Evergreen Pumpkin Run 10 Miler Recap
The decision to run this race was made at the last second. We had planned to do a long run with 1st Place Sports on Sunday, Oct 27th. They announced on their Facebook page that since there was a 10 mile (and 5K) race scheduled that day, they were canceling the usual long run. Well, it just so happened that I needed to do a 10 mile training run! So, we stopped into the store and signed ourselves up.
This ended up being a fantastic decision. It always seems easier to run a race than a training run for me. I think I’m a social runner. Even though I don’t really want to talk to anyone while I’m huffing and puffing, I like to know that others are there sweating along with me. The 1st Place Sports long runs are great, but there are far fewer people that show up for them and I end up running alone for most of it.
Oh, and since this was my first 10-miler. . . instant PR!
Race morning was chilly. It was that level of chilly where you’re not sure if you need long sleeves. You’re not sure if you need a headband for your ears (mine hurt fiercely when they’re cold). I decided that it was cold enough to warrant both, although I found out by mile 1 that that was unnecessary. It was a beautiful morning and was only warming up as the morning wore on. With my cover-up tied around my waist and headband around my arm, I was off.
Erik and I ran together for maybe the first quarter mile before he shot off ahead. I realized that I was probably heading out a little fast for my first 10-miler and slowed things down. It was still a “fast” pace for someone coming back from an injury. I settled in for the long haul. Then, a surprising thing happened. My good friend Katie ran up to say hello! Since she wasn’t trying for a PR, she slowed to my pace and kept me company. She probably doesn’t realize how much that helped me! My last long run had an average pace of 12:26. Katie was a fantastic pacer and kept me going. I’m sure I would have stopped more frequently without her. And I probably would have ended up with another 12+ min/mile pace, but she helped me realize that I could keep going. I could push through my mental pace blockers.
The scenery was unique. A cemetery! There were mausoleums, overgrown gravestones, old growth trees, and pumpkins everywhere. It definitely helped take the mind off of running. Since the cemetery doesn’t have 10 miles of road, we made some interesting loops. It never actually felt like we were running in the same place twice.
Mile 9 was the toughest. I think my brain started putting in its 2 cents. “Hey! You’ve never gone this far before. Maybe you should stop.” “Aren’t your legs tired? I think they’re tired.” “You know, you could walk this. I won’t think any less of you.” I probably would have listened, but Katie was trucking along and giving me words of encouragement. I couldn’t let her down! I sucked it up, got in one more short walk break, and steeled myself to finish strong.
The finish line was in sight. Our husbands were in sight! They cheered us on as we headed to the finish with arms held high. I felt great! Sore. . . but great! I did it! 10 miles! And with Katie’s encouragement, we finished with and overall time of 1:54:20. That’s 11:32/mile. Huzzah!! Erik set a time of 1:43:10 at a pace of 10:25/mile! Woot! That called for a celebration. We headed out with friends for a delicious and filling breakfast.
I would definitely recommend this race. If we do it again, I’ll try a costume. It is a Halloween race after all!
Color Me Rad: Round 3
Oh Yeah; We’re RAD! Watch out! Since this is such a visual race, I’m going to let the photos and video do most of the reviewing for me!
This was awesome! It was our third time doing a Color Me Rad and our second time running it around and through the stadium. We witnessed a friend finish her very first 5K and we met up with another local blogger, Runs with Pugs. This made for 3 Jenns and 1 Erik!
First off was packet pickup. This was easy. Since I was the team captain, I volunteered to get the bibs and goodies for me, Erik and our friend, Jenn. Because Erik and I are veteran Rad Runners, we got awesome headbands and wrist bands as part of our packet. I didn’t think people wore sweatbands like this anymore. It reminds me of the 70’s, but if it made me that much radder, I’m for it! We also got a nice gender-specific shirt.
You start off nice and white until. . . BAM, a blast of color. We ran through 5 color stations of RADNESS, getting more colorful all along the way. Here’s what you can expect from those color stations:
Now, see, doesn’t this just look like a fantastic time? It was! This is what fun runs are all about: Friends and Fun!
