Week in Review / PFTW

First, thanks for the comments last week regarding #1's racing aversion. A few people mentioned taking the watch away from her. Ironically, she doesn't run with a watch. Pretty much the only time she knows her training paces is when either the coach is riding his bike while they run, or she's doing track work (once a week).

I feel like there's a combination of reasons that she races at the times she does:

• She's 15 and stubborn.
• She's my child, and stubborn.
• Running faster than is comfortable is HARD, and so far, she's skated by without needing to get uncomfortable.
• She doesn't want it bad enough - she's just not super competitive, she didn't grow up participating in sports, and the need to win is not something that comes naturally to her.
• Trusting your training is a difficult concept to grasp for her. {related to above, an idea I had was to have her do a tempo run with a Garmin, so she could see what she is actually running, and apply that to her races - she says she sees the clock time, and thinks she cannot run that fast, even though her training clearly says otherwise.}
• Her first year in HS sports was incredibly successful - being on varsity for XC meant she ran more races than the non-varsity runners as they moved on to state prelims and stuff; the jump into track was pretty quick, and being faster meant running more races than a lot of her teammates. Burnout, I'm sure, has played a part.
• She was OVER hearing her obnoxious parents yap about it and wanted to teach us a lesson in shutting up.

Luckily, she's almost done for the season, and outside of a couple of 5k's and a 10k this summer, she's done racing until XC starts in September.

Last week was her last dual meet, and terrible weather aside, they had a lot of fun - they won by about a billion points or whatever, and the team they raced was SO NICE about it. Temps were 97*+ the whole time, with 30mph winds (and I heard on the news 70-80mph gusts, the heck), so no one had a good race, but also no one puked or passed out, so I would say it was successful.

Two league meets this week, and WE ARE FREE. Finally. I can't wait for XC season. Track was not my most favorite.

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Last week!

Monday - rest. I don't know why I keep pretending I'm going to do stuff on Monday, because inevitably, I take a rest day.

Tuesday: XT, tempo
5 miles with 3 at tempo -  a little tough, but not the worst! Followed with a new Fitness Blender video, 17 minute Six Pack Burn Out - Intense Abs Workout. I REALLY liked this video.

Spent the late afternoon sitting on the bleachers in 99* sun watching track practice - the girls were sad that it was "only" 99, because apparently, the rules say 100*+ and they call off practice. SO CLOSE. Lucky for me, I've been hoarding my free drink reward, and enjoyed this while they ran 4x400 and 6x200 haha suckers.

Wednesday: XT
50 minute upper body video (this one), the 17 minute abs again, and a quick stretch/yoga video.

Thursday: Long 
12 miles easy, with middle 4 at "race pace". Easy easy easy, caught up on some old Real Housewives from last season on the treadmill (in fact, all of my runs this week were on the mill - IT WAS SO HOT ALL WEEK).

Friday: XT
Core (same 17 minute abs video) and arms.

Saturday: rest
This was the Worst Day Ever - uckfed up Gab's race (it was actually Saturday, NOT Sunday, and I realized it too late - I was sad, she was NOT. "It's okay, mom, I hate running!"), and then - THEN! - our car broke dead while I was on the way to a party. Sigh. Then I came home and ate ice cream for dinner.

Sunday: easy run
5 easy miles catching up on more Real Housewives of OC. This was easy, but apparently less easy than the woman on the treadmill next to me, sipping on a frappuccino (dude, not even during happy hour window!).

Total of 22 miles, which is the most I've run in a week in ages - actually, the most since early December. Huh.

Obviously I kind of settled on a RLRF type program for now, because I still really enjoy the strength training. Since I plan on doing iTRY in August, I doubt that will change until then, because I'll need to add the cycling and swimming back in (ugghhhhh).



PFTW

Monday: rest (I give in)
Tuesday: SPEED! 5 miles with some 800s, XT lower body/abs
Wednesday: easy 3-4, XT upper body
Thursday: XT total body
Friday: Long - 10 miles with strides, yoga
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 4-5 easy

Something Training, Week Whatever. PFTW

Like I said last week, my brain is confused about what's going on with training.

Let's recap my training/brain thoughts!

Last week....

