Happy Monday!
I feel like Weeks 3+ are when the real deal starts. Like, you’re excited and gung ho about training at the start but once you’re settled into a plan and the weeks go by, that’s when the discipline really starts happening.
Monday is cross training day so I spent 45 minutes on the bike (10.25 miles) and worked out core, hips, and glutes.
I took advantage of grandma being in town and met up with my run club’s Tuesday morning 5 at 5. I always want to go to these because it’s such a fun group and it makes the miles fly by. But it’s tough with my work schedule since I have my super loooong commute. I’m on summer break now, so yay!!
It was still a tough run though. The overall average was good but my splits were all over the place as I tried to keep up with a friend who was doing intervals (I did one ja!) before turning around at the 2.5 mile mark.
My Garmin was being super weird and said that I’d done this run in the future and not at 5 a.m. Huh? Get it together Garmin!
Apparently, I time traveled last Tuesday to today!!
As I type this, it’s not even 10:41 lol!
Wednesday morning I did some more core work and worked out my legs a bit. Then I hit the track a little early before my run club buddies to get some extra circles in under the watchful eyes of the tiger.
4 miles at the track #TeamRMHC
I was up early again on Thursday for round two 5 at 5. This time, even though my overall pace was almost exactly the same as Tuesday, the run felt muuuch better and I felt like the miles were done with a much more comfortable effort.
It was the shirt. #WeRunSocial
Got in some arm and core work in the afternoon for an overall great Thursday.
Friday was a rest day. It was welcomed.
My husband and I woke up early on Saturday with 13 on our schedule. We were able to do our long runs on the same weekend day since grandma was still here (she left today 😦 ). He immediately got going though and I didn’t see him after we started–which was unfortunate because I ended up cutting my run short. I can do Arizona heat but humidity? Oh boy….
I had 3 friends keeping me company and we struggle bussed our way through the run. Two of them only had 6 miles on their plans and my other friend was going to finish the long run with me (I love my girls).
So after we dropped off the 6 milers, my friend Raq and I continued on. I told her I was going to cut it at 10 and she said for me to do my thing; she was just along for the ride. We got to mile 7 before I said 8 would be enough.
I was bummed I couldn’t get my full long run in but I also knew that I had a long training ahead of me. Cutting one long run short wasn’t going to be the worst thing ever. Plus, it was the third week of increased long runs–9, 11, and 13. I had gotten in the 9 and 11, so cutting back the 13 to 8 didn’t seem all that bad…or maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better? Lol!!
I waited for my husband and when I saw him turn the corner I could tell that he was struggling as well. He had done the full 13 and told me that he sooo wanted to have cut the run short too.
My splits:
The weather at 5 in the morning!!
I was happy I was able to still maintain the long run average pace of 10:00/mile I’ve been doing despite the heat/humidity struggles.
Overall, a good week. I met my 10K Steps 6/7 days, got in 22 miles for the week, and was able to do some strength training. I’m working on my diet but holy hell, that’s so hard. When you think about it, there’s a lot we have to do when training–getting the miles in, strength training, hydrating, eating right, getting sleep–sheesh!!! 😀
I hope everyone has a fantastic week!!! ❤ , helly
–Pick your poison: Heat or Humidity?
–Do you feel guilty cutting long runs short?
–What’s the hardest thing for you during training? (Me, my diet for sure!)
Ugh I’d much rather run in the heat… humidity totally takes it out of me! And I HATE cutting long runs short but sometimes it’s just super necessary. And definitely not eating ALL THE CARBS when I’m training is pretty hard for me. And stretching. I definitely don’t do enough of that!
Oh man, the hunger is for real…. #musthavecarbs
Great job, Helly!! I love that you’re really focusing on some cross-training and core work too. I’m trying to do more of that in my next cycle as well 🙂 Also, cutting a long run short is fine especially when the heat/humidity is insane. I feel like running 8 miles in those conditions (and with a negative split ending!! go you!) is equal to running 13 in good conditions anyway. And I would wholeheartedly agree that a little heat is much better than humidity. It’s just so hard to breathe in humid air and it wears you out so much faster
Thank you for making me feel better about my cut run! ❤
Cross training and core work is what my last 3 cycles lacked and I'm a woman on a mission this training cycle lol!
I definitely feel guilty if I cut a long run short! It makes me feel like such a bad person! So ridiculous. You had an awesome week and you’re completely right–one long run cut short won’t make or break your training!
I’d much rather run in the heat! Its been HOT in Flag lately–hovering around 90* and it’s been tough for me, but humidity is so, so much worse!
