Weekly Running Report: June 13, 2021

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are all doing well! 

How's training going? Any races (IRL or virtual)?  

How's the weather been treating you? In South East Pa, we had some hot days, humid days, and a couple tolerable days. How about you?

I have some exciting news, you may have already seen it, but I'm holding my post until tomorrow.  Hmm... Wonder what it could be?

Reminder, if you're just skimming my blog, lol..  reminder that I also have gear and race discount tabs/pages on my blog site to check out as well. :) 

My Week in Training:

Monday: 6 miles. Sun, hydrated somewhat, but a long day in the heat at a baseball gm (probably outside from 11 am to 5pm), probably could of hydrated a little better. Failed to foam roll/stretch. And I didn't want to go to bed on time. Still hyped up from the gm. Up before my alarm, but not quality rest. Coffee, 40 min workout, hydrate, and out the door by 6. Felt fine to start, but also seemed like slow motion. Heat, hills, humidity, a bit of through the motions today. There's a heat advisory for later, 100+ index! Yikes! 

Tuesday: 7 miles. Mon, hydrated very well (tons right after my run and plenty throughout the day), foam rolled/stretched, and an excellent night's rest! Was a little groggy to start, but once I got going, felt great! Coffee, 35 min workout (chest, core), hydrate, and out the door by 6. Was pretty optimistic about today's run.. until I went out side. lol... Decent start, but the triple H, heat, hills, humidity, got me! TMI, sat on my stoop after my run, rung out so much water from my clothes before heading in. So gross! Still glad I got my run done. They say it takes three weeks to become acclimated to the heat. We shall see about that! lol... 

Wednesday: 7 miles. Supposed to be 1-3 day? dunno.. anyway, I did 7.

Tue, hydrated well, foam roll/stretch, in bed on time, and a decent night's rest. Coffee.. walking by the window full of condensation (window is fine, this is not normal), guess it may be a bit humid out there. Checked before stepping out, yeah, 98%... But I digress.. coffee, 35 min workout (arms/shoulders/core), hydrate, and out the door by 6. Trying not to think about the temp/humid. It is what it is. Got into a comfortable pace. Drenched early again..of course. Not saying I've adjusted yet, but felt a little better than Mon/Tues. Until midway hills and the last 1.5 or so. Happier with today's run. 

Thursday: 7 miles. Actually sched as 7 today. lol

Wed, hydrated very well, foam roll/stretch, decent night's rest, but up early. Up for a few minutes, tossed/turned. gave up. Time for a decent workout. Coffee, 45 min strength training. (chest/core). Out the door a few min early. (TMI, even when I have time to leave early, tummy sched gets me nervous, lol). Guess what, it's a little humid out. Only 96%, not bad, Ha! Whatever. Again, just going to go with the flow. Push if I can, but understand if variables get me. Felt a lot better today. Comfortable low 8's for a bit. Drenched early, of course, but moving along. Fading slightly along the inclines and could tell I will lose it in the hills. 8:12 ish as the hills pick up. A couple areas to settle in again, tried to pull back on purpose up a hill and regroup. Crazy how in the last hill can feel there's no way I can go on, but feel fine a few min after it levels. lol.. Early on wanted 8:15, but will definitely settle for 8:20 for how this week has felt.  Today felt decent till the last couple hills. I'll take it! After work, I did 1.5 hours of yard work, blah! I usually try to sched that when I have a short run day or rest day the following day, but we have had afternoon thunderstorms most of the week. 

Side notes:

1. about a mi in to my run today, probably 6:05 am, saw someone leaving for work, already smoking a stoagie! I admit, I do enjoy the smell. Haven't had one in many years. But just a little early for that...

2. Saw a cyclist, but I guess they were riding for transportation purposes. They were smoking as well..

Friday: 5 miles. Although I probably should of done four? lol thinking about doing 18 tomorrow. My training plan lists 30 min runs the day before 18-20. but I digress..

Thu, very well hydrated, stretched/foam roll, and a decent night's rest. Up a few min before my alarm. Think that's all week. I like it! Getting enough quality rest! Coffee, 40 min workout (arms/shoulders/core), and out the door by 6. Feeling decent, and temps a little nicer today, goin gto try to push it! The heat has kept me down and going to try to enjoy the brief nice temp! Had my nice speed shoes on, opens door, it's raining! grr.. Have retired speed shoes, will give them a whirl.. The rain was light and enjoyable. No glasses tho. Off to an excellent start. A short steep hill, few flattish streets and then inclines. My quads felt the extra push and inclines, second half was rough, but fun. 300 ft elevation gain, I do admit, I avoided two hills to work on speed tho. lol.. Was fun to get a break from the heat and have fun pushing it. 

Saturday: 18 miles. Trying to rotate 14-18 mi runs for a few months until it's time to follow a plan. Did 16 last week, guess I gotta do 18 this week? lol.. I have time today, just a few light chores, and minimal social plans. No excuse not to today. Just a little anxiety I guess. 

