walkers walk… but runners fly

Weekly Rundown- Happy Chaos

Well, it was quite a week!  The craziness of May was ramped up a notch with the arrival of my son and his college roommate.  My son always comes home in a swirl of chaos, and this time it was doubled.  The boys slept till noon one day; another day got up at 5 am to go to the beach and see the sunrise; went to the gym; had friends over for a jam session; made a trip to the Asian market and cooked dinner one night… it’s been like a big party, except the rest of us still had to go to work/school.  But of course, workouts did occur!  Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown- let’s just see how it all played out.

Sunday

This was the day of my 5K time trial.  It was… pretty much as I expected.  My pace felt hard but was slow, compared to the old days.  But that’s okay- you have to start somewhere.  One thing I was reminded of was that for a race like a 5K you have to train your mind as well as your body.  It’s hard to hold that pace for the last mile, and I let myself slow down.  When I was done, I felt that OF COURSE I could have held the pace- but I just have to train my mind to accept being uncomfortable like that again.

When I got home I did some lower body strength- things that I don’t need to go to the gym for, like Bulgarian split squats and calf raises.  My Sunday waffles tasted REALLY good after all that!

Monday

I did this Caroline Girvan 4×4 abs workout.  It’s four different exercises repeated four times.  Other than that it was a day off.

Tuesday

I started the day with a 4 mile run…

and then did Caroline Girvan’s deadbug workout. This is the one that starts off suspiciously easy, but by the end has you questioning your life choices.

Wednesday

Gym day!  It was mostly a leg day- squats, deadlifts, calf raises- with bench press thrown in as well.  I was pretty sure I wouldn’t get back to the gym this week, so I wanted to do a little upper body.

I figured out a way to do deadlifts with the regular bar (as opposed to the hex bar- I was tired of that) by putting the bar on a low rack to start with (that way I don’t have to bend down so low to get it off the floor.)  When I told my son about it he said “Doesn’t your gym have the big ten pound plates?”  What?  Is there such a thing?  I’m sure the gym has all sorts of things I don’t know about, so I’ll have to find out.

Thursday

Well, my legs were trashed from the gym so it was obviously the perfect day for speed work!  Ha ha, actually I just didn’t know how else to fit it in.  In the future I won’t do it after leg day, but since this was my first real speed workout in… a year?… I was starting easy anyway.

After a warmup, I did 4×400 at, ahem, “5k pace” but in reality I could NOT find that pace.  I was doing the repeats on a stretch of road that I know is a quarter mile, but half the time I couldn’t see my watch because of the glaring sunlight, and my body had no idea what the pace was supposed to feel like.  That’s okay- it was a start.  I’m hoping to get to an actual track over the summer.

Cooling down…

Friday

3 mile run at a snail’s pace, and boy was this one hard.  My legs were sore from the gym AND speed work- but that’s okay.  I took it very slow!

Afterwards I did the Caroline Girvan deadbug workout again (will this ever get easier?)

Saturday

I had planned to at least do some core, but the swirl of chaos engulfed me and it turned into a day off.  That’s fine because…

Sunday

On tap for today- a trail run.  I have high hopes for this run!  My legs should feel fresh for a change, and I’m going to get out EARLY, before it gets too hot.  The plan is 6-8 miles, followed by my “at-home leg day” again.

Moving forward…

I really want to get to the gym twice a week for leg day.  There are FOUR MORE DAYS of school for my daughter, and then ten glorious weeks where I’ll have my early mornings to myself to do WHATEVER I WANT.  I could go to the gym every day if I wanted to! (I don’t.)  I’m really psyched about this upcoming freedom- I think it’s going to be a great summer.

Will your schedule be changing at all for summer?

Do you like having houseguests? – Usually I find it stressful, but my son’s roommate is the perfect guest and I’m enjoying it!

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50 Responses

  1. i fully agree on the mental part. that’s why I’m training with the speed now to get used to be uncomfortable. I’m doing a 10km race today, with a target finishing time of 50 min or less, daunting task. will see.
    do you do mobility too?

    1. Yes, that’s a daunting task- I couldn’t come close to that time right now.
      I do a little mobility in the mornings before I run. Probably not as much as I should!

  2. I agree, the right houseguest is no trouble at all. I need the FL college lifestyle options of sleeping in until noon OR getting up at 5 to go to the beach. Now that’s what I call balance! I want to know what those boys got at the Asian market! I have a feeling that my crew would come back with all of the snacks.

    Here’s to summer freedom!

    1. Ha ha, there were some snacks. But I was surprised they didn’t go too crazy, especially since they were using my credit card.

  3. Ah, yes, re-training your brain to be OK with being uncomfortable. I think that’s why I have been struggling with racing so much lately. Pushing my pace for x miles is not fun — at least not the last few miles. Why am I putting myself through it?

