This past week was week number one of six weeks of base training. It’s always exciting for me to start a new training regime. I feel like it brings some purpose back to my running. Here’s a recap of this past week’s workouts, as past of the Weekly Wrap link up hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin’.
I decided to try a new approach this week by working out in the mornings during the work week. I have been struggling with motivation ever since daylight savings time ended, since it is dark when I get home from work now. It’s dark in the morning when I exercise before work, but so far I’m really happy with getting things done in the morning.
Monday – 3 mile easy run on the treadmill before work
Tuesday – Strength training (10 minutes of abs, then a sequence of lunges, squats, and calf raises)
Wednesday – 4 mile “hill” run on the treadmill before work
Thursday – Cross training (Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD, level 1) before work
Friday – 5 mile trail run at Claytor Lake State Park. This was my long run for the week. I moved it to Friday since we had a full day scheduled for Saturday.
I was busy all morning and didn’t get out for my run until 2:00 PM or so. I had a great run and felt awesome, which was a little surprising since I really hadn’t eaten much or drunk any water. Apparently that’s the key for a successful long run! (kidding ). I think it was just one of those runs that goes great for unknown reasons. But it was also one of those runs that makes me feel like the goals I’m chasing are attainable. They’ll take work, but they are not impossible.
There were two other crazy/random things about this run. One, I realized I forgot my Garmin shortly after leaving the house. I didn’t feel like going back for it, so I just guessed on the mileage (based on posted mileage for the various trails at the state park). At the end of the run I didn’t know exactly how far I had run or how long it took me, and it didn’t bother me in the least.
The second thing was that part way through my run I realized I had a hitch hiker on my shoulder. He startled me right at first, but then I just kind of laughed about it and attempted to take a selfie 🙂
Saturday – 3 mile easy run with Kim and my college buddy Jackie (who was in town for Friendsgiving and the football game) at a nearby park. It was a very cold morning, with temperatures around 25 degrees at the start of our run, but the wind wasn’t blowing so it didn’t feel too bad. I felt good and had a lot of fun running with Kim and Jackie.
Right after our run Jackie and I had to rush back to my house to grab showers and get up to Blacksburg with Barry for some tailgating before the football game. Barry and I bought tickets from Debbie last month from this game. At the time neither of us knew it would be head coach Frank Beamer’s final home game at Virginia Tech, as he will be retiring at the end of the season.
Emotions were definitely high for the game, but in the end we couldn’t pull off the win in an overtime thriller. I sure wish we could have sent coach out with a win for his final game in Lane Stadium, but it was still an amazing day to be in Blacksburg.
Barry and I headed home after the game (to take care of the dogs) and then went back to up Blacksburg later that evening for Friendsgiving. We had about 20 people attend, many of whom I went to college with and others who became new friends by the end of the night. It was a lot of fun to have everyone together and Barry and I stayed up entirely too late, until 1:30 AM!
Sunday – Rest day. I was much in need of this rest day after a busy first week of training and a long day on Saturday. I spent most of the day cleaning the house (we are hosting Thanksgiving, per usual) and then baked banana bread in the evening.
Total Miles: 15 (ish)
This week I hope to stick to my morning workout routine, for the most part. It will get a little funky with Thanksgiving coming up, but I have plans in place to make sure I still get all of my workouts in!
Who else is having a cold snap? I don’t mind so much. This is what November is supposed to feel like
Does anyone else ever have a “friendsgiving” in addition to their regular Thanksgiving?
How would you feel about doing your long run sans Garmin/watch?
Turkey Runner 
OK, for a few seconds I was looking for a real hitch hiker! HA! What a wonderful idea to have a Friendsgiving! When you think Thanksgiving, you think family – but we certainly shouldn’t leave out our friends. I would have struggled on a long run just knowing I would not have a record of it (not going to lie!) I think I can smell your banana bread! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Meagan. Thanks for linking with us.
