I Don’t Enjoy Winter Running But I Do It Anyway (workout recap)

Happy New Year and Happy first Monday of 2021! If you’ve come here looking for new year resolutions, goals, and inspiration in that direction, you are in the wrong place. I’m not a resolution person or goal setter – never was and never will be. I just do my thing each day without having to think, plan, and worry about meeting my own expectations. 

I was off from work last week so it was really nice to sleep later and not be on a tight morning schedule. The weather wasn’t too cold for running outside but I still don’t enjoy winter running. I’m dealing, but I’m not thrilled. The older I get, the more I appreciate the warm weather!

I did my best to push myself out the door, reminding myself that I had the time, I wasn’t in a rush, that I should take advantage of the decent winter weather, and most importantly, that I would be happy AFTER my run.

Overall for right now, I’m taking each winter week as it comes. I just keep telling myself to do the best I can running-wise for the next few months and then my running mood will improve with the return of spring/summer weather.

Also! Can we please count the major closet cleanouts I tackled last week as part of my workouts?! Literally every single day of the break, I tackled a closet or drawer for cleaning and organizing. I’m so happy with the progress I made throughout the week. My son’s room was my biggest challenge – he doesn’t even notice what I did in there though. BOYS.

Monday – 6 Miles

I felt like running today and hadn’t run a speed workout in quite a while. The weather felt warm today (40’s)  — I even took off my gloves.

Here’s what I did:

• mile 1 – warm-up
• mile 2 – alternating .25 hard/.25 easy
• mile 3 – .50 hard/.10 easy/.40 hard
• mile 4 – .25 easy/.75 hard
• mile 5 – .10 easy/.30 hard/.10 easy/.30 hard/.10 easy/.10 hard
• mile 6 – cool down

Tuesday – 45 Min Barre

I still like the barre workouts from Lifetime.

Wednesday – 6 Miles

27 degrees and totally not in the mood to run BUT  I am off from work this week so I just had to bundle up and head outside. It was really important for me to take advantage of running this week when I could. I wasn’t in a rush and didn’t have to run too early, so how could I not run? I wasn’t necessarily cold, but I felt the cold air and it annoyed me. Either way, I was out there and going to finish up the six miles I loosely planned because mental workouts are as important as physical. Mentally I needed to push myself today and not give up since I had no reason to head home early. I was happy when I finished!

Thursday – 45 Min Yoga Flow

It was raining this morning although I didn’t mind because I didn’t feel like running anyway.

Friday – 5 Miles

Another mental battle to get out there and run in the cold. Gosh, I really don’t like winter running! But I will do it anyway when it’s not bitterly cold and I have the time. I’m happy when I finish which is what I tell myself before I start.

Saturday – 5 Miles/10 Min Pure Barre Seat & Abs

I had a little more desire to run this morning which likely had something to do with temperatures in the 40’s.

The 10-minute Pure Barre seat & abs workout is committed to my memory so I added it on after my run and before getting in the shower.

Sunday – 45 Min Pure Barre

When I want to return to my roots for a classic Pure Barre workout, I do this 45 minute Pure Barre Foundations workout which is available for free on youtube.

Have a great week!

The Bright Sides of 2020 (last workout recap of the year!)

 

Well, I guess this is my last weekly workout recap post of the year!

During a time like no other in our lifetimes, there were definitely a few unexpected highlights that I found to be positive. I’m all about looking at the bright sides and finding the positives even when that can be a hard thing to do.

When thinking about my 2020 workouts, there were definitely some positive highlights:

I haven’t run on a treadmill since early March. First, the gym in my community shut down, and then even when it reopened (late summer maybe?), the mask mandate has kept me from returning.

I haven’t really missed the treadmill. I don’t need to run indoors, I just need to run outdoors when I want to run AND the weather permits. The spring and summer months weren’t an issue and even now as we enter winter, I’m fine without the treadmill. I devised my winter running workout plan well in advance so I knew exactly how I would handle things and so far, so good. It helps that I understand that running isn’t everything and certainly not the only way to get in a great workout. I don’t need to run every day and honestly, I love not having the treadmill so that I can focus on other workouts.

I moved away from Pure Barre. While I definitely didn’t see this one coming for this year, I’m happy about it. I’ve been doing Pure Barre workouts weekly for six years. Although I do love the Pure Barre workout routine, the combination of learning to like yoga and other barre workouts mixed with Pure Barre On Demand switching to Pure Barre Go which turned out to be a disaster, I transitioned away from the platform. While I still do random Pure Barre workouts from time to time, overall I am really enjoying where I’m at with exploring other barre routines, pilates, and yoga. This year gave me the push I needed to move beyond what I was used to with my workouts. And that’s an excellent thing.

