WRD: Week 29:2021 – The Best Laid Plans

RenéeWeekly Run Down33 Comments on WRD: Week 29:2021 – The Best Laid Plans

I’ve decided I’m not going to talk about the stress at work anymore until there’s no stress at work. That way my weekly updates won’t become too redundant with the “omg y’all, work is so stressful blahblahblah” posts. Maybe at some point I can tell you how amazingly wonderful my work days/weeks are.

The Best Laid Plans – that’s the theme of this week’s WRD

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WEEK 31

Plan vs. Actual

Monday – 3.25KM walk, GLI gym 1 hr intake – no workout (appt w/different PT), 3.5KM biking
Tuesday – 3KM walk (office day) to and from train station
Wednesday – 3KM walk, W6R1 run, 6KM, GLI 1 hour, gym 55 min
Thursday – 2.22KM walk, gym
Friday – 2.75KM walk, W6R2 run , gym 55 min
Saturday – 2.5KM walk, parkrun in Alkmaar 5KM, 17/17 Dutch parkruns done!
Sunday – 2KM walk, long run W6R3, 1.4KM w/u walk, 10KM run (!!!)

Fitness for Week 29

Monday – 2.2KM Lunch walk, 8,861 steps in total
Tuesday – C25K Week 1 Run 1 – 3.5KM, 10,139 steps in total
Wednesday – no recorded walk, 8,157 steps in total
Thursday – C25K Week 1 Run 2 – 4 KM, 18,750 steps in total
Friday – 8.65KM biking, 8,495 steps in total
Saturday – Interval Run* 5KM, 15,949 steps in total
Sunday – 42.35 KM biking , 1,683 steps in total

Total Steps: 72,034 – average averaged 10,290.  2.2 KM walking and 12.6KM running in total recorded.

Total Biking: 51KM

The Best Laid Plans

I wanted to get back into RPM, Sprint and Bodypump and I just didn’t have time for it this week. I did extra cryo sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, morning and after work. And I really wanted to start running again – to be honest that was the top priority, even if it was Couch to 5KM intervals.

Recovery

I’ve now done 15 days in a row cryotherapy, with double sessions this week and to be honest I still don’t know if it helps. I do like it, which sounds crazy, but it’s true! I had no MLD massage this week because they were fully booked. I also went to see my surgeon on Friday (hence the biking Friday) because I felt like my navel was shrinking (if that makes sense) but he says it just the scarring and the healing and that everything looks super good including my incision.

I actually do feel great, I would have never thought I’d feel this good after “only” 7 weeks; basically the only thing I can complain about as per usual is the swelling in the middle of the incision (so right above the bikini line) which, again, is normal.

This week was the first week I also forgot to take my supplements for several days, so I need to get back on that. Also hard to tell if that stuff works, but hey, I bought the stuff so I should use it.

Running

Tuesday and Thursday I did C25K Week 1 and on Saturday I was not planning on running at all, but ended up running random intervals during our parkrun test event. So technically I did the 3 runs, but Saturday’s was longer and I can tell you my legs were not happy!


Tuesday’s Run
Thursday’s Run
It’s going much better for Ron again as well! So happy for him!

Short version: I was so, so happy to start running again! and it felt fine! Just one week ago I attempted to run to see how it felt and I didn’t like the “pulling” feeling at my incision area at all. This week though? No issue.

Walking

Only one recorded walk on Monday and it was short. Ron and I wanted to walk around the neighborhood to look at how other people had their front gardens set up. Our little area is just full of pretty plants and flowers! We are inspired but now have to make decisions, which is really hard!

I also walked on Thursday to Sonsbeek to film where we would be setting up all the markers for the parkrun course, which means I walked about 4km unrecorded.

Biking

I had just some standard biking on Friday to and from the Clinic in Velp and I also biked unrecorded to town to get a pedicure. I didn’t bike back; I met Ron for a drink afterwards and then he biked home since technically he was still “at work” haha! Anyway I didn’t want to bike with my fresh toes and flip flops on.

On Sunday I biked out to Doesburg; I was inspired by seeing my friend Petra’s stories on IG – she posted about an amazing mural there and I HAD to see it in person. Loved this ride – It was just so great to get out, put my headphones on and ride with lots of green around me. And bonus, in Doesburg they have an amazing little Ice Cream shop where the Straciatella ice cream has real huge chunks of chocolate in it. Yum! On the way back I knew I’d be biking near the windmill in Giesbeek so of course I had to stop there as well.

This windmill existed before WWII but was sadly destroyed during the war; several attempts were made to rebuild it but it never happened.

The young boy on the mural is now the older gentleman who lives in the house. He became a miller when he was a young man.

Sonsbeek parkrun Test Run

Y’all I was really stressed about the test run. Would anyone come? Would we have enough volunteers? Would it be a success? Would I fall apart the minute I had to do the welcome speech in Dutch?

We discovered the night before that one of the wheels had a leak – STRESS!
doing the briefing – always a challenge in a second language!

I can tell you, in the end, there was nothing to worry about. We had 23 participants, 19 of them had a registration barcode, which is GREAT news. People are registering (We had 12 new registrations just last week). There were many people there I didn’t know, but also some of my runner friends showed up, which was amazing. A few of the team from Nijmegen came to run and one of them helped us out at the finish line.

As Tail Walker I get to also chat with the participants at the back if they want – this lady, Desiree, was super nice and so excited to have such an event happen!

Afterwards several of us went to have coffee at “our” cafe in the park. We also got some great feedback and have just a few tweaks to sort out but we are ready to start now.

Ron and I processing the results in the test system – it was a success!
great to have coffee together after the run!

We haven’t officially announced but it will be the 21st of August when we go live. I’m nervous and excited but mostly I’m ready!

