Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

Wednesday's Plan

4-6 x 400 with 200 recovery
3 x 200 with 200 recovery

20-30 min warm up/cool down

Out early to complete the workout. I ended up with a 22 min warm up at a pretty slow pace (10 min miles) with my good friend who is kind enough to meet me to make sure we run, but due to pace differences, we usually just warm up together.   It was nice having a much easier warm up than last Wednesday and I felt fresher going into the work out.   I opted for road vs. track due to lighting and there is a fairly flat section that makes it easy to do 1/2 mile loops about 2 miles from my house.    

Repeat splits with mileage:

800:  3:32 (.51) 3:40 (.52) 3:35 (.51) 3:34 (.51)
200:  1:00 (oops...), 55, 54 - slower than last week, but I also think a little longer since I was on the road.

I did not look at the run calculator this time and just went by effort.  I have no idea what I should have run, other than I feel pretty good about these splits.   Not a true Yasso work out, but close and I am pleased with these times.   I opted for just 4 because I have a 5K on Saturday sandwiched in my long run and that will give me plenty of speed this week.

Cool down for 21 min.

Total time 1:21:17 / 8.55 miles / 8:27 avg pace

Plan 30-45 min easy run

I am in SLC for work and even though I knew it would be cold, it ended up being colder than I planned and it was chilly!   Legs felt tired and heavy, but ended up being the same pace as most my easy runs.   

45 min / 5.4 miles / avg pace 8:40

Love easy days!

Plan 14-18 miles

I had originally planned on running a 5k in the somewhere in the duration of this run, but after two very long, emotionally hard days at work and not getting home until after 1:00 am last night, I opted for sleeping in a little and heading out later.    I started at 9:45 in shorts!  I used my house as a base to eliminate carrying water/gu and I knew I would need pit stops based on how my stomach was feeling.   I did 3 out and backs using the same route each time - 7 miles, 6 miles and 3 miles.  It was one of those runs that was a grind, but I ended up with better paces than I expected and finished out with some MP miles which was unexpected.   All of the outs were into a pretty good headwind.   

Splits: Miles 1-7:  8:44, 8:33, 8:33, 8:17m 8:04, 8:11, 8;07,
          Miles 8-13: 8:26, 8:24, 8:20, 8:07, 8:11, 8:03
          Miles 14-16: 8:03, 8:03, 7:30

2:11:32 / 16 miles / avg pace 8:13

Week 7 - Monday's plan - 50-60 min easy running

Headed out early and it was colder than I expected. 60 min of easy running while listening to a podcast. Love starting my week off right!

60 min / 6.78 miles / avg pace 8:51

Week 7 - Wednesday:  6x800 1000 m w/400 recovery OR 4 min on/90 seconds off  + 100 m strides with 100 m recovery

Today was hard to get going, I was struggling getting out of bed and going.   I met my friend who warms up with me and makes sure that I have a nice slow warm up on hard days.  At about 3/4 mil in I fell...not bad, but tore up my knee pretty good.   I hadn't fallen for over 6 years and fell terribly in July and ended up with road rash on the right side of my body and then again this morning - what is up!

Finished the warm up and then started the workout in the same area as last weeks.   I opted for the 4 min on and 90 seconds off and I struggled with correct pacing in the instructions - should have been a progression, not hanging on for dear life.  I tried to reign it in, but haven't had a chance to sync my garmin and see how I did.   

Major pause button.....started this yesterday and finally finishing tonight.

After finally reviewing the splits on the 4 min segments, the distances were pretty consistent  

.52, .55, .55, .55, .55, .54

Not sure if this approach is better vs. the distance and comparing times, but I do believe the effort was there.   

1:16:01 / 9.02 miles  / avg pace 8:25

Week 7 - Friday's plan 30-45 min easy run

In SLC again for work and did the same route as last week.  Last week I froze, this week I over dressed....

45 min / 5.25 miles

Week 7: Saturday:  90 min progression run in thirds.

I ended up sick on Saturday and had to move the workout to Monday.    The first third was easy, middle was moderate paced and last 30 min were hard.   It ended up being a pretty good workout based on effort.

Splits:  9:23, 9:16, 8:54, 8:28, 8:13, 8:03, 8:14, 7:43, 7:52, 7:42, 6:14 (.82 mile)

1:30:00 / 10.82 miles / avg pace 8:19

Week 8:  Monday - 30-45 min easy run

Due to the long run on Monday, Monday's run was pushed to Tuesday.

Easy run that was extra easy.   I was slow and never really tried to get out of first gear, which with the week I am having is probably okay.

36:01  / 3.85 / 9:22 avg pace

Week 8  - Wednesday:  20 min up/down with 2-4 mile tempo@LT pace

This is the type of workout  that I am mentally afraid of and will often find a "reason" as to why I cannot get it done and today was no exception.  I pushed the workout a day to Thursday due to work travel and was pretty close to bagging it this morning to help my daughter with her homework, citing that my husband had other things to due.  Not true and he all but kicked me out the door to get it done.   

20 min warm up 9:33, 9:09, +1:19

Tempo:  7:42, 7:28, 7:34 - I did not check my watch once, just focused on effort and was very pleased.   I had some pretty good hills during mile three and would have probably been close to the same pace as the second mile.   I have learned that I can managed these workouts better when  I focus on effort not trying to achieve a specific pace.   

20 min cool down 8:35, 8:38, +3:01

Week 8 Saturday:  16-20 mile log run

I slept in and finally headed out around 9:00 am which meant that the wind had picked up and whenever I headed south, it was straight into the wind.   The positive about heading out later is that I can run on the two lane farm roads and places I do not normally run during the week.     I ended up spending the first half exploring some of the roads out to the sw of where I live and then the second have was comprised of the same roads I run during the week.   I had some pretty good hills along the way ...most of them into the wind - that is the way it goes.   

