Summer Trail Run #1 Recap / PFTW

Ways to make a trail race seem like an awful idea:

• run when it's super hot and sunny
• eat pizza immediately before leaving the house
• do a hiit video in the morning

This was not ideal, but somehow (probably because we're just the fastest people ever), Angry Julie and I squeaked out a course PR by FIVE MINUTES. We're amazing runners, obvs.

The course this time was the counter-clockwise loop. For some unknown reason, we (Julie, Sheila and I) decided that we remembered this route being eaaaaaasy. This was a lie, because it was HARD. Okay, maybe it was harder than we remembered because last year when we did this one, it was cool and overcast.

We started right on time (this really is the start line, despite it saying Finish), like all of Renegade's events. There were three water stations available on the course - one at about a mile, one around mile 2.5ish, and one at mile 4.

The course starts off running the bike path into the back of Peter's Canyon park, up to the ridgeline. The ridge was hot hot hot hot and so dusty, because hello drought. There are - I think? - 4 or 5 big climbs before you start downhill, then down into the canyon on the way back - and it was glorious and cool down there. Perfect.

Number 1....

We finished right around 55:35, and our time on this last year was 1:00:25, I think, so despite FEELING like it was very rough, I was pretty pleased with the time.

After the race, you're given a choice of barbeque or t-shirt (the shirt is the same for all three races in the series, and you can also choose to do both the food and the shirt for an extra $5). I always choose the food, obviously.

I really, REALLY love these races - there is a kids' obstacle course at the finish line area, and it's just so fun and family friendly.

The next race is July 10th, running the clockwise version of the course - last time, we ran faster on that course, so maybe we can PR AGAIN.

We are the champions.

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Quick recap of last week/PFTW

Monday: Nada

Tuesday: run
4 easy easy miles with run club. I am LOVING this new run club - it is a fun, social run organized by Lifetime Run. The only con (for me) is the distance - we start at the Lifetime Fitness in Laguna, so it's a bit of a trek, but luckily I've worked out some carpooling with a friend close by. (Tuesday evenings at 5:45, 1 hour - join us!)

Wednesday: Nothing

Thursday: XT, trails
I forgot that I hate HIIT. I got confused, because the video I selected was only 16 minutes, so I thought... huh, how bad could that be. THE WORST EVER, BECAUSE HIIT SUCKS. I kid, it was fine, just really hard. I did THIS video, followed by 9 minute abs/obliques, and then 20 minute Lean Arms workout - did you know rhomboids are the weakest muscles ever? I hadn't done this video in awhile, but I immediately remembered. All videos courtesy of Fitness Blender, of course.

Trail run in the evening.

Friday: Nada
Saturday: Again nothing

Sunday: "long"
6 miles - 1 mile solo, 4 with a friend, 1 with The H - he's been injured, and wanted to see how things were feeling. Apparently they're feeling GREAT, because he ran faster than me JERK.


I feel like I'm missing a key component to triathlon training. OH RIGHT, EVERYTHING BESIDES RUNNING. Hashtag lazy.
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PFTW:

Monday: 3 miles easy (spoiler alert, I did 3 easy trail miles yesterday)
Tuesday: 4 easy, arms
Wednesday: Swim/Bike hahahaha
Thursday: 5 with 800s gross, arms
Friday: Swim/Bike
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 8 miles

Summer Trail Run Series! Weekly Recap / PFTW

This week kicks off the first race of the Summer Trail Run Series!!

I absolutely love this event, and I'm SUPER excited to run again this year. Registration is still open for Thursday's race - only $33 and it includes a fun expo after the race with a barbecue (or a shirt). The series runs June 19, July 10, and August 7 - register for the full series for only $28/race. What a bargain. Use HEATHERDISCOUNT for an extra 10% off, yo.

Plus, who WOULDN'T want to run with me when I'm so fashionable.

Yeah. you know you want to.


Last week...

Monday: Nothing

Tuesday: Nothing

Wednesday: run/xt
Did 5 miles with 4x400 at a relatively easy pace (it was actually my goal 5k pace, so "easy"). I haven't done real speedwork for awhile, so I wanted to ease in. Went well. Followed that in the gym with a total body video from FitnessBlender - this wasn't so bad while I was doing it, but the next day I could barely even move, my hamstrings were sooooo sore. So tricky, FB!

Thursday: Nothing, again!

Friday: run/xt
4 miles, easy pace, and this was teeeerrrrrriiiiibbbbllllle. I didn't enjoy it, is what I'm saying. Followed by an old FB arms video, which was also terrible, so I guess it was just an off day. Lame.

