Base Building Week 7

I am a bit late on recapping week 7, but I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. Between traveling out of state and spending time with family my runs were a bit sporadic, but I still had a successful week.

Monday: 4 easy miles, Jasyoga - Lowback love
Tuesday: 4 mile fartlek run with 1 mile warm up and cool down,  Jasyoga - Reclined upper body reset
Wednesday: 6 miles easy, Jasyoga - Couch reset
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 5 mile tempo run with a half mile warm up/cool down
Sunday: Rest
Total Miles: 20.95

My mileage for the week was a bit lower than usual, but that was a result of missing my 8 mile long run and an additional 6 mile easy run. However, I am happy that I chose to focus on the SOS runs and was able to complete both the fartlek and tempo runs to help build speed.  The additional rest day on Christmas Day was well worth it and I don't regret missing any runs.

The fartlek run was difficult in that I needed to find a place that was clear of snow and ice. Thankfully the trail by my house was mostly clear and I stuck to the small area of the trail I had to work with. The second repeat of 3 mins ON happened to be when I hit a bridge that was both icy and full of snow and I had to slow down, but I've learned to go with the flow in the winter and I did not let this deter me much.

How you do speedwork in the winter

My tempo run was a source of pride for the week as I completed it on the treadmill. To some this may seem like no big deal, but I am NOT a treadmill runner. To be honest, I think the last time I was on a treadmill was likely over a year ago. While the 5 miles at race pace should seem easy when you can set a pace on the treadmill and sit back and watch a tv show, but it felt like 25 miles. Even trying to distract myself did not take away from how boring the run felt. I do not like the feeling of something else controlling my pace and while I am thankful for being able to run that day, I hope it will be at least another year before I need to see the treadmill again.

My thoughts regarding the treadmill

Fatigue Level:

The additional rest day really helped energize me and when I did run, I felt great. Despite my hatred of the treadmill it felt amazing to run without yaktrax and several layers of clothes hindering my stride and running "normal" again helped me recover faster.

Mental & Emotional Strength:

I had a great week mentally as well. Pushing myself to complete the SOS workouts on uncomfortable territory (snow/ice, treadmill) made me feel pretty badass, and then spending additional time with my husband and family really boosted my mood. The holidays are a hard time for some people and being able to spend it with my family this year brightened my spirits.

Nutrition:

Much as I posted around Thanksgiving, I am a firm believer in enjoying the holidays but within reason. I enjoy cookies and indulgent meals, but I balance them with activity and moderation. I did just that over the past week and also made sure to fuel myself appropriately for my runs. Sure I had a few too many drinks and some of my mom's delicious pumpkin pie that she makes for me when I miss Thanksgiving with my parents, but I still get up the next day and make healthy choices and go for a run.

I am currently on Week 8, the last week of the plan, and will post in a few days regarding this final week, but I am really happy to have had a plan to stick with over the holidays and something to focus on that brings a peace of mind when life gets busy. As this will be the last post of 2016, I wish everyone a Happy New Year!!