Hey there! It’s time for another end of the week summary. Last week was a good week! Let me tell you about it …
Last week was technically week number three of my NOLA marathon training. I haven’t actually signed up for the race yet, and if we are being honest (which we always try to be, yes?), I’m not 100% sure that I want run it. Training is going well though, so for now I’m just going to keep on keeping on. I only had two “workouts” last week and rest of the runs were nice and easy. I’ll tell you about the workouts and then we’ll move on to other topics.
Wednesday, I had 3 X 2 mile repeats on the schedule with a goal range of 6:20 to 6:30. I did a 2 mile warm up and then actually ended up doing all 6 miles of the workout without any recovery. I thought that I was going to run out of time, so I basically just turned the workout into a fast tempo. I averaged 6:31 for the first two miles, 6:22 for the second two miles and 6:15 for the last two. Overall, I felt really strong. I knew that I had done this workout before (with recovery in between each set) so I was curious to compare my times and they were faster this go ’round. I was definitely pleased to see that. Coach says that my lactate threshold has improved, which is also good.
For those of you who may be curious (like me), your lactate threshold is basically the point where you convert from aerobic to anaerobic running. The end of your pure aerobic training zone would be your lactate threshold. The terms aerobic and anaerobic refer to the presence or absence of oxygen, respectively. During aerobic exercise (i.e., with adequate amounts of oxygen available in your bloodstream), your muscles can contract repeatedly without fatigue, but during higher-intensity anaerobic exercise (i.e., without adequate amounts of oxygen available in your bloodstream), your muscles must rely on things other than oxygen in order to contract. The anaerobic state causes cells to produce waste molecules, which impair muscle contractions and leads to fatigue.
So basically the secret to long distance running is to run at a pace that is right below your lactate threshold and only run faster than this at the very end of the race. If you exceed the threshold too early in the race you fatigue too quickly and will not end up with a good result. Seems easy enough right? That is definitely one of those things that is easier said than done!
Saturday, I had a 16 mile *moderate* pace long run on the schedule, with a goal range of 7:20 to 7:40. I ended up running 20 miles with an overall average of 7:42. I don’t know what it was about this day, but I felt so. good. The weather was amazing and I had lots of good company along the way and what can I say, “I just … felt like running.” I have officially quoted Forrest Gump on a running blog now. I think that means I have arrived, or possibly that I have run out of things to say. You can decide. So yeah, I started out with the Running Wild group and ended the run with Daniel and Kenny. They also ran 20 and averaged somewhere in the 7:20 to 7:30 range (I think). Regardless, they had a great run too!
I know it isn’t *quite* Christmas yet, but Daniel surprised me with a couple of things last week that are worth sharing. We are going on a mini-vacation soon to north AL and apparently, we are going rock climbing and rappelling. Surprise! He came home with this contraption (which is supposed to keep me safe while I fling myself backwards off of big rocks) …
I haven’t been rappelling before, but he has. I do believe that this is going to be a big exercise in trust for our relationship. Don’t worry mom, we are going to have proper instruction and guidance from professionals (I think).
A few days later he came home with a cold brew for me. Don’t worry dad, it is coffee. Fairhope has a new restaurant, Warehouse Bakery & Donuts and a new coffee company, Fairhope Roasting Company. Daniel said I had been “going on and on” about how much I was liking iced coffee right now (perhaps I talk about coffee a tad too much?) and so he knew I would love this. I do!
I also got a Stitch Fix box last week! I kept a top and a dress. The top is plain on the front with a cute pattern on the back and the dress is grey and black with long sleeves. Brooks approves. Stitch Fix never disappoints!
We tried our church’s new campus for the first time yesterday and we really liked it! Our church is growing, which is an awesome thing and has opened up several new campuses in the past year or so. We went to the Eastern Shore “North” campus yesterday, which is much smaller than the “South” campus. Daniel and I both liked the smaller setting. We started our Christmas series called JOY yesterday and the message was wonderful.
I definitely want to expound upon this message at some point, but for now I’ll give you a few good takeaways:
- Christians must learn to trust that God’s intentions for them are always good.
- Christian joy is an emotion in the human spirit, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He leads us to see the Glory of Christ.
- God wants you to have joy so much that He will break your taste for false joy, while developing in you a taste for His joy.
- God gets glory from your full joy when your full joy is found in Him.
We brought the weekend to a close yesterday by grilling out, making a fire and having some s’mores!
I am linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin this week for their Weekly Wrap. You should definitely head over and check out their blogs!
Well, that’s a wrap! I hope everyone has a good week. I’ll talk to you soon!
I like that dress from Stitch Fix! Very nice.
I like that dress from Stitch Fix! Very nice.
Sam it is so very great to meet you, Oh my goodness I apologize for being star struck, yes my dear you are a star in my eyes! You have such an amazing testimony! I am at a loss of words I saw the linked post and thought how great a runner from Mobile not too far from us. I’m in Meridian about 2.5 hrs away. I even asked Holly if she knew you since she is closer to you. Then I get to reading more about you and you won the RNRNOLA how awesome is that!! I ran the half in both 2014 (my very first half) and this past year. I’m already signed up to do it in 2016. I love New Orleans an we go often. I can not even comprehend what a great accomplishment that is, to God be the glory and he is shining right through you as I read your words.