Saturday: Nothing!!

Sunday: run
TEMPO! I had no idea how this would go, but I thought I'd give it a shot. 2 mile warm up, 3 at tempo (9-8:42), 1 mile cool. I was close - 9:05, 9:01, 8:42. It was hard. But, looking back at my older workouts, it's the fastest I've run since last October, so I guess there's that!

Related: I think I've lost a handful of pounds over the last month, but since I'm not doing nearly as much strength work (because I'm lazy), I'm assuming it's muscle loss. Womp.

Related: Instead of working out, apparently, I spent the entire week just cooking things.

Mmmmm. Pork.

PFTW

Monday: nothing
Tuesday: 4 miles easy, XT
Wednesday: Swim
Thursday: trails! and arms
Friday: Bike, swim
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Bike, run long


Unrelated to training, but related to everything else, I've jumped back into job hunting and golly, is it the Least Fun Activity Ever. People are crazy, man. Interviewing is so bizarre. Sigh. SIGH.

Guess what's back. back again.

Ohhhh yeah.

I am registered for iTRYathlon (a Renegade Race Series event) again this year, and in hopes of bettering my time from last year, I've started training!

Thank goodness I keep a blog account of my stuff, because in my BRAIN, I thought I was unhappy with something. In real life, it turns out, my recap tells me that I had a great time and I even PR'ed the 5k! So the bar is set preeeetttttty high already.

I have literally for real not swum or used my bike since last year's event. I know, I'm the greatest. I just found that I didn't really like the bike, and.... that I was too lazy to keep up with swimming (actually, I thought that the pool I used was under renovation for some reason, but then it turned out I was just trying to go every day while they are closed for cleaning, as posted - I am not smart).

So last week I busted out the swim stuff, and hopped in the water for 20 minutes of laps and... spoiler, it's still hard! Who knew if you don't do something, it gets more difficult.

I drafted up a training plan for the next 11 weeks, and hopefully I will mostly stick to it. Like last year, I am running more than the swim/bike - I really want to maintain a decent running base so marathon training this fall isn't the Worst Ever.

I have some vague goals in mind already, but I'll have to see where I'm at realistically as I start training.

Yay!

If you're in SoCal, and you're tri-curious, I can't recommend this event enough! It's super low-key, and impeccably organized. Plus, as far as tri's go, it's priced reasonably - right now just $85 for the tri. Also available are a junior tri, a 5k, and a kids' fun run. You can check out pricing here, and - AND - you can use HEATHERDISCOUNT for 10% off.

Also, it's women only for the tri, which means no men running amok in tri gear. If you've experienced this phenomenon, you know what I'm saying here.


So with THAT said, this is what my PFTW looks like...

Monday: arms
Tuesday: 3-4 easy, XT (tried a new total body video last week that I really liked)
Wednesday: swim - 20 minutes easy, arms
Thursday: 5 easy, bike 30 min easy (not together)
Friday:  swim - 20 min easy
Saturday - 6 easy
Sunday - bike 30 easy

I'm not putting anything in stone yet - we'll see how this plays out next week, and I'll adjust as necessary. Like, I don't know how well the arm/XT work will go on the days I have it scheduled for, so... work in progress. I threw the bike in on the weekend, in case The H wants to ride with me, since that's his most favorite thing to do.

I'm also vaguely tossing around the idea of trying to PR at a July 4th 5k, but... I'm not super committed to it. But I might toss some extra speed work in if I feel feisty.

Regarding my last race... well, I'm still disgruntled about it. I mean, not enough to be, like, on edge or anything. But I spent a few days pouting, and generally being irritated about it. It's over, nothing to do about that now, except pick a redemption race and try again. I am going to have to really figure out this summer running nonsense, because I'm struggling with the heat and staying hydrated. GROSS. I hate summer.

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Over the weekend, #1 ran one of our favorite local races - Corona del mar Scenic 5k. Many years ago, this was my very first 5k, and the biggest reason this race was selected was for the promise of a "complimentary restaurant-row feast" at the finish line.

Why, yes, that IS a whole baguette. Right on top of the pizza and mini creme brulee and pork tacos and breakfast burrito and scones.

Because I have other places I'm planning on spending my race budget, only the kid ran this year, but man, did she kill it.

20:44 for a new pr on a hilly hilly hilly course (and knocking 4.5 minutes off her time on this course!), and 14th place overall in the female race. She was pretty psyched that she could pull this out during her off season, and after a long season of track work, and no hill work.

XC is going to be so fun.