Week #1 of Marathon 7

Running was one of the things that got me through last winter.  I was dealing with mild depression last November and much of December mostly due to everything shutting down around me...and I had a lot of emotional stress from my job.  I didn't realize how much the emotional stress was feeding into other areas of my life until this fall...when I was in a more positive work environment.  I don't have the same kind of work stress anymore at all.  Although COVID is still very much present and the Omnicron variant sounds like a doomsday is about to hit--we are in a better place.  We have been able to resume mostly normal lives with some regulations or restrictions.  I reached a point where I don't care anymore and I am ready to move on with life.  

I feel more motivated to run again.  I did exercise throughout the summer but didn't really train for anything.  I did a 5K with the kids in September.  My exercise was not as consistent.  I would take a week or two off and then try to hit it hard again.  I had a pretty nasty cold in November.  Rob traveled a lot and that always makes scheduling more difficult.

I want to train for another marathon.  I was very spoiled last winter with being able to do long runs during the day.  I don't want to go back to the remote working at all...I didn't like not having a job description and dealing with certain coworkers.  But I did the like the time freedom.  This time around I will need to do early morning workouts.  Honestly I have not done early morning workouts consistently since 2019...maybe early 2020 but I can't remember.  It is going to be hard to restart that habit.  But I have to try.

My first week was a good start though.

Monday = Ran 5 miles with a pace of 10:06 in pouring rain!!  No break from the rain.

Tuesday = Hiked 5 miles with Matt in the Columbia River Gorge by Multnomah Falls.  Such a great hike!

Wednesday = Ran 4.03 miles with Emily from Riverfront to Minto with a pace of 9:50.  Again a lot of rain.

Thursday = 20 minutes of weights at the gym, stationary bike for 35 minutes at the gym

Friday (Christmas Eve) = Intervals...3 miles at Pringle School 6 laps with recovery in between

Saturday (Christmas Day) = Ran 10 miles at 10:18 pace!  Trying to outrun the snow storm.  Glad I got the run in before all the snow hit.

Sunday = Rest but enjoying the snow!

Pre Week

 I think I am going to train for the Tacoma Marathon.  And if it gets to be too much I will switch to the half.  It is relatively easy to switch distances without much hassle.

Training would officially start next week.  I'm a little worried about my knee and the extra mileage upsetting my ankle...and the general burn out.  I have to eat a lot better than I have been too.  I need to do a food diary and try to stay off sugar, soda, and other stuff I love...and should not eat.

Here's what I did this week:

Monday - Ran 4.50 miles with a pace of 9:58 in the morning

Tuesday - It was very very icy and the sidewalks and streets were slick.  I had to go slow.  I did five miles with an average pace of 11:05

Wednesday = Rest

Thursday = Ran 3.27 miles with an average pace of 10:24

Friday = Weights for 20 minutes and stationary bike for 35 minutes at the gym

Saturday = Long run.  Ran 8 miles (5 miles with a friend) with a pace of 10:32 in the morning.

Sunday = Intervals at Pringle School...about three miles.  Average pace about 9:59.  Pouring, pouring rain.  Not a break from the rain at all.

I am back

 I have had a good fall in terms of exercise.  I've just not been consistent.  I took a week off when I had cold.  Then I took another week off when I got overwhelmed.  I am really just trying to be consistent again.  I will make a decision soon whether I want to train for a spring race and what distance I want to train for.

Monday 11/22 = Ran in the late afternoon at 4:45.  I ran 4 miles with a pace of 10:18.  Ran mostly in the dark.

Tuesday 11/23 = Rest.  Bad night of sleep and was hard to get up.

Wednesday 11/24 = 3 mile hike at Silver Falls State Park.  Was very refreshing

Thursday 11/25 = Ran 3.1 miles in the morning with a pace of 9:28

Friday = Swam 900 yards.  The swim went good but I had another shoulder spasm that night.

Saturday = Intervals at Wendy Kroger Park

Sunday = 4 mile run with a pace of 10:19 in the morning before church

9/12 to 9/20 Bad Week to Good Week

 Last week was a wash.  I ran Tuesday & Wednesday which was actually quite good.  By Thursday I was very exhausted as well as Friday.  I decided to not exercise the rest of the week.  Don't get me wrong.  I like having a lot on my plate.  I would take this over spring 2020. I like seeing the kids involved in things and I like having more to do.  I don't really miss the long days working at home figuring out what I am supposed to be doing with so little direction.  But my motivation is not where I want it right now.  Sometimes I still feel like it's fighting tooth and nail to exercise.

So here's a new week.

Monday = Ran 3.61 miles with an average pace of 10:33 (slower because of traffic lights).  I really didn't want to run.  I didn't sleep well & I was pretty stressed out.  But I am so glad I got myself out of bed and ran.  I did feel better once I got home.  I listened to old school CCM music and I think that made a difference.

Tuesday = Swam with my tri friends.  About 1400 yards.

Wednesday = Ran 5.07 miles with an average pace of 10:17 (probably slower again because of traffic lights)

Thursday = Rest

Friday = Weights plus 1000 yards of swimming that included speed drills

Saturday = Biked 16.05 miles.  Nice to ride outside on a fall day!

Sunday = Intervals at Wendy Kroger.  4 x outside loop 2 x smaller loop

9/6 to 9/12 We're back into the fall routine

 We actually had a very smooth first week of school/work--more so than I expected.  It feels amazing to be in a fall routine.

9/6 (Labor Day) = Ran 4.07 miles with a pace of 10:52

9/7 (First Day of School) = Swam approximately 1300 yards alone.  My friends weren't there.  :(

9/8 = Did 1/2 hour of weights and 1/2 hour on the stationary bike in the afternoon after work

9/9 = R30 after work

9/10 = Intervals at the park.  2 x 1 lap and 1 x 2 laps with recovery and stretching

9/11 = Sublimity Harvest 5k.  Derek beat me and did amazing.  We did around 26 minutes.

9/12 = Rest but I did go for a slow 1.88 mile slow walk

8/30 to 9/5 We don't like letting go of summer

 I need to start documenting my workouts again.  I don't really have any major goals right now.  Just simply to continue to exercise and maybe look at races in the spring.  

Monday (8/30) = Ran 4 miles with an average pace of 10:14/mi.  

Tuesday (8/31) = Swam approximately 1300 yards with triathlon friends.  I have not swam with them especially in the early morning hours in SO long.

Wednesday (9/1) = Ran 3.07 miles with an average pace of 10:01/mi

Thursday (9/2) = About 20 minutes of weights and 25 minutes of stationary bike.  Why doesn't the gym offer early morning power anymore!?

Friday (9/3) = About a 1 mile hike from Horsetail Falls to Ponytail Falls and back

Saturday (9/4) = Rest

Sunday (9/5) = Intervals at Wendy Kroger Park.  4 x 1 lap with recovery in between.  I am tight and slow right now!

No one is ready for school to start.  I do see the anxiety subsiding and more of a readiness of what lies ahead.

Week #16 - #18 of 24

 I've not been keeping up with recording my workouts.  I have been pretty good about keeping my workouts.  I still have not missed a single workout.  My twenty mile run was really challenging.  It was a very busy weekend with the youth group fundraiser.  My plan was to run early Sunday morning.  I even was up at 4:40 AM.  Due to some female issues I only made one mile and had to turn around come home.  I was so mad.  But I was able to run later that afternoon...and I literally ran all afternoon.  From 2:30 to just before 6.  It was tough around Mile #15.  I need to keep hydrating and taking in nutrition...I can tell when I'm starting to bonk.

My knee and ankle are doing fine.  I did register for the marathon so I am committed!!