Week 28 – Successes and Failures (rounds up to success, right?)
I know I’m late posting this – life is kind of busy at the moment. Here’s how last week turned out:
Monday – rest day, nothing special, just work, and doing stuff in the house after work.
how I feel about Mondays
Tuesday – Fartleks at Runiversity. For some reason I did read what the training would be and then promptly forgot about it. I had a recovery run in my head instead for some reason! I got to training and heard we were going to do 6 – 8 KM depending on how things went for everyone. In the end it was 6.5KM. And actually it went well; our training used cues for when we had to go faster and for how long. At one point (it was color – pink and white), we saw 2 white cars right after one another passing us and then near the end about 6 pink shirts (another running group) so there were quite a few long quicker tempos! I enjoyed it and was glad it was more than a recovery run.
always love this view on the way back home from training
Wednesday – New release of BodyPump at the gym! Tough day at work, rushing to get home on time and then Vincent picked me up around 5:10pm so we could get a good place in class. Good class too – but it’s going to be a LOT of quad work!! Oh and I did weigh-in, I just didn’t post about it. I was down 500 grams, which means for the two weeks total I’m down 100 grams. Still, I’m under 74 now, so that’s good. I need to keep an eye on it, because I also started my medication that the neurologist wanted me to try. I’m not happy about it, but I feel like I’m running out of options.
Thursday – Another rest day and another tough day at work where I ended up staying later. Exhausted once I finally got home. I cooked us a quick thrown-together meal and we did a few things in the house. Bit by bit getting things done!
The Fonz is loving his new music space
Friday – I did go to work in the morning even though it’s my normal day off, because we have a special process 1 x a month that I am the “expert” in and the other two are learning so my manager (who is on holiday in Spain) asked if I would mind to be there just in case I was needed. And I was. Problems from the get-go. Ugh. At 11:30 I did leave to go to the physio – my acupuncturist / dry-needling physio recommended I have a chat with the foot/ankle guy so I reluctantly agreed and made an appointment. As I figured, he really didn’t know what to do or say. So I do not quite know what my next move is, if I am going to make a move OR just work on acceptance. I spent a few hours at home just vegging on the couch, binge watching Queer Eye. After Ron arrived home from work we then both went out to do our intervals. I was supposed to run my 200 m intervals around 52 seconds and ended up around 54 as average (10 x 200 / 100m rest). Super happy with my training tonight!
Intervals – CHECK!
Saturday – no RPM this morning. Vincent had to work and I had massage clients in the afternoon so I decided to skip it. Little did I know this would come back to bite me in the ass on Sunday… once I was done with clients I went home (via a favorite café for slight decompression session for myself) , Ron and I had dinner and that was pretty much us for the night.
Sunday – I woke up way too late for my long run. I wanted to get started around 8:30 and I didn’t actually get out of the bed until 8… oops. I was still feeling my blown-up quads from my intervals and my calves were pretty tight from standing/ working Saturday afternoon. According to Garmin, my long run was to be 1 and a half hours. According to my Runiversity trainer, I was supposed to try 25KM at a specific pace and hold steady. Let’s just say Garmin won. Ron mapped out a route for me but I was just toast by 7KM. It was warm. My legs were exploding and I drank way too much water (the belly did not like that at all) because I was so damn hot! I knew the guys (Ron and Vincent) were going to run in the afternoon so I jumped on a train at Arnhem South (I was running to there anyway, and was supposed to circle back home via Meinerswijk for the 25KM), got home, changed into bike clothes and hopped on the bike to at least ride with them. They did a slightly different route, so I ended up with 11KM running and 23KM biking.
I was completely exhausted when we were done (though biking at their fast running speed is still not fast biking); we literally crashed on the couch, ordered pizza ( I KNOW! ) and watched the World Cup Final (sad the Croatians lost). I took a shower afterwards and got ready for bed.
Even wild horses were looking for shade!
This was the reason I wanted to run through Meinerswijk in the first place!
