Oh, Week 12, thou hath kicked my hind quarters in a royal fashion. Having spent time in 3 different states, this week clocked the highest mileage total we’ve seen in training so far. I used to think 6 or 7 miles counted as a ‘long’ run. How silly I once was.
#SeaKatyWheeze – Week 12 Recap
Day 78 – Sunday 6/25
Run 10mi – FFLR + Kayaking… twice.
Training doesn’t care if you’re at home or not, so off I went to the Cape Cod Rail Trail to bang out the long run for the week. It was supposed to be a ‘fast finish’ long run, with splits decreasing through the latter 7 miles of the run. I thought I was actually going to make a speedier progression happen, until I ran out of water and my legs started getting mad at me.
Wondering if I need to start doing some yoga. Looking at my shadow on Sunday, my strides were super short. Perhaps that’s part of my problem when it comes to my struggles with speed… must open hips more!
Certainly better than that 95° fiasco from a few weeks ago, but there is still so much room for improvement.
DISTANCE RUNNING IS HARD. So, I went kayaking at my Uncle’s place on Cape Cod again.
Done with that run by 9:00a, I had all the time in the world to wallow in tired legs and enjoy my own version of 4th of July Weekend, knowing I’d be working on the actual 4th. I went out for 45 minutes solo in the morning, and then dragged my Uncle out on the water with me for another mile and a half of paddling later in the afternoon. Spent.
Day 79 – Monday 6/26
CrossFit
Strength – Back Squats, calc off 90% of 1RM
Back Squat (5 reps at 75%) – 130lbs
Back Squat (3 reps at 85%) – 150lbs
Back Squat (1+ reps at 95%) – 4 reps @ 165lbs
Nothing much left in the tank from, you know, my most fatiguing training day thus far on Sunday. PLUS, I had woken up at 5a and driven 3 hours home from the Cape to get to work on time Monday morning. Long day.
Metcon
5 Rounds for Reps:
1 min Box Jumps (20″)
1 min Wall Balls (14lbs)
1 min Row for Meters
1 min Rest
Result: 1487 Rx (312/302/276/298/299)
I can’t remember the last time I topped the leaderboard on an Rx workout. On Monday, I did, which was surprising given how the first part of class went.
Prior to the metcon, we did some back squat strength work that was TOUGH. Out of nowhere, I had that whole ‘spontaneous urge to cry’ thing happen between sets. While the weight on the bar wasn’t that heavy, I honestly know that on day 8 in a row, I did as much as my legs physically could handle.
The metcon had no transition time built in, so it took some strategizing. Knowing I’d be the strongest on the rower and not as prolific on the WBs, I pushed myself on the box jumps and went all out on the row.
I spent the first 10-15 seconds of each wall ball minute catching my breath from the box jumps on the front end, and in the last 10-12 seconds, I dropped the ball to move over and strap into the rower so that I could get a full 60-second piece in.
My heart rate was UP where it should be when I’m pushing it during a race, and I did my best to keep it there as much as I could. After being such a lame-o on yesterday’s long run I know that being comfortable with being uncomfortable is a challenge for me, and I’ve got to majorly work on that. So I tried a bit harder than usual today. And I happened to score the best out of the 35 women at my box who did this WOD.
Day 80 – Tuesday 6/27
Run 4.5mi
The alarm went off early, so that I could get a run in before work. It was raining outside. I did not go running before work.
With dinner plans after work, lunch time was my only option. It began to rain the minute I walked out to the parking lot. Unamused, I laced up my 2nd string running shoes and headed out for a soggy run. I got rained on for the first 3 miles from my run, and had to go FULL hair wash shower before going back to the office because I got so wet.
As I walked back from the car into my office, the sky was clear, 100% blue. Grrr.
Day 81 – Wednesday 6/28
CrossFit
Weightlifting
Split Jerk
Perform 1 Rep every minute on the minute x 12 minutes
Starting weights 115/75, Increase weight each set, taking barbell from the rack
Result: 135lbs – got sassy on how easy 135 felt, so I loaded it up to 145 and had a few solid misses before quitting the jerk and moving on to the next 2 lifts.
15 minutes to find a challenging Squat Snatch – 110lbs (Failed 115×3)
15 minutes to find a challenging Squat Clean – 140lbs (Failed 145×3)
Dinner plans, again! Got to work around 7:45a before scooting off for a rare lunchtime CrossFit cameo. It feels like our CF programming has been a real power lifting lovefest lately, and so I was super excited to get to do some Olympic lifting for once. Given the lack of practice with these movements, I was happy with the results.
You may notice that after 3 blown attempts (no matter how close I was) to max on each lift, I stop. Stubbornness and repeated attempts because I was thisclose to a PR snatch is what caused the de Quervain’s that sidelined me for MONTHS in the first place. In no rush to return to PT any time soon, I don’t f*ck with that anymore. If I miss 3x, I am done for the day and move on.
Day 82 – Thursday 6/29
Rest Day
SWEET MOTHER OF THANK YOU FINALLY A DAY OFF AFTER TRAINING FOR 10 DAYS STRAIGHT.
I still rode my bike to work, though – and then played a heated match of office ping pong that jacked my heart rate up into the aerobic zone for about 20 minutes.
I’m not always good at ‘rest’ days.
Day 83 – Friday 6/30
Run 6mi HR<145
Eliud Kipchoge walks faster than I ran on Friday. Heat and humidity have repeatedly gotten the best of me in the last month or so. I went in the dead middle of the afternoon with the sun about as high as it can get in the sky, plus I ran near my house so it was hilly. My heart rate averaged 155, even going as slow as I could go while maintaining jog form.
Day 84 – Saturday 7/1
Run 11mi = Warmup 3 + 4 x (1mi Tempo + 0.5mi Recovery) + 2 Cooldown
First 3 mi, great. The 4th, did it near the Rx pace (8:55 recommended, I did 9:09). ‘Recovery’ pace (9:25) was too spicy for me, and it was hot.
I tried, I cried, I tried some more and cried some more, and ultimately ended up like all of my other tempo runs have ended, desperately willing myself to put one foot in front of an other at a 12:00/mi pace, with absolutely no energy or self esteem left over at the end.
Because I have run out of water on my last two 10-milers, I strapped on my Osprey Raven 14 for hydration. Minor chafing action, but I felt bad for the swishing sound my water was making with each stride I took. People must have thought I was nuts. That run did not make me happy. Again, at least I know I can run 13 at a clip. Not to say it’s speedy and fun every time.
I should also include that I woke up and flew 1000mi to Minneapolis that morning. Woof.
This Week’s Mileage: 31.5 miles // #SeaKatyWheeze Cumulative Total: 209.25 miles
