Week in review July 19-25: Boring and hot

Not a bad variety last week.

It's been quiet over here. I'm going to make this quick because I want to get to bed at a decent hour, for once, and maybe even go for an early run tomorrow morning.

There really was nothing special about last week. I made it to the pool Monday, and was a bit too short on time afterward to do my usual Monday core and mobility. I got back on schedule for the rest of the week and even managed a decent speed run, 3 miles descending x 2, on a not-quite-so-hot Friday. It was gross Saturday so I didn't make it outside for a bike ride, but I still got in a solid trainer ride and heavy weights workout.

Sunday's long run was brutal. I still want to do 2 hours/12-ish miles every other week or so, since I'm holding out hope there might be a half marathon to jump into this fall. It started out with temps in the 80s and a dew point in the low 70s (!!!) and it actually got MORE comfortable as it warmed up but the humidity dropped. I really do better when it's super hot and less humid, but I wanted to get going on my day, so I decided I would suffer as best as I could. Oh well, I got my 9 miles in, and hopefully a bit of heat acclimation.

One thing I was thrilled to find is that water fountains are coming back on. Hooray! I don't mind running with a handheld, so being able to refill it and not have to worry about a Camelbak is ideal for me. So far I've found working fountains on two of my favorite routes, so I'll have to check the third the next time I'm out that way.

Not bad volume last week, either.

Last week was:

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 24 miles in about 4:01. This was a cool-ish easy run, a cool-ish speed run, and a hot-as-balls 9-miler.

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three each mobility and running PT, for about 3:45. Skipping Monday threw off my schedule a bit and I ended up doing mobility two days in a row in there, but I don't think it matters in the great scheme of things.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 60 fake trainer "miles" in about 3:34. This was an easy-ish ride, a hard interval ride during which I couldn't even hit my new power targets since my last FTP test, and a longer, easier ride while watching the Olympics and catching up on old Tennis magazines.

Weights: Twice, one barre app and one heavy/body routine, for about 2:30. I am now able to do more pullups and chinups than I ever have in my life. Quarantine was good for something, I guess?

Swim: Once in the pool for 2000 meters in about 53 minutes, including drills. I'm only swimming here and there lately but this felt amazing and my paces weren't bad for me. I just felt smooth in the water today. I don't know why, but I was going with it.

Yoga: Three times, both via the Down Dog app on run days, for 45 minutes total. I tried to mix it up with focus on twists, hamstring stretches, and hip stretches.

Total: 18 sessions in about 15:28. Not a bad week at all!

I took an extra day off this coming week for family in town but I might try to squeeze in an extra workout or two as well. Depending on how my knee feels, a high-volume running week will put me at 100 miles for the month so I might go for that. And I haven't even taken my road bike outside this year yet. There is still a lot I want to accomplish this summer! I don't know how people train, work full time, prep and cook healthy food, keep their dogs fed and entertained, keep their marriage intact, and keep their house not condemned. My house is barely not condemned and I am not training as much as I'd like to, so there's still a puzzle piece missing somewhere in there, haha.

Anyway, I hope you all are staying safe and sane while having enough time to clean the house just enough to prevent the health department from swinging by.

Week in review July 12-18: Back into a routine

A run-heavy but still pretty good week.

It wasn't a GREAT week last week, and I still have a lot of things to work on (an old boss called this "a target-rich environment"), but last week felt pretty normal as far as getting back into a training routine.

Because I was out of town the previous weekend and skipped a long run, I kicked off the week hard with a quad Monday: A run, my usual Monday core and Monday mobility, and yoga because it was a run day. I knew that I had to work late on Thursday, so I tried to keep it going through mid-week. I made it to Wednesday before I had to skip on a weights workout, when I was so zapped from a run in the heat I just needed to drink ice water in the air conditioning for a while. It ended up being the right decision.

I also skipped a run Friday because it was pouring rain and I didn't feel like trying to go to the gym for the first time in a year and a half. The rest did me good because I hit the weekend hard with an FTP test during which I gained 9 more watts and a heavy lifting routine Saturday, and a 12-mile run Sunday morning. It was already hot when I got out there and it ended up being the slowest I've run in a while. I may have taken walking drink breaks, but I didn't quit. And I found a cold, working water fountain, hooray!

I still need to get my bike outside and sign up for something. Other than that, the week was pretty uneventful. By the numbers, it was:

Not bad overall volume.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 26.5 miles in about 4:29.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 60 fake trainer miles in about 3:38. 

PT: Five times, three mobility and two running PT, for about 2:45.

Weights: Twice, one core and one heavy/body routine, for about 1:45.

Yoga: Three times on run days via the Down Dog app for about 45 minutes total.

Total: 16 sessions in about 13:22.

Like I said, nothing spectacular but enough to feel like a normal routine again. I'm already off to a good start this week, so let's see how long I can keep the momentum going this week.

Week in review July 5-11: A light week around a few adventures

Not a bad mix for a short week.

Last week ended up being a short and very easy training week. I had Monday off work, and I needed the extra time off to veg in the morning, make a bacon brunch, and get my hair cut and dyed. My husband's friends got last-minute Cubs tickets, so we headed out of town Saturday morning for a whirlwind trip to Chicago.

I still squeezed 7 workouts into the three days I did exercise, but it just wasn't a priority last week. I'm totally OK with taking an easy week after a few 14-15 hour weeks. And, I did plenty of walking around Chicago on game day, so at least I did something.

A lower-volume week but still a good variety.

A quick roundup:

Bike: Twice, both on the trainer, for 34.5 fake trainer miles in about 2:03. I finished a Netflix series and did two of my usual rides. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

PT/Pre-hab: Twice, one mobility and one runner PT, for about 1:15.

Run: Once on the road for 7 miles in about 1:10. This was just an easy run after a weights video, trying and failing to miss the heat and humidity of the day.

Weights: One mid-week video for about 1:05.

Yoga: One Down Dog app session for 15 minutes.

Total: 7 sessions in about 5:47.

I enjoyed my light week last week, but I'm looking forward to getting back to more structured training this week. We'll see if the weather holds out.

Quick June wrap-up: 100 miles running, back in the pool, stuck on the trainer

A pretty good spread for June.

