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?

Manic Monday Training Recap – 10/08/18

Training For Zack’s Place Turkey Trot 5k – Week One
What Was Planned vs. What Happened

Monday 10/01/18: 3 Easy Miles | Rest
Vera and I had a busy day running errands and then Ben had to work late, so I wasn’t able to get a run in.

Tuesday 10/02/18: Core & Arms | 15 Minute Postnatal Pilates & TIU Bikini Arms
I had hoped to make up Monday’s run but it poured rain all day, so I contented myself with some living room strength work instead.

Wednesday 10/03/18: Postnatal Yoga & 4 x 400 | 4 x 400
My lactation consultant came for a visit due to some supply issues I’ve been having, so I didn’t make it to yoga. This was my first “hard” run since Vera and it felt good but, well, hard.

Thursday 10/04/18: Core & Booty | Rest
Vera just isn’t sleeping well right now, and the exhaustion was real. I was basically in survival mode.

Friday 10/05/18: 3 Easy Miles | Rest
I had plans Friday night AND Ben worked late, so no run for me.

Saturday 10/06/18: 3.5 Miles | Rest
Another rough night with Vera meant I was too tired to do anything other than get through our plans for the day.

Sunday 10/07/18: Core & Legs | 3.5 Miles
We had a decent night of sleep, so I dragged myself out for my longest post-baby run without walk breaks. It was kind of a slog, but I’m glad I got it done.

Weekly Miles: 6.5
2018 Miles: 49

Well. Training for my first post-baby race is off to an inauspicious start. I only did two of four scheduled runs, didn’t make it to yoga, and only did one day of strength work. Still though, two runs is better than no runs. And if nothing else, I know I can at least cover the distance at my race without walking.

 

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 10/01/18

Postpartum Recovery – 09/24/18 – 09/30/18

Monday 09/24/28: Rest
Continuing the trend from last week’s recap, today was a rest day. Between another rough night with Vera and being out of the house for a huge chunk of the day due to baby yoga, I didn’t manage a workout, and I’m totally cool with it.

Tuesday 09/25/18: Postnatal Core + Tone It Up Bikini Arms
It was a chilly, dreary day, so rather than running, I did some strength work. It’s humbling to realize how much strength I’ve lost this year, but I’m committed to getting back at it.

Wednesday 09/26/18: 75 Minute Postnatal Yoga Class
My yoga studio opened a new location that’s about 20 minutes closer to where we live, so I’m PSYCHED. My lower back has been incredibly sore lately so it felt wonderful to get a good stretch in.

Thursday 09/27/18: Rest
No excuses, just didn’t get it done.

Friday 09/28/18: Rest
See Thursday.

Saturday 09/29/18: 5k Run
2:1 run/walk intervals. Perfect running weather. Happy runner.

Sunday 09/30/18: Rest
We had a busy day of visiting Grammie, grocery shopping, and wandering around the Underhill Harvest Market.

Not the week I had hoped for, but it is what it is. This week is supposed to be week one of training for the Turkey Trot 5k, and I’m a little anxious. Training plans and I generally don’t work out that well, and now that I have a baby I suspect they’ll work even less well. Still, all I can do is try.

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 09/10/18

Postpartum Recovery: Week of 09/03/18 – 09/09/18

Monday 09/03/18: 3 mile walk/run
This was another 3:1 walk/run outing, and despite my stomach being a little dodgy due to running too close to breakfast, it felt great!

Tuesday 09/04/18: Postnatal Core
Vera slept through the time we needed to leave for yoga class, so I did a quick postnatal core workout at home while she was napping.

Wednesday 09/05/18: Postnatal Core & Postnatal Full Body Workout
It was too hot to leave the house, so I did some workouts I found on YouTube: two postnatal core workouts (about 20 minutes total) and about 75% of a full body workout (Vera woke up from her nap and I didn’t get to finish).

Thursday 09/06/18: Rest
Vera had a doctor appointment, and after her shots she was VERY sad and sleepy, so we just did lots of snuggling.

Friday 09/07/18: Rest
Between Vera being extra sleepy and fussy from her shots, and a last-minute visit from my parents, I wasn’t able to get a workout in.

Saturday 09/08/18: 5k walk/run
My first walk/run with 2:1 intervals. I had my fastest post-baby 5k and my fastest post-baby mile!