Once you reach the finish line, you get your color bomb packet and head to the party area. Here, they toss color and freebies at you with reckless abandon! It makes for some great photos! And if you’re worried that you didn’t get enough color during the run, this is the place to remedy that! I’m pretty sure I had some in my teeth! But don’t worry; it’s gluten free!
Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for: Mr. JennErikHam’s RAD video. He did a fantastic job, as always. My favorite part is at 0:46 when our friend Jenn get’s blasted in the face with color. Hilarious!
P.S. If you have a GoPro, bring it! If not, I highly recommend getting one! They’re pretty amazing!
If I had to pick one thing they could have improved on, it would be the color bomb pick-up at the end. They were handing out the color bombs at the end of the race (In an effort to keep the stadium and surrounding area clean). This wouldn’t have been too bad, except that there really wasn’t enough room from finish line to bomb (plus granola bar) pick up. It caused quite the hold up and it took us a LONG time to get out of the “traffic.” They either needed more people manning the station or a longer finishing chute. Otherwise, great race, great volunteers, and great fun!
In exchange for my (p)review of the Color Me Rad, the JennErikHams were offered free entry into this race. Don’t let that fool you, we had a fantastic time and would do it again tomorrow!
Wine & Dine Training: Week 17 (& 1/2!)
Monday: After the 10 miler on Sunday, I decided to take it easy. My hip and legs were aching and I didn’t want to risk injury. Mr. JennErikHams took the day off too, but for different reasons. . . THE FLU! Yes, he got the flu less than two weeks before our half marathon. Poor guy. He was running a fever Monday and Tuesday and that really doesn’t mix with running. He and I both were prescribed Tamiflu. The hope was that I could avoid catching it from him. It seems to be working for the most part. I have had a few slight headaches, runny nose, and minor coughing, but it’s nowhere near flu levels. I’ve also tried to quarantine him as best as possible.
Tuesday: Rest Day.
Wednesday: 30 minute maintenance run. I did EVERYTHING wrong this day, except force myself out the door to run. It was a very busy day at work. I definitely did not eat or drink like I should have. It was also right before Halloween, so I caved into eating all the delicious candy floating around the office. By the time I got home, I think I had consumed no less than a couple dozen pieces of candy, a plate full of potato chips, cookies, and a glass of sweet tea. Not cool. I was tired and angry at myself when I got home. I also realized that the one sports bra that I rely on for running was in the dirty clothes and I’d have to wear a less than ideal backup (TMI?). I went out anyway, only to realize that I forgot my headphones. I got back to the house, picked them up, got out the door and down the street only to realize that they were dead! What a mess! I took them BACK home and went without. I tried focusing on my form and was happy to hit an 11:22/miles pace. It was tough going. I’m not too used to keeping up a quicker cadence. But, I need to learn and I’m hoping it leads to improved running times for the next half marathon.
Thursday: Halloween! Since Erik was still full of flu, we stayed home. We got our very first Trick-or-Treaters!! We’ve lived in our house over 7 years now and this was the very first time we had costumed visitors. I handed out candy, since we didn’t want Erik handing out the flu. Bleck.
Friday: This was supposed to be a 4 mile run, but I had another busy and stressful day at work. I didn’t want a repeat of Wednesday. I wanted to feel good about my run. So, postponed.
Saturday: I planned to get up early in the morning for my 4 miler. It was storming . . . bad! I went back to bed with no regrets. If I can’t run at 7:30AM, I’ll run in the PM. Luckily, it remained overcast and cool for most of the day. I set out just before noon and had my fastest time in quite a while. It would have been even faster, but my angry hip asked me kindly to slow down and I listened. No reason to hurt myself on my last pre-half 4 miler.
Sunday: Rest day. My hip was angry. I took “rest day” to heart. I don’t think I stepped out of the house all day! No regrets!
