Cliff note’s version: Running, yoga, and climbing, oh my.

The workouts:

Monday: 3.5 miles total, 5×1:30/1:30 6:40 intervals.  1 mile warm-up/cool-down.  Crossfit Strength: Good mornings and pull-ups. Got these in after work.  I never used to be an afternoon runner, so this is huge.

Tuesday: Crossfit conditioning workout (row-specific)

Wednesday: Intervals, 5×3:00, 1:30. 3.5 miles total. Climbing after work.

Thursday: Crossfit strength.

Friday: Crossfit run-specific conditioning workout. 3 miles

Saturday: Taught yoga and then 6 miles, 40 minutes at marathon pace (8:00).

Sunday: Ran 6 miles (45 at marathon pace). Taught yoga. Climbed.

Total: 22 miles and I don’t expect to run much more than that for at least 6 months.

Way overdid it this weekend.  I decided the extra hour on Saturday meant that I had an extra hour to live and man, did I.  Too much fun and Sunday, around 3, I hit a metaphorical wall.  Still recovering (and it’s Monday)

Onward and upward.

Cilantro out.

Practicing brevity.

Traveled all last week. Got things done.

Workouts:

Monday: Crossfit strength: squats and pull-ups before 7 am flight. Run after long day of flights and meetings. 4 miles, 4×1:30 7:03 pace, 2:00 recovery. Really proud of myself for getting this in.

Tuesday: Run-specific Crossfit Conditioning workout. 2 miles accumulated.

Wednesday: 3.5 miles total, 4×3:00/2:00 7:30 pace.

Thursday: Run around campus 4 miles plus 1 mile cool down. Crossfit strength in hotel gym: Power Cleans and Strict Press.

Friday: Crossfit conditioning (run-specific). 2 miles total.

Saturday: Rest day. Taught yoga and climbed for an hour.

Sunday: 6 miles total, 40 minutes at tempo pace. Taught yoga. Climbed.

Total: 22.5 miles, all key Crossfit workouts hit.

Cilantro out.

This was my first week back to teaching yoga, which I am very happy to be doing again.  I’m learning how to fit in running in a healthy and manageable way by sticking to my crossfit endurance plan. I did well for most of the week, and  by midweek, I was sleeping through the night for the first time in probably years.  But after a frustrating Saturday morning,  I pushed it too hard on Saturday and fell back into my old patterns. I feel like learning how not to push it all the time no rest work hard is a lesson I’m going to have to keep learning, but hopefully my learning curve won’t be as steep each time I have to relearn it.  My metrics for pushing it, however, are clear.  I know it is physiologically possible to sleep through the night now, but the second I push it even an inch over my line, my sleep suffers. Lesson learned.

The workouts:

Monday: 8×1:00 intervals, 6:40 pace. 3.5 miles total. Crossfit strength after work: 3×4 modified pull-ups (from TRX straps). Crossfit warmup.

Tuesday: Crossfit Conditioning workout in the AM. (Rowing 2500 meters total)

Wednesday: 3.5 miles total, 4×3:00 7:30 pace, 2:30 recovery. 20 minute of yoga after work.

Thursday: 30 minute elliptical Crossfit strength: Hang Power Cleans and Standing Push Presses. 45 minutes climbing after work.

Friday: Crossfit Condition run-specific training (2.5 miles total).

Saturday: 5 miles easy pace, 1 hr climbing.

Sunday: 5k TT at 7:30 pace, 10:00 warm-up and cool-down. 4.5 miles total. Taught yoga and climbed in the afternoon.

Total: 19 miles

Traveling next week, which will be adventure in learning how to rest well when the circumstances are uncertain.

Cilantro out.

As I mentioned in last week’s log, I don’t think I was overtrained, but I was dangerously close.  After deciding last week that I was closing out the training year having run just one race this year (but a win, so at least I’m leaving on top, ha), I realized that I needed to take some serious time off.  Estimates for how long someone should take at the dangerous stages of overreaching to rest vary according to what you read and where, but I am starting with a week of rest or non-cardio exercise (except walking, yoga, and climbing) rest, and then will resume strength training next week and cardio that keeps my HR below 121.  And I’ll do that until I start to sleep through the night again, cycles resume, my appetite normalizes, and I actually want to run again. This means a month and a half at a minimum. Although my mood improved this week, the sleep imbalances continued (although this can partially be attributed to stressful weeks at work and travel) and my appetite is either nonexistent or incredibly ravenous without reason. The last time I took more than a day or two off of running/hard cardio was, get this, in 2014.

Overtrained, overreaching, whatever, I’m due for a break.

The (non) workouts:

Monday: Nothing whatsoever, not even a walk.  In a great mood today.

