Weekly recap (5/16-5/22): Seashells and rainbows

Did you see it? Another week just flew right by. Where do all the hours and minutes go? And how is it almost Memorial Day?

Part of the reason I blinked and this week was over was because I had quite a long list of freelance/work related stuffs to get done. Because of that, I wasn't quite as ambitious with my creativity this week as last week. I didn't get any personal or fun projects completed this week other than a very quick sketch of a bracelet design idea. Gosh, I miss making jewelry. Someday (hopefully sooner rather than later) I will return to it. I did manage to clean off a bunch of shells from beachcombing that I plan to use in jewelry. We'll just call that creative prep work.

She Sells seashells (or at least she will someday)

As for running, barre, yoga et al...most of this week was fairly uneventful. I hit 50% of my goals for the week, but the two I hit were the most important ones to me, so if I had weighted those goals (product management nerdery alert!), the numbers would have been a little better.

Speaking of goals, I've been going to barre classes regularly (2-4 times per week) for a little over a month now and I'm starting to see a difference. I'm stronger and my clothes fit differently. I don't think I've lost weight (but then I rarely step on a scale) nor was I trying to, but I do know I feel better and I'm looking better in a bathing suit. Mission six pack recovery underway.

But really, I'm going to barre to be a better runner and keep injury at bay. It might be working. At any rate, I feel a ton better than when I'm just doing running alone. This is probably the most consistent I've been with cross-training in a while and I hope to keep it that way.

Workout recap

Last week's goal hits and misses

  
   Goal 1
   4 runs
    Hit 
  

   Goal 2
    2 Speedwork sessions
    Miss 
  

    Goal 3
    1 yoga class
    Miss 
  

    Goal 4
    At least 2 barre classes
    Hit 
  

Last week's workouts

Monday: Family bike ride - 3.54 miles
Tuesday: Barre class
Wednesday: Easy run - 3 miles (no watch)
Thursday:
- Workout 1: Speedwork - 5.97 miles (8:06 pace)
- Workout 2: Barre class
Friday: REST
Saturday: Family ride/run - 3.5 miles (no watch)
Sunday: Easy long run - 8.13 miles (9:06 pace)

Total miles: 20.60 miles
Total runs: 4
Total yoga/barre/strength: 2

Monday we headed out for an easy family bike ride around our neighborhood. That was a nice little change from my other workouts and it's always fun to be active as a family. Little B loves riding in his trailer and asks to go for a ride almost every day now.

Mostly I took this picture because I like my new sunglasses

My running schedule got thrown off a bit because the weather was questionable on Wednesday when I was planning on heading out for speedwork, and by the time it cleared, I could only get a short run in. Because of that, I nixed my second speedwork session for the week and just did one on Thursday.

That session was a reverse ladder - 1 mile warm up, 1600 with 1200 recovery, 1200 with 800 recovery, 400 and cooldown. My speed splits were decent and right around my targets, even though it was hot and humid outside: 1600 - 7:41, 1200 - 7:26, 800 - 7:12, 400 - 6:52.

Saturday I ran a watchless, easy run while my husband rode beside me on his bike with the kiddie trailer (and the kid!) in tow. Lots of wildlife out on that run - we had a gator sighting at the pond behind our house (yikes!) and a snake elsewhere in the neighborhood.

By Sunday, my legs were spent. They weren't sore, but they were just very fatigued, as were my hip flexors. I can tell I've been pushing myself more lately with extra workouts. So my only goal for my 8-miler? Run easy, stay steady. Goal accomplished. But I bet I'd have felt a whole lot better on this run if my butt had gotten to a yoga class this week. I am all sorts of messed up from missing yoga.

But I got my four runs in for the week. Number one priority goal on my list crossed off!

On a note that's only related to this post because it's a weekly recap and it happened this week - we celebrated the rescueversary of one of our three beagles.

Miss Autumn has been hanging around for 3 years now as an official family member and we love her so much! She's such a crazy, goofy, sweet girl and the perfect addition to our family. She's actually been living with us for closer to 4 years since we fostered her for a good while before we adopted her, but this week was her official adoption week.

Autumn celebrated by eating a box of B's crayons* and decorating our yard with rainbow poop, thus demonstrating how she earned her nickname of "Naughty Auty." Thanks, Autumn! Stay silly, my girl.

With that, I'll leave you next week's goals:

  
   Goal (Priority 1)
   4 runs
  
   Goal (Priority 1)
    At least 2 barre classes 
  
    Goal (Priority 2)
    1 yoga class 
  
   Goal (Priority 3)
    Run 24 miles