pace below 10 minutes, something I've struggled since being injured a few years ago.

Sunday: 12 miles (9:32 pace)
This run was one of those that I wasn't sure I would actually finish when I set out. This week has been exhausting and I desperately wanted to take the day off but skipping my long run just really wasn't an option. I had this weird anxiety for the first 6 miles about leaving my neighborhood (which really isn't that big) and, after realizing that I didn't want to run the same 3-mile loop four times in a row, after already having run it twice, I got over it and headed for the National Mall. Overall, my pacing was pretty inconsistent and I felt fine for the first 9 miles. I was tired through the last 3 and my knee was achy for the last 2 but I got it done with a great pace and finished the week strong.

Total Miles Run: 30
Total Minutes of Yoga/Cross-Training: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 7,063

Week 2 of Ottawa Marathon Training is done! I'm really proud of how committed I was to my training even while training and recovering from jet lag. As I mentioned last week, I've always struggled with balancing training and travel and I hope I'm on a path forward of being able to strike that balance. My goals for this week are to get back into the gym, hit up a spin or a barre class, and definitely practice more yoga. After squeezing 27 miles into 4 days, I need to be careful and give my body the rest it needs, taking my runs nice and easy. The good thing is, after this week I'll step back and might treat myself to a massage if I manage to get everything done this week!

How do you balance working out and traveling?
Are you training for anything right now?
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March 12, 2017

Sunday Sweats 10

Hello from Dubai! It's been several weeks since I've written one of these posts but I haven't really had many workouts to share lately but this week kicked off my first week of training for the Ottawa Marathon so it's time to resurrect these posts!


Now, Dubai. I arrived late last night for another mini vacation with The Pilot. After we barely skimmed the surface the last time we were here, I was itching to come back and, when The Pilot found himself with some time off work during a relatively quiet time for me at the office, we made plans.

Now I have a confession to make. Despite the name of my blog, I've always had a hard time balancing training and traveling. The most noted examples are our recent vacations to Australia, Paris, Hawaii, Portugal, and even Dubai, where I ran once or twice, if at all. The Pilot doesn't love running, and while he's always up for sneaking in some miles on a trip, I always feel bad about the idea of ditching him for a few hours to get in a long, double-digit training run and then being toast for the rest of the day.

After an unusually difficult February and a late start to marathon training that turned my 16-week plan into 12, I knew that kicking off training the week I would be taking off on a 13 hour international flight would be rough but this time around, I'm determined to get my training in while still having fun with The Pilot. Here's a look at how my training went this week. We'll see how well I manage things next week when I'm back in DC!


Currently Training For:
Ottawa Marathon, May 28

Monday: 4 miles (9:06 pace)
Day 1 of Ottawa Marathon training! I had 4 easy miles planned but kept my pace just below the 9:09 I need for a sub-4 marathon and it did feel easy! I had run only once the week before following Disney and was grateful that I skipped the long run I planned for the day before, opting to start a 12-week training plan on Monday rather than try to make up for miles and turn the training plan into something longer for the sake of adding in one more long run. I felt great and was thrilled with my pace.

Tuesday: 5-mile progression run (9:17 pace)
I had 5 miles of hills planned for today and, when a trip by the VP to the Capitol (my favorite place to do hill workouts) left me unable to access the country's most notorious hill, I switched gears and ran a progression run instead (9:51, 9:23, 9:19, 9:18, 8:32). Given that the Ottawa Marathon is completely flat, I was ok with this but I've always felt that hill training on a flat course makes me feel stronger on Race Day.

Wednesday: Yoga (75 minutes)
After already running more miles in one week (9) than I had in months (ouch!), I was ready for a rest day. I opted fo75-minutenute yoga class at a studio nearby for active rest, which, as a result of being the first person in class, the instructor dedicated to hip openers, hamstring stretches, and basically everything I needed to ease back into my first double digit training week in months.

Thursday: 10 miles (9:21 pace)
I was up bright and early for a surprisingly warm 10 miles along the Mall. I was a little sore from the previous night's yoga class and was struggling in the first two miles. Ever since I caught the flu last month, I've had a hard time breathing comfortably while I run, my chest still feeling tight in the early miles. By the time I settled into my third mile, I was feeling better and was thrilled to finish the run at a relatively speedy pace. With an evening flight out on Friday that wouldn't get me to Dubai until late Saturday, I knew I would run for that long once I got here and was nervous what a 10-mile run would do to me if I did it the day I flew out so I was glad to have gotten the miles in early.

Friday: Yoga (30 minutes)
I had thought I might be up for a 4 mile recovery run but I was pretty sore from my long run and the week to date. I had already run 19 miles for the week by this point, a significant number compared to the 26 I ran in the entire month of February. I opted for a 30-minute yoga practice at home before heading for the airport.