I mentioned already that I hit 100 running miles for June — woo hoo! — but the rest of the month training-wise was also pretty good. I didn't make it outside to ride, but I did make it to the pool a few times and did plenty of weights, PT, and yoga.

The only thing I did less of in June as compared to May was one fewer bike ride. I did go out of state for a few days in May, so June was a bit more consistent. And, getting in the pool took precedence over that fourth bike ride of the week. But overall, I feel it was a bit better spread over disciplines.

I also had two full rest days in June, which rarely happens. One was for a family trip in a hot-air balloon, which was 100% totally worth it. I don't remember what the other was for, but it was a Friday so I was probably tired, and it was probably raining. I'm OK with that.

Even a bit of swimming in there!

By the numbers, June was:

Run: 12 times for 100.5 miles in about 16:25. These were mostly easy runs, partly because of the heat. I did throw a couple of "speedy-ish" runs and two "long" runs of 12.5 miles (to make two hours) but other than that, it was business as usual.

Bike: 13 times for 253 fake trainer miles in about 15:27. This averaged out to be three times per week, giving up that fourth ride for a few swims. I wanted to get outside this month but it didn't quite work out with the weather (we had some pretty severe flooding along one of my favorite bike routes) and life in general. Plus, my roadie needs a tune-up, and I haven't made the time yet.

PT/Pre-hab: 24 times, 13 mobility sessions plus 11 running PT, for about 14:15. This is pretty close volume-wise to what I ran for the month, which is about where I need to be at my age to stave of injuries, I think. It's working so far, anyway.

Weights: 13 times including 4 core sessions, 4 heavy/body sessions, 3 barre app sessions and 2 videos, for about 12:10 total. This is a good amount for me.

Yoga: 12 times, all on run days for 15 minutes of the Down Dog app, for 3 hours total. I am doing well with "forcing" myself to do yoga on run days and I definitely feel more limber. Plus, it's nice to dedicate a small sliver of my evening to some quiet, me time. Is it helping? It's probably not hurting. I'd like to add another session or two on non-run days during the week, but I' still finding it hard to squeeze in the time.

Swim: 3 times in my beloved outdoor pool for 4800 meters (1600 m each) in about 2:11. Slow, but I'm getting back into it and doing a lot of drills, so it's all good. The important thing right now is that I'm getting in the water.

Total: 77 sessions in about 63:27, a pretty good month for me.

The first part of July has already gone pretty wonky with family in town and us planning a last-minute weekend trip, so I don't expect there to be big numbers in a few weeks. I think my main goals for July are to be consistent and have some fun. Maybe I'll even sign up for a race, but we'll see how the month goes.

Stay healthy and safe out there!

Week in review June 28-July 4: Fitting in workouts around family in town

A darn good balance of run, PT, and bike.

Last week wasn't the greatest for swim-bike-run, but I had a good reason: My uncle came into town from out of state later in the week, and on Sunday 20 members of my family went to the ballgame. We were pretty rowdy, but we intentionally bought tickets in the shaded nosebleed seats, so no one got kicked out. Ha!

Thursday became a rest day since we met my uncle for dinner about halfway between our place and my parents' place. I have been feeling kind of stressed and overwhelmed lately so it was nice to take a break in the middle of the week and catch up with family. It was also nice to take the night off cooking.

I had one of the worst runs of my life on Friday. It was warm but not hot and humid, so that wasn't it. My legs had no pep in them and I felt sick to my stomach. I almost quit at miles 2 and 4 but I told myself to just keep going for an hour and get it over with. It was horrible and I was never so glad to be back home. I'm still not sure WHY this felt so badly other than just cumulative fatigue and stress.

I was feeling much better by Saturday for a long trainer ride and my weights workout, and got up early-ish on Sunday to squeeze in a 9-mile run before family started coming over. It WAS hot and humid again, but I stopped to drink some of my ice water every 2 miles, zoned out to a new podcast, and jogged it out. I did get a pretty bad side stitch at the very end, which I think was just because I was running low on water and trying to ration. Next time I might swing by home to fill up my bottle instead.

I didn't make it to the pool last week. It looks like we're taking a spontaneous trip out of town next weekend, so after I get home from that I feel like it would be a good time to regroup and figure out if I want to do any races yet this summer and fall so I can start training more seriously if I want.

No swimming, but that's OK.

Last week was:

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 22.5 miles in about 3:49. Most of these were hot and miserable but I got them done.

PT/Pre-hab: Six sessions (3 mobility and 3 running rehab) in about 3:45. This is almost as much as I ran, which is about where I need to be in my early 40s, I think.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 59 fake trainer miles in about 3:33. I have been dropping my fourth trainer workout in favor of "other" lately, which I think is OK for now as long as I don't have a race on the horizon.

Weights: Three times including one core session, one mid-week barre app session, and one heavy/body routine for about 2:45. I changed up my one-legged squats this week and hoo boy did I feel it the next day.

Yoga: Three times, all Down Dog app sessions on run days, for about 45 minutes total. Never has a half pigeon hurt so good.

Total: 18 sessions for about 14:37. A pretty good week, especially considering all the ruckus sprinkled throughout.

We're looking at another hot week with thunderstorms coming up, never mind going out of town for the weekend, so outdoor runs and swims might be iffy for a while. I'm going to try to front-load this week and if I can't, eh, we'll consider it a summer break while I figure out what if anything I'm training for later on.

I hope you are staying cool and getting whatever training done that feels good for you.

100 running miles for June!

I'll do a full June recap later, but I was thrilled to hit 100 running miles for the month. I'd gotten pretty close in April and May so it was nice to hit triple digits for the first time in a couple of months.

I realize numbers are arbitrary and mileage doesn't matter in the great scheme of things and we're all just evolved monkeys on a rock hurtling through space, but it still felt good.

I hope you also had great running for June!

Week in review June 21-27: Through hell(ish temperatures) and high water

You say boring, I say consistent.

It's been A Week. It started off as most weeks do, with an easy trainer ride and supplemental work, and a run on the coolest day of the week. Even my husband came with me for a few miles.

