*January 26-31, 2015

Monday:

• PLAN- 3 miles @easy, conversational pace plus 30 minutes of cross training
• ACTUAL- 3 miles @10:56 average pace and 30 minutes on bike

My first workout with my new coach.  Almost did not go to the gym but glad I did.  Great run on the treadmill and 30 minutes on the bike wasn’t too bad.  Time went by quickly.

Tuesday:

• PLAN-4 miles @easy, conversational pace with 6 X 1 minute fartlek with 2 minutes recovery
• ACTUAL- 2 miles @10:55 and 2 miles @11:18

Ran 2 miles @10:55.  Pace felt OK.  Fartleks were done @7:59 and felt hard but at the same time manageable.  I am in awe of people that run races at that pace.  One minute was long enough for me. I took it slow the last two miles and ran them @11:18.  I was tired.  Great workout!  Definitely want to do this one again.

Wednesday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

Thursday:

• PLAN- 3 miles at easy, conversational pace
• ACTUAL- 3 miles @11:22 average pace

For some reason 3 miles was tough today.  Started at 10:55, then 11:18 and then back again to 10:55.

Friday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

Saturday:

• PLAN- 6 miles @11:30  +/- 10 seconds with 6 strides at the end of the run
• ACTUAL- 6.38 @11:21 average pace

A little cold but still great day for a run.  Splits are:
1-11:39
2-11:22
3-11:44
4-11:25
5-11:08
6-11:30

Sunday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• What a disappointment about Rita Jeptoo.
• I definitely enjoyed my workouts this week.  Next week will be similar with my long run being 7 miles.
• I want these shoes.  So cute.

• This Friday is my first swimming class.  Yes, I am excited!
• I am planning to run the Little Rock Marathon next year.  Here is a video of the medal. However, I also want to run the RnR New Orleans Half Marathon which mostly likely will be the weekend before. Registration is only $50 for the full and half marathon.  So yes I will sign up for both races.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post below are “affiliate links.”  This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

*January 19-25, 2015

Monday:

• PLAN- Cross-train
• ACTUAL- Nada.

It was my day off from school but I met my friend, Lidia, at Corner Bakery to grade some papers.  It felt good to finally grade some writing papers that I’ve had since November.  I also had the most delicious Avocado and Spinach Panini.

Tuesday:

• PLAN-1200 in 7:01 (200 RI), 1000 in 5:48(200 RI), 800 in 4:37 (200 RI), 600 in 3:27 (200 RI), 400 in 2:16 (200 RI)
• ACTUAL- 1.39 miles

Those numbers hurt my head.  Well, to make a long story short, I did not complete all of them.  Well, I only did 1.39 miles.  I have a whole bunch of excuses but I won’t even write them all here.  I will only say that it clearly wasn’t my day.

Wednesday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

Thursday:

• PLAN- 1 mile easy, 5 miles at 10:33, 1 mile easy
• ACTUAL- 2.50 miles

I got a late start to my workout that by the time I finished my easy 1 mile, I was already tired.  I walked and ran and finally went home after 2.5 miles.

Friday:

• PLAN- Cross training
• ACTUAL- Nothing.

I went home because I had a cold.  As soon as I got home, I took some Theraflu and went to bed.

Saturday:

• PLAN- 12 miles @12:00
• ACTUAL- None.

I switched my long run to Sunday to take a class at The Dailey Method Orland Park with Meghan.  Well, that didn’t happen.  I stayed home and watched a few episodes of “Hot in Cleveland”.  It is a funny show.  Sometimes the characters annoy me but they still make me laugh.

I also made some Bob’s Red Mill Soup Mix, 13 Bean Soup on the crockpot.  It is so easy to make and tastes delicious!  Then that night before I went to bed I put again the ingredients in the crockpot for another batch.  I have a small one (4-6 cups) but have a bigger one in the attic.

Sunday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• I got my first jar of Nuttzo Seven Nut & Seed Butter Crunchy.  At first I thought the taste was bland but now I like it.  I just placed an order on Amazon for the NuttZo Seven Nut & Butter Creamy Chocolate and NuttZo Seven Nut & Seed Butter Crunchy Chocolate.

• I also got my copy of “No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest Self“.  I’ve already checked out the recipes and found some really good ones.  I don’t eat too much meat anyway but can go crazy on chicken breasts/tenders and my occasional hamburger.  So far it’s been one week without meat and it hasn’t been too bad at all.