Monday: rest

Tuesday: mooooore rest. Resting exhausts me. (Really, having the kids out of school made it exceptionally easy to laze around watching dumb tv with them).

Wednesday: Speed - 5 miles
800s. They were fast and hard, but I (mostly) hit my paces. Goal was 7:50-7:24, actual was 7:53, 7:49, 7:47, 7:41.

Thursday: Rest. 4 mile walk
I felt SO GOOD after the 800's, I told The H I really really FOR REAL wanted to run the Saturday half. He mocked me. I forgot, does walking count as exercise?! We did some evening shopping at Target, and I had the genius idea to walk there - a 4 mile round-trip excursion. It was brilliant, until The H purchased a very large, fairly heavy item. Dummy.

Friday: Rest again!

Saturday: Pretend run. Got through 2 miles. I woke up truly excited to run. And then it was terrible. I quit. We bought donuts and sat around instead.Spent the day so grateful for The H's mocking, and happy I wasn't running a half on Sunday, because I don't even know if I can run that many miles any more I AM THE LAMEST WHY DO I EEEEVVVVEEEEEN TRRRRRYYYYYYYYY. It was dramatic.

Sunday: Long run
12.1 really, REALLY great miles. I could have run faster, but wanted to keep it easy. I could have run longer, but there was a creeper in the gym. It was pretty much the greatest ever - how could it not be, with all of my favorite things.

So, I didn't run the half. I've always kind of thought that I was NOT a mental runner - I thought I was pretty objective about things, don't let singular bad runs throw shade at my overall training experiences, etc. I think, maybe, I was lying to myself, lol.

Without any real money on the line, it's really easy to just blow off training for something. Since I'm currently enjoying some funemployment time, my race budget is limited, and I want to keep it to real race efforts, or races I really, REALLY want to do. For whatever (probably made up) reason, I didn't feel like I was ready to PR this weekend, so I just.... didn't want to spend the money on the registration.

Yeah, yeah, it's kind of a cop out. I know anything can happen on race day, but I'd rather feel good about my chances, I guess. I'm a safe gambler.

ANYWAY.

Blah blah blah, I was a headcase and didn't run a race.

The Renegade Santa Race is in 2 weeks, so for the next two weeks, I'm maintaining focus on that as my "goal" race, because I really want that legit 5k PR - that means continuing the speed work. I'll still do a long run this week, though, because my eyes are on a plan B half at the end of the month.

Maybe. HAHAHAHA.

This week.....

Monday: easy/XT
Tuesday: 5 easy
Wednesday: XT
Thursday: speed - 10x400 (did you know 400s are my FAVORITE?!)
Friday: easy/XT
Saturday: easy/rest
Sunday: Long (14ish)

Camping + Training: Week 2. PFTW

Last week....

Monday
40 minute barre from this terrible YouTube video. For such miniscule movements, it sure is HARD.

Tuesday
5 miles, with 3 at tempo. Goal was 1 mile warm up, 3 @ 9:50-10, 1 mile cool down. Actual was 10:10, 9:52, 9:40. My legs were EXHAUSTED from barre the day before, and it was hard to warm up. Plus, I did it before work, so it was extra hard. Morning work outs should give extra credit miles.

Wednesday
AM: Tank Top Arms, Core, and a new-to-me 10 minute post-run stretch video.
PM: 25 minute bike ride, 10 minute swim

Thursday
Renegade Summer Trail Run - 5 miles on hills, recap posted here.

Friday
Rest!

Saturday
AM: 3 mile bike, 1 mile run
PM: 2 mile hilly hike with the kids

Sunday
8 miles, easy pace with some strides the last few miles.

Total running miles: 19
Bike: 8.36
Cross training: 4x!!


Plan for this week....
Monday: core, arms, stretch
Tuesday: am run (5 miles, speed), bike
Wednesday: barre, swim (run?)
Thursday: cross train, run (5-6 easy), bike
Friday: rest!
Saturday: swim (dun dun DUN) (run?)
Sunday: Long run (12)


It's obvious there are some changes to my normal training, and some things I'm adding in.... I'll post more about this, and my plans tomorrow when I have things kind of straightened out in my head.

