Another Week of Indulgence

It has become clear to me that I should have looked at my social calendar before signing up for the San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon. (Speaking of RNR races, did you see the announcement about Competitor Group Almost Eliminating Support For Elite Athletes? -- I strongly disapprove of this move, but I also understand how they came to the conclusion from a business perspective.  Say what you will about Competitor in its various incarnations, but they have shown themselves to be nothing if not business savvy.)

On second thought, I'm glad I didn't look at my calendar.  There's no way I'd be making the effort to fit in the miles if I wasn't registered for a race -- I'd be floating down the slothy slide on a blanket of justifications.  In this 9-week half marathon training cycle, there will have been weekly BBQs for the first four weeks, 2 weddings, 2 rehearsal dinners, 1 bachelorette party, 1 baby shower weekend with sis and mom, 1 overnight trip to disneyland with brother and niece, a 3 day food and wine extravaganza in Napa, and, last week's 4 nights in SF, including a final dinner out with's E's sis and her hubby before they flew home (thankfully, we went to Millennium, so at least the food was fairly healthy).

So, in keeping with last week's theme -- I'm proud of this week, even though it's really nothing to celebrate with respect to running on its own.

M: No Bikram.  (Note to self: This is how it always starts -- I *have* to get myself back in that room soon or the 10 class card will expire with 8 unused clasess.  Again.) Instead of Bikram, drove up to SF, got situated in the condo, and headed out for cross-training.  I did 30 minutes along the embarcadero, running a few minutes then stopping briefly for pushups, dips, box jumps (onto landscaping concrete), stair lunges, etc.  Back at the condo I did another 30 minutes of abs, back strengthening and stretching.  Outside of the yoga studio, I don't know the last time I stretched and held stretches for more than a minute.  I felt awesome after this workout.  And then, starting the next day, my arms, back and abs hurt for 3 days.  Guess I need to do cross-training a little more often...

T: 2.1 miles at 10/mile-ish pace.  4.9 miles walking around SF between appointments.

W: Long intervals.  5X6:30 w/ 4:00 RI.  Jog w/u and c/d.  5 miles.  56:33 minutes. 2.3 miles walking in SF between appointments.

Th: 20 minutes, 2.1 miles.  Gardening.  Because of all the travel, I had to harvest today.  Otherwise too much would go to waste and I can't have months of effort go to waste.

F:  REST -- work, bachelorette party. 

Sa: 20 minute, 2 mile run.  6 minutes walk.  2.3 miles.  Nothing close to what the schedule called for, but hey, it was the day after a bachelorette party and I was fitting it in on a wedding weekend.  Give me some credit.

Su: 11.08 miles. 140 minutes.  Time on my feet goal?  Met.  This  was one of my famous "just get it done" workouts.  I kind-of pushed it 'til mile 9.5 and then I just dialed it in and jog/walked home based on effort level.  For the first 9.5 miles, I averaged 12 min/mile if you include the walking breaks for fuel, etc.  If you pull out the walking breaks, it was 11:32.  I slowed down enough during the last 1.5 home (half walking, half running) to result in an averall average pace for the full 11 miles of 12:48.  These paces are much slower than what I'd do if my garmin was working.  But, I'm doing an experiment and I have read some stuff that says I may have historically been running my long runs too fast, so I guess we'll see how this wacky food, wine and celebration-heavy training cycle treats me with the slower long runs.

Total mileage for the week (including walks in SF): 30.77 -- first >30 week since June.  I'll take it.