Week in Review - with the Easter Sun Run 10K & Pictures

Weekly Re-Cap

53.4 miles (44.4 outside/9 AlterG treadmill)

Monday 3/21 – 45 minutes HIIT bootcamp and 45 minutes elliptical (off running)

Tuesday 3/22 – 12.2 miles total.  2.1 mile warm-up (7:38), 8.1 mile tempo in 52:09 (6:26 average – splits of 6:25, 6:27, 6:29, 6:25, 6:23, 6:26, 6:26, 6:23), walked about 45 seconds and was then convinced by my running buddy to “slow down and do two more miles”), 2 mile tempo-ish in 13:28 (7:02 and 6:26), then no cool-down because I had to get to work!  More info here.  In the evening I rode the spin bike on low resistance for 40 minutes/15.9 miles for recovery and as penance for missing my running cool-down.  I wrote a longer blog about this workout, but in summary I was very pleased with how it went, being my first workout back.

Wednesday 3/23 – 14.1 miles total.  10 base pace miles (7:34 average) a.m., then 4.1 base pace miles (7:43 average) p.m.  It was windy!!!

Thursday 3/24 – 9 miles on the AlterG treadmill at 80% body weight in 54:38 (6:04 average).  I am going to run on the AlterG once a week for more miles/less impact until my passes run out.  I figure it has to be helpful for my leg turnover too!

Friday 3/25 –  Easy 45-minute swim (off running), since on Thursday evening I signed up for a Saturday race (so skipped HIIT bootcamp)!  Nothing like a spur of the moment 10K after not running any speed work post-injury!

Saturday 3/26 – 12+ miles total.  2.6+ miles warm-up (I didn't have my Garmin going for all of my strides and jogging, so may have been more like 3 miles), Easter Sun Run 10K in 41:13 (6:35 average - splits of 6:17, 6:35, 6:31, 6:43, 6:41, 6:44, and 6:16 for the last bit), 3.2 miles cool-down.  This did NOT go as planned!  I'm not in good enough shape to race off of a heavy training week I guess, and this was too soon after a tempo workout, because my legs sure had NOTHING in them.  It might have something to do with having only 3 weeks of post-injury running and no speed work in them too!  I hoped to maintain about 6:15 pace for the race, but at mile 2 I knew that wasn't going to work out so well and just tried to hold on.  I left my decent 10K in my Tuesday tempo...I passed the 10K in about 39:56 in that workout, so I thought a 38:50 was in reach today, but my body said HECK no!  I walked away with $100, so we will call it an off day and hope it is my worst performance of 2016!  I am trying not to dwell on this and to be thankful that I can compete again.  We had a fun family day with the race as well, as an Easter egg hunt and BBQ followed the event and the weather was pretty nice, except for a powerful cold wind.  Wichita races are flat but always windy!

Around mile 5 - just trying to hang on!

Easter Sun Run overall awards

Reunited with my high school running buddy Tanya! 

She was 2nd in our age group.

Thankful to nab some cash!

Thankful for the Easter egg hunt after the race!

Sunday 3/27 - 6 miles shake out with 6 x 20 second strides during mile 5 (8:10 average).  I ran this one in a sloppy snowy slippery mess!  Who knew it would snow on Easter morning??  I didn't mind the conditions since it was an easy run and I didn't care that they slowed me down, but I did mind it when a driver failed to move over or slow down (on a non-busy road when no other cars were in sight) and threw up a mix of cold water and snow all over the front of me before mile 2.  The slop brushed off my thicker jacket fine enough, but my tights were drenched.  My shoes and socks were also soaked, which made for a cold 4 more miles!

Sloppy snowy mess!

I am thankful to have another week over 50 miles.  My legs are handling it well, but I was definitely more tired this week than last!  It's nice to be back in the groove and back on a schedule.  Hopefully I will also bring my race times back down soon.  I have a half in 5 weeks so hope that another 4 weeks of 50+ mile weeks will be enough for a decent time there!