Weekly Recap - Kiawah Half Marathon Training Week 7 (10/23-10/29)

The Ridiculous Weeks

Every week is busy. Every week has the potential to be crazy. And even amidst the crazy weeks, sometimes I still feel like I've got it together. I sketch, I run, I make Halloween costumes, I cook dinner almost every night, I finish tons of projects for the day job and for freelance work. I go, go, go.

But some weeks just go shooting right off the charts into crazy town and I feel like the week is controlling me instead of the other way around. Last week was one of those weeks (with the exception of a really awesome long run - saving grace, right there).

So, with that said, here's what my week looked like:

Workout summary

  
   Monday
   Off - planned rest day
  
   Tuesday
    Off - missed scheduled workout 
  
   Wednesday
   Speedwork on the treadmill - 3 miles total, 4x400 @ 6:58, .10 recoveries, warmup and cool down
  
   Thursday
    Easy 3.01 at 8:55 pace 
  
   Friday
   Off - missed workout because of work stuffs
  
Saturday
    Off (exhausted) 
  
   Sunday
   Long run - 10.01 miles at 8:39 pace
  
   Totals
    3 runs / 16.02 miles

So. My week.

First, work was nuts. We were in a research/testing week (as opposed to a design week), which equals nuttery for me most of the week with test prep, running the test, and analyzing the results - and often longer hours. Generally, most days I was working from 6:30 or 7 am until the very last possible moment when I had to go pick up my son from school, so about 5:30 to 5:45 pm. The days I didn't work out, it was largely because there just wasn't a free second to do so. Thank goodness this is the exception, not the rule for most of my weeks.

Adding to that, my husband was out of town all week (sole parental patrol!), including Halloween prep and activities, and of course, all the daily stuff that comes along with parenthood. Small favors: B's been better at bedtime lately so it only takes us about hour total, from initial wind down/book reading until he falls asleep, instead of it being a 4 hour ordeal.

As if I wasn't crazed enough, I had weird hives from some kind of allergic reaction starting on Sunday and lasting through until Tuesday when I got meds for it. WTF? And, hey there, urgent care.

And...and, the stupid UTI is back. It never really left since they put me on the wrong antibiotic (twice), and for not long enough (3 days) because I didn't get to the doctor until about a week into the fun (stupid me), and it just caused it to go rampant. So it may need longer treatment. Good times. But really I do have it under control and I know what's causing it. It just needs to get out permanently at this point.

But it wasn't all bad - I did end the week on Sunday with an unexpectedly amazing long run, which I desperately needed because I was getting ready to throw in the training towel.

Here's how it all shook out:

Monday

What I planned: Rest day
What happened: Rest day
Had I known the way the rest of my week was going to go, I wouldn't have used Monday as my rest day. I'm not always on Team Never Miss Monday, but I do find that my weeks go better when I get that first workout in.

Tuesday

What I planned: Speedwork - 6 miles total with 3x1600, 800 recoveries (treadmill)
What happened: Nothing
I had a ton of work to do plus I was super itchy from the allergic reaction. The last thing I wanted to do was sweat. Workout skipped. Urgent care visited. Sigh.

Wednesday

What I planned: Easy 3 + BodyFlow
What happened: Speedwork - 3 miles
Since I missed my speed session the day before, I decided to give it a go on Wednesday instead of my initial east 3 plus BodyFlow. I was a wheezy mess. I did my warmup mile and realized my body wasn't going to tolerate a long speedwork, so I did what I could.

That ended up being a 3 mile workout - 1 mile up, 4x400s at 6:58 with .10 recoveries, and the remainder as a cool down. Totally not ideal, but it was better than nothing.

Thursday

What I planned: Easy 6 in the a.m., Easy 3 with my running group
What happened: Easy 3.01 at 8:55 on my own (a.m.)
I knew there was no way I was going to get in that double workout, and I still wasn't feeling wonderful (and I was feeling that UTI sneaking back). I ended up just getting in an easy 3. Again, did what I could. And then in the evening, I went to urgent care for the second time this week and got meds for the UTI. Seriously. I can't even with this crap.

But I also did manage to (mostly) finish up B's costume and get his tail sewn on. And I added eyes after his Halloween party at school since I ran out of time before it. But he at least has eyes for Trick or Treating.

The important thing: that little boy was so happy and proud of his Halloween costume. Mom's day made.

Friday

What I planned: BodyFlow
What happened: Nothing
Work kept me from doing anything other than work from very early in the morning until 6 pm when my last meeting ended.

Sadly, that also meant I had to miss my son's Halloween parade and party at school, which I initially had been planning on attending. But he sure looked cute as he scooted off to school in his orange stegosaurus costume.

Plus I wasn't feeling awesome - allergic reactions, UTIs, prednisone, antibiotics...uh, yeah. My body just wanted to rest.

Saturday

What I planned: Easy 3
What happened: Nothing
My body was so tired by Saturday that I could barely get out of bed. I did get out of bed, of course, because I have a toddler and there's no rest for the weary parent around here. Bu I didn't run, or any other workout.

Sunday

What I planned: Long run - 10 miles with my running group
What happened: Long run - 10.01 miles at 8:39 on my own
I wasn't sure how my run was going to go on Sunday. I was concerned it would be really rough and I'd only get a mile or two and have to turn around and go home, so I decided not to meet my group and to go out on my own a bit later.

And this run ended up being awesome! The weather was decent (in the low 60s), but the humidity was still in the 90s. It didn't feel so bad to me, though, for some reason.

Pretty autumn skies (I love this season!)

I started my run out very easy and took it mile by mile. By the time I got to mile 2 on my out and back course, I was still feeling really good. I reached the halfway/turnaround point, and was shocked by how good I felt. I ended up running the second half of my run faster than the first and felt finishing strong.

I'm thinking if I busted out a run like that, with all of the stuff that happened this week and how I was feeling (and the humidity), I'm doing something right. I certainly needed that confidence booster last week, that's for sure.

So yeah. What a week.

But as ridiculous as this week was, it wasn't a complete derailment and I ended it on a high note. These kinds of weeks happen. And next week is a brand new week and I'll be in Disney, so it's not so bad, right?

How was your week?