Back in the saddle sort of

This week is still about recovery for me and seeing where my legs are at. I don't have much time to really do another build up and and then taper, so this may just be a super long taper.  As of this week, we are a little over 2 weeks out from the race.  I know I can cover the distance, so this time is more about recovering and staying injury free.  My right hip has been much quieter lately, but I know it still isn't 100 percent, so I am not going to push it.

I guess he passed testing because they didn't say anything when they brought him back to me?

Monday:  Rest day.  Andrew had his first track practice and kindergarten testing, all in one day!  I had intended on going and watching track practice, but the coach needed some parent volunteers, so I jumped in and took the running group.  My group was doing the centipede run, which is where they ran in a straight line and passed the baton and the person at the end had to sprint to the front to start it all over again.  The name of the game was pacing and I couldn't stay at the front to pace and watch them pass the baton correctly.  The little kids did well, the bigger kids ended up doing 2 laps (quarter mile track).  I am going to try and recruit Mel to help with this exercise next time, so one of us can pace and one can watch.  Both of us would have to run, but we could keep it slow instead of the sprint that the big kids wanted to keep up the whole time.  I think I ended up doing a mile total with all the groups that I worked with.

My pretty nakey girl

Tuesday:  4 easy.  I was surprised my legs weren't more hateful, but it seems recovery is going well.  I felt more stiff than anything.  Stella came with again and is doing very, very well.  No stiffness, no lameness, no issues.  Finger's crossed that she is over this mess!  Now if we can just get her allergies under control with a drug that doesn't cost 10 bucks a day, I will be a happy camper!

Love my students, especially when they make me hand made crafts!

Wednesday:  Cross train and hip mobility exercises.  Andrew was suppose to have track practice and I was going to help.  When we got there, the lightening had just started.  It never did fully storm, just lightening and occasional thunder, but enough to cancel practice and for me to not be able to walk or bike outside.  Did a new set of hip mobility exercises coach sent me.

Kind of looks like us right?

Thursday:  4 easy.  Again we took both dogs with us and they both did well.  Deuce seems to be having problems with the rising humidity, and I feel ya deuce because I am right there with ya.  Even though it was cool outside, I was covered in sweat and I was dressed in short sleeves and shorts.

Friday:  Cross training.  Sigh.  Some day I will be able to ride my bike again.  30 mph wind gusts from the south and no true east west routes I could do safely.  Stella and I opted for a pokemon hunt/walk instead.

Saturday:  6 easy/help with Trail marathon/50 miler.  Well, that was the plan, but when I got up early to go run, it was thundering and lightening.  On top of that, after watching april the giraffe obsessively for months, she was finally in true labor.  When I logged on while having my coffee, the sac was hanging out, and shortly thereafter, one hoof and then two.  I waited as long as I could (we had an easter egg hunt and hubby had a hair cut appointment) and then hoped on the mill and decided to do 4 with the walk run intervals coach had suggested I try.  I have to admit, I few times I had to stop the mill and run to the bigger computer screen to see what was going on, but I finally got it done and so did she.  I will admit, I was crying when that baby came out!

Post easter egg hunting and eating our friendship house cookie that we won via one of our eggs, I packed up and headed out to the aid station I was signed up to help with.  I was helping with the Flint Hill's 50, which was a 50 miler and a trail marathon.  I am so doing this race next year!  The course is about 10 minutes from my house and has several crew points or places to get some major cheering on!  I have never worked an ultra aid station before, so I got a ton of good advice on the hows and the whys.  I didn't even know that most ultras cook food for the runners at the stations, so had to have a crash course in using a camp stove and cooking LOL!  We had meatballs and ramen at our station along with water, heed, chips, m&ms, peanut butter sandwiches, and tortillas with nutella.   I checked runners in as my partner in crime assessed their needs, and then we got to doing whatever that wanted done, which was usually filling up their bottles with water or heed while they stuffed their faces.  I had such a good time picking my partner's brain about running and racing and all things trail and ultra.

Sunday:  4 easy.  Switched this one out for my long run.  It feels weird to call 6 miles a long run but still in recovery mode.

Easter sunday started out with an easter basket for the kiddo and a run for me.  It was cloudy and cool but the humidity was pretty high.  Not ready for humidity and heat and worried that we will have that very weather for our ultra.  I still don't feel like i am back to 100 percent from the marathon but certainly feel closer.  Another week of some easy runs and I should be ready for taper number 2 lol!!!!

22 miles for the week and getting closer to being fully recovered!  Hope you had a great Easter HE HAS RISEN!