Weekly Recap: Save the Light Half Marathon Training Week 3 (12/11-12/17)

Christmas vacation (sort of)

Well, I'm off from my day job, but not any less busy. How is this possible? I was counting on these three weeks off from that to help me get my schedule under control, but it's just the same as it ever was. Freelance work and my editing job kept me busier than normal, or maybe I've just filled the extra space left from not having day job work with freelance and editing work.

But anyway, it was a decent week. Not exactly the week in workouts I'd hoped for as far as getting in yoga and strength training, but all of my runs went really well!

Workout summary

  
   Monday
   Off
  
   Tuesday
    Run - Easy 3.05 miles at 8:45/mile 
  
   Wednesday
   Easy - 3.12 miles at 8:35/mile 
  
   Thursday
    Off 
  
   Friday
   Off
  
Saturday
    O2 Fitness Cocoa Cup 5K (forced to start in the back with the stroller) - 9:46/mile (30:15 - ugh) 

      I don't normally care about official time versus what my running app said, but this was a pretty frustrating event for me. With all the weaving I was doing trying (mostly in vain) to break free from the packed crowd who was much slower than I wanted to be going, my running app had me at 3.32 miles (way more than other years on the same course when I ran on my own and ran the tangents) - That put my unofficial time at 9:07/mile over the same 30:15 overall time (which is also what my running app said). 
  
   Sunday
   Easy 3.12 miles at 8:18/mile
  
   Totals
    4 runs / 12.61 miles

Even though I missed all of my strength workouts and yoga, I did run four times, including the O2 Fitness Cocoa Cup with the stroller, in which I suffered from major stroller rage stuck in the back behind a bunch of walkers, trying to avoid running up over people's ankles for all but the last quarter mile of the race. Full recap forthcoming.

I tweaked my back two weeks ago, and I'm having some residual piriformis pain. Literally, I have a pain in the butt (and down my leg, all the way to my foot). Good times. Most of the time, it's more painful to not move than it is to move, so I still got 4 runs in, although Sunday's run was much shorter than I intended because I was feeling irritation while running, and I don't want to aggravate this thing further.

The good news? Every run last week was faster than the one before it with no real increase in effort (with the exception of my stroller rage race, which doesn't really count), so I'd say things are starting to improve here.

As of right now, I'm still planning on running the Save the Light Half, but I'm really having a hard time getting my motivation together for it. I'm wondering with all the issues I've had and continue to have, if I should just bag it and train harder for shorter distances and maybe try another half a bit later in the spring (but then the weather gets gross, so there's that, too).

Other than running and working more than I planned to work last week, we saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi on opening night! I don't remember the last time I saw a movie the day it opened. The theatre was packed and there was lots of cheering and clapping going on. And in general, it didn't disappoint. It was a bit slow on the uptake, but the second half was amazing. I want to see it again in the theatre! There's just something about those opening credits that just send chills down my spine when they start on the big screen.

And of course, when we go to see Star Wars, we wear our Star Wars sweatshirts.

And that's a wrap. I'm hoping this week isn't quite as busy as last week (although I'm not sure how it won't be because I still have a bunch of Christmas stuff to get done - cookie baking, present wrapping plus freelance and editing work). 'Tis the season.