Training for Half Craziness #2

Well, I survived another 4 weeks of training for the Delaware Half Marathon!  Picking up where we left off after part 1, weeks 5,6,7, & 8 were quite hard!  However, I feel myself getting stronger and stronger, maybe even a little faster everyday.

Week 5: If you remember, I mentioned I had an issue with my right leg/foot, and I was unsure what to do... Well, I did a little bit of rest and running on it.  I rested my foot Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  I did do a little yoga, but overall it was a full break.  I also wanted to enjoy the short time I had with my family in between shows.  On Friday, after I arrived in Milwaukee, I hit the hotel gym for a treadmill run.  It felt great, I logged about 3 miles, with some good 8.0 sprints at the end.  Saturday, I worked an unexpected 13hr day at work, so there was no workout to speak of.  Sunday brought another good, 3+ mile, treadmill run with a great ab/core workout.  The easy runs and the much need break, left my foot/leg feeling great... No Pain!

Back in the swing of things for week 6... I had a busy week.  I was in Milwaukee for work, and boy was it cold... The only thing to do was to workout.  I also had some great motivation from my co-workers, Christy, Rebecca, Vicki, & Carolina!  Monday, I had 2 great yoga practices (am & pm).  I had a great speed work (intervals) run on Tuesday, 5.1 miles.  Wednesday brought a great double workout day: X-training workout, a personal-mini spin class and my favorite 5-4-3-2-1 workout, and 35 min session on the elliptical after work.  Thursday, I walked a mile in the gym, then cranked the heat in my room for a warm yoga practice.  Friday, I had to split my scheduled 6 mile run into two, due to time constraints, I did 4 miles in the morning and 2 miles after work.  Saturday was another XT day, elliptical and 5-4-3-2-1.  Even though I was scheduled for a run on Sunday, I skipped it and had a much needed rest day.  I also logged my weekly allotment, before Sunday... 12.5 miles, yay!

Week 7, I was in a whole new city... Kansas City!  Monday was a rest day, or a family day if you will, since it was the only day I was home.  I moved my Tuesday run to Wednesday because of flying.  Wednesday's run was a great 5 mile run, even though I accidentally hit the stop button right in the middle of my run... LOL... It was quite comical! Thursday, I practiced Body Flow in my room... Did I tell you, I travel with a Gaiam yoga mat (love it).  Dispite many distractions, Friday's run was long, but fun... 7.1 miles.  Saturday, I was heading out for some good ole KC BBQ, so I squeezed in 5-4-3-2-1 in my room, then some great bedtime yoga after dinner.  Sunday, I flew to another city (minneapolis) after work in KC, even though I arrived well after midnight, I practiced a little bedtime yoga to help me unwind!  With only 2 runs, I still logged over 12 miles for the week.

Week 8, I set some new goals... Because I was feeling some shin pains, I wanted to start strengthening my shins and calves, since this was an easy week for running.  I practiced yoga on Monday.  Tuesday, I had a fast 5k run with some really good core exercises.   I X-trained in my room on Wednesday, with 5-4-3-2-1 and good calf/shin exercises I found in Women's Health.  Thursday, I went for a nice walk with my dear friend Becky, since Minneapolis is so cold, we walked miles in their indoor skyways!  Friday was a 'scatter brain' run, I was going steady for the first 2 miles, the I started to get bored... I kicked up my speed and incline, then ran some sprints to pass the time. Before I knew, I was at 4 miles.  Saturday, included a bedtime yoga practice, and Sunday was an easy, slow 2 mile run, before work and flying home... Yay!

These 4 weeks were great for training, I'm feeling great, healthy, and strong!  I burned a lot of calories, ate healthy, lost a couple of inches (not planned), but more importantly I've fought off all of the nasty viruses going around... Knock on wood, I hope I stay healthy!  Time to step it up more, I need to get in my 3 runs, and get outside... I am so sick of hotel gyms!  Keep running friends, only 8 more weeks to go!