Week 29 will be challenging. Since we are already in week 29 as I post this I can tell you – I had to switch my training from Tuesday to Monday as this week is the 4 Day March in Nijmegen. This event occurs every year and walkers (you are NOT allowed to run) from all over come and participate. One of my colleagues is doing it for the 9th year, a client of mine the 12th. Several other people I know are participating as well. It’s a huge deal on this side of the country. 4 days of 30, 40 or 50 KM. EVERY DAY for 4 days. Nuts!! So this week not only do I have to work all week (no day off Friday) at my regular job, I also am working Tues/Weds/Thurs in the evening for massage. I’m already slightly stressed about it, but I chose this so I’m trying to just focus on that. And just remember to breathe of course…
So week 29 looks like this:
Monday – run with BRENG (done!)
Tuesday – lunch walk (done!), massage clients
Wednesday – lunch walk, massage clients
Thursday – lunch walk, massage clients
Friday – intervals after work
Saturday – not sure, may go to RPM, may skip to save the legs
Sunday – long run, may try the 25KM again, may follow trainer’s schedule
Hope you all had a good week!
What do you do when you “fail” a long run? Do you dwell? Do you do something else? What’s the best way to “make up” the mileage?
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I feel like a lot of my long runs have been fails lately. It’s so hot and humid even early in the morning. I try to remind myself that I just have to run a lot slower than usual. Sometimes I call it early. The way this training is going, I may not be able to go for a PR at my next race like I was hoping to, but at least I can get some miles in!
I think it’s just being realistic. Sure, PR’s are GREAT but realistically not always possible!! As long as we try, right?
OMG. Love those horses.
It is hard to run in the heat. I need to get up and run before work…so far it hasn’t happened. I run when it is the warmest and then whine about it.
I’d say that you had a successful week – such variety in your training. You just get it done.
Me too, Darlene! These horses are the main reason that I like to run or even bike in Meinerswijk! Also there are sheep and cows too but not all the time. Country in the middle of the city!
We’ve got two more weeks at least of dry hot days… totally abnormal for the Netherlands!! It’s so dry here that there have even been brush fires! Unheard of!
Thanks! I do try to just get stuff done :)
Wow that body pump class sounds awesome! That’s the one class that I wish we had at my gym.
Running in the heat and humidity can really affect running mojo. I think that you are doing a great job so don’t let the really hot and humid runs get to you.
I hope that week 29 will be good for you!
Yes I am having a good time at BP! Are you sure there isn’t a similar class at your gym?
I’m crossing my fingers that Sunday’s run is going to be a bit better!!
Thanks!
Aw that’s so cool the horses let you get so close!!
I’ve never tried BodyPump. I actually don’t even know where to find it around here. But I’ve heard it’s a lot of fun!
Yes, it’s so amazing! And in general I’m a little bit afraid of horses, but also fascinated by them! (I fell off a horse at girl scout camp when I was 10…)
I have never been much of a exercise class person, but I have to say I like my gym, I like the classes and I have someone generally to go with so that really helps. BodyPump is so good if you feel like a twerp doing weights on your own.
A failed run? How about a LTD (less-than-desirable) run ;-) Bottom line, I know I am gonna have LTD runs, so I usually can brush them off. Usually. Honestly, don’t those runs keep us humble? If every run was easy and fast in awesome temps with a glorious tail wind, what would we gain? The tough runs make the easy runs that much more awesome ;-)
You’re right Kim. Those runs keep us humble. I mean, it’s way easier to appreciate the good runs this way! I like calling it an LTD run though, I’ll have to remember that!
Those horses are beautiful!! I don’t usually dwell in a failed run because there is always tomorrow. No use crying over spilled milk!
Yes I LOVE seeing the wild horses! It’s amazing that we can get so close to them and they are not even bothered!
I agree about not dwelling but sometimes I feel like maybe I should feel WORSE than I do about a failed run! I mean, I just figure hey, it didn’t work out and hopping on the bike makes me feel better about it anyway!
Stunning!
You should not feel worse! Unless you are competing, Running is a personal goal and unless you are having the same type of run each day, I say keep doing what your doing! Enjoy!
Are you walking in the 4 day walk? Or will you need to massage all the sore walkers?
The heat here has moderated for a few days. It’s great because we have RnR this weekend! So happy I don’t have to battle the heat and humidity for 13.1!
ummmm no chance I’d be doing the 4 day march!!! 4 days of a marathon every day and only walking it? nope! But I am happy to massage the sore legs of the walkers. Since I work for a local massage therapist I only had pre-booked appointments and was not working the event itself.
Fingers crossed for a reasonable heat/humidity index for RnR Chicago!!