Plan for the Week.....

Sooooo...

Last week I was scheduled to post a recap of the Funnest Half Marathon EVER which I have failed to do. FAIL. Oops. Today, pinky promise.

On the plan for last week:
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 5 easy miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 8 easy miles
Sunday - Rest

I assumed I'd be slow to recover, a la my previous two halves. Turns out, when you participate in the Funnest Half Marathon EVER, you need far less recovery time than when I try to kill yourself with poor pacing.

Actual:
Tuesday - 4x800's, FASTEST 800's ever. I thought I sucked at the time, now I'm stoked about doing them.
Saturday - 10 easy miles with Team in Training and Team Gab. THIS was possibly the best training run I've had to date. It was great company, good conversation, and it was the Team's first time running double digits - and when you're a new runner, you know how exciting that is! I'm so glad I was able to join them.

On the schedule this week.....
Monday - Yoga, I'm feeling a little tight... hills Saturday did a number on my glutes
Tuesday - 5 miles at tempo
Thursday - 5 miles, easy
Saturday - Random 10K!

So this Random 10K... First, it coincides with Racing with Babe's virtual race. Second, I'm going to try out a new strategy that I've been considering trying.... speedwork via racing.

Yep. I'm thinking 12x400 with 400 RI. The Jesse at Journey Thru Life tried this strategy for a 5K, and crushed her previous PR. My speedwork average paces have been coming out faster than my 10K PR (you know, the one that was set just 6 weeks ago.... The Birthday 10K).....

How bad could it be? Right?....

**********************

Saturday night, I'll be attending the local Light the Night walk with Gabby. We have an appointment with her oncologist on wednesday, and are *hoping* to start maintenance Thursday..... and it starts with a BANG. We're tentatively schedule for a lumbar puncture thursday morning.

I've never, ever wished for my kid to get a lumbar puncture, but right now, I am.

Friday, Friday....

Welcome back, Running Mojo. Man, I missed you.

Last night I did 5 miles total, 2 (4x400), 2:10-2:16, with 100 RI, 800 between sets.

1 mile sloooow warm up
1 - 2:23
2 - 2:10
3 - 2:25
4 - 2:17

1 - 2:15
2 - 2:14
3 - 2:19
4 - 2:15

.75mi cool down

So, not quite where I wanted to be. But it felt GOOD to run again.

Welcome back, indeed.

Today was my last day at work, and man.... That felt good, too. Sometimes it's just time to move on.

Tomorrow, I'm volunteering at the Team Gabby water stop for TNT. I seriously love volunteering, it's such a rewarding feeling. If you've never done it, do it!

Aaaaad, to round out my Fresh Start, I'm heading to the farmers market tomorrow for the first time in ages. It was a lot of fun eating fried Mac and cheese for lunch today, but... Really, me? Knock it off.

It's a new day, my friends.

Why Today is Awesome

1. Last night, I KILLED my tempo run. It was pretty rad. Based on my (estimated) time trial, I was shooting for 10:37. What actually happened - 1/2 mile warm up, 1 mile @ 10:39, 1 mile at 10:15, 1/2 mile cool down.

Now I think I've been underestimating myself. That 2nd mile seemed pretty easy....

But that's not all!

2. Then! I did Suck Less. Total of 185 push ups, 392 sit ups, 143 tricep dips. The H "accidentally" gave me column three of sit ups, instead of column two. Jerk.

But I did them, and it wasn't that awful. Again with the underestimating myself....

Anyway, I *kind of* have some muscle now. Sort of. A little.

3. Also, did you see the Tinker Bell Half Medal!? Hello, giant sparkly twirly thing...


(Yes, I've heard Tinker Bell TWIRLS. How rad is that?!)

4. I saw this on my way to work today....

Really? I think I would pass on hiring you, my friend.

5. Last night, I talked to someone with the local chapter of Team in Training, and Gabby has been selected to be the Honored Teammate for the Orange County/Inland Empire for the winter season! So excited to be working with TNT, and help the Team raise money for LLS.

6. Florida is coming up FAST - 10 days! While I'm not at all excited about the hot, and the humidity (oh dear lord the humidity), I AM excited to see some people I haven't seen in a while... and hopefully eat some real Cuban food. Not that fakey stuff I pretend to make.

7. You know you're a runner when this shows up in your taskbar.......

8. And FINALLY, it's the last day of the work week, and I don't have to be in my office for TWO WHOLE DAYS! Phew. It was getting close to stabbing-o-clock around here.