Saturday: 5 miles (9:13 pace) 
I had originally planned to run the Rock 'n' Roll DC Half but when our plans to head to Dubai came through, that went out the window. Luckily I hadn't signed up yet! While I was bummed to miss my favorite DC race, I'm not bummed I missed the temperature drop and winter deciding to reappear back in DC. My flight landed in Dubai at 9pm and I was surprisingly awake and energized after such a long flight. By the time I cleared customs and checked into my hotel, it was 11pm. I was wide awake and knew I needed to try to adjust to the time zone, so I headed to the hotel gym for 5 miles on the treadmill before a light dinner and finally heading to bed shortly before 2am. 

Sunday: 4 miles (9:08 pace)
My plans to adjust to time zone didn't go quite as planned and I was up at 5:30 this morning. I tried falling back asleep but at 6:30, turned on the lights, read in bed for awhile, and headed to breakfast. I thought about getting my run in but realized I had only run a few hours before and decided against it. The Pilot and I went out and spent the day with some friends of his and, by the time we got back to our hotel around 7, I was exhausted but so determined to get my run in. We ate dinner and I begrudgingly dragged myself to the hotel gym for a slow and steady 4. I say slow and steady because I'm almost positive the treadmill I was on (different from yesterday's) was faulty and I barely broke a sweat. I know I was on the treadmill for around 40 minutes but this pace may not be entirely accurate. 

Total Miles Run: 28
Total Minutes of Yoga: 105
Total Miles Traveled: 7,063

So there you have it. Week 1 of Ottawa Marathon training is in the books! I'm glad I planned ahead this week and was able to fit in all of my workouts. This next week will be a little bit more challenging but at least I can plan my long run for when we're back home in DC. I'm proud of my effort this week. Not only did I get all of my runs in but I used my off days for active rest AND worked in some dynamic stretching before each run, something that I have to be diligent about to keep myself injury free while racking up miles with a minimal base but I'm excited for what this training plan will bring and I'm ready for the challenge!

How do you balance working out with travel?
Have you been to Dubai? What are some of your favorite things to do here?
What are you currently training for?
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January 29, 2017

Sunday Sweats 4

This was a good week. I finally made my return to running after my nasty fall and I'm feeling great about being near the end of my 31-Day Yoga Challenge. I may have missed two days in the practice but I'm caught up and I'm happy with my progress. I can definitely tell that I've improved my balance, loosened up my shoulders, and toned by abs. I know that I need to keep up with my practice throughout the year to support my running and definitely have plans to do more in-studio work once this challenge is over. For now, let's dive into what this week looked like: 


Currently Training For: 
Disney Princess Half-Marathon, February 26
DC Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, March 11

Monday: #yogarevolution Day 23 (36:00)
Monday was supposed to be my grand return to running and it poured. It was so disgusting outside. I had plans to run after work with a friend and when we canceled, I was going to go to the gym but by the time I got home, I was so exhausted and couldn't even think about going back out in the rain. I had to pick up a few things at the grocery store and by the time I got home and on the mat, it was already 9:30. I really didn't want to practice but I'm glad I did. It was a good practice and I was so well rested when I finally crawled into bed.

 Tuesday: 3.5 miles (9:23 pace); #yogarevolution Day 24 (47:00)
RETURN TO RUNNING!!! After 17 days off from the fall in which I thought I shattered my knee cap, I finally set out for a run! I felt great, although it was shockingly warm in DC and I was way overdressed. I felt a little off but otherwise, really good. The yoga practice was the longest of the challenge and I was dreading it a little bit but oh boy it felt good. This was another great practice that I'll flag for a post-long run day.

Wednesday: #yogarevolution Day 25 (18:00)
I woke up Wednesday morning so sore from Tuesday's run and yoga. I had thought about going to a spin class but my muscles were so achy! I woke up, went to work, went to a few meetings, went about my day, came home, worked some more, grabbed dinner with The Pilot, went to Target, unpacked a few boxes, changed into my pajamas and plopped onto the couch at 9:30 before remembering that I had to practice. I'll be honest, if the practice had been any longer than it was, I probably wouldn't have done it. It was short, quick, and easy, and then I went to bed.

 Thursday: 3 miles (PACE); #yogarevolution Day 26 (20:00)
It was another surprisingly warm day in DC and The Pilot and I headed out for a mid-day run to soak up the warm sunshine. It was actually pretty windy once we headed out and I was still sore from Tuesday and moving a lot slower than normal but I was happy to be running again! Today's yoga practice was another short one that focused a lot on core work.

Friday: #yogarevolution Day 27(28:00)
Throughout this entire challenge, I hadn't gotten up and practiced first thing in the morning before work once until Friday. This practice was downright juicy and a fabulous way to start the morning! My mom had gotten to town on Thursday and I wanted to practice before she woke up so that I could get started with work and wrap my day up early so that we could venture around.

