So sue me: I basically picked Pink’s song because I like it and it’s my blog. So there. I haven’t fallen out of love with running, although maybe I’ve fallen out of love with training hard? I don’t know. The nice fall-like weather at the end of the month did make it easier to fall back in love with running. It can be nice to race here and there where you want to, and concentrate on other things.

Just give me a reason,
Just a little bit’s enough,
Just a second we’re not broken, just bent,
And we can learn to love again

August was intense with developing my 20 minute yoga routine to film (I know, just 20 minutes — how hard could it be? Hard, turns out!), keeping up with the course work and beginning to try to review for the final test for my YTT.

The harder you work for something the sweeter the reward, right?

Getting in scheduled runs
I keep thinking I really need to research Fall halfs, but there just hasn’t been time. It may be a one half only year. So no need to follow a schedule.

Grade Earned:  B

Recording my runs
I was doing great with this right up until the very end of August. Then I completely fell off the recording runs (and anything else, like my normal gratitude list). That’s life!

Grade Earned: B

Dynamic Warmup
A mixed bag. Sometimes. Sometimes not. Before I know it it’ll be so cold I’ll have to do those warm ups inside.

Grade Earned: B

Foam Rolling
I didn’t foam roll as often as I did in July, but we’re still good here. I always miss it if I don’t do it!

Grade Earned: A

Nutrition
My ultimate goal is to get to a point where I maintain my weight without having to monitor it so much, or track what I eat so much. I haven’t been tracking a few months now and the weight is holding steady. Nutrition has been mostly good, but it does seem as though we ate out this Summer more than normal. On the other hand, we haven’t traveled in a long time, which might also explain why maintaining my weight has been easier.

Grade Earned: B+

Support

• Massage? Still in a holding pattern.
• Chiropractor Appointment? Yes and apparently good thing I did.
• Do I need a hair appointment? Even though I know those layers really need a trim, at the same time I’m totally digging my longer braid.

Grade Earned: B+

Cross Training
Just like last month, I’ve done well with yoga — don’t laugh, it’s easy to skip it while you’re trying to learn about it! — and strength training has been pretty good, too. Not as much Pilates, which I actually really enjoy, too. What will I do when I start actually teaching yoga classes???? Stay tuned!

Grade Earned: A

August 2019  gets  . . . 
. . . a B+. 1 trail race. A little hiking. Maintaining my weight. No injuries.

August Goals:

• • Continue to Prehab. Y. A little less often, but the foot still feels pretty good.
  • Strength train 2 – 3x week. Y. Nailed this in July. Slipping a little lately, but I’ll get back to it when I’ve finished my test/video.
  • Keep long runs about 6-7 miles. Y. I considered doing 8 miles yesterday, but since the last few weeks have only been three times a week and this week I did four times, I quickly ditched that idea.
  • Lots of Yoga & Studying. Y. Totally nailed that one. Will it be enough?
  • Foam roll almost daily. Y. Slipping a little here, too, but still foam rolling a lot — but it only takes 10-15 mintues!
  • Continue to try to eat intuitively — unless the weight starts to creep up. Y. Still mostly working. Will be interesting to see if it still works as the days get shorter, which is usually a time I struggle more with my weight.
  • Meal plan on the weekends! N. I tried, but I didn’t succeed.
  • Trail race at the end of the month. Y. The Running Gods gave us some awesome weather and you can read about it here.

Which leads me to September Goals:

• • Look at Fall halfs! I took out prehab. I’m still doing it, sometimes, but so far, knock on wood, things feel pretty good most days so time to move onto another goal. This may be a year of only one half . . . or maybe I will decide on a race to run. Maybe that’s what I’ll turn my focus to when I graduate as a break.
  • Strength train 2 – 3x week. This will always be a goal. As we age, we naturally lose muscle. Not a good thing.
  • Work up to 8 miles. Maybe 9? There’s a 15k I usually do in November. Sure, I could do it even with just 7 mile long runs, but that wouldn’t be prepping my body. My body likes to be prepped.
  • Working on practice teaching — and finding a studio to teach/sub at. I have a lot of things I want to work on yoga-related. I definitely need a lot more practice teaching — although I need a little downtime, too, after I take my test and graduate.
  • Foam roll almost daily. Continue using my Lauren Roxburgh foam rolling and regular pre-run foam rolling.
  • Continue to try to eat intuitively — unless the weight starts to creep up. Winter is coming. It’s a time I — and most people — tend to put on weight if not mindful.
  • Meal plan on the weekends! I’ll keep putting this in until I get back to it. I sorta started to do it, looking at what recipes I wanted to try, but then not write them down and not be able to find what I wanted to make.
  • A race? At some point? Races are still abundant at this time of year. Just need to look around and see what appeals to me.

Linking up with Zenaida Arroyo and Kim @ Kookyrunner

This week I am also joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, Crazy Running Girl, and Coach Debbie Runs each week for the Coaches’ Corner linkup