Comments (2)

By kilax, March 20, 2016 6:10 pm

Highlight of the Week: Playing racquetball with Steven / a long run that flew by with Rachel!

Monday | March 14, 2016: 6 m run + 8 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 47°/45°, Time: 49:35, Pace: 8:16 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good, thirsty
Loc: to VP Woods, Temp: 50°/44°, Time: 1:10:02, Pace: 8:45 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: spent!
Strength: one dumbbell circuit and body weight circuit, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: tired from my runs (oops), too humid in the studio
Tuesday | March 15, 2016: 10 m ride + 7 m run
Indoor Ride Time: 37:29, Pace: 16.0 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, rushed to get back on time for a meeting!
Loc: Lake Andrea, Temp: 47°/47°, Time: 59:19, Pace: 8:28 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: ready for my rest day!
Wednesday | March 16, 2016: rest
Thursday | March 17, 2016: 15 mins strength + 5 m ride
Indoor Ride Time: 18:37, Pace: 16.1 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: fine
Friday | March 18, 2016: teaching strength class + 7 m run (incl. 6×800, WU, CD + RIs w/Bobbi) + 45 mins racquetball (w/Steven)
Strength: one dumbbell workout and body weight circuit, Difficulty:easy, Felt: good after I woke up!
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 33°/33°, Time: 1:04:13, Pace: 9:10, Difficulty: hard, but got easier, Felt: okay!
Saturday | March 19, 2016: 16 m run
Loc: Lake Andrea/VP Woods Loop, Temp: 33°/35°, Time: 2:30:25, Pace: 9:24 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: decent, sore from Friday!
Sunday | March 20, 2016: 5 m ride + 20 mins strength + 14.8 m run (w/Rachel, incl. 5 x 20 sec strides)
Indoor Ride Time: 20:28, Pace: 14.7 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good to stretch out the legs
Loc: Lake Geneva, Temp: 31°/40°, Time: 2:26:29, Pace: 9:54 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great!

Notes:

• To keep my mileage where I want it while working more in the office (and losing workout time to the commute), I’ve been doing double runs. I enjoy doubles, but man, I’ve been reaching marathon level tiredness on run #2 if I went fast for run #1. It’s definitely good for me to run on tired legs and push through that… but probably not every week.
• I let my competitive ass get the best of me when running laps around the lake Tuesday afternoon… and wanting to pass someone, then not wanting to let two people pass me at the end of my last mile. Sigh. I wasn’t being a jerk by any means, but there is no good reason for me to be that way!
• I mentioned knowing I needed to run in newer shoes this week. You know what told me? Not my knees, but my left plantar fascia. It felt tight at the beginning of the week, so I made sure to rest, wear supportive shoes around the house, and wear newer shoes to run in. It felt fine by Saturday.
• It was so awesome of Bobbi to run with me on Friday for my speedwork, even though I did the repeats on my own. It felt great to get that workout out of the way in the morning! I have an uneasy feeling until I get my speedwork done all week. Not a worry about doing it, but that I am going to make the time for it!
• We used the passes our neighbors left for us at the gym and had a lot of fun playing racquetball Friday night! I forgot how fun it is. And how wild I get. Oops. I twisted my neck really bad and dropped to the ground to recover. Then it felt fine. Ha ha.
• It was so nice to run with Rachel on Sunday! I mapped out a 13 mile road/trails (paved and grass) route for us and the miles FLEW by! Even when I added on some extra by missing a turn. Oops (but we found our lunch spot during that part, so all is good).
• And because of those extra miles I got really close to 60 for the week! Last week I was frustrated a headache kept me from meeting my 60 mile week goal. Maybe in the next few weeks I’ll hit it! (I could have gone out for another 1.2 mile run on Sunday to hit it, but, eh, I don’t want to give the number that much power, ha!)

Link to Training Week 334

Comments (24)

By kilax, March 17, 2016 11:02 am

• Do you have a content proof reader for your blog posts? Mine lately is my snister. I just send her the post in an email with the subject line “too whiny?” She always says no, but sometimes I never publish the post. It feels good to write it and get it out. But it doesn’t need to be shared (here).
• After a few nights of bad sleep because we were constantly getting up to push the sump pump float down, we finally slept well last night – because we had the sump pumps fixed. Yay! Steven bought new equipment Tuesday and we were going to put it in ourselves, but there happened to be a plumber at the house yesterday working on something else – so why not have him do it? I am very happy Steven made the executive decision to pay him for the install! The plumber had all the tools and materials there and I am sure it saved us a lot of time (and maybe some frustration, ha).
• Guess what Steven found in the sump pump yesterday? Ha. He said this guy tried to jump out!