Saturday: #yogarevolution Day 28(26:00)
This was a nice, easy mid-day practice to continue the challenge. I had planned to run on Saturday but my knee was feeling a little off and I was exhausted. After taking over 2 weeks off because of my knee, I decided to be ok with an extra rest day ahead of my planned long run for Sunday.

Sunday: 7.5 miles (9:22 pace); #yogarevolution Day 29 (14:00)
I felt like a zombie when I woke up this morning and really wasn't up for the 5 miles I had planned. One mile in, I was feeling ok but I decided I would be ok with 4 miles if I needed to cut my run down. Around Mile 4, I was calculating my weekly mileage and what I needed to hit ahead of marathon training which starts in two weeks and decided to push for 5, come home, practice yoga, and then set out for another 2 miles. When I hit 5 miles, I felt really good and just kept going. I  missed my turn around and ended up running 7.5, my longest run since Philly and I felt great!

I was grateful for the short yoga practice today which featured a hip flexor stretch that I had never done that felt great following that long run.

Total Miles Run: 14
Total Minutes of Yoga: 189

This was a great week and I'm so happy to be back running. I only ran three times but I think that's a good number to hit after a few weeks off. Next week, I'll aim for 4 days of running and higher weekly mileage (but probably a shorter long run, we'll see) and get ready to kick off marathon training while ramping up for Disney Princess, which is just 4 weeks away!

How did your week go?
What's the longest you've ever run on a day where you just felt like running?
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January 22, 2017

Sunday Sweats 3



Currently Training For: 
Disney Princess Half-Marathon, February 26
DC Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, March 11

Monday: #yogarevolution Day 16 (34:00)
I was supposed to have the day off for MLK but had so much work to do that I ended up working the whole day. I was feeling pretty sick on my stomach for most of the day but I snuck in this practice. It didn't do much to make me feel better but I still got it in. It was a relatively easy practice which I was grateful for.

Tuesday: #yogarevolution Day 17 (32:00)
I stayed home sick on Tuesday after waking up not feeling any better from Monday. The theme for today's practice was "Practice Stillness" and I thought I would be able to get through it even though I was under the weather. Boy, was I wrong! The first 10 minutes of the practice, we were literally just sitting in sukhasana (cross-legged). My back was bothering me and I was so uncomfortable. Half way through a modified Warrior pose, I gave up. I was getting really overheated and I just didn't feel right. Then I felt bad for giving up so I turned the video back on and suffered through the end of the practice. I got it done but I would really like to repeat this video when I'm in a better frame of mind.

Wednesday: #yogrevolution Day 18 (27:00)
A balancing practice that I struggled with although I definitely feel like my balance is getting better. As a runner, this is my biggest, most important takeaway from yoga, the strength I get from balance. I know that I need to keep working on balance in order to be a better, stronger runner, and this was a good reminder of that.

 Thursday: #yogarevolution Day 19 (36:00)
I was in a rush today and dreaded that this was one of the longer practices of this challenge but I was able to stay focused and get it in.

 Friday: #yogarevolution Day 20 (30:00)
I couldn't stand watching the Inauguration coverage so I hid in a room in my mom's house with no TV to take my mind off of things and practice. This one was good and juicy.

Saturday: Women's March on Washington
After going to bed at 2 am and waking up at the time I needed to leave to make a train back to DC, I was exhausted. I probably walked about 5-6 miles during the Women's March (which was an incredible experience, more on that later!) and then biked a little over a mile before getting home, going to bed at 9 pm and sleeping for 12 hours straight. No yoga today but I was fine with it.

Sunday: #yogarevolution Days 21 and 22 (56:00)
I practiced twice today to make up for missing yesterday's practice. The first practice was somewhat challenging and the second was a beautiful, restorative hip opening practice that I'll save for after my long runs. It felt good to get in almost a full hour of yoga today and I'm almost grateful that I skipped yesterday and got to practice for that long today.

Another yoga-filled week that kept me balanced and positive through an otherwise difficult week. My knee feels much, much better and the only pain I still have is when I'm practicing yoga and on all fours. I haven't tried running on it yet as I wanted to give the full two weeks per doctor's orders. I thought about running today, but as Sundays are typically my rest days, I'm giving myself one more day and heading out for some miles tomorrow.

Total Miles Run: 0
Total Minutes of Yoga: 215

How did your week go?
Do you practice yoga? What's your favorite pose?
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January 15, 2017

Sunday Sweats 2

So the second week of the New Year didn't exactly go as planned. When Monday rolled around,  my knee was still really swollen from Friday night's fall. I made a doctor's appointment for Tuesday morning, which quickly got canceled. I couldn't find another appointment for the week and didn't want to drag things out, so Monday after work, I took a trip to the ER.