My summer runs on the boardwalk were everything.

I’ve said this so many times but the routine of running on the boardwalk every weekend over the summer was just so enjoyable. During a time when I couldn’t do a lot of the normal things that I would normally do in the summer, running outdoors at the beach and having that weekly routine really added so much to my summer, and to my year overall.

Last week’s workouts:

Monday – 4 Miles

The air felt glorious this morning! It was so very nice to get outside again to run now that the temperature was above freezing and the ice on the ground turned to puddles. I hadn’t run since last Tuesday so it felt oh so nice to be outside again. I would have run longer but didn’t have time. It was one of those mornings when I easily could have gone 10 miles.

Tuesday – 3.5 Miles/20 Min Pilates

It was above freezing again so I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity to run outdoors. I started with 20 minutes of Pilates before running since I was up and ready ahead of the sun.

Wednesday – 30 Min FIRE Yoga + 30 Min Walk

I chose the HIIT style of yoga followed by a walk for this morning. This particular 30-minute yoga goes by so quickly and isn’t overly killer. I can see myself choosing this 30-minute workout another time and combining it with the 20 minute Pilates routine.

Thursday – 20 Min Yoga/30 Min Run

It was 50 degrees this morning so I knew I had to get outside for a run. I wasn’t totally in the mood but certainly wasn’t going to pass up a comfortable opportunity. I started with this Power Yoga To Wake Up and then headed outside.

Friday – 45 Min Warrior Sculpt

Major rain and wind this morning meant an indoor workout. I LOVE Warrior Sculpt but it’s no walk in the park. It’s the perfect mix of cardio, strength, and yoga, giving me a real challenge that leaves me super sweaty and happily exhausted every time.

Saturday – 45 Min FIRE Yoga

I thought I would run today but the wind chill had me rethink my plan. Yoga mixed with HIIT has become my new favorite and best workout replacement for a run day.

 

Sunday – One Hour Walk

Pretty cold out there but I wanted to go for a walk. So I did.

Also! Be sure to check out lululemon’s We Made Too Much section. They added a TON OF STUFF to the sale but it’s going FAST!

 

Week in Workouts (less running + lots of yoga – who am I?!)

 

I’ll just keep reminding everyone (including myself) that I’m so very thankful that I learned to like running less over the last few years and be more than okay with other types of workouts because the weather right now is not exactly outdoor runner-friendly on a consistent basis. At least not for this outdoor runner. I don’t run in the snow, on ice, or around large patches of ice. Nor do I run in frigid temperatures. There’s really no reason to battle elements that can be dangerous and I also don’t think running is the only way to achieve a great workout.

In fact, I will go a step further to say that I am actually glad that I don’t have my usual access to the treadmill in my gym this winter. I like NOT having the treadmill option because it’s really nice to have the time to devote to other workouts that I actually truly enjoy. Also, who would have ever thought at the start of the year that I would gravitate away from Pure Barre and towards various yoga practices? I did get one Pure Barre workout in the routine this week – I still like it.

Monday – 30 Min Warrior Sculpt/Quick Walk

Warrior Sculpt very quickly became a favorite indoor workout for me this year and really taught me that I can like yoga beyond basic stretching. Not to mention, not all yoga practices mean that I have to stand on my head.

I also made it outside for a quick walk before it rained all day.

Tuesday – 3 Miles

Cold (32 degrees or so) but I did want to run, especially before the snow arrived later this week. I added a walk after running three miles.

Wednesday – 4 Miles

With snow on the way for later today, I made sure to get outside for a run even though it was cold for me (27 degrees). It didn’t feel so bad though! I also took a few walks a little later before it started to snow.

To keep my legs warm, I broke out my Pro Compression marathon socks. Not only were my running shoes more comfortable than ever (definitely the right thickness for me because not too thick!), my lower legs were comfortable too.

Um, who even remembers that I used to be a Pro Compression ambassador? I know, I barely remember either. But I was. 🙂

Thursday – 45 Min Fire Yoga

Lots of snow still falling this morning so no running today. I LOVE this HIIT style of yoga. It’s so challenging and refreshing at the same time. I can’t believe how much I enjoy it. And, I get better each time I do it.

Friday – 40 Min Pure Barre

Too cold and icy to run outside.

