As in actually for girls, not the breasts! Speaking of girls, it was also Lola’s birthday this week. No, Chester & Lola are not related and although they are just months apart in age, we got them a year apart (both are rescue dogs).
It was a busy week of fitness, racing, decluttering, cleaning, and baking.
I’m joining up with Holly of Hoho Runs and Tricia of Misssippipiddlin to recap last week.
You don’t have to be a runner to join in & tell us how your week went! So how was my running last week?
- Monday: Yoga for Runners Hips, 5 mile easy run, Dogwalk
- Tuesday: Yogaworks AM Yoga, Dogwalk, Physique57 Trim & Tone
- Wednesday: 4 1/2 mile easy run w/1/2 mile strides (4, if you’re wondering), Yoga for Runners Foundation post run, Dogwalk
- Thursday: Dog walk, 4 miles? speedwork on treadmill
- Friday: Dogwalk, Physique 57 Butt & Thighs
- Saturday: Yoga for Pain Relief Align & Alleviate, Girls’ on the Run Inaugural 5k, Yoga for Runners Foundation, Dogwalk
- Sunday: Dogwalk, RFRL strength x 2, Yoga for Pain Relief Emotional
Mileage: 13.1 (-.9)
Yoga Streaking
I don’t get run streaks. I just don’t. If you do, more power to you. But my body really likes its rest days. So I’m not going to just add a junk mile to streak — then again, I don’t have a problem motivating myself to run. Not completely true, lately it’s been kind of a struggle getting out there, but I always do.
Yoga, that’s a different thing. I totally get a yoga “practice”: how yoga every day can make you a better person/runner. So I’m on a quest to do a yoga streak until the end of the year
Some days it might just be 5 minutes; it will rarely be more than 30 minutes. I will not beat myself up if I miss a day, either, I’ll just pick right up with the next day. No all or nothing thinking here.
And not long after I wrote this, I did, indeed miss a day. But I picked it back up the next day.
#yogastreak, anyone?
Running update
Running has been a little bit of a struggle lately; I won’t lie. Not really the runs themselves, just carving out the time and motivating myself to get out the door.
My IT has been achy off and on, too, and just like I wrote last week, I know I need more targeted strength training. And yet I’m still not making the time for it. Yoga, check; cross training, check.
Every week my mileage total decreases, too. I’m not training for anything, of course, and I don’t want to burn out, but I also want to keep up my base.
I keep wondering how low can you go and still have a good year next year?
Chester update
Chester seemed to be doing okay — right up until Saturday. It’s always Saturday. Read 5 Ways to Know It’s Time if you don’t know Chester’s story.
I left him at home when I took Lola for a walk on Sunday, and he didn’t seem upset with that. If he’s feeling well, usually he’d at least come down with us.
On a side note, Lola turned 10 Saturday. I made the oatmeal peanut butter coconut haystacks from Rachel Ray’s December magazine (sorry, I couldn’t find a link). They were a hit, but in our house, anything edible (and sometimes inedible) is a hit.
Weekend Favorites
Running a race for a good cause (Girls on the Run) and meeting up with runner friends pre/post (and not only Darlene!).
Our pre-race meal at a local bistro. Salad, pumpkin risotto, and bread pudding. It fueled my race well.
And a beautiful sunset yesterday.
Do you decrease your weekly mileage in the fall/winter?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Interestingly enough, I’m actually increasing my running now in anticipation of my spring triathlons. I hired a coach to make me a faster runner. While he’s not into the “every day” streak, he definitely is an advocate of frequency in all sports and would probably cringe to hear it called a “junk mile.” I do find the frequency approach has improved my swimming already. TBD on the running – I have a Turkey Trot on Thursday so will be able to get a sense of where I’m at. I like the yoga streak idea – I practice occasionally but don’t really have time for much other than a few sun salutations given my already high volume training. If it helps you physically and mentally – go for it!!
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For a streak, though, you just need 1 mile to keep it active. So it’s usually a mile without a purpose and therefore really is a junk mile — which is why I don’t understand running streaks.
I had much higher mileage in 2014, but that year ended very poorly for me. I’ve done much better this year on lower mileage.
But there’s also a sweet spot — too low and I don’t have the conditioning I need, too high and I end up injured usually. I’m still trying to work out just where that spot is.
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Good job on the yoga!! Such a good way to treat the body! Remind me-are you doing a series or a class?
Resting the IT band-good idea. Reduced running during off season is my plan.
Oh Chester…XXOO
Happy Birthday Lola!
Yeah Girls on the run! I missed our fall race but looking forward to fitting the spring one into my schedule.
Have a great week!
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I have a ton of yoga DVDs, and that’s what I do. I’ve done the odd class here & there, but right now my time outside the house is extremely limited.
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I find it hard to be in yoga zone with the kids around. I guess though for stretching and flexibility purposes i could look for some on line videos to do.
