Weekly Sweats: Running Under Pressure

In this week's edition, 29.25 miles of running and a weight workout, a ton of stress, and I registered for my favorite 10k.


I'm linking up with the Weekly Run Down, please head over to Kim and Deborah to check it out. 

Monday: weights and 4.25 miles.  It was chilly and windy and I didn't feel like doing my usual Monday route, so I roamed my town and of course ended up picking a straight uphill route to match the wind.  Whomp whomp.  This run was 1/3 of the distance and 100 times harder than my last half marathon.

Tuesday: speed day and between you and me I just didn't feel that great.  I decided to try the workout with the option to bail if it didn't feel right.  1.25 miles warmup, then 4 x 1200 with 400 recover and 1.25 miles cool down for 6.5 miles total.  I held myself back and did the first interval "easy" and by the last interval I was feeling on top of the world and still had gas in the tank to go after it.  Being "slow" = barely any difference from last week. 10:35, 10:33, 10:28; 10:15.  And I didn't want to stop when the workout was over.  So fist pump for that not so great feeling going into a workout.

Wednesday: rest day, my FIL's funeral.

Thursday: ugh day.  Sadness from the funeral plus a ton of work stress awaited.  I cut my running plans short and just did 4.25 miles easy with a few strides.

Friday: I was not in a good place due to work stress.  Skipped weights and got my run in but just barely.  4.25 miles easy.  And yay by the end of the day my work situation was solved and life returned to normal.

Saturday: oh hey snowstorm!  I bundled up in my winter gear and set off.  I've been "just running" for my long runs but in last week's post I remembered the workout that I used to do for long runs.  4 miles easy, 10x 0.1 miles fast/0.1 miles slow, 2 miles easy, repeat 10x fast/slow.  Sure enough, the structure made the miles go by quickly.  It was very windy but there was a good bit of tailwind in the mix so that's a win.

Sunday: rest!

What's Next?
The heck if I know!  I'm on the fence about running a 2nd virtual half this spring.  Weather wise next weekend is the time to do it but there just hasn't been enough time or build up since my last half.  I'm probably better off continuing with my current mileage for the next week or so and then switching over to speed this summer.  A wise runner knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  But eh, who knows.

Race Registration Recap
My work sponsors a 5k/10k in June that I've run 3 years in a row.  We get comp codes to run for free but the organization behind the race is A Worthy Cause so we also donate.  I wasn't expecting to hear anything about the race this year but work sent out an announcement that it's on.

Virtually of course.  My state is starting to open but no way no how is any racing going to take place this summer.  But still, the process of going to a "real" race site and doing a "real" registration was a nice reminder of life in the old days.