I had planned to up the mileage just a tad this week, while at the same time trying to rest up a little before the race this weekend. It’s just a 5k, always too crowded to do great pace-wise, not to mention being sick a couple of times in the last couple of months hasn’t made for the greatest training anyway.
Well, you know the saying about woman plans and God laughs; he/she must have been ROFL at me for sure this week. The last week of May was just total Mayhem for me (mostly on the personal front). And yes, I stole Mayhem from Marcia @ Marciashealthyslice (and my life is totally tame compared to hers).
Joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner and just sharing running, “training”, ans staying active.
And linking up with Jenn @ Runswithpugs, Brandi @ Funnerrunner, Anna Louise @ Graciouswarriorprincess, Briana @ Matsmilesmedals, Meghan @ Meghanonthemove, and Elizabeth @ Trainwithbainfor RIOTS(running is our therapy)
Workouts update
- Monday: Pilates Legs & Balance (30 min), 3 Easy Miles FTC Mentoring, Yoga Hamstrings & Hips (25 min)
- Tuesday: YBB Booty (25 min), 4 miles with 8 Hill Repeats
- Wednesday: YBB Abs (12 min), Dogwalk, Almost 2 mile trail run
- Thursday: Dogwalk, YBB Cardio + Sculpting (35 min)
- Friday: 4 miles with Hill Repeats (8), Yoga for Sleep (20 min)
- Saturday: YFR Foundation, Freihofers Run for Women 5k, Yoga
- Sunday: Morning Yoga (15 min), Dogwalk, Slow Vinyasa at a Studio (60 min)
Mileage: 10ish (NC)
JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*
*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links
Running Updates
Tuesday
Monday was spectacular. Usually I run before I go to my parents, but it makes me very rushed & crabby. So despite knowing the weather was perfect, I decided not to run (right decision).
Alas, making the right decision did not help Tuesday’s weather. A cold drizzle for most of the run. Hill repeats again. The weather actually wasn’t that bad but man, this was a slow run — until the last mile, oddly.
Wednesday
Met up with the women’s every other week group for a trail clinic — this time several friends were there, plus I chatted with some of the women I’d met the last time. Ugh! Hill repeats — again!
You had the option to run another loop after we finished the first, but frankly, it was getting late for this earlybird. Not to mention hill repeats two days in a row . . .
Saturday
Freihofers Run for Women 5k — I’ve been mentoring new & returning runners for this race for 10 weeks. It was my very first race ever 10 years ago. Back then I knew very few people, although I did have friends from my Weight Watchers meeting running the race. It’s definitely more fun now that I know more runners.
It’ll be a couple of weeks before I recap this (next Tuesday I’m wrapping up May), but it was neither my worst (that belongs to the first time I ran this race!) or best 5k. Still loads of fun, though!
Favorites of the week
Most of my veggies/herbs are now planted. Still have the marigolds & thyme to go — the thyme seems to be thriving so it’ll just have to wait its turn. I put some of my chard into this frittata I made this week.
Another Bandit story. I came home from something one day and as I chatted with Mr. Judy outside, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Bandit rolling around in the grass, and something dark next to him. I went to see what it was, and it was a mole. We couldn’t decide whether to praise him (because we want to get rid of the moles!) or scold.
Bandit’s a mutt, and we don’t know exactly what he’s made up of, but for sure he has some Jack Russel Terrier in him. JRTs are bred to go after rodents that burrow, so he’s only being true to his breeding (again!).
What sort of workouts do you like in the week before a 5k?
Do you ever do hill repeats?
Are there any women-only races in your town?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Good question since I have a 5K on this coming Saturday. The main change I am considering is dropping my Friday OTF class. I have a quick trip to Philly and definitely hope to run there on National Running Day, which I think is Wednesday? I would love a big fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie any time.
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Well, these are store cookies, so not freshly baked. But still yummy!
Dropping OTF for this coming week sounds like a good plan.
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This is so true – God always has a way of laughing at the best laid out plans, lol.
Since I never run 5K for time, I don’t really switch up my workouts before a race. I just treat it like a regular training run. But when I’m doing a half marathon, I usually cut back on strength training the week of a race.
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You don’t run 5k for time? Interesting! Even though I knew this isn’t a race to run for time, I still always like to do my best. But it’s not like I’ve been working out hard, either.
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You are doing hill repeats 2 days in a row??? What? You are a total bada$$! Plus you ran a race 2 days later. Kudos to you. I used to do hill repeats, but haven’t lately. Maybe I will start again this week. That chard looks beautiful.
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I had no idea they were going to do hill repeats at the trail clinic! Otherwise I would never have done them the day before.
The 5k is hilly — sadly, they didn’t help with that.
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3 days of hill repeats!
I don’t train for a 5k. I don’t do hill repeats ever. Unless I have too. Like on Wed.
FRW is really not too hilly after mile 1. And it’s too crowded to run that hill fast.
I was very happy with my time. My 2nd fastest of the 12 races. I keep saying that I should train and run for time to see what I could do. Maybe next year.
