Week in review Dec. 7-13: ’Tis the season (for getting back into a training routine)

Boom goes the dynamite.

Even “losing” Saturday to Christmas shopping with my mom (I am pretty much done, so it was well worth it) I had a decent training week last week. Bonus: It got up into the 60s on Sunday, so I went for an unheard-of-in-December outdoor bike ride. Yay!

Even with shopping and events taking up two evenings, I managed to continue with my streak of doing something, even 10 minutes of stretching, every single day. I’m currently on day 18 – wow! I didn’t realize I was doing so well until I counted it up. Go me!

By the numbers:

Swim: Twice, both in the pool, for 4600 meters in a little longer than 2 hours.

Funny story: Because I am super lame, I’ve gone to the pool these past two Friday nights and thoroughly enjoyed it. I got through my main set Friday and started my cooldown. Suddenly – foot cramp! I tried to flex my foot and swim with my arms, but then I got a calf cramp! Of course by then I was in deeper water. The lifeguard hustled over to ask if I was ok (good for him for noticing, I guess!) and I waved him off, told him it was a cramp, and laugh-choked on water because it was so ridiculous. I decided to pull the plug while I was ahead and got out without doing my cooldown. I took an extra few minutes to stretch out my cramps before I left the pool to make it clear to everyone “IT WAS JUST A CRAMP, I DIDN’T FORGET HOW TO SWIM.” Ha!

Bike: Twice on the trainer for an hour each, and once on the road for 22 slow miles in about an hour and a half.

Funny story: I was going back and forth whether I wanted to do a hassle-free indoor ride or head outside for what would probably be my last outdoor ride in months, even though I knew I would be cutting it short on daylight. I decided to do laps at the big city park, but then discovered my front tire’s valve was broken and letting air out. Did I want to use my last tube to go for one outdoor ride? In the end I decided yes, and I was glad I did. (Tubes are cheap, and I can always use the flat-changing practice.)

As it turned out, everyone had the same idea I did: It was probably going to be the last nice weekend day for months, so let’s go to the park. But for most people at the park, that meant racing and spinning out their muscle cars and crotch rockets. I was legitimately worried on my first lap around that I’d get run over by someone’s hot rod, but by the second lap the cops were out pulling people over and things had calmed down. Luckily I finished without incident.

I joked to my husband that I had to get my ride in around the Fast and the Furious 12 street auditions. He paused and asked, “Were they really holding auditions?” I laughed. No, but it sure felt like it.

Run: One run of 1.75 miles, on the road, in 18:10.

NOT a funny story: Well, I did get a test run in this weekend, my first run in over a month. I made it about a mile before my left IT band started bothering me; it was in actual pain by another quarter mile. It wasn’t so bad I had to stop, but it’s definitely not rested and rehabbed enough. I just have to be patient and be diligent about strengthening my glutes.

My husband and I have made a tradition of doing the virtual Christmas Story 5K these last few years; our medals, t-shirts and Ovaltine have already arrived for this season’s run. I plan on doing it for accountability’s sake, but will likely walk/jog it as easily as possible so I don’t have a setback.

Pre-hab: Three times this week for about 1:15 total, doing my hips moves twice and a full glute rotation once.

Yoga: Two self-guided sessions this week for a total of 30 minutes. I have been doing some bends, twists, pigeons, etc. before bed when I can.

Total: 11 sessions in about 7 hours, 40 minutes.

I didn’t do any weight training and could have done more yoga, but overall, I’m pleased with the week. It included a little of everything, and I got some fresh air, too. Not too shabby and not a bad baseline.

Going outside to ride and RUN!

It got up to the mid-60s today. I've lived in Michigan almost all of my life and I don't ever remember it being this warm this late in the year.

I've been wanting to go for a quick test run to see how my left IT band is feeling. I promised myself a SHORT run around the neighborhood and set out right when the temperatures were climbing to the day's highs.

I got almost a mile in before I started feeling twinges in my knee. It wasn't so painful that I had to walk, but I slowed down a bit and tried to land as softly as possible. I feel like I'm on the right track, but I need to keep taking it easy and keep doing my pre-hab exercises.

Let's go for a run, Mommeh!

When I got home, the dogs wanted to go out for another mile or six, but alas, the side-to-side motion that comes with reeling in mutts wouldn't have been good for my knee. They'll just have to wait.

After a snack I decided to go out for a ride instead of suffering on the trainer even though I would be close it with shorter daylight hours. I almost pulled the plug after I was getting everything ready and discovered the tip of the front tube valve was missing, meaning there was nothing keeping air in. I debated using a fresh tube on what would probably be my only outdoor ride for months, but decided eh, f it. Tubes are cheap.

Riding outside! In December!

I did a few laps of a nearby island park until it started getting dark -- in all it was about 22 miles. Not too shabby! Nothing fast, but it was nice to get out in the fresh air. Hopefully I won't have forgotten everything by the time spring comes around.

It seemed like everyone else had the idea of getting out to the park, so I had to dodge quite a few motorcycles and muscle cars. But things quieted down after the state police started pulling people over, and I didn't get run over. So, a win!