Saturday – 60 Min Yoga

Not sure who I think I am with all of the yoga lately but I find that I really like it. It’s certainly not easy but again, I get better with each practice. I even find myself practicing certain poses at other times during the day – my son finds it funny to watch.

Sunday – 45 Min Barre

So I thought maybe the ground would be clear/safe enough to run but I didn’t want to take the chance of bundling up to find my running path really not clear enough for running. I opted for a great barre workout and then ventured out for a walk to get a lay of the land. I’m glad that I decided not to run — it was still pretty icy (with black ice too) in various parts of the path.

This was the clearest part of my usual running path.

It’s above freezing today so I think I should be able to run this morning. I think. We will see!

 

You Won’t Even Believe Me (workout recap)

First, please forgive me for not sharing Friday Favorites and fashion links lately. Work has been so busy (which I am totally grateful and thankful for) but during my downtime, I’ve really needed to take a break from my computer screen. I’m hoping though to get a Black Friday post together for later this week.

Second, you aren’t even going to believe this. You won’t even believe me when I tell you that I dropped my laptop on my foot earlier this week, the same foot I bothered last week by tying my shoes too tight. I know. How ridiculous!

This drop on my foot wasn’t nearly as bad as the time I dropped the shampoo bottle on my foot. (Remember that? It changed the course of my running ever since). However, I still took this drop on my foot somewhat seriously. I iced my foot a little, paid attention to it throughout the week, and skipped running three days in a row to ensure it was okay.

Like I said last week, I don’t mess around with my feet. Someone else would have run anyway, but not me. I won’t run if my foot is bothered, even if it’s not technically injured, because I do not want to ever create an injury when it’s easy enough to not run and give things a few days to rest. The last thing I would want to do is to run when my foot hurts, even if it’s not severe pain. Any discomfort bothers me and leaves me feeling as though I should not run, not to mention that I wouldn’t want to run and change my form to accommodate discomfort and then truly hurt myself in the process.

Lucky for me, I was fine by Saturday…although I am still paying attention to that foot to watch for any lingering issues. Between the tight laces and then the laptop, I need to be extra polite to my foot. 🙂

Also, it’s totally worth noting that I do love how diverse my workouts are these days. Running may always be my first choice but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the rest of my workout options. Between barre, yoga, pilates, and a good walk, I’ve got such a nice mix of workouts going on — it’s been really fun!

Monday – 50 Min Barre3

Tuesday – 5 Miles

Wednesday – 45 Min Pure Barre

Thursday – 45 Min Fire

For those out there who think yoga isn’t a great workout, try FIRE. My goodness, my heart was pounding harder than during a run.

Friday – 3 Mile Walk

Giving my foot one more day before running.

Saturday – 8 Miles

All good for a run today!

Sunday – 5 Miles

Another run and another fine day for my foot.

 

Tried Barre3 (And Like It!) + New Adidas Solar Boosts

So last week I decided to try Barre3 workouts.

After six solid years of Pure Barre, it’s been fun and rejuvenating to do something different. For quite some time, I refused to look at other barre routines but now? I’m really enjoying the variety of trying different barre workout styles and variations.

During my first Barre3 workout, I knew right away that I loved it. Here’s the thing though– it’s extremely hard for me to compare Barre3 to Pure Barre at this time. I can’t tell you just yet which I like better because although I do see the differences, I think I’m also coming from a place of feeling refreshed and energized by a new to me routine. Let’s give it a little more time before I decide which barre workout I like best. It’s possible I decide that I like both Barre3 and Pure Barre for different reasons. It may not be one over the other, it may be more of why each barre routine is terrific in its own ways.

In running news, it was suddenly time for a new pair of running shoes. When I say suddenly, I mean like overnight my Ghosts felt burned out.

And hey! Look who went back to Adidas! I decided to try on the Solar Boosts again yesterday and my feet recognized the familiar cushioning and comfort. Long time readers may recall that I swore by Adidas Energy Boosts/Solar Boosts for a straight six years before suddenly switching over to Brooks. While I did love the Ghosts, I don’t love how quickly I felt that I needed a new pair. The Solar Boosts tend to last longer so hopefully, that’s the case this time around too.

Today will likely be my first run in my new shoes. I’m really looking forward to it.

Monday – 45 Minute Barre3

After running both Saturday and Sunday, I decided to check out Barre3 barre workouts today. I found this one on YouTube and loved it! It was challenging yer familiar, yet different from Pure Barre. I knew right away that I would be sore.

