Suddenly I find it weird to be running so much. As I have most definitely transformed from runner to triathlete, and especially since I just trained for my longest triathlon yet, I find it odd to be focused back on what started my love affair with racing in the first place — running. But, like an old friend you haven’t spent too much time with, running and I have caught up just where we left off. It’s a beautiful thing.
Running in the cold rain. Awesome. Notice my 2007 Boston Marathon jacket. It makes me feel more like a badass. Which is kinda pathetic since it’s from 11 years ago!
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 10, 2018
RUNNING
My first track session in a very long time had me worried. Every time I don’t hit a split I have the following thoughts in rapid succession: I’m old, I’m slow, why I can’t I hit these paces, I’m old, who cares, this won’t matter in 70.3, I’m old. You see the pattern, right? So before last week’s ladder I went back to my old mantra of “train where you are!” It worked out nicely.
Monday – easy run before strength | 5.78 miles | 8:46 pace
Tuesday – track session before swim | 8.75 miles | 2 x (1600, 1200, 800, 400, 200) 6:32, 6:29, 6:20, 6:22, 6:20 I faded a bit on the second set and my legs felt like jelly but I was very happy with this effort!
Wednesday – easy recovery run before yoga | 5.42 miles | 9:04 pace
Thursday – easy run before cycling | 6.85 miles | 9:02 pace
Friday – long run before core work | 10.0 miles | 8:40 pace
Sunday – tempo run/walk | 7.21 miles | 8:33 pace
Total = 44.01 miles!!! < – – this is the most mileage I have run in a week in a LONG time. No wonder I’m so tired!
CYCLING
It’s so weird to have only been on my bike once this week! At first I thought I would be able to “sneak” in at least one additional ride but, since my legs were killed off after my track session on Tuesday, I thought better of it.
Thursday – NP2 on/off and sprints | 1:10:15 | 20.1 miles
SWIMMING
The only real swimming I have done are recovery swims. I absolutely love them and, they really do help ease muscle tension and soreness after a hard workout. Trust me, I did not want to do anything but shower and eat after a few of those tough runs but getting in the pool makes me feel instantly better and really helps the next day!
Tuesday + Friday = 3,000 yards
YOGA
That’s right, I have returned to a weekly yoga class! My SIL found this amazing place (VASU in Hartford for the locals) and I have been doing a weekly class with or without her (#sorrynotsorry Katie!) and it’s just what I need. I’m the least flexible person by far in every class, my hamstrings are in danger of shooting straight out of my leg, I can’t pigeon to save my life but I feel like a million ducks afterward. Yes, ducks.
Ducks have the life. The boys bought these at the famous “Ducks in the Window” store in Chatham, Cape Cod. Ok fine, it’s not famous but to them it is.
THINGS I LOVE
The trickle down affect of the #metoo movement.
It seems as though women everywhere are standing up for themselves with renewed vigor. In situations that have nothing to do with #metoo, like the US Open, the message is being sent — don’t fuck with us. Well, that’s what I’m hearing. Maybe it’s more like “we just want equal treatment,” which I believe was Serena Williams’ point when she was penalized several times at the US Open.
Now, I know almost nothing about tennis but from what I’ve read about the events as they unfolded, it seems like at least part of it was unequal treatment from the judge for misconduct. I mean have you seen the footage of Federer, McEnroe or Kyrgois? I could go on but this tweet by MSNBC Legal Analyst Maya Wiley sums it up nicely:
For every man who doesn’t think there’s a double standard, re-read this.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
The fact that everyone doesn’t know about Suite Run!
Suite Run is the brilliant idea of Natalie (NatRunsFar) and Jerold Mitchell of curating a better way for everyone to have a great run while traveling. If you travel at all then you know the blank stare of the concierge when you ask “where is a good place to run?” With maybe the exception of Boston and Chicago, most hotel staff are clueless about running routes so now, thanks to Suite Run you can look up scenic, safe routes, from the comfort of your hotel and then head out the door like a local.
I have yet to try it myself, since I haven’t been anywhere new to run, but did have the honor of being interviewed for the Suite Run newsletter. Find out how I started running, the even better story of how I started triathlon, what I eat and drink to fuel my runs and everything else you ever wanted to know about me and my relationship with running.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter and check out the site!
