Weekly Rundown- The Highs and the Lows
Hello and welcome! This week started with a race, and ended with some time in the pool. But we’ll get to all that! Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown. Now let’s just see what went wrong- er, let’s just see what went ON this week. Sunday This was a weird Sunday. Since I was running a race the next day, I didn’t want to do anything too strenuous. I also had been noticing a little soreness in my right shin the past week (foreshadowing!) so I was trying to take it easy. I ran three miles on Saturday and it seemed okay, but didn’t want to run again on Sunday. I ended up doing a 10 minute core class and then a 45 minute power yoga class. As you will see, I’m a creature of habit. All my classes were on Peloton, and I have my favorite instructors: all core classes this week were with Rebecca Kennedy, all other strength was with Matty Maggiacomo, and all yoga classes with Denis Morton. I find my favorites and stick with them! Monday Race day! I ran a July 4th 5K. Thrilling(?) race recap here. Now- as soon as I started my warmup run, my shin hurt. SERIOUSLY? You’re going to flare up NOW??? I did what any sane person would do, and ignored it. I was there to run a race, and that’s what I did. I figured I would sort out the shin later. My shin hurt during my warmup and then a little in the first mile of the race, and then it went away. However, I’m very familiar with this type of shin issue. Here’s a little story: Years ago, I was living in New York and training for the NYC marathon. My shin was hurting, not too bad, but just aching at the start of my runs. Obviously, I ignored it. I was training for a marathon and had no time for injuries. Well… this went on for a while until one day I was doing a long run. The pain in my shin got so bad I literally couldn’t take one more step, and I had to take the subway home. Guess who didn’t run the NYC marathon that year? Me. Now I take shin pain seriously! After the race I iced it a couple times. It was just mildly achy, but I decided to take a few days off to let everything heal up. Tuesday Everything felt good, other than the mild pain on the inside of my shin. i did a 5 minute core class, and a 30 minute yoga flow. Ah, so far resting my shin is going great! Wednesday I decided it would be the Week of Strength! I did a 5 minute core class, a 20 minute upper body strength class, and my favorite 30 minute glutes and legs class with Matty from 3/22/21. The only time I felt my shin was if I did skaters or side lunges- so I skipped those and subbed other moves. Thursday I did a 10 minute core class, and then…a 45 minute pool run. Friday I did two core classes- first, Rebecca’s 10 minute standing core class. This has a lot of balance work, which I always like. I know that you’re using your core when you balance, but this class doesn’t give me those burning abs. But the second class did! This was Rebecca’s 10 minute class from 5/13/22. OUCH. This class is 10 solid minutes with no breaks, and I felt it. Great class. Then, another Matty 30 minutes glues and legs class, from 2/11/21. This is also a great class- four rounds of lunges, squats, deadlifts, and sumo squats. The first round is just bodyweight to focus on perfect form. The next three rounds use weights, and he makes it increasingly harder by adding pulses in the last two rounds. He actually calls this class “Pulse-a-Palooza.” Matty loves his Paloozas! Saturday I knew I was going to have a really hard day at work. If you were just observing my clients, you would think an amateur football team was sending its members in for massages. I like all these clients, but they should be banned from all coming on the same day. Knowing this ahead of time, I saved my workouts for after work. I did a 20 minute upper body strength class. Until recently, I’ve really been slacking on upper body strength, and now I’m paying the price. These classes leave me really sore! I know I just have to do it more and get used to it. I followed this class with a 20 minute yoga flow. All these classes were great, but as the week went on I had this odd “life has no meaning” feeling- I wonder why? Oh, I know why! I’m not running. Funny what an effect that has on my mental health. Sunday On tap is another strength class and a pool run! It’s enough to keep me sane, but I’m really hoping to be running next week. Heal quickly, shin!!! I’m longing for a trail run. Have you ever had shin splints? Or to be more specific, medial tibial stress syndrome. A fancy way of saying a sore muscle on the inside of the shin bone (tibia.) Sigh.