Tuesday: 20 minutes of walking, 20 minutes of yoga.  This made me unreasonably tired.

Wednesday: 20 minutes of walking, 90 minutes climbing (keep in mind, climbing is interspersed with lots of sitting on benches and looking at the wall, thinking).

Thursday: 20 minutes of a recovery CrossFit in the AM (5 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, 15 air squats).  Feeling good so far, but a long day ahead of me. 20 minutes elliptical in the afternoon.

Friday: 30 minutes elliptical, 30 minutes climbing before jetting to CLE for cinnamon’s birthday, the North regional championships, and seeing my best salty friends.

Saturday: 4 miles assorted running in warm-ups before the North meet, 4.5 miles on the treadmill after a delicious lunch. Crossfit strength: squats. First run in almost a week, and it felt good and easy (four 7:30 intervals in the afternoon run which felt easy except for lunch sitting heavily in my stomach). Fun for all in CLE. Likely shouldn’t have run at all, but I did and that’s that. Glad to see I didn’t lose too much fitness in a week.

Sunday: 7:30 am flight. After getting my grocery shopping and meal prep done (yes, I still need meal prep when I’m not training), I tried a light run but it was feeling too hard for the pace at mile two, so finished another two miles walking.  Climbing after a snack. Legs are sore from amping up the weight on squats yesterday.  I definitely went at it too hard yesterday and should have taken the day off from running (walking+climbing is fine).

I’m worried that I set my recovery back with Saturday’s run, but I’m sticking to the recovery plan this next week which is cardio with HR below 120, yoga, climbing, and adding crossfit.  Running only if/when I really want to do it, and only if it keeps HR below 120.

Cilantro out.

So, this week I took a big step but backward in the world of training for an ultra. At the end of last week’s training log, I was vaguely motivational referencing pushing through, etc, yada yada yada.  It took some serious reflection and conversations with Coriander to realize that I so badly wanted to want to run that I actually thought I wanted to be training right now.

But I don’t.  I don’t think I’m overtrained (yet), but I do think that I overreached so much that I’m dangerously close. And frankly, I don’t want to be training for a (miserable, painful, long) ultra right now.  I want to be crossfitting, climbing, and teaching yoga.  And running, sometimes, but not for very long, and not very often.

But let’s step back a bit.  A few months ago I talk about choosing the crossfit endurance plan.  And, frankly, it worked. I won a real race. But then I started making my usual mistakes.  I didn’t take time to recover.  And even worse, a few weeks ago I started to doubt the high-intensity, low mileage plan that had worked so well for me.  I decided, on my own, without consulting the proper authorities (read: Salties), that I should combine my crossfit endurance workouts with Hal Koerner’s 50M ultra plan. That’s right, I decided it would be a good idea to do a high intensity plan combined with a high mileage plan.

Yes, I deserve what came to me. Because running 60+ miles at a high intensity for 5 of the 7 runs is ridiculous.  I did just fine, sure, but I haven’t felt the same since.  Combine that with some incredible pressure-filled weeks at work, and now I can’t sleep and dread the thought of racing, even running some days.

So I’m going back to the basics.  I signed up for Crossfit Endurance coaching (which means that I can’t publish the specifics of my crossfit workouts here any more), and I’m going back to the plan.  I’m also not going to race against this year, and maybe not ever.  That’s okay (really, it is).  I’m training to be the best me I can be, and right now, that means kicking ass at work, managing my stress, and being a good Salty, sister, and friend.  Priorities, man, priorities. I got ’em and I’m going to stick to them.

The workouts:

Monday: 5 miles total. 8x200m at 6:20 pace, 200m recovery.  Still not feeling amazing, but able to hit the target paces. 1 hour of climbing after work. Crossfit strength: 3×10 squats

Tuesday: 5 easy miles (10:00 pace). Crossfit after work: Conditioning workout.

Wednesday: 5.5 miles total. 4×4:00 at 7:20 pace, 3:00 recovery. Great run, but was ready to be done at 5.5 miles.  Note: When I don’t have crossfit after work, I get sad. And instead I had a really disappointing massage.  But on the bright side, it was national kale day and I got to wear my kale t-shirt to bed.  #winning

Thursday: 5.5 miles total, easy pace (9:40). Crossfit strength after long day of meetings.

Friday: Really struggling to want to run (and why would I run, it was a planned non-running day?!?!). Thank goodness for Salty’s pep talk, and remembering that I’m paying someone to tell me what to do.  Did some very easy elliptical to get things moving, then climbed in the afternoon.  I was tempted again to do a crossfit workout in the evening, but again WHY (answer: because I didn’t run today, I must need more exercise).  This is ridiculous, so I wrote this training log instead.  And it helped me to remember, again, that I’m paying someone to tell me what to do.  To ignore them would just be wasteful.

