This week’s Tuesday Topic is What are your thoughts about rest days?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I haven’t taken any rest days from running since August 29.  Today is day #46.  Let’s see how long I can continue this streak.  I feel good.  The weather has been fantastic and I am enjoying running in this weather.

My coach has me running 5-6 days a week and no more than 30 miles a week.  On the days he does not schedule a workout, I run for 20 minutes.  The pace is very slow and easy and it is never more than 2 miles.  

Some benefits of rest days include:

✓ Allows your muscles to recover.

✓ Reduces the chance of injury.

✓ Helps you sleep better.

There was a time when I would look forward to my rest days.  I would rest on my rest days, like really rest meaning that I would not do anything.  My body wanted that rest day.  I even looked forward to that day when I wouldn’t “have” to run.  I am the type of person that can spend all day on the sofa watching TV or reading a book and only getting up to get something to eat and use the bathroom.

However, a rest day doesn’t mean you don’t do anything.  You can still do some kind of light activity.  You can walk, swim, do yoga, or do an easy bike class.  

Me?  I take it easy on those rest days and even walk if I want to.  No pressure.  Again, the weather has been great and I am enjoying it.  Who knows how it will be during the Winter.  

Everyone trains and recovers different.  We do not train the same way and expect the same results.  It is the same thing with rest days.  Everyone’s body does not need the same amount of rest days.  You know your body and what is best for YOU!  

This week’s Tuesday Topic is Brag Time: Share some of your most popular running related blog posts.  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Well this is an interesting topic.  I never check my stats.  My blog is small.  I post mainly to talk about my training and my adventures as a teacher.  😀 I don’t have a lot of followers but do have my loyal readers that read my posts every week.  Thank you. 

Here are a few of my most popular posts:

✸ Weekly Run Down: Week #1 of training for a 5k and new shoes.  Not sure why this is popular.  Maybe because it is a new post?

✸ Goodbye November and Hello December!  It was a November monthly recap with the previous “Tuesdays on the Run” linkup.  Made me smile when I saw that.  

✸ Tuesday Topics: My Winter weather running tips and a birthday giveaway!  I wrote about my Winter running tips.  Surely it had nothing to do with the $47 gift card that was offered, right?  

✸ Tuesday Topics: I walked 610,966 steps in the StepBet Challenge!  That was a fun challenge!  I don’t wear a FitBit anymore and wear my Garmin only for running but would like to do a similar challenge.

✸ Weekly Run Down: A fall and taking a break.  I was excited and looking forward to run after recovering from a cold.  Then I fell.  I am still traumatized from that fall.

✸ Goodbye September and Hello October!  Another monthly recap with the Tuesday on the Run linkup.

✸ Weekly Run Down: End of the month and 335 miles.  A weekly linkup hosted by Kim and Deborah.  Love the support that is provided by everyone in the linkup.  ♥️

✸ Tuesday Topics: 2019 Missoula Half Marathon Race Recap.  A trip to MT to run a half marathon.  Many people raved about this race and I was excited to run there.  I liked the course but not the travel experience.  I prefer traveling to big cities.

✸ Tuesday Topics: 2019 Shamrock Shuffle Race Recap.  One of my favorite races in Chicago.  I miss this race.  Hopefully I can run it next year.

✸ Weekly Run Down: The Olympic Marathon Trials Edition.  A fun weekend spectating The Olympic Marathon Trials.  The next day I ran the Atlanta Half Marathon.  It was a tough course but the weekend itself was amazing.

✸ Weekly Run Down: Banned from Brooksrunning and summer break.  You all know my LOVE for Brooks shoes.  Apparently I order too many and then return them more than they would have liked.  Now I am not allowed to order from their site anymore.  Maybe that is why I wasn’t picked to be on the Run Happy Team either?  🤣 🤔 That is OK since I like ordering from Running Warehouse and Zappos.

I used Google Analytics for this information.  Did I do it right?  Is that what you use to check your stats too?

This week’s Tuesday Topic is What are some running mistakes you’ve made or keep on making?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I laughed when I saw today’s topic.  I always tell my students that everyone makes mistakes but the important thing about it is to learn from our mistakes.  Umm, obviously that does not apply to ME.  