• I am excited to be working with my friend, Melanie, to coach me this year.  I know, I know, I said at the beginning of the year that I had a running plan using the “Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster” book.  Well, that wasn’t really working out for me so I reached out to her and she has agreed to work with me.

I can’t believe this is the last week of January.  I am looking forward to the remaining 11 months.  What are you excited about this year?

*January 12-18, 2015

Monday:

• PLAN- Cross-train
• ACTUAL- Oh boy, here we go again.  Again, nothing today.

After school I had a meeting and then a dentist appointment.  I did have my stuff ready to go to the gym but instead just went home.

Tuesday:

• PLAN-4 x 800 @4:37 (2 min RI)
• ACTUAL- 4 x 800 @9:17 (per mile)

Great workout!  I felt much better than last week.  I like doing these on the treadmill so I did the calculation on the pace for one mile and came up with 9:23.  I am not sure why I did them in 9:17.  I will admit though that I got tired and struggled with the last 800 but overall still felt great.

Wednesday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

Thursday:

• PLAN- 1 mile easy, 5 miles @10:33, 1 mile easy
• ACTUAL- None.

Too tired.  Stayed late after school to review some papers and organize some things in my classroom.

Friday:

• PLAN- Cross training
• ACTUAL- None

I had a doctor appointment for some blood work to check my cholesterol level.  I went in July and my levels were high so she asked me to go back in 6 months.  I got my results today and my levels are pretty good.  Total is down 15 points and LDL is also down 15 points.  My HDL, good cholesterol, also went up a little.  My doctor even told me that whatever I am doing is working and to keep doing it.

Saturday:

• PLAN- 10 miles @12:00
• ACTUAL- None.

I had a retirement/wedding anniversary party on Saturday in Hartford.  It was a great party!  My plan was to run on Sunday morning, but when I woke up it was raining and the roads were too icy and no way was I going to run in those conditions.

Not running related but tried this beer for the first time.  It was OK.

I love my Dunkin’ Donuts.

Sunday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• Week 2 did not go as I expected.  I guess that is bound to happen with unexpected things but at what point is it “acceptable”?
• I have missed my tempo runs on Thursday so I need to figure out a way to stay motivated and make it to the gym.
• I am loving my workouts on Tuesday.
• I enrolled in swimming lessons at the YMCA.  I am excited because I’ve always wanted to take swimming lessons but felt embarrassed because the younger kids swim better than me.  I am excited too because it will be another form of cross-training/exercise for me.

What is your favorite speed workout?

*January 5-11, 2015

Monday:

• PLAN- Cross-train
• ACTUAL- Nada, but does walking count?

Back to work and no motivation to get on the elliptical.

Tuesday:

• PLAN- 3×1600 @9:29 (400 RI)
• ACTUAL- I did run 3 miles but at 9:34 pace.  However, I was not able to run them consistent and so I had to stop every quarter mile.  Not my finest moment but still felt great after my run.

I was tired and it showed because I could not run one mile without stopping.  Or perhaps the pace was too fast for me?  I was happy that I was able to run 400s even if that wasn’t in the plan.  Definitely counts as speedwork.

Wednesday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

No school due to weather.  My evening class was not cancelled.

Thursday:

• PLAN- 2 miles easy, 2 miles @10:02, 2 miles easy
• ACTUAL- Did not run at all.

Still no school so I stayed home.  I had planned to go to the gym after lunch but once I saw the snow, I decided to skip it and not worry about it.  I finished watching the last season of “Veronica Mars”.

Friday:

• PLAN- Cross training
• ACTUAL- None

Met a friend for dinner.  Had a great time and enjoyed my two apple martinis.

Saturday:

• PLAN- 8 miles @11:45
• ACTUAL- I did 6:54 miles alternating between 11:44 and 11:18 with a few walking breaks.

Oh boy, I guess the martinis on Friday night were a bad idea.  I finally made it to the gym at 3pm and could not keep up with the pace.  I usually enjoy running on the treadmill but for some reason I was not liking it on Saturday.  I watched a few episodes of “Hot in Cleveland” and that did not help at all.  I finally stopped with 6:54 miles.

Sunday:

• PLAN- Rest day
• ACTUAL- Rest day

*Runs on treadmill are done on 1% incline.

Thoughts:

• A rough first week into the new year.  Definitely not my finest moment.  I need to work on being consistent with my runs and cross training.
• Hydrations is key.  Must remember that every single day.  Even though I was home for two days, I did not drink water like I was supposed to.