• The other day a friend asked me if stretching and foam rolling is how I stay injury free, with the amount of miles I run (she felt like she had an injury coming on and wanted to know what I do). The truth is, I don’t stretch or foam roll, like I should. But I do strength train three times a week and am diligent about cross training and rest days (and active recovery). AND (and I forgot to share this with her) – changing my shoes out when my legs start to feel wonky.
• And… it’s actually time for a shoe refresh. I am currently rotating between six pairs (plus speed and trail shoes), and I think three need to go. I have four pairs on standby, and for whatever reason, Zappos sent me a $25 credit, so I just got these (below) to add to my collection. This is probably the first time in a long time I’ve had the more updated version of my shoes – I am usually in the old model for a loooong time (because it’s cheaper and I go through shoes so fast). Squeee! Exciting!

• I have drooled over Moxie Cycling gear for a long time, but have never purchased anything. I was dreaming again, and looking at their sizing chart, and I have to say, I LOVE how they have different body shapes for their models! Awesome!
• I am itching to hang some artwork/my jewelry holders in the house! But it’s not a priority at this time. Maybe when my snister visits? For now, having some stuff propped up on shelves will have to do!

Ha ha, you can’t tell cause I cropped it, but Data is pretty high up. Brat!!!

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 90

Comments (25)

By kilax, March 14, 2016 6:29 am

In the last four months I’ve run PRs (personal records) in the 5K, 10K and marathon… and there’s another distance I want to go after – the half marathon!

My half marathon PR is 1:51:15 from the Wisconsin Half Marathon in 2013. Old, right?

I was hoping* I’d be ready for a half marathon PR attempt in early April, before it gets too humid here (although EVERY day is unpredictable, weather-wise, ha), but that’s just not gonna happen – there’s not enough time.

I think I’ll give it a shot at the Wisconsin Half Marathon on May 7.  Even though, you know, I haven’t had a good race there since 2013. Due to weather… and being overweight. At least I can control one of those things (I’m talking about the weather, obviously)!

But beyond the weather “risk” (which is true to every race), this race has many pros: I’ve run it every year and am familiar with the course. It’s well organized. It’s hella close to where I live now. I know a lot of people running it, every year. On race day, I’ll care more about how Rachel** does than I do (which takes pressure off me). And if the weather is complete crap, I’ll bag my goal, save it for the fall, and run for fun. It’s only running.

Although, I should probably decide on a goal pace, other than just the goal of a PR. That makes training a bit easier. Ha!

And don’t forget, if you are interested in this half or the marathon, you can use the code WMKIM16 for $5 off (register here)***.

*Cause, you know… hope is what gets you ready for a race, Kim. NOT!
**I’ve been writing her training plans since January, with this race being her goal half.
***I receive a free entry to this race if ten people use my code. And I actually got my free entry in advance, this year. A little history as to why I have my own code – I reached out to this race about starting an ambassador program in 2012 because I love the race so much and wanted to encourage people to run it! They didn’t want to start a program but gave me a code to use for the 2013 race, with the rule of getting ten people to use it. And this is my fourth year with a code, and the same rule. I doubt I will ask for a code next year, and will just sign up at early registration. The race is cheap, and they give out so many codes now, it’s actually not as easy to get ten people to use it as it was before!

Comments (4)

By kilax, March 13, 2016 4:51 pm

Highlight of the Week: My three year Efit anniversary! Lots of runs!