Then, someone turned the furnace on and the Midwest became a relentless inferno. I made it to the pool once on a day I got lucky dodging rain clouds. In two separate incidents, we had to rip out drywall and repair a water line leak (!), and we had severe thunderstorms that caused flooding and kept my husband busy all day Saturday. I don't care if I don't see another drop of water for a while.

I wasn't in a great mental place Friday and ended up passing out on the couch early-ish while watching Parks and Recreation reruns, so I skipped a workout that day. One of our dogs is terrified of storms, so she kept us up most of the night Friday into Saturday. Saturday, a lot of friends were dealing with flooding and property loss, which was difficult to see. We ended up on the lucky side but it was still a rough weekend.

I knew the weather was only going to get hotter as the day went on Sunday so I went out for a long run mid-morning. It was "feels like" high 80s by the time I finished but I had enough ice water and just gutted it out. I came home to coffee (yes I drink it hot all summer long) and bacon, so it was a pretty good way to wrap up a summer run.

I'm still not signed up for any races, so I think this mix of a few runs in the heat, some bike trainer rides, a swim here and there, and my usual weights, PT, and yoga routine, and maybe a complete rest day here and there, is just fine for the time being.

A decent amount of training this week, considering.

Overall, training was:

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 58.5 trainer "miles" in about 3:35. I would have liked to go out for a road ride Saturday, but the highways were and still are flooded, so no one's going anywhere for a while.

Run: Twice, both on the road, for 20 miles in about 3:24. This was one easy mid-week run and one 12.5-miler in the heat, just in case I want to jump into a half marathon this fall, haha.

Weights: Three times -- my usual core Monday, a mid-week video, and my Saturday heavy/body weight routine -- for about 2:50.

PT/Pre-hab: Five times, three mobility and two PT sessions, for about 2:45. I did skip one of my usual PT sessions for my sanity. 

Swim: One 1600-meter swim of drills and 200s for about 44 minutes.

Yoga: Twice, both Down Dog app, for 30 minutes total.

Total: 16 sessions for about 13:47. A good summer week that included some easy workouts and a rest day.

I'm not setting any records right now but I am getting out and enjoying summer when I can. I still have to take my bike out on the road and go run trails, but I'll get those done eventually. In the meantime I'm maintaining my consistency and sanity in the air conditioning when I can.

Week in review June 14-20: Hot and muggy to kick off summer

Another week with a pretty good variety of activity.

I've been meaning to come here and do a mid-week update once in a while but I'm having trouble finding an extra few minutes here and there. My schedule has been walk dogs, work, train, cook something healthy, stay up too late watching something (lately it's Black Sails), go to bed, start over.

I'll be going back to the office a few times per week soon (I tried to go in today but forgot I need a negative COVID test first) so I'm really trying to keep my run-or-bike-then-PT-after-work routine going as long as I can. I made it to the pool once last week (two weeks in a row!) but didn't make it out for an outdoor ride or trail run. That's OK; I got to spend time safely with friends on Saturday and relax before a nice trainer ride and weights routine.

I'm only running three times per week right now and that's OK. My Friday and Sunday runs were hot and muggy. I've been bringing ice water and stopping to drink every 2 miles to stay safe. I'm not training for anything specific so I really don't care right now. I'd rather lose a little fitness than have heat stroke.

I did everything in groups of two last week, apparently.

Anyway, last week was:

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 24 miles in about 3:49. This was an easy run, a speedy-ish run of descending miles on a hot day that almost made me barf, and a medium run before heading off to a Fathers Day barbecue.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 59 fake trainer miles in about 3:37. Nothing out of the ordinary here. I would have liked to get outside Saturday but I just got too late of a start. That's OK; my body needed a bit of extra rest that morning.

PT/Pre-hab: Five times, three mobility and two PT, for about 2:45. I skipped two days for a swim and getting too late a start for a run, but I've been pretty consistent otherwise.

Weights: Three times; one core, one barre app, and one heavy-body routine; for about 2:45. Normal week here.

Yoga: Three times, all with the Down Dog app, for 45 minutes total.

Swim: A mile of drills and splashing around in about 44 minutes. Just getting back into feeling the water here.

Total: 18 sessions in about 14:24. Not a bad week.

I'm still not signed up for anything but I have a few races on my radar; I don't know if the 5K I do every summer will be happening or not, and there's a triathlon nearby I'd like to do later on, but everything is still up in the air right now. So I'm mostly going to keep training to stay in shape and hopefully be fit enough to jump in something if and when the opportunity presents itself.

I hope you're all staying safe, cool, healthy, and fit out there.

Week in review June 7-13: It was hot and I swam

It was SO hot last week. All of my runs were in heat ridiculous enough that they all became 2-mile repeats with drink breaks. Dog walks were quick. And even when I made it to the outdoor pool for the first time this season, it was hopping even for being a weekday. We all wanted to stay cool.

Other than making it to the pool and the heat, it was a pretty standard week. I gave up one trainer ride to swim. I would have liked to ride outside, but we had a birthday party to go to on Saturday, and it was just too dang hot. I didn't want to take my life in my hands riding on the road at the state park, dealing with beach goer traffic, or with families rollerblading on the road closed to traffic on Saturdays. I'll make time to tune up my bike this week so hopefully I can get out for a real road ride next weekend.

I really considered doing nothing on Sunday and being lazy in the air conditioning, especially after a slow morning watching tennis and drinking coffee, but I decided a long run would be better for the spirit. I drove out to a path I don't get out to that often anymore, and it was just what I needed. I left cold water in the car and refilled at mile 8, doing 12.5 running miles total. This also ended up as 2-mile repeats with drink breaks, but the change of scenery did me good.

Overall, it was a decent week:

Decently even distribution for run, pre-hab, and bike.

And not bad volume, either.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 26 miles in about 4:14. Lately I've been doing one easy, one speedy, and one medium or long, and it's working for me.

PT/Pre-hab: Six timex, three mobility and three running PT, for 3:45. My standard.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 59 fake miles in about 3:36. I skipped my fourth trainer ride to swim.

Weights: Three times: one core, one video, and one heavy/body routine, for about 3:50.

Yoga: Three times, all on run days, for 45 Down Dog app minutes total.

