January Recap/February Goals

The last two weeks of January completely flew by.  I don't usually like to wish time away, but I have no problem if January and February seem to disappear.  I'm ready for the dark, cold days to be gone.  The January numbers ended up like this:

Running: 89.1 miles
Swimming: 6000 yards
Strength Training: 10 hours

I started out the month on track to hit 100+ running miles.  I ran through sub-zero temps (and double digit below zero windchills) during the second week of the month.  And then the third week, I had four days in a row where court went through the lunch hour.  Since I do most of my weekday runs during my lunch hour, my mileage took a pretty big hit that week.  Oh well.  I ended the month with two great runs in beautiful weather - 11 miles on Saturday and 3 on Sunday.

My official training for Grandma's Marathon starts the first week of March.  I created a little pre-training training program for this month, mostly because I'm a little sick of not "training."  I've basically been in off-season mode since after Twin Cities in October and am feeling ready to push myself a little more.  My running goals for February are to consistently run long-ish on the weekends (between 8 and 11 miles), and to get in one run that includes some miles at half marathon pace during the week.  My other goal for February is to increase my swimming yards.  I have my eye on an August triathlon - Turtleman, in Shoreview.  It's a one mile swim, 25 mile bike, and 5 mile run.  That one mile swim is the only thing giving me hesitation in hitting the register button.  I need to get some longer swims in the pool to give me the confidence to know that I can do it.

Reality Check

Or should I say, bitch slap?  We've been super lucky this winter.  Not much snow, not much really cold weather.  Weather hasn't been a deterrent in getting outside and running.  All that changed today and a cold, blustery wind came to slap me in the face and remind me that yes, it is January in Minnesota.  I planned to tough it out and still get out for a run.  I made arrangements for a babysitter to come over during EJ's nap time.  And then I went to Walmart.  As the wind whipped me while I walked across the parking lot, I decided to bag the run.  Instead, I did the 21 Day Fix Challenge DVD, which always sneaks up on me.  It doesn't feel too challenging at the beginning.  And then all of a sudden I'm drenched in sweat and my heart rate is through the roof.  So good times.  The forecast is for more frigid cold tomorrow, but I'm determined to not let it get the best of me.  Plan is to get my off season "long" run of eight miles in.

Last week's workouts:

Sunday: 8 mile run
Monday: 850 yard swim; 5 mile run
Tuesday: 1 hour kettlebells, 3 mile run
Wednesday: 800 yard swim
Thursday: 1 hour kettlebells, 4 mile run
Friday: 2.5 mile run
Saturday: Fix Challenge DVD (30 min.)

I get up just before 5:00 on swimming days and just before 4:00 a.m. on kettlebell days.  After a couple of "off" weeks for the holidays, four days in a row of getting up early sort of kicked my butt.  By Thursday, I was toast.  I felt good working out in the morning, but was sooooo tired on my way to work.  Thank goodness for coffee. 

How Time Flies

Happy 2016!  In some ways, it feels like it was yesterday that I posted last (in July of 2012).  In other ways, it feels like a lifetime.  A quick catch up on what I've been up to: 2013 - got pregnant and had my second child (a boy) in September 2013.  2014 - recovered from a rough pregnancy (during which I was not allowed to exercise) and C-section, gradually started ramping up my running and workouts.  Quit private practice and took a government job.  2015 - completely reclaimed my active lifestyle.  And that brings us here, to January 2, 2016.

I am so excited for what this year holds.  I ended 2015 with some strong races and feel very motivated to keep working and improving.  I have registered for the Earth Day half marathon in St. Cloud (in April) and Grandma's Marathon (in June).  My immediate plan for 2016 is to keep a solid base of running miles so I am ready to start training in February.

Here's what last week's workouts looked like:

Sunday: ran 3.6 miles
Monday: ran 3.6 miles
Tuesday: 1 hour kettlebells
Wednesday: ran 3 miles
Thursday: 1 hour kettlebells, ran 1 mile
Friday: ran 6 miles
Saturday: ran 5.5 miles, Pilates leg workout

I will be adding swimming back in this week after a two-week hiatus (pool was closed over Christmas break).  Looking forward to getting back into a routine now that the holidays are over.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!