Saturday: Long-intervals run of the week.  7 miles total, 2×20:00 at 8:00 pace.  Slower than they should have been, but I’m still recovering.  HR was in the right place (average: 150), so I’m happy.

Sunday: 3 miles of easy running (legs felt like lead, so didn’t push it).  30 minutes of climbing after.

Total: 31 miles.  Climbing.  Crossfit.

And that’s all she wrote.

Cilantro out.

Monday: Rest day, 5 miles walking in the morning; 2.5 miles with Chicory after work, followed by 30 minutes climbing and a quick Crossfit: 5 minutes AMRAP: 10xdeadlifts, 10xburpees.

Tuesday: Still feeling tired from the weekend, so just did 6 easy.  Average pace 8:40. Climbing (only 3 routes).  Crossfit (light): 5 RFT: 5xpower cleans, 5xfront squats, 5xpush-presses, 5xpush-ups.  Honestly, I’m still feeling tired and my crossfit wasn’t the workout I wanted to do either.  Trying to keep perspective and remember that last week was a big week.

Wednesday: 7 miles, 5x400m repeats (7:35 pace), 300m rest. When I woke up, I didn’t feel like running, but I took the time to eat breakfast and made it out to the track.  7:35 didn’t feel hard and 8:34 was an “easy” pace.  Feel like I might be recovering from last week. Finally. 20 minutes of yoga after work.

Thursday: 7.5 miles total, progress run 5 miles (mile splits: 8:00, 7:40, 7:35, 7:30, 7:15). Crossfit after work: 3 RFT- 5xdouble KB deadlift, 10xKB goblet squat, 40m overhead walking lunges, 25xKB swings.

Friday: 5.5 easy miles (around 9:20 pace). Crossfit in the afternoon: 10 minutes AMRAP- 5xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups, 15xair squats.

Saturday:  A mess of a run (attempt).  I had a 15 mile tempo on the docket, but three miles in, I just didn’t have the mental or emotional strength to keep running. It’s been quite a week, and I think sometimes when you spend your mental effort on other things, there isn’t any left for a long, hard run.  I walked a bit and then headed home.  After a nap and some snacks, I headed back to the gym to see if I had it in me.  Did another 6 miles and called it a day but never felt good throughout the entire run. (9 miles total)

Sunday:  Didn’t sleep well Saturday night (probably because *ahem* I slept all day Saturday) and woke up without any motivation to even attempt 15 miles.  I didn’t.  Instead I shopped a bit and went to St. James with a new friend in the afternoon.

Total: 38 miles, 3 key crossfit workouts.

Here’s the thing: Tough runs and training weeks happen, and sometimes life is hard.  One of my favorite things from Macy’s The Ultra Mindset (which is my favorite running book of all time) is reminding ourselves when things get hard that it’s all good mental training.  Similarly, Fitzgerald in How Bad do you Want it? reminds us to brace ourselves for a hard training run or race.  Both of these things apply in training and in life.  Life is going to be hard, training is going to be hard.   This is certainly not the last time I’m going to have a bad run, nor is it the last time that my role as an academic is going to have unexpected challenges.  I’m bracing myself for what is to come and trying to remember that this, while hard, is great preparation for whatever comes next.  It’s going to be hard, and instead of trying to avoid or ignore it, I’m going to meet it head on.

Even though I don’t exactly know what that means. That’s life in all it’s wonderful, messy glory.

My first peak week of the season, I knew this week would be tough – I just didn’t know how tough (foreshadowing, are you intrigued?).

The workouts:

Monday:  Recovery day, 5.5 easy miles (estimated pace 9:00, I wasn’t wearing my watch, but I know the distance and the time it took me to cover it). Crossfit after work: 10 RFT: 7xKB swings, 5xburpees. Strength: 3×10 deadlifts

Tuesday: 8 miles total, 10x200m repeats (6:10 pace), 1:30 recovery (8:34) pace. Long day.  Crossfit after work: 5 RFT: 20xone-armed KB swings, 10xclean and jerk, 10xKB rows, 20xone-armed thrusters. Strength: 3×10 squats.

Wednesday: 8 miles total, 10×2:30 at 6:40 pace, 2:30 recovery (9:20) pace.  2000 meters rowed as a cool down. Sports massage after work. Amaze.