That’s a wrap!

I’m not even going to plan anything for next week except for running; there is just too much to deal with at work. I would like to do some additional things to running, but let’s just see how things go.

How was your week? Did you have some good running? How about biking? What was your highlight? Do you like murals and street art?


33 thoughts on “WRD: Week 29:2021 – The Best Laid Plans”

  1. So glad your test run went well! Thats so exciting that your first real event is coming up in a few weeks. It sounds like you will be all set for it!

    1. Thanks! Yes I’m very excited but still kind of nervous for the first few Saturdays but fingers crossed it will gain enough traction to also have enough volunteers each week.

  2. Congrats on your successful parkrun test run! Nice.

    That mural IS amazing. I can see why you needed to see it!

    It’s great that your recovery has gone so well. I get you on not wanted to keep venting about the same thing. I hear you! I wish my sister felt the same way, LOL!

    1. Thanks! And yes on the mural! There are more of her murals around this area I just need to locate them and head out there! I am also pleased that recovery has gone well. At some point with the complaining I also drive myself nuts so best to just accept and get on with it!

  3. I’m glad to hear you’re running again and that it feels good! I hope that counterbalances the work stress a little. Congratulations on the parkrun- I’m always super impressed with people who are bilingual, and public speaking seems like the ultimate test! Glad it all went well.

    1. Thanks! I hope so too. And thanks for the parkrun support. As for being bilingual and public speaking… this is by FAR the hardest part of being a foreigner. Because I just don’t want to sound like an idiot LOL. I’m too hard on myself.

  4. I love all art. That mural s awesome.

    So glad to see parkrun pics.

    And so excited for you…. I know how much you missed running. Happy that you are doing so well.

    1. I love murals and street art so much! Thanks for the parkrun love and for being excited for my running :).

  5. that is fantastic that your running again.Returning after a long break is tough and takes patience (something I am not good at either) hang in there you got this

    1. Thanks Deborah! it is tough but at the same time at least it was a choice this time and not a freak injury. Trying my best to be patience and trust the process.

  6. I’m so happy that recovery continues to go well and that you’re back to running as well.

    I haven’t been great lately about taking my supplements too so that’s something I’m going to try to work on for this week.

    1. thanks Kim! and yeah I do great on supplements for a period and then one day forgotten turns into 10 LOL. trying hard to get back into them. So far so good.

  7. Hey, I’ll always be sympathetic about work stress. Vent as you need to, but I hope you don’t need to much longer. Yay on the running and big YAY on the Parkrun test going so well. It’s so fantastic that you’ve pulled this together. That mural is amazing – wow.

    1. I think the whole work stress thing is just that I’m annoying myself by using so much energy for it. I mean it is what it is! I can make the best of everything or I can break down. You know? So just trying to take it with a bit more zen now. Thanks for the parkrun love! And I hope that I’ll get to see more paintings from this artist SOON.

  8. Wonderful news that your test run went so well! I was very sad that the parkrun I volunteer at wasn’t able to go ahead, I will be volunteering the week after next though. Great you’re doing and recovering so well, so sorry about the work stress though.

    1. Thanks Liz! Hopefully one day you can come over and do my parkrun as well! Did yours not get permission from the landowner or council??

      1. Oh, no, sorry, should have been clearer – we didn’t have enough volunteers (I was down to do so). They’ve put a call out for RDs and an ED to step up but I’m not comfortable to do that, but I’ve said I’ll volunteer every other week. I worked out I could run there, volunteer and run or get a lift back, as I’m not keen on public transport still!

  9. Your parkrun vision has become a reality!!!!! Huge kugos to you and the hubby for persisting through all the Covid crap to keep this dream alive ;-) Believe me, I can totally relate to how good it must feel for you to be running again. SO happy for you <3

    1. I’m just so happy and have to pinch myself occasionally that I did this! It was such a dream! and indeed running again feels great :)

    1. So amazing to see it coming together! And yes to recovery and running going well!

  12. First. I am so glad your runs are comfortable! I was literally about to ask about that, and see if you had to wear any special compression or anything. Second, those flowers are gorgeous.

    Finally, PARKRUN!!!! I am so, so incredibly happy for you! The turnout sounds awesome and look at you, all official in your vest! So proud of you. Really.

    1. I am trying to find the right combination of garment(s) to wear for the running to be honest. Day one it was pulling a bit, day 2 was less and day 3 I hadn’t even planned on running so didn’t have the garment on that I bought specifically for sport (but a lighter one) and didn’t feel a thing. I think as long as it’s not weirdly uncomfortable, it’s fine.

      thank you so much for the parkrun love <3. I'm still pinching myself. Now for the real thing!

  13. Yay for a successful park run – plenty of participants, timing working properly, etc! My running is playing second fiddle to my biking right now while I train for my August 22nd century.

    Thank you for sharing the mural and the close-up of the little boy. What a beautiful piece of art!

    1. thanks Debbie! I was amazed that it went so well! biking is good too – I’m so glad to be up on my bike again! and hopefully another trip in the near future to see some more of this artists work.

  14. Woohoo, so glad parkrun is becoming a reality! And such amazing healing at seven weeks. Love the story of the mural, what a great way to h onor it

    1. Yes! I’m super happy about the parkrun situation! Thanks for the healing love too. and definitely love the story of the mural!

  15. How great the parkrun test went well! Also great that you’re feeling better and better and the run felt good. That is such a cool mural and story to go along with it. Awesome!

    1. Thanks so much Marcia! And I can’t wait to see more of this artists’ work!

    1. Thanks Zenaida! I am ok talking about the stress for sure, but it was just making ME feel more stressed to focus on it so much!

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