Before you think I’ve started picking up vocabulary from the boys, you should know that a fartlek run is one with without a plan. When you run a fartlek, you run how you feel with no regard to pace or distance. Fartleks, in my opinion, are messy. I like order and rules and I definitely like to know what to expect. With more snow, school cancelations, sickness upon sickness, a master bathroom rebuild and multiple work deadlines my entire life has been a fartlek. Welcome to my beautiful disaster.
RUNNING
The two runs I had this week were fantastic. I was so happy to feel good on even my hardest run (hello 5 minute hill repeats) and I didn’t even mind being on the treadmill, although I could have done without the Nerf war raging around me.
Tuesday – 4 x 5 minute hill repeats within 9 mile run before strength training | 1:16:32 | 8:15 average pace
Thursday – tempo run with 3 x 15 minutes in Z3 | 1:00:00 | 7.71 miles | 7:47 average pace
Total = 16.71
CYCLING
So it was kind of awkward riding my bike in the living room with two boys building forts and two men coming in and out of the house working on our master bathroom re-build but I had no choice. Yep, total fartlek. I spent a lot of time on the bike with my longest ride in a while. I’m dying to get outside!
Mother Nature laughs at my outdoor cycling request.
Wednesday – endurance ride | 2 hours | 28.7 miles
Friday – VO2 max intervals before swim | 1:13:45 | 18.1 miles
Total = 46.8 miles
SWIMMING
It was hardest getting to the pool once the nor’easter raged though on Wednesday night along with Miles’ fever and then Vaughn’s stomach issues. I probably could have swam in tears of stress and frustration but it’s too hard to bilateral breathe in sadness.
Monday – 10 x 100 | 2,500 yards
SNOWBOARDING
The best thing about all this snow is definitely the part where I get to play in it! It was a powder fest at Okemo this weekend and we all had a blast.. I hope we get at least three more weeks of this…
THINGS I LOVE
A night out with my husband for a good cause!
The theme was Havana Nights so naturally, we had to attend. I’m pretty sure I was the only actual Cuban there. #represent
The Bushnell is the local theatre but to me it represents the start line of the Hartford Marathon. I have definitely been to several shows there and have taken the boys to see things like Sesame Street Live and The Wild Kratts but nothing was nearly as cool as the benefit dinner…mostly because there was mojitos…
We also scored tickets to Hamilton when it comes to the Bushnell in December. I know it’s nothing like Broadway but I’m seriously psyched to see it!
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
It’s actually pretty comical to read all the FB rantings about weather related school delays and closings. Literally no one is ever happy. The threads read like a bad soap opera where it appears no one is actually reading any of the other comments and just leaving their own.
Why is there no school when there’s no snow? Why is there school when we have so much snow? I can’t even see my car and we only have a two hour delay? It’s 5:00am and we don’t even know if there is school yet? Who is giving our superintendent weather reports? We definitely should have had school today! We definitely should not have had school today!
Holy.crap.
I would like to take this time and space to remind everyone that we live where it snows.
That is all.
PODCASTS/AUDIBLE BOOKS
One my only escapes from my family and sickness came in form of podcasts and Audible books.
10% Happier | Dan Harris
I talked about this book on Road Tested Reviews and how it’s meditation for people who hate meditation. Harris’s story of ABC news in the early 2000s and accounts from his personal life, life on the road around the world and especially of Peter Jennings, make for a compelling listen. I haven’t even gotten to the meditation stuff yet and I already love it. Also, am I a bad person because I forgot Peter Jennings died?
The Morning Shakeout Podcast with Mario Fraioli | Shalane Flanagan
I need to confess (maybe I have already?) that I was not a huge fan of Shalane Flanagan. I was more in the Kara Goucher, Meb K and Deena Kastor camp but I’ve since warmed up to Shalane, and I was beyond stoked when she won the NYC Marathon because I’m a human and a runner and a woman. Anyway, this podcast has cemented my admiration and respect for Shalane especially because she is now training with one of my triathlon heroes Gwen Jorgensen. I love it when my athletic worlds collide!
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE WEEK
So, since I’m terrified to fly, I subscribe to a newsletter called “This is Your Captain Speaking” written by pilot Robert Graves. It’s actually not very comforting because the more I know, the more scared I am. I was hoping it would have the opposite effect. Anyway, this was at the bottom of the last newsletter:
At least I got a good laugh which is usually never associated with anything flying related.
Please remember to fasten your seatbelts and keep your tray tables in the full upright position all week people!
[Tweet “The Rundown was a complete #fartlek this week with weather, sickness and the unexpected! #train4life”]
How was your week?