Monday: 3 mile maintenance run. Erik, feeling much better, decided to go for a run too. I expected him to be slower and maybe keep to my pace, but he raced ahead and finished with a pace of 10:00 minutes/mile. I’m so glad he’s feeling better! I also had a great run and finished my 3 miles at a 10:46 pace! What?! That’s only 20 seconds per mile slower than my pre-injured “race” pace!
Tuesday: Today! Rest Day.
Well, this is it! In a couple days we will be on our way to Orlando! I’m so excited!! And scared!! We have one last 30 minute run scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday). I don’t think I’m going to do it. I had a really good run Monday, but my knees and hip are aching. Best to rest since starting Thursday we’ll be walking around Walt Disney World!!! Wahhhhhh! I’m excited. Can you tell?
I look forward to telling you all about it soon! And guess what? This is my last W&D Training recap. I’ll try something a little more condensed for my Princess training, so stay tuned!
Wish me luck!
Wine & Dine Training Recap: Week 16
Great! Fantastic! Hooray!!
Monday: Well, after losing the tip of my toe on Saturday, I was extremely worried about running. I also hit it hard, so concerns about my old injury were pretty real. We decided that I could probably hop on the elliptical, since I can keep my foot mostly still in my shoe. It worked out well. It was actually my hip that started aching about 20 minutes in. So, we kept it short and easy and I was glad to have gotten a workout in. This was also our first time back to the gym in quite a while. It reminded me that we really need to get back in there! Erik got me some personal training sessions for my birthday back in July, but injury has kept me away. I’m definitely going to use those soon. Besides, we booked a cruise for March, so I want to spend some extra time toning up.
Tuesday: Rest Day.
Wednesday: I decided to try for our scheduled 30 minute run. I took it easy and managed 2.55 miles with a 12:01/mi pace. Erik did 3.09 miles at 9:51/mi. The weather was nice and cool. We then cleaned up and went out to dinner at The Melting Pot. We ate way too much, but it was nice to get out to a nice restaurant and celebrate. . . nothing! Just go and have a good time!
Thursday: Rest Day!
Friday: Plans with friends meant another rest day!
Saturday: We probably should have made it to the gym, but I was wary about wearing our legs out before a long run. Speaking of that. . .we found out that 1st Place Sports had cancelled their long run for Sunday morning! What would we do?! Well, I guess we’d do the same thing they were doing. . . the 15th Annual Evergreen Pumpkin Run!
Sunday: Evergreen Pumpkin Run! This was my very first 10 miler! I did it! I’ll give a recap soon, but I’m happy to say that my official time was 1:54:20 for an average pace of 11:32/mile! MUCH better than I was anticipating!
So, things are going well. This week calls for maintenance runs and a 4 miler. The following week we do a couple more short maintenance runs and then. . . WINE & DINE HALF MARATHON!!!! EXCITED!! Is it time to pack yet? I think I’ll start packing. 😉
Zooma Inspired Yoga + Run
Yeah. This recap is REALLY late. No excuses. So, here we go:
Thanks to Runs with Pugs, I won an entry into the Zooma Inspired Yoga + Run that took place on September 7th. The event was a combination of 50 minute yoga session and a 3 mile beach run. How exciting! My experiences with Yoga have been strictly though Wii Fit on the Nintendo Wii. My only beach running experience was slogging through 4 miles of the Tour de Pain with a bum foot. I was really looking forward to this!
We arrived at the Seawalk Pavilion for check-in. Since it was early on a Saturday, parking was a breeze. Erik came with me to provide support and take pictures of the event and the beach. I picked up my really awesome tank top and wrist band and we got under way. Now, I don’t have a Yoga mat (remember, I’m a noob?). But, I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase one for what could be a one time use. It’s not that I never expected to do Yoga again, but we usually work out a the YMCA. Mats are provided. So, I took a thick beach towel and hoped that would be good enough. Spolier alert: it was!