Tuesday – 3 Mile Run

Yep, I’m sore from yesterday’s workout! But not too sore to run a few easy miles. It wasn’t raining or terribly windy (okay it was pretty windy but not as windy as yesterday) so I was happy to head outside.

Wednesday – 5 Miles

I jumped into intervals after a mile warm-up. Intervals always get me immediately engaged in a run.

• Mile 1: warm-up
• Mile 2: alternating .25 hard/.25 easy
• Mile 3, 4: alternating .50 hard/.25 easy
• Mile 5: .10 easy/.90 hard

Thursday – 30 Min Barre3

Another great Barre3 workout!

Friday – 5 Miles

Nothing fancy here, just an easy run with a fast finish for the last mile.

Saturday – 6 Miles

The weather was warm and sunny but I wasn’t overly feeling this run today. I thought I would run seven miles but stopped at six miles simply because I just didn’t feel like continuing.

Sunday – 60 Min Barre3

I found this 60 Min Barre3 workout and couldn’t believe how fast the time went.

 

Weekly Workout Recap (plus race anniversaries)

While running yesterday morning, I realized that what I was wearing was what I wore for a race in 2014. Here’s the race picture!

That’s the very same Nike ear warmer plus lululemon half zip with cuffins.

Both are still in excellent condition to the point where you would think they were new for this season.

That 10K was actually my fastest 10K race to date. Here’s the recap if you are interested. 

Oh hey, speaking of races, this past weekend was the anniversary of two big race weekends for me.

First, my very first half marathon in 2012, the Hershey Park Half Marathon. I can’t believe it’s been eight years! And, it’s been six years since I ran the Runner’s Work Hat Trick. The hat trick included running a 5K followed by a 10K, with a Half Marathon the next day at the Runner’s World Half & Festival.

Time really does fly, doesn’t it?

Okay, time to move on to my workouts from last week!

Monday – 45 Min Barre

Rainy morning meant an indoor workout for me. I can run in the rain but not heavy rain.

Tuesday – 45 Min Cardio Mix/Short Walk

Another rainy morning (ugh!). It was too heavy for me to run in so I chose this Cardio Mixx workout because I was in the mood to get my heart rate up. I did manage to get outside to walk a little bit after this workout. It wasn’t raining as hard when I finished the cardio workout and I really wanted some air before starting my workday.

Wednesday – 5 Miles

Finally, I can get outside in the sun.

Intervals today! I made it up as I went along:

• Mile 1: Warm-up
• Mile 2: .25 hard/.25 easy/.50 hard
• Mile 3: .25 easy/.75 easy
• Mile 4: .alternating .10 hard/.10 easy
• Mile 5: full mile effort

Thursday – 5 Miles

Today’s run turned into a progression run without even trying.

Friday – 45 Min Pure Barre

Another good Pure Barre workout is available on youtube. I’ve done this Pure Barre workout before (when I had Pure Barre On Demand)  I always like the workouts with this instructor, Kaitlyn.

Saturday – 7 Miles

This run started with me on the phone for the first few miles and never really picked up the effort. 7 miles went by quickly at an easy pace.

Sunday – 5.33 Miles (to be exact)

This was mostly an easy run with some effort in the mix. It’s definitely feeling like fall out there right now.

Boardwalk Run + Wide Variety of Workouts (workout recap)

Oh, hi!

A few notes from last week’s workouts before getting to the traditional recap:

Last week I mentioned that I no longer subscribe to Pure Barre GO. It’s a slight adjustment but not so bad. I’ve really migrated my routine to a wider mix of strength workouts over the last several months rather than relying solely on Pure Barre which makes this easier.

The one thing I miss is the option for 10-minute Pure Barre workouts. Although the truth really is, if I only want 10 minutes of Pure Barre, I can create my own routine and watch the clock OR cut down the 30 and 45 minute Pure Barre options that I have. I was spending more time within Pure Barre GO trying to find where they hid the 10-minute workout options anyway. Also, I still love reading complaints from other Pure Barre GO users on social media and I’m still receiving emails from others who have had the exact same Pure Barre complaints as I do!

I ran less during the week but kinda didn’t notice? Normally I run an average of four days a week but last week, I ran three days without totally realizing. I had planned on running a few miles Friday morning but, well, decided to walk instead.

And finally, worth noting, I made it to the beach on Saturday for a boardwalk run. After a long week of work, it was nice to have the beach as my change of running scenery. I miss summer.