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No, 2 days. And had I known we were doing hill repeats at the trail clinic (well, see what I said to Laurie).
FRW is hilly. Not killer hilly, but definitely up & down. But mile 3 is very nice.
It’s not a race to go for a PR, but I still like to train & do my best. This was only my fourth time; I think it was also my 2nd fastest, but none of them have been fast for me anyway.
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Yes the downhill at the end is nice.
All my 5ks are in the 27s fir the most part. I’d like to break out of that rut. But I’d have to train.
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You never know, you’ve had a lot of surprising PRs. Everything is training, actually, you tend to be more active than me just by nature.
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I meant the Monday Advanced speed drills each week that Patrick leads…This year I didn’t attend a single one. They would have helped. But being rested and uninjured seemed to be more important. Sunday was often a half marathon or a 15k.
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Looks like you had lots of fun on your 5k. Yes we do have lots of women only races around here. I do think it’s funny bc if there were ever a men only race people would revolt.
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That’s a really interesting observation about the men’s race, Deborah — I admit I haven’t thought about that!
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I actually kind of like hill repeats because they are pretty satisfying AFTER you’ve finished. It’s been awhile since I’ve done any, though. I need to rotate them back in for speed work, thanks for the inspiration 😉
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I haven’t been pushing myself on the hill repeats. But I actually do like them too. Sometimes I have to be careful not to irritate my IT band, but it’s just find after all of last week’s hills, thankfully.
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That race always sounds like so much fun! I’m glad to hear that you and Darlene just love it so much!
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I don’t think there’s anyone that does this race that doesn’t love it. The energy is always great (even if the weather rarely is).
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No strength- which would include OTF- at least 3-4 days before a race is generally a good idea!
I could never say no to a chocolate chip cookie 🙂
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I can — and do — say not to a cc cookie. All the time. But not all the time, if you catch my drift!
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Hope your mentees enjoyed their race – I always love the parkrun we have in our 5k and Beyond classes at running club! I don’t do 5k races but I’d probably lay off anything unusual or strength training for a few days so as not to have DOMS. Hills twice in a row is strong!
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I hope so too! I looked for the woman who was a first timer afterward, but I never found her — there are several hundred women in the training challenge, and several thousand in the race. OTOH, I know another one PR’d (it’s the second time she ran the race).
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I’ll do hill repeats if I’m going to be racing on a hilly course but otherwise I don’t. I ran a women’s only half marathon in Massachusetts several years ago. It definitely had a different kind of vibe to it, in a good way.
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This race is only a 5k, and while not super hilly, it’s definitely not flat. Plus hill repeats are speed work in disguise (or so my coaches have always said).
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True. Hill repeats are great speed work.
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Two days of hill repeats, ouch! I do a really short speed workout the week of a 5K, if it’s a goal race. If it’s mainly for fun I don’t cut back on workouts as much.
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Well, I’m not pushing myself hard right now. I was fine. In fact, I was fine after the race — I should have been a little sorer — don’t think I pushed myself as hard as I could’ve but that’s life.
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Sorry the week was mayhem. Two days of hill repeats in a row is tough! I love that photo of you with the giant cookie sign 🙂
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I definitely hadn’t planned on 2 days of hill repeats. Today is windy & chilly . . . I was going to do 4 miles but am considering cutting that back to 3 — should warm up by the weekend so hopefully I can run longer then.
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If I could only have one treat for the rest of my life, I’d go for a good chocolate chip cookie.
Omg look at that satisfied smile on Bandit’s face. Hill repeats happen here only when I have a hilly race coming up. ZOOMA Great Lakes is mucho hilly so perhaps I should start thinking about adding them in.
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While I love a CC Cookie, if I had to choose one thing it would be either chocolate PB pie or chocolate PB brownies.
Bandit is actually going through one of his squirrely periods right now & acting scared of eating. Usually it happens when it’s warm, but it’s actually unseasonably cool right now. He’s a weird dog.
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Ever since I started running at The Arboretum, I’ve learned never to judge any type of hills based on pictures. Hills are steep no matter what. Even more so for this girl that is used to running in flat areas.
I’ve done hill repeats but on a treadmill. I think I would like to do them outside now that I have a place to do them. Do remind me I said when I complain about them.
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It’s not flat around here (have to work to find flat areas to run!) but hills never look anywhere near as steep as they actually are.
I haven’t been pushing myself in my hill repeats, but I have been running up & down — I used to run up and walk down.
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hill repeats are evil, but I suppose necessary. depends on what you want from your training and the end goal? but they are also NOT my favorites. and of course I choose to live in a country that everyone says is flat but actually isn’t where I live…
love the 3 of you in skirts!! and glad you had a good 5K!
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I actually don’t mind hill repeats that much. I guess like most things, I see it as a challenge — and of course don’t enjoy them so much during, but feel good when they’re over.
The funny thing about the skirts is that 2 of us had chosen the same pattern the last 2 weeks of training AND for the race — I actually don’t even know her name!
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