Week five should be titled, “The Week of Ending a Mile Short”. After my decent 18 miler during week four (which I have yet to get typed up, I know), I felt a bit worn down. It took me a couple days to gain back energy. Plus, there were multiple nights of getting minimal sleep. I need my sleep! So here it goes…
Run Number One:
It was going to be a lovely date with N out on the bike path to start our Monday morning. The bike was loaded on the rack as we drove to the gym. We walked in to drop C off at soccer camp and were thrown a curve ball. The older kids’ soccer camp was cancelled, meaning N no longer had the afternoon session. Parenting decision time. To still send C all week or not? I made the decision to pull him. Instead of having dates all week with each boy, I now had full on parenting all week again. Which worked that we got to do more summer adventuring. What didn’t work? Yeah, that date with N on the bike trail and my morning run.
Our morning turned into some soccer on the gym turf ourselves. We followed that with a trip to Lowe’s to purchase lumber to build a popsicle stand. We spent the afternoon assembling said stand.
My mom got to the house that afternoon to spend the night (she is the best and stays with us a couple night’s a week so I may go to work)!!!! She took both boys to soccer practice Monday evening and I headed toward the gym.
By this point in the day, I am not worth much. I am definitely an early morning runner! It was 90 degrees, sunny, and 5pm. NOT my ideal running, AT ALL! My planned six miles turned into a survival four miles. My legs were still very heavy from the long run. And like I mentioned before, the energy was lacking. Instead, I stopped early and did what any normal person would do in this situation…
I walked into my gym and did leg day.
Run Number Two:
I knew I needed more motivation to make the run on Wednesday happen. Although I did not have to wake up super early to get my workouts in before going to work, I did so anyway. It had been a short night after watching an outside movie the night before. I knew if I had others with me, I had a better shot at pushing through.
5am MRTT bootcamp started my Wednesday morning. It was the final MRTT bootcamp of the summer and also happened to be my first of this summer. I have still been lifting and fitting in more yoga for my cross training this training cycle.
Anyway, I had five miles to run after bootcamp. The girls kept me company for my first two miles as we looped Cottell park. Then, it was up to me to keep pressing on. The extra motivation helped a ton!!! It was a beautiful morning. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the sun rise over the field.
I did not run my miles fast. I did not run my miles with a goal. I simply just ran. In the end, I was happily smiling about my morning. It definitely put me in a great mood for the day.
When I got home, the boys were awake. Since I worked out early, I had time for some backyard soccer with N before I had to go to work. We got in a half hour practice of one-on-one play, goal keeping, shooting, and wet morning grass all over our legs. It was perfect!
Run Number Three:
Yeah, back to the cutting it short theme of the week…
Why not run back-to-back days? Especially when it’s your long run. (While this kind of training will be needed the last couple months of this year, it is not necessary at this point).
Again, I did not HAVE to run early on Thursday as it was our “weekend” day. BUT, to have company for my first few miles and to try to beat the heat, it was another early start. Thankfully, the girls made an event for 5:30am instead of our normal 5am. Wahoo! Those thirty minutes may not seem like a big difference. However, I am telling you, a 4:20am alarm is much different than a 4:50am alarm!!!
I was able to run my first five miles with the MRTT crew. We took off way too fast. During mile two, I kept looking at my watch knowing that this pace was not what I needed. In that second mile, I let the girls run ahead of me. I kept them in sight, but did not try to push to stay with them. They still were giving me something to run after.
In the fourth mile, a couple girls stayed with me after a stoplight. We ran the rest of the way back to the cars. I grabbed my water, put on my headphones, and made sure no one wanted any extra miles. I had 10 more miles to go.
I made it through mile seven at a great pace for me. Then, the wheels started to fall off. I was running out of steam FAST! At mile eight, I knew I had to do something. I used a main stoplight to have my Gu and prayed that it was enough to give me a much needed boost. Not the case.
I continued on, wishing for every stoplight to have a “do not walk” sign up for me. I needed all the help I could get. By then, it was a busy time in Mason and I lucked out with quite a few of these mini breaks running down Mason-Montgomery Road.
By the time I hit the UDF at mile 12, I was done. Physically and mentally DONE!!! I contemplated walking into HIFI yoga and calling Shawn to wake the boys up and come pick me up. I was toast. I had nothing left in me.
Somehow, I managed to put one foot in front of the other and hobble my way back to Daylight Donuts where my car was parked. I hit 14 in the parking lot and decided being one mile short was totally okay with me this week. As always, I stopped in to bring a few donuts home for the boys (they love when our runs start there). I sat in my car for probably ten minutes trying to wrap my head around what went wrong. Plus, I was a bit out of it and needed to hydrate and focus before driving.
The take aways:
- Do not stay up the night before your long run watching the MLS all-star game! DVR exists for a reason. Use it. (Thankfully, the boys were ready for bed at halftime and I followed there after. But still, it was LATE).
- Fueling the day before a long run is crucial! Do not eat a super late lunch (even if that is when you finally get home from work) and then not be hungry for a dinner. You will be under fueled. It will not work in your favor.
Run Number Four:
Ah, nightshifts. I had planned to do my speed work on the gym treadmill once the boys woke up. However, when N woke up and was requesting to ride his bike, I knew I had to switch things up. I loaded both bikes, the scooter, and a soccer ball in the car and we headed back to Cottell park.
Today was going to be the day. C was going to get in his first MILE pacing me on his bike. Whoop, whoop. I figured I would do my warm up mile with him. He paced me perfectly. He made it all the way around the loop to give me mile one. I had a break while I loaded his bike back in the car and sent him on his way to play on the playground.
Meanwhile, N had looped the park twice and was waiting for me at the corner in the shade. He said he would pace me for my speed mile. Pace mean, meaning, he would bike as fast as I could possibly run for that long. He kind of took off on me the last quarter mile and I struggled to keep pressing. I did what I thought was the best I could do.
Brag moment: As I took my two minute recovery of standing in the shade, a walker took the time to compliment N on being so polite. Having someone tell you that your son is being polite is right up there with any other achievement in my book. I guess he had been using his trail experiences and saying “on your left” to pass everyone else who was out on the path.
Next came speed mile number two. This time, he stayed with me the entire time around the loop. He pulled me in for my best mile. He really is the best pacer I can have. Chasing him gives me purpose, motivation to dig deeper, and a desire to show him how to really give it your all. Sadly, he ditched me for my final loop. I do not blame him. He already had his four miles in and the playground was calling his name.
My final loop was all on me. Many times I repeated, “How bad do you want it”?!? This seems to be my motto for this training session. It is a HUGE dream I am chasing. It will not be easy. I find myself at the end of the race seeing the clock count down toward my goal and it makes me press just a bit more.
Happily, I finished my three mile repeats for speed work and walked over to the playground (that was my cool down). Once I arrived, N promptly asked, “Can we play soccer, please”? I may have just sprinted for three miles, but I have to soak up these moments while I can. Another half hour of soccer, it was!
I will try to back track to week four eventually. Or maybe attempt to stay on top of things and get week six out sooner.
Then, we were off to the gym so I could do leg day. This is not recommended. You will be 100% exhausted. You will end up calling your mom to keep you awake as you drive home for a wedding (which I wore my dress backward to).