Thursday: 6 miles, easy pace.  I run these by HR, which means keeping it under 131. Average pace: 10:10.  And it felt harder than all of my 6:10’s and 6:40’s of the week.  Obviously much-needed recovery day. Crossfit after work: 4 RFT- 20xlunges, 20xpush-ups, 20xjumping jacks, 20xair squats. Strength: 5×5 biceps, 5×5,6,7,8,9 deadlifts

Friday: Rest/Recovery run day.  4 miles, HR below 131: average 9:08 pace (see what one recovery day can do to easy pace?)  Cray. Climbing in the afternoon (40 minutes, but the gym was covered with pre-teens at a birthday party, bless their hearts). Crossfit: 10 minutes AMRAP: 5xdips, 10xsit-ups, 15xair squats.

Saturday: 25 miles, easy pace (9:30-10:00).  This felt good until the last mile although after I was beat.  Recovery Crossfit in the afternoon.

Sunday:  My first back-to-back long runs of the season, I had 20 on the docket with 15 at marathon pace (8:00).  I was feeling pretty beat (physically and mentally) from the week, so I did 15 at 8:34 which I am still pretty happy with.  Climbing + recovery crossfit.

Total: 76 miles, 4 crossfit workouts, 2 climbing sessions.

This was my first peak of the training season, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard.  I have another tough-ish week (although nothing like this) next week and then a recovery the following week which I am already looking forward too.  On the bright side, I’ve never been able do even close to a tempo long run (oh, how my training has been lacking rigor) so I’m happy with that.  Onwards.

Post-race, I started the week with either easy pace or longer interval runs to aid recovery.  Overall, a good week and I’m looking forward to more high-intensity training this week.

The workouts:

Monday: 6 easy miles, 8:34 pace except warm-up. Crossfit after work: 10 minutes AMRAP: 15xair squats, 10xTRX push-ups, 5xTRX pull-ups, :30 plank.  Strength: 5,6,7,8,9xdeadlifts

A note on the crossfit recovery workout I mention post-long run and race.  Yesterday, mid-afternoon, after sitting in the car for 5+ hours, I could barely walk.  I struggled though the recovery workout but my soreness this morning was reduced by 95%.  And usually my soreness is increased the next day.  I am an experiment of one, but this really helps my recovery.

Tuesday: 6 miles total. 10×1:00 on the treadmill (5 at 8:00 pace, 5 at 7:30 pace). I wanted to ease back into intervals since my calves are still sore from Sunday’s race.  Felt good although still a little fatigued.  Probably best to take an easy day again tomorrow. Crossfit after work: 2,4, . . . 10, 10, 8, . . 2xkettle-bell (KB) swings, KB lunges, KB sit-ups.

Wednesday: 5.5 miles total, recovery run (9:30 on the treadmill).  Crossfit immediately after run: 2500m rowed, 10xmedicine ball to wall squats, 10xsit-ups, 250m rowed. Crossfit after work: 5 rounds: 10xair squats, 6xpush-ups, 8xball-to-wall squats, 4xburpees. Strength: 5x5xbiceps.

Thursday: 5.5 miles total. 10×1:00 intervals (same intervals times as Monday, but hill intervals instead).  Each interval was at a 10.0 incline on the ‘mill. Sports massage after work – my calves had been incredibly sore since the race, so the therapist literally spent the hours just on my shins and calves.  Hurts so good. And, well, bad.

Friday: Recovery day, 4 easy miles. Climbing at lunch. Crossfit in the afternoon: 3 RFT – 25xjumping jacks, 20xdips, 25xair squats, 10xburpees, 20xmountain climbers. Strength: 5x5standing press.

Saturday: 26 miles total, average 10:00 pace.  Recovery Crossfit in the afternoon.

Sunday: 6 miles total, 5k at 7:00 pace. Climbing in the afternoon, followed by Crossfit: 50 RFT- 1xsquat, 1xpush-up, 1xsit-up, 1xuperman, 1xstuck jump

Total: 59 miles

It was suggested that I start climbing to help me be more sure of my footing on the trails (a skill that needs a ton of improvement).  It also works my arms and I really enjoy it.  It’s something I can’t do connected to any piece of technology and it take a ton of thinking.  I’m only going twice a week right now (if I had time, I’d be there every other day) but it’s fun and challenging and new.  I need a little new to keep things interesting.

I had a race on Sunday, so this was an easier week all-around, which was appropriate because I was also a bit under the weather (hold up, why am I speaking in code?  I was PMS’ing and if affects every aspect of my life).  One of the reasons I like the CrossFit Endurance plan is the one-week taper (two-three weeks has always felt way too long) and it make it easier to fit races into a training cycle.  Overall, the first few days of the week were hard and I could tell I needed a complete rest day, which I took on Thursday.  Overall, happy with the week and very happy with my race on Sunday.

Taper week:

Monday: Easy day, 5.5 miles in 120’s HR zone (around 10:00 pace). No Crossfit, climbing in the afternoon.