SWIM: Once for 1600 meters in about 43 minutes, including drills and rescuing some wayward flippers that had sunk to the bottom of the deep end. I've only swum once since last fall and I was surprised I felt as non-terrible as I did.

Total: 19 sessions in not quite 16 hours. A good week for me!

Summer is kind of going bonkers right now, as the heat and humidity seem to have broken for much cooler temps this week. This week I'd really like to swim at least once, preferably twice; ride my bike outside; and maybe make my speedy run a trail run instead. I know that might be pushing it considering I have to do boring things like work a full-time job (yuck).

Whether you're getting outside or staying inside in the air conditioning, I hope you all are staying safe and healthy out there.

Week in review May 31-June 6: Almost equal splits of run, bike, and PT

I missed a bike trainer ride last week, but it was for a good reason:

My husband's family decided on a balloon outing. It was super fun! I'd been up in a balloon before, but that was more of a quick jaunt, and this was a nice, relaxing ride in the sky. We made every dog bark in a 100-mile radius, waved at the kids watching us from their back yards, and even scared a deer.

I had already planned on taking that Friday off work for a personal day/summer Friday, so it wasn't TOO big a deal that we got home late, and I definitely enjoyed farting around and savoring my coffee all morning. That day, and the other two runs last week, had weather-related issues: I got wet on Wednesday, and Friday and Sunday were hot hot hot. Summer is here, even if it isn't officially here.

I also had Monday off for American Memorial Day, so I did a longer trainer ride that day and did some baking. I could definitely get used to a three-day work week! Alas, I must work 40 hours a week to pay for my running and triathlon habits.

When I wasn't up in a hot air balloon, last week consisted of:

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 24 miles in about 3:54. This was an easy run, a speed run of very hot half-mile pickups, and a long-ish run of 9.5 miles just as it was getting into the heat of the day. I really, really didn't want to wake up early so I suffered in the heat instead. Eh, we'll call it heat adaptation training.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 62 fake trainer miles (a metric century!) in about 3:53. This was a slightly longer ride on my day off Monday, my usual medium ride on Tuesday, and a longer ride on Saturday. My current Netflix show is Santa Clarita Diet, which I am really enjoying. (And Timothy Olyphant doesn't hurt, either.)

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three mobility and three running PT, for 3:45. This is a big time commitment but I am making it work.

Weights: Three times including one core, one barre app, and one heavy/body routine, for about 2:45. Again, this is a time commitment, but I am making it work.

Yoga: Three times, all with the Down Dog app, for 45 minutes total.

Total: 18 sessions in a hair longer than 15 hours.

It wasn't an ideal week for training, but I took advantage of some down time and made the most of it. Getting used to the hot temperatures, getting outside for a bike ride, and getting in the pool will probably be my focuses for the next few weeks and months. Hopefully, I can get a race on the calendar soon.

I hope you all are staying safe and cool out there.

May in review: Not bad, even dipping out of town for a few days

Not a bad variety for May.

May included the first trip out of town I'd taken in a year and a half. Since I was gone almost a week, of course my training "suffered," but since I still got in a few runs and I'm not signed up for anything, that was perfectly fine with me.

May marked the second month in a row I've come in at just less than 100 miles. I was moderately bummed when I saw I'd come in right at about 95, depending on my last long run of the month, but not so bummed that I felt the need to get out on the 31st and run an extra 5 just because. The 17th also marked the first Monday that I have NOT done a core workout since Dec. 28. Again, I was moderately bummed, but not so bummed I felt the need to rustle up a core workout on vacation.

One other thing of note is the virtual half-marathon I did at the beginning of the month. It was 11 good miles followed by a 2.25-mile sufferfest in the heat, but I got it done, supported a local race company, and got some cool alien-themed swag in the process, so not all was lost.

Other than that, the rest of the month was pretty darn boring. That's OK. I've said this 100 times already, but boring is good right now.

And not bad volume, considering.

To wrap up May real quick, by the numbers it was:

Bike: 14 times, all on the trainer, for 260.5 fake trainer "miles" in an overall time of a hair less than 16 hours. This also included an FTP test during which I gained 8 more watts, which I immediately felt in my next workout. I didn't try to ride at all while I was out of town.

Run: 12 times, all on the road, for 95 miles in about 15:17. This was a virtual half at the beginning of the month, a bit of recovery, a bit of a break only running twice on vacation, and getting back into the swing of things. Fine by me.

PT/pre-hab: 21 times, 11 running PT work and 10 mobility, for about 12:45. This was my usual 6 times per week when I was in town.

Weights: 10 times, which worked out to be 4 core sessions, 3 videos, 2 barre apps, and 1 heavy/body routine, for about 7:45. I had a couple of strange Saturdays in there during which I couldn't make my usual heavy/body routine work, but this was still a decent amount of lifting.

Yoga: 12 times, all Down Dog app sessions on run days, for 3 hours total. This is still feeling really good and I'm going to keep "forcing" myself to do yoga on run days.

Total: 69 sessions in about 54:44. Not bad.

June started off busy (hence my not wrapping up May until five days in) but I'm already off to a good start with some runs and lifting. Hopefully your May was good and your June will be good too.

May 24-30 week in review: Funky weather, a work snafu, and my longest run in weeks

I have my computer screen shots back! (There was a secret folder in my trash I hadn't emptied. Ha.)

Things were almost completely back to normal by last week. I got a good start to the week with my usual Monday and Tuesday trainer rides and mobility or PT, and core on Monday. Ho, hum.

Wednesday evening I came back inside from my run to find about 16 texts from my assistant director and work team trying to sort through an "emergency." I usually do an easier weights video or barre workout on Wednesdays but I wasn't able to make it happen last week. I did squeeze my mobility work around writing content and sending emails, but I didn't even eat my reheated dinner until 9 p.m. I couldn't make a weights workout happen that day.

On Friday it was randomly freezing cold outside. I was determined to run after work but had to layer on leggings and a light hat and gloves. Ridiculous for the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. I tried to make it a speed run with two rounds of three miles descending, but I wasn't shattering any records. Still, it was nice to try to run a bit faster for the first time in a while.