Luckily, there was no break (at that point, I was starting to worry that I broke my knee cap) but the doctor said it was a bone bruise and sprained ligaments. He recommended two weeks off and gave me a strong anti-inflammatory.


While I'm bummed to be starting the year with two weeks off, having recently come back from two years off, I'm so relieved it's only two weeks. I can easily bounce back from that, especailly while I'm doing so much yoga. So, here's what the week did look like:

Currently Training For: 
Disney Princess Half-Marathon, February 26
DC Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, March 11

Monday: Skipped. I spent the day at work and then four hours at the ER. I'm more OK with this than I thought I would be. Things happen.

Tuesday: #yogarevolution Day 9 (32:00)
I picked up my 31-Day Yoga Challenge right where I left off. This practice required a lot of being on all fours which I couldn't really do so I made some modifications and made it work. In a lot of cases, those modifications made the practice more challenging, which was good!

Wednesday: #yogarevolution Day 10 (27:00)
Wednesdays are always my busiest days at work and, by the time I got home to practice, my head was all over the place and I just couldn't really concentrate or enjoy the practice.

Thursday: #yogarevolution Day 11 (29:00)
Lots of balancing today! I'm definitely noticing that my shoulders are really tight and that I can balance better on my right leg than my right. This is part of why I had IT band issues for as long as I did so I really need to pay attention to this.

 Friday: #yogarevolution Day 12 (31:00)
My mind was all over the place before I stepped on the mat but this practice was down right juicy.

Saturday: #yogarevolution Day 13 (30:00)
I want to flag this practice for post-long run days because it is everything I want after a long run. Nice easy, hip opening stretches, one-legged pigeon, reclined cobbler's pose...everything. I've linked to it in case any other runners want to check it out!

 Sunday: #yogarevolution Days 14 and 15 (62:00)
I wanted to catch up from skipping a day on Monday so I doubled up today. The first practice was nice and easy, the second was quite fiery but it felt good, and while I'm sstill not completely comfortable on my knees yet, I'm getting there.

Total Miles Run: 0
Total Minutes of Yoga: 211

Yoga, yoga, and more yoga. I don't hate it. I thought about taking a spin class this week but I didn't think my knee would be in shape for that. Right now, I feel like I'm about three or four days away from being back on my feet. I'm playing it smart and taking it easy though, so we'll see.

How did you week go?
What are you training for?
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January 8, 2017

Sunday Sweats 1

Since I started this blog, I've struggled with finding a way to keep track of my workouts and hold myself accountable in this little internet space. Sunday Sweats are a pretty popular post and I've decided to try them out this year, so here goes!


Currently Training For: 
Disney Princess Half-Marathon, February 26
DC Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, March 11

I planned to start training for Disney two weeks ago but I had the most insane December of my life and ran a grand total of six miles so I decided to sign up for DC Rock 'n' Roll and treat Disney as a fun training run. Here's what my first week of training looked like:

Monday: 4 miles (9:55pace); #yogarevolution Day 2 (31 minutes)
It was cold, rainy, and miserable but I loved every minute of this run. It was my first run of the New Year, The Pilot came along, and it was our first time running in our old neighborhood since we moved back last week. 

Tuesday: #yogarevolution Day 3 (29 minutes)
This was a perfect, hip opening practice and just what I needed. I've done Yoga with Adriene's 30-Day Challenge twice now and I wasn't actually planning on making it a 30-Day challenge this time around but on Tuesday, I decided to.

Wednesday: #yogarevolution Day 4 (33 minutes)
Wednesday was a tough day. It took me nearly an hour and a half to get to work. I brought my running stuff to run at lunch and then had to deal with a work situation. When it took me another hour and a half to get home, I knew I wasn't going to run and I was really beating myself up over it. Then I realized that I do this to myself every Wednesday. It's my busiest day of the week and I don't realistically think I'm ever going to be able to run on a Wednesday so why try? I got home and got on the mat, had a wonderful yoga practice, enjoyed dinner that The Pilot made, and then spent some time with him. It was much better than trying to cram in a run plus yoga and being exhausted.

Thursday: 5 miles (10:24 pace); #yogarevolution Day 5 (31 minutes)
I worked from home on Thursday and practiced at lunch. I think this is my favorite challenge of Adriene's so far. I had plans to meet up with some Junior League ladies for a run around the Mall that evening. I was worried when I saw snow flurries but went anyway. There were only three of us, which was actually great. We got in some great miles running the monuments at night, made new friends, and had a great conversation!

