Fall 2013 training week 7. 9 weeks to go.

Don't ask me how many times I had to edit that title to get the numbers right. Sheesh. I think my brain is objecting to there being only single digit weeks left before the race, good lord. That's not many! CRAP.

Monday: TRX class! Been a couple of weeks since I've been able to make it to one. I like the classes because I always work harder than I do on my own and I get great ideas for stuff to do with my straps at home. Plus Tara is an awesome trainer. Heavy on the core work, which was great and painful at the same time.

I'm in the yellow planking. Good form. As I write this (on Tuesday morning) my upper body is SO FREAKING SORE.

Tuesday: I still can't quite believe there are people who are not just willing but eager to join me at 5 am to go running. Met up with Amy for a tempo run at my planned race pace for Saturday's Midsummer 15k. Plan was 2k warmup, 5k at 5:20/km, 1k cooldown. Paces were 5:21, 5:13, 5:19, 5:21, 5:16, so it went pretty well and I ended feeling good about my planned pace for the race.

I'd never run with someone else for speedwork before, so it was a new experience! I liked it, made it less likely that I'd stop for an unplanned break, even if it did initially feel a little weird to be running with someone and not talking. I think this was our entire conversation during the tempo:

Me: Lots of rabbits.
Amy: Yes.

Amy and I will need to do a long slow gossipy run soon, clearly.

Tuesday night pigs went flying past my windows, because I actually did a short yoga video! I just don't like yoga that much, but my legs and hips do feel amazing when I'm finished. I really have to try and do that more often.

Wednesday: Up early for an easy 10k. These early runs now take place before the sun is up, so I saw stars at the start, and no more beautiful sunrises, wah. Plus the darkness restricts where I'm comfortable running which means fewer route choices if I'm not meeting up with someone.

Skipped the planned TRX workout because my chest/arms were still sore from Monday, and with a race on Saturday I didn't want to do any leg stuff.

Thursday: Long day of meetings at work, so wanted to start the day with a short and easy run to clear my head and mentally prepare. Easy 6k in the dark. I miss the sun, although I have to admit the fall-like temperatures we are getting are amazing for running.

I could pretty much just post that picture of dark streets every morning for the next couple of months. And I'm busting out the butt-light from now on for visibility, although I do wonder if someday a half asleep driver will be so fixated on wondering what that light is that they'll plow right into me.

Friday: Rest day. Such a novelty to 'sleep in' until 6 am.

Saturday: Midsummer Night's Run 15k Race. Read all about it!

Sunday: The glute cramp that started randomly right before the Midsummer race decided to stick around. Really sore. So I rolled around for a bit on my foam roller, without much result. Then I realized I could use some handweights to really dig into the bad spot, and that did the trick nicely. My butt finally loosened up (tightass joke!) and felt almost normal again.

And I've finally found a use for that silly 3 pound weight! Self myofascial release. Worked better than a tennis ball.

However, I also developed some shin pain over the course of the day (I'm blaming the boardwalk from the Midsummer run). So I decided to forgo a recovery run and just rest. I did another yoga video for my hips/hamstrings/back, and that felt pretty good.

Weekly stats: 39.1km run in 3:44:51. 1 TRX class and two (TWO!) yoga sessions. A bit light on the mileage this week (I would have liked to have added an 8k recovery run on Sunday) but not a big deal.

Assuming my butt and shins cooperate, back to hardcore speedwork this week.