Tuesday: 5.5 miles total, 6×200 m at 10k pace (7:00). Crossfit after work: 10 minutes AMRAP: 5xjumping seats, 10xback extensions, 15xball-to-wall, 15xsit-ups/:30 plank. Strength: 5,6,7,7,7xbiceps

Wednesday: 5 easy miles in the morning, stuck to a 10:00 pace to keep things in the 120’s.  Recovery weeks are hard. Crossfit after work: Ground to overhead combined with a burpee.  4 every minutes, on the minute, with jumping jacks in between.  (Imagine holding a dumbbell in each hand, dropping to the ground to do a burpee, then jumping forward and lifting both arms to overhead in simultaneous movement).  In my head, I thought this would be easy, but it was my hardest Crossfit workout for a while.  I love it. Strength: 5×5 squats.

Thursday: Rest day.  20 minutes of walking.

Friday: 4 miles total, 6x200m intervals at 6:00 pace. Crossfit: 5 RFT: 5xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups, 15xsquats.

Saturday: 4 easy miles (8:34-9:00 pace), climbing for 45 minutes, then the long drive to Memphis.

Sunday: Stanky Creek 25k plus 1.5 mile warm-up (recap coming this week).

Total: 41 miles total

Race recap coming soon, ready for a few easy run days before I jump back into training.

Another awesome week in the land of dropping temperatures, amazing people, and bourbon (I know this can’t continue, so basking in the endorphins).

The workouts:

Monday: Army Physical Fitness Test in the morning (2:00 max push-ups, no resting; 2:00 max sit-ups, 2 mile TT run).  I underestimated how much the push-ups would tax the sit-ups and the sit-ups would tax the 2 mile run, but I passed both the male and female standard with the following performance: 37 push-ups, 65 sit-ups, 14:06 2 mile time (for Army folks, this is a score of 276).  I should have been closer to a sub-13 two-mile time but without any rest and the added intensity of the push-ups and sit-ups, this is where it ended up. I’m not happy with the performance, but it’s good to have a general baseline to measure improvement. With warm-up and cool-down, 4.5 miles total.

No Crossfit after work, but did another recovery CrossFit workout to fight DOMs from the AM. (3 rounds: 10xair squats, 10xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups).

Tuesday: 6 miles total, 7×1:30 repeats, 1:30 rest, 6:00 pace.  Finished with 2000 meter row. Crossfit after work: 10:00 AMRAP: 1xTRX row, 2xTRX pull-up, 3xair squat, 4xlunges, 5xmountain climbers. Strength: Squats, shoulders (supersets)

Wednesday: 6.5 miles total, 45:00 at marathon pace (7:50-8:00, which actually is barely outside of my fat-burn HR zone, so I think I might need to start adjusting my target paces). Crossfit after work: 5 RFT: 8xKB swings, 10xjumping squats. I am exhausted this evening.

Thursday: First day training with the ROTC, so while I intended this to be an easy run day, I started with the second fastest group (after running to the park where we ran) and ended up doing 9 miles total, 4 at a 7:30 pace (very hilly), the rest between 8:34 and 9, which is my new zone 1 HR zone.  I can already feel how tired I’m going to be tomorrow.  In other news, I only drank a cup of coffee before my run and think this might be my new solution to stomach probs?  Who knew that everyone else was right all along.

Ha.

Friday: 5.5 miles easy in the AM (kept HR in 120’s, average 10:00 pace). Crossfit after work: 10 minutes AMRAP: 9xdeadlifts, 8xdips, 7xsquats, 7xKB cleans.

Saturday: 20 miles, easy (10:00 pace).  Recovery crossfit in the afternoon: 10xsquats, 10xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups

Sunday: 5 trail miles. First time trail running (other than Cherokee Park) in Kentucky.  Took Raspberry’s advice to buy a book of local trails and hit my first one this morning.  I’m an admitted poor trail runner and realized that I had mostly only run trails during races (where markings are usually pretty easy to follow).  Didn’t pay attention to the trailhead that labeled the trails and my 6.7 intended look turned into a combo deal that ended with 5 miles.  Happy to be out there, though, and covered in bug bites. After getting back (and showered), I went climbing for the first time in months after getting back. After some pool time, Crossfit: 12,11, . . . 1xKB swings, 1xpush-up for 7 minutes.

Total: 56.5 miles, 5 KB workouts

As I think I mentioned many a training log a few months ago, I write this posts as I train – so you’re getting my almost-immediate reactions to my runs.  Initially, I was kind of embarrassed by my Army Fitness Score (largely because of my 2-mile time), but apparently this is a pretty good score.  I’m only 4 points away (which is a couple of push-ups or so) from the “Cardinal standard” on campus, so I’m revising my initial feelings.  That being said, I’m not at all happy with a 14:06 2-mile when I have run that pace for at least 6 miles+ just in training.  I’m looking forward to seeing how I improve after a semester of training.

