At the conclusion of Week 13, it became apparent in my inconsistent training and lackluster results that I was starting to buckle under the load of work, training and inadequate nutrition & sleep.

#SeaKatyWheeze – Week 14 Recap

Day 92 – Sunday 7/9

>>> INTERVENTION <<<

Week 13 ended with a long run that was the first in eons that I didn’t have a pace or heart rate restriction on it. Those two things that had been increasingly become demoralizing monkeys on my back throughout the summer, as opposed to the training aids they are meant to be. Things were not looking good.

Joanna picked up on the drop in performance and consistency, and reached out to see how I was holding up with everything. At this point, I had absolutely nothing left to give. At the end of 13 weeks, I had done the unthinkable… I had gotten to the point where I had completely blown off Friday’s tempo run. I didn’t even try.

Thinking about running made me want to cry, and all throughout our text convo on Sunday re: retooling things for a week, just to get me out and running more consistently (even if it was only 3 miles a day), I was sitting there at work choking back tears.

Shoot… 2 weeks later as I read the text string back, I can’t help but start welling up over the fact that there is SO MUCH self-doubt going on in me and I have no idea how to fix it.

I’d look in windows as I passed by, and my stride looked so short compared to other runners I’d seen out on the river. My long distance shoes crapped out that week, and no longer gave me any sort of support. It was humid as a swamp both indoors and out. It felt like nothing was going my way. My mind wasn’t working, my body was all out of whack. If that wasn’t burnout, I was teetering on the brink.

Day 93 – Monday 7/10

Run 4mi

After our long conversation on Sunday, Joanna decided to scrap ‘the plan’ as it was for the week and just get me outside for more manageable distances given my squished schedule.

I rolled out of bed and down to the Mississippi, trying to focus on picking my stupid feet up off the ground.

Post-Run Commentary:

Started to fade in the second mile, but when I saw it was still a 9:44 I did my best to push that 3rd mile out.

Dripping sweat by 7:47a. Glad I dragged myself to do this short effort this morning. In the past couple of weeks, running switched over from fun to stressful, and I need to focus on achieving these short ones and remember that somewhere deep down, I do actually *like* to run.

Afterward, I treated myself to Starbucks. Nobody wants to even know how many times I reloaded my sbux card while I was there. A LOT.

Day 94 – Tuesday 7/11

Run 5mi

On Tuesday, I just got outside and WENT. I meant to take it easy, but some effort happened. Ended up averaging 10:33/mi, which isn’t all that horrible given the way things had been going lately.

At this point in time, I was starting to come down with whatever germs were going around at work. I meant to do 4 miles, yet at the end of 5 I was still halfway across the Stone Arch Bridge. So, I took a picture and then walked the remaining 1.25mi back to the hotel.

On the way back, I ran into an old friend on the street, who was headed home from a happy hour at a Mexican place that ended up near my hotel, Barrio. So, where did I go to treat myself to a late dinner that night? Barrio.

Shrimp for dinner, guacamole for dessert? That happened. #treatyoself

Day 95 – Wednesday 7/12

Run 3.75mi

OH GOSH I RAN AGAIN. It’s a streak! Anyhow, this run was broken up into a 2.4mi and another 1.4mi piece. Why? I was moving pretty slow, and decided that “oh there’s a chick up ahead who isn’t moving too much faster than I am, I’mma see if I can chase her down.”

So I bolted across the bridge before obviously needing to stop and catch my breath afterwards in order restart the Garmin and continue my way home… via Starbucks, of course.

Mobile ordering is the greatest.

Day 96 – Thursday 7/13

REST DAY + SHOPPING 😀

After 3 days of not being a bum, I took Thursday off to meet up with one of my old friends who lives locally for dinner. My long run shoes (the Brooks Ghost 8’s that made their debut at Seawheeze 2016) officially bit the dust and I knew I couldn’t go another long run in them.

Luckily, a running store, Mill City Running, was in the vicinity of our dinner destination, so within 15 minutes I had gone in, tried on and walked out with a brand new pair of Brooks Ghost 10’s and this sweet Minneapolis-themed running shirt, to remind me of all the miles I put into that city this summer.

Day 97 – Friday 7/14

4.25mi HR <145

Knowing I had 11 miles staring me in the face the next day, I was happy to take it easy on Friday morning with some short, easy heart rate miles. In accordance with the shirt I’d just purchased the night before, here’s a sweet photo from under the Hennepin Bridge.

Still afflicted with the germs of the week… my body was tired, head full, nose not working. There was no need to worry about exceeding HR limitations on this one, a weak body kept me well in the aerobic zone.

Day 98 – Saturday 7/15

Run 11mi

Blood, Sweat & Tears. This run was absolutely terrible. Post-run commentary:

It was hot. How hot? I consumed 70z of fluid on this run. Thank heavens for my Osprey Pack. I was soaked in sweat when I got back, and can only imagine how much I’d sweat out during the effort.

This was the first LONG run with the Ghost 10s and they’re about the only thing on this endeavor that performed well.

Still trying to emerge from the crazy show week at work and fend off the cold that had been plaguing me all week, once the walk breaks started, they kept coming back EACH MILE.

That wasn’t my intention, but the mind was simply not working over matter. I clearly don’t do well in the heat, no matter how much fluid I have with me, and how breathable my clothing is.

Once I turn into a salty tomato face, the wheels fall off. Complete adrenaline dump going on with everything that had been going on for the last 2 weeks, and there was exhaustion and sobbing while out for this run.

I thought to myself during mile 8: too bad I didn’t cut myself because then it would be funny to call this run Blood, Sweat & Tears because of the band.

Then when I got back and took my socks off, I noticed that I’d cut a blister too close, and there was a red spot on my sock. BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS this run was. And then I went to work until midnight.

At least they had giant churros at work that day.

This Week’s Mileage: 28 miles // #SeaKatyWheeze Cumulative Total: 257.25 miles