walkers walk… but runners fly

Weekly Rundown- All About the Long Run

Well, it’s Sunday again and time for the Weekly Rundown, thanks to our gracious hosts Kim and .Deborah. This week had a little of everything- gym, short runs, and a GREAT long run!  Read on for the details.

Sunday

Leg day at the gym!  Remember how, until November, it had been over 1000 days since I went to the gym?  Well, my husband also hadn’t been in at least that long but he went with me on Sunday.  I’ve been gently nagging him to do some strength training (because he hasn’t been doing ANY) so I was very happy he came with me!

I’ve read that when you first start lifting heavy weights, your brain learns to recruit more muscle fibers during a lift so it seems like you get stronger really quickly- but it’s really just an improvement in the neuromuscular process.  I can definitely attest to this- I first started squatting with just the bar, and now I can add 30 pounds!  Whatever it’s due to, it’s fun to see so much improvement.

After this set I added five more pounds.

Monday

4 mile run!  I literally can’t remember anything about this run, other than I did it and I have the picture to prove it.

Tuesday

Push/pull day at the gym, which I’ve decided I can simply call “upper body.”

Wednesday

LONG RUN!  I went to Yamato Scrub, which is a 217 acre protected natural area about thirty minutes from my house.  Scrub communities formed on old dunes, so a lot of this trail system is loose sand.  That’s fine, because the trail race I’m doing in April apparently has sand dunes involved (eep!)

I knew it was going to be hot (it was 85 degrees by the time I finished the run) but it’s not going to be any cooler in April.  I decided to approach this run a little differently, and broke it up into three segments.  After each segment I returned to my car- the “aid station”- to get some ice and switch water bottles.

The aid station.

The first segment of the run was just under 6 miles, and it felt AWFUL.  I was running on exposed, sandy trails.  And when I say “sand” I mean loose sand, not hard-packed.  I was in full sun and I questioned whether I could continue- but I reminded myself that I would feel better after my pit stop.

Not my favorite section.

I stopped at my car, switched out my water bottle, and put several ice cubes in my sports bra.  My new water bottle had icy cold water mixed with LMNT, which tasted amazing; the ice in my bra cooled me down, and I started on a different section of trail, which was less sand and more dirt.

This is more like it!

I felt like a whole new person!  The next five miles felt so easy compared to the first six.  I stopped at my car again, switched water bottles, got more ice, and set off for the last leg.

I did get tired during this leg, but I completed 16 miles.  That’s the same distance as my last long run but took longer because of the more difficult terrain.  I’ve decided to measure my long runs by time now, although of course I couldn’t help looking at the mileage as well.

This run was a huge victory, because instead of just complaining about the heat, I did something about it.  The LMNT worked great, I didn’t get nauseous, and nothing hurt!  I really loved this run, and I want to do more long runs in this area.

Thursday

Ugh.  Went to the gym and did the stair climber.  Did I feel like it?  NO.  But, I’ve decided to do one day a week of cross training on the stair climber, and this was the only day that worked.  I also did some abs while I was there because… why not.

Friday

4 mile run.  Extremely annoying fact: someone has started parking their car in one of the spots where I take a picture at the end of my run.  Don’t they know I have a blog???  Anyway, I took this “amazing” shot instead in a different location.

Funny thing about this picture- it looks like I’m blurry and the background is clear, but in reality it was the opposite.  It was very, very foggy this morning, which wasn’t captured in the photo at all.

Saturday

Off!  I didn’t get to sleep in as I usually do on a Saturday, because my daughter had solo and ensemble contest.  Since I had to work my husband drove her, but I had to be up to provide breakfast and moral support.  She ended up getting a superior on her solo, as I knew she would!  She was well-prepared, and the judges are very lenient in middle school.  But it was her first time going to contest and I’m glad she had a good experience.

Sunday

On tap for today- leg day once again!  My husband discovered that our gym has a hex bar- who knew?- and I’m going to try doing hex bar deadlifts.  I know- I really know how to make a Sunday morning fun!

And, I’m not too happy about football season winding down.  I’m looking forward to the Super Bowl next weekend, but today is going to feel empty with no games.  I’ve never been interested in basketball, but I’m going to try.  I need something!

How’s your weather been?  – Ha!  While the rest of the country has been immersed in winter, we got up to 87 degrees this week. We’re having a cooler and rainy weekend, which is just fine with me.

Eagles or Chiefs? – Chiefs!

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47 Responses

  1. I love LMNT, it saved me miles and miles in tropical country. What do you use as fuel? 16 miles trail run sounds so dreamy. I’m still lazy to get out of the city to find trail run places, but will soon do.