Overall, I’m really happy with how this week went.  I’m branching out and trying new things, and really feeling energized by running and new running friends. My Crossfit workouts this week were light, and that’s likely to stay the same the upcoming week because this is a recovery week.  While it feels like a step back when training is going well, I know that these gains can’t continue without proper attention to recovery.  If someone told me a year ago that this is how my training log would read, I would have laughed out loud.  What is happening here?

Cilantro, out.

Another good week, so I feel like the chips are going to fall soon.  I didn’t do as much CrossFit as I would have liked (or maybe, as intense of CrossFit workouts – I hit the number of workouts but the intensity and length was shorter this week).  However, it was cool enough to run outside Tuesday and Wednesday which was amazing and I was able to hit some great paces which was good confirmation that I didn’t lose all of my fitness during my crazy summer that wasn’t.

The workouts:

Monday:  Rest day, although I walked a little over 5 miles in the course of my normal daily activities and ate basically a pint of ice cream.  It was delicious and I don’t feel bad.

Tuesday: Fueled by ice cream, I did my first real outdoor run in over two months (due to heat + humidity). 10xhill sprints (200 meters).  5.5 miles total, 8:34 average pace. Crossfit after work: 5 RFT – 8xKB swings (35 pounds), 10xjumping squats, 12xburpees.

Wednesday:  Another run outside.  A marathon-pace run, hilly (as are most around Louisville), 7 miles, average pace 8:00 excepting warm-up and cool-down.  Last few miles at 7:30 because it felt good. Crossfit after work: 10:00 AMRAP – 5xstanding presses, 5xsquats, 5xpush presses, 5xpush-ups.

Thursday:  Too hot to run outside, 5.5 easy-paced miles on the mill.  Strength Crossfit after work: 4 RFT: 5xdeadlifts (KB, 50), 6xpush-ups, 9xsquats (KB, 35). I’m ready to upgrade to the 50 pound kettle bell which feels awesome.

Friday: 6.5 miles total, 5×5:00 intervals, 2:00 rest.  3 at 7:30 pace, 2 at 8:00 pace.  On the treadmill because already 84 and humid at 6 am outside.  I’d be faster outside, but these paces got my heart rate to the appropriate levels. Crossfit after work: 7:00 AMRAP: 15xkettle-bell swings, 3xpush-ups. Strength: Weighted kettle-bell sit-ups (3×10).  This was my last crossfit (other than meta post long run) because I have a fitness test Monday. Wish me luck.

Saturday: 18 easy miles on the treadmill, thank you Bachelor in Paradise for getting me through.  You had me at hello.

No, seriously.  Hello.

Did a recovery strength bit in the afternoon to aid recovery.  3 rounds: 10xair squats, 10xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups

Sunday: 5 miles easy with 4x:20 sprints.  I had a tempo on my workout plan but because I had the fitness test early Monday morning (and they recommended a rest day) I just did an easy five keeping my heart rate in the fat barn zone (around 10:00).

Total: 47 miles, 4 CrossFit workouts

The hardest part of my afternoon will be carrying my new kettle bell through the store and to my car.

A good week of training that I am happy about.  I almost didn’t type that because it seems like my good weeks are always followed by terrible ones.  But maybe that’s the way training works overall, I’ve just never pushed myself hard enough to know.

Monday: 5 miles, easy pace (10:00). Crossfit after work: Meta, 3 rounds: 10xpush-ups, 10x jumping jacks, 10xsquats, 10xjumping jacks, 10xsit-ups, 10xjumping jacks. Strength: 4 rounds: 3xpush-ups, 6xdeadlifts, 9xsquats.

Tuesday: 5.5 miles in the morning, 5×5:00 at 8:04 pace, 2:00 recovery.  Crossfit after work: 9-7-5-3-1 KB lunges, KB swings, KB sit-ups (35 pounds).

Wednesday:  My favorite day, running/non-running interval day.  I interspersed sprints and rowing for a total of 6 miles ran, 4000 meters rowed.  20:00 run, 10:00 rowing, 10:00 running/sprints, 5:00 rowing, 10:00 running/sprints, 5:00 rowing, 15:00 run cool-down. Crossfit quick meta workout after work: 2 rounds: 50xjumping jacks, 50xmountain climbers, 10xburpees.

