After having a race week and then recovery week, last week was all about putting the ‘work’ back into my ‘workouts!’ I was a tad intimidated by the training plan for the week but I reminded myself to just take it one day at a time and see how I felt. I also really tried to stay in the moment during my training sessions which is insanely hard for me!
WEEK OF MARCH 7, 2016
RUNNING
I sort of remember a time, not so long ago, when I was only running most days. Last week it seemed like I only ran on tired legs after a hard swim or bike effort! I know it’s making me stronger, and it’s absolutely improving my mental game, but ouch.
40 mile bike followed by a 6 mile run. OMG I seriously do not know how I did it.
However, we had insanely gorgeous weather for March in Connecticut! It was 75 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday and then “dropped” into the 60s for the reminder of the week. I was running in just shorts and a sports bra for most workouts and it was amazing!  Plus, the less I have to pack for the gym, the less I look like I’m moving into the place.
Tuesday: Speed Intervals after 30 minute active recovery cycle | I shared this workout last week so feel free to try it!
Thursday: Easy long run (1 hour 20 min) after 3,000 yard swim (1 hour 15 min) | 10 miles at 8:11 pace < – – this whole workout was scary but I did it!
Friday: 45 minute run building HR after 40 mile outdoor ride (2 hours and 26 minutes) | 6 miles at 8:00/min per mile pace < – – day two of extremely scary workout but again, I freakin’ did it!
Saturday:Â Optional easy 5 miles | I seriously did not think I would do this but it felt good to work out the kinks from Thursday and Friday…and there were a lot of kinks.
Total mileage = 27.5
CYCLING
So last Sunday my feet were solid blocks of ice after my 30Â mile ride and, this past Friday it was 60 degrees, sunny and I could feel all of my extremities for the entirety of my 40Â mile ride. Yep, it’s Spring in New England!
Notice the toe covers. They are like baby booties for your cycle shoes. I’m wondering if duct tape works just as well?
Sunday: Endurance ride | 1:52:10 and 30.6Â miles
Monday: Base bulid | 1:15:00 on spin bike after 2,500 yard swim
Tuesday: Active recovery | 30 min and 7.19 miles before speed drills on treadmill
Wednesday: Ladder Pacing | 35 min and 8.65 miles on trainer before Pilates class (yes, I took a Pilates class)
Friday: Long outdoor ride | 2:30:00 and 40 miles before 45 minute run < – – another confidence building session!
Total = 106.44 miles
SWIMMING
Pool work was great this week – much better then last week! Remember those 300s that did not go so well? After doing 5 x 150 repeats with 30 seconds rest at 1:45-1:50, coach and I realized that I was truly just tired last week. Don’t worry if you have no clue what that means, all you need to know is that it’s good!
Monday: 2,500 muscular endurance before 25 mile ride
Thursday: 2,500 ladder pacing followed by 10 mile run
Sunday: 3,550 endurance form before 25 mile ride
Total = 8,550 yards or 4.8 miles
STRENGTH TRAINING
Due to an iPhone issue (yep, but this time it was not Apple or AT&T’s fault…sort of) I was unable to go to Barre this week. Luckily, my SIL had wanted me to try her Pilates class and, it’s on the same day as Barre but at a later time. It worked out perfectly except that “later time” is like my bedtime and the class is 20 minutes from my house.
The other thing is that this class was more like boot camp and almost nothing like Pilates. You know that I love that however, I had an hour swim and hour and 20 minute run planned for just about 12 hours after this class. You see where this is going right? #soremuscletown #populationME
My SIL wants you to know she is not an amazon but looks like one since I’m a peanut.
Well, the class was amazing and we did all kinds of moves – – burpees, push-ups, lunges, squats, squat jumps, and tons of core – – holding and lifting and moving a 4 pound medicine ball at all times.  For anyone local, I highly recommend it!
Evolution Pilates | 293 Oakland Road, South Windsor | 860-644-4455Â
I thought I was going to be overly sore the next day, because I have a hard time not going all out, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Trust me, I still felt soreness in my legs, shoulders and abs but I was able to complete my insane swim and run the next day. Whew.
FUEL
I have rejoined My Fitness Pal! After changing up my diet (I swear I’m going to write a post about it!) I wanted to see how my fat/carb/protein ratios were looking.
How is this for balance?
And, although I want to eat a little more protein and less carbs, it looks like I’m eating a mostly FAT diet. Gotta love that!
Despite me “overeating” my calories on this particular day, my weight has come back down to my race weight range, I’m never hungry and I’m performing and recovering well. So far so good.
I have no clue how to get friends on My Fitness Pal and currently I have one. Thanks Anne! So, if you know how to friend me, I’m VITARuns88.
THINGS I LOVE
Celebrating my birthday all month long! So far I have had three dinners with people I love and more coming up this weekend, and my official birthday is not until the 21st. #hinthint
My husband and I went to a wine pairing at an amazing restaurant (that is 40 minutes away so we usually don’t get there!) on a Monday night with my dad and stepmom. It was such a treat and so fun just to say screw it and have some wine and deliciousness on a school night!
