It was a week of amazing athletic accomplishments! Not by me, of course, although I might have set a PR for most hours spent watching sports on TV. There were the Olympic track and field trials, the gymnastic trials, and then (as if that weren’t enough) the iconic Western States 100 mile race. Not to be outdone, I got in some great (?) pool running. Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown. Let’s see how it went!
Sunday
Since I’m still babying my calf, I walked 3 miles. In Friday’s post I mentioned that I’ve decided to work on my walking pace. Today’s a walk was 3 miles at 14:46 pace. It’s not running, but at least it’s something.
Monday
45 minutes pool run! Sigh.
Tuesday
I did a total body strength workout from Sally McRae’s app, followed by the Caroline Girvan deadbug workout. I haven’t been doing my deadbugs as much lately! No real reason, I just felt like switching things up.
Wednesday
Another “exciting” walk! 3 miles, and this time I lowered my average pace to 14:10. Progress!
Followed this walk with my new plank routine, including reverse planks and side planks. I can now add leg lifts to my side planks! Woohoo.
Later in the day I got a deep tissue massage, focusing on my calves, hamstrings, glutes and low back. My therapist told me that what she feels in my calf is restriction in the fascia, and she showed me some things I can do at home to release it. I’ve been working on it!
Thursday
Another 45 minute pool run. I had some sore muscles from that massage! But I’m feeling optimistic about my calf.
Friday
Leg day at the gym! I did part of Sally’s “Bulletproof Runner” workout, plus squats and planks. I know you’ll be sad, but I forgot to take one of my awesome gym selfies.
Saturday
Off! And, Western States day. The livestream started at 7:15 am, so I watched as much as I could before leaving for work. When I came home from work I turned it on again, and watched all afternoon. In the evening I had Western States on my computer and the Olympic trials on the TV, and switched back and forth. Finally I got to see the great Jim Walmsley win the men’s race, and Katie Schide win the women’s. When I went to bed, runners were putting on their headlamps and getting ready to run all night.
Sunday
After watching all that running, I obviously have to run today. The calf is feeling good, but I won’t really know until I try running. Fingers crossed!
And then… I’ll turn that Western States livestream back on. Runners will be finishing until 2 pm. I definitely want to see the “golden hour” finishers (the last hour before the cutoff.)
Did you watch the Olympic Trials this week?
Anyone else follow Western States?
Top photo by Tirza van Dijk on Unsplash
36 Responses
I knew Western States was taking place, but I was following the Olympic trials! I also didn’t realize it was live streamed. Jim Walmsley doesn’t even seem human, lol! And yay to Katie–I can’t imagine running 100 miles, much less in under 16 hours! On trails!
Those runners were amazing, and I’m still watching it this morning! SO many runners are still out there, after running through the night. I love it.
I am glad you got a massage and got some tips from the therapist about what you can do at home. I hope your run goes/went well today! I ran 7 miles yesterday which was my longest run in probably 2 years. I felt really tired at the end and was quite slow but I got it done!
Paul and I watched the women’s gymnastics day one. He was very amazed by what they could do. Then last night we watched a bit of the track and field. He got out a medal he got for finishing tball and fashioned it into a headband which was pretty cute. The ribbon is red white and blue so he was showing his team USA pride! I think he will love the Olympics!!
There’s more gymnastics tonight, and track and field as well! And yes, he’ll love the Olympics. And because it’s in Paris, I think there’s going to be a lot of events during the day, on weekends. It could be a fun Saturday activity for him (and you.)
My run was AMAZING!!!! I’m so happy, my calf felt completely normal. I didn’t go far, but I didn’t feel any weird pulling or pain. PHEW.
I’ve got my fingers crossed for your run today! Look, walking and pool running may not be the most exciting things, but you got ’em done!
My calf felt completely normal today!!! Hopefully this means no more pool running for the rest of the summer. Thanks for crossing your fingers, it must have worked ; )
YES I have been LOVING all the trials and it dawned on me last night- oh my gosh, and this is only the beginning! We still get the actual Olympics to look forward to! The swimming trials last week were soooooo good. There were several new world records set!! Insane! And just some great swims and upsets and things like that. I “know” a lot of the swimmers from watching a lot of swimming over the years (many are repeats from Tokyo or even previous Olympics) so this was so fun. My favorite thing was seeing a 46 y/o woman make the top 8 Finals in a breaststroke event! She didn’t qualify for Olympics (only top 2 go), but she still set a personal best and qualified for Finals. At 46!!!
This week I haven’t been quite as disciplined about watching the track trials but I have watched a bunch of them too. And I watched part of the women’s gymnastics on my phone at Asher’s swim meet Friday night, haha. (He only had a couple races so the rest of the time I was just sitting there!) Yesterday when they announced the men’s gymnastics team it was so emotional! I didn’t see the whole session but the ceremony where they call them all out one by one to announce who made the team was so exciting. I always love the shots of the parents! I can’t imagine how I’d react if one of my kids made the Olympics!! (and I’m sure I’ll never know, lol lol!) But it’s so cool. Then I sat on the couch and watched track all night! So anyway, yes, I am with you in setting records for amount of sports tv watched the last couple weeks. 🙂
I LOVE watching the swimming! My sister finds it incredibly boring though. It’s funny that I love it so much since I’m not a swimmer. You have a lot more experience and knowledge of the sport- I can see how you were glued to the trials.
More gymnastics tonight, I can’t wait. And more track and field!
I really hope your run is pain free today! Way to stay busy in the pool and out while healing. those are some fast walking paces!
Thanks Deborah! And- no pain on the run today. WOOHOO!
Hoping for a great run for you today!
I’d never heard of Western States, but it sounds amazing, and I will have to look it up.
