This week I ran 3 times: Two were 4 miles each, the second slower than the first. I’m not sure I can run back to back days anymore, I just can’t recover. Saturday I ran 10 miles. I had two days to recover and today I will just walk.
I don’t remember being so tired after a long run. I napped for 45 minutes and had a bunch of errands then Chet had dog training class. I was tired all day. I ate well, chicken and green beans for lunch and a huge salad with lots of protein for dinner. However, at 7pm I got a second wind and finally went to bed at 10pm. I slept hard.
The best news is that I didn’t wake up sore. I still felt tired but I was active all morning house cleaning, walking dogs, weed wacking and garage sweeping. I had a big breakfast early and a triple grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.
I think the key is eating well before, during and after long runs. And lots of movement. I didn’t sit still much of the weekend.
I’m still trying to get in all the training I can. I have been taking a break from weight lifting for two weeks, and this coming week I’m getting back at it. I’m scared because I know it’s going to make me tired and cranky but I have to finish at least 3 sessions each week.
Song of the week: Little Wonders
Favorite Lyrics:
Our lives are made in these small hours, These little wonders, These twists and turns of fate. Time falls away, But these small hours, These small hours, Still remain.
I got off track during Week 3 while traveling to the Outer Banks and Virginia Beach, which is also why there wasn’t a Week 3 update. My plan was to hit 24 miles, but I ended up with just 8.
Duck, NC on the soundNags Head beachNot a soul on the Outer Banks beaches
That said, I stayed active in a different way. I spent a lot of time walking the beaches, which I’m counting as a win. I packed my running gear with the best intentions, but I’ve never quite mastered sticking to a training schedule while traveling.
Week 4 was about getting back into a rhythm. I ran three days, and today (Sunday) I’ll head out for a 3-mile walk. I’m definitely feeling sore from yesterday’s long run; 9 miles, my longest in over a year.
The good news: after the first couple of miles, I felt strong and settled in. Even better, my ankle is fully healed, no pain, no issues, which feels like a huge milestone. I followed the run with a massage, which helped a lot with recovery.
Today is all about hydration, stretching, and taking it easy.
Not a perfect couple of weeks, but progress is still progress.
Song of the Week: Good Life:
Favorite Lyrics
This could really be a good life, good life, Say oh, got this feeling that you can’t fight, Like this city is on fire tonight This has gotta be a good life Sometimes there’s airplanes you can’t jump out, Sometimes bullshit that don’t work now, We all got our stories, but please tell me What’s there to complain about?
My Tunnel Hill shirt came in this week. Mandatory photo above.
The week didn’t really pan out exactly like the plan but I’m happy about the results as I write this on Saturday afternoon.
Monday – Weights Tuesday – Run 4 Wednesday – Walk 3 miles Thursday – Weights
Then on Friday I ran 4 miles instead of yesterday’s planned 5 miles, due to work and other appointments.
Friday’s run finally felt good and I didn’t walk as much as in prior weeks; and I just felt good and somewhat strong. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to feel good running.
When I ran on Tuesday I decided to run in my compression socks to see if it helps my ankle pain. I usually only use them for recovery. On Friday I didn’t run with compression socks, but I think that is a key component for future runs.
Saturday was an 8 mile run and I felt mainly good. My pace for the long runs is getting faster. I feel stronger already.
It’s amazing what happens when you just keep showing up.
I’m happy to be on this journey to 100 miles and excited to see how everything plays out the next seven months. I’ve always been someone that needs something to look forward to, and I haven’t had something for a while. This feels really good.
Running Song of the Week: I Can Do Hard Things
Best lyrics:
It’s a lot to look at, all that I got. It’s a lot to see who I am and am not. But I can laugh and I can love and I can dream. I can win or I can lose, it’s all the same. I still dance, and I’ll sing in the pain, And I can do hard things
The Song of the Week feature of my training reports is to show that I’m building my race day playlist.
I’ve been getting back to running the last few weeks but it was only last week when I signed up for the 100 that it’s getting serious; now money is involved.
I also committed to writing about this journey. I’m not much of a video person or I’d document this somehow on Instagram. I’ve been off TikToc for a year or more because it was too addictive and a time suck.
I’m a writer and reader. I like to read books, news and inspiration. While I can appreciate a good reel or video, my preferred method of processing life is the written word.
Here is my training update from this week, before the real training plan begins.
