off season – Masher Runs

I didn’t quite get around to my October recap, so I decided to combine it with November. Both months went by quickly, and unfortunately I don’t have too much to show for.

October was a busy month, but it wasn’t all because of running. October was full of catching up on life post marathon, starting wedding planning, and getting back into a regular workout schedule. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Miles run: 53

Races run: 1 (Wineglass Marathon)

Miles biked: 0

Favorite Workout: 10/8-Recovery Run

Books read: 0

Place traveled: Corning, New York

The biggest thing that happened in October was the marathon. I didn’t quite meet my goal time, but I still managed to PR by 21 minutes! Despite a tough race, I can proudly say I completed marathon number 2! It was an emotional event, and an exciting adventure, but I think I’m ready to put marathons on the shelf for a while.

Even though I only raced once this month, I was able to keep up some sort of fitness. I took some time off after the race, but tried to run a few times before setting up a better schedule. Now I’m back to running a semi normal amount and preparing myself for spring racing.

My favorite run of the month could easily be the marathon, but I also enjoyed my first run back after the race. The Wednesday after Wineglass I set up in my neighborhood for an unplanned run. I wanted to see how I felt and really just wanted to get my legs moving. Somehow I felt fantastic and pulled out sub 9:00 minute miles. It was one of the best runs I had all summer and it was just days after the marathon. These legs are something else.

I didn’t read any new books or try any new recipes, but I did catch up on the DVR and my magazine stack. Now that I have more free time, I’m hoping I’ll be able to catch up on my reading.

And here are November’s numbers…

Miles run: 41

Races run: 0

Miles biked: 0

Favorite Workout: All of them!

Books read: 0

Place traveled: 0

My running took a bit of a back seat, but I’m fine with it. I trained a lot this year, and I don’t want to be burnt out so I’m running when I want, how long I want. I also didn’t participate in any races this month. I had a few in the back of my mind, but I just wasn’t fully committed to them, which is perfectly fine.

Favorite run?

I finally tried a new recipe, since I have some extra free time. We made a tortilla soup that was fantastic if I do say so myself. I think we’ll be making this a few times this winter!

Like I said, these past two months don’t have too much to show for, but that’s ok. I’ve surpassed my mileage goal for the year, so anything now is just icing on the cake. As for my goals on reading and cooking…I’ll have a lot to catch up on if I want to meet them by the end of the month!

How was your October and November? What was the best thing that happened to you in the past two months?

Another week back to off season training, and this one was a little hard to start with. Since the time change I now get home to complete darkness, so unfortunately it takes a lot more effort to get myself up and out the door running. Luckily the local rec center has not only treadmills, but an indoor track, so I can get some running in without feeling too caged.

Monday– Off
Tuesday– 3 Miles
Wednesday– Off
Thursday– 4.1 Miles
Friday– Off
Saturday– 5 Miles
Sunday– 2.65 Miles
Total – 14.75 Miles

I didn’t quite hit my goal of 15 miles, but I was close. I started the week at the indoor track and forgot how quickly it can become boring. But I definitely felt strong and speedy so the laps went by quickly. Thursday I met up with Second Sole and we braved the rain and windy for a 4 mile run around town.

Saturday I met up with some MCRR members at Buckeye Woods and had my longest run since the marathon. The wind was brutal so it was a little tougher than I had hoped, but it was nice to run with a group at my favorite park.

Hills for days

Sunday I knew I wanted to try somewhere new, so I checked out one of the local parks. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it ended up being a harder run than I originally thought. Allardale is full of trails and hills, but I managed a decent pace and quickly fell in love with the park.

This week wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but that’s the beauty of off season. If something doesn’t go as planned, it’s ok. Now I just need to work on extending my long run and getting used to running the indoor track.