That rock climbing sounds like so much fun, scary but fun! You will have to tell us all about it! I have not been a coffee drinker too long so I talk about it a lot too. I am all about trying new flavors! We travel a lot in our RV and go camping and I do love me some s’mores. In fact, I haven’t had one in a few weeks and I must change that soon. I’m training for my very first marathon right now. You could run two of them then some by the time I will finish mine, but I’m ok with that! 🙂 I am so very glad to have you join us in our link up and keep up with you in your journey. I am so very happy to have you join us in our link up and keep up with you in your journey. Do you have anything between now and NOLA?
Thank you SO much for your kind words! I am so glad that I found your link up. A weekly recap post seems to at least be the one post that I can manage to get done each week. Haha. That is SO exciting that you are training for your first full! You will love it! There is a new half in Gulf Shores this January that I am going to do before NOLA. It’s called Big Beach. Should be a fun inaugural race 🙂
I am very excited but also scared at the same time. The new Gulf Shores race sounds fun I’ve never run in GS and it just might be doable! We’ll see. 🙂
Sam it is so very great to meet you, Oh my goodness I apologize for being star struck, yes my dear you are a star in my eyes! You have such an amazing testimony! I am at a loss of words I saw the linked post and thought how great a runner from Mobile not too far from us. I’m in Meridian about 2.5 hrs away. I even asked Holly if she knew you since she is closer to you. Then I get to reading more about you and you won the RNRNOLA how awesome is that!! I ran the half in both 2014 (my very first half) and this past year. I’m already signed up to do it in 2016. I love New Orleans an we go often. I can not even comprehend what a great accomplishment that is, to God be the glory and he is shining right through you as I read your words.
That rock climbing sounds like so much fun, scary but fun! You will have to tell us all about it! I have not been a coffee drinker too long so I talk about it a lot too. I am all about trying new flavors! We travel a lot in our RV and go camping and I do love me some s’mores. In fact, I haven’t had one in a few weeks and I must change that soon. I’m training for my very first marathon right now. You could run two of them then some by the time I will finish mine, but I’m ok with that! 🙂 I am so very glad to have you join us in our link up and keep up with you in your journey. I am so very happy to have you join us in our link up and keep up with you in your journey. Do you have anything between now and NOLA?
Thank you SO much for your kind words! I am so glad that I found your link up. A weekly recap post seems to at least be the one post that I can manage to get done each week. Haha. That is SO exciting that you are training for your first full! You will love it! There is a new half in Gulf Shores this January that I am going to do before NOLA. It’s called Big Beach. Should be a fun inaugural race 🙂
I am very excited but also scared at the same time. The new Gulf Shores race sounds fun I’ve never run in GS and it just might be doable! We’ll see. 🙂
Welcome to the Weekly Wrap, Sam! It’s nice to have a fellow bama girl in our group. I am also a coffee addict. My Keurig machine was the best Christmas gift ever! I have never been rock climbing or rappelling but it sounds fun because I’m all about new adventures. Where in north AL will you be? I’ve got to check out Stitch Fix. I’ve heard so many great things about it and I just do not like to shop. Good luck as you continue to train (or not) for NOLA. I am contemplating that race if I can get this injury all wrapped up. I hope you will link with us again!
I am so glad that I found your link up! I will definitely be joining again. A weekly recap seems to be about the only post that I can consistently manage to get done each week. Haha. We are going to Fort Payne. I’ve heard that it is beautiful, so I am excited! I hope that you are able to get all healed up and run NOLA 🙂
Welcome to the Weekly Wrap, Sam! It’s nice to have a fellow bama girl in our group. I am also a coffee addict. My Keurig machine was the best Christmas gift ever! I have never been rock climbing or rappelling but it sounds fun because I’m all about new adventures. Where in north AL will you be? I’ve got to check out Stitch Fix. I’ve heard so many great things about it and I just do not like to shop. Good luck as you continue to train (or not) for NOLA. I am contemplating that race if I can get this injury all wrapped up. I hope you will link with us again!
I am so glad that I found your link up! I will definitely be joining again. A weekly recap seems to be about the only post that I can consistently manage to get done each week. Haha. We are going to Fort Payne. I’ve heard that it is beautiful, so I am excited! I hope that you are able to get all healed up and run NOLA 🙂
Fellow Bama girl here. I love Fairhope! My uncle just moved there two years ago, and my cousin got married there this summer on the water. It is such a beautiful town! I love NOLA! I’ve only ran the RnR Half there in 2014, but I would love to go back! It’s a great place to run!
Fellow Bama girl here. I love Fairhope! My uncle just moved there two years ago, and my cousin got married there this summer on the water. It is such a beautiful town! I love NOLA! I’ve only ran the RnR Half there in 2014, but I would love to go back! It’s a great place to run!
I’m so glad to have ‘met you’ via blogging. I’m in absolute agreement with your posts and find them uplifting and encouraging. Looking forward to following your journey. Rock climbing is on my bucket list of life. One day if i can convince the husband to go…
Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement. The rock climbing was tough! Definitely made me realize that I need to work on my upper body strength and flexibility in general. The rappelling was so much fun though!
I’m so glad to have ‘met you’ via blogging. I’m in absolute agreement with your posts and find them uplifting and encouraging. Looking forward to following your journey. Rock climbing is on my bucket list of life. One day if i can convince the husband to go…
Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement. The rock climbing was tough! Definitely made me realize that I need to work on my upper body strength and flexibility in general. The rappelling was so much fun though!