Category: Running

Weekly Run Down: 96.10 miles and one year with my running coach

Happy Sunday!  Another great week with running along with a few classes on the bike.  The weather was up and down with very windy days, to chilly weather, and warmer weather.  I hope this month is more consistent.

I had some great workouts this month!  I am seeing faster splits which I am hoping will translate to a few PRs either this year or next year.  I finished April with 96.10 miles.  I was hoping for 100 but it is a big jump from last month (78.22 miles).

I didn’t run in the morning on Monday but instead did it after work.  It was nice and warm but WINDY.  Glad it was “just” one mile.

Tuesday was a speed day.  It was still windy but not as bad as the day before.  My workout was 4 miles with 4-45 second surges.  Splits were 8:10, 7:55, 7:45, and 7:25.  Definitely fast for me but still manageable.  I have no idea how other runners can run long miles in those paces.  I did this workout on March 9th but with 30 second intervals.  Those splits were 9:16, 8:15, 7:39, and 9:30.

These past couple of weeks I’ve done 1/3 and 1/4 mile intervals.  On Thursday I did 4-1/2 mile intervals.  I am not a big fan of long intervals.  I always start off too fast and then struggle with maintaining that pace the rest of the interval.  My splits were faster than what my coach asked me to do (10:44, 10:42, 10:28, and 10:18).  I was tired at the end.  In the last interval I stopped my watch for about 5 seconds for a quick break.  I don’t think I could have done another one.

Saturday was 7 miles with one 90 interval/90 recovery after each mile but stopping at 7 miles.  I like this run because it makes each mile a bit more interesting.  I did this run 2 weeks ago.  I compared the splits and while some were faster in yesterday’s run, some were also slower.  That is OK.  I am still pleased with how I did. 

I thought a Live DJ Run would be a fun class to take.  Wrong!  OMG, the constant talking between the instructor and the DJ was very annoying.  Never again will I take these classes.  The Calvin Harris Run was OK.  I like him but I recognized maybe 2-3 songs.

I also did 3 bike classes (2 with Denis).  He is a great instructor!  I am liking his classes and the music is great too.

It’s been a year since I started working with my coach.  I am very happy with him and have enjoyed my workouts.  I am excited for this upcoming week, month, and future months!!

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Weekly Run Down: Some new PRs and a few days off

Happy Sunday!  The week does go by fast when you work for 3 days.  This week I took 2 well deserved days off.  But before I tell you about it, let me tell you about my runs.

I am on cloud nine because I had an awesome week of running.  My workouts were similar to last week – 4 days of easy/recovery runs and 3 days of speed workouts.

On Tuesday I did 4 miles and then 4 intervals each lasting 45 seconds with a one minute recovery.  Then I ran till I hit 5 miles.  I told my coach that I didn’t want to do the workout because I didn’t want to run 5 miles before work, but overall it was a great run.  It was even more fun with a 30 minute BHM: Motown Run.  Great music!

The past couple of weeks I did 1/4 intervals and this week it was 1/3 intervals.  It was a little longer which made me nervous.  I did 5 of them with the same distance in recovery.  Then I ended it with a half mile cool down.  Not only were the the splits faster than what my coach asked me to do, but they were all negative splits (11:02, 10:35, 10:08, 10:01, and 9:30).  😊

Yesterday I did the same workout from 2 weeks ago (6 miles with one 90 interval/90 recovery after each mile but stopping at 6 miles).  Splits from last week were 9:52, 9:46, 9:04, 8:35, and 8:53 and yesterday they were 9:16, 9:34, 8:56, 8:49, and 8:30.  I am making improvements!

Bitmoji ImageI took 3 bike classes and managed to get a PR in each one.  Normally I don’t start off a class hoping for a PR, but as the class progresses I then gauge if I can do it or not.  Sometimes I am so close and miss it by a few points but that is alright with me.  Tuesday’s 30 minute class was on the same day I ran 5 miles.  I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to do that long of a class on that day.  I was tired and my legs were sore too but am happy with how I did.

I know a bike class needs fun music for it to be even more fun.  I have bookmarked all of the 70s, 80s, 90s pop music, Latin, and Live DJ rides ranging from 15-60 minutes.  Total is 555 classes.  Now I wished there were more running classes with that type of music.

As you know I’ve been so frustrated at work.  Everything has been bothering me and I was getting very annoyed with my students.  I have 28 students and only 4 girls do the work and participate.  The others are quiet or don’t do much in class.  A few goof off or log in whenever they want.  One student told me that she does not know how to find the weekly schedule and the assignments.  We’re almost in May!!!  Plus, I had to give two ACCESS Test (Writing and Speaking) to two of my students.  Oh, and then we had a bus evacuation drill which I honestly thought was a waste of time.  I had to wait longer than necessary and why are we doing this drill?  No one is going on a field trip.  The school/district is worried about cross contamination, but yet I was in a bus with 2 other teachers and 4 students that are not in my room (one is a sibling to one of my students).  All of this took time away from my other students since I had to give them asynchronous work while all of this was happening.

I was off Thursday and Friday.  It felt good to be off.  I caught up on reading blog posts and watched Grey’s Anatomy.  My coworkers kept me updated on what was happening at school.  On Friday one of them subbed for my class.  However, there was a room supervisor in my room because one of my students was there.  (You are probably wondering why that student was not in the other teacher’s classroom.  Students are “not allowed” to go to another teacher’s room.  Let me just say that everything about this is messed up).  I had told mom that I was not going to be in school hoping that she would keep him home.  She didn’t.  Apparently that student was eating in the classroom.  No!  We do not eat in the classroom, especially during class time.  I got really annoyed with his mom for sending him to school with food.  I won’t see him again till Wednesday and will ask him what happened.  Oh, and I decided to take off 2 more days the following week.  I joke with my coworkers that I have enough sick days to take the rest of the year off.  We have 30 more work days to go!