Friendsgiving is a lot of fun, and it’s the one time of year we manage to get everyone from college together (for the most part). I think when you return to running you should do some watchless long runs 🙂
Cold this morning. Had to break out a winter coat for the first time.
See you in a few days!
LUD.
And so it begins!
My Thanksgiving is Friendsgiving. A lot of us don’t have family here so friends host us and we all bring sides or desserts. My run on Saturday gave me hope too that my race in May is attainable, but I still have work to do on muscle kinks.
That’s nice that y’all can all get together since you don’t have family.
I love the idea of Friendsgiving! Sounds like a lot more fun than typical Thanksgiving with the family ;o)
I think it’s nice every once in awhile to run without the Garmin, but I admit that I don’t do it very often. I’m too tied to that data!
It was very cold here over the weekend, but it’s supposed to warm up a bit this week. Which probably means snow is in the forecast.
I think a lot of us are very tied to the data, even when we don’t let it drive us to making poor decisions (like running through an injury, e.g.). It was nice to get away from it, but I don’t know what I would even choose to do so voluntarily!
We are going to have a warm Thanksgiving, too. I guess I don’t mind that it’s not freezing cold and/or snowing, but it is very odd for December and makes me wonder how things will be come February.
I do love that part of Fall, running in the afternoon wasn’t even a possibility for me all summer. Your park is a nice spot! I am a morning person usually for my runs and I love getting to work feeling accomplished 🙂 Great week!
The cool Fall weather makes for a perfect afternoon run, if you can get it in before sunset. I am really enjoying being a morning person during the work week lately. It’s not always easy to get my butt out of bed, but it sure is nice to get to work knowing I’ve got my run/workout in for the day.
Always love your trail running pics. Whoa the hitchhiker comment caught me off guard until I saw the pic lol. I do small runs without my watch but I can’t imagine a trail run without my watch, I need to know pace, elevation, etc. I would freak out.
Haha it seems like I caught a lot of people off guard with it!
You should try a trail run without your watch sometime. It’s kind of nice 🙂
Your trail photos are lovely! Our closest non-paved wooded trails are about 30 minutes away, so I don’t get to go very often (especially with early sunset). My friends and I used to do a Friendsgiving in the years after college, but it kind of petered out as people moved across country or got married. This year a friend is hosting a hot cocoa bar/drinks/snacks Friendsgiving on Wednesday night. Glad to get back into it, should be fun.
Have a nice holiday! 🙂
Most of my trail running happens on the weekend due to the early sunset. Your Friendsgiving from last night sounds like fun!!
Ha! Love your hitchhiker! I know what you mean about losing motivation since it gets dark early. I run in the mornings but do other workouts after work, and ever since the time change it’s been harder to be motivated to get them in. Have a great Thanksgiving!
It’s so much harder to do evening workouts once the sun goes down so early!
I actually feel better on my afternoon runs when I haven’t eaten in a few hours – weird I know. No matter how hard I try though, I am not a good morning runner. My body is so achy and I’d much rather have my coffee and read in the morning 🙂
Coffee and reading in the morning is always nice 🙂
Nice pics from the trails! I was looking for a real hitch hiker on the bench behind you. Then, I saw the grasshopper. That banana bread looks delicious! I’ve never hosted Thanksgiving dinner. That’s a lot of work! We are staying in town and going to my parents’ house for lunch on Thanksgiving day. I like to go early and help mom with what I can in the kitchen. I’m not much of a cook. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I think I confused a lot of people with the hitch hiker comment. Oops! I hope that y’all had a nice Thanksgiving!
Sometimes we just need to change up our schedules a bit an it all seems to fall back in place. Glad you’re enjoying it. Great idea on Thanksgiving. I hope you have a great one!!!
Thank you, I hope you did as well!
What a lazy grasshopper! 🙂
So glad you and Barry enjoyed the game. On Sunday morning, Bill and I commented on how glad we were that we weren’t spending the day in the car driving home from Blacksburg!
I know, right!? I’m glad that you and Bill enjoyed the weekend at home. Y’all did a lot of traveling this fall!