Week in Review

Stats

• Distance: 36.7 miles
• Average Pace: 9:56 minutes:seconds/mile
• 13.3 mile long run

Notes

This past week was the second of three scheduled "step-back" weeks built into my training plan. It was also the halfway checkpoint in my 16 week program. While I exceeded my target mileage by 4.7 miles, I definitely have mixed feelings about the week.

The week started off great (especially after coming of a GREAT confidence-building 20 miler last weekend) before kind of coming off the wheels a bit. On Tuesday BJ and I did our usual five-mile hill run in the morning, clocking our best time on that route yet. Then, that evening, I ran from the house around the lake and back (7.57 miles) -- substituting a great hill workout for my usual interval training. It's always more fun to run outside in the fresh air instead of inside on the oval torture chamber.

Wednesday morning was the usual skimpy 3 miler, which both BJ and I have pretty much come to despise. To quote Beeje, "Three miles is just too short." I love it. this is the same girl who was terrified before her first 5K. I agree with her, that distance is just long enough to become annoying. It's too long for an all out sprint, but too short for a nice casual pace. Either way, we slogged through it and got on with the day.

On Thursday, the wheels came off. Did I mention that the nice cool weather in the mornings had also disappeared? Both BJ and I struggled through a 4.5 miler. I don't know about her, but I was overjoyed to be done with that run.

The long run was also a challenge. My legs just felt dead and rubbery, and I had no zip that I felt the weekend before. The Sunday "recovery" run was also a bummer -- 90ish degrees and humid. BLECH. So, as far as a "step-back" week, it felt more like a "fall-down" week. But, as always, there's no time to dwell on it. From here it's onward and upward. Here's to a better week this week!

Cheers!