How's training going? Any races (IRL or virtual)?
How's the weather in your area? Our week in PA started out warm, cooled off for a few days and was refreshing. Coincidently, my week started out drained, but could of also been to lack of rest, and a busy getaway the week before. Drained, but improved as the week went on, and then drained again! Was also sure to stay on top of hydration and recovery from Tuesday on!
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My Week in Training:
Monday: 7 miles. Sunday.. My prev week sched was a bit off and did a short long run on Sunday instead of Saturday. I also had to do yard work (usually do yard work midweek to avoid doing on long run or rest day, but was away). Hot out and dragging after that. Hydrated well, failed to foam roll. Decent night's rest tho. Up early and felt decent, or so I thought. Coffee, 40 min strength training (arms/shoulders/core), and out the door by 6. Knew I may be tired today and planned on a slower pace, but opening that door, high humid/dew point! It was rough from the get go. Pace was ok, even made a point to pull back. Breathing was off, heavy legs, and felt drained early. Thought about cutting it short early and as I went on thought about skipping the later hills. Most of my hills are in the second half. Somehow got it done. lol..
Side notes:
1. Saw a crow messing with it's prey. Dropping, picking up, etc. Felt bad. :( But, that's the circle of life.
2. Beginning of mi 6, crossed a somewhat busy street because I saw a gas station (wawa) had it's sprinklers on. Brief, but slight cool water, I'll take it!
Tuesday: 7 miles.
Mon recovery: hydrated, failed to foam roll or stretch, and a poor night's rest, not by my doing. TMI, tummy issues Mon evening and early Tues morning. poor night's rest. And when I did get up, could tell my hydration was a bit off too. I usually have two coffee's to be "normal", and a light electrolyte drink. Today, I had less coffee and more proper hydration to start. 36 min workout (chest/core, plus a few more min later in the day) Out the door by 6. Felt slightly more prepare hydration wise. Well, out the door... 95% humidity, high dew point. Ugh! Pacing.. Figured to be a through the motions kind of day. Actually felt better than expected. Sure, I was drenched early, but temps not as bad as yesterday. Pace was 8ish 'till hill time and hung in there for 8:15. Much better for I felt. Figured to be drained.
Wednesday: 7 miles. Supposed to be rest day, and with my sched last week being wonky, not getting rest, definitely considered it. However, there was a huge temp drop from yesterday to today! Could not miss out on that!
Tues recovery, hydrated very very well, so many fluids, could tell I needed it. Finally foam rolled/and got a good stretch in, and a good night's rest. Up before my alarm, and a little tired, but up. Shin hurt slightly, but not horrible. Coffee, hydrate, 36 min strength training. (arms/shoulders/core, and got 10 more min in later). Out the door by 6. Weather was even more refreshing than I expected! Felt so refreshing. Pace wise, expected to go medium comfy pace and keep an eye on my shin, but felt good from the start. Pace was way faster the first few min than expected, pulled back and then the early hill brought me back to reality, but still better than expected. Rolling along and enjoying the run. Pace 7:45 ish, expected to fade to 8 before the hills, but maintained. 7:50's through and after the hills (mi 3- 5) . Another couple sets of hills with about 1.2 to go. Wasn't sure if I'd remain sub 8, but focused on breathing and strike to hang in there. Don't think I would of been upset if I did fade a little more, today's run was just much more enjoyable than the past few days and more well than expected.
Thursday: 7 miles. 42 min strength training.
Wed recovery: Hydrated well, iced my shin, foam rolled/stretched, and a decent night's rest. Didn't write any additional notes thu, backlogging, don't recall. But the weather was still great. Temps refreshing. Eventually noticed the 95% humidity, but run felt great!
Friday: 5 miles.
Thu recovery: hydrated very well (did offset hydration slightly with drinks, but was well behaved), iced my shin, foam rolled and got a good stretch in, up just a few minute late due to a call from work, a somewhat decent night's rest. Up before my alarm but waited it out. Coffee, 35 min strength training (arms/shoulders/core), and out the door by 6. Not as cool, but the air is still refreshing. I'm sure the temps will be back up soon, will enjoy it while it lasts. Was planning on doing a comfy pace to ease into the weekend.. or so that was the plan. Was a little earlier, but once I got going, everything felt great and I went with it. 7:40's till the incline before the hills. Through the hills, countdown was on the last 13 min or so. Was work to maintain sub 8 from then on, but felt good and was fun.
Saturday: 18 miles.
Friday recovery: hydrated very well, iced my shin, foam rolled/stretched, and a good night's rest. Up once, but able to get some rest, and then up before the alarm. Coffee, routine, hydrate, and over to my trail by 6:15. My trail . Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd.
Long run day, trail day, yay! 18 miles?
Calendar open today, doing a few extra miles. Sounded good in theory. Actually thought about doing 20, but everything changed once I stepped outside. Starting to get warmer out and 96% humidity. Sure, I'll be sweating a bit more, didn't think I'd drain as quickly as I did. First mile in, was slow to get into rhythm, but figured I would shortly. Second mile in, pulling pace back to a comfortable pace, but definitely feeling the humidity. Starting to question my decision. lol..
My route, from the midway parking lot, gradual incline to Rockledge, off trail to a nearby neaighborhood to get my strava legend hill and a loop in Rockledge, trail back, on the way back take a side trail from Lorimer to Pennypack Park for 30 min and back. Lorimer back to the midway parking lot. Pace was 8:45-8:50 before the side trail. "rolling hills". between feeling drained and the hills, kept on fading. However, on the way back, did discover that a water fountain actually works! Would of been nice to know in the first passing, but good to know!
There were times I started thinking about really changing today's goal. Did 12 last week, 14 would be fine. But with being free today, would really like 16, preferably more. Think the water fountain, and then passing my car at mi 14 to really hydrate. more than a bottle! began to get a bit a of a second wind. On I go to the more wooded side to County Line. Turning back once I hit 16 and got 18 just passing the parking lot. Math off by 5 min. Math is hard while running. Glad I got 18 in, but it wasn't pretty. lol..
Additional cardio?.. Planned on doing some yard work when I got home. "just a few minutes" turned into 2+ hours. And the sun was out beating down. Hedging bushes. 6 rows, a few around the house, a few around the yard. Usually ration into multiple days. Did two earlier this week. Did three today. An easy, a more involved, and a row that requires a ladder. Only planned on 1-2, but glad I got three. Next weekend will only have the one big one left.. But so much sweat today! lol..
Sunday: 3.11 miles. 
