Unplugged

Hello friends!

It has been a while since I have managed to get a post up, but I have a decent reason … our darn internet is down. No bueno for blog life. Today, I am coming to you from Coffee Loft (like I needed another reason to hang out here, now I come to get both my coffee and internet fix). We have been down a few days now and according to our lovely service provider, they say that the first available time they can send a technician is August 11th. Um, really?!

I have been trying to settle into a decent routine with my blogging anyway, and this has thrown a major kink into that. I will be going back to work the week after next, but I plan to continue to get at least two or three posts a week done, if not more. I have a few things written up at home on my desktop, but I have no way of accessing those documents online at this point, so today will mainly be a training summary of this week. 15 weeks until NYC!

Monday

I’ve been taking it really easy on Mondays. This week was an off week for our yoga class, so I waited until Monday evening to run, which gave my legs a few extra hours to recover from Sunday’s long-run. Daniel and I did 6 miles at 8:12 pace.

Tuesday 

Tuesday morning I had some hill repeats. The workout called for 12 miles with some 20 second pickups while going up hills. I have a great out and back route for this that basically incorporates one hill per mile, which is perfect. Also theoretically perfect is that there is a bathroom and water fountain at the turn around. Unfortunately it was locked this time, so that didn’t go as planned, but I managed. I did 12 miles at 8:14 average pace with ten 20 second pickups. Check out those hills!

Going into NYC, my biggest concern is the hills at this point. I don’t feel like I race strong on hills. My PR marathon in New Orleans was pancake flat. So, we are gonna work on those hills in the next 15 weeks and hopefully I will build up my hill running muscles (and my brain muscle’s confidence).  Here is what my coach sent me this week regarding the hills, “Yes, there are 5 significant hills on the NYC course: Start – VN bridge – 164′ climb; at 8 miles – LaFayette Av – 53′ climb; at 13 miles – Pulaski Bridge – 45′ climb; at 15 miles – Queensboro Bridge – 120′ climb; at 23 miles – 5th Ave – 80′ climb. So good to do your pick-ups on some hills and incorporate a few moderate hills into your tempo runs.” I love how detailed he is! Fun fact, he is a former corporate accountant turned coach. We share the dork gene 🙂

Tuesday evening was an easy 6.5 mile run at RW. I don’t usually wear my Garmin on my secondary runs. Just take it nice and easy and enjoy the company while getting in a few extra miles.

Wednesday 

Wednesday would typically have been workout day, but my mom and I took a little day trip to Birmingham. She had some errands to do and twisted my arm to come along with the promise of some early birthday shopping (not that I wouldn’t have gone anyway).

I ended up at Foxy Nails III (yes, really) to kill some time while she did her errands. I was a tad skeptical going in, but I’m pretty sure that was the best pedicure I’ve ever had. The girl rubbed my feet for a good 15 to 20 minutes! It was heavenly. I tried to give up pedicures this summer. One, because I figured that was an easy thing to cut out of the budget while I wasn’t really working and two, because of the blisters. I have had really bad blister problems in the past, usually right after a pedicure because they take off all of my hard-earned callouses. Anyway, I fell off the wagon a few times, but overall did better than usual. This one was definitely worth it and I haven’t had any blister issues (knock on wood).

Anyway, the trip to Birmingham made for a long day traveling, but Daniel and I got in an easy 5 miles when I got home.

Thursday

Oh Thursday. I was definitely dreading my workout Thursday. I think I was just tired from traveling, but regardless I was feeling pretty lazy. Brooks shared my sentiments. He actually spent the day Wednesday at a doggie play school, since Daniel and I were both gone all day. He was worn out!

I feel ya buddy! I had 3 X 2 mile repeats on the schedule with a goal range of 6:25 to 6:35. Ick. I successfully procrastinated until about 11 a.m., but finally found my motivation at that point. To the treadmill I went … Here is what I did.

2 mile warmup: starting at 6.0 mph for 2 minutes and increase the speed by .2 every 2 minutes

1st 2 mile repeat: averaged 6:40 (9.0 mph) with .25 mile recovery at 6.0 mph

2nd 2 mile repeat: averaged 6:35 (9.1 mph) with .25 mile recovery at 6.0 mph

3rd 2 mile repeat: averaged 6:30 (9.2 mph) with .25 mile recovery at 6.0 mph

1.5 mile cool down: started the cool down at 6.0 mph for .25 and then kept it at 7.0 mph for the remainder

I started the workout portion a little conservatively, as I wasn’t sure how that pace was going to feel. Overall, I was very pleased with this workout. It was very challenging and I was drenched by the end. I would like to personally thank Nelly for powering me through this workout (think Country Grammar, Ride Wit Me, Hot in Here, etc.).

Thursday evening was an easy Garmin-less 7 mile run with Rebecca and Squishy (aka, the cutest baby ever).

Friday 

Today I did a 8.5 miles at 8:42 pace. And now I am sitting at Coffee Loft talking with you guys, so I guess that catches us up on the training front!

Tomorrow is my training group’s first long-run in their training for Pensacola. They will be doing 8 miles, so I will be running that with them. We have some friends in town this weekend and are planning to go out on the boat for a little while tomorrow afternoon after that. Sunday will be the usual, long-run followed by church and probably some grocery shopping thrown in there somewhere.

I am really hoping that we can get our internet fixed before August 11th! I will be a decade older by then! Ha. But really. I will try to stay in touch periodically regardless. Follow me on Instagram @mobilebayrunner for more frequent updates!

Until then, I’ll be “unplugged” and enjoying time with friends and my last week of “freedom” until the new job starts! Who has fun weekend plans? Tell me about them!