Friday: 4 miles (9:58 pace); #yogarevolution Day 6 (36 minutes)
I worked from home again on Friday and wrapped things up by 4:30 which, I thought, gave me enough time to run before it got dark out. Friday's yoga practice focused on ab work, which I'm still sore from! After work, I set out for a few miles on a nearby trail and 3 miles in, it was already dark. Two blocks from finishing my run, I tripped over an uprooted sidewalk and fell flat on my face. I landed hard on my knee cap, ripping my running tights. I've never fallen so hard and it hurt badly. I immediately teared up and panicked. I got up, hobbled to a nearby stoop and sat down. About 10 minutes later, I got up and stumbled home. When I got home, my knee was bruised and bloody, and had swollen really badly. It looked like a golf ball was growing out of my knee. I iced it on and off for the rest of the night and went to bed.

Saturday: #yogarevolution Day 7 (30 minutes)
I woke up Saturday morning and my knee was still swollen and felt really stiff. I ate some breakfast, took some ibuprofen and iced it on and off before meeting up with a friend for brunch and running some errands. I was on my feet a lot yesterday, which I actually think helped things. My knee was still really swollen but by the end of the day, it was starting to feel a little bit better from Friday. We got a few inches of snow and everything froze over so I went to bed unsure whether to run Sunday or give my knee more rest. Luckily, today's yoga practice didn't require anything on all fours, so I breezed through the practice, which focused on balance. 

Sunday: #yogarevolution Day 8 (30 minutes)
I woke up this morning with my knee still swollen, unable to put any weight on my right leg. Before panicking, I sat down and iced it to see if it was just stiffness from sleeping. That's exactly what it turned out to be and I was able to make it to the grocery store walking just fine. I got home and decided to try out a run. I headed out and it definitely hurt more to run than walk, but the pain was manageable. Two blocks in and I stopped. I don't want to turn this into something when it might just be a bad bruise and I didn't want to run into a situation where I was a mile from home and needed to stop running, so I came home, and got lucky to find that today's yoga practice again kept me off of all fours. It was a beautiful, relaxing practice focused on serenity, and just what I needed.

Total Miles Run: 13
Total Minutes of Yoga: 220

So my first week of 2017 got off to a bumpy start but you know what? This is running. Setbacks happen. I'm grateful that so far, this doesn't seem to be anything serious. My long run planned for the week was 6 miles and I did manage to get in a 5 mile run so I don't feel like I'm too far off. I just need to be mindful and take it easy. I have big running goals for this year and, while it's tough to start the year with more rest than I would like, I also know that I won't hit those goals without giving my body the rest it needs.

If you aren't sure what #yogarevolution is, check it out here. I've been following Yoga with Adriene for a few years now and her free YouTube videos have really changed the way I practice yoga! I recently took a class with an old favorite teacher who I hadn't seen in almost a year and she complimented my practice, saying that it's really improved.  If you're looking for an at-home practice, I can't recommend these enough! 

How did your workouts go this week?
What goals are you chasing in 2017?

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October 11, 2016

A Marathon Training Update

It's been six weeks to the day since I posted about the start of training for the Richmond Marathon and, I haven't posted since.


While I should have spent the month of September building up the mileage in preparation for a strong peak in October, I barely ran at all. Labor Day weekend, I ran a strong 15 miles and then went to Australia, where I ran twice and then came back with a terrible cold that kept me off my feet for almost two more weeks. 

Last weekend, I got up and set out for a 10 mile run to gauge how I was feeling. 12 miles later, with an enormous smile on my face, I came home and realized that I might actually still have a chance at running the marathon. 

I was so sore last week it was ridiculous, sorer than I've been after some of the marathons I've run, but I still ran. I didn't do anything else, because, quite frankly, I was too sore and I didn't get high mileage in, but I made it a point to get out there and run. 

Sunday: 12 miles
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 4 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 16 miles

This Sunday's run was hard. My legs felt great but I was battling strong winds and it the last few miles felt impossible. Doubt started creeping in until I finished. I spent some time doing some research and finally found a plan that I think I can work with. Sarah from Once Upon a Lime  posted abut a 5-week marathon training plan that I think perfectly works with where I am in my own training. 

My long runs for the next 4 weeks before Race Day will be 18, 20, 20-22, and 12 miles. Each week, I'll do one mid-week long run that's roughly equal to have the distance of the long run plus speed work, an easy run, yoga, and cross-training. 

I know what's at stake in this race. I ran Chicago one year ago today and it was the worst marathon I've ever run. I wanted to quit at Mile 14 and I have no idea what pushed me across that finish line. I don't want Richmond to feel like Chicago. I know I'm not going to run a PR, but I want to run a better race than I did in Chicago...physically and mentally. I know that for the next 5 weeks, I have to be more committed than ever. I need to keep a balanced plan - running, cross training, core work, stretching, etc. I need to stay focused and keep myself healthy and if I put all of this together, I will cross the finish line of my 7th marathon on November 12th. 

Wish me luck!
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August 30, 2016

Richmond Marathon Training :Week 1

The 2015 Chicago Marathon was the worst race I've ever run in my life. I hit the wall at Mile 14 and, upon seeing my family at Mile 14, stopped and cried. I didn't want to do it anymore. I was done. What prompted me to slog through another 2 1/2 hours of running to finish just shy of 5 hours is still beyond my comprehension.