Monday | March 7, 2016: 6 m run + 7 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 59°/60°, Time: 50:20, Pace: 8:23 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good, hot, thirsty
Loc: to VP Woods, Temp: 63°/60°, Time: 1:02:41, Pace: 8:57 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good, understandably tired
Strength: one dumbbell circuit, body weight circuit, boxing with pads, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | March 8, 2016: 7 m run
Loc: to VP Woods, Temp: 58°/58°, Time: 1:06:29, Pace: 9:30 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: okay, but too warm!
Wednesday | March 9, 2016: rest
Thursday | March 10, 2016: 6 m run (incl. 4×400, 2×800) + 20 mins strength
Loc: hood, Temp: 44°/42°, Time: 49:33, Pace: 8:15 avg, Difficulty: medium/hard, Felt: good minus heartburn
Friday | March 11, 2016: teaching strength class + 10 m ride (w/Tina) + 12 m run
Strength: one dumbbell circuit, body weight circuit, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Rollins Savanna/Millennium Trail, Temp: 31°/31°, Time: 56:51, Pace: 10.6 mph Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, cold toes!
Loc: to McClory and back, Temp: 42°/40°, Time: 146:29, Pace: 8:52, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good minus heartburn
Saturday | March 12, 2016: 6 m run + teaching fitness boxing
Loc: hood, Temp: 29°/38°, Time: 53:26, Pace: 8:54 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Strength: boxing and Lebert/body weight, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Sunday | March 13, 2016: 8 m run
Loc: to VP Woods, Temp: 46°/44°, Time: 1:10:23, Pace: 8:48 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, minus that wind!

Notes:

• This is the first year since running the New York City Marathon in 2011 that I didn’t enter the lottery – I kind of forgot about it! Then I saw people posting that they got in (or not) on Facebook on Tuesday. Aww. It’s such a great race!. I’m excited for the people who get to run it!
• I’ve seen some other people running on some of my routes! This makes me feel better – that other people think the routes are safe enough to run, and that I am not the only one annoying drivers by running in the shoulder.
• Dad, Will, Julie (Will’s sister) and I all registered for Day 7 (Saturday) of RAGBRAI this week. YAY! I am hoping Gina and Andrew will sign up, too!
• Ahh, DST. You effer. Is everyone else ready to be completely messed up for two weeks while we get used to the time change?
• I was planning to hit 60 running miles this week but I woke up with a massive headache on Sunday – probably from the shift in weather, and maybe from the paint fumes on Saturday – and had to get extra sleep to get rid of it. So I cut my run back due to (even more!) lost time. Maybe I can try for 60 again this month (although I have a lot more commute days in the next two weeks so that will be tricky!).
• Steven put the TV up in the workout room this weekend! The room is close to being “finished” (for now). I am looking forward to showing it, when it is!

Link to Training Week 333

Comments (23)

By kilax, March 7, 2016 6:21 am

Wow, today marks three years that I have been teaching strength classes at Essential Fitness (Efit) – my first class was the first Monday of March in 2013!

The coolest thing about being a fitness instructor is seeing your students grow stronger – in their strength AND in their confidence in what they can do.

The second coolest thing about being a fitness instructor is getting paid to do something you LOVE!

And I am really lucky that I get to do it at a place with a great boss and coworkers (and students!) that feel like family.

A little history – I met Brian, my boss, at a local running club event in early 2011. He’d had his business for awhile and came to do a strength training clinic and talk to us about the benefits of strength training for runners.

There was talk of starting a strength class for the club that year if we found enough people, and a place to do it. We did! In a friend’s basement! Ha! I started taking the group class in March of 2011. The class was in that friend’s basement until his wife told us to find a new place because we were smelling it up too much (buah ha ha). So we used a park district building for awhile, and I started doing one-on-one sessions with Brian, too. Eventually, over the summer of 2011, Brian had a studio built on to his garage at his house, and it opened in October 2011! Classes have been there, since!

In January 2013, Brian asked if I wanted to be an instructor. We worked together for a month and a half before I taught my first class*. I actually taught the Monday night class, and still took the Wednesday night class, and did a few one-on-one sessions with Brian for awhile after becoming an instructor, but I cut back on that all after several months. Now I teach the Monday night class, the Friday am class and weekend classes. I’ve had a few one-on-one clients that I see at the studio, too (none currently).

When I started teaching classes, A LOT of people asked me if I was going to quit my day job and have teaching be my full time gig. My answer then was no, and it’s still no, now. The amount I teach now is perfect for keeping me passionate about it, and that’s where I want to stay! We’ll see what the future brings!

*I became ACE certified in July 2013. I definitely needed Brian’s teaching and the class experience to understand what I was learning and pass the exam. Then I wonder how people get that experience without already having their certification… it just makes me feel grateful I have such a great boss who was willing to take me under his wing and teach me!

Comments (8)

By kilax, March 6, 2016 2:49 pm

Highlight of the Week: Waking up nice and sore from hard workouts. Somewhat getting my head out of my arse.

