This week started horribly. I was dealing with some personal shit, I ran a horrendous 20 miler and the weather wasn’tΒ helping my mood or attitude. I think I’m officially that old person whose mood is altered by the degree of sun in the sky, which lately, has been zero.

Luckily, by mid-week I was literally over the hump mentally and physically, and I’ll be damned if that sun didn’t peak out at just the right time.Β I stayed the course with my training and ended up having one of the strongest running weeks yet!

THE RUNDOWNSTAY THECOURSE

 

WEEK OF MARCH 23, 2015

RUNNING: So, as mentioned, I started out for my 20 miler (longest run to date) on Monday and it was horrible from the start. Because I’m stubborn and a little stupid, I stayed the course thinking it would get better. It did not. I had aches, pains, bad thoughts, really bad thoughts, and I was goingΒ to throw my running shoes in a snow bank but I didn’t have the energy. I passed my start point at 19.3 miles and I called it. As I told CRS, if nothing else, the fact that I made it though that run means my mental game is rock solid.

Even my route looks like it’s giving me the finger.

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I have to say I was proud of myself for just brushing it off and chalking it up to a birthday weekend filled with drinking, eating stuff I wouldn’t normally and getting a lot less sleep. It’s like I think I’m still 39 or something!

By Wednesday I was back to myself and apologized to my running shoes. After an easy 6 on Wednesday, I did a great endurance/speed workout on the treadmill on Thursday (with a little help from my friends!):

2 mile warm-up

5 x 400m hill at 5% incline and 7:40 pace followed immediately by 400m at 6:30 pace, recover for 800m

3.5 mile cooldown

final mile at marathon pace (7:40)

10 miles total and I felt like a million ducks

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I didn’t even mind being on the mill for 81 minutes..that’s where the friends come in!

 

Friday was a rest day and I still hate resting. CRS wrote “Suck it up and rest!” in my training log. She gets me.

Sunday’s run was daunting but doable and built my confidence with each mile:

2 mile warm-up

4 miles at marathon pace (7:40)

4 miles at half-marathon pace (6:50)

4 miles at almost tempo (7:00)

1Β mile cool down

15 miles total

Much better read out on this one and I (mostly) hit my splits…

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Total for the week: 51.6 miles and almost 7 hours

CYCLING: I was hoping, wishing and dreaming I would be able to get outside on my bike this weekend but it snowed on Saturday. So, once again, I did one spin class session (Tuesday) and the other on my bike trainer. I’m starting to think the very first time I’m going to bike on the road will be at my duathlon on May 17. #NoJoke

Total cycling: 2 hours and about 60 miles

SWIMMING: I’m finally able to see real numbers to support the feeling I have about the improvements I’m making in the pool. As part of my Tuesday swim:

10 x 100 @ 1:45 with 15 second rest intervals – I nailed it!

However, if I can’t even bike outside, I have no hope I will be able to get in open water before my triathlon the first week in June. #StaytheCourse

Total swim: 5100 yards, 2 hours

STRENGTH-TRAINING: I saw this on Nellie’s blog and I can’t wait to try it!

FUEL: I’m addicted to eggs and brown rice or a mixture of quinoa and basmati brown rice. I crave it after my long runs and it keeps me full for at least 2-3 hours. Score!

It looks disgusting but it's delicious. I promise.

It looks disgusting but it’s delicious. I promise.

 

THINGS I LOVE: The first patch of grass in the front yard!

Look! Mom! Grass!

Look! Mom! Grass!

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH:Β Some asshole hitting my brand new car and driving away.

Four days after I picked-up my brand new vehicle, I noticed the back wiper wasn’t working. A few days after that I took it to the dealership where they showed me a dent (which you couldn’t see because of the deep maroon color of the car) and a few scratches on the back, saying that was the reason for the wiper malfunction.

Of course they see five-foot me (a woman) and my giant SUV and assume I hit something or backed into something, which I 100% did not!

I seriously don’t know what kind of jerk hits someone’s car that hard and drives away. Oh wait a minute, a woman who lives in our town did that at the lake this summer to my friend’s brand new car, and I literallyΒ ranΒ after her carΒ as she was driving away! With her kids.

I hope karma finds you. I also wish my back-up camera had a recording device.

Karma-Meme

TV:Β The Blacklist, Black-ish, Better Call Saul, The Slap (I know but I love Zachary Quinto!),Β Grimm, The Mindy Project and Walking Dead. Not in that order, and damn that’s a lot of TV watching. I’m such a slacker!

READING: I don’t always agree with or care about Angelina Jolie but I love how she has been speaking out and schooling women on breast and ovarian cancer health. Obviously the ovarian cancer topic hits home with me, but to see that she is using the same testing I am regarding genetics (BRAC I and II) and blood tracking (CA125) gives me comfort and hope. I truly hope women are paying attention to her message.

RANDOM TWEET OF THE WEEK: I had my conference with the boys’ teacher this week. IΒ forgot to bring my mug…IMG_5426

 

How was your week?

How do you stay the course when things get tough?

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