I didn't finish happy. I didn't finish strong. I finished and then sat on the ground for about 45 minutes before getting up to make the endless walk to my family, and a medical tent.

It was my 6th marathon and the worst race of my life, but there was one thing I walked out of it saying: You better believe there will be a #7.

The most logical place to return for #7 is Richmond, where I not only ran my fastest race, but the best race of my life. Richmond was magic and I'm hoping to channel some of that magic into year's marathon.

That being said, I didn't have a great start to training. I took the week off after Sea Wheeze, doing nothing other than a 2 mile shakeout run after watching the Olympic Men's Marathon because Meb blew me away and brought back all of those feelings from Chicago.


The rest of the week was tough. We got home from a trip to NJ at 11pm Sunday, Wednesday, I got up and took a flight to Raleigh for work. Thursday, my flight back to DC was delayed 2 1/2 hours and I didn't get home until 11:00. Then, we got up Friday morning, drove to NJ for the night and then spent 11 hours driving from NJ to CT back to NJ and then on to DC on Sunday. I did run during the week, but it wasn't the kick off to marathon training that I hoped and, as a result, here we are on Tuesday morning and I haven't run yet this week either.

Here's what the week looked like;

Monday: 4 miles, easy
Tuesday: 7 miles, hills (not easy)
Wednesday: 25 minutes of morning yoga and PT Exercises
Thursday: Skipped 
Friday: 4 miles with 2 at marathon goal pace (target 9:09, actual 8:55, 9:05)
Saturday: Skipped.
Sunday: Skipped.

We were in Mystic, CT for my college roommates wedding. I was planning on doing 4 easy on Saturday when we got there and my long run Sunday morning, but it took us 5 hours to get there (should have been less than 3) and we barely had enough time to get ready for the wedding. Because of that, we left way earlier than originally planned on Sunday morning.

Total Mileage this Week: 15

I'm not going to beat myself up about this. I usually start training 16 weeks out, but dropped to 12 because I didn't want to alter my training plan for Sea Wheeze. I need to have a strong week this week to feel good moving into the next 11 weeks so that I feel calm and ready on race day.


Are you training for a fall race? Which one? How's your training going?
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July 25, 2016

Coffee Date: Summer Edition

I've been MIA since I came back from Paris and wanted to put up a post and fill you all in on what's been going on!


If we were having coffee I would be drinking mine iced because the heat in DC is oppressive today!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I've been dragging out my jet lag since we got back from Paris, and it is awesome. I don't love that I'm in bed by 8:45 every night but I love that I'm up by 6 every morning and getting in plenty of time to read, run, eat breakfast, and enjoy my mornings. It has made a world of difference in my summer!

I would tell you that Sea Wheeze training is going really well! Despite oppressive heat and humidity, I still managed to run my 10 mile long run this weekend in under 10 minute miles. It wasn't the 9:30 pace that I wanted but given the circumstances, I'll take it. It's much better than the 12+ I was averaging last summer AND I ran my fastest mile in a LONG time this morning in 8:19. I'm really happy with how my training is going and I think this race is going to segway really nicely into training for Richmond.

I would tell you that The Pilot and I are moving this weekend! We're packing up our tiny Capitol Hill basement apartment for a bigger apartment with a lot more light in a different part of DC. I'm really sad to leave Capitol Hill but I'm excited for our new place and our new neighborhood!

I would tell you that while I'm excited to move, I'm not sure when we'll actually get to spend time in our new apartment! Between Sea Wheeze, a wedding, and a Christening next month, our weekends are pretty booked up for the month of August...and the fall isn't looking much better!

I would also tell you that today marks three years since The Pilot and I got engaged and things have been pretty great ever since. 



I'm hoping to get my Paris posts up this week but my apartment is full of boxes and we still have a lot of packing to do!

What's going on in your world? What would you tell me over a coffee date?
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June 28, 2016

Weekly Workouts 25: A Reset



I didn't run once last week. I feel like this always happens when something throws off my training a bit. I didn't get my long run in the weekend I was in Des Moine and then, I got a sinus infection that I'm still recovering from.

I don't beat myself up when something throws a wrench in my training but it seems like every time that happens, an even bigger wrench gets thrown in and, here I am, two weeks since I've had a full, solid week of training.

I'm frustrated. I was doing really, really well with my training plan...better than I had since before I got hurt, and now, I feel like I need to start all over again. Being sick for almost two weeks as made me feel so out of shape. I feel like I've gained weight and lost fitness.