Notes from an 8 mile long-run on Saturday April 4
Started out slow and sluggish. Maybe drinking wine the night before my long run was not a great first step. I started the run listening the Ann Patchett’s Commonweath but decided about 15 minutes in that listening to a novel about divorce, and how young children are involved in a messy, multi-family fight, traveling across the country to see moms and dads, and manipulation and vengeance in the family – nope, not going to keep going. I sent the book back to Libby and with nothing else available in my queue – I went back to ad supported Spotify and listened to My Like list.
I felt some momentum mid-run on Newport Highway; a busy highway for a spring break Saturday. There’s a lot of traffic noise, full sun, a bit of shade, a nice wind on the way back.
I walked a lot and ran a lot. I’ve been proud of myself for doing what I set out to do these last few weeks, despite my written plan to run 9 but really felt I could proudly accomplish 8 in just under 2 hours.
I remembered how last week, after a 7 mile run, my left ankle and the muscle/tendons hurt about one hour after my run, I wanted to be cautious and not push it too much. I did a bunch more exercises at the gym this past week to help prevent the soreness: calf raises, and flex exercises to stretch those muscles.
I didn’t want to be injured before the true training started.
As I run I’m hopeful that all the extra calf raises and the extra work I did this week to stretch that muscle out will help me.
I finished 8 miles. The most I’ve run since last summer. I’m not sore an hour later. Everything is good.
I woke up Sunday – not too sore. Nothing hurt. I was a bit wobbly as I walk; per usual. Go about my day, walking a bunch with dogs and work, but not doing too much. Then, I head out for a “recovery day 30 minute WALK” and suddenly the tendons around my left ankle hurt and throb. I wobble back home. Put on compression sock. Stretch. Ugh. Four hours later the pain is totally gone. What is going on?!
I remember, on retrospection – that is the athlete life. Injuries. I’m going to have injuries. It’s part of the deal.
As I sit on my sofa and occasionally flex my foot back and forth, side by side, a bit of pain. I need to do everything right. Eat right. Stretch. Weights. Rest.
I got this. I just have to “get this” every day. Thanks for reading.
Next Week is Week 1
Running Song of the Week: This is Me
Best lyric:
I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be, this is me Look out ’cause here I come, And I’m marching on to the beat I drum I’m not scared to be seen, I make no apologies, this is me.
I’m finally getting a bit more acclimated to the humidity and decided it was time to start running again.
The last three months I haven’t been running. I think I was burned out from running and life. I wasn’t excited about running. It’s amazing how a change of scenery can get you fired up again!
Now that I’m living in a mountain town and there are trails all around me – I’m excited to run Gatlinburg.
This week started with some runs from the cabin which means all downhill then all uphill to get back. It was challenging; these roads are steep. I feel like I’m building up my legs again and that feels good.
On Saturday, the goal of the run was to not die. The Gatlinburg Trail follows the river the entire way and is completely in the trees so no sun, which was nice. I took a bunch of side paths and meandered around the visitor center and then headed back to my car: uneventful. I ran 4 miles.
On Sunday I wore my running pack with a bladder so I could run a little farther. About a mile in, a couple warned me a big bear just crossed the trail ahead. A second person said it moved off the trail and I should be good.
I continued on and ran to the Cove Mountain trailhead. I remembered it from yesterday and wanted to try run/hiking it. The summit is 8 miles away but my plan was to explore the trail a little at a time. I would turn around at mile 3.
Then at mile 2.5 I stumped upon a bear on the trail. It wasn’t moving, it just looked at me. I instantly turned around and looked back at him a few times. Each time he was looking at me and wasn’t moving off the trail, so I headed back down. I passed a family going up and as I passed them going down I whispered to the dad that there was a bear on the trail ahead, and he yelled to his family ‘bear ahead’, LOL. They turned around too. Now that I look at the map from my run, I bet it was the same bear.
I ran back to my car without any more bear incidents and was happy to have a 15 mile week. I just need to keep the momentum and stay motivated to run. I have 23 weeks until the Houston Marathon but hope to do a few races leading up to it.
It’s taken a few weeks to get situated and get back to training after moving here. I’m getting more used to seeing bears and driving these windy, steep mountain roads.
This bear was at the cabin this week. He was smelling the trash I put out yesterday.The dogs are loving the deck and watching for wildlife. All is good here.