Monday – 45 Min En Barre/30 Min Walk

Tuesday – 5 Miles

I didn’t write the details of this run down quick enough so I sort of forget what I did but I know there were speed intervals.

Wednesday – 3 Quick Miles/30 Min Glute Workout

Within a few steps of my warm-up mile, I decided to run 3 miles quickly and then come home for a glute workout. It’s not that I didn’t want to run, I just felt like mixing things up today. 3 Miles = around 25 minutes.

This glute workout was great and went by so quickly. I knew immediately that I would be sore for days.

Thursday – 30 Min Fire/Walk

Yup, I’m sore today from yesterday’s glute workout! This FIRE class is a good one – a great mix of yoga with some cardio (I wouldn’t call it too intense although it really depends upon your personal effort level).

Friday – 35 Min Pure Barre/Walk

Still sore from the glute workout!

I found this Pure Barre workout on youtube. I’ve always liked this instructor and enjoyed the workout. The warm-up is different from the standard Pure Barre routine although I don’t mind – it’s nice to do something different considering how long I’ve been doing Pure Barre workouts. I recommend this workout for sure, and will likely come back to it more often now that I no longer subscribed to Pure Barre GO.

Saturday – 8 Miles

I was so happy to run the boardwalk this morning! It was super windy heading west but the sun and scenery made up for that part of my run. It was less crowded than a summer beach day but still packed with runners and walkers on the boardwalk.

I ran my 8-mile workout and the time flew by. It was nice to run the boardwalk in cooler temperatures BUT overall, summer is still my favorite running season even with high heat and humidity.

Sunday – 30 Min SOL Yoga/4 Mile Walk

I love yoga lately but I do have to be careful of certain poses that can make me dizzy. Mostly it’s the spine type of twists. I gotta go slow, not stand up too fast from a forward fold, and skip certain poses depending upon how I feel.

Have a great week!

Done With Pure Barre Go + 5 Mile Runs (weekly workout recap)

Well, the time has come to be officially done with Pure Barre GO. If you have been reading for a while, you know that I have not been happy with Pure Barre’s switch from Pure Barre On Demand to Pure Barre GO. Especially during the pandemic, I remain shocked and dismayed that, at a time when virtual workout options are more important than ever, the Pure Barre people completely dropped the ball. I still don’t know why they are terrible at customer support, why they changed the Pure Barre On Demand platform, or why they couldn’t get their technical act together to make Pure Barre GO an organized place for their workout videos.

I’ve been doing Pure Barre workouts for six years. And I mean, a solid six years on a weekly basis. Slowly though, through a combination of hating Pure Bare GO and realizing that I love other strength workouts including other barre routines and Warrior Sculpt, I’ve been skipping Pure Barre in favor of other options.

And then, Pure Barre GO dropped me. Don’t ask me exactly why, but my account was gone and told me I can start a free trial. WHAT? I haven’t even bothered to ask as I know that I won’t receive a response unless I leave a rude comment on social media. My thinking is that my credit card changed and I didn’t update it quickly enough for them (although I don’t recall a recent email asking me to?) and hey, how about a prompt within my account or even an email to say we need your new card otherwise your account is canceled. And if I missed one email, how about one more as a reminder?

Either way, I took this as a sign to not renew Pure Barre and simply move on. I love the Lifetime workouts I’ve been doing…and I can still do Pure Barre if I want. I have four Pure Barre workout DVD’s and I know there are a few Pure Barre workouts available on Youtube. The truth is, I have many Pure Barre exercises memorized. I can certainly do my own routine although I like to follow along with an instructor. I’ll keep you posted on what it’s like to not have my Pure Barre subscription.

haven’t used these Pure Barre DVD’s in forever!

A few other notes:

5 miles became the magic number this week without any formal workout included. At least I don’t think so. My week was so busy that I didn’t write my workouts down as quickly as usual but I’m pretty positive I didn’t do anything other than head outside, run 5 miles, and come back home.

I was hoping to run the boardwalk on Sunday but it just didn’t happen. At least I still ran my neighborhood! I had time, desire, and energy to run, I just didn’t have the time to head to Long Beach. I couldn’t rush out the door Sunday morning or lose the time that I needed on the weekend to do college stuff, food shopping, and my son’s birthday shopping.

Monday – 5 Miles

Tuesday – One Hour Walk

Wednesday – 45 Min Barre

I like the barre workouts from Lifetime very much. They are different from Pure Barre but after six years of the same, it’s nice to do something different. I would describe the Lifetime barre workouts as strength workouts with cardio and ballet-inspired exercises. This is really how I like my strength workouts to be.