MUSIC
So I haven’t had this category in a while and for good reason. I mostly listen to podcasts when I run because creating a playlist seems like too much work. Yes, I will run 40 miles in a week but create a playlist? Too hard! Anyway, my husband and I saw one of our most favorite musicians and the very definition of cool, Lenny Kravitz on the Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist. If you haven’t seen the show or listened to the podcast, you should.
Anyway, back to Lenny. He’s releasing a new album titled RAISE VIBRATION and I decided to download and listen to the whole thing on my last run. I was not disappointed.
TELEVISION
Are you down with RBG? Yeah you know me! How can you not love all the attention Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg aka Notorious RBG is getting right now? It’s long overdue for a woman who paved the way for so many historical cases that would lead to women sorta, kinda getting on some equal footing with men.
I had no idea just how much of my freedom I owed her until I started watching the documentary about her incredible life on CNN.
Hearing RBG talk about how, when she was a women’s rights lawyer, she needed to speak to the all white male supreme court justices as if they were children because they really did not think there was an issue with women getting equal treatment in this country, is fascinating. This was at a time when women had just recently earned the right to vote and still had to get their husband’s approval to withdraw money from their bank account. I’m also pretty sure they still were not allowed to run a marathon because, you know, they needed to keep their birthing hips healthy. #vomit
If you’re a woman and especially if you’re not, do yourself a favor and watch it. My husband loved it and actually has watched more than I have.
RANDOM EXCHANGE OF THE WEEK
My husband randomly called me one afternoon…
Him: A woman comes across a frog in the forest and the frog says “kiss me and I’ll turn into a prince.” The woman thinks about this for a moment before saying “fuck that, I’d rather have a talking frog!”
Me: Did you seriously just call me to tell me that? – – > in the middle of making a hot dog for Miles, a PB&J for Vaughn, while helping to unpack their backpacks, starting a load of laundry and checking my Instagram.
Him: Yeah. Why? Have you heard it already?
Lawd have mercy.
But is was pretty damn funny and yes, I’ll take the talking frog too!
[Tweet “The Rundown is #halfmarathon training, getting down with #RBG listening to @LennyKravitz and new #running routes while #traveling thanks to @SuiteRun”]
How was your week?
Do any running? Would you try Suite Run?
Lenny fan? Down with RBG?
Nice running lady! Before RBG, I need to thank you for the recommendation of Sarah Silvermans show. So good! Gotta love a NH girl too! And RbG. So amazing! I watched it too and was shcocked. Why has it taken so long for her to get accolades?
Right? Isn’t it a great show? And short so not a total time suck 🙂
I was shocked too. I mean, I feel like I should have a statue and candle in my home for this woman! I hope she lives forever.
Ha! I’d rather have the talking frog too! LOL!
RBG better live forever. That’s all.
Always the talking frog. Always.
And I just responded to Angela that RBG needs to live forever – LOL!!!
Oh gosh! I am absolutely going to try Suite Run! I do quite a bit of traveling and consider myself pretty adventurous, but when I have no idea about a particular city, it’s great to have safe options! We will be heading out to the West Coast next month and I hope that this works well for some of my runs!
I desperately need to get back into yoga. I need more hours in my day.
I’m so glad I could introduce you to Suite Run! It’s such a better option than the hotel gym treadmill, right? Enjoy the west coast! The creators live in Southern California so they should have you covered.
More hours in the day would be great and yes to yoga. I always go though phases with it because when I have the time, I fill it with yoga 🙂
I watched that while tennis game and award show live and it was crazy… a commentator on Twitter said everyone just got a taste of what it’s like to be a black woman… you can’t win right, you can’t lose right, you can’t both be on top, you can’t show your emotions, etc… don’t remember the whole thing but it was so on point! I also felt terrible for Naomi and for her mom watching her daughter’s moment and hard work be tainted like this… I would definitely try suite run!
OMG I feel so badly for Naomi too. She is painfully shy to begin with and then this happened? I cannot imagine being in her position but she really handled it well. The whole thing was such a mess!!
I’m sure Suite Run has plenty of them in SoCal since that’s where Nat lives. Lmk if you try any of the routes!
I’m excited about Suite Run!I’ll have to check out your interview. And woah, that’s a lot of miles! So impressive!
It’s funny because I kinda didn’t realize how many miles I was running because most of it was 5 or 6 miles a day. When my legs were dead by my long run on Friday, I knew!! Thanks Laura!