    It all depends on the houseguest, but usually my kids’ friends are fun to have around.

    Enjoy the chaos!

    1. Yes- I feel like it’s easy to ask the question “why am I putting myself through this?” and then not come up with a good answer (in the heat of the moment.) And then slow down. I have to work on that!

  4. I might have to try this infamous dead bug workout! Hard to keep up with the Peloton challenges I am in and add more! 5K training is a whole other animal and way of running for sure. I always felt like it was tornado like when the kids returned but a happy tornado LOL

    1. Yes, I think it would be hard to for you to add other things when you’re already doing so much on Peloton.
      “Tornado” is a good way to describe this week!

  5. A college kid the perfect houseguest? Wow! Sounds like you’re having fun with them, though. And congrats on having your mornings again after school is done!

    Hope your trail run went well.

    5ks are hard. That is all!

  6. I love the idea that you’re still prioritizing your workouts while there’s chaos at home. Good chaos, but chaos nonetheless!

    I think I’ll have to add the deadbug workout to my routine, too, because it does not sound that bad to me. Ha. Famous last words when it comes to CG workouts!

  7. I need to try this deadbug workout and the ab one! Sounds like fun.

    Ha, your son’s lifestyle sounds a little chaotic! Ah, to be young again, hehe.

    1. I know! It’s funny what 20 year olds can do, and still feel good.
      i’m not sure if those ab workouts are “fun” but they are effective!

  8. I tend to find houseguests stressful. I think I’m a good host in the sense that people feel laidback and have a great time, but I am always – ALWAYS – absolutely exhausted when company leaves. It takes a lot of energy for my introverted soul to have someone in my space after suppertime! I never relax when other people are sleeping overnight in my home (I’m way more relaxed being a guest in someone else’s home).

    Our schools don’t end until the very last day of June, but they don’t start up again until after Labour Day in September.

    1. Yes, I remember your schools go very late (compared to ours)- but we start by mid-August.
      Our houseguest has been an absolute delight, but I’m still exhausted. He’s leaving tomorrow and i’m sad but relieved at the same time.

  9. I don’t mind houseguests…well good ones, but I agree it can be stressful. How fun to have your son home though! Our “hurricane” arrives next Sunday and I can’t wait. Of course I’ll wonder why I was so excited to see her as soon as she starts getting snippy. Haha!
    It’s finals week here and I think my daughter only has exams 2 or three days and that’s a wrap!

  10. Good for you for getting speed work in – I definitely have to start doing this. I have been running again in the last few weeks, but always just at a feel-good pace. I need to put a bit of a training plan together again. I don’t know if there is a track I can use close by – also something to look into.

    I feel you on the “mental side” of holding a certain pace. It’s really just convincing your brain that you can do it.

    1. Yes! I remember last time I actually trained for a 5kI had to really work on my mental game for that last mile.

  11. House guests can be stressful – especially when you have to hold to your regular work schedule. It sounds like you’re having fun tho.

    Isn’t it nice when your schedule is your own again?! My high schooler has one week of classes and then finals. I’m looking forward to the more relaxed pace of summer!

  12. I hope today’s trail run went well! We don’t have any more issues with routine changes since both boys are out of the house. In fact, when they do come here, it really throws us off, lol!

    1. Yes, that’s true- having my son home always throws things a little off-kilter nowadays. He’ll be home for two months so we should get adjusted to it.

  13. You did a little bit of everything last week! I have another half marathon in a couple weeks, then nothing of major distance for awhile. I should throw in some speedwork for the summer…like 1-mile time trials or 5K’s (like you’re doing). For me, they get monotonous, but it is fun to see the progress.

  14. How fun to have your son and his friend home! It does sound like a party! And it will be lovely to start the summer schedule.
    My son has his graduation ceremony this week but still has a month of classes/ exams after that. Then, in July, we move, so that is a very big thing. Lots to organize, that’s for sure!

  15. Starting a day with a run, what else?
    To have the children (and grandchildren) at home is always a pleasure. I am lucky because my son and my daughter live with their families 2 minutes walking far from my home.
    After my retirement I have all the mornings to do whatever I want.
    Of course in summer I have to change my schedule because of the heat: I have to run in early morning.

  16. Starting a day with a run, what else?
    To have the children (and grandchildren) at home is always a pleasure. I am lucky because my son and my daughter live with their families 2 minutes walking far from my home.
    After my retirement I have all the mornings to do whatever I want.
    Of course in summer I have to change my schedule because of the heat: I have to run in early morning.

    1. You are very lucky! I don’t know if either of my kids will live near me- they both want to get away from Florida. And, yes- even on days where I don’t work, I can’t sleep late and then run because the heat would kill me.