🟦 Not stretching after a run.  I am always in a rush after my run.  I have to shower, get ready, and get something to eat before logging in for my students.  This week I am going to my classroom to set it up and seriously there is no time.  

🟦 Not enough cross training or strength workouts.  I do it here and there but am not consistent.  Reason?  Time.  Sometimes laziness.  

🟦 Being too tense.  I don’t relax my shoulders and end up with some discomfort.  I don’t realize I am doing it until my shoulders are up toward my ears.  Sometimes I stop to stretch my neck and my arms and that helps.

🟦 Running too many races.  In 2013 I ran 24 races.  The majority were half marathons.  While it was great crossing off so many states from my list, it was tiring and expensive too.  Obviously I did not learn because the following year I ran 18 races and quite a few were Disney races.

🟦 Starting too fast.  I think many of us have done this.  Now I run my easy runs at an easy pace but sometimes I do start off too fast and then walk more than intended.  I know for sure I have done this at a race.

What about you?  What are some running mistakes you’ve made or  keep on making?

This week’s Tuesday Topic is What’s on your Fall bucket list?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I’m deviating from this week’s topic to write about my goals for Fall.  I’ve been working very hard in my training and also in my job.  However, I don’t make time for me.  I am hoping that with these goals I can find a balance between my personal and work life.  I am writing them in no specific order.

⇒ Continue working with my coach.  I enjoy working with him and my workouts.  I have my good and bad days.  Every runner goes through that and there is nothing to do about it.  Is there?

⇒ Keep on working on endurance and speed.  I truly believe that the training this year is getting me ready for next year.  I say this because I want to be positive that there will be races next year.

⇒ Stop checking and responding to work email after work hours.  I have already removed the app from my phone.  I can only check it from my computer.  Whatever it is sitting in my inbox can wait till the next morning.  

⇒ Log off from my work computer at 3pm or 4pm (the latest).  The work is never ending.  Work will always be there.  It can wait till the next day.  Yesterday I was working on school stuff till 8pm.  

⇒ Buy a house.  I know I keep saying this but I want to move this year.  I like where I live but am ready for a change.

⇒ Get up more often during the day.  I sit pretty much all day and am tense and sore.  My neck hurts every single day.

⇒ Get a massage.  I maybe need 7 in a row!  I know the last one I got was last year.  I used to be really good about it and get a massage twice a month.  

⇒ Read more books.  I love reading Wendy’s posts where she mentions the books she has read.  Right now I am reading “The Happy Ever After Playlist” and have a few more waiting for me at the library.  Thanks Wendy!

⇒ Do more fun things with friends.  This one is “tricky’ but doable.  Last Monday I met a friend for dinner.  I had not seen her since March and it was my first time out in a restaurant in a long time.  It felt weird but also nice to be out.

⇒ Go to sleep earlier.  I have not been sleeping well.  I stay up way too late (work) and then wake up early in the morning.

⇒ Find time for yoga and cycling classes.  Running and strength is what I do now.  I know I should do more.  I miss the bike and I know yoga will help me feel better.  I was motivated with Deborah’s post where she did yoga everyday for 2 weeks.  

⇒ Smile and laugh more!  

Whew, that’s a lot.  What do you think about my goals?  Anything else I should add to the list?

This week’s Tuesday Topic is What speedwork do you incorporate in your running?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

One can either love or hate speedwork. I have mixed feelings about it. It all depends on how I am feeling that morning. I don’t hate it but I don’t love it either. I do it because I know it will help me get faster and because my coach tell me do do it. 🙂

When doing speed workouts, my paces aren’t “fast” but to me they are. They’re faster than what I would normally run. It feels good to hit paces and see numbers I never thought I would see. It is even better when I don’t want to do said workout and it goes better than expected!

✔️ I like to do short speed workouts than longer ones. My favorite ones are the 30 seconds fast with 1 minute recovery and 1 minute fast with 1 minute recovery.

✔️ A longer one that I like to do is 3:15/80 or 3:30/75. It isn’t that bad once I get settled in. Sometimes I do two sets of interval and I have to be careful not to go too fast in the first set.

I do a workout like this about once a week. Again, I don’t love them but don’t hate them either. They’re like spice adding an interesting twist to a run! Doing them does not kill me but will make me stronger. 🙂