    1. I’ve been using GU, and for this run I also ate some raisins. I’m going to try some different fuels though next time.

  2. I would love to run on those trails! The sand would definitely be an issue–it kind of reminds me of that powdery snow I ran in last Sunday. It really makes for slow going. It’s a good thing you got that segment done first! It’s crazy how warm it is down there.

    Great job on the strength training!!!

    1. Thank you Wendy! I always think about you when I go to the gym.
      Yes, you would like these trails. And it’s easy to avoid the sandy parts if you want to.

  3. Those trails look like they would be a real challenge! Way to devise a great strategy to make it work for you. Well, my Miami weather did not turn out to be so great. Thurs and Friday were really nice. It is kind of ugly out right now but it stopped raining so I am about to head out. Well, at least its not snowing Lol

  4. I’m glad you figured out how to make the long run more comfortable!
    I guess we are cheering for the Eagles since my son was cheering for Cincinnati, and was pretty devastated by their loss. I don’t really care one way or the other though.

    1. I liked the hexbar. My issue with DLs is getting the bar far enough off the ground (since I’m not putting huge plates on it.) The handles of the hexbar helped and I also figured out a way to elevate it further. I’ll post a picture next week.

  5. I love your “aid station” circuit. Does running on loose sand strain your calves? Mine ache just thinking about it!

    Yay on getting your husband to the gym!

    I’m with you on missing football. I can’t get into basketball.

    1. Great question about the calves. I think if I were running on the beach it would strain my calves. But beach sand is deeper- this is loose trail sand so I’m not sinking in as much with every step.

  6. Congrats to your daughter on her solo performance and winning the contest!

    Good job on your long run! It sounds fabulous, well, except for the running on the soft sand part. I hate sand in general and especially running in it if it’s not packed. And yay for getting your hubby to the gym!

    1. Yeah, I’m not a huge fan of running on soft sand! I would probably be avoiding it if my race didn’t call for it

  7. Great job on the long run! I have been only doing 3 to 5 miles most days and definitely not in long run shape any more. But I’ll be doing a half in May, so I’ll start ramping up soon!

    1. You’re in a good position to start increasing your distance for a May half. I can see why you’re not doing a long run now, with your schedule and kid duties!

  8. That was a great strategy breaking up your long run into segments!! Physically, it’s a nice chance for the legs to have a short reprieve. But, mentally, it probably worked like magic!

  9. Oh I know that cooler-in-the-car “aid station” so well. On super hot marathon training days I’d drive to heavily wooded trails and cajole myself around the loops. The stop at the car and some fresh cold beverages were such a treat! Congrats to your daughter! I’m glad her first experience was a great one!

    1. Thank you Marcia! I’m sure you’ve been through plenty of S&E experiences.
      I don’t know why I never did the car aid station strategy before- I think it’s going to be part of every long run from now on.

  10. Between unseasonably warm a weekend of polar vortext & wind. I wouldn’t like 87, though!

    I trained in a place with a lot of loose sand for about a mile I think in the beginning for my first trail half — not a fan, but when I discovered gaiters that helped a lot. That half did NOT have sand, though, LOL!

    16 miles! Congrats! You’re doing great. Great job!

    1. Thank you Judy! I think most people are not a fan of running on loose sand. I guess I’ll take our warm weather over a polar vortex.

  11. Hex bar deadlifts are the best, enjoy!!! How lovely that your husband joined you at the gym.
    Finally I understood how you’re taking the photos of yourself running. I’ve always wondered but never asked! 😀 85F… that’s lovely to me. Maybe not for running, though.
    I’ve been thinking about trail running recently. I’ve always thought it would be better than running on roads, for less impact, easier on the body etc but maybe it isn’t? I saw a YouTube video and realised maybe I would worry too much about uneven terrain, having to be more cautious where you place feet etc.. what’s your take on that?

    1. I think overall trail running is easier on your body, BUT there is the risk of falling or twisting an ankle. I think you get better at it the more you do it, and of course it depends on the trail. Some of the trails around here are pretty flat and smooth.

  12. Googling LMNT to see if I can get it in the U.K.! Nuun was always my drink of choice buts not available here so I have to have friends bring it over.

    I can’t imagine running on loose sand- that sounds so hard! Way to go Jenny!

  13. Congrats to your daughter on her solo! I think it’s good to be more lenient when they are young to help build confidence and not discourage young musicians! But I imagine she didn’t need the leniency!

    That run sounds so hard! Running on sand that isn’t packed is so hard! I hope the sand dunes are more packed! 50k is hard enough without an added challenge!

