Manic Monday Training Recap – 03/18/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 03/11/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
It feels good to regularly be running three miles again. What was once my bare minimum mileage is now a decent challenge.

Tuesday 03/12/19: Yoga | 45 minutes yoga
Penelope and I did Yoga With Adriene’s “Yoga For Strength and Focus” video, which was quite nice. Of course, doing yoga with a crawling baby is a whole new ball game, but we made it work.

Wednesday 03/13/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
I didn’t really feel like it, but I’m trying SO HARD to be consistent and get back to running regularly. I ended up doing it, and I’m glad I did.

Thursday 03/14/19: Strength | Rest
I was tired and had a bunch of errands to run, so a workout didn’t happen.

Friday 03/15/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run + stretching + rolling
Another three miles! I’m getting tired of treadmill runs, but treadmill runs are better than no runs.

Saturday 03/16/19: 4 mile run | Rest
My right hip was bothering me a bit, so I decided to rest.

Sunday 03/17/19: Rest | 4 miles
I wasn’t planning to run, but I ended up in a really crappy mood Sunday evening, so I escaped to the treadmill after putting Vera to bed, and ended up feeling a lot better for it.

Weekly Mileage: 13

Total 2019 Mileage: 85.75

Well, this is the highest mileage week I’ve had since before I got pregnant, and Sunday’s run was my longest run since before I got pregnant. It feels SO GOOD to be getting back to “normal.” I still have work to do, but I’m excited to do it.

Are you a morning runner or an evening runner?

Manic Monday Training Recap – 03/11/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 03/04/19: 3 mile run | Rest
I was completely exhausted after my sixteen hour, three show day on Sunday, so I took a total rest day.

Tuesday 03/05/19: Yoga | Legs + Core
My yoga buddy had a rough night and was not up to a workout, so I did 3 x 10 goblet squats, lunges (each side), and deadlifts, plus some weighted glute bridges and plank variations. Short and sweet.

Wednesday 03/06/19: 3 mile run | Hip strength
My running buddy cancelled on me last-minute, and since I had already spent Vera’s long morning nap cleaning, I never got a chance to run. But I did manage to squeeze in my hip strength routine while playing on the floor with Vera.

Thursday 03/07/19: Strength | Booty + Core
I did a couple of Tone it Up videos during Vera’s morning nap, which got me surprisingly sweaty.

Friday 03/08/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
That was the farthest I’ve run in MONTHS, and it felt challenging, but good.

Saturday 03/08/19: 3 mile run | Rest
We had a really rough night with a teething baby, so come Saturday, I didn’t feel like running. I stayed in my PJs most of the day and just rested.

Sunday 03/10/19: Rest | Yard Work
I didn’t feel like running, but I did some serious pruning of our gigantic lilac, and dragged the resulting branches across the yard to our fire pit.

Weekly Mileage: 3

Total 2019 Mileage: 72.75

So, not the best week running-wise, but I’m proud that I got a few strength workouts in even when I was feeling worn out. I’m also feeling inspired by the extra daylight thanks to Daylight Savings Time, and I’m hopeful that spring will come soon and I can GET OUTSIDE for some runs. I can’t wait to load Vera into the jogging stroller and get both of us some much-needed Vitamin D.

Manic Monday Training Recap – 03/04/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 02/25/19: 2.25 mile run | 2.25 mile run
I warmed up for a mile, then increased the pace every quarter of a mile after that for a nice progression.

Tuesday 02/26/19: Yoga | Rest
We had Ben’s Grammie over in the morning, so I couldn’t do my usual Tuesday yoga date with Penelope, and then the rest of the day just kind of got away from me.

Wednesday 02/27/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.25 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I accidentally cut this run short. I honestly got to 1.25 miles and just had it in my head that that’s what I was supposed to do and I was done. I didn’t realize until hours later that I hadn’t quite made my mileage.

Thursday 02/28/19: Strength | Upper Body + Planks
I dusted off my dumbbells and did a short upper body circuit, plus some plank variations. Wow is my upper body strength shot! Ten pound dumbbells felt super heavy.

Friday 03/01/19: 2.25 mile run | 2.25 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I woke up not wanting to run at all, but after breakfast and some coffee, I changed my mind and got it done.

Saturday 03/02/19: 2.75 mile run | Rest
I was already tired, and I knew Sunday was going to be a long day, so I decided to just take it easy.

Sunday 03/03/19: Rest | Active Rest
With three performances of the Disney show I’m in, this definitely was not a rest day in the typical sense, but I didn’t work out at all.