I let my husband have the duck. Not a fan. But I was a huge fan of the Russian River Valley Pinot it was paired with!
You know how they say you marry your father? Besides it being a shiver and gag-worthy cliche, it’s horribly true in my case. This picture is proof. Yep, this is my husband and father trying to shove dessert down their throats as we are walking out the door since we’re late getting back to the sitter. You could not drag them out of there and, my husband was declaring it “the best dessert he has ever had!” which he has said about 17 million times in the 10 years we’ve been married. I may as well have brought the twins.
Yes, they are feeding each other. Boys!
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Getting a new iPhone 6 Plus and having it back up to my phone from 2014. Yep, that happened. For two days, I had two phones and spent roughly 4 hours at the AT&T store. I know the staff there intimately, we have bonded and, I hope to never see them again. I will die with this iPhone 6 Plus now that it has been restored to 2016.
Perhaps I should just stay away from technology.
READING
My top picks this week:
On Authenticity and Social Media | Fit Bottomed Girls
I love everything about this article since I’m sick to death of people talking about “fake booking” and how everything seems so perfect on other people’s social media feeds. I for one am glad that most people keep their issues to themselves! As author Kristen wrote:
“I rarely have any desire to hit Instagram with a picture of those [bad/sad/ugly] moments, not because I’m embarrassed or because I only want to publicly portray a life that sparkles and shines, but because, when I’m making my way through that sh*t sandwich, as Elizabeth Gilbert says, my focus is on coming out the other end. The last thing I want to do is freeze that moment in time.”
Amen sister.
Truth!
For Serious Training, Hold the Carbs at Dinnertime | NY Times Well | Gretchen Reynolds
Someone sent this to me on Twitter and I was fascinated. Since I have been experimenting with low-carbs and metabolic efficiency, I was intrigued when they talked about a “sleep-low” diet which, by skipping carbs at dinner may force your body to use it’s fat reserves during a next day morning workout. Interesting. And the results of the study are pretty amazing.
MUSIC
The people at Spring Moves hooked me up with an SMS for you! What the heck is that? I’ll tell you. To get your FREE 30 day trial membership of fantastic, running cadence equaling music, simple text VITATRAIN4LIFE to 41411. Done.
RANDOM TWEETÂ OF THE WEEK
Because one hour of the day seems like so little until you have to put the clocks ahead! 
How was your week?
Are you putting the work in your workouts?
Are you on My Fitness Pal and will you be my friend?
So I just woke up and now I’m completely exhausted reading about your workouts for the week. You are on fire girl! Keep killing it!
HAHAHA – I’m trying! One day at a time…
OOOH SEE??
this is why I wanna return to tin cans and a string 🙂
My 5s is dying.
They will have to PRY IT FROM MY PAWS.
<3
Hold onto it with everything you have Carla!!!!
It sounds like you had a great week of workouts. It’s funny once tri season comes and it gets intense fast. It sounds like a good week for you though.
I found that authenticity of social media article so interesting as well. I wouldn’t say I have the best luck with technology, I seem to break everything that I touch…so….ha ha.
Completely! The intensity is though the roof…which I love but also fear.
Good luck with the technology thing. It seems to get harder and harder…or I’m just getting older!
Oh my gosh, what a great training week and even though you were sore it is totally worth it!! Isn’t MFP so interesting?! I love looking at all my stats and seeing what is working and what is not. Yay for getting out on school night! A date nonetheless! My hero. Also, the tweet is from one of my favorite podcasters from the podcast another round. She is so funny!!
YES! And I’m loving MFP again…
That is too funny you know the woman who tweeted that! I’ll have to look up the podcast. Thanks Nellie!
Just reading your posts about your workouts last week scared me!! But what a great week of training and I can imagine a huge confidence booster. I love the picture of your dad and husband. They are hilarious. And hooray for extended birthday celebrations! I’m trying to figure out how long I can string out my bday celebrations this year!
This year is a big one for you right? You can make it last ALL YEAR!!! 🙂
Thanks Christine!
This is great! I always write out my workout plan each week!
That usually helps to execute it too! Nice job.
I read that social media article and I agree!! There are people whose social media status is always poor me….this is the horrible thing I’m dealing with today….every day…. and really I don’t need a play by play of every load of laundry someone does every week for the last 7 years…..
Speaking of music, Meghan Trainor’s new song “No” or whatever the official title is is now stuck in my head…I’m a 12 year old at heart.
I knew you would agree with that one!
I have yet to hear this song?? I must Google immediately…
Wow! Your training sounds very intense !
I’ll look you up on Fitness Pal! My sister asked us a long time ago if we would track our food together, and after a while mine told me I ate too much sodium, and I quit it, decided I didn’t need somebody else, other than my mom, to tell me to put less salt on my food…. that was years ago. I’ve been cutting back on salty foods!
