June: Some time on two wheels and even some time on two feet

I love it when I add up my totals for the month and I’m pleasantly surprised. June ended up being a pretty good month for training.

In no small part this was because it was a boring month: I didn’t go anywhere, and I had one 20-day stretch during which I did at least one workout every day! Taking a couple of days off work and doing doubles on those days helped, too.

I slowly built up my running mileage from “very easy” to “easy,” and I rode my bike outside twice – not nearly enough, but it was nice to get outside for the first time since last summer (!). I did a good amount of PT, lifted some weights, and even stretched it out a bit with some yoga. I didn’t make it to the pool or do any other workouts, but I’m still happy with how everything shook out.
I love it when I add up my totals for the month and I’m pleasantly surprised. June ended up being a pretty good month for training.

In no small part this was because it was a boring month: I didn’t go anywhere, and I had one 20-day stretch during which I did at least one workout every day! Taking a couple of days off work and doing doubles on those days helped, too.

I slowly built up my running mileage from “very easy” to “easy,” and I rode my bike outside twice – not nearly enough, but it was nice to get outside for the first time since last summer (!). I did a good amount of PT, lifted some weights, and even stretched it out a bit with some yoga. I didn’t make it to the pool or do any other workouts, but I’m still happy with how everything shook out.

Bike mileage by month for the past 11 months.

Bike: 12 times, 10 on the trainer for 169.26 fake trainer miles and 2 on the road for 71.65 road miles, in about 16 hours, 17 minutes. This is the most time I’ve spent in the saddle in a long, long time, probably years, mostly due to those two long road rides. Except for last week when exhaustion just overcame me, I stayed in a steady three-times-per-week routine and even increased my FTP last month, and I am proud of both.

PT: 8 times, all homework for about 8 hours. This may not seem like much, but keeping a twice-ish-per-week average when I’m not even going to the clinic anymore is a big victory for me. I am really making an effort to do my glute prehab exercises from last year as well as my hamstring exercises from this time around. I had an alarming amount of soreness after I had done them for the first time in a while, which makes me think I cannot neglect the glutes! I want to keep running forever, not in six-month increments because I keep getting injured.

Running mileage, not counting all the walking warmups and cooldowns for May and June.

Run/Walk: 13 times, all on the road, for 34 miles in about 7 hours, 38 minutes. I started the month running only in a super slow shuffle and I ended the month doing legit running three minutes at a time for 4 or 5 intervals, so, progress? I have found I really have to concentrate on good form or my hamstring will hurt again. I think the next step to keeping myself running in good health is to see a physiotherapist or running-specific physical therapist to do some more work on strengthening exercises and correcting any imbalances.

Weights: 4 times including 2 barre classes, 1 video, and 1 heavy/body session, in about 4:20. Once a week isn’t terrible, so I’ll take it, but I would really like to lift twice a week with some regularity.

Yoga: Hey, I did some yoga! Just 2 easy sessions for about 30 minutes total, nothing outstanding, but enough that my body appreciated it.

About half my time spent biking, which sounds about right.

Total: 39 sessions in about 36 hours, 45 minutes.

And a revisit of my loose goals for the year:

Rebuild running smartly: I have made some good progress this month.

Make PT as much of a priority as running: Well, I spent more time PT'ing than running, so I'm counting this as a success.

Keep cycling on the trainer: Success!

Get back in the pool: Nope.

Continue a lifting routine that works: Didn't do too badly this month. Mild Success!

Yoga: Mild success!

Sprint triathlon and/or half marathon: This is still up in the air. Right now I'll be happy to do my usual summer 5K and maybe the sprint duathlon I did last summer.

I also feel better about "phrase of the year": ARRIVE, DRIVE, STRIVE, THRIVE, ALIVE. I have been showing up, I have been working, I have been improving, I am in a better mental place. Maybe it's because summer finally came?

Whatever the reason, I was very happy looking at my June numbers. I hope you also had a great month training and doing other fun stuff.