This week is a luckily a step back week for me so I'll be able to ease in. Here's my plan for getting back on track:

Monday: 2 miles easy
Tuesday: Yoga
Wednesday:  35 minutes easy
Thursday: Yoga or a long walk
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 7 mile run
Sunday: 30 minutes easy

If I can get through this week, I think I'll feel better about getting back into training. The race is 7 weeks away. I've always only trained for 8 weeks for a half, and I'm training for 14 weeks this time around to try and ease back into things. I'm hoping that these last two weeks aren't too much of a set back and I can jump right in.

We'll see! Wish me luck!
How's your training going?
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June 14, 2016

Weekly Workouts 23

Another week of half-marathon training is in the books and, well, last week was just ok. I knew I was traveling over the weekend and I wanted to do everything I could to make sure I still got all of my workouts in, but sometimes that's easier said than done. 


Monday: 3.5 miles, easy. My left leg went completely numb during this run, a clear sign that it was time for new shoes.

Tuesday: 1-hour yoga with Tracy in Farragut Square Park. This was a great class and I absolutely loved practicing outside, city sounds and everything! It was great to finally meet Tracy too! After class, I finally went out and bought new shoes. 

Wednesday: Skipped :( I had evening plans and was planning to run in the morning, but then I had an early meeting scheduled.

Thursday: 3 AM miles with 6 30-second strides . I felt good during this run but I broke in my new shoes and both feet started to go numb during the run.

Friday: 6ish miles on the bike and a long walk on the National Mall. The Pilot and I biked about 3 miles to City Center, walked from there to the Jefferson and back, and then biked 3 miles home again. This was a cross training day and I was hoping to spin during the day but it just didn't happen. It was absolutely beautiful outside so I'm glad I took my workout outdoors instead of in a dark, sweaty spin studio.

Saturday: Skipped. This should have been my long run, but I was hoping to get it in the next day. Our flights weren't too early, but I needed to take Peyton to her sitter first and couldn't squeeze the run in. 

Sunday: 3.5 miles. I'm happy I got these miles in. It was in the middle of my flight delays and I really didn't think I was going to get a run in at all. It should have been 7, but at least it was something. 

Total Mileage: 10 

In total, I missed 6.5 miles. This was my 5th week of training and I'm still far enough out and feeling good enough that I'm not going to beat myself up. I did what I could when I could. I thought about trying to squeeze my long run in on Friday but my knee was bothering me a little bit so I played it smart.


5 weeks down, 9 to go.
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June 7, 2016

Weekly Workouts 22

Last week was a step back week. I didn't really feel like I needed it but by the end of the week, I realized that I definitely did. I'm feeling better about this training cycle each week and feel like Sea Wheeze is coming up quickly.

This is the first half I've trained for in 3 years and it feels like I'm so far behind where I should be, because from the marathon standpoint, I am. I should have trained for a strong half this past fall instead of jumping into marathon training, but when I entered the Chicago lottery in March, I thought I'd be able to start running right away.

One thing I'm noticing about this training cycle is that I'm finally starting to feel like I'm training again. I'm running on days when I just don't feel like it and am actually having good runs on those days. I'm relishing rest days as just as important as training days, and I'm actually cross training. Now, if I can actually mix strength training into this, I'll be in great shape!


Here's a look at how last week's training went:

Monday: 2-mile time trial with 1 mile warm up. This was tough. My legs were tired from the dancing all night at Ally's wedding and then running 6 miles the next morning. It was incredibly hot..the kind of heat that can only be broken my a thunderstorm...but I still managed to run under a 9-minute pace for the 2 miles.

Tuesday: 50 minutes of at-home yoga

Wednesday: 3 miles easy

Thursday: 40 minutes of at-home yoga and a roughly 3-mile walk to and from a work event. It was a gorgeous night and my training plan called for yoga or a long walk, so I did both!

Friday: Rest. If you can call it that. My sister was in town and we walked 12 miles all over DC. When I got home that night, I felt like I had just run 12 miles.

Saturday: 4 quick miles before spending the day wandering around DC with my sister...this time for only 6 miles.

Sunday: 2 easy miles and 30 minutes of at-home yoga followed by a massage, where my therapist was astounded at how tight my calves are. 

Total Mileage: 12

I'm already feeling good about this week. I did not want to run last night, but had a great 3.5 mile run anyway. Tonight, I'm meeting up with Tracy for some outdoor yoga!


4 weeks down, 10 to go! 
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June 1, 2016

May Recap

I was right! May finally did slow down for me and now that I'm finally starting to feel caught up on life and comments, I think I can get back to blogging regularly in June!


I couldn't have asked for a better end to the month! The Pilot and I took a trip to Maryland's Eastern Shore for one of my very best friend's weddings. It was a gorgeous wedding and Ally was a stunning bride. I had way too much fun on the dance floor with Ally and Sara and, of course, The Pilot. It was a great end to the month and a great kickoff to the summer!


Before we jump into that, here's a look at how the month of May went!