I would definitely try Suite Run! Love that Nat interviewed you for this week. Doesn’t it feel weird when you go back to mostly running? Are you doing the RRR half marathon meet up? wish I could go!
It’s SO weird and I really miss my bike…not so much the swim 🙂 I WISH I was doing the RRR half marathon with everyone but it’s the exact same weekend as Vegas. Boooooo.
You ran 44 miles this week! Wooo – look at your my friend!! Dare I say (cough) another marathon (cough)?
Haaa! So glad you had a good week and I try to do pigeon every night – I’m still so freaking tight, but I’ll keep doing it.
I want to be Ruth holding the dumbells when I’m that old… #goals.
Did women really have to ask their husbands to withdraw money? I’m think I’m going to be sick…
Thank you so much for the Suite Run shoutout!! xoxoxo
Like I said in my Suite Run interview – the only way I’m running another 26.2 is part of an IM and that is terrifying!!
My pigeon is like a dead seagull. It’s horrendous.
We owe so much to RBG and her workouts at her age are totally my goals since I will never achieve anything else she has! LOL
Thanks again for interviewing me. I loved being a small part of Suite Run!
Duckies! I am so obsessed.
Good luck with your transition back into running
Right? My kids bought almost ALL of them at a store called Ducks In the Window in Chatham on Cape Cod. It’s a great store 🙂
Thank you and thanks for stopping by!
Suite Run is brilliant! I’m so excited for Natalie. Those ducks bring back memories. My youngest daughter collected them like it was her job when she was in 3rd grade. Pretty sure we still have bins of them in the basement.
OMG my kids would kill for those bins 🙂 We bought most of them this summer on the Cape but they are still lining their dressers in their bedroom!
And Suite Run is such a great idea, isn’t it? I can’t wait to test it out!
A great week and hooray for getting back to yoga – I know it does me a lot of good and puts back what running takes out (also I’m really good at standing up slowly from a squat, thanks to my running legs, which helps me not feel like a total failure at yoga!). I love “train where you are” – will have to remember that one.
I know that “total failure” feeling at yoga! I can barely reach my shins when we do forward bends. By the end of class I can usually hit the tops of my feet so the stretch just feels SO good!
And yes, that mantra “train where you are” has helped me so much as I get older!
Ha!! That sounds exactly like something my husband would do. He cracks himself up, sometimes. LOL Actually, he’s pretty funny and his song lyric changing skills are pretty close to Weird Al sometimes. Okay, fine, he cracks me up, too. 😀
You totally crushed that mileage! I’m training for an ultra and I can’t even run that many miles in one week. I’ve pushed a 40 mile week but haven’t quite hit it yet. Wears me out, too.
I really need to incorporate yoga into my life. And I love those ducks!
Never heard of Suite Run but I’m definitely going to check it out. Although, I don’t really travel that much but how handy is that?! It’s pretty brilliant, actually.
Sounds like our husbands would get along great – LOL 🙂
I’ve read about your ultra and you are doing awesome!! Keep it up!…and yes, it’s kinda brutal the rest of the day.
I hope you get a change to check out Suite Run. It’s brilliant!
Suite Run sounds like something I could’ve used on many occasion. Why did I not think of it??
You have some great run times! And I want one of those jackets sooo bad!
I’m usually the one that calls my husband with some random exchange. Lol
I agree that Suite Run is a no brainer for the traveling runner. I can’t wait to actually use it!
And I’m sure if getting a Boston jacket is a goal of yours, you will achieve it. And definitely keep the random calls going. I love when my husband does that…even when I’m in the middle of 17 things
Suite Run is such a clever idea and that’s awesome Natalie featured you! Have you seen the trailer for the RBG biopic coming out this winter (On the Basis of Sex)? It is about the equal rights treatment case and looks so good!
I have not!! Thanks for the heads up. That will be a “must watch” for me!
I hear you on the feeling old when trying to hit those paces that used to seem so easy. I have learned to make adjustments for my age, but also remind myself that a lot of 60 year old women wouldn’t even consider doing track workouts.
My most recent Boston jacket is from 2010 and I still feel like a badass whenever I wear it. 😉
I think about that too and I’m “only” 43 but most of my peers wouldn’t know the first thing about a track workout! Thank you for the perspective.
And I LOVE that you have a 2010 Boston jacket. Total badass, no matter the year, right?