Thursday: 6 miles total, hill intervals 1:30 at 5.0 incline, 1:00 at 0.0 incline.  Average pace: 10:00.  This run felt amazing and I wanted to keep running (but had to get to work). Frankly, I didn’t push myself like I could or should have – I kept my HR in the 150’s (160 is my peak zone), this is just the high end of cardio (zone 3) which means, in terms of overall fitness, this workout didn’t achieve my specific training goals.  HOWEVER, I enjoyed it and it was harder than an easy run and got in some hill work.  I’m going to call it a win. Crossfit after work: 10 minutes AMRAP: 5xwall balls, 5xTRX push-ups, 5xpush presses, 5xTRX rows.

Friday: 6 easy miles in the morning.  Crossfit after work: 3 rounds: 25xTRX pull-ups, 25xair squats, 25xsit-ups.  Strength: 5,6,7,8,9xstanding presses, 5×5 biceps.

Saturday: 16 miles, easy.  No Crossfit because long run day. Literally did nothing for the rest of the day.

Sunday: Marathon pace, tempo, 6.5 miles, 8:00 pace.  This was hard, especially after yesterday’s longish run. Core workout in the afternoon: 3 rounds: 20xsit-ups, :30 plank, 15xpilates sit-ups, 10xside planks, 15xcrunchs, 10xside planks (other side).

Total: 45 miles total. 4 crossfit workouts.

Happy, feeling strong.  Enjoying running.

I decided to put the last two weeks of training logs into one.  I’ve been blaming my lack of motivation on a series of things: crazy work schedule, hydration, sickness, cycle, etc.  But the reality is that running as training for a race isn’t important to me right now. It’s hard to admit as a running blogger, and hard to face myself because it’s a part of who I am (as you read about this morning).  But right now, I’m running to stay fit and active.

July 24-31:

Monday: Didn’t feel like running so did intervals on the cybex elliptical (:15 on, :45 recovery).  Crossfit after work: 15 minutes AMRAP: 10xTRX pull-ups, 10xTRX push-ups, 15 squats. 5×5 straight-legged deadlifts.

Tuesday: 4 miles total, 4X4:00 at 8:34 pace, 2:00 recovery (treadmill, no air conditioning).  I had an epiphany today.  I was feeling all whiny on the treadmill because an 8:34 pace was feeling “hard.”  Sometimes, the rest of my life feels like it takes so much that I want my runs to be easy, but the reality is that pushing through hard runs is what prepares me to take on the other parts of my life that can be hard.  I love this stuff.  This changed my whole attitude to “embrace the suck” and I enjoyed the rest of the run. Crossfit after work: 175 total kettlebell to overhead squats (15 pounds) broken down into 10’s with one dip.  Strength: 5×5 standing presses.

Wednesday: Progressive run (on treadmill, .1 increase every minute), 6 miles total

Thursday: 6 miles total, 3x the following: :45 6:30 pace, :45 recovery, :45 6:30 pace, :30 recovery, :45 6:30 pace, :15 recovery, :45 6:30 pace, 3:00 recovery. Crossfit after work: 12:00 AMRAP: 10xpush-ups, 15xsit-ups, 20xlunges.  Strength: 3×8 KB squats.

Friday: 4 miles total, really feeling sore from Thursday’s legs focus.

Saturday: 5 miles total, 3×10:00 8:00 pace, 2:00 recovery. Crossfit immediately after: 5 mn AMRAP 12×35-pound KB swings, 1 dip, 1 push-up.

Sunday: 8 miles total, first 4 easy (with walking) with the girls. Last 4 in the air conditioning at the gym. Crossfit in the afternoon (core focused): 8 rounds: :30 plank, 10xsit-ups, 10xcrunches, 20xmountain climbers, 10xdonkey kicks.

Total: 33 miles, 4 key CF workouts.

Aug 1-Aug 7:

Monday: 5 miles total, 6x400m repeats at 7:00 pace.  Wicked humid, but this is life. Crossfit after work (easy desk day): 10 rounds: 3xKB clean and jerk, 6xpush-ups, 9xair squats.  Strength: 5×5 deadlifts.

Tuesday: Recovery day, 4 miles easy. Crossfit after work: 10 minutes AMRAP: 7 35 pound KB swings, 6 burps. Strength: 5×5,7,9,11,13 squats

Wednesday: 5 miles easy

Thursday: 5 miles, progressive run (start at 6.0 and increase by .1 every minute)

Friday: Rest

Saturday: I’m burned out on running, so I’m trying Olympic-themed workouts.  Today rowing was on tv, so I rowed.  Crossfit in the afternoon: 10 rounds: 5xsquats, 5xpush-ups, 5xsit-ups, 5xsupermans.  Oh, I also got the bug and ran 6 total miles, 3×7:00 at 8:00 pace, 3:00 recovery.