On Sunday I decided I wanted to try for a long-ish run. For me, "long" is anything between 10 miles and 2 hours; anything longer than that is almost exclusively reserved for marathon training. It would be my first double digit run since my virtual half four weeks ago. It went almost perfectly fine. I had some random sharp, stabbing pains in my left knee right at the turnaround point, enough that it was starting to affect my gait, but this has happened before. I tried to land as softly and with as good form as possible, and it seemed to work itself out after another mile or two. Any day I don't have to call home for a ride from my long run is a good day.

The weather was pretty much back to normal by Sunday and it's looking to be typical summer temps starting this week. Hopefully I won't have to break out the hat and gloves again for a while.

Decent week overall.

By the numbers, last week was:

Bike: Four times, all in the trainer, for 76.5 fake trainer miles in about 4:39.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 26.25 miles (total happenstance) in about 4:11 (which is also right about my marathon PR!).

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three mobility and three running PT, for about 3:45.

Weights: Twice, one core and one heavy/body routine, for about 1:45.

Yoga: Three times, all with the Down dog app on run days, for about 45 minutes. I had good intentions to do a longer session on Sunday after my run, but I decided getting groceries was more important, and did my usual short session later.

Total: 18 sessions in just longer than 15 hours. Not a bad week at all, even if I had to cut out one mid-week weights workout.

My outdoor pool is open and in full swing and I want to get out there for some laps soon. I didn't want to try to manage the crowds over Memorial Day weekend, but I hope to get in a few weekday swims in the next few weeks. I don't have any races on the calendar yet, so right now it's all about getting in the runs, trainer rides, PT, weights, and yoga when I can.

I hope you are still staying healthy, safe, and warm... or cool... whatever the weather is throwing at you these days.

May 17-23 week in review: Back from vacation and back in the swing of things

My husband and I had a very nice, quick trip out of town, but we were happy to come back home early last week. We managed a run the morning before we left, and I did some yoga before I went to bed that night, and then the next day, Wednesday, I tried to get back into my usual schedule.

I had a late work night Thursday, but I was able to plan ahead and finagle my week a little bit. I wanted to get out and run earlier in the day on Friday, but it was in the mid-80s in the afternoon, way too hot for a speedy run. I did my PT shortly after I logged off and did my run later, after the heat of the day was starting to break. Not ideal, but I got it done.

It was also super duper hot for my run Sunday. I wanted to do somewhere between 8 and 9.5 but ran out of water at about 8.5. I wanted to live to run another day so I called it then.

Of course, it wasn't a great week training-wise, but considering I was gone for a day and a half I think I did pretty darn good:

Crappy screen shot but not too crappy of a week.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 55 fake trainer "miles" in about 3:24.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 19.5 miles in about 3:21. This included a very easy run with my husband before we left for home, a peppy run in blazing heat, and a medium run in blazing heat. 'Tis the season.

PT/Pre-hab: Four times, two mobility and two PT sessions, for about 2:30.

Weights: Twice, one video and one barre app, for about 2:05. We had last-minute plans on Saturday so I didn't have time for my heavy/weights routine, so I squeezed in a video on Sunday instead.

Yoga: Three times, all Down Dog app, for about 45 minutes.

Total: 15 session for about 12:05. Still, not too shabby!

I can't believe there's only a week left in May. I'm not sure what I'll be able to accomplish training-wise in these last few days, with this heat wave we're having and trying to fit in all my other obligations, but it does feel good to be home. My outdoor pool just opened for the season and I'd love to get over there. I'm not signed up for any races, yet, but we'll see how these next few weeks go.

I hope you all are staying healthy, safe, and cool out there.

May 10-16 week in review: A front-loaded week and then a road trip

A decent mix of activities, considering.

My husband and I took a road trip last week. He had to take care of some business, so we decided to make a fun mini-vacation out of it. We were as safe as we thought we could be: We are fully vaccinated, we wore our masks in all indoor spaces and on public transportation, we stayed in a private condo rather than a hotel, etc. It was the first time either of us had been anywhere in a year and a half and we had a great time. We just got home a few hours ago, hence my delay in reviewing last week's workouts.

We headed out Thursday morning so I wanted to make sure to stay tightly on task Monday through Wednesday. I wasn't sure how much time and availability I would have to work out on this trip so I figured front-loading the week was the smart thing to do. As it turns out, I was right: The only exercise we did Thursday and Friday was walking around, and we barely moved on Saturday, when it rained most of the day.

I did manage a run and my usual run-day yoga on Sunday. It was nice to get outside and burn off some of those vacation indulgences, and see a little bit of the city as a local rather than a tourist. All in all, I think the week was a good balance of relaxation and movement.

Workout wise, this was:

Run: Twice, both on the road, for 14.5 miles in about 2:19. This was my usual Wednesday evening peppy run, and my Sunday run on the road. I wasn't trying to set any records here, just get some miles in.

Bike: Twice, both on the trainer, for 34 fake miles in about 2:04. I did these early in the week before we left.

PT/Pre-hab: Three times, 2 mobility and 1 PT, for about 1:30. I did one thing every day before we left and nothing on the road.

Weights: Twice, one core session and one video, for about 1:20. Again, I did these before we left.

Yoga: Twice, both the Down Dog app, for about 30 minutes total. I was able to do one of these on the road.

Total: 11 sessions for about 7:43. A light week for me, but still, I'm happy that I got some movement in early in the week and while we were gone.

It was fun to take a trip, but things aren't back to normal yet and I'm happy to be back in my relatively safe home. I plan on keeping to myself for a while, going out as little as possible, getting back into a workout routine, and hopefully enjoying some of the hot weather that's expected to come our way.

Whether you are staying safe at home or taking some safe trips, I hope you're also getting in some good workouts and some nice relaxation, too.

Week in review May 3-9: Back to my basic (boring) routine

Typical week, atypical screen shot because I’m still having minor computer issues. 

Last week marked a kind of return to normal. I had run my virtual half marathon the Sunday before, so after a few easy trainer rides my legs were pretty much back to normal. Running was easy-ish last week but still OK. I was helping out a friend on Saturday and didn't have time for my heavy/body weights, but I still got in my usual three workouts by the end of the week. And PT and yoga were on point.