Right?!? We runners make ourselves feel guilty on so many little things lol!
90 in Flag is def hot!!!
A few months ago, my garmin went from .5 miles to 1 mi all at once and claimed that I ran that first mile in 4:10. While I would love to believe that, I am not Usain Bolt. And I will never have another fastest mile.
😦
Yup, I registered a 1:47 mile….yeeeeaahhhh no. I deleted my history though (on the watch not on Garmin connect).
Woohoo! Great job this week. I am a heat versus humidity fan but man, both stink. And unlucky for me I don’t get much in the way of choice since all we have is humidity here!
You guys get cold AND humidity. But that’s what makes you guys badasses ❤
That’s so weird about your Garmin. My computer, when the battery dies, goes back to the year 1972 or something on the clock. So odd.
I don’t feel guilty cutting runs short, especially if humidity is the cause. Sometimes I think the effort of a shorter run in humidity is equal to a long, easy distance!
OMG, Garmin can be soooo weird lol!!
Thanks for making me feel better about my cut run ❤
I love how we’re both on week three of marathon training! great job fitting in your runs! I feel so guilty if I’m even .1 mile short of the prescribed distance. It’s really type A of me. haha
Yay for marathon training twinsies!!! (Now if only my paces could match yours 😉 )
I saw two other bloggers mention the time travel Garmin thing last week too – there must have been a widespread glitch!
I would take dry heat over humidity any day. I hate the feeling of running through 90%+ humidity – you just feel sticky and gross from the first minute on. At least with dry heat it takes a few minutes before you start sweating enough to be sticky and gross ;D
Great job on getting in a ton of miles and still being fast despite the heat! On that note, I’d totally take heat over humidity any day, but can I run inside? 🙂 And I definitely feel terrible when I cut long runs short, but sometimes it has to happen. I’ve been stressing over my failed long run yesterday but I think sometimes we just have to do what we can when our bodies just can’t handle doing the full amount, you know?
Definitely. Listening to our bodies is such a must do.
I agree, week 3 is like the real start to your plan – like you are all in at that point! You had a fabulous week and I think you made the right choice with the long run – your weather is no joke! I agree – as runners, we have a lot of things to consider. It’s not just going out for a run. There is so much more to it!
So much!! I think that’s why runners are such cool peeps. It’s not easy and requires discipline and commitment. Not a lot of people have that.
So true! As a teacher, the more I run the more I struggle with understanding how kids can be unmotivated and give up easily!! They should all have to run cross country or something, ha!
GET IT, GIRL! So proud of you for slugging through it. I feel so effen GUILTY if I cut a run short. But alas, it happens. Honestly, I don’t know how you drag yourself out the door in triple digits. I don’t. The problem here is that we have high 80s, 90s with ALL THE HUMIDITY. Such. Shit. I die 1000 deaths. It’s awful. The hardest thing for me with all this damn training lately (Training Buddies! Colby+Helly!) is that I am starving 85% of the time. It’s ridiculous. I need to work out my eating. Before I wind up face down in a plate of sweet potato fries. xoxoxo
I feel ya. I stuff my face as it is and then during marathon training….holy hell
I have a tape worm. I’m convinced.
My mom totally thought I had tape worm when I was younger b/c I would eat and eat and never gain any weight. If only it were still so…..
Growing up STINKS.
Diet is definitely the hardest part! Especially because I’m usually so exhausted from all the running that it’s hard to gather up the energy to throw together balanced meals and not just stuff my face with whatever is closest. I’m in Week 2 of training and so far, so good. But you’re right, I think, that Week 3 is where it starts to get tough. Here’s hoping it continues to go well and that this week goes well for you too! 🙂
Unfortunately, here in VT we pretty much always get heat AND humidity 😦 I’ve just learned to acclimate slowly and deal with it, but I definitely struggle more in the summer.
You guys are hard core in VT!!
Great week, with running, cross training, and strength! Yeah, where’s this “dry heat!?” :). It totally kicked my butt on Sunday’s long run lol. And you’re right, there’s nothing wrong with cutting a run short in the grand scheme of things. It’s been pretty dang toasty out there and it’s better to not overdue and zap yourself for the next week’s runs if you’re feeling like that. And you know why I say that…because I did the exact same thing on Sunday haha I felt super guilty at first, because hello runner brain! But then I thought about the overall picture, (like a normal person ;)) and it’s silly because we still pushed through those miles that we did do, plus it’s a whole lot better than not doing it at al! At least it makes drinking water a little easier ha. 🙂
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