Highlight of the Week: Feeling strong on my runs and while teaching class!
Monday | October 5, 2015: 5.3 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 57°/58°, Time: 48:54, Pace: 9:13 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Strength: plates and BOSUs, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | October 6, 2015: 10 m run
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 63°/59°, Time: 1:35:35, Pace: 9:33 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: fantastic – needed to decompress after work
Wednesday | October 7, 2015: rest
Thursday | October 8, 2015: 5 m run (incl. 2/4/6/8 ladder) + 10 mins kettlebells
Loc: hood, Temp: 74°/75°, Time: 45:21, Pace: 9:04 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: hot, challenged by the wind, SPENT
Friday | October 9, 2015: teaching strength class + 11 m run
Strength: plates and BOSUs, Difficulty: medium, Felt: great
Loc: Millennium Trail to Nippersink FP, Temp: 53°/56°, Time: 1:49:12, Pace: 9:55, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Saturday | October 10, 2015: 15 m run
Loc: around town, Temp: 42°/56°, Time: 2:35:37, Pace: 10:22 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: decent, sick to my stomach last 6
Sunday | October 11, 2015: 4 m run + 20 min ride
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 59°/63°, Time: 37:56, Pace: 9:28 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 63°/63°, Time: 20:00, Pace: 12.4 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, wish it wasn’t so windy
Notes:
- It’s so fun to run this time of year and see people’s Halloween decorations in my neighborhood! Some people really go all out.
- My stomach didn’t care too much for the honey stinger waffle I ate at mile 9 of my long run on Saturday. I hope it’s just because it got hard (from the cold), not because my stomach doesn’t like those anymore (those waffles have become part of my successful long run strategy and it would be annoying to have to replace them). Speaking of the “cold,” I ran by a man walking his dog, and after we greeted each other, he goes “it’s so chilly!” I told him the sun was keeping me warm (I was wearing shorts and a tank and not cold AT ALL).
- When I run or bike out by my house I say hello to everyone I encounter. Or at least smile and wave. It’s so funny to go from doing that, to being in the city for runs and just pretending you don’t see the other person. I still smile, but usually don’t get a smile in return (not that I run in the city that much – just thinking about it).
- Which kind of course do you think makes a long run feel “easier” – an out-and-back, or a loop (or my favorite, point-to-point, with a ride at the end)? I saw a link to this Women’s Running article about making your long run feel easier, and was surprised they said recommended an out-and-back. Their reasoning was that you just mentally tell yourself to run half the mileage, then turn around, and tell yourself to do that again. I prefer a loop, because I like to feel like I am running someplace “different” – the hardest part of my loops is the 2 miles I almost always have to run to get in and out of my neighborhood. Otherwise, I like that I am not running back by something I already ran by, that day. (Not to say I never do out-and-backs – I sure do! I just like loops).
For races I prefer point to point – for training runs I usually do out and backs for the exact reason they mention. Head games!
I like point to point or loop for races, too. I hate when the race goes right by the start but you don’t get to finish (can’t imagine doing the full course on WI)!
That’s interesting about training though – I am totally the opposite!
I like out-and-back for long runs. I really need that mental kick of knowing I’m on my way back.
You’ll have to come see our Halloween decor!!
Yay for feeling strong! I say hi to everyone on my runs and it’s fun to see the looks of surprise on some people’s faces 🙂 I like out and backs for my long runs. It does feel easier for me mentally to cut it up into shorter chunks. For my 10 miler this weekend, I did 2.5 north on the trail and then 2.5 back. I put my jacket in the car, refilled the water bottle, and then did 2.5 miles south on the trail and 2.5 miles back. Telling myself 2.5 is much easier than telling myself 10, even though the total is the same.
It is fun! 🙂
WOW! We are so different – that wouldn’t work well for me, going back by the car! Ha! I mean, I did do loops around the house in the winter, for water, but it’s a real mental game. Maybe I should play it 😉
I’m with you in that I prefer a big loop or running TO someplace. It’s one of the reasons I rarely run on the lakefront path when I’m running by myself. And if I do, I make it part of a loop 🙂
It been a long time since i have run in the afternoon after work to decompress. I had that problem at my old job quite often, but a run always made me feel better.
We have some crazy Halloween decorators too, I love it lol
I try to say hi or smile too, but i have a few morning people who just never budge, not even an acknowledgement. lol
The run really did! I am happy my evening appointment was canceled that day so it could happen! 🙂
And thanks re: the mileage 🙂
Oh and great week! You know I am always awed by your mileage 🙂
Nice week!
I really dislike running out and backs. We’ve been switching up our routes lately on long runs to try to avoid them. It’s hard to get rid of them all together but we’ve been doing more lolipop-type routes and exploring different sections. It’s amazing how different a run feels just going to a different side of the river!
Yeah, isn’t it nuts? Or even running on the other side of the sidewalk changes things up. I still struggle with the lollipop (I think because my stick on the lollipops is all hills, ha) but it’s better than a straight out and back, that’s for sure!
I definitely prefer a loop rather than an out-and-back for a training run. For a race, I don’t know if I have a preference. It IS nice to know what’s ahead for a race, but I still think that I would take a loop.
Glad that you are feeling strong, although bummer about the waffle. Hopefully it is, as you said, just a one-time thing due to the cold. Nutrition can be such a hard piece of the training/racing experience.
I hope it’s just a one time thing too – it took me awhile to figure out nutrition! I had one yesterday and did okay, so fingers crossed! 🙂
I like point to point