Welcome back to training cycles! While this first month will ease me back in, I am rested and ready to get back to work. Amazing what a nice break of running for fun does for you. Again, I am following a plan from Ultra Trail Ladies that I printed off last year, which is good because their link to make your own plan hasn't been working lately. I am praying that this race stays live or offers a virtual option to get your buckle, because I seriously can't handle another disappointment on races being canceled.
Back to the plan, I am running 5 days a week, but for the first few weeks, the weekly daily mileage is SO low that we are combining some days to keep it at 4 days a week running. I am trying to get one day of speedwork back in by using my favorite speed work work outs of strides or short repeats (think 400s or 800s max). I am a huge fan of strides during runs and post a warm up of around a 1 mile I try and get a 30 second stride in my 4 minute run section. I still take my 1 minute walk, but I as always try to speed walk and keep that pace under 19 or so minute miles.
This week called for three 2 mile runs and an 8 and a 6 for my back to back long runs. I decided to break it up into two 3 mile runs and a 10 and a 4. I had signed up for my one and only virtual race for the year and it was a 10 miler through Honey Stinger, so I needed to reconfigure the weekend as well.
Our first 3 was on Tuesday. Stella got a break since she had just gotten a chiropractor adjustment. Won't be long till Boom starts getting them as well since he is joining us on this training cycle.
Our second 3 miler was Thursday and we ended in the park with the lights. It was glorious weather!
My mom also came to visit us to drop off Christmas presents. We have tried shipping in past years and we have some nightmare stories like the time UPS delivered to the wrong address. Lucky for us they helped us track it down and the people that received it were trying to find as as well (pre social media days so a little harder). We had tried to meet up several times and each time COVID got in they way. This time she came without my much higher risk step dad and we have tried to stay safe as possible.
We have gone to a couple of restaurants, but at off times so there was no crowd. We also wear our masks at all times and use hand sanitizer. I am sure people will still judge us for meeting up and spending time together and I can't change that and will not dwell on it. I pray that none of us contract the virus, but neither of my parents are staying at home and doing nothing, so they have just as big of a chance of getting the virus at home as they do here with us. My mom leads a very active life and my step dad is a regular at the local bar even with his myriad of health issues.
I seriously don't want her to go home. She is the best grammy ever and andrew dearly loves her. Maybe we will just make her a permanent part of our bubble?
Got my back to back long runs done but of course I modified them so one wasn't technically a long run. I also flipped them because Saturday we woke up to rain and mush and I just honestly didn't want to deal with it. Ah the beauty of flexibility :) Slept in and mom and I had a Frozen 1 and 2 marathon before I got dressed and got out.
Got my longer run in on sunday. This was for my Hive Hustle and I was rewarded with seeing not one, but two eagles for sure and possible four eagles if the other two were juveniles. Went back out later to see if they were still around and got to see both of them together!!!!!
Both times we were able to either quietly walk (thanks dogs for being quiet for once in your lives) or slowly drive right under them and them not fly off!!!!! I always have loved winter running but now I love it even more to see these guys on my runs!!!!!
What I was suppose to do:
M: rest day
T: 2 miles
W: 2 miles
TH: 2 miles
F: rest day
ST: 10
SN: 6
What I did:
M: rest day
T: 3 miles
W: rest day
TH: 3 miles
F: rest days
ST: 4
SN: 10
Have a great week Y'all! Mom is heading back Monday :( so I will be a little sad next week. Pray she has a safe and easy trip back.
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