Women in Running- Camille Herron
I just received my copy of Next Level- Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond by Stacy Sims, and am eagerly flipping through it. So much good advice! I’ll write more about it when I’ve read the whole book, but a couple things that immediately caught my eye were in the nutrition section- namely, that intermittent fasting and keto aren’t good for women. According to Sims, studies show intermittent fasting is beneficial for MEN, but actually detrimental for women, especially women who exercise. The book also explains that the keto diet doesn’t work the same way for women as it does for men. Both keto and intermittent fasting can raise cortisol levels and depress thyroid function in women (among other undesirable effects.) So it’s true- women are not just “little men.” Unless you’re Camille Herron. Not that she’s a man, of course, but that hasn’t stopped her from beating all the men in some of her recent races. Like the Jackpot 100 this past February, where she won the race outright and set a new world record for 100 miles, 12:41:11. Yep- at the age of 40, Camille ran an average pace of 7:37 for 100 miles (her final mile was 7:08), beating all the women and men in that race. I listened to her on this episode of the Rich Roll podcast and it was SO GOOD! I loved this episode so, so much. They talk about her training, how she used Inside Tracker to identify and fix a major problem with her biomarkers, what kind of strength work she does, a story about how her family’s house was completely demolished by a tornado when she was in high school, and much more. All these topics were fascinating, but more than that it’s her happiness and positivity, her infectious enthusiasm for running that made the episode addictive. I listened to it, and then went back and watched it on Youtube. Some of my favorite quotes: “If I could, I would run all day.” (Good thing she runs 100 mile races!) “I’m propelled by joy.” (Something to think about on my next run.) “I’m doing this for the world. I’m doing this to elevate the sport, to raise the bar in what women think is possible.” (Thank you, Camille!) It’s easy to fall into a rut, or fall into the trap of thinking our best days are behind us. Listening to podcasts like this and reading books like Next Level make me feel excited and empowered to reach my full potential. If you also need a jolt of inspiration, please listen to Camille and tell me what you think! I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday! Check them out for more fun and inspiration.
4th of July Race Recap!
Before I begin this recap, I have to say something. Highland Park, Illinois is the town where I grew up. I wish I could say I’m shocked and horrified that a shooting could take place there, but sadly the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida occurred in the town right next to us. My son has friends who attended Stoneman Douglas and my coworkers have kids there. Unless something changes, we’re all eventually going to be saying that it happened in the town next to us, or in our hometown, or directly to us. The second amendment to our constitution says “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Well regulated! Can we PLEASE do something to regulate guns in this country? Now, on to the race. Yesterday my husband and I ran the Weston July 4th Hometown Celebration 5K. We run this race every year… unless there’s a pandemic, or I’m injured. Let’s just say I haven’t run it in several years, and I was happy to be back! The race started at 7:15, and we got there early to pick up our bibs and get warmed up. I wore my festive shirt, but only before the race- I ran the race in shorts and a sports bra because it was a HOT day. I ran a mile to warm up, and then I employed a trick which has served me well in the past- I brought along ice in a cooler and put a handful of ice cubes into the front of my bra. It cooled me down SO MUCH. My husband obviously didn’t have this option, and he said he was extremely hot waiting for the race to start, while I was comfortable. They played the national anthem, and I tried to focus on the good things about our country. It’s getting harder and harder (and this was before the Highland Park shooting, of course.) In spite of everything, we’re incredibly privileged to live in America. Compared to other parts of the world where people live in unstable and dangerous situations, we have it pretty good. Really good. And then the race started! My goal was to hold a steady 9 minute mile pace throughout. I don’t want to go on and on about it, but it’s still a little frustrating to me that my current 5K pace is 9 min/mile. In recent races, I think I just wasn’t accepting that’s where I’m at right now, and I would go out too fast and then completely crumble in the last mile. For this race I really wanted to be realistic, run the correct pace, and hold that pace till the end. My first mile felt hard-ish but under control, and my Garmin beeped at 8:57. Considering how hard it is to hold back at the start of a race, I thought that was an excellent beginning. The second mile was 8:54. The third mile was where it truly got hard. I’ve been working on my mental game for that last mile, and I pushed myself- and my third mile was 9:07. Now, I’m no math whiz, but it seemed to me that whether or not I averaged a 9 minute/mile pace would all come down to that last .1 mile. Somewhere in the second mile I had become aware that I was running behind a young girl- maybe eight years old? Nine? Ten? For a while I was determined not to let her get too far ahead, but in the third mile I realized I was gaining on her. I resolved to pass her in that last tenth of a mile- but as the finish line came into sight, the MEDDLING announcer shouted “You’re almost there! Sprint to the finish!” She sprinted! I sprinted! And she crossed the line just ahead of me. In spite of the fact that I didn’t even know her (and she beat me) I felt incredibly proud of that girl. She’s just a little kid and she ran a great race! Such a consistent pace and she even had a kick at the end. Great job-although I’ll be back next year and you’re going DOWN, Missy! I figured with that ending sprint to the finish, I was surely under a 9 minute pace… but my official time showed this: I PROTEST!!! My Garmin says that I ran 3.15 miles and my average pace was 8:58, so I’m going with that. That’s how it works, right? When there’s a discrepancy between your chip time and your Garmin time, you go with the one you like better! Ha ha. Let’s just say that overall I was happy with my effort. And come on… I can’t take myself TOO seriously. I was battling an eight-year-old to the finish! In the end I can say I honestly had fun, and that’s what really matters. There was the annual fire hose “shower” at the end, which felt amazing. We didn’t stick around very long afterwards. Instead of having the finish line food and festivities outside as they usually do, this year they had it all inside the YMCA. I went in to get a banana, and because I was wet from the shower, the AC was FREEZING COLD. Good thing I didn’t win an AG award (ha ha) because I wouldn’t have been able to stay to get it. Just keep everything outside next year! All in all, we enjoyed this race, as we always do. Now I’m looking forward to the next one! Did you race this weekend? I’m linking this post with Kim and Zenaida for their Tuesday Topics, as well as Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, and Runs with Pugs for the Runners Roundup. Thanks, ladies!