Did you know Peter Jennings died?
Do you run fartleks often?
I’m so glad the TSA is getting to the bottom of the hemmoroid problem when flying. We really need to iD before getting on a plane! Don’t even get me started on school closings. Shall we start taking bets when school will be closed this week?
It’s really insane. We got an email this morning about possibly implementing a 3 hour delay. I’m sure it will be that or no school tomorrow but, as long as I can snowboard on the weekends, I’m not complaining.
Since I’m flying to Florida on Weds, thanks for all that data. I hope the TSA doesn’t spot my hemorrhoids! Oh, and speaking of living a fartlek, last night I signed up for a half marathon in Sarasota on Sunday. WTH was I thinking? There wasn’t even wine involved. I’m flying home that afternoon. Sure, I can do this!
I’ve promised not to complain about the lingering cold because we have had such a sunny winter and not a lot of snow. This is so out of character for Chicago winter–we’re usually the cold and gray kind of winter. Hang on because i know spring is coming. I saw a robin yesterday.
OMG you are nuts woman…but in the best possible way! I can’t wait to see what happens at that half. You have been having some great runs lately so I’m sure you will have a great time out there…it will be the plane ride afterward that will suck. Drink heavily. 🙂
You all got bombarded with snow! I gave that up years ago with a move to Florida. Now we have hurricane days, but not snow days. Fine with me!
I actually have the Shalane podcast on my list for today’s 20-miler. I invested in the Koala Clip that you road tested recently and love it! I hate carrying my phone and I’m not a fan of listening to anything when I run, but the Clip is helpful for the long runs. Looking forward to hearing it today.
OMG don’t you love the Koala Clip? It’s been a game changer for me. I hope you enjoyed the Shalane podcast as much as I did and I think I may prefer snow over hurricanes, if only for the snowboarding 🙂
I think 90% of my runs are fartleks with no plans
Really? You should write about that for WR! I seriously think that’s a phenomenon. You rock woman.
Lol, thanks for sharing that email. Too funny. I’m not a fan of flying and have legit had a panic attack before takeoff. My husband had to reign in the crazy because I would have totally been kicked off the plane. I’m sorry you had a stressful week but glad you had some activity to balance out all the crazy! Hoping this week is a bit better for you!
I have a panic attack every time I fly so I feel you and my husband and yours probably both need a drink afterward 🙂
This week is more of the same so far – now my other son is sick and home from school and a third nor’easter is coming tomorrow. Send help.
So.much.snow. And now more on the way! People just like to complain. Facebook reminds me sometimes that we’re not really adults, we’re all still kids just in larger bodies!
I’m not much of a fartlek girl- I love my structure and knowing what’s coming in a workout!
OMG so true about FB! It’s the place to be a kid again 🙂
And I knew you would agree with me about the fartlek! No thanks.
I like routine and order so much that I create it for my fartlek runs and diverge from the pure meaning of it. (At least other coaches like Mario Fraioli do that, so I’m not too OCD I hope). I like some semblance of structure!
5 minute hill repeats? I can’t even wrap my mind around those. You are amazing!
I need to listen to the Shalane podcast!
That is too funny about “structured fartleks!” I mean, what? But I feel you. I can’t do real fartleks so I don’t even try. And those hill repeats were no joke and very, very slow.
You will love the Shalane podcast!
oh no! i didn’t realize Peter Jennings passed… that really hurts, and i just learned that Bill Paxton died.that tore me up to pieces!!! why??!!! i really liked Paxton. and Peter Jennings was supposed to live forever. UGH.
i ran fartleks a few times when i friended an elite masters runner over a decade ago in the gym one morning at 4AM. i just told her i wanted to run a half marathon and asked her if she could give me some tips and run with me. i had no clue what i was doing and just desperately wanted company. i owned and operated a small bakery and had no life, so running was my only thing and i wasn’t very knowledgeable. she taught me fartleks and basically just said, “ok run to that lamp post as fast as you can!” very randomly one day. that’s a really story after that.. but ok that was my first fartlek. not many since then.
i’m practically rebuilding my body after my achilles injury. i recently discovered that my injury is my achilles and not my soleus which makes much more sense. somehow i damaged the tendons all around my foot, too. i swear i feel like i’m taking a hundred steps backward and not literally. oh well, one day i will run freely again. or i won’t because i will forever have to do these damn PT exercises. LOL
I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t remember that and yes, I was upset about Bill Paxton too.
I’m sure your body will eventually cooperate with whatever you decide to do with it. Those PT exercises are a pain but they work!
Fartlek makes me giggle like I’m a little boy. Why did I have to grow up?!