Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
I've been slightly veering off my training plan the last couple weeks as I work my new gym membership into my schedule. I make sure to work in my long runs, and I try to get in another run or two beyond that, but the addition of more cross- and strength-training has been a positive physical change. My legs were constantly achy and tight just a few weeks ago, always on the verge of a possible injury, I feared, and they feel so much better now.
So, this week:
Monday: yoga
I swapped out a run for yoga, which was great. It was a nice and easy way to start the week and there was a pretty intense ab section mid-class, which reminded me I've been pretty much ignoring that area for months.
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: Body pump
This was my strength training for the week, and it was pretty challenging. The instructor was also very pregnant and in much better shape than I'm in. That's a nice, humbling way to start the day, am I right?
Thursday: AM Run & PM Kickboxing
Oh, boy, this run. It was supposed to be 4 miles and I think I made it maybe 1.5. I didn't feel good, at all, and I nearly puked before, during, and after. I had to stop and sit down at one point, even. I think this was more about being really poorly rested the night before than anything else.
Kickboxing was the last thing I wanted to do, but I rallied and actually had a little bit of fun, and a great work-out, which was good after such a crappy morning. (Although I laughed re-reading this post from four years ago.)
Friday & Saturday: rest
Sunday: 6-mile run
I had to do this long run solo because of scheduling conflicts with Kristie, but I woke up, got ready, and headed out. The first 3.5 miles were ok, not too bad, and then I hit the sunny part of the trail, and was hot and tired, and I had to stop and walk a little. Instead of getting overly discouraged, I would just push myself to run as much as I could and then walk when I needed.
I probably walked a total of a half mile, maybe? I finished 6 miles in 1:05, which is still about a 10:30 mile (a little faster than my average pace, even). So, I feel pretty good about it.
Funny enough, I hate walking during any run. I'd rather slow way down than walk, and I think that's more about what walking does to me mentally than anything else. But, at the end of this run, especially with the time I still managed to clock, I felt great.
So, I had to walk. Big deal. I still ran for most of it and finished 6 miles well within my pace's window.
This particular run changed my view of walking mid-race, and it was a real motivation-booster for me.
***
So, three things:
1. What do you think about walking mid-run?
2. I saw this quote on Pinterest Saturday night, and I swear I repeated it to myself a hundred times during my long run:
"It's never a question of can you but will you?" (yeah, not always that simple, sure, but it certainly changed my perspective this particular day)
3. This post by Linda was poetically perfect for me to read today, especially the last paragraph:
Still, maybe that kind of running holds its own magic. You can do this, you can do this. Say it enough and you start to believe it. Say it enough and it stops just being about running.
There's so much to say to this, and I even attempted to respond in depth, but all I can really think to say is: yes, yes, yes. And then yes a million more times.