Weekly Mileage: 5.75

Total 2019 Mileage: 69.75

Considering how busy this week was, and how tired I’m feeling, I’m very pleased with what I accomplished. Now that my show is over, I’m hoping to get back to running long on the weekends. I still hope to run at least a 5k in May, and I may or may not be splitting the marathon with a friend of a friend (more on this later), so it’s time to get my rear in gear.

Any Disney lovers out there? What’s your favorite song? Mine will always be “Part of Your World.”

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 02/25/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 02/11/19: 2 mile run | 2 mile run + stretching
I decided to do a few hill repeats on this run, since I’ve been doing nothing but flat treadmill runs for months. It was a new challenge, and felt great.

Tuesday 02/12/19: Yoga | Yoga
Penelope came over and we did Yoga With Adriene’s videos for Hips and Lower Back and Neck, Shoulders, and Upper Back. It was a lovely full-body stretch.

Wednesday 02/13/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.5 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I wasn’t feeling this run AT ALL, but I got it done.

Thursday 02/14/19: Strength | Rest
I was feeling super worn out and like I might be coming down with something, so I rested.

Friday 02/15/19: 2 mile run | Rest
I still wasn’t feeling it, so I rested again.

Saturday 02/16/19: 2.5 mile run | Rest
Yup, more of the same.

Sunday 02/17/19: Rest | Rest
Nailed it, haha!

Weekly Mileage: 3.5 miles

Total 2019 Mileage: 64

As you can see, this wasn’t a great week for working out, but I have been feeling so incredibly worn down, I know I needed the rest. Between being a new mom, rehearsals for my show, and trying to get back to regular exercise, I think I’ve been overdoing it a bit lately. While I don’t regret being in this show, I definitely think it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

Luckily, the show is this coming Sunday, and after that I can just focus on momming and exercise for a while. I don’t think I’ll be auditioning for another show any time soon. The travel and the staying up late are just too much right now. I need to focus on taking care of myself first; there will be plenty of opportunities to do theatre when I’m not so freaking tired.

When is the last time you took a nice long break from working out?

Manic Monday Training Recap – 02/18/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 02/11/19: 1.75 mile run | 1.75 mile run + hip strength
I warmed up with 30 each of squats, glute bridges, clam shells and leg lifts plus a quarter mile jog, then did 3 x 400 with 400 jogging recoveries. Short and sweet.

Tuesday 02/12/19: Strength | Yoga + Abs
My friend Penelope came over for a nice tandem yoga workout. I also did a 10ish minute ab workout of my own devising.

Wednesday 02/13/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.5 mile run + hip strength + stretching
1.5 mid-pace miles. Ben had a snow day so I got to do this on my own time instead of rushing to get it all in while Vera napped.

Thursday 02/14/19: Yoga |  1.75 mile run + hip strength + stretching
My friend who usually comes over on Fridays asked to come over today instead, so I got my Friday run done.

Friday 02/15/19: 1.75 mile run | Rest
I had planned to do a nice HIIT workout, but I was feeling run down and Vera was a bit feverish and needy all day, so I just skipped it.

Saturday 02/16/19: 2.25 mile run | 2.25 mile run
I warmed up for half a mile at a nice easy pace, then bumped up the speed one notch every quarter of a mile until I hit 2.25 miles. It was a nice little challenge, but not too hard.

Sunday 02/17/19: Rest | Rest
We went to a birthday party and an indoor water park and had a blast.

Weekly Mileage: 5.75

Total 2019 Mileage: 60.5

Woohoo, another week of 5k training down, and I didn’t miss a single run! It feels so good to have a plan, and to be sticking to it (for once, haha!). I’m starting to think more seriously about upcoming races and what I want to work toward this year, but the biggest thing for me is just getting back to regular running. If that means I just run and don’t put the pressure of racing on, that’s fine. We’ll see. For now, I’m a happy camper.

Manic Monday Training Recap – 02/11/19

What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 02/04/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.5 mile run + hip strength + stretching
My body felt refreshed after taking a full rest day on Sunday, but I still kept the pace nice and easy for this run. I also did 30 each of clam shells, reverse clam shells, side leg lifts, glute bridges, and air squats, and finished up with my split stretch routine.

Tuesday 02/05/19: Strength | Arms + Abs
I did a couple of short workouts from the Tone It Up Girls’ bikini series. It’s crazy how weak my core is post-baby, but I’m committed to working on it regularly.

Wednesday 02/06/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.5 mile run + hip strength + stretching
This workout was EXACTLY the same as Monday, just a tiny bit faster on the run portion.

Thursday 02/07/19: Yoga | Yoga
I pulled up Yoga With Adriene’s “Yoga for Runners” video. It was just what I needed.