Monday | February 29, 2016: 5 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: town, Temp: 41°/46°, Time: 47:58, Pace: 9:36 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: sore, pissy
Strength: body bars and ankle bands mixed mode, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | March 1, 2016: 13 m ride + 20 mins strength
Indoor Ride Time: 50:49, Pace: 15.4 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, still a bit sore
Wednesday | March 2, 2016: 5 m run (w/Bobbi)
Loc: town, Temp: 21°/23°, Time: 53:35, Pace: 10:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great, so sunny out!
Thursday | March 3, 2016: rest
Friday | March 4, 2016: teaching strength class + 14 m run
Strength: single dumbbell & circuit, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: to Lake Andrea, Temp: 33°/32°, Time: 2:08:56, Pace: 9:12, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Saturday | March 5, 2016: 2 m run + teaching Indoor Cycling + teaching Burn & Buff + 4.5 m run (w/Dawn)
Loc: Zion, Temp: 32°/32°, Time: 18:26, Pace: 9:12 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good to shakeout legs
Indoor Cycling Time: 53:52, Pace: 18.1 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: pumped
Strength: 3 sets: upper, lower, whole body with cardio intervals after each, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 36°/36°, Time: 42:45, Pace: 9:30 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good for the legs after those classes!
Sunday | March 6, 2016: 11.5 m run (incl. 4.6 miles trails + 10×1:00) + 5 m bike
Loc: DPRT, Temp: 36°/39°, Time: 1:49:05, Pace: 9:29 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: irritated, but better at the end
Indoor Ride Time: 21:19, Pace: 14.1 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good

Notes:

• I had a crummy run the day after the 5K. I had a bullet here whining (more in depth, ha) about my sore right glute and the evil wind but right after I wrote it I saw this super nice post from Brian and it turned my mood around! It was definitely a sign from the universe to get my head out of my arse (and to think, “duh, your legs are sore – you ran a PR on hills and in to the wind!”) and look at the big picture.

• I forgot to mention that I got a massage two days before the 5K. I’ve gotten massages before my last few races and PR’d them all… better keep getting massages. HA!
• I rested from running on Tuesday. I hate taking the first day of the month off from running, but my legs needed it. And it was windy, again, GAH! I had a nice cycle and lift sesh, instead. (And really felt that core work for two days!)
• After months without a run date (and I mean MONTHS!) I asked Bobbi if she wanted to run together Wednesday during lunch break (she is practically my neighbor) and she came over, and we did, and it was fabulous! And I had a great run with Dawn after class on Saturday. Maybe I should be more social?
• I signed up for the Wisconsin Half Marathon this week! (Don’t forget to use WMKIM16 for $5 off the full or half if you sign up – disclosure: I get a free entry because 10 people used this code. Also note… I doubt I will ask for a code again, as they give codes out to many groups and less and less people use mine each year. The race is cheap and I can start paying my own entry again.) I really did not want to make this my goal half – it’s often humid and it destroys me, but I don’t think I will be in shape to race in early April. And I don’t want to race much later than mid May. Hmm, we’ll see. Time to quit talking about training and losing weight and actually doing it!

• I subbed a class I don’t usually teach at Efit and wasn’t sure how’d it go… but I really liked it! And only made a few mistakes, phew!
• I felt so irritated for a lot of my long run on Sunday. I decided to run on the trails, which were a mix of snow and mud. It slowed me down, which was fine, but I kept getting rocks in my shoes and it was pissing me off. I stopped a lot to get them out. I’ll wear my gaiters next time! I felt better when I got back on the road back to do my intervals. I even saw another runner off in the distance! Maybe I’ll see them again and can say hi!
• February Recap!  In February I ran 165 miles and cycled 83.7 miles. I taught 9 strength classes, 3 fitness boxing classes, and 1 indoor cycling class. I rode my bike 6 times outside of class, and also did 3 strength sessions at home. My coldest outdoor run was 18°F and my warmest was 59°F. I ran inside 3 times due to cold weather. My mileage and amount of workouts were not where I wanted them to be, but I had a solid month of performance! Hopefully they get back to the amount I’d like them at as we settle in to the house more.

Link to Training Week 332

Comments (10)

By kilax, March 5, 2016 6:19 am

Time for odd (almost) spring running tan lines!

Capri tan lines. That’s a new one for me. I usually sport the crazy back tan lines and shorts tan lines (and the good ole inner elbow ones).

I just had this feeling yesterday, when it was so sunny, that capris might not be such a good idea during my run, for tan line reasons, ha! (They actually were a good idea for warmth though, as were the gloves and face mask that I used for the second, windier half of the run.)