There was nothing out of the ordinary last week except for finishing my Milky Way 26K with a dedicated 5K on Friday. My legs still weren't feeling great, but they felt well enough for a zippy run. Honestly, I think pandemic fatigue is getting to me. I'm still not sleeping very well and training is helping me stay sane.

By the numbers, it was:

Bike: Four times, all on the trainer, for 75 fake trainer miles in about 4:34.

PT/Pre-hab: Six sessions, three mobility plus three running PT, for about 3:45.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 21.5 miles in about 3:26.

Weights: Three times including one core, one video, and one barre app, for about 2:20 total.

Yoga: Three times, all using the Down Dog app, for 45 minutes total.

Total: 19 sessions for about 14:50.

I feel like a broken record but I really mean it when I say boring is good right now.

These next two weeks will be a little abnormal because my husband has to go out of town and I'm going with him to try to make a long weekend out of it. It will be the first time we've traveled anywhere in a year and a half. I'm a little nervous, but we're driving and staying in a condo by ourselves. We'll bring masks and hand sanitizer and be extra careful.

I hope your training is going well out there, as well, and that you are staying safe.

Martian Invasion of Races virtual half marathon and 5K race report

How many other races have inflatable alien swag?

The Martian Invasion of Races holds a special place in my heart. I ran the marathon in 2013 as my fourth, and ran the 10K the next year with my husband. It's a local race, run by a local company, and the theme is as fun as they come.

I haven't really been on the virtual race train this pandemic but I wanted to make an exception for a race I had fond feelings for. So, a few weeks ago, I signed up for the Milky Way 26K: the combo half marathon and 5K, which equals about 26 kilometers together.

We had from Saturday, May 1 through Saturday, May 8 to complete and log our races. I wanted to tackle the half marathon first, just in case I imploded and needed to take another shot at it. I decided on Sunday, May 2. The weather was looking warm-ish, but I figured if I got out early enough, I'd be OK.

Well... it didn't go quite as planned. The morning started off great. I left from my house at about 9 a.m., with a frozen water bottle and a couple of Huma gels. My goal was sub-2 hours, but my real time to beat was 2:04:30, my fastest known half, the second half of the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November, 2012. (2012!!!) I wanted to walk a warmup, start the first 3-4 miles at 9:20 pace range, the next 3-4 at 9:09 pace range, and the rest sub-9:00 pace. And I wanted to keep the clock running, counting my TRUE overall time as race time.

My legs took a while to warm up but I ticked off a few miles in the 9:teen and 9:twenty range feeling pretty good. I drank at mile 2, and took a gel and drank and mile 4. It was starting to get a bit warm. I had frozen a small throwaway bottle of water rather than one of my larger, reusable running bottles. I'm not sure why I chose to do that. (Foreshadowing!)

I hit a landmark at mile 5 and thought, huh, the route I chose is going to be much longer than 13.1 miles. I tried to do some math in my head and decided to cut the lollipop part of my route short a little. On the far part of the lollipop there was a bit of wind, which sucked to run into. My pace didn't falter much, but I could tell I was putting in more effort. I drank at mile 6 and took a gel and drank at mile 8.

I got off the windy part and into a path that was pretty full of people. The heat was starting to get to me and I didn't have much water left by the time I drank at mile 10. Shortly after I hit mile 11 I had to walk out a side stitch. I went back and forth on whether I should stop my watch but I decided I could have the best of both worlds: Potentially a Garmin PR, and the overall time recorded.

I didn't have to walk long but the next two miles were really hard. I'd run for a while, sip what was left of my water, and walk out a side stitch. I felt better after about a mile and was able to run the rest in. I wanted to hit 13.25 just to be safe, and my Garmin did tell me I had hit my sub-2 goal for overall running. BUT, before you send me hate messages, I did log my overall time for the race, which included about six additional minutes of walking.

I ended up about 2 miles from home so I called my husband to come get me with some cold water. Would I have done better had I brought a larger bottle of water? Maybe. Would I have done better had I planned my route to avoid the wind? Maybe. Would I have done better had I left earlier to avoid the heat that was getting to me by mile 11? Maybe.

Overall, it was still a fun time, and I ran 11 good miles. I chalked this up to a learning experience and a chance to support a local race.

I ran easy on Wednesday and decided to go for a dedicated 5K on Friday, my usual speed day (Fast Friday). My legs still felt pretty fatigued but I figured I would warm up for a couple of miles and do 3.1 as hard as I could manage that day. When I did the math, I ended up with 26:40, not terrible at all. Not PR fast, but still a good time.

Overall, I got three medals, a nice t-shirt, an inflatable alien, the chance to support a local race, and a good time. Even if my races are few and far between these days, I'm glad I signed up for this one.

Whether you are racing in person or virtually right now, I hope you're doing so safely and having a good time doing it.

April in review: Consistent volume, consistent workouts

I feel like a broken record here but things have been and continue to be boring training-wise. Which, I'm not really complaining. It could be a lot worse than boring.

My training volume has been pretty consistent this year so far at 58-64 hours per month and 72-83 actual loggable workouts/training sessions, and April fell right in the middle of that with 63.5-ish hours and 79 loggable sessions. I have been almost robotically consistent with my routine, save for skipping a session the day of and going light the day after my second COVID vaccine. (I was VERY lucky to have almost no side effects for the second shot.)

I went back to work full-time, losing my Wednesday furlough day, at the end of March. Making a full-time salary again is nice but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss having a day off mid-week to grocery shop and do my long run. I've tried to keep "workout Wednesdays" a thing since my husband has a commitment in the evenings and I can throw in a mid-week weights workout without too much trouble. But it is NOT the same. Oh well. Like I said, not a real problem.

Side note: My Numbers keeps crashing and I lost my previous charts, and I don't feel like rebuilding them tonight just so I can compare month to month, so I have Google Doc spreadsheets graphics and Garmin Connect screen shots instead. I'll try to build them again for May.

April, in summary:

Close enough.