Sadly, temperatures are looking more winter-like as the week goes on. But I should be taking more time off running anyway, so no great loss. Plus, if the weather holds I can take the mutts on nice long walks outside, guilt-free.

Evening swims: So far, so good

Just keep swimming.

Last season, I woke up (well, tried to) four days a week at 4:30 a.m. to swim or ride my bike on the trainer on alternating days. This season, I decided that waking up at 4:30 a.m. sucks and I don’t want to wake up that early ever again unless the bed is on fire or I have to catch an early flight to my tropical vacation.

So, I took a hard look at the schedules for all the pools I have access to, and decided to try to make a couple of hours in the evening work a few days a week. I’m still on a hiatus from running, my preferred evening activity, so the time is now.

Verdict: So far, so good. The pool closest to my house is one of the few 25-meter pools in the area, and since that facility has a separate family pool, it’s not grossly warm like the one near my office. I tried to time my swims so I’d have a bit more than an hour before it closed for the evening, and that was just about perfect for avoiding a million kids and crazy parking situations.

It does take a bit of schedule finagling to make it work. I prefer a late dinner, but have been eating an early mini-dinner an hour before I leave and then another mini-dinner or big snack when I get back. And by the time I get home, refuel, log my swim, finish getting ready for bed (ain’t no shame in putting my pajamas on at the gym), etc., it’s past my bedtime. So I’ll need to rein in the dawdling a bit.

It’s early yet, but I’m hopeful the shakeup will get the season off to a good start. Maybe I can shave a bit of time off my swim while I’m at it.

Week in review Nov. 30-Dec. 6: It was almost like a real training week!

Getting some training in -- finally!

I made a commitment to do something, anything, every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is starting to show in my training numbers. I actually had a decent week, for the first time in a while.

I’m nowhere near race ready, and I think I’m going to give my IT bands one more week of rest before I try to run again, but I feel like I’m getting there. Finally!

By the numbers:

SWIM: Yes, I got in the pool! I did a laughably slow 2000 meters in just under an hour (to be fair, this includes about 400 meters of slower drills), but for my first swim since August, it felt pretty darn good.

Bike: Three times, all on the trainer, for 3 hours and 15 minutes total. This was two 1-hour rides and a “long” ride of 1:15; I’ll keep adding 15 minutes or so to one ride every other week or so until I’m at an actual long ride length.

Weights: I did some of this, too! One run-through of my heavy weights/body weight routine (pullups, pushups, squats, deadlifts, abs, etc.) in about an hour. I am long overdue for this, too; I could barely move my arms or sit down the next day.

Pre-hab: I got through my whole cycle (hips, glutes, ankles, arches/feet) in two parts through the week, which took me about 1 hour, 45 minutes total. Since I did the exercises in fits and starts this is my best guess.

Yoga: Two sessions of my usual bends, pigeons, twists, etc. for 45 minutes total.

Total: 9 sessions in just less than 7 hours, 45 minutes.

I am happy to be moving again, and I’m happy that I’m feeling more like myself again. I want to keep building on this momentum to make this “off-season” a “pre-season.”

Finally, a pre-hab circuit

Wobble Board-ing my ankles.

This week was the first time in a LONG time, probably months, that I got through a full circuit of my pre-hab exercises: hips, glutes, ankles, arches, etc.

(Hips and glutes to try to get my IT bands back in shape, ankles and arches because I have flat duck feet, etc.)

I am already sore from my first heavy (well, "heavy") weights lifting in a long time yesterday; now all the small muscles in my lower legs are protesting, too.

But I love it. A few sore muscles now means a strong race season down the road, hopefully.

I swam!

I'm back in the water, again....

You guys! I swam!

It's been months, literally months, since I went for a swim. I'm not really a swimmer and look forward to a post-season pool break, but for the last few days I have been looking forward to getting back in the water. I did 2000 meters very slowly, but it felt good.

Yes, my wild and crazy Friday night was going for a swim and being excited about it.

November was definitely an "off" month

Muttley helping me go over my training logs.

November was a disaster when it came to training and eating, so instead of doing a regular month in review, I’ll just do a few quick hits to compare it to October:

Bike: I got on the trainer one fewer time (from three to four), but was on there for a half hour longer overall. My behind is once again getting used to being in a bike seat for an hour at a time.

Run: Only ran one time this month, compared to three in October, for 29.2 fewer miles. My IT band managed to make it through two shakeout runs and a marathon last month, but my luck didn’t hold this month, sadly. I did 1 painful mile and cut my losses. Rest, rest, rest.

Yoga: Only one fewer time this month, although I did a lot less time overall. I definitely was more dedicated in October, in a desperate attempt to get my glutes and hips able to last for a marathon.

Pre-hab: Five times this month, down from seven last month, but a lot less time overall. Again, like yoga, more dedicated last month for the marathon.

Weights: Hey, I lifted weights this month! Even if it is one session, last month was zero sessions, so I’ll take the improvement.

Overall, the jump down in time from October to November was about half, mostly due to the fact that I only ran a mile. Considering how crazy the month was with Thanksgiving, vacation and everything else, I’m OK with that. 

With an "off" month, there's nowhere to go but up -- and December is already looking good.