    It was bitterly cold here last week so I missed a few outdoor walks. I went one day when the feels like temp was -10F and it was pretty miserable. I know people say there is no bad weather just bad clothing but it was just not enjoyable! So I am sticking to my plan of giving myself a pass when it’s below 0! Luckily it warmed up for my friend’s visit! It’s been around 20-30F which is nice for us!

    1. I agree- at this stage, middle schoolers need encouragement more than criticism.
      Ugh- I can’t even imagine walking when it’s -10. Or doing anything else outside, for that matter. I’m glad it warmed up for your friend’s visit (and your birthday!)

  14. Sixteen miles! I’m so impressed with your training. You’re doing such a great job and being so consistent about it. How is your foot holding up, especially with the trail running?

    I didn’t even know what a hex bar was. I’ll be interested to see how it works for you.

    1. My foot was fine during the run! I was pleasantly surprised. I’ll write more about the hex bar soon- but I liked it.

  15. Your pictures from your l9ngrun made me seriously homesick. I’m sure if I was there I’d be whining right there with you, but at the moment it looks lovely.

    That long run was a great effort I’m sure you’ll see a return on your investment on that one. The rest of your week was good too.

    1. Thanks Teresa! It really is lovely, if you can get past the heat. Considering the frigid temps elsewhere in the country this week, I’m trying to embrace the South Florida weather.

  16. Great job on that long run, and all of the workouts this week! That is a very interesting area to run in. I’m not sure how I would do on sand, but I made sure I avoided any ice and snow for the most part on my runs this week. I just read your Coffee Date post too. Can you believe I only do laundry one day a week? Sunday is laundry day and I pretty much only do a load of athletic clothes (no softener) and one load of “the rest” (mix of whites and darks)! And towels maybe every other week. I hope you have figured out the laptop issue!
    Congrats to your daughter on her S & E performance. What a great confidence boast! Hope you had a great date day at the gym with your husband 🙂

    1. REALLY??? Once a week??? How is that possible? And you have a teenage son at home! I really have to do a laundry audit around here.

      1. 😂 And I forced my family to own at least 15 pairs of underwear so when we go on long camping trips everyone is all set! The laundry pile always seems like a lot, and then when I split it into 3 laundry baskets of folded clothes (one for each of us), the basket is barely full. Either we are really clean people, or tolerant of messy clothes. haha!!!

  17. You want to talk weather? Let’s talk weather. It got BELOW -40C with the windchill here on Saturday (for the record, that’s -40F, too). It was SO cold. Everything was shut down for the day and the wind was so strong that all the screens in our windows were covered in a film of snow. I literally felt like we were being buried alive (there wasn’t actually much snow, it was just so windy). The power flickered for a moment, but never went out which was incredible. It would have been horrific to be without power in those conditions. We have a propane fireplace, so could have stayed warm enough…but our pipes would have been toast.

    So reading about your hot run feels incomprehensible. That said, it is now ABOVE 0C. What an insane temperature spread?! Over 50 degrees change in the course of 24 hours.

    1. Yes, I know it must seem like I live on the other side of the world. You had some seriously cold weather! We used to get days like that in Illinois, and school would be canceled because of the cold. I’m glad you didn’t lose power! And, enjoy your “balmy” weather of 0C. For now.

  18. Pretty chilly here, still. We had a few humid days, but then the wind and rain and cold came back. Meh.

    That sugar sand is the stuff of nightmares. I never feel good running on it, and it always gets in my shoes. Boo.

    1. Yes, sugar sand is not my favorite!!! You definitely get more cold weather than we do down here- I wouldn’t mind it a little cooler, but I can do without the wind and rain!

  19. That’s such a smart setup for your long run! You were your own aid station and it had everything you needed! We are not as bad this week as the deep freeze this weekend; I’d say seasonably right for where I’m at!

  20. I always forget just how big the USA is! That other bloggers I’ve been reading are stuck with cold and some snow, and here you are with shorts and sweltering conditions! Well done on that Long Run Wednesday! First of all, congrats on the 16 miles and on being so self-sufficient with your own aid station – super impressive! But also, just getting it done in those sandy conditions. The desert walk I do each year is in sand, and I know just how hard it is to push through that… let alone to attempt to run! But very good training for April so way to go Jenny!

    1. Yes, it seems crazy to me too that people in the same country have such extremely different weather. I did another long trail run today, and I’m getting less and less fond of sand! But, there’s sand in the April race so I’m training on it.

  21. Sand in a race? Yikes! Looks like great prep and I love the car aid station – I used to do similar with my recycling wheelie bin when I was first marathon training, although that also involves popping back to the house, just as tempting as the car! Anyway, well done on your long run, superb work!

    1. Thank you Liz! Ha, a recycling wheelie bin would make a great aid station. I have to use my car because I’m doing these runs on a trail far from my house.

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