Week 3: Portland Half – Learning my limit

Plan this week:

Mon: Run 3.5 miles

Tue: Strength Training

Wed: Interval Tempo Run 3.75 miles

Thu: Run3.5 miles

Fri: Rest

Sat: Run 8 miles (gasp!)

Sun: Rest

What a week.   I started this week feeling pretty strong and even with an all day training, I still able to sneak in the run in the evening.   However, mid this week, I was not feeling all to well.

Monday:

I was in all day training and felt so tired when I was done.   I had so many excuses in my head but I can’t justify any of them, so when I got home, I put my running shoes on and head out.   I had a great run and ended up run for 4 miles.   It was cool out and I absolutely love the trail.

Tuesday:

The plan was to go to the gym early in the morning before my class start.  My alarm went off at 5am and I could not move my body.  I was so tired!  I felt back to sleep and woke up at 7am which was a bit too late for me to go to the gym and be on time for my class, so I skipped the strength training.   After class – I had dinner plan with a few friends and didn’t get home until 10pm, which was unrealistic for me to even do anything.   No gym for today.

Wednesday:

I went to the same trail with my husband and my two daughters.   The plan was for me to run, and for the girls to ride their bike with my husband around the trails.   I was supposed to run normally for a mile, then run really hard for 5 minutes, slow for 1 minute and repeat it three times, and run the last mile normally (total 3.5 miles).   I started with my normal run and went okay but then those gallon of water that I drank prior run just didn’t want to stay in, so I had to run back to the beginning of the trail for a bathroom break.  That kinda ruined my style a bit (lesson learn – always go before you start!).   I start all over and run another mile and start my tempo run, which about kill me the second rep.   So I ended up only did 2 reps of 5 minutes of fast run, and 1 minute of walk and run normally the rest of the way.   Total run:  5.01 miles

Thursday:

I went back to the same trail after my class.  It was absolutely gorgeous evening.  The sun was set on the other side of the lake and full moon on the opposite side.   My husband dropped me at the 4 mile marker and I ran back with my brother to the beginning of the trail since we didn’t have his bike with us.   My knee felt a bit tight and it usually took 5-10 minutes of run to loosen up, but it was tight the entire time.   It didn’t bother me all that much during the run though.   I did total 4 miles with 12:20 average pace.

Friday:

Rest.  Love it.

Saturday:

Long run day.  My girlfriend, Marisa, decided to run with me.  I was excited to have someone to run with, even though I am not really a chatter when I run.  I like to put my headset and just be.  No chit-chatting or try to be in the same pace but still enjoy the fact that I have someone to run with.   We had a bit of late start and didn’t get out to the trail until 10:30am.   It was a bit cool but the sun was out and absolutely fabulous day.   I wasn’t feeling all that hot and had experience some discomfort unrelated to the run as a side effect for my current medicine that its dosage currently increased but I decided to go out and run anyway.

I started strong, and run in my normal pace until about 2 miles and the pain and discomfort that I had hit me harder.  I could barely move and had to stop and walk for a bit.   I walked for a bit and try to focus on something else and hoping that the pain would go away or lessen up a bit but it wasn’t happening.   I was mad.  I was frustrated and my stubbornness took over.   I started to run again and went for another mile until I felt dizzy from the pain and had to walk again.   I walked for another 5 minutes and started to run again for another mile until I felt like I was about to faint and had to walk again.   I was getting madder and frustrated, but I knew that my body has been trying to tell me to stop and I refused to listen.   I had a conversation about my stubborn-self and had this debate in my head about should I stop or go on and finally decided to call it a day.   My husband, who rode his bike alongside of me, went back to the car and came back to pick me up so i didn’t have to walk all the way to the beginning of the trail.   I gave it my best, and my body was not cooperating.  Again.  This is going to be an interesting couple months ahead.    I ended up run/walk for total 4.8 miles.

Sunday:

My stubborn head want to do another long run to make up for yesterday but I decided to give myself a break and rest today as scheduled

Fundraising:

I’m still not doing anything yet for fundraising since this week is a crazy busy week.  However, I plan to send out my first email for my fundraising next week.   If you happen to read this post, let me just start with you.   I’m training for Portland Half-Marathon with Team in Training to raise money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.