How is it week four already? I can’t believe how quickly these weeks are passing, which means summer is flying by too! We’re a month in, and I already feel better than I did for Akron and Columbus. This week was huge for me and a great way to see just how far I’ve come.

I started Monday with Body Fusion, where I was one of two people in class due to the crazy weather. I almost didn’t go, but made it through the storm and was so glad I did. The instructor even noticed how much I’ve toned since January.

Tuesday was track day, and I was almost certain I was going to get rained out. Luckily the weather was a complete 180 from work and we had sunny skies, dry track and 85 degrees. I attempted my first ladder workout in probably 6 years, and as hard as it was, I actually enjoyed it. I worked on staying under an 8 minute pace, and was on point every time. Next ladder workout I’ll focus on quicker times for the shorter distances.

Wednesday I ran my recovery run with Elayna and Ella. We originally had about 4 miles planned, but ended up taking the long way to the lake, which definitely didn’t disappoint with views. It was hot and our pace was slower, but my legs felt fresh and it was nice to catch up. I even tried convincing Elayna to run her first half marathon this fall, so we’ll see what happens.

Thursday I ran with Second Sole, and it was a hot one. I was planning to keep it easy, but started out a bit too quick. Guess that happens when you’re stuck behind 20 year old guys who run a 5/6 minute pace. We ended up going from the store to Roscoe and back. The rolling hills at Roscoe beat me up a bit, but I ended up with an 8:50 average pace, not bad considering I’d already run 11 miles in the past two days.

Friday was my rest day, and Saturday I did a short shakeout run. I managed a little over a mile and I was already feeling drained. Sunday I ran the Columbia Station Half Marathon, recap to come later this week. I had originally planned to run about 3 miles post race, but my stomach had other plans. With an 8am race start, I was also pretty dehydrated once I crossed the finish line.

Monday: Body Fusion Class – 30 minutes of lifting/abs/squats & 30 minutes of yoga

Tuesday: 5.5 Miles, 1 Mile W/U, Ladder-800(3:48), 1200(5:54), 1600(7:54), 1200(5:54), 800(3:57), 1 Mile C/D

Wednesday: 6 Miles

Thursday: 4.4 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 1 Mile

Sunday: Columbia Station Half Marathon

Total Miles: 30 Miles

This week was tough on my legs, but I was able to reach two big milestones. This was probably the first time I’ve ever run 30 miles in one week. I also hit 100 miles for the month, which is something I’ve been hoping to do for quite some time. Thankfully I haven’t had any injuries, and I’ve been playing a lot of attention to my body to make sure I can handle the increase in mileage.

I’ve been focusing on getting more sleep, doubling the amount of water I’m drinking, stretching after every run, and easing myself back into ice baths.

This next week will be interesting. The holiday weekend throws me off a little bit, but I’ve got a 5k and 10k scheduled for Friday. They’ll be hot and humid, and most likely slow because I’ll be turning it into my long run. I’m not expecting a PR, mostly, because I won’t be trying for one, but I’m excited to try both races this year instead of just one. Then I’ll have all weekend to enjoy the holiday!

 

What’s your highest mileage in a week, a month? Will you be running a 4th of July race?