Thursday – 5 Miles

Friday – 45 Min Warrior Sculpt

Saturday – 5 Miles

Sunday – 5 Miles

 

 

Lighter Week In Workouts (weekly workout recap)

Checking in super quick on this Yom Kippur with my workouts from last week.

My interest in running last week was lower than it had been in a bit so it became a natural cut back week in workouts. At a quick glance, it doesn’t seem that I did less because I still do something every morning but overall, my workouts and runs were lower in mileage and intensity.

Monday – 20 Min Pure Barre/One Hour Walk

Tuesday – 3 Mile Run/1 Mile Walk

SO COLD. I mentioned on Friday that this time of year is perfect for lululemon tops with cuffins rather than breaking out the gloves and mittens just yet.

Wednesday – 5 Miles

The weather was nicer today in that it wasn’t as cold and I was in the mood to run more than I had been all week. My overall pace was in the 8’s, even with warm-up and cool down, so I know it’s definitely cooler out there than its been in a long time.

My workout went like this:

• 1-mile warm-up
• 3 miles effort
• 1-mile cooldown

Thursday – 30 Min Pure Barre/30 Min Walk

Friday – 3 Miles

Saturday – 7 Miles

I had considered running on the boardwalk this morning. However, I slept late and then got a slow start so I just ran my neighborhood instead. It was warmer and humid but totally not complaining about it!

I made this workout up as I went along:

• Mile 1: warm-up
• Mile 2: .25 hard/.25 easy/.25 hard/.25 easy
• Mile 3: .50 hard/.25 easy/.25 hard
• Mile 4: .25 easy/.75 hard
• Mile 5: .25 easy/.50 hard/.25 easy
• Mile 6: full effort
• Mile 7: alternating .10 hard/.10 easy

Sunday – 45 Min Barre/ Walk

I chose a barre workout from Lifetime and it did not disappoint.

Weekly Workout Recap

Some notes from last week’s workouts:

Even if I established summer as my favorite running season, there’s no denying the thrill of running in the suddenly cooler morning temperatures. It’s glorious and refreshing.

With the transition to fall comes my ability to take walks during the day. It had been so hot that I would step outside for a quick break from work to take a walk, only to last five minutes before going back to the house. Now that it’s cooler, I’m definitely aiming to take walks during the day when I can. Even just ten or twenty minutes is so nice this time of year and a nice break from the computer screen. If I have a call scheduled that doesn’t require me to be in front of my laptop, I definitely take advantage of speaking on the phone while on my walk.

The leaves have not started changing just yet.

Also! The gym in my community has reopened…with restrictions. Aside from limits to gym hours and capacity, the spacing out treadmills, and needing to reserve your workout window in advance, face masks are required at all times. I understand the mandate, but won’t be using the gym. Running indoors with a mask on is not for me. I already outlined my winter running plan and I intend to follow that until masks for running indoors are lifted. I do not see that happen anytime soon though.

Monday – 5 Miles

2 miles easy + 2 miles effort + 1 mile alternating .10 hard/.10 easy

Tuesday – 20 Min Pure Barre/45 Min Walk

Wednesday – 5.5 Miles

I’m pretty sure this is what my run looked like today. I made it up as I went along and felt terrific with the temps in the 50’s.

• Mile 1: Warm-up
• Mile 2: .25 hard/.25 easy/.25 hard/.25 easy
• Mile 3: .50 hard/.25 easy/.25 hard
• Mile 4: .25 easy/.75 hard
• Mile 5: 1-mile hard effort followed by a cooldown

Thursday – 5 Miles Easy

I saw rain in the forecast for tomorrow and wasn’t sure if it would be heavy or what so I figured I would run again today at an easy effort. It was more humid today than its been all week but still nice.

Friday – 45 Min Warrior Sculpt

Once again I will announce my love for Warrior Sculpt.

Saturday – 10 Miles

Please understand that I had absolutely no intention of running 10 miles this morning! I was a little sore from Warrior Sculpt (my fault for doing that workout yesterday knowing I would want to run today) and the wind was pretty gusty throughout the morning. 50 degrees felt nice though and I wasn’t in a rush so once I was feeling warmed up, the miles flew by. I reached 7, then continued to 8, and then hey, why not 9. And then, why not go to 10? Just like I said last week, this is exactly how you run longer distances. Once you are used to routinely running a certain number of miles, your body totally adjusts (mentally and physically) and can easily continue further than you would think.

Sunday – One Hour Walk