I think I will continue with weekly workout recaps on Monday mornings. I’m no longer following a training plan, so my workout regiment will become a lot looser since I’ll just do what I want to do/feel like doing each day. If these end up getting boring or monotonous, I’ll probably just stop doing them. But I enjoy seeing a snapshot of what others did for the week as a whole for workouts, so I’ll keep doing them for now.
Monday- 30 day shred workout. For some reason the lunges really got to my upper hamstrings on this one- to the point where they were almost cramping and were very sore the next day. Hank thought he might join in with me at first, but then decided to take a nap instead (on my yoga mat).
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| I didn’t lay that out for you, buddy. |
Tuesday- 3 mile run with Sven. I knew I wanted to go for a run, and it was a no brainer that I would run inside on the treadmill after work. We had freezing rain overnight Monday into Tuesday, then it poured all day Tuesday with the temperatures right above freezing (causing a flood warning), and then switched to snow Tuesday night with 50 mph winds. Lovely.
This run didn’t even feel like running, it felt like playing. I decided to plug my iPod shuffle in and set it to the “shuffle” setting. It was loaded up with running jams and I blasted the music and danced (from the waist up) my way through 3 miles. I kept bumping up the speed on the treadmill so that I could run with the beat of each song, and I ended up with 9:34/mile average with the last mile being 8:50. It’s been a little while since I dipped down below 10 minutes/mile and it felt great!
Wednesday- Cross training. Walked Hank and Scout by myself for 90 minutes (in the 20 degree weather with 30 mph winds and snow). I needed to wear them out and needed something to do while my sister got her hair done at the salon. At times my heart rate was up when we achieved a brisk pace, but this was mostly an arm workout while walking two 100+ pound dogs myself.
Thursday- Drumstick Dash 5K. My dad and I drove up to Roanoke on Thanksgiving morning to do the runner/spectator thing. I pushed myself, but not too hard since I think my muscles are still recovering from the marathon. It was a cold morning, but a fun run.
Friday- In the morning we had my own version of “overnight oats” for breakfast. This is a recipe that my dad gave me that is pretty good and it isn’t what you’re thinking when I say overnight oats. It’s actually just oatmeal that cooks all night in the crock pot. Before going to bed you place two sliced apples, 1/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in the bottom of the crock pot. Top that with 2 cups oatmeal, 2 cups milk, and 2 cups water. Cook on low 8-9 hours overnight and voila! breakfast is ready when you get up in the morning.
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| My food pictures always look kind of gross. I’m sorry. |
As far as exercise goes I did some cross training in the form of a brisk 3 mile walk with my dad in the afternoon. Unthinkingly we went by Wal-mart on the way home to pick up some ingredients for Saturday’s dinner and both of us completely forgot that it was Black Friday. My dad realized what day it was after we had checked out and were walking out of the store. I can now say I have been shopping at Wal-mart of all places on Black Friday.
Saturday- 2 mile run with Sven followed by a Jillian Michaels 30 day shred workout. The original plan was to warm up for 1/2 a mile, run the middle mile comfortably hard, and then run a 1/2 mile cool down before Jillian. But then as I started to pick up the pace it felt good so I continued to bump it up throughout the run. Then I did a brief cool down walk before hitting the yoga mat for my 30 day shred workout.
Sunday- 6.3 mile run in Radford, half on paved bike paths and half on trails. I’m going to do a separate post on this run in the next couple of days, but here’s a picture from the trail to hold you over.
After I got home I did some cross training in the form of wrapping Christmas presents. I’m counting it since I spent two hours standing on my feet wrapping gifts after my legs were already tired from running.
My dad is probably shaking his head right now at the fact that I wrapped gifts on December 1, but I like to be surprised right along with the gift recipient when they unwrap the gift I got them (since I can never remember what it is).
Total Miles: 14.44 running / 7 walking
So I don’t really know how to wrap up this post. I have no schedule to share with you for this week. I will tell you I ran 83 miles in November and broke 1,000 miles for the year during this past month. I would have liked to have been above 100 miles for the month, but this month started with tapering for the marathon, running the race, and now recovering. For the rest of this year I am planning on just doing what I want to do each day. Usually I’ll plan what I want to do in the morning, which mostly guarantees a workout in the evening and keeps me from getting home and just taking up residence on the couch.
When you’re not following a structured training plan, how do you decide what to do each day?
If you celebrate Christmas, when do you wrap your gifts?
Turkey Runner 
Ha, ha- wrapping Christmas presents is cross-training! I love apple cinnamon oatmeal.Thanks for the info on the earbuds on my blog!
Apple cinnamon oatmeal is the best- especially when it’s cold outside! You’re welcome, I hope it helps you find a pair that work well for you.
I never thought of wrapping gifts as cross training. It is a chore and I will spend several hours on my feet selecting and wrapping during this month. I will be putting most of my wrapping off until the last minute. I like to remember what is being handed out. Those surprises come from Santa.And BTW – You did forget to mention how I elbowed that old lady in the temple while you grabbed the package of chicken breasts she had her eye on. Gotta love Black Friday at Wally World!LUD.
I think it definitely counts as a workout! Ah how could I forget the old lady and the package of chicken!? Maybe because that didn’t happen….. 😉
I do like making my own workout plans! Usually if it goes on too long, I’ll lose motivation so I eventually pretend to follow something haha.I would count wrapping as cross training too! I still need to pick up a few more presents and then I can be done!
I am hoping to finish up my Christmas shopping tomorrow (in the freezing rain)! Then I can finish up wrapping and be done!
I like reading and writing workout re-caps. I kind of stopped mine after the marathon, but I will start again soon! I go with the flow and run when I feel the urge and don’t run when I don’t feel it. It’s a rough life 🙂
I’m looking forward to the return of your weekly recaps. I think it’s a lot easier to see the week as a whole. As an evening runner, I often have to plan what I’m going to do in the morning, because 9 times out of 10 I don’t feel like going out after work for a variety of reasons. But if it’s planned I almost always go, and of course I’ve never regretted it.
That trail in Radford looks beautiful. I look forward to your recap of your run! I haven’t started my Christmas shopping yet… Yikes!
It was beautiful. I didn’t explore all of the hiking trails, so I’m not sure how much mileage you can actually get out of it, yet.Oh no! There’s only 17 days of shopping left. You better get on it!
looks like a fun trail, i really wish i had more around where i live. i can’t wait to hear all about your trail running adventures! 🙂 but goodness, be careful out there with all that crazy weather!! come to CA…much tamer. 😉 jk.were you able to talk the doggie into doing some mat work with you? #downwarddog #obviouspungreat week of training girl! 🙂
I would love to come to CA- tamer weather and In N Out Burger. That’ll do it for me! I’m groaning at your pun 😉 No, I was not able to talk him into anything! Lazy bones.
So funny that you wrap presents early so you’re surprised! LOL I would forget, too. I actually have to keep a spreadsheet to keep my Christmas gifts organized or I forget what I’m getting for whom and if I’ve already purchased it or not.My dog always wants to lie down on anything I put on the floor, too. Silly dogs!!
I love when I go to give someone a gift and I’m thinking “oh I can’t remember what I got them” and then they open it and I’m like “wow, that was really good thinking on my part” *internal high five*I keep a word document each year to keep track of who gets what, when it’s been purchased, and when it’s been wrapped. Its a system of check marks and strikethrough’s.
I’m behind. Again. (go figure) And I swore I wasn’t going to comment on posts over a week old. But I can’t help myself…because Jillian’s lunges are the hardest part for me, too. And yes, my legs would cramp while doing them, too. 🙂