Week #7

Monday - Group Power and Run 4 miles



It is going to be a ton of running this week. Good to start it with a bang. I went to Power and it is amazing how rusty you get from missing two weeks. I kept my weight decreased on everything and was still challenged by it. I also ran four miles afterwards on the treadmill. Would rather run outside, but it was too dark out. I had to be home by 7:00 AM. I was back at 7:02 and Derek was just waking up. The whole new morning routine is different and I am trying to figure out the best way to go about doing it. We did not really establish a regular routine last week as Rob was gone and everything was chaotic. Right now it is what it is and I'm thankful I'm getting these workouts in.


Tuesday - Ran 7 miles



I think it is going to be another good running week! Let's hope so. Lots of miles to go. Anyway I had to run 7 and be home by 7:15 AM. It is very dark at 5:50 AM. I wore my reflector cap, my "Target light," and carried my cell phone. It started to get light around Mile #2. I ran in the well lit neighborhoods where a lot of the runners go. I ran the Sumpter Park neighborhood to Sunnyside to Wiltsey down Commerical and back ending with a mile on Kuebler to Boone to Liberty. I felt really good the whole run. I only stopped at the lights to refuel. I felt really energized. I think I am becoming more and more of a morning runner. It is going to be tough to do these long runs as the mornings keep getting darker.


Wednesday - Rest



My body needs a rest and our schedule is a little flip flopped this week with Rob being in Washington this weekend. I am probably going to end up doing my long run on Sunday which is not ideal. This week it makes the most sense. The long runs are getting "long" and Sunday afternoons give the longest block of time. I don't have to deal with it being dark out and it should not be overly hot. Once the rain hits (and I'm really hoping it holds off until November) it is going to be tough again. Running 18 miles in the rain sounds awful.



Anyway today is proving to be a stressful day and I kind of wish I did go running. Hailey is sick and staying home from school. She looks fatigued, pale, and exhausted. Derek is better than last week, but still a handful. And I am overwhelmed by other things. Glad next week is a little "lighter."


Thursday - Cross training - 15 minutes eliptical, 15 minutes bike


Happy birthday, Hailey! Ok the alarm went off at 4:48 AM and I was awake. I even woke up a few minutes before. I love the fact my body is "on a schedule" and I am waking up on my own. This makes me feel really good. The deal with cross training: I want it to be "break" from running. I still want it to be exercise, but not as intense as running. Obviously I want to pour more of my energy into running. I was reading a good article about this in Runners World. Yes, I read a lot of RW while Rob was in Boston. Trena was even telling me she pushed herself so hard in cross training (doing squats) that she feels like that is where she injured herself. She is still recovering from it. So as much I love Group Ride, I don't want to do it as my cross training every week. It's intense, tough, an hour long, and almost as challening for me as a regular run...sometimes I think it is more so. So I tried fifteen minutes on the eliptical today and fifteen minutes on the break. I know I worked hard because I was sweating a lot and I could feel like I worked my legs pretty hard. It was nice to be at the gym for a shorter period of time and be home before 7. I do miss the group atmosphere which is why I still might do "Ride" from time to time. For today, I am happy with my workout.


Friday - Ran 4 Miles


I had a really good run this afternoon. It was a little rainy, but not too bad. I probably should have ran in the morning as it would not have made my afternoon so full. I did enjoy sleeping in a little. I did a route similar to when I trained for Portland, but I avoided running on Kuebler since I hate running on such a busy road. I ran Lone Oak to Valleywood to Sunnyside to Idylwood to Jones back to Lone Oak. Nice route. My new shoes felt great.

Saturday - Rest

Was a busy day. Rob was in Zillah all day for Classis. They left at 4 AM and got back home shortly after 9 PM. Hailey and Derek were at VB's house in the morning and I got a lot done between 10 AM and 12:30 PM. Then I dropped Kara off at the VB's house and went with Trena to her shower. Back to VB's and back home by 6 PM. Kind of a lot for a day especially without Rob. Kara was running a fever. Pretty sure it's related to a cold. No throwing up or anything. Her appetite is fine. She is just lethargic.

Sunday - Ran 14 miles

Yay! I totally did it. And it went well. I daresay parts of it I enjoyed. I did my 12 mile route, but detoured to Wes Bennet park which served as a great "refueling station." Filled my water bottle there. I also ran up Valleywood through the Sumpter neighborhood on the way home. I also ran up Kashmir for the last mile and a half and through that neighborhood. Not sure I will do that again because the hills were super steep. I was not expecting that at all and I could not make it up all of them.

I did not feel as dehydrated this time. I ate a regular breakfast and grazed all morning. I tried to drink a whole water bottle before noon. It seemed to help. I went through two water bottles during the whole run.

It helps to break the run into parts. I used to see the long runs as mile by mile. Now I see them as sections such as the Sumpter section, the Battlecreek Section, the Rees Hill section etc. It helps me feel like I accomlish something when I exit one area and enter the next.

I also walked very little which surprised me. My endurance was strong. I walked up half the Baxter hill and walked 1-2 minutes each of the last few miles. I stopped at the bus stop on Fairway to take the gu and it helped a ton. I think I should take two packs next time.

It is kind of crazy that this would be my longest run if I were training for the 5/3 Riverbank run. I am only on Week #7. I have to do 11 more long runs and some will be even longer. I feel confident I can do it. Today went so well and it was good to be out.