New England got clobbered with snow so unfortunately there was no "runching"(running on lunch break) this week.
Monday - Day 1
Today's assignment was to complete a "fun" workout and Super Short Strength Circuit (SSSC)1 (we have 4 different sets of these). Since it still gets dark too early to go outside and do anything, I opted for putting on some dance music and "dancing" with my daughter which was really just us jumping, twirling and running in a circle. I got a good exercise in but more importantly she LOVED it.
The SSSC consisted of 1 minute of each of the following 4 exercises: Push-ups, squats, leg lifts and spiderman wall climbs. These exercises are so easy you can really do them anywhere which is nice. One minute might not sound like a lot, but its long enough. Trust me.
Tuesday - Day 2
I needed 5 easy miles today. I got in 4. I really should have woken up early to get it done before work, but I was exhausted from not sleeping well on Sunday night still and if I don't sleep well, then I don't run well. Tuesday was also the First in the Nation Primary Voting here in New Hampshire so I waited in line in my car after work for 25 minutes just to park to vote so I lost some time there. By the time, Scarlett and I got home after voting and got our chores done I was lucky I got in 4 easy miles at all.
Wednesday - Day 3
The plan called for cross-training or rest plus the SSSC 1. I opted for rest and completing the SSSC1 on a break at work.
Thursday - Day 4
Here we go. Here is where I learned from my planning mistakes earlier in the week. I set my alarm for 4:30am and dutifully got up to get 4 easy miles in BEFORE work. I'm proud that I did it, but I was exhausted by the time I got out of work 12 hours later at 4:30 pm.
Friday - Day 5
3 easy miles or cross-training plus the SSSC1. I decided ahead of time that I was going to do yoga for some cross-training since I haven't been able to fit in a session in awhile. Originally, I wanted to get up early to do it while everyone slept, but again I didn't sleep well so I needed to get some more rest. It was a busy, long day at work and Scarlett had a short play date after school here but I did manage to fit in about 25 minutes of yoga plus the SSSC1. I felt so good after the yoga! My legs, especially my feet were really fatigued so they were crying out for a good stretch. My long run was planned for the next day, Saturday, so I couldn't risk them being tired or in pain.
Saturday - Day 6
Our long runs are always planned for the weekend, thankfully, otherwise I wouldn't know how to fit them in. 7 miles was scheduled for today, which if completed, would be my longest run ever. I decided to get up at 6:30 am to get 4 miles in on the treadmill before I had to shower, get dressed, get my daughter up and dressed and out the door by 8:45 am for her 2 dance classes. I'm happy to report that I successfully did all of this!
Now, you might be wondering, why only 4 miles? Don't you need 7?
Well, I decided around 2 weeks ago to register for the Fat Tuesday 5k through Millennium Running simply because they rescheduled it from Tuesday, February 9 at 7pm to Saturday, February 13 at 1pm. The change was due to Manchester, NH city officials urging the race to be rescheduled due to it being on the same night as the First in the Nation Primary. I didn't want to do the race on the first date because it was going to be after work and I didn't want to deal with traffic or choose between running and voting. Voting is more important in my book.
Not only was I going to run 7 miles for the first time, but this was going to be the first time I ever put in 4 miles BEFORE running a race! I really didn't know what to expect.
The best part? The temperatures were going to be downright dangerously frigid and there was a possibility of an inch of snow! Why did I register for this again? Oh yeah, I'm a little crazy AND there was a blingy medal to get.
Thankfully, someone in my Mom's Run This Town running group posted what to wear in such frigid conditions because I would have been waaaaay underdressed. Instead, I was toasty warm with my wool socks, 2 pairs of pants, 2 long sleeve shirts with a fleece on top, a gaiter, a hat and 2 hoods plus wool mittens and Vaseline on my face. WOW. Just wow.
The race started off great. My legs felt good and I fought my way past some slower moving people. Mile 1 was a bitch as always and the wipping wind didn't help. Mile 2 ended up being my slowest mile because of a hill. I powered my now lead-filled legs up and around it. I ended up zoning out after that and luckily looked down at my Garmin to see that I was crawling along at a 13:45 mm pace! Considering my first mile was done in 9:41 this was so slow for me. After that I snapped out of it and powered down the hill and onto the final mile. I stayed pretty steady in my final mile and actually managed to zoom UP the final hill before the finish line. I powered past quite a few people that I had been chasing. |
| I always give myself a cheer for making it to the finish line. |
I didn't PR, in fact I was 19 seconds off from my 5k PR time, but I'm not upset. I put in 4 miles before the race and ran 7 miles for the first time in a day. Plus it was just downright COLD. What I am going to take away from this race is that once I crest the top of a hill I just need to get moving again. Now more lollygagging at the top! Thats where I lost a good 40 seconds at least.
Sunday is a well earned rest day and then it is on to week 3!
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