View this post on Instagram

Before baby, I would have been ashamed of this “slow” pace. I probably would have beat myself up over it. But guess what? This was my fastest after-baby 5k, with my fastest after-baby mile. 2:1 walk/run intervals. • It’s so easy to worry that I’ll never hit my before-baby paces again, but here’s the thing: I truly believe that my strongest, fastest running days are AHEAD of me, not behind. After all, I was only a runner for six years before baby. I have the rest of my life to see what my after-baby body can do! • #runnergirl #vtrunner #motherrunner #womensrunningcommunity #postpartumfitness #postpartumjourney #returntorunning #instarunners #momswhorun #runnermom #nineweekspostpartum #lvrt #hokaahari2

A post shared by Rachel “Rae” Drew (@darlin_rae) on Sep 8, 2018 at 7:57am PDT

Sunday 09/09/18: 3 mile walk/run
Unfortunately, some knee pain surface during this run. Both knees. Which is new and different for me. I tried really hard to just focus on using good form and taking it nice and slow, but the soreness continued even after I was done. Boo.

So. Knee pain. I’m not sure if it’s due to the new shoes, lingering hormonal weirdness post-pregnancy, or maybe just irritation because I’m heavier than usual. Whatever the cause, I plan to take a few days off from my new walk/run schedule and focus on mobility and strength. Time to bust out the foam roller!

Any tips for dealing with knee pain?

Manic Monday Training Recap- 09/03/18

Postpartum Recovery: Week of 08/27/18-09/02/18

Monday 08/27/18: Rest
I was very, very tired, and also feeling anxious about my repair surgery in the evening, so I just decided to spend the day relaxing at home with Vera.

Tuesday 08/28/18: 5k walk/run
It was a crazy hot day, but I desperately needed some alone time when Ben got home from work, so I just went out and got it done.

Wednesday 08/29/18: Rest
It was another stupid hot day, so I didn’t do ANYTHING except try to stay cool.

Thursday 08/30/18: Postnatal yoga, 5k walk/run
Yoga was GREAT. Vera was happy and smiling half the time, then the baby bouncer bounced her right to sleep for the second half, so I got a full workout. Then after Ben got home, I hit the rail trail for another walk/run.

Friday 08/31/18: 2 mile stroller walk
The weather was finally not so damn hot, so I took Vera for a nice walk on the rail trail.

Saturday 09/01/18: 3.5 mile walk/run
This was my first walk/run with 3:1 intervals instead of 4:1, and it was hard but good.

Sunday 09/02/18: Rest
We did a little bit of slacklining, but otherwise it was a quiet day around the house.

I’m excited to move forward with my return to running plan. I’m hoping to make 3-4 runs a week happen, plus stroller walks and yoga.

Do you still run when it’s super hot?

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 08/27/18

Postpartum Recovery – Week of 08/20/18 – 08/26/18

Monday 08/20/18: 2.91 mile stroller walk
Ben, Vera and I hit the rail trail for my longest post-baby walk yet.

Tuesday 08/21/18: Postnatal yoga, .5 mile stroller walk, archery practice
Vera and I went to yoga in the morning, and she did GREAT. Then we went to our buddy Merlin’s house to play with his new recurved bow. After my arms got tired, I took Vera on a nice short walk down and up the big hill near Merlin’s house.

Wednesday 08/22/18: Rest
It was a rainy day and we were out and about a lot, so a walk didn’t happen.

Thursday 08/23/18: Postnatal yoga, 3 mile walk
Vera and I went to yoga again, and after Ben got home, I went for a long walk, with a few bursts of jogging sprinkled in. It felt wonderful, and made me even more excited to get back to regular running.

Friday 08/24/18: Rest
I was surprisingly sore from yoga, and quite tired after two nights of poor sleep, so I decided to just take it easy. Vera and I ran some errands together, but otherwise we just hung out at home.

Saturday 08/25/18: 2.85 mile walk/run
I finally felt up to a bit more running, but wanted to take it easy, so I programmed my Garmin for 4:1 walk/run intervals. It certainly wasn’t easy, but it felt GREAT!

Sunday 08/26/18: 3 mile stroller walk
Ben and I took the new jogging stroller for a spin with Vera in tow. She slept the whole time and we got to enjoy a gorgeous sunny morning.

While this week was a far cry from what used to be my normal, it felt wonderful to get back on the fitness wagon. I’m very proud of what I accomplished and excited to continue making forward progress.

As far as running goes, my plan is to stick to a walk/run plan for a while. I’m going to start with 4:1 walk/run, then 3:1, then 2:1, then 1:1, and then just reverse it on the other side to build up with run/walk intervals until I’m running continuously again.