Friday 02/08/19: 1.5 mile run | 1.5 mile run + hip strength
Another short, easy run, and a bit of hip strength. I didn’t get to do my whole routine because Vera got fussy.

Saturday 02/08/19: 2 mile run | Rest
We traveled down to my parents’ for an overnight, and I opted to take a rest day with the option to run on Sunday instead.

Sunday 02/10/19: Rest | Rest
Oops. Yeah. After a huge Sunday breakfast of pancakes and mimosas, then the drive home, I didn’t feel like running.

Weekly Mileage: 4.5 miles

Total 2019 Mileage: 53.25

Not a bad start to my 5k training plan. I didn’t get to my “long run” on the weekend, but I’m not too upset about it. I know that distances of up to 2.5 miles feel pretty good right now, and seeing my parents was a good excuse to miss a run.

Did you run long this weekend? How did it go?

January Recap and February Goals

I can’t believe we’re already a week into February. It feels like I just barely sat down to make some January goals. I swear, every passing year seems to go by faster, especially  now that I have a kiddo. Yikes!

Anywho, a new month is time to look back at the previous month to see how far we’ve come, and make plans for the future. As a refresher, my goals for the month of January are below.

I am proud to say that I kept up with pretty much all of these goals to my own satisfaction. There was only one week I didn’t do an actual yoga workout, but I did plenty of stretching on my own. I ran at least one mile every day for the entire month of January. I did strength training every week thanks to Barre3 workouts with my friend Penelope. Ben and I planned our meals out every week, and I did things like make overnight oats and wash and chop lettuce to make healthy eating easier. I’ve published several new blog posts, and I’ve been a lot better about commenting on the blogs I follow instead of just lurking.

So what’s next for February? Well, you already know my run streak is over, and I will be trying to work up to more distance and speed instead of trying to run every day. With that in mind, here’s what’s up for February:

• Run 4 times/week
• Strength train once/week
• Yoga once/week

So, in other words, “Follow my 5k training plan.” Nothing too crazy. Rehearsals for my Disney show will be ramping up in the coming weeks, so I want to set myself up for success. I do plan to keep up with meal planning and prep as much as possible, but I don’t think I need to make it a goal for the month. It’s pretty much habit at this point.

Are you training for anything in particular at the moment?

Goodbye Streaking, Hello Training!

When I started my run streak at the beginning of the year, I mostly wanted to just make running part of my life again post-baby. I was having a hard time finding motivation, and needed a fitness goal. In the back of my mind, I hoped that I would be able to make it the entire month of January, but wasn’t making a big deal out of it. I just wanted to see how far I could get.

When I reached the end of January, streak intact, I started seeing starry-eyed visions of streaking for the entire year of 2019. It was exciting and a bit scary and I so wanted to keep going. But this past Friday and Saturday, I started feeling some worrying niggles in my right knee. I hemmed and hawed and hoped it would go away. But I when I woke up at 2:30 on Sunday morning to feed Vera and felt that twinge, I decided immediately and unequivocally that it was time to practice what I preach and quit before a niggle became a full-blown injury.

I have to say, I absolutely loved my run streak. I loved the consistency of knowing each day that I had to get down to my treadmill and get it done. I loved pushing through hard paces. I loved cruising through easy miles. This run streak helped me feel like a runner again. It helped me reconnect with a body that had started to feel foreign and uncomfortable. It made me feel like me again.

I’m proud that I made it through 33 straight days of running; I am equally proud that I listened to my body and quit before I hurt myself.

To be completely honest, part of me is scared that without the streak to keep me going, I’ll stop running again. It’s cold. It’s dark. I have a 7 month old baby. Motivation is low this time of year. I need something else to keep me inspired now that the streak is done. Therefore, I’ll be loosely following a Hal Higdon 5k training plan. I say “loosely” because I always mix up the days a bit, but generally follow the recommended mileage for the week.

It’s an eight week “beginner” training plan, which has nice, low mileage. I probably won’t actually run a 5k race at the end of this plan, purely because there aren’t many races available during Vermont winters, but I’m looking at it as prep for the races I hope to run this spring and summer.

 

I’m excited to build up my mileage again. The longest I’ve run since Vera was born is 3.5 miles, and that was months ago now. I don’t necessarily want to do a lot of distance running this year, but I’d like to get to the point where a distance of five miles feels comfy and doable, cause right now that feels almost impossible. When I complete the plan, I’ll have to reevaluate and see what’s next, but I’m hopeful that by then, running will be back in my life for good.