Update on Last Month's Challenges:
  • Actually training (Check!)
  • Wearing my Vivofit and counting steps on days I work from home (Check!)
  • Using ClassPass regularly (Check! I downgraded my plan to 5 classes per month to accommodate running more)
  • Post at least 3x per week (Nope. Last week was the only time I did this, but it's planned for June!)
The Month in Numbers: 

 Miles Run: 38.7

Minutes of Yoga: 185

Spin Classes Taken: 1

Books Read: 2

  • "Mr. Churchill's Secretary" and "Why We Came to the City"

Trips Taken: 1 (This weekend's trip to the Eastern Shore)

New Recipes Made: 0 (This was a terrible month for meal planning)

Blog Posts Written: 8

30 Before 30 Items Completed: 1 (Kenny Chesney!)

Highlights: Finally seeing Kenny Chesney in concert

Lowlights: 21 days of rain

 The Month Ahead:
Looking forward to: A visit from my little sister, a possible overnight with The Pilot, New York with Holly, Paris! SO MANY THINGS!

Challenges to take on:

  • Visit at least one new ballpark,
  • 60 oz of water/day (my recommended intake by Camelbak)
  • Start cooking my way through a cookbook
  • Read 8 books (SUPER ambitious, I know!)

So, there you go!
June should be a slow month too and I've got a lot to look forward to!
How did your May shape up? What are you looking forward to in June?

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May 31, 2016

Weekly Workouts 21




Monday: 3 miles, easy. I got luck with this run. It down poured during my evening commute and stopped just before I started running. It was still drizzling, but I was happy to not run in the pouring rain. My legs were pretty tired from running all weekend, but it was a short enough run.

Tuesday: Rest. I was supposed to do yoga and I didn't. Part of it had to do with the fact that I worked until midnight, the other part had to do with the fact that my body was just exhausted. I could have taken 20 minutes to practice, but I needed a rest.

Wednesday: 3 miles with 6 30-second stride. This was tough. My office had gone to the Nationals game and while we sat in the shade, I was hot, tired, and dehydrated. I biked home from the ballpark, had some water with Nuun, and then headed out the door. It was hot, and if you know me, you know I don't mind running in the heat, but it had been 47 degrees just three mornings before. I definitely struggled with this run, but I was able to get in the pickups that I needed to and call it a day.

Thursday: 4-mile bike ride. Today was a cross-training day but The Pilot and I had evening plans, so I decided to turn our plans into a workout and we went for a 4ish mile ride on the new-to-me Metropolitan Branch Trail.

Friday: Lunchtime Vinyasa class. I mentioned last week that Fridays are typically my rest days, but since I skipped Tuesday's workout, I replaced today's Rest Day with a nice, easy flow.

Saturday: 2-mile run. Today was supposed to be my long run but I didn't wake up early enough to get in a 10k run before we had to head to the Eastern Shore for my friend Ally's wedding. I'm glad I skipped the long run though because I was exhausted and my legs felt heavy.

Sunday: 10k run. This was tough. I tried to run down the Mall, but it was closed for the Thunder Road motorcycle ride. The few parts of the Mall I could run on, I spent inhaling motorcycle fumes before I was finally able to look back and then I had to find miles to finish this. It wasn't that hot and the breeze was nice, but I always find it a mental challenge when you have to find miles to tack on to your run. I always thought that ride was on Memorial Day, so that was an unpleasant surprise!

Total Mileage: 14.2

A great week in the books! I moved things around but I still got all of my workouts in! 3 weeks down, 11 to go! This week is a step-back week which means nice, easy, short runs! Can't wait!

How's your training going?
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May 24, 2016

Weekly Workouts 20

Another solid week of training in the books! I can't rave enough about how perfect this training plan is for me and where I am right now. It feels totally manageable with 2 yoga/cross-training days, 4 runs per week, and long runs that are building up slowly.


Here's a look at last week's training:

Monday: 3 easy miles

Tuesday: 40 minutes of at-home Yoga for Runners

Wednesday: 3 miles with 5 30-second strides with the Pilot

Thursday: At-home Power Yoga

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 5 cold, rainy miles on the National Mall, 2 of them with The Pilot.  

Sunday: 2 cold, rainy miles followed by a 75 minute Dharma yoga class.

Mileage Total: 13

Overall, I'm feeling great, 

I definitely think I need to shake up the training plan a little but though. I don't think Friday should be my rest day. With Friday as Rest, I'm running my long runs in the middle of 3 consecutive days. It's working right now but I don't think it will when I move up to the double digits, so I might switch Friday's Rest Days with Sunday's shakeout runs and keep my long runs on Saturdays. 

We'll see. For now, I'm just trying to check the boxes and keep getting everything in! I'm 2 weeks and have followed my training plan exactly, and so far, Week 3 is off to a great start!


2 weeks down, 12 to go!
How's your training going?
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