  17. I hate having guests… cleaning, cooking, etc. Glad I don’t have any.

    Yes 5ks are hard… I haven’t done one since last summer… and I’m nervous about the one I have in June. Ii just need to think of it as a fun run.

    I work all summer… no changes unless they ask me to go back to the office. But my gym membership ends in 2 weeks!!

    1. Yes, the cleaning for guests is hard! As much as i loved having this one, I’m also relieved that he’s gone.
      I’ll also be working all summer- but not having to get my daughter to school makes things WAY easier.

  18. I need to do this deadbug workout – I like that it’s fairly short although I am prepared to find it VERY HARD! I need to work on incorporating more “short” workouts like this into days that are really busy. It’s better than not doing anything!

    Our scheduled doesn’t change all that much this summer, although Paul will be changing programs in about a month. But the hours of that program are fairly similar to our daycare.

    I generally like having house guests but we have an awesome set up for hosting as we have a guest room w/ it’s own bathroom in the basement. So they have a lot of privacy and we have privacy from them! We don’t have a lot of house guests, though. Typically it’s just my parents and I love having them around as my mom is an early riser so is happy to help with the boys in the morning!

    1. That’s a big part of the problem- we really don’t have a good setup. This guy was sleeping on an air mattress in my son’s room- I felt really bad, but he didn’t seem to mind (because he’s 20.) If we had a setup like yours with more privacy I would feel much better about having guests.

      1. Yes since he is 20 he definitely did NOT care about sleeping on an air mattress. I wouldn’t even mind that much but I am a pretty easy house guest and am usually just happy to be staying with friends/family!

  19. Okay, now I need to try the CG deadbug and 4×4 workouts!

    I hope your trail run went really well! And you make summer sound so wonderful and free. 🙂

    My schedule will change once the kiddo is done with school. We have some weeks where she and I will be alone all day every day, and some weeks where she is in camp. I think our day-to-day routine will shift a little later, which is always kind of nice.

    1. Yes, our routine will definitely shift later as well. And my daughter has a few weeks of camp, but on the non-camp weeks she’ll pretty much entertain herself while I go to work. Overall it will be a leisurely summer.

  20. I love the happy chaos!

    I haven’t really entertained much since my husband’s hospitalization. I need to break back into that.

    A went to school today and will go on Thursday. He has nothing going on and all they do is sit in their classes. He can afford the absences, and while admin wants them to come, the teachers don’t.

    1. Yes, my daughter is doing a lot of sitting around this week as well. But, after Thursday she’s done! I’m excited.

  21. Nice job on keeping your workout routine despite a change in your schedule and entertaining a houseguest. Next year will your daughter’s high school start later than middle school? If so, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that! My summer hours won’t change at all since we’re empty nesters.

    1. ARRRG, no, high school starts EARLIER. It’s going to be really, really hard- I’m just going to enjoy the summer and try not to think about it.

  22. I don’t even deal with schedule changes well, let alone house guests! you did great keeping up your runs and workouts as well!!
    my schedule will change because I start training for a half marathon end of June. So I am really trying to get a routine so I won’t struggle so much with the training demands. I still havent been to the gym the 3 x I want to go, but I did manage 2 weeks,/2 times. This will be my lucky week 🙂

    try not to compare too much to what once was. i know that’s hard but you are you right now and you are doing an amazing job.

    1. Half marathon training- that’s exciting! Getting to the gym 3x a week still eludes me as well- maybe next week will be my lucky week.

  23. Chaos can totally be stressful, but I do like the term “happy chaos”. Awesome job on still getting in your workouts despite all the business going on around you.

  24. So fun that you had a houseguest! Those college kids are something else. I do remember my college days of staying out late. Now I can’t stay up long enough to see my daughter come home! Will your son keep the same roommate(s) next year? I am really curious how housing will work for my son at OSU. I guess we don’t find out the arrangements until July. That’s too long to be kept in suspense!!

    1. Yes, I could never, ever get as little sleep as the college kids (although I did it myself, back in the day.) My son will have this same roommate next year plus two more- they’re all renting a house. Should be fun!

  25. Dying laughing at the sleep schedules! College kids… Was I ever that young? Ha.
    I have the perfect set up for someone who gets waaaay too stressed out with guests: A small one-bedroom apartment. That means if someone comes to see me (an infrequent occurrence, anyway), then they are going to stay elsewhere. Fortunately, there are many options nearby, including a hotel literally 2 blocks away. 🙂
    I keep reading about all of these CG workouts on your page, and Engie’s, and Birchie’s, and wow. They sound tough! Good on you for being so consistent. 🙂

    1. I’m laughing- when you said you had the perfect setup I thought you were going to say a beautiful guest room and bathroom- but a small one-bedroom apartment works too! That would deter guests.

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