Matty asked this question in his class.  Which group do you vote for, The Temptations or The Four Tops?  My vote is for The Temptations.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Weekly Run Down: Ask and it will be given to you and cat pictures

Hard to believe it is Sunday again!  This week definitely went by fast.  Work wise it was exhausting.  I come home and I am mentally exhausted.  I am trying very hard to be patient and stay positive.   I know everyone is struggling but it is just so hard right now.

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This was another another great week of running.  Let me tell you all about it.  I had 4 days of recovery/easy runs and 3 days of speed workouts.  I enjoyed them again!

This week’s workouts were the same as last week but my coach had me run an extra interval and mile.  On Tuesday I ran for 3 miles, then did 5 surges each lasting 30 seconds and recovering 1 minute after each surge, then running easy till I hit 4 miles.  I felt really good again.  I asked my coach if I was going to do 6 surges next week.  He told me no and that next week it will still be 4 surges and each will be for 45 seconds.  

Another fun workout I did on Thursday was run four 1/4 mile intervals at a target pace with 1/4 mile recovery.  My coach asked me to do them in in 11:15-11:30, 11:00-11:15, 10:45-11:00, and 10:30-10:45.  I was flying!  I ran them in 10:28, 9:58, 9:37 and 9:02.   

Saturday was 7 miles with six 90 second intervals with a 90 second recovery (one in each mile).  The interval and the recovery is about 1/4 mile so then I run easy for 3/4 mile before doing it again.  I also enjoyed this workout and would definitely do it again.  I have a feeling next week I will be doing 8 miles with 7 intervals.  

Another week and I am very happy with all of my runs.  I also did 4 bike classes with Cody, Jenn, and Robin.  The classes I enjoy the most are those with 80s music.  I wished there was a way to pick classes with that specific type of music.  

I didn’t take any pictures during my runs so I have nothing to post here.  But I did take some of my cats.  I know Jenn likes my cat pictures.  🙂

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Weekly Run Down: Two months to go and great runs this week

Happy Sunday.  I am excited with how this week went.  I had 4 recovery runs and 3 days of different workouts.

I was off on Monday and it felt good to be off.  It was a beautiful day.  Tuesday was awful because it was a professional development day.  Yep, from 8am-1:30pm I listened to a speaker about who knows what.  Honestly I was too annoyed to even pay attention.  I have two months to go at school and seriously the last thing I want to do is learn something new.  The good thing is that at least I did not have to go to school but instead worked from home.  

A fun workout I did on Tuesday was running for 2 miles, then 4 surges each lasting 30 seconds and recovering 1 minute after each surge, then running easy till I hit 3.5 miles.  I felt really good and told my coach that I could have done more intervals.  I am sure he is going to do that for the next workout.   Tuesday was a gorgeous day and after my PD I went outside to the balcony to read and enjoy some wine.  I didn’t finish the book that day, but I finished it this week.  Who else has read it?  Let’s discuss!

Another fun workout I did was running three 1/4 mile intervals at a target pace with 1/4 mile recovery.  My coach asked me to do the first two in 11:00-11:15 and the last one in 10:45-11:00.  I don’t know what happened but I felt good and ran them faster in 10:32, 10:16, and 9:39.   Finally I am seeing some numbers that I like (again)! 

Saturday was 6 miles with five 90 second intervals with a 90 second recovery (one in each mile).  The interval and the recovery ended up being about .25 mile so I ran easy for .75 mile before doing it again.  I also enjoyed this workout and would definitely do it again.  My paces for the intervals were 9:52, 9:46, 9:04, 8:35, and 8:53.  My coach told me that I crushed it!  😊

I am very happy with all of my runs this week.  The weather was great.  I ran in shorts and felt awesome.    Bitmoji Image

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Weekly Run Down: Spring Break and windy days

What a week it was!  I relaxed, watched TV, and read a new book.  Lola followed me almost everywhere I went.  She is so sweet!

On Monday I did not leave the house until about noon because I was reading and watching TV.  And the only reason I left the house is because I had to go to the post office and do laundry.  I should have done those things on Saturday but I felt lazy that day.  I also did my run in the afternoon.  It was windy all day (23 mpg).

This was on Tuesday.

I ended March with 78.22 miles.  I was really hoping it would have been closer to 100 miles but I am still pleased with how I did.  I remember the month started off well but then I had days when I was just too tired and did not want to do my workouts.  Plus, there were many windy days and I just did not want to fight it.

Wednesday was Lola’s birthday.  No big celebration but she spent the day hanging out with me.

This book is so good!  Thanks Wendy for the suggestion.  I am kind of obsessed with Kara.  I’ve learned so much about the Gouchers from reading the book.

Yesterday I had to run 5 miles.  I really had no desire to run that long.  That sounds funny because 5 miles isn’t really that long.  I started off with 30 minutes and was feeling really good so I kept going.  However, my last mile felt hard because it was all headwind and I was tired.  Took it easy and walked as needed.

Today’s run was GREAT!  No wind and it was sunny.  I did overdress and I should have worn shorts.  It was the first time doing an All For One Run.  It was so good and perfect for a Sunday run.  This is one that I will definitely do again.  Check out that playlist!

Anyone else watched “Law and Order: Organized Crime”?  I watched parts of it because my mother was here and I was helping getting her ready for bed.  However, I watched it the next day on Hulu.  It was so good.  I cried.  Now I am watching “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” from the beginning.  I never watched it from the beginning and would randomly watch it on Saturdays since it is on all day.  

Overall, it was a great week.  I left the house a few times to do errands while taking it easy.  I would have liked to have traveled, but definitely enjoyed being at home.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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