I need to join you in the 2016, my phone is randomly not working. One day it completely shut down for a whole day, and you would have thought that would get me to the Apple Store and get an upgrade, but I can already feel them judging me for not backing up my stuff!
It’s funny how you will listen to know one…but a food tracking app! I do the same thing. As soon as I see it in print, I realize exactly what is going on 🙂
The Apple people were not that judgmental BUT, you should just back EVERYTHING up to the Cloud immediately. My back-up took 5 hours. I wish I was joking!
And also, I ordered the book, Me Before You, because I saw the book here, and now I’m so sad, I can barely hold it together at work, great book! Thanks for posting about it!
OMG I know!! So glad you’re loving it as much as I did!
Holy crap, woman, your workouts are INSANE. (In a good way, of course!) Your macro breakdown looks a lot like mine – I started tracking when I did Laura’s reset and I was so surprised by how much fat I ate and how little carbs. Amazing how we just don’t even notice until we consciously track. I’m on MFP as well, but have no idea about the social part of it. My only connection on it is a friend I went to personal training school with and worked with at Equinox. I feel bad for him because I didn’t realize my profile was set to share my cardio with friends so he was treated to me putting in breastfeeding as cardio for the calories!! Ha ha ha. He is not a having-babies kind of guy.
OMG that is hilarious!!!!!
And yes, insanity over here but I feel like a super star when they are done…and then I want to cry when I see I have to do them again!
Our food breakdown is so similar. I never used myfitnesspal until the last few months but I really like that it keeps the stats on the macro breakdown, and I’m finding it so so helpful! although I still get annoyed with the tracking piece of it… but it’s a great tool. Congrats on getting back to racing weight! I’m almost there too but after a year of breast feeding the calorie range my body wants is higher than the one I should be aiming for. 🙂
Amazing week of tough workouts, too!!
I’m so glad we have similar food ratios!! Now I know I’m doing something right 🙂
I’m sure you will be back to racing weight in no time as you ramp up for the half marathon and marathon.
Your weekly workouts scare me, but you are doing work!!! I had my first half of the year and FINALLY broke 2 hours again (it has been since fall 2012) still 4 mins over my PR but I am ready to do the work this year.
Minus, I am not in the race results. I told them while there because they are instant soooo that is kind of a bummer. I hope they fix it.
That is such a huge bummer but CONGRATULATIONS because you know you did it!!! Way to go!
Yes Pilates! A good Pilates class kicks butt and that one sounds awesome. I did the workout you shared on Friday and wow was it a tough one, but not too challenging until those last intervals – loved it! And then I laid on the floor for like 10 minutes. You’re killing it in your training!
That is so great!! I’m glad you did the workout and yes, numbers 8-10 are pretty grueling! Nice job!!!
You are the poster child for Awesomeness. Not even kidding. Fully serious, girlfriend.
You just made my day!! Thanks Josie 🙂
Holy wow, your workouts are tough! I’m so impressed!
I loved that article about authenticness (is that even a word?). I was reluctant to share my injury/bike crash saga and I did play it down (because it was really bad). But it was part of my training and I had to disclose, right? But I try to keep it positive–I tend to push through all that bad stuff anyways. If I dwell on it and dramatize it, it brings me down.
Thanks Wendy and I wouldn’t even consider how you shared your bike accident as anything but just truth in your training. I think the way you presented it was completely in-line with what your workout was and of course you’re going to talk about something as horrible and crazy as that. I’m actually really sorry to hear you downplayed it because it sounded bad enough. Hope you are recovering nicely!!
Crazy week for sure! I love hearing about it though. I originally had planned to train for a tri this year, but life happens and I prioritized a few halfs and a marathon instead! Next year for sure!
You worked your ass off though! That’s awesome!
I am a come and go MFP user. I use it but don’t. I should work on that!
That sounds like my year last year so have FUN with it!
I do the same with MFP – this is my second time around. I find that I just need a check-in and then I’m good… 🙂
Thanks Staci!
I feel your pain. I went to a 6 earlier this year and so much stuff is still just wrong. Ah technology. I’m such a great old lady. You are spanking those workouts! Wow!
Every time I get a new gadget, I feel older!! Thanks Marcia. Glad I’m not alone 🙂
Hahaha – that last tweet.
I want that dinner so bad And the pairings. I’ll eat your duck anytime. Any finish your wine… should you ever have any left over. (Riiiiiiight…)
Oh you know me too well…:-)
Wow! 40 miles followed by a 6 mile run. That sounds exhausting! I have done 13 miles in the morning before teaching an hr spin class that same evening and that is very tiring. Happy birthday! That wine pairing sounds great! But I agree w you , not a fan of duck.
That would definitely be exhausting and possibly worse when you have several hours of “down time” in between!
Thank you!!
I feel like your SIL and I would be great fitness friends!
Oh a wine pairing sounds divine. I would love to do something like that. Actually, just hand me a bottle of wine and I’m good.
Impressive as always Allie.
Right?? Thanks Britt!!