Splits: 9:18, 8:38, 8:42, 8:46, 8:26, 8:28, 8:32, 8:32, 8:39, 8:36, 8:47 (had to walk in some grass to avoid traffic and falling), 8:35, 8:24, 8:19, 8:23, 8:31, 8:22

Gu's at 7 and 14 and water stops at 10 & 16

I have three major projects going on at work right now and one of my daughters graduated from high school on Friday and is leaving for college right after Christmas - so it has been a little crazy.  My diet has been less than stellar and I have missed strength training and doing the little things.   All of this made this run much harder than it needed to be.   At the half way point, I was tired and mentally worn out, but we persevere and get it done.   I ended up feeling better during the second half and I am very proud of mile 16 (8:23)..one mile into the wind the entire time and I felt like I was running in sludge and going nowhere.  I really expected to see into the 9's and was shocked by the 8:23.    

I cannot believe I am half-way done with this cycle, it has flown by.

2:34:06 / 18 miles / 8:34 avg. pace

Tuesday - December 22

Monday's plan on Tuesday due to travel.   60 min of easy running on the treadmill OR 60 min of mental strength practicing on the treadmill --take your pick :)   

60 min / 6.79 miles

Thursday, December 23

Plan:  20 min warm / cool down
         8-10 Yasso's

So much to say about this workout......

I get so excited for my mid-week speed workout  - that is until the day arrives and I dread the workout and doubt my abilities.  I try to come up with a million reasons as to why I shouldn't do it and it makes more sense to run easy.   This has been my MO since I moved to Texas and left the comfort of my training group.   

Yasso's are even worse, in complete disclosure, I have never completed an entire Yasso workout - even going back to my group on SLC.  I would start and then find an excuse and go run easy on the road.   

Today started out the exact same way.  My husband drove me to the track and dropped me off, saving my legs the 2 miles of uphill running to the middle school.   I did a two mile warm up and started right in.  Normally after the warm up, I do some drills and focus, not today...all in right away.   The first 800 wasn't so bad, either was the second and then the third the mental wheels started to fall off.  I don't feel good, maybe I should just quit.  I told my self to get half-way through and if I still want to throw in the towel, I could have the option.   Fourth actually felt good and from there on out it wasn't too bad.  The last couple were tough, but that is how it should be.  

As I have with the past speed days, I have really focused on effort, not on time/pace and that really seems to help.   I was beyond pleased with the workout and  - I FINISHED!!   I walked of the track pretty dang happy.

Splits:  3:41, 3:37, 3:38, 3:37, 3:33 (not sure how that happened), 3:37, 3:36, 3:36  Exactly where I would like to be.

1:31:26 / 11 miles  / 8:19 avg pace

Friday, December 25 Plan 30-45 min easy run

I love running on Christmas and something I have done for the past 10 or so years.   Such a great morning and I headed out around 11:00 am - 60 degrees, sun shinning, light breeze - perfect!   I ended up finishing at just over 40 min and needed a bathroom.  My poor diet the past few days is catching up with me.   

40:17 / 4.69 / 8:35

Saturday, December 26 - Plan 18-22 miles

We sent our daughter off to college this morning, she and my husband left about 4:00 am - way to early for me to be out pounding the pavement by myself.   I went back to bed, with every intention of heading out between 6-7.  I woke up with a headache and dehydrated and decided against heading out early and I would head out/or hit the treadmill if necessary later in the day.

Finally got down to business around 6:00 pm and due to rain and tornado warnings, I was on the treadmill.  I have never done a 20 miler on the treadmill, I think the longest previously was around 16 miles.   I broke it into 3 mile segments for water and Gu'd at 6, 12, & 18 but was not overly efficient.  I ended up having to make a hotel reservation for my husband because they got stuck due to weather, way to many bathroom breaks to count and the last two miles were dang HARD.   I was trying to figure out why, but realized afterwards, my internal body temp had gotten way to high.  

So glad to have gotten it done...I don't know that I would do another 20 on the treadmill ( I feel like I have run a marathon), but I did it, when I could have given up.   

20 miles / 2:55:59 / 8:47 avg pace

Strength Training - Total Body Fix.

Monday's Workout pushed to Tuesday because of weather.  Plan:  12-14 x 1 min on/off, total running time 80-90 min.

This is one of my all-time favorite workouts... and today I messed it up by complete lack of focus....How does that happen you say?

Not sure why, but I was losing it with the first step out the door - forgot gloves.   Next attempt - wasn't dressed warm enough...Third attempt - forgot my reflector and decided I would just be extra cautious.

I warmed up with Jenny who helps keep my warm ups nice and slow for 30 min and then I was on my own for the  ON/OFF.   I chose to do this workout in a pretty hilly area to push a little and it has been a while since I have spent time with the hills.   The ON/OFF section of the workout went great and it was time to cool down for 30-35 min.  Simple you say?  Should be but not today.   I completely forgot about the time component of the cool down and enjoyed picking up the pace for 3 miles home... and finished at 1:18:** and felt great...until I realized I should have run for another 10 minutes...I have no idea what is wrong with my today.    I have a Tempo run on Thursday and should not have enjoyed the fast "cool down".  

Lesson learned... I need to spend a couple of minutes focusing before I head out the door....and maybe I will remember everything, dress appropriately and only have to do it once.  

Splits:  10:15, 10:00, 9:18, 8:09, 8:29, 8:12, 8:21, 8:08, 7:52...what a mess.

1:18:46 / 9 miles  / 8:45