Do you use run/walk intervals?

Friday Free-For-All – 08/24/18

Vera and I survived our first day home just the two of us. Ben went back to work yesterday, so it was just us girls. For the most part, it was good, but Ben and I were both exhausted by the end of the day because Vera was up and fussy a large chunk of the Wednesday night. Unfortunately, last night was a bit rough too, so I’m struggling a bit today.

We needed to order a replacement wheel for our secondhand jogging stroller. I had really hoped to use it this week, but the inner tube on the front wheel was busted. The replacement tube should be here today or tomorrow, and I can’t wait to get going with the jogger. It will be much easier to get up and down to the rail trail on my own.

I placed my first Senita Athletics order and I can’t wait for it to get here. I’ve always been curious about their stuff, but wasn’t willing to take a chance. But since basically all I’ve been wearing since Vera was born is leggings, I figured I could splash out on a pair of high-waisted leggings to help support my postpartum tummy. Also, they have pockets. Woot!

POCKETS!

I’ve already gone to posnatal yoga twice this week! I was hoping to make it to class this afternoon too, but I’m quite tired today, and also a bit sore, so I don’t want to push it too hard. I’m still in postpartum recovery mode. I definitely plan to go for a walk, though. The weather is just gorgeous today!

Have you ever tried Senita Athletics products? Thoughts?

Officially Kicking Off Postpartum Fitness

Rather than having a pity party over what I can’t do (if you missed it, check out my six week postpartum update here), I’m choosing to focus on what I can do: walking and yoga. While it’s not exactly half marathon training and CrossFit, it’s what I’ve got, and I’m grateful for it. I hope to be back running and lifting fairly soon, but I need to be smart about my postpartum recovery and not push myself into injury.

For the next few weeks, it’s my goal to go to yoga at least twice a week, as I still have my summer unlimited pass at my studio through the end of August. I also hope to walk at least two miles four days a week. This may be a bit ambitious, as Ben is going back to school on Thursday, but thanks to the new paths our neighbor brush hogged for us, it should be attainable.

I’m officially starting this postpartum journey with a body that’s eight pounds heavier and a hell of a lot squishier and less muscular than it was this time last year. I have taken some photos and measurements to help me track progress, but I will not be posting them here. They are for me personally because I don’t want to depend on the numbers on the scale to help me see changes.

As I resume “training,” I hope to bring back Manic Monday training recap posts on Mondays, but with the caveat that I’m still not sure how often I’ll be able to blog. You may get several weeks at once, and that’s just what life is right now.

Friday Free-For-All – 02/23/18

I’m slowly but surely getting caught up around here! I’ve been super busy with projects around the house, AND we don’t have internet set up yet, so the only time I have to blog is breaks at work. But after this week’s flurry of trip recap posts, I’m nearly back to where I want to be. I’m hoping to get caught up on pregnancy posts next week so that I can maybe start doing a weekly update the following week. No promises, though. Not having internet at home is rough.

We scheduled our first mortgage payment this week. Eep! Talk about feeling like an adult. We’re planning to overpay our mortgage as much as possible through the coming years with the goal of ultimately owning our house and removing our mortgage payment from our budget early. Based on some rough calculations we did, we will hopefully end up paying off our mortgage 10 years earlier and save ourselves tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments in the process. Woo!

I went to prenatal yoga for the second week in a row! I’m so proud of myself for committing to exercise, and I really, really love prenatal yoga. It’s so relaxing and lovely. Here’s to making it a weekly habit for the rest of my pregnancy. I’m glad yoga is going so well, because…

I went for a walk on Wednesday and it didn’t go well. It was 65 degrees and sunny, so I couldn’t wait to get outside on my lunch break. Unfortunately, within 5 minutes, my round ligament started to hurt. A lot. It just felt really tight and uncomfortable. I stuck it out for a slow 30 minutes, but then when I got back to my office, I suddenly felt so lightheaded that I almost passed out in the elevator! I knew lightheadedness is a common pregnancy symptom, but it was really sudden and scary. I called the nurses at my midwife practice just in case, and fortunately (unfortunately?) this is all “normal” for the second trimester. The advice was to drink MORE water (I already consume at least 64 oz per day), eat plenty of healthy food (which I do), and that symptoms can vary from day to day. I’m really hoping that this ligament pain doesn’t continue, because walking and yoga are pretty much the only exercises I have been feeling comfortable with lately.

Pregnant women/mamas out there–any suggestions for relieving/avoiding round ligament pain?