Continued positive thoughts to you and Chester.
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We appreciate the prayers! He’s having a tough week. 😦 Still eating, tho.
Maybe the kids need to join you for yoga:) It would probably be really good for your daughter & her gymnastics (she’d probably be really good at it too).
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I have thought about a nightitme yoga. She tends to have a hard time falling asleep at night.
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Couldn’t hurt to try, right?
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True
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I had trouble commenting with WordPress blogs earlier today, so trying again after a reboot! Good job with the yoga streak! My coach would cringe at “junk miles” since he’s an advocate of frequency in order to generate improvements…we’ll see how that goes, I suppose.
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I wish I had the motivation to do yoga! I’m very impressed at how much you do. Your off season is our peak season for running. There are tons of races from January to April. I hope I am well enough to do as many as I want! Both of my dogs are rescue dogs and only 2 months apart too. We adopted #2 9 months after adopting #1, to give her something to play with. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I appreciate you linking with us.
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That’s so funny, our adoptions are almost exactly the same, except we didn’t adopt Lola for Chester to play with; he has never been a very playful dog, no doubt due to his heart which we thankfully didn’t know about then.
No, it was really weird — we weren’t even planning to adopt a second dog. But I saw her photo online and just had the strongest feeling she was meant to be our dog. And she was!
Like all dogs, she has her quirks, but she’s the sweetest dog. Not at all stubborn like Chester (who is alpha, and I’m pretty sure Gizmo will move into that role when Chester is gone, even though he isn’t your typical alpha type, but he’s taken to laying in the dog beds lately and Lola lets him, although I’m pretty sure she’s not happy about it).
I love yoga, and that’s why I do it. Like I said, sometimes it’s literally just 5 minutes. Can’t really do that with running!
I do run all winter long, but for obvious reasons, there aren’t a whole lot of races in the dead of winter up here!
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A yoga streak sounds good. I should probably do that myself. Happy Birthday, Lola!! Big hugs to Chester….and you.
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Thanks, Natalie. Chester seems better today, but almost collapsed again this morning. Although he was perfectly happy to gnaw a kong when I left after & seems ok now.
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I love the idea of a yoga streak! As soon as I get my Dvd’s that you recommended, I’ll work on one! And I never thought about have bread pudding for pre-race. What a fabulous idea! I’m going to have to make one Wednesday night to see how that works! I think you had a very successful week! Happy birthday to Lola!
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It happened to be a prix fixe menu & there were only 3 dessert choices. Not something I’d normally choose!
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I definitely run less in the winter. Mostly because I am usually relegated to a treadmill,and running long on the ‘mill is just tedious. But I signed up for a May marathon, so me and the treadmill are going to be BFFs this winter!
I do some kind of yoga stretching nearly every day. Usually downward dog to stretch out my hamstrings, calves, and back muscles. Then maybe a little hip openers. I never really thought about doing a streak, since it’s mostly just good, easy stretches that keep me running!
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I agree; anything longer than 4 on the mill is hard! I did 8 once. Thankfully I’ve manage to not have to do that again — but I am thinking about a half in March so you never know.
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Glad to hear Chester is hanging in there.
I really enjoyed the race on Sat. I didn’t think the competitive me would. My co-workers who said they were only doing one 5k to say they did are talking about a second one. 🙂
I like yoga but can’t motivate myself to do it at home.
I tried the running streak but it wasn’t for me. It took longer to get dressed and undressed than to run the one mile (or it seemed like it.)
If I wasn’t training for a half, my mileage would definitely decease.
Speaking of mileage, I’m looking for a companion for Sat or (more likely Sun) for 6-8 miles.
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I agree about the dressing & undressing!
I was only going to do 1 5k, too, when I started.
I think Sunday is supposed to be better weather-wise. Right now I’m still not even sure about a turkey trot, just thinking about everything I have to do still . . .
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I don’t do run streaks either. I tried the RW Summer Streak this summer to stay motivated. It’s 41 days from Memorial Day to the 4th of July. I only made it 17 days before getting the stomach virus. People who have streaked for over a year amaze me. Do they never get sick? Glad Chester is doing ok. Love his picture with the chewie!
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I think at least some of the people who do run streaks just run through illnesses.
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A yoga streak sounds lovely! I love the pics of the dogs 🙂 sweet faces! I have never done a run streak- how dreadful that sounds! I think tomorrow morning I may get my first 50 degree run 🙂 woo hoo, I am looking forward to it!
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It was a balmy 22 this morning here. 50 sounds nice!
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I haven’t done a run streak either an I’m like you I like my rest days. I think a yoga streak would be great. You can change it up so many ways. I need to get back into it I know it would do me good. My good right now is my foam roller I been streaking for 7 days. And as soon as this RV stops I’ll do it tonight. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving Judy.
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Wow! I only roll when I run, although sometimes I do it more often right before a race.
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