Bike: 17 times, all on the trainer, for not quite 20 hours, and 317 fake trainer miles. This is pretty close to what I've been doing all year. It works out to four rides per week, three rides of about an hour during the week and another ride of about 1.5 hours on Saturdays. Among the workouts were a "failed" FTP test that I still felt good about.

Run: 12 times, all outside, for 15.5 hours over -- get this -- 97.5 miles. This was my face when I added this up to find 97.5 miles:

Me realizing I logged 97.5 running miles for April

The funny things is, I HAD added up my totals near the end of the month, and thought I was closer to 90 than 100. Oh, well. I'm a writer for my day job, not a mathematician.

PT: 26 times, 14 mobility and 12 running PT, for about 15:30. I'm PT-ing almost as much as I'm running which, let's be honest, at age 41 is where I need to be. It's definitely not hurting and I am feeling stronger and more mobile out there.

Weights: 11 times -- a good mix of videos, my heavy/body routine, and my barre app plus core every MFing Monday -- over about 9:40. I can now do more pullups and chinups than I ever could in my life and I am ready to rock tank top season, but more importantly I just feel stronger and more solid when I run and bike. The core work is definitely helping.

Yoga: 13 times, every run day plus one extra, via my Down Dog yoga app for 3:15 overall. I'm still "forcing" myself to do yoga on run days and some days I do it late, but I've always knocked it out. I just feel stretchier overall, and better mentally afterward. I'd like to add a few more sessions into my life but I am making this work for now.

Total: 79 sessions over about 63:42. A nice, solid month.

I didn't make it to the pool at all. Now that I have both vaccines, I feel a bit more comfortable exploring my swimming options. I'm hoping to get back to it this coming month.

May is already off to a good start and having a good foundation for these past few months certainly doesn't hurt. I'm really hoping I can race this year but even if I can't, I'm still having a good time challenging myself with these steady, consistent workouts at home.

Happy training and stay safe out there.

Week in review April 26-May 2: A lighter week and a virtual race

The first part of last week was the same ol' boring routine: Ride my trainer, go for a few runs, do my PT, do core and weights.

I lightened things up a bit on Friday because I knew I would want to run a virtual half-marathon over the weekend, likely on Sunday. (Race report coming.) So I swapped my Friday speed run for a shakeout, and took Saturday completely off. I hadn't planned to, but I got busy with errands and enjoying the day, and decided I needed a rest day.

So, last week saw relatively a lot of running, although my volume isn't THAT much higher than past weeks. I still did all my PT and all my yoga, and only skipped one each weights and trainer ride, so it still ended up a good week, I think.

The virtual race was just enough to shake things up a little bit without too much disruption. I'm not a huge virtual racer, but this was a local company I wanted to support.

Lots of running and decent amounts of other stuff.

Overall, last week was:

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 25.75 miles in about 4:02. This included the virtual half, a shakeout run, and an easy run earlier in the week.

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, my usual three mobility and three running PT, for about 3:45.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 51 fake trainer miles in about 3:10.

Weights: Twice, one core and one barre app, for about 1:15.

Yoga: Three times, all via the Down Dog app, for about 45 minutes.

Total: 17 sessions for just less than 13 hours.

Not a super rock star week, but still a good week with some fun mixed in. I hope you all are having good weeks, too.

April 19-25 Week in review: Every week is exactly the same

Apologies to my boy Trent.

Last week was definitely one where I felt like I was living in a Groundhog Day loop. I know there are worse things than doing the same workouts week after week, so I'm trying to keep things in perspective. Boring is not bad right now.

I did have a couple of, I don't know I would call it excitement, but irregularities last week that helped shake things up. I did an FTP test and "failed," but I feel OK about it because I know my cycling is in a much better place than it was months or a year ago. I took Thursday and Friday off, and used some of the extra time to run on a trail by my old office. I'm doing a virtual half marathon in the next couple of weeks, so my longest run last week was 8 miles.

Boring is good, boring builds bases, hopefully boring will help me do well at races. =)

Nothing exciting to see here.

Last week was:

Bike: Four times, all on the trainer, for 75 fake miles in about 4:39. Indoor riding is still feeling good. I am hoping to get my roadie outside sometime in the next month or so.

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three mobility and three running PT, for 3:45. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 23.25 miles in about 3:42. This was an easy run, a medium run, and a peppy run. Except for slightly reduced volume, nothing out of the ordinary here.

Weights: Three times including one core session, one video, and one heavy/body session for about 2:50.

Yoga: Three times, all via the Down Dog app, for 45 minutes total.

Total: 19 sessions for about 15:42. It might not have been full of excitement, but it was a good week volume-wise.

Plans for this week include a slight running taper and trying to do my virtual half over the weekend. I have a range of days to complete it, so I'm going to try to go on a day that's not too hot and when I don't feel too bad.

Other than that, it will be a boring week once again, hopefully in a good way. I hope all of you are having boring weeks in a good way as well.

I "failed" an FTP test today, but that's OK

Still a lot of hard work.

I "failed" an FTP test today, but can you really fail an FTP test?

I've been putting off re-testing my max power for a while and decided today was the day. I hung on as long as I could but my recommended new power was two watts lower than my current power. I declined the new number.

My current FTP is as high as it's ever been and I knew that, even though I've been working hard, I might not get any additional power this time around. And I feel totally OK with. I'll keep working hard and test again in a week or so.

More important than power for me right now is consistency, and I've been riding four times per week almost robotically for months. Sooner or later, that will pay off.

I hope you're having a great training week!

Week in review April 12-18: Hills and long runs

Not a shabby week at all.

I may have gone a smidge too hard on the runs last week. I snuck out of work early on Friday and drove to a hillier ("hillier" for southeast Michigan means 235 feet of elevation vs. 47 feet of elevation) route, and I went for 10.5 miles on Sunday. My legs were definitely feeling it by Sunday afternoon.

But, it was OK. After an easy weekend last week following my second COVID shot, I didn't think it was anything I couldn't handle. I was able to keep a decent pace for both my speed run and my long run, my knee behaved, and I had good weather. It was all I could hope for.

Trainer riding wasn't anything special last week. It was a rough week and I decided to push my planned FTP test back a week. Everything else went fine; I did all my usual weights, PT, and yoga. Boring, but it gets the job done.