What running/fitness goal are you working toward right now?

Manic Monday Training Recap – 02/04/19

Monday 01/28/19: 2.25 mile run
I warmed up for half a mile, then ran an ENTIRE MILE at 9:40 pace, then ratcheted it up to a 9:20 pace for a quarter mile, then cooled down for a half mile. I’m slowly but surely getting my speed back.

Tuesday 01/29/19: 1 mile run + hip strength and mobility
Vera was up at 4:30 am and I was a tired mama, so I did the bare minimum. 1 quick mile, followed by some clam shells, reverse clam shells, leg lifts, fire hydrants, and donkey kicks.

Wednesday 01/30/19: 1 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I was up late for rehearsal, so I just stuck to a nice easy pace for this run. I also did some of the same hip exercises from Tuesday, plus a 12 minute split stretch video. Gotta get my flexibility back!

Thursday 01/31/19: 1 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I squeezed in a quick mile for the final day of January, plus the same exercises and stretches as Wednesday.

Friday 02/01/19: 2.25 mile run + stretching
I’ll be honest, guys, the streak almost died today. I was tired and Vera was being super needy and cranky all day. But when she went down for her afternoon nap, I realized I needed some me time, and a run was just the ticket. I did some fast and slow intervals to keep it interesting.

Saturday 02/02/19: 1 mile run
Just a nice, easy mile for Saturday.

Sunday 02/03/19: Rest Day
As you probably saw in Instagram, I quit the streak today due to twinges of discomfort in my right knee.

Weekly Mileage: 8.5

Total 2019 Mileage: 48.75

After 33 days, the streak is done. I’m having a lot of feelings about it, but mostly positive ones. I’ll be talking about it more later this week, but for now I’ll say, I’m very glad I did it, and excited for what’s next!

6 Tips for a Safe and Happy Run Streak

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, trainer, or fitness professional. This is just what is working for me during my own run streak. Please be smart and listen to your body if you decide to try a run streak.

On January 1 this year, I embarked on a run streak, so I’m currently 29 days in. I had no real goal other than to make running a regular part of my life again post-baby. My first attempt at a run streak in 2015 ended after two weeks, because I was just too busy and stressed out to continue. I decided now would be a good time to try again because I am home full time with Baby V, and I have a treadmill in my basement, so I have much more time and the necessary equipment.

Streaking is definitely not for everyone, and regardless of how fit you are, can lead to over-training and injury. I really wanted to make sure that I did things the right way this time around, so that I could surpass my old record of two weeks. Here are some of my tips for staying healthy during a run streak.

Warm Up
It can be very tempting to skip the warm up when you’re “only” going to do a short run. But taking just a few minutes to do some dynamic stretches always pays dividends for me; I don’t feel as stiff and have an easier time getting going. If nothing else, I usually incorporate a few squats, calf raises, and hip swings before each run to wake up my muscles.

Don’t Skip Recovery
It’s easy to think, “I only ran one mile today, I don’t need to stretch or roll.” But if you’re skipping your recovery efforts every day, it’s all going to build up. Even five minutes of stretching or rolling a day can help keep you from the aches and pains that might stop your streak. Don’t forget about massages, chiropractic, or acupuncture, if they are part of your normal routine.

Alternate Longer Runs and Shorter Runs/Easy and Hard Runs
For me, this is essential. If on a particular day I run any distance longer than one mile, the next day, I will ONLY run one mile. It’s simply not sustainable for me to run all the miles on all the days, or work speed or hills on all days. You’ve got to give your body a break.

Fuel Your Body
Running every single day is more effort than I’ve put out in a while. I need to make sure that I’m eating enough calories and drinking enough water to sustain the extra work. This is doubly true because I am a breastfeeding mother. I absolutely cannot skimp on quality calories that are a mix of protein, carbs, and fat.

Don’t Forget Your Crosstraining
During a run streak, it can feel like you’re already getting “enough” exercise, so it’s easy to lay off weight training, yoga, cycling, or your other interests. But running and ONLY running when you usually mix it up can lead to overuse and injury. If all the running is tiring you out, try just adding a few simple body-weight exercises every day at the end of your run. I love to throw in squats and planks, because they are simple exercises that are very good for runners. I often do hip strength exercises like clam shells and leg lifts while I’m lying on the floor playing with Vera.

Listen to Your Body
As I said above, streaking is not for everyone. The most important thing you can do when attempting a run streak is to be in tune with your body and STOP if you start to feel any warning niggles or pains. I’m proud that I stopped my streak in 2015 because I knew it wasn’t working for me. There is no shame in protecting yourself and doing what’s right for your body.