Sunday: Felt like running again, strangely, after deciding I wouldn’t run again until I felt like it (I guess the duration was short), 6 miles total, 10:00 at 8:34 pace, 20:00 at 8:34 pace. Crossfit in the afternoon: 21-15-9 lunges, sit-ups, burpees. 5×5 KB thrusters.

Total: 33 miles, 4 key crossfit workouts.  Apparently 33 miles is my sweet spot.

While my mileage was low this week and I didn’t get in a single long run, I kept my attitude focused on doing what I could (read: the bare minimum) and tried to keep my expectations in check.  I got in my key runs and crossfit workouts and, therefore, I am happy. As long as I am maintaining fitness and staying on top of work (which is my priority right now), I’m determined to accept what I can do and not worry about what I cannot.

The workouts: 

Monday: 5.5 miles, 5×4:00 at 8:00 pace, 3:00 recovery.  Crossfit after work: 8 rounds: :30 plank, 10xpush-ups, 10xsit-ups, 10xair squats, 10xdonkey kicks.  Whoa, my abs felt this one.

Tuesday: 7x :60 at 7:00 pace, :90 recovery.  5 miles total.

Wednesday: 1 mile warm-up, intervals of 5:00 rowing, 5:00 running, 1 mile cool-down, 5 miles total. Crossfit after work: 1, 2, . . . 15 KB swings, squats

Thursday:  Didn’t feel like running and it wasn’t in the plan.  Did spinning in the AM instead.  Sweaty, awesome, and the change of pace I needed. Crossfit after work: 20 rounds: 5xjumping jacks, 2xpush-ups, 3xstanding presses. 2 rounds: 5xjumping jacks, 2xburpees, 3xstanding presses. 5xdeadlifts (50 pounds) done between rounds.

Friday:  5 miles easy (morning)

Saturday: 3 miles (and these were really hard).  I switched to 30 minutes on the elliptical and was SO ready to be done.  However, I successful navigated the Driver’s License Bureau visit pre-run, so I am viewing today as a net win. Since my running mojo is nill, I’m going to CrossFit like a boss.

Sunday: Tabata (:20 on, :10 rest), 5 miles total.  Crossfit in the middle of grading. 4 rounds: 20 side planks (right), 2o pilates sit-ups, 2 crunches, 20 side plans (left), 20 mountain climbers, 20 jumping jacks.

Totals: 28 miles, 4 crossfit workouts.

Frankly, Crossfit is saving my workout mojo.  I’m hitting my key crossfit endurance workouts and getting stronger for my crossfit strength and skill workouts.  I’m liking my Crossfit workouts more than running right now too, and instead of agonizing about why, I’m going to do what feels right and keeps me active, since I don’t have any races on my calendar (work co-opted Burning River).  And that’s okay.  Seriously.  I’m okay with this and focusing on Crossfit until I feel the need to run long again.  Which it will, I know enough about my running cycles that it’ll come back.  And until it does, I’m going to take the opportunity to build my functional fitness elsewhere, so when I can run long again, I’m a better runner.

I took a different approach to training this week.  I knew I had been pushing too hard between work and training, so I planned to do no more than the minimum this week.  That meant no junk miles after my CFE intervals, no extra crossfit workouts, no workouts over an hour except Saturday, and a real rest day (no matter how easy I thought I had taken it all week).  Frankly, I should have been doing this all along, but my ultra in ultrarunner also means ultra as in overdo it, always.

Smarten up, Cilantro.

The runs:

Monday: 5 miles total, 3×3:30 at 7:30 pace. Crossfit after work: 5 rounds: 3xdeadlift, 6xpush-ups, 9xsquats.

Tuesday: 3 miles total, 8x:20 at 8:00 pace, treadmill incline at 12%, :10 rest (Tabata). 1250m rowed to cool down.  Crossfit after work: 30 rounds: 5xjumping jacks, 2xburpees, 3xstanding push-presses.

Wednesday: 4 miles easy. Crossfit after work: 7 mn AMRAP: 2xpush-up, 2xKB swing (35 pounds), 2xsit-up. 5×5 biceps.

Thursday: 5 miles total, 2×9:00 8:00 pace, 3:00 recovery. 10x100m sprints to warm up.

Friday: 6 miles, easy (hilly route, 9:00 average pace)

Saturday: 10 miles, easy.

Sunday: Rest

Total: 33 miles

Although my mileage is low, I am happy with it.  I have a job that I love and feel completely lucky to have.  The reality, at least for now, is that my job takes priority over training, and I’m accepting that this might mean no ultras for me this year.  It’s not ideal, but I’m also not broken up about it.  In fact, it’s kind of a relief.

But who knows how I’ll feel in a month.  Heck, who knows how I’ll feel in a week.  Happy running, training, working, and, most importantly, living.