I decided to make a new post to log my workouts this week. Just easier for me this way. I am really struggling with my mental game lately. Not “mental game” as in the lack of pushing myself- mental game as in my dissatisfaction with training in the same old places. I’ve run my favorite 18 miles of trail at Yargo ragged. It’s my favorite trail to train on, but I am craving some thing else. Ideally, the AT. One of my Florida friends suggested meeting up with her in Savannah for a training run- which would be awesome too b/c I could use the change of scenery and the push from an incredible athlete for a long run.. but in reality.. it costs lots of money to drive to cool places. And unfortunately, adventure is not currently in the budget! No Mtns this week. No Savannah this week. Sucks. So I want to run a lot of course- but I’m just gonna need to stay motivated to hit my 18 mile “treadmill”, or maybe scope out some sick hidden local trails to hit up this week.. (doubt I’ll find any.. I’ve trampled everything I can think of!) My mileage will vary based on where all I go, and how much I can get in. This week will include much more cross training, next week is a very high mileage week. Also, I’m starting my training logs on Mondays now.
_____________________________________________________________________
Mon pushups sets of 45 & 20 & 20, one tabata round of jump squats, plyometric lunges, and sprint high knees-I puked during one of the 10 second rests, first time in a long time I’ve puked during cardio… also first time in a long time that I’ve done such quality tabatas. I’m getting a lot stronger. second tabata round of bicycles, third tabata round of jump rope. Honestly 3 tabatas is way too much.. but I had some aggression to take out. Ran 4 miles for recovery… and ironically, puked again. I never throw up in my workouts. It just wasn’t my day! No good running, but great cross training. Wasn’t craving any mileage.
_________________________________________________________________________
Tue am 6 miles on hilly course in 40:10 (6:41 pace) I was bothered by this run! My legs were totally shot from the tabata plyometrics yesterday. I felt powerless on the hills. Like in the last kick, I saw my car at 38:40, and thought for sure I would finish it out under 40, but I just couldn’t will my legs up the final hill fast enough. Mad at myself! Overall though, a 6:40 pace has become very doable for me. I’m able to do it often and without trouble. It’s definitely not an “all out” for me by any means. And as a result, my recovery pace has crept down as well. 7:45 feels like 9 used to feel. Very excited to see my crazy training from last year fin
ally paying off! My endurance is totally there, and my speed is in sync with it. Finally! So, I’m not a fan of putting pictures of my babies on the internet, and knowing me- I’ll take it down tomorrow- but I wanted to shout out to my little pumpkins. They ASKED to do a good (long for them) hike today after they played hard on the playground. We always have fun in the woods. I play games with them to try to get them to use their imagination.. something my mom used to do with me during our trail time. Today I made them believe we were walking through an enchanted forest that was full of magical talking animals… but you could only hear them if you sang a special song and then waiting quietly for their voices. Of course they both pretended to hear the “talking creatures”. So cute. Looking back, I know mom did this stuff with me to activate my imagination, and to get me to pay attention to the beautiful creation around me- worked obviously- because I spend several hours in the woods every single day. Still can’t get enough! After I made them dinner and cleaned up the house, I needed to meet Traci to train her. She needed an 8 mile trail run at a good pace. We started out, and my legs were shot- and so were hers!- but we progressed quickly to a good fast pace & held it until we finished. Traci is getting fast & strong & SLAYING each run I throw at her as well as her high intensity with Daniel. So proud of her! She even wanted to test her pushup max out when she was done. So we cranked a quick and solid set of 40 pushups. I do at least 40 every day on top of the rest of Daniel’s training. Good way to keep your upper fit without effort. So today was 14 miles total. Mileage is remaining pretty low this week so far. Just kicking it based on how I feel. Callaway gardens is this weekend. Hmm.
_________________________________________________________________________
Wed I don’t know what happened to my Wednesday post?! I wrote it out but it’s gone. Anyway I ran 12.35mi Wed. The first 8 was on single track & I finished that in 1:05, the remaining miles were on pavement & I finished those in 32 min. So 12.35mi & 1:37.
_________________________________________________________________________
Thur 4:15am came early!;) Traci and I met up for a quick and painful predawn baby ladder at the track. 200,400,800,400,200 – :29,:75,2:55,:76,:29 With 200s & 400s jog for recovery and .5mi WU. My shoelace came completely undone during the first 400, and I kept running. Cracked me up because I realized that apparently I’m willing to break my neck on the track for a workout?? Smh.. I wasn’t even going that fast. Traci asked for another max out set of pushups- she hit 40 solid again in one set. 🙂 (&same here.) also 50 crunches, 50 alternating crunches. Anyway, did NOT feel fast or fit this morning. Even for a short workout.
So I went back to the track. Decided I wanted to tackle those 800’s. Annnnd I didn’t get to do a whole workout: Let me make a long story short: Green Silence laces SUCK. PERIOD. They ruined my workout again. I LOVE Brooks. I am EXTREMELY thankful to be completely sponsored by them. But having your laces come completely undone 3-4 times, at the getgo of your workout, even while triple knotting them and stuffing the laces into the shoes, & during almost every single run- is straight wack. I honestly feel like someone is playing a practical joke on me! Goodbye Green Silences, I love you, but you’ve gotta go. You’ve ruined too many good runs for me!
_________________________________________________________________________
Fri didn’t get to do my early run with Traci today due to heavy rainfall. Not smart for two women to run on the side of the road in the middle of the night in the rain- even I realize that- ha. So I had to snag a quick run when Dan got home from work. I did not push myself, yet surprisingly finished the run in a great time! 7mi in 48:28 (6:55 pace) This week, I noticed that it has become increasingly easier to run for longer periods of time at a sub 7 pace.
_________________________________________________________________________
Sat I’m training one of our clients-Traci- for her first marathon. Today she tackled her first 20 miler on Yargo’s difficult trail system. She even ran the infamous Monster Mile during her first 13, and powered through with minimal fueling. I was very impressed to see her finish 20 on these trails in 3:15. Her legs were screaming at her, but she didn’t stop! Go traci! So 20 miles today in 3:15 on Yargo’s very hilly & difficult singletrack.
_________________________________________________________________________
Sun I got a really late start today, and while I initially planned on hitting 20-30 miles at Yargo, I only got to do 13. 
I decided to run the entire outer loop, including crazy difficult monster mile. I knew with it being a beautiful day, all of the bikers would be out taking up the single track. They were.. and they completely threw off my groove. Though the bikers are supposed to yield to the runners, they NEVER do. So, I usually have to jump to the side and wait while a slew of ungrateful slow bikers make their way past me. (Grrr!) I started my watch and didn’t stop it for the run – even for the gazillion bikers that passed – and still got around Yargo in 1:52. Though on Garmin that reads a pace of 8:36: that’s not entirely accurate. My actual running pace was a lot faster considering the multiple stop and waits for the bikers. I’ve been running roughly an 8 flat at Yargo lately. Thats about the effort I pushed at today. So all in all, a pretty decent workout. Not nearly as long as I needed, but I’ll take it.
_________________________________________________________________________
So I ended the week with about 75 miles, which is a very very low week for me. However, again this week, a huge portion of my work was at a very fast pace so I’m happy with the outcome. It was a quality week with tons of effort on my part… and on Dan’s part for being Super Dad while I trained a few times. Thanks babe!:)
ASHRUNS100s 