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This weekend, we spent a night camping at O'Neill Regional Park, a local spot about 30 minutes from us in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Gabby has been BEGGING to go camping (our last trip was to Yosemite before leukemia, in 2010! Recaps here and here). While I'd love to head back to Yosemite, it's not really in the cards for this summer. My friend was interested in trying out camping with the two kids she's created since we last camped, so we planned a joint trip to this super local place, JUST IN CASE the trip needed to be called off.

We've hiked O'Neill before, and I remembered that I wasn't a fan, but couldn't really remember WHY. Until we went hiking. And THEN we remembered that we hated hiking there because we found the trail marking to be confusing. I'm pretty good at navigating, and really comfortable when I have a map. I've never gotten lost while hiking, until this place. I'm not sure why, or what was OFF, but it was An Ordeal.

The camping was FINE. The park just isn't my favorite, and I doubt we'll be back. Gabby had a splendid time, and the other girls seemed to at least not want to stab me in my sleep for taking them out to the Vast Wilderness. The weather was AMAZING, and we maybe didn't even need sleeping bags - it might have been warm enough without.

Most excitingly, The Snork's kids handled it great, and now we can plan more trips! Sequoias, anyone?

The pictures!

#2 is like a billy goat. She scaled this trail like it was nothing.

 

We camp fancy.

 

Good morning!

Gab sure looks suspicious.....

 
 

Friday Five - Woodbridge 5K Recap

1. Yesterday, #1 ran our local neighborhood 5k with her new Cross Country team. They've only been training for a few weeks, so this was nothing high pressure - just to get the kids acclimated to the race atmosphere. #1 is pretty much a professional at this already...

Age group win #1....

Age group win #2 (plus her standing 5k PR - not that I'm keeping track or anything...)....

Age group win #3...

Since I've barely been running, I decided not to run this year. I know I'm nowhere close to in shape to beat my PR (from this course last year), and 5k's kind of hurt.

Instead, I played race photographer with The H (who is, in fact, fast enough to run out to meet #1 for a photo op and then run back to the finish line).

(Spoiler, I'm a not great photographer).

Can you spy the #1?

The Jesus looking fella towards the left started out in the lead, and crushed everyone. Apparently, he's one of #1's coaches. They do, in fact, call him Jesus. Also, I think he's wearing a kids' sized shirt????

Hey dad, just out for a stroll.

Nice chatting, see ya.

Creepy focus.

Better than her time on this course last year by a minute, and she was barely even exerting herself.

Natural talent is a jerk.

2. Also, this guy finished I think 3rd male??

So in our top 3, we had Jesus and Elvis.

We saw Elvis out on our way home, jogging a cool down, STILL in costume. That's dedication.


3. I also got to see Julie! She looks so festive!!

She PR'ed, nbd. Maybe it was that bike pacer next to her. (JK, that woman was just randomly riding her bike on the course right by the finish line. What.)


4. All this spectating made me want to start training. I don't know why, because man, some of those people looked miserable - finishing a hard 5k is TERRIBLE. But, it made me come home and do my first for real speed work session in MONTHS. Seriously, months - according to Daily Mile, my last legit speedwork was some 800's back in MARCH. That's 4 months ago.

No wonder I'm so slow.

Anyway, I did 400's and I didn't die. I kind of liked it. It was pretty humbling to realize that my 400 pace is significantly slower than it used to be, but I guess I'm glad that I thought to be practical about it, and not just try to run the same pace I used to and then be a whiner that I'm so slow now - realistic expectations, for my current fitness level.

Totally related, I TOTALLY recall now how speedwork makes your legs feel FATIGUED. That was exhausting.


5. In the meantime.... I've drafted a training plan, that starts next week. I might throw in the City of Cypress 5k in a few weeks - it was a good race, and #1 needs a second 5k for the summer, and this one was pretty affordable. And there were ice pops at the end.

I guess I'm feeling like I'm done resting and taking things easy?

I'm waffling between two potential fall/winter races - Paso Robles Marathon in October, and Santa Clarita Marathon in November. Both look like smaller races, scenic, and are not too pricey. My only real hesitation right now is some work stuff, but hopefully that will be sorted out over the next few weeks.

Long Beach is dead on at the right time frame for what I was looking for, but I really just don't want to run LB. Not any part of it looks like fun to me. Once was enough, thanks.