Something exciting happened before my run yesterday – the mailbox fairy came! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eventually we’d like a fance brick mailbox (with a big box for packages) that matches the style of our house, but this is PERFECT for now! I can’t wait to stop our mail hold at the post office, and just walk 300′ to the end of my driveway to get our mail.

I hope our postal person doesn’t mind making the trip down our driveway to bring packages to the house. We’re hoping to catch them sometime next week and introduce ourselves and talk about it.

At the townhome, we had a huge communal mailbox, and everyone had their own box in it, and key. When you got a package, they either fit it in your box (TWSS?), put it in the big package box (and left a key for that in your box) or brought it to the door.

We order quite often from Amazon, and a few times our box was stuffed too full (with Amazon orders) to fit in the next day’s mail and the postal person left some notes for us… oops. I’ll make sure to get my mail on the daily at the new house!

Comments (38)

By kilax, February 29, 2016 6:03 am

Yay, Frosty Footrace 5K! My first race of the year, and my eighth consecutive year running this race!

I met my goal of a course personal record (PR)! I needed to beat 22:58 and I ran 21:45!

Which, surprisingly, ended up being a overall 5K PR by three seconds!

I wasn’t trying to sell myself short in only aiming for a course PR. This course is not easy – it has inclines in the first and last miles, and they really get you in the end. I was excited to attempt to beat my course PR from last year. I thought that would be a good challenge.

And yesterday? Not so frosty! A little warm – it was 59°F when the race ended! Oh, accompanied by 26 mph winds with 38 mph gusts, of course.

Sigh.

Effin’ wind.

When Rachel and I did our warm up mile (YAY! Rachel did the race! And came over and saw our new house, too!) we could really tell running in to the south and west winds was going to suuuuuuuck (the course is kind of a loop). And it did.

Fake smiles as we run in to the wind

But I didn’t adjust my race strategy too much. It stays the same for this race each year – go out like nuts in the first mile and push it up the inclines. Fly on the downhill in the neighborhood in the first mile. Hang on for the flat part by the lake in the second mile. Try not to lose it in the third mile. RUN TANGENTS. Ha.

It mostly worked.

I started near the front, since the race isn’t chip timed. I was surprised to keep Ricky, a really fast guy from Efit, in my sights! (Ha, I only could because he went out for birthday drinks the night before – not to mention a lot of cycling and burpees on Saturday and he cycled to the race!). I decided to try to “follow” him for as long as I could!

I did well on the hills in the first mile (yay, hill training!) despite the wind pushing me back, and picked up my pace on the downhill (first mile 6:32). I was next to another lady for quite a bit, then she took off ahead on the straightaway, which was straight in to the wind, yay! Ha ha.

I started feeling like death of course, but kept asking myself “how bad do you want it?!” (reading that book helped, ha!) and kept pushing. Second mile was 6:54. Slowing down! But I could still see Ricky!

I saw Steven right after mile 2, before we headed back uphill.

I actually passed that lady who I’d run with in the first mile, on the uphill (yay, uphill training!). I encouraged her to run with me – I knew she could keep pace with me, and it would keep me going!

And then in mile 3 I slowed way the hell down. 7:26!!! Ha! Everyone I talked to after the race said they slowed way down for the third mile. The first half of mile 3 was in to the wind, and everyone was struggling! I will NEVER run negative splits on this course. I just don’t have that control in me!

That lady passed me toward the end of the last mile and I thought “Good for her!” and “I hope she’s not in my age group!” Ha!

When I got near the finish I was surprised to see I could maybe get a 5K overall PR. So I gunned it! Last .14 (oops) 6:22 pace.

Schweet! 21:45 – a course PR and a new 5K PR! And good enough for first in my age group (I think I was fourth woman overall, and maybe twelfth overall?). The lady who I had run with a bit gave me a hug when I finished! I told her I needed her to run fast in front of me to give me someone to chase!

I was happy to see some friends from Efit came to cheer us on!

Efit peeps – spectators and runners!

I watched for Rachel to come in (the third mile got her too), then we went to run Anne in (who also thought the third mile sucked, ha!), who both did well!

Me, Anne and Rachel

It’s funny that during the race I was thinking how horrible 5Ks make me feel and that I am NEVER running one again. Then I finished with an overall PR and immediately thought, “Hmm, I could definitely run a faster 5K on a flat, not so windy course!” Oh, typical silly runner brain!

