A+ Training week

I'm not one to brag, but this week was probably the best training week I have had, maybe ever.  Really.  I think the holiday last Monday put things off to a good start.  It all began with a track workout where I managed to hit all my splits, despite dancing around an unusually large number of geese who periodically wandered off the infield and onto the track.  I ran home only to take a quick shower, that was pretty pointless and go sweat it out a bit at yoga.  It was a nice treat to make it to the 9:30 class led by my favorite omgal, Rebecca.

After some cross training on Tuesday, Wednesday's plan was for a 6 mile fartlek workout.  Pressed for time and with rain pouring outside, I admit I did this workout on the treadmill.  It was no less painful, I promise.  But 48 minutes later, I had done it.  I stuck to my paces and did not get thrown from the treadmill trying.  Success!  I also identified my new least favorite workout.

Thursday was an easy 6 miler.  I'm sad our days are so much shorter now.  Seeing the darkness outside my window when my alarm goes off makes it a bit tougher to get up now.  But I made it, and to my pleasant surprise, it had stopped raining.  Or so I thought.  By the end of my first mile it was drizzling and by the end of 2, it was full out raining.  By mile 4, I'd call it pouring.  But it was actually kind of fun, and at that point, I really didn't have much choice but to run home.  Later that night, I was fortunate to be able to make it home in time for my second yoga class of the week that night, stretching out all that was still tight and sore from that darn fartlek run.

Saturday was a short long run with the last 8 at my half marathon race pace.  Running with pal Brenna, we changed up all our usual routes, starting in Cambridge, heading to the Charles and then running up Comm Ave, through the Boston Common and back.  It was quite a pretty run, and not nearly as crowded along the sidewalks as I would have imagined.  My legs felt really heavy to start, and never felt great, but I hit my 8 miles at race pace much more comfortably than I had run 6 miles at this pace a few weeks back.

The BAA Half Marathon is now less than 4 weeks away.  This week was a huge confidence builder that I can run this race well and I'm really looking forward to it.  Before that though is Reach the Beach next weekend, where I'll run approximately 15 miles over 28 or so hours, fueled by peanut butter and jelly and little to no sleep.  Once again, I'll be running with a team of friends from the Run for the Memory program, and raising money and awareness for the Alzheimer's Association.  My goal is to raise $400 for this event, and if you'd like to help me reach this goal, you can donate here.