Beautiful Sunrise
The Yoga instructor and a demonstrator were positioned on stage to lead us through the moves. The class was designed for all skill levels. I can confidently say that all skill levels were represented at this event. I saw other like me, tying our best to pretend this wasn’t our first time. And I saw people doing the super advanced versions of each move. The morning was beautiful and the sunrise was spectacular. The yoga session was very relaxing and I’d love to make it a regular part of my routine. I realized that I need to work on my balance, but it also made me feel incredibly strong.
Morning Yoga
After our yoga session, we were given about 10 minutes to put our things away and report to the start of the run. The run was very casual. No timing chips. No start guns. We just went at our own pace. The course was an easy out and back, starting out south on the beach. There were motivational signs posted along the course to keep us going.
A (worried?) glance back to Erik.
Unfortunately, I was unable to complete the 3 miles. My hip started burning with some sharp pains along the way. I knew that in order to get better sooner, I needed to STOP. So, I turned back. I was in tears by the time I reached the finish line. I went less than 2 miles and it took me 34 minutes! Slowest time ever! 19:22 per mile. Erik was waiting for me. He knew something was wrong. I spent a couple of minutes to pull myself together before heading to the post-race area.
Zooma provided some delicious treats for us to taste. I ran into A Mom on the Run and said hello. Then, feeling dejected from my failed running attempt, I filled my tummy with delicious Maple Street Biscuit Company. I really can’t beat myself up too much over it. Yes, my pace hit small speed, but with reason. I’m glad I stopped before doing further damage to my hip. And i’m glad to say that I’ve bounced back (mostly) and completed my very first 10 mile run this past weekend! Woot!! While I know the Disney Wine & Dine will be tough (I’m not fooling myself), I also feel more confident that I can do it! And that makes me sooooo happy!
Wine & Dine Training: Week 15
Erik offers a hand up!
Monday – Wednesday: After a Sunday long run, our legs were feeling pretty tired. Plus, we had the Color Me Rad from Saturday. Do, it wasn’t a complete loss. I was still feeling some soreness in my hip, so BodyPump on Tuesday was a no go. Wednesday we were supposed to get out the door, but it had to be postponed to Thursday.
Thursday: Yay! We actually made up a missed workout. I was pretty happy to go 3.06 miles with a pace of 11:22/mile! I really felt like I had to push myself, which was to be expected, but still made me a little sad. I’ve definitely not given up on the Wine & Dine, but I feel like my training for the Princess will be SO much better. I’m looking forward to running without pain and with ease (at least on the maintenance runs!).
Friday: Well, we had a 4 miler scheduled and by gosh, we were going to do it! I also wanted to try out Gu to make sure I wouldn’t have any issues with race nutrition. Might as well see how it goes on an easy run before trying it out at a race! My legs felt like LEAD, but I did it. My pace was 12:15/mile. Slower than I would have liked, but with lead legs, it was pretty good. Erik had a pretty “bad” run and cut his short to 3.6 miles. No real loss there, and he’s feeling better already! Oh, and Gu is odd. I’m not sure if I’m a fan. I’m not sure my tummy was either.
Saturday: After 2 days of running, skipping BodyPump was an easy choice. Yes, I feel guilty, but I think it’s better to get some rest days in there.
Sunday: Rest day! Erik went to the Jags game. Ick. No comment.
Overall, not bad. Yes, we took some shortcuts and missed out on a run, but I’m confident that I’m doing a good job listening to my body when it comes to these workouts. Unfortunately, I tripped on some unruly sidewalk Saturday and cut my toe pretty bad. Really bad. Really really bad. I won’t share a photo, but there’s a good chunk missing from the tip of my big toe. Oh, and it’s my right big toe, since I like to keep injuries one-sided. 😉 I’m not sure how to approach this with training. Wearing shoes hurts. I’m taking good care of it, but how will I run with an open would?! Well, I’ll put it to the test tonight and let you know how it goes. I may try to use the elliptical instead, or just focus on strength and core training. I already know I’m missing BodyPump Tuesday due to a work function.