Weekly Rundown- Almost Race Week
Ever noticed how it’s really confusing to have a race that’s NOT on a Saturday or Sunday? I’m running a 5K tomorrow (the 4th) so that affected my workouts this week- kind of. Throw in a little shin pain (eep!) and the week took some twists and turns. But it’s all good. Thanks to Kim and Deborah as always for hosting the Weekly Rundown. Let’s just see how pre-race week went! Sunday Ah…. back on the trail. Several weeks ago I decided the trail was too hot and un-shaded for long runs. So I did a couple long runs out on the roads, but I missed my trail. I decided to try it again and hope for a few clouds to cool things down. As luck would have it, it was a bright, sunny day. Perfect for just about any activity other than running on a shade-less trail. But you know what? I loved it anyway. I ended up going 11 miles, and even that last hot mile was fun. In a weird, twisted way, of course. Monday I was feeling that trail run in my quads, so I did a 5 minute core class and a 30 minute yoga flow. All classes were on Peloton, and the yoga classes were with my yoga bff, Denis Morton. This particular yoga class is one of my favorites- a twist focus flow from 12/6/20. I always feel amazing after this class. Tuesday I had planned this as a cutback week, so I started the day with a short 2 mile run… …followed by a glutes and legs strength class with Matty Maggiacomo, “Lunge-a-Palooza.” This is one of my favorites- I like lunges! Followed this class with a 5 minute core class. Wednesday One last speed workout before my race. After a warmup run, I did a combination of 400 and 800 repeats, ending with a mile at 5K pace. I figured it would be good practice for that last mile of the race- 5Ks are always painful. Followed this with a 10 minute core class. This, by the way, is the same class that hurt my neck last week. I still like the class, but now I sub something else for the v-ups. No more v-ups for me. Now- funny thing. After my shower I was rubbing coconut oil (aka my moisturizer) on my legs and I noticed a VERY tender spot on the inside of my shin. It felt like shin splints (or in more specific terms, medial tibial stress syndrome.) I didn’t feel it while I was running, but it was sore enough to the touch to raise a big red flag. Arg! Thursday In addition to the tender spot on my right shin, that calf muscle was also very tight and sore. What the—? I didn’t feel any of this while I was running???!! Anyway, I decided to take it easy on my legs. I did a 5 minute core class, and then a 20 minute upper body strength class. This was only the second upper body class I’ve ever taken on Peloton. Crazy, I know. I’ve been doing pull-ups (assisted, with a band of course) and counting that as upper body. This was with my favorite strength instructor, Matty, and oh boy… was I sore. Note to self: you need more upper body classes. Followed this with a 20 minute yoga flow. Friday I decided to take an extra day off running, just to be safe. Because guess what- I’m not missing that race on Monday. So I did another 5 minute core class, followed by a 20 minute glutes and legs strength class with Matty. This one is from 12/14/20 and is another favorite. He incorporates a lot of balance work, AND there are NO plyometrics. Bonus. Again, followed by a 20 minute yoga flow. Saturday I started with a 10 minute barre class. This was my first time trying a barre class, and it was a GREAT warmup for running. I also walked a little extra to further warm up, and then did a 3 mile run. The whole time I kept asking myself “Does my shin hurt? Was that a twinge?” But overall everything felt good. Phew. I planned to do a core class after work, but I completely forgot and took a nap instead. Later on I was sitting on the couch sipping a beer and thought “Wait a minute! I was supposed to do a core class.” But I think it goes without saying that once the beer comes out, workouts are done for the day. Sunday On tap for today… It’s a mystery! I usually do my long run on Sunday but I have a race tomorrow. I would do a short run, but I want to give my shin the extra rest just to be on the safe side. I’m thinking of a core class (to make up for the beer situation yesterday) and maybe a power yoga class. And pancakes. Heh heh. Are you doing a race this weekend? Do you have anything special planned for the 4th? – Other than our race, we don’t have anything planned. People in our neighborhood set off so many fireworks, we can have a nice show just looking out our window (while the poor cats hide under the bed.)