Overall, it was:

Bike: Four times, all on the trainer, for 75 fake trainer miles in about 4:39.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 26 miles in about 4:05. This was an easy run moved to Tuesday to take advantage of good weather, a few hilly repeats at a FAST-for-me pace (anything that begins with a 7 is fast for me these days), and a 10.5-miler on Sunday. I probably should have spread out the speed and long runs a bit more, but eh. I got them done and am no worse for the wear.

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three mobility and three running PT, for about 3:45.

Weights: Three times: one core, one barre app, and one heavy body; for about 2:45. I'm still going with the core Mondays. They're still hard but I'm feeling stronger.

Yoga: Three times, all via the Down Dog app, for 45 minutes total.

Total: 19 sessions in a hair less than 16 hours.

Nineteen sessions in about 15-16 hours seems to be my sweet spot for a good week. I'm still not swimming, and I'm back to work full time, but this seems to be working for me, for now. I'm going to stick with it.

I did sign up for a virtual 5K/half marathon combo to be done within the next 2-3 weeks. I've never actually raced an open half marathon (I've done seven marathons, one half at the end of a 70.3, one pacing my husband, and one as part of a 30-mile, 4-race weekend), but I am feeling pretty good about my runs lately that I think I could do well even virtually. If nothing else, it'll be a nice distraction as I support a local race business.

Hope you all are staying safe and maybe getting in those virtual races.

You don't have to outrun the bear

I was going through old pictures recently and reflecting on all the sports and activities I've done over the years. I've never had any real talent at any sport, but I made up for it with stubbornness. I showed up every day and worked hard, and eventually through brute force I improved, whether it was tennis in high school or swimming as an adult.

It made me think, Maybe that's why I love triathlon so much. Unless you're a pro, you don't really have to be GOOD at swim, bike, and run. You just have to work harder than the person behind you.

And that reminded me of the old joke: You don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun the other guy outrunning the bear.

Maybe there's a profound thought in there somewhere.

Week in review April 5-11: Slightly lighter volume because I GOT MY SECOND COVID VACCINE

Not even complaining. Still a good week.

The week started off pretty normally. I got in my usual bike rides and my Wednesday easy run. I had high hopes to get up early Friday and squeeze in my run before work, but it didn't happen. But I don't care, because more importantly, I got my second COVID vaccine on Friday.

I ended up skipping my Friday run and PT for the vaccine, but felt fine enough on Saturday to do an easy, long trainer ride. I probably could have done a weights workout, but I decided to err on the side of caution and skip that, too. By the time Sunday came around, I felt even better and did a 10-mile run to celebrate. I ended the weekend strong with my usual PT and yoga.

One unusual thing about this past week is that all three times I did yoga, I did it earlier in the evening rather than right before bed. I don't know if it's better or worse, just different. Sometimes I'm sweaty and gross and want a shower and a chance to cool down. Sometimes I just want to knock it out before I eat dinner or whatever. I think the more important thing is that I'm getting it done, right?

Anyway, last week was:

Bike: Four times, all on the trainer, for 75 fake trainer miles in about 4:41.

Run: Twice, both on the road, for 17.75 miles in about 2:53. My 10-miler felt pretty good until the last 1.5, when my knee let me know it was ready to be done. It wasn't so bad I had to quit, but definitely something to pay attention to for next time. It feels fine today.

PT/Pre-hab: Five times, three mobility and two PT, for about 2:45.

Weights: Twice, one Monday core and one video, for about 1:20.

Yoga: Three times, all Down Dog app, for 45 minutes. Even though I only ran twice last week, I did one extra yoga session the day after my vaccine to make sure I was getting enough gentle movement.

Total: 16 sessions for about 12:24. I will take it!

Michigan is getting walloped by the virus right now and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I just hope we can get vaccines in arms fast enough to make a difference. I will be staying home for at least the next two weeks and masked up until we're through this mess. Please be careful and stay safe out there.

Week in review March 29-April 4: Some interesting runs and boring everything else

Not a bad week at all!

I keep saying: I want boring right now. Boring is good. And last week was another boring week, training wise.

It was my usual bike trainer rides, PT, weights, and yoga, and everything was unremarkable. The only thing that was a bit out of the ordinary last week was my running. It was 70 degrees on Tuesday and I was at 92 miles and change for the month, so I moved my mid-week medium day and enjoyed a wonderful zip around the neighborhood in shorts and a tank top.

I had Friday off work and needed an eight-vial blood draw in the morning, so I didn't want to overdo it on a speed run later. I settled on 3 x one-mile descending, repeat once, 1 mile cooldown. My sixth mile beeped over at 8:04 which is amazing for me, especially this time of year. I was in a crabby mood Sunday and wanted to get out for a long run, so I waited until it hit the 60s in the afternoon and did 10 down by the river. As the saying goes, you're only one run away from a good mood. Some just take 10 miles to put you in that good mood. 

Overall, my body felt fine for all my running mileage. My knee has been mostly OK, and my right hamstring has been a bit twinge-y here and there, but neither usually last long after I concentrate on good form and landing softly. I know all the yoga and PT is helping.

By the numbers, last week was:

Bike: Four times, all on the trainer while watching Making a Murderer, for 75 fake trainer miles in about 4:38. This feels like a good target for me right now.

Run: Three times, all on the road, for 26 miles in about 4:06. This was a medium, a speed, and a long run.

PT/Pre-hab: Six times, three mobility and three running PT, for about 3:45. I'm putting in a LOT of time on this but I feel like it's paying off. Doing the three shorter mobility days and taking one day off during the week helps keep in manageable.

Weights: Three times: one core, one barre app, and one heavy/body routine; for about 2:45. This was my first round of heavy in a couple of weeks and I definitely felt it the next day.

Yoga: Three Down Dog sessions for 45 minutes total.

Total: 19 sessions in almost exactly 16 hours.

I don't know yet how this week will shake out. I'm due for my second vaccine on Friday, so Saturday will be up in the air. If I can get in some gentle movement, great. If I need to spend the day in bed, also great. I will do whatever it takes to be boring now so we can get back to our normal lives later.

Stay healthy and safe out there!