My coworkers tell me that running really isn’t my sport. . .
I refuse to listen.
Wine & Dine Training: Week 14
So, this was a great week!
Monday: 4 miles! I set it up as a walk, but I was able to walk, jog, run, & canter my way to 4 miles. My goal was to “just go faster than last time.” Plus, Erik and I were doing the same loop and I couldn’t force myself into a walk with him disappearing in the distance. So, I picked up the pace! I lopped over a minute off my previous “run” and finished with a pace of 12:43/mile. My hip was a little sore after, but not in pain. That was an excellent sign.
Heck Yeah!
Tuesday: Rest – We REALLY need to get back to BodyPump. Last week I told you we’d go. . .we didn’t. FAIL. I haven’t wanted to press my luck on my hip, but I’m pretty sure that I’ll be able to go back this next week.
Wednesday: Monday got me hopeful that I’m healing nicely, so I set out with the goal to once again “go faster.” I was being smart about it. I made myself a promise that if I felt ANY pain, I would stop. Luckily, other than a little tightness and soreness afterward, it was fine. I lopped off almost another minute and finished with a pace of 11:50/mile. Of course, this was just a 30 minute maintenance run, so it’s safe to say I would have been slower had I gone 4 miles like on Monday.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Another rest day, because. . .
Saturday: Color Me Rad Round 3!! I’ll write up a full recap on this one very soon, but I’d like to say that even though there was a good amount of walking and shuffling, we finished all 3 miles with a pace of 11:58/mile. That’s pretty awesome considering that we slowed down at all the color stops and there were a few traffic jams. It gives me great hope that my time is picking up. We ran with our friend Jenn – it was her first official run! And we ran with Jenn from Runs With Pugs! It was so great to meet and run with her! Poor Erik probably felt outnumbered with all three Jenns surrounding him! He took some great photos and video with the GoPro and I can’t wait to share them!
Sunday: Long run with 1st Place Sports! Erik completed his very first 12.5 mile run. He’s doing an excellent job and set a pace of 10:54/mile. So proud! Me? I ran for 8 miles!! Well, it was more of a jog. But I was able to keep a petty steady pace of 12:26/mile. My hip was sore after mile 3, but then the soreness backed off and I felt like me again. Well, a slower version of me, but it was me! I had planned to take a Gu at mile 4 as practice (I’ve never used them before), but I forgot! By the time I remembered, I didn’t have any water with me and thought that would be a no-no. So, I think I’ll test them on our next 4 mile run and again on the next long run. If my tummy behaves, I’ll be golden. I had a little Gatorade at mile 4 and had an instant queasy feeling, but it subsided quickly. But now I know that I MUST practice using electrolyte drinks and mid-run nutrition or I’ll be in trouble. Erik and I also decided I had finally earned my Hangover 10K medal. I had been hanging on to it until I was able to say “I ran this.” Well, I ran it! And I went almost 2 miles over the 10K distance so I think it was definitely deserving. I wore my medal the rest of the day. I’m sure a few people at Costco were confused by my Carlos the Baby medal, but I’m proud!
Finally earned!
Upcoming: We have some maintenance runs and will hopefully get to BodyPump this week. We’ll also have a 4 mile run on Friday and I’m hoping to make even more progress! There’s also going to be a complete lunar eclipse on Friday, so that should make our night run interesting. If anyone out there is a fan of craft brews, Body City Brewery will be having their 5 year anniversary party. The JennErikHams will be there!
We are just 26 days away from the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. That means just EIGHT more 30 min maintenance runs, TWO 4 mile runs, and ONE long run left!! Erik’s next long run will take him to 14 miles. That’s over the amount of the Wine & Dine, so he will be set and ready to have a good time. I’m a little more wary since it would be unsafe to force myself into 14 miles without any real build-up. Plus, I may risk real injury. We can’t have that! That means my first 13.1 mile run WILL be the Wine & Dine. That excites me, since I feel the medal will feel like a real accomplishment. However, I fear “hitting the wall” with my limited training. I’m pretty sure I can finish it, but finish strong? That’s what scares me. My 8 mile run last Sunday was good but not fantastic. The last mile was pretty tough. I haven’t run that distance since March! And I definitely had thoughts of quitting after 4 miles.
