The last week of July was a roller coaster ride at work. Usually when I have a busy week ahead I can put in a few hours over the weekend to take the pressure off, but this time there wasn’t anything I could do–except maybe catch up on my sleep!
I needed Wonder Woman’s help to get through the week!
Throughout the week we were tag-teaming our project, so I had down time in between working over time, but it still added up to way too many hours working at my computer.
Running Down July
Work had to be my priority, but I kept up with my exercise routine as much as possible, knowing it would make be feel better. I went to yoga early in the week so it wouldn’t get preempted later. Thursday morning I had to choose a bit more sleep over a workout, but I was able to take a break in the afternoon and squeeze in an Orangetheory class before logging in to work again. By Friday we were wrapping things up, so my weekend was my own. Phew!
Monday: 3.5 Mile Run
For the first time ever, I ran across the Roosevelt Bridge. It’s not a great experience–the pedestrian area is pretty narrow and traffic is whizzing by–but it was neat to see Roosevelt Island from a different perspective.
Looking down at the Roosevelt Island boardwalk trail.
Before I ran across the bridge I ran under it to get a glimpse of this gorgeous view.
Tuesday: CorePower Yoga
It had been a few weeks since I made it to yoga, so I was determined to make it this week. The peak pose was actually a transition–from tripod headstand to crow pose. I could almost do it–which means I landed un-gracefully on my knees on my mat. 🙂 I do love practicing tripod headstand, so I spent most of the “play” time doing that.
I’m always a sweaty mess after hot yoga!Â
Wednesday: Short strength workout at home
I hit snooze a few times, so by the time I had taken Scooby for his walk, I barely had 20 minutes left for this workout. I hit the basics–RDLs, overhead press, push-ups, squats, French press, lunges, bicep curls, and planks.
Thursday: Orangetheory
By Thursday the late nights were catching up with me, so I didn’t even try to workout in the morning. I thought I might be able to go to an afternoon Orangetheory class, so I brought my stuff just in case. By 2:45 I had handed off the project to someone else for a few hours, and decided to try to make a 3:30 class. I got there in record time, and then discovered it was an “Everest” workout–which meant steep inclines on the treadmill.
This was a small class, so we did a tag-team “Partner Everest” workout. One partner ran on the treadmill while the other did a short row and one strength move (which took about 2 min. total), then we switched. Each time you got on the treadmill, you increased the incline by 2% from your last time, until you both did a turn at 15%, then you decreased the incline each time. I was able to run (slowly) until I got to 9% incline, but some women were able to keep running all the way to the top!
Friday: 1 Mile + Strength Workout
I was going to run, but there was lightning when I was walking Scooby, so I decided to do a strength workout at my office gym. By the time I got to work the “storm” seemed to be over and it was nice out, so did a 1 mile run along the water first.
You can barely see the Kennedy Center through the water sprays.
Saturday: 21.5 mile Conte’s Hill Ride
Mariana recruited a lot of people to join the Conte’s Hill Ride to celebrate her birthday–her brother even came from out of town. There were 38 riders altogether!
And to think last weekend I was the only woman on the ride.
I’ve been getting headaches after these rides, so I decided to wear my hydration pack and make an effort to drink more, and see if that helps. I think it worked. I know I look dorky wearing it on my bike, but it’s better than having a headache the rest of the day.
Sunday: Orangetheory fitness
I was on the fence about going for a bike ride, so when my husband said he had things to do around the house, I signed up for a late-morning OTF class. It was a “power” class with challenging strength and treadmill sequences.
My HRM is still wonky, but not bad enough to replace yet.
I felt a twinge in my left calf, so I used slower “push” and “all-out” paces, but my heart rate didn’t seem to suffer. I used to have to work so hard for those splat points, but now they come more easily, although I still start at 2% incline to get it going.
Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up
–join in for motivation and encouragement!
How was your last week of July? Â
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Wasn’t that Everest workout a beast?? Like