Countdown To The Hot Chocolate 15K (Week 4)

It’s hard to believe that I’ve completed my last full week of training for the Hot Chocolate 15K and need to start thinking about some sort of taper. Thanksgiving fell on a running day, but that just means I earned my turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie early!

Monday
Elliptical: 20 min glutes program
Full Body Weights Routine: 40 min (including lunges, squats, and leg lifts)

Tuesday (Hill Interval Program On TM)
Hill Interval Program (level 5): 50 min total, with 32 min of hill intervals @ 6.0 mph
Yoga: one hour yoga class at work!
I was able to keep up with everything–including the side planks–but it had a delayed kick-booty effect!

Wednesday
Treadmill Warm-up: 4 min @ 3.7 mph, 4 min @ 5.7 mph, 4 min @ 6.0 mph (1 mi)
Full Body Weights Routine: 40 min  (including lunges, squats, leg lifts)

Thursday (Thanksgiving)
10K easy run with my friend (59:30; 9:45 avg pace)
I jumped out of bed at 5:00 so I could meet my friend for a run and meet her new daughter (adopted from China)! It stayed dark for longer than we expected so she had to make up a neighborhood route on lighted streets as we went. We chatted the whole time except when a few hills required all of our breath. When we got back to her house her kids were up, which means I made a bee-line for her new little girl instead of stretching. I paid for that later with some wicked calf cramps, but it was totally worth it!

Friday (Black Friday)
Morning Yoga: Rodney Yee Back Bends program
I was really worn out after being on my feet all day on Thanksgiving, and had some wicked calf cramps Thursday night that I took as a sign to take it easy!
Mid-Morning Walk: My husband and I took the in-law’s dog out for a walk (1.5 mi, 30 min)
Mid-Afternoon Weights: Full Body Routine (including lunges, squats, and leg lifts)
I took the wonky internet connection as a sign that I should take a break from work and do my weights routine.

Saturday (Long Run)
(1) Hilly Neighborhood Run:
Total Distance: 7.35 miles Total Time: 1:11:22 (Avg. Pace 9:43)
Split Times: 10:05, 9:59, 9:45, 9:50, 9: 35, 9: 48, 9:15
Today my friend met me in my neighborhood, and she was not ready for my hills! I tried to convince her that a slower pace for a hilly training run was perfect!
(2) Treadmill: 2 miles, 19:20 min (9:40 pace)
I wanted to cover a few more miles than my friend had time for, so I added 2 miles on the treadmill after she dashed home. It’s times like these when I really understand how much easier it is for me to make my fitness a priority.  My teenager will be asleep for another hour, while she has to fight off the mommy guilt to take this time for herself and then face three kids who have been waiting for their mommy to get home.

On tap for Sunday: a long walk with another friend.