On a different subject, I also preordered the Fitbit Force this week. I’ve been wearing a Fitbit (first the Ultra, then the One) since January 2012. The only days I’ve missed were when we were on our cruise and I didn’t want to lose it or get it wet. They came out with the Flex, an armband style, earlier this year, but it lacked many of the features of my One. I wanted the wristband . . . but not at the expense of the features I loved. Now, the Force not only matches my One in ability, but it will soon link to your phone for call notification. That’s pretty cool. The Force is unfortunately not waterproof. It is, however, water resistant. That’s much like my One. No change there. And I’m a sucker for new tech, so it was an easy decision. I hope to get it in the next 2-3 weeks. I’m really hoping it arrives before the Wine & Dine Half! I’m not getting those hopes too high, as I’m very familiar with Fitbit’s delays at new releases. If you’re interested in a review/preview of the Force, check out this article from Gizmodo HERE. Nerd time: I also just want to say that I use the force . . . and passersby will say “the force is strong with this one.” 😉
Anyway, things are looking up all around! What good things have happened to you recently? Share and let me congratulate you!
Wine & Dine Training: Week 12 & 13
Week 12:
Monday: A walk for me and a 30 minute jog for Erik. I picked up the pace from Friday and was able to manage 14:43 per mile over 2.06 miles.
Tuesday: Nada
Wednesday: Erik had another 30 minute run. I attempted to quicken my pace even more with a few jogs. Well, it was going well at first. About 2/3 of the way through, pain hit again. I retuned to Erik defeated. But, I did complete it and I did have a faster pace. That’s something!
Thursday & Friday: Rest Days. Erik was going to do his 11 miles long run Friday, but we heard about a group run put on by 1st Place Sports for Sunday. So, we decided we’d hold out for that.
Saturday: A friend’s birthday took us to a local state park, Fort Caroline. We hiked 2.77 miles up and down the trails.
Sunday: Long run! Long walk! Erik went for 11 miles! He did a fantastic job and went faster than expected. I was able to maintain a 14:37 pace over 8 miles!! This one made me feel soooo good about myself. Yes, it’s 4 minutes slower per mile than I’d like to go, but it felt so good to go so far and not feel horrible.
Week 13:
Monday & Tuesday: Nada
Wednesday: 30 minutes for each of us. I picked up the pace to 13:54 per mile for 2.20 miles. Yay! Faster! I still don’t think I can run. Boo! But, I’m feeling better about my fitness levels.
Thursday-Sunday: well, so much for fitness. We did get a lot done around the house and got to hang out with a lot of friends. So, it wasn’t a complete loss.
Upcoming: Training!!! Healthy eating!!! Color Me Rad!! And I’m going to say it now to hold myself accountable. . . we WILL go to the gym this week.
Wine & Dine Training: Weeks 10 & 11
It’s been quite the month. Lots of good things and some really bad things happened. I’ve let that all push my blog updates aside as I try to get caught up.
Week 10 was a lot of nothing for me. I realized that the pain I felt at the Zooma run was too much to risk doing ANY physical activity for the next week or so. So, I took the easy way out and did nothing. NOTHING. Then, work was pretty darn busy. Going in early and walking around the office all day was exercise in itself. I spent a lot of time on my feet. That would usually be a good thing, but I came home each day aching. On the good news front, I was offered a promotion at work. I’m still doing the same job; now I get the title to go along with what I’ve been doing all along! Erik kept up with his training and completed a 9.5 mile run that Friday. That’s his furthest distance yet! I made him a little fake medal out of paper. Yeah, it was silly, but he deserved it for having the dedication to get out there while I sat at home.