I’ll also have to look up pool running…
So much homework 🙂
Yes, you’ve got some homework, Maya! Ha ha. Most people would roll their eyes and say “Pool running? Western States? This woman is a nut!”
That massage sounds excellent. I hope it paid off for your calf.
We’re watching the Tour De France which just started and will be on for a few weeks!
Tour de France is ALSO going on now??? Wow, we’re getting everything at once.
I think the massage (and the work I’ve been doing at home) did the trick.
We were watching the WSER livestream on and off all day, too. What a race, right? Katie was amazing – and it was great getting to hear so much about the women’s race. I’m glad your calf is feeling better!
Lindsay, if you can turn it on again at 1 pm EST. You can see the last hour- very emotional to see the final runners finish!!!
We totally did, Jenny! We just watched a documentary about Lucy Bartholomew’s dad, Ash, running Western States and having a whole cutoff experience last year so Golden Hour was fresh in our hearts!
You’ve got a serious kick-a$$ walking pace! I runfess I have not seen any of the Olympic trials…am I really a runner? I hope all goes well for your run. May the pain-free gods be with you 😉
Kim, it’s weird because I feel like I could have missed the trials if everyone else hadn’t been talking abou them- but then once I started watching I couldn’t stop. Same with Western States. It will be good when it’s all over so I can read my book again.
I hope your run goes/went well today! It sounds like you’ve been making progress with the calf pain.
The Western States coverage is impressive! I didn’t really get to watch much yesterday because I spent most of the day driving to/from the mountains and then doing my own long run but I’m hoping to see the golden hour finishers. I’m disappointed I missed the final finishers at Cocodona last month — I went back to the finish line the morning after my race but the golden hour finishers had come in about a half hour earlier so they were putting everything away. But I’ve volunteered the last two years at Javelina Jundred at the start/finish aid on Sunday and gotten to cheer in the golden hour finishers which always makes me so emotional!
I’m definitely watching the Golden Hour. And, I watched for a while this morning and saw Sally McRae finish. She had a tough day out there, but she’s awesome as always. The whole thing is so inspiring.
I have not watched or followed either of those things! So I don’t have much of a comment except to say I hope your run goes well today and your calf is feeling better!
Thank you Nicole! My run was AWESOME!!! Nothing like the first pain-free run back after a layoff.
Holy cow that’s a fast walking pace!! And it doesn’t bother your calm? That’s great. And wy to go on the pool running – i don’t know how you do that. I now need to google reverse planks since I’ve started being better about planking lately. I need to also do more side planks — those always take the back burner. I am definitely watching Olympic trials and was paying attention to the Western States – so amazing!
Sometimes I do side planks and then I’ll neglect them for months. I do think they help me, so I’m going to try to keep up with them now.
I’m sad all the racing is over! But then I have to remind myself- the OLYMPICS is coming up in 26 days. Plenty to watch then.
That sounds like good news about your calf! Fingers crossed you’ll be able to run asap!
Nice work with all the walking, strength training and pool running! Seems like everyone (but me) is planking now! Leg lifts with s side plank is such a good exercise but so hard.
I don’t know why I’ve suddenly gotten into planking. I used to do planks, then stopped, and now I’ve started again. And, my calf seems to be all better (??) I’m still being cautious, but it felt completely fine on my run.
sorry to know that you’ve been dealing with calf issues. Hope the walking and pool run helps with the recovery.
Jenny, can you share the name/link of the bond supplement you shared a while ago? I am in the US would like to get some. Thanks!
Yes Coco- I’ll hop on over to your blog and give you the link.
Wow. You are a fast walker.
Hope your calf pain is gone.
I’ve caught glimpses of the trials online. They are exciting. Can’t wait for the Olympics.
I know!!! I love the summer olympics so much. And, the calf pain seems to be gone. I’m worried that it will mysteriously return, so I’m going to continue to massage it and do the fascia release for a while (until the next niggle starts and I forget all about the calf, ha ha.)
I don’t even know how to watch Olympic trials (my husband has “figure out how to watch the Olympics” on his to-do list for the week), but I was reading about the gymnastics trials and I was on the edge of my seat.
Every time there’s an Olympics, I go through this angst. I love to see the athletes who have worked so hard to get recognized, but it’s terrible for the environment (oh, Paris, you won’t provide AC to the athletes because you want to be green, but you’re okay with tens (hundreds?) of thousands of people flying to see the Olympics? your priorities are messed up) and the political ramifications are startling and I am so confused. Should I watch the Olympics? Should I want to watch the Olympics? Why am I like this, Jenny?
Oh my goodness — 100 miles in one day. What an incredible feat of athleticism and mental and physical endurance.
I did the CG deadbug workout this weekend for the first time in a long time – I don’t know why I waited so long, it’s such a great workout! I love how it FEELS easy but then my abs are sore for days.
Ugh. I’m so sorry. I’m sure the pool is doing wonders for you, but I know it’s not the same as running..
I’ve watched almost no TV, short of an episode of The Boys and a movie with Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, and Joey King. Oh, and Hurricane Beryl news. That’s it.
Glad you got someone to have a go at your calf and give you some ways to release it. I reckon my funny knee was from all the door knocking and leafletting I’ve been doing for our Labour candidate (election’s on Thursday!) and I managed 6 slow miles on it on Sunday so getting there. My body doesn’t like doing New Things any more! I was keeping an eye on our Olympic trials this weekend too!
We did watch some of the Olympic trials, but I really wanted to see the break dancing stuff! We only saw track (which was exciting!). Ok, you are making me look like a slacker with that speedy walking pace! I need to intersperse some running in order to get something close to that. You are fast!
I’m glad your calf was feeling better after some rest – and some massaging! Oh, one thing we did watch over the weekend was Free Solo, about the guy climbing El Cap at Yosemite without a rope. Have you seen it? It’s nuts!!