Fri, hydrated very well, carb loaded, foam rolled/stretched, and a decent night's rest. Up before my alarm. Coffee, short core workout, "routine", and over to my trail by 6:30. My trail . Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd. Doing the slight gradual incline/more open side to Rockledge first. I like to do the more open side in case the Sun/heat is more rough later on. Pace settled in early. Temps not bad, but humidity still a thing. Sweat going down my glasses early. lol.. Today, will do a few miles around Rockledge instead of Pennypack Park due to a race going on over there. (probably should of participated, but it sold out early). Left the trail at Rockledge. Did my Strava legend hill and small loop around Rockledge twice. Back on the trail returning. Bumped into my speedy friend (I'm 7+ mi in), turned around for a min. Should not have (on long run day), but picked it up and ran a mi with him. Quads felt it. Turned back (again). On the way back, did the side trail from Lorimer to Pennypack Park. Turned around before the park. Back to the main trail. Lorimer to the parking lot. My goal was to get 11 mi in before the parking lot. Had 11.8 ish. The main section I just did is 5.75 ish (2.8x2), the Rockledge loop, the extra w/ my friend, and the side trail all helped. At my car, hydrated, for sure! Off to the more wooded side to County Line Rd and back. Before hydrating, had some doubts, but got a second wind for a bit. Feeling it by 14 mi. Turned around shy of the end (the goal of 11 at the parking lot and was over, I didn't have to go to the end to hit 18), once I got about 2.8 left. Countdown on for the return, for sure! Last couple were rough, but done! 

Side notes:

1. I forgot my primary headphones, and they were right by my car keys, 'doh! Thankfully I have a cheap pair in my bad for rainy days. What's the worse thing yo uhave forgotten to pack for a run?

2. Speaking of headphones.. I feel like I say this every week lately.. We dont want to hear your music or phone calls! Stop using speakers! 

3. another repeat complaint.. leash your dogs people! I'm sure your dog is calm and friendly if you say so. but we don't know them! 

Full trail pics on Facebook

Sunday: 10 miles, but this is usually rest/short run day? Well.. yesterday while thinking about my upcoming week, I have a few days I may not be getting as many miles due to personal plans. Figured if I feel ok today, after yesterday's 18 miles, I may try to get a few more today. Had some doubts on that, but was feeling ok when talking to myself. lol.. Although, I may have had a few drinks in me. lol..  Sat, did an ice bath, hydrated very well, foam rolled/stretched. Did offset hydration a little. Didn't stay up that late for a Saturday, but more out of boredom. lol.. Decent rest. "Slept in" till 6. lol.. Coffee and taking my time. Foam rolled my back and loosened up a bit. Felt alright about my decision, so far. Over to my trail by 7:30. Which is kind of late, midway parking lot is usually full by 8. Did the more wooded side to County Line Rd first. A little slow to start, wasn't too concerned yet, figured worst case, it may be a slow/comfy pace day. Quads did feel it a little at first, but not bad. Even picked up the pace. Eventually pacing 8:02 ish. Did not expect that, but rolled with it! Focusing on breathing, etc. Countdowns were on for sure, but not bad. Return from County Line Rd, hydrated as I passed my car at 7 mi. When I first started, figured I could always bail by 7, but no intentions of bailing now. On I go. More open side to Rockledge, but turning around about 1.3 to go. Bumped into my speedy friend, oh he's only dong 14 mi at 7:15 pace. Talked for a couple, but no, not trying that. lol.. Faded slightly before I finished. but under 8:15 when I figured to be 8:30-45 kind of day, I'll take it! We'll see if I have any regrets tomorrow! lol...  Bumped into another friend post run, great catching up with them! 

Full pics on Facebook

What did I do besides run, workout, work, and chores this week? Watched HLN's Very Scary People (murder docu series), Loki! Have been looking fwd to Loki, was entertaining, can't wait to see where this leads! baseball, basketball.. Not much else.

Q: How about you? Anything exciting outside of running? Any adventures? Binge watching anything?

Weekly Summary:

Miles: 60 weekly miles running 

Year to Date: 1109 miles running 

Hill Goal (for the yr):   63605/100k elevation gain. Initial goal 100k to beat last yr's 98k. 

Strength Training: Goal 180 minutes, 261 minutes completed. What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest. 

Hydration Goal:  7 days 

Foam Roll: 5 days 

Training Plan:  Loosely following the below plan structure until it's time to follow for a race. 

Image from Coach Jenny Hadfield

Race Schedule: 

10.17.2021 - NJ Marathon - deferral from spring 2020. 

11.21.2021 - Philadelphia Marathon - deferral from 2020 (registered the day after 2019's race!). Definitely a fav! If you haven't registered yet, I may know someone getting a discount code soon. Hit me up! 

Be sure to check out my Race and Gear discount pages from my blog site. #BibRavePro ;)

Good luck to everyone with training! Kick some butt! If you do any races(virtual or IRL), please remember to review them on BibRave.com!