Week 11 was one of the toughest for me emotionally. We had to put down our BFF (Best Furry Friend), Sharky. He had been acting strange over the weekend – accidents in his crate, not eating, winded & pacing. We decided to take Monday off and see the vet. The vet noticed that his lungs sounded odd and asked if we could leave him there for them to complete some tests. We would go to breakfast and come back for him later. Unfortunately, we received a call within 20 minutes of leaving. Sharky was struggling to breathe at the vet’s office. He got over excited during the exam and collapsed from lack of oxygen. His chest X-ray reveled fluid on the lungs. A lot of it. They asked us to come back . . . to most likely say goodbye. When we got there they carried him into the room and explained the situation to us. There was nothing they could do for him and it was painfully obvious that he was spiraling downward quickly. We had to make one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to make and I’m still broken up about it. I miss him so much. He lived the past 8 ½ of his 13 ½ years with us. He was a member of the family and a wonderful pet. We had so many good times together. He was with us before we were married. He moved into our first home with us. The house seems so empty and quiet now. I’m still having to unlearn routines. I still turn around and expect to see him. It hurts.
Because of this, we missed most of our Week 11 training. On Friday, we finally felt okay enough to try some exercise. With almost 2 weeks off, my hip was feeling better. My foot wasn’t bothering me. I went for a walk while Erik ran 4 miles. I averaged 17:20 per mile for 1.44 miles. I MADE myself walk. No running or jogging allowed. We then took Saturday and Sunday off for me to recover and make sure my hip was still okay. It’s feeling 95% better. It just gets a little sore if I sit for too long in one position. And I’m pretty sure I can’t run yet. But, I’m going to be upping the amount of activity gradually over this next week and see if I can start jogging ASAP. As I type this, I have about 6 weeks to go until the half marathon. The Wine & Dine gets closer and I feel less and less prepared.
Wine & Dine Training: Weeks 8 & 9
Where’s my full Week 8 post? Why is Week 9 so late? Good questions. I think I was so upset over my healing process (or lack thereof) that I couldn’t bring myself to write about it. I try to stay positive and like momma always said . . .if you can’t say something nice. . .” But, I need to be accountable and keep track of this experience, so here’s a short recap.
Week 8 for me was comprised of a painful CXWorx class, rest, rest, a horribly slow 5K, and more rest, rest, rest. I’m pretty sure this was my least productive week since I started an exercise routine almost 2 years ago! Erik, on the other hand, completed his trainings as scheduled and went on his longest training run yet: 8 Miles! I’m so proud of him. The furthest we’ve ever run was 9.3 and that was the Gate River Run back in March. He completed this run with energy to spare! The 5K served at the closing ceremony for the YMCA First Coast Games. We ran at the Jacksonville Zoo! I’m not going to do a real recap on this one. My time was 15:11 per mile. So, a quick walk. The hip was acting up. Bleck.
Week 9 was. . .better?
Monday: Rest for me and the Run Jax 35th Anniversary 3.5 mile Labor Day Run for Erik! Maybe I can persuade him to do a recap!
Tuesday: BodyPump. I couldn’t do squats or lunges because my hip was hurting. Pretty sure I remember crying.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: Foam rolling for me and a 30 min run for Erik.
Friday: Rest for me and 4 miles for Erik.
Saturday: The Inspired Yoga + Run put on by the fine people at Zooma. They did a great job; I didn’t. I’ll recap that one for you soon.
Sunday: Foam rolling and rest for the both of us.
So, what’s next? Good question. I have two months to go until the Wine & Dine. I’m starting to get really REALLY concerned that this isn’t going to work out well for me. Even if I heal up by the end of this week or next, I have logged very few miles in the past few months. I’m ill prepared. The hip pain means that I can’t even hop on the elliptical! Where’s my cardio?! I may try Yoga or another CXWork class this week. I’ll take it VERY easy and maybe by Friday I can at LEAST walk without pain.
On another note things are pretty darn busy at work right now. There may be some big news career-wise in my future. Keep your fingers crossed!
JennErikHams 