But seriously, I am anxious for this year’s Zee Bee Run Squad’s 5K series dates to be announced. My last two 5K PRs have been on their flat courses! And, now I live in the town they are held in (kinda)! (And lived in the town where the Frosty Footrace is held for nine years!)

We hung around for awards after the race. Rachel was third in our age group (woot woot!), and Ricky was first in his!!!

Then we went to El Famous, because NOMMMMMM.

What a fun morning! It was great to see friends running fast and kicking arse, and to cheer them on! And so nice to have my favorite photographer there!

For the past few years instead of a shirt they’ve given participants a hat at this race. This year, we got a buff. Schweet! I like! Wonder what we’ll get next year – I will definitely be there!

And… Frosty is the only race I was signed up for this year! Time to half marathon (window) shop! And recover – my legs are feeling it!

Comments (6)

By kilax, February 28, 2016 7:56 pm

Highlight of the Week: Seeing friends at the race at the end of the week!

Monday | February 22, 2016: 8 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: to VP Woods and back, Temp: 35°/35°, Time: 1:09:03, Pace: 8:38 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Strength: body bars and ankle bands mixed mode, Difficulty: medium, Felt: decent
Tuesday | February 23, 2016: rest
Wednesday | February 24, 2016: 6 m run + 4 m run
Loc: town, Temp: 35°/35°, Time: 49:46, Pace: 8:18 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good, REALLY pushed around by the wind
Loc: downtown Zion, Temp: 34°/34°, Time: 35:56, Pace: 8:58 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: tired
Thursday | February 25, 2016: 9 m run
Loc: in to WI loop, Temp: 32°/33°, Time: 1:21:56, Pace: 9:06 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: tired, done running in to the wind
Friday | February 26, 2016: teaching strength class + 10 m ride
Strength: body bars and ankle bands mixed mode, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Indoor Bike Time: 38:00, Pace: 15.8 mph, Difficulty: easy, Felt: rushed
Saturday | February 27, 2016: teaching fitness boxing
Strength: boxing and light free weights, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, despite starting class with a headache!
Sunday | February 28, 2016: Frosty Footrace 5K (+WU w/Rachel & CD with Anne+Rachel)
Loc: Round Lake, Temp: 56°/59°, Time: 21:45, Pace: 6:56 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: ok!

Notes:

• We did so much arm and shoulder work in the Monday night class that my triceps were visibly shaking! Woo hoo!
• I did my first double (run) of the year on a very windy day! Yeah, I was feeling it for that second run, yuck! Yuck yuck yuck. Wind made me cut that run short, and my run the following day.
• Then… I had a very windy 5K on Sunday. 21 mph winds with 40 mph gusts. But I made my goal! More about that in my race recap!
• This week didn’t go as planned, due to house stuff commitments, then taking a running rest day before my race. I hope things even out soon… ha, if not, I will just have to adjust to less volume. CRY!

Link to Training Week 331

Comments (8)

By kilax, February 27, 2016 7:09 pm

The 5K is the only distance I take a running rest day before if I am racing it for time. Every other distance (and 5Ks not for time), I do a shake out run the day before. But I’ve found with the 5K (and speedwork) I have more pep in my step if I take the day before off running.

So of course, on my purposefully chosen running rest day, we had a beautiful, sunny day with highs in the 50s. Unusual for February! Might have been nice to run in – minus the sun, which is my Kryptonite when running.

On my running rest day, I worked my arms. I taught fitness boxing, spent four hours scrubbing a floor, walls and ceiling with Steven, and moved all of our exercise equipment (including our weight set) around. Yeah… I am going to be feeling that at the 5K tomorrow. Eek!

But, I am going for a course PR, not a 5K PR, and I am feeling confident! My course PR is 22:58, and if the wind doesn’t slay me tomorrow, I think I got it.

Speedwork training went really well. I only cut one session short, due to safety on the indoor track, and skipped my fartleks this week. And I did lots of hill work. But! Did I lose weight like I wanted to, and mentioned in this post?

I did! I lost several pounds in January!

And gained them all back during the move. Ha!

So I’m at the same weight I was when I wrote that. Actually, a few pounds heavier!

And I’m totally okay with it. A move is not the right time for me to focus on losing weight. Too many other things going on.

But… after this 5K tomorrow, I do want to shift focus toward the half marathon distance, and I probably won’t go for a PR unless I slim down a bit. So we’ll see if it happens. Or if I am just a broken record <— very, very likely, hee hee.