Weekly Recap: 1/25 - 1/31 - The last month of fish... (final - I didn't realize I published)

Monday – (8.2) Not gonna lie, I’m enjoying running on Monday, seems to get the week started off right.  Plus I was dragging and it woke me up enough to be productive in the afternoon!  I doubt I’m ever going to get back to 5:30 a.m. runs, maybe in the summer, yeah right…  

Monday was Faith’s birthday and a 14 mile run.  I ran 5 of those miles with her at a respectable chatty pace.  She’d already run 9 so had been over many areas already once or twice so I tried to mix it up a bit for her.  She declined on the hill loop.  Imagine that!

Weights were thwarted by required errands, Dave was out on his fat bike riding in the snow and dog dinner time was quickly approaching.  With a geriatric in the mix schedules become uber important, one thing gets off and it dominoes, and not in a good way.  

The dogs got fed and once I’m home I’m home, so I settled in to watch Downton Abbey because I missed it on Sunday night.  This was a bit of a bummer because Faith and I lacked one subject to discuss and I was rather quiet.  Hopefully she didn’t mind too much.  She did mind when at mile 4 I said, “I’m done.”  The silence was palpable!  Not a smart thing to say. Hey, my legs were a little dead from 4 and a half miles in snowshoes trying to keep up with people with legs a half a foot longer than mine the day before. (and really it's all about me, right?)

Gus settled in on the ottoman during Downton Abbey, he is learning.  Staring me down isn’t going to get him to his walk any faster, snuggling up is a better tactic and when whatever’s got my attention ceases to be he can start staring.  He got his walk.  Most of the sidewalks were clear from Saturday’s storm,  a few rentals along our normal route and one house where there is a guy I know who plows snow for his living. Really Rob, you couldn’t shovel your OWN sidewalk???  Gus and I ended up in the street a few times and the drivers were non to happy to allow us even a few feet.  Oh well.

Tuesday – (5) Solo run, forgot my albuterol, and forgot my music too.  Wow my breathing is bad when I forget to dose myself.  Lesson learned.  Everything was tight and creaky.  I was really looking forward to Yoga to get in some much needed stretching and focusing.

Yoga was perfect.  I found myself slacking off and having to concentrate on pushing myself just a little bit to get the full benefit of the poses.  All very well worth it.  I felt like a new person after class!  My concentration did pay off because I won the first round of music BINGO!  And next week is my turn to pick up the tab at the bar.

Wednesday – (8.6) the wind died down and Ro was up for our regular loop, its 3.5 miles for her and 5 for me!  I slogged the first mile and then we picked up the pace pretty decently.  At some point I may get up the gumption to go faster than a 10 pace, but let’s not rush into anything.  I’m back to consistently enjoying running for the first time in a very long time.

Spin class at the Arcadia YMCA.  I can't understand a freaking word that comes out of Kim's mouth, between the RI accent and the horrible acoustics in the room.  She was telling us how the interval class was going to work.  Honestly I thought she kept saying it was a Chibata Interval. It is the Tabata Method!  It was wicked fun, and tough. 4 sets of  8 rounds, one round is 20 second push and 10 second rest.  We did Seated, Standing Sprint, Hover with increasing tension, Seated decreasing the tension.  My mind is blanking at the moment on the series order, I think I'm capturing it correctly. Wrapping up with 2.5 minutes of sprint intervals to flush out the legs from the heavy gears.  I managed to not switch on my space watch so I didn't get my HR data recorded.  The red light was blaring so I'm sure I was working reasonably hard.

Dave decided to argue with me about my 15 miles on the spin bike.  HA.  I should figure a way to measure this....  or just let him be obnoxious (or me be obnoxious).  A little internet research says 15 - 20 miles for a 45 minute spin class.  I'll buy that.  What do you think?  Or is it just unreasonable to count them as bike miles?

Gus got his walk, poor guy goes into panic mode after dinner.  Lots of recycling to smell and he was really enjoying that.  After the walk he tucked himself into his chair and went to sleep.

Thursday -  (7.9) Unexpected lunch run!  Managed a 10K and started using the HR monitor,  I'll start this and then stop at some point.  I'm sure there is something to learn, I'm not sure if I want to learn it?

The best part was when I got back to my desk to see that Mikey had been by to redecorate, we had a fun little IM.  He was stuck in a meeting all day and couldn't run.  Wahhh wahhh... Thursdays aren't a running day for me and usually the best weather of the week.  It was glorious, I should have opted for short sleeves, but then all the people bundled up because it is January, after all, would have thought I was showing off my guns.... ha ha ha....

Weights at the gym, I have to get there twice a week, once isn't going to cut it.  Upped the weights on a couple things by 5 lbs and started a paper log to keep better track and not miss a machine.  I know, I know, free weights are better.  I'll get there. 

Quick walk with Jax.  He is a tough one to walk in the dark, too skittish.

Friday -  (5.1) Had the opportunity to run and I figured 3, down to the beach and back  I wasn't feeling too horrible, for me running 5 days in a row is a lot, could be my longest streak yet!  I hadn't run Jupiter Point lately and I wondered if the elderly lady would be out with her Corgi.  They were!  Yippiee.  And I went the usual route back to campus.  I thought I might mix it up, and avoid the long rise on Shennecossett (or however the heck it is spelled) and opt for the short quick rise on Plant Street.  For some reason Plant seemed more appealing and I know I have to get used to that rise on Shennie, so I went that way.  

Met up with Mikey as he was getting back from his run, chivalry is not dead as he wondered if my hands were cold and offered me his sweaty gloves, I passed... my hands would warm up in a mile or so, they weren't necessary, it was over 40.  Not sunny and no wind, so all was good.

Saturday -  (7.2) Morning walk with Gus, nice to be out in the sun and get in a nice long walk.  I've missed dog walks in the daylight.  The afternoon was the Charlestown Chili 5K - recap here.

Sunday -  (6+)My Kindle battery died so I decided to run, a long streak for me! 7 whole days!  I also broke 30 miles for the week and it has been since November (1st) for me to have a 30 mile week.  

While I ran I enjoyed the sun and contemplated my latest hair brained idea of an ultra.  I haven't landed anywhere, officially, yet. March 1st is d-day so guess that will be when I'll know.  Fortunately I have options as 30 miles and over is an ultra and while the training plan is set up for some crazy idea I can't even vocalize, backing it down 10 miles won't kill me and will leave 2017 open for lots more biking!  And who knows, maybe this will be a cool summer?  I know it sounds like I'm really not hating on summer running, I'll consider it testing my limits?

Gus looked rather depressed most of today, I think he forgot our epic adventure yesterday (he certainly was ticked when we didn't go on our after dinner walk).  Although with as much energy as the ancient crippled Gizmo has (he's wearing me out with all these trips outside to walk the block) maybe keeping the dogs active as their ages advance isn't such a great idea.  (ha ha ha)  Gus and I took a little spin around Westerly's North End and back home.

Dave t00k his tropical fish to their new home.  I started a salt water tank (neighbor Norm gifted me his tank when he left Joe) a few years before I met Dave and he took over my tank plus started a new one when we lived in MI.  It was sad to say good bye to those fish.  I was never very successful with anything but Clown fish.  Far to anemone died at my hands.  Dave on the other had could make things live and flourish.  One anemone multiplied to 7 and we had a few Clown Fish births.  Anyhoodles, I'm not sure how long we were here before he set up a few smaller tanks and had his eye on a 100 gallon tank (I think he wanted a 200 gallon tank).  We've been here nearly 17 years so it could be 15 years?  His capstone project was a 90 gallon corner tank, that has been in the front living room since the year my mother was diagnosed with cancer, so 9 years.   Guess his passion faded over time. It will be nice to see the electricity bill drop by a Grant probably closer to a Benjamin per month.  Not an inexpensive hobby for sure. 

Feet: 191.6 miles against a straight-line target of 170.8
Bike: 45 against a straight-line target of 170.8

Sincerely,
Beth, wondering where all the pictures of the fish and the fish tanks wandered off to... huh...

Charlestown Chili 5K - Recap

A week from nearly a foot of snow fall and there wasn't much snow on the course or the ground!

Jonny was in charge of measuring the race course and watching his Strava feed of running and re-running and measuring and re-measuring the course was amusing.  I was wondering when a slide rule may make the list of ways to measure the course!  It was great to be able to support the Charlestown Early Learning Center, education at all levels is important to me, and a fellow Westerly Track and Athletic Club (WTAC) member.

Gizmo - not to happy to model the hat from the race!

Jennifer texted me on Friday night wondering what my plans were for the race.  Simple, if I was there by myself I'd run to race if she went I'd run with her and what was her goal.  Her goal was 10:30 pace.  I knew that was a stretch for her, she hasn't been running more than a couple miles on the treadmill every couple days or so and running outside in the winter is painful for her.  I see and feel her frustration trying to balance everything going on in her life.  If she was willing to not walk I was willing to help her the best I could and she could call me every name BUT the see (c) yo(u) (n)ext (t)uesday word and we could remain friends and I wouldn't trip her.

We ended up with a 10:39 pace, and well that is in the 10:30 range so I'm calling it good.  We also walked three times (I thought it was only twice until I looked at the Strava).  She made it nearly 2 miles till we walked the first time, I tried just slowing down a bit but she wasn't having any of it.



Mile 1: 10:16 - yes fast, but I knew what was coming, you don't run with someone for nearly 2 years and not learn a thing or two.

Mile 2: 10:56 - we almost made it through the 2nd mile with no walking.  It was a push and I almost managed, but when you can't breathe you can't breathe.  I reminded her there was a fireman behind us...  We made it nearly two miles, so I knew she was serious.

Mile 3: 10:48 - two short bouts of walking (I'm a pushover, obviously).  All in all a good mile.  We passed a couple people, they passed us back, but hey we passed people.  Jennifer said she was laughing in her head when I'd say "watch her feet and we can close the gap" because she knew I'd take off if she let me!

Mile 0.1: 10:11 - picked it up a bit more to finish pretty strong.

I was happy to see the pace.  I couldn't grasp the math in my head for time.  Yes it is rather simple 10:30 is 30 minutes + 1 minute 30 second plus another minute ish for the last 1/10th of a mile  - to get to 32:33  (we were 33:24 and if we hadn't walked who knows we may have made the exact goal pace).

Sincerely,
Beth,  happy Jennifer agreed to let me help her and we had a successful race!

Three Things Thursday

Another installment of Three Things Thursday.  It's hard to come up with three things...  

 

Quotes:

 

They can be as thought provoking as they are annoying.

This Runner’s World quote fanned a thought that sparked last night when I put together my training plan for my next Ultra.

 

I only remember some of the pain, mostly I remember the joy of accomplishment. 

Plans:

 I was vowing to not run a lot this summer.  Then I put together this plan (it starts June 6th):

 

 

Well shit, that’s all summer and some long runs, when will I bike?  Maybe a fall Ultra isn’t where it’s at?

Reality:

 

Sincerely,
Beth, realizing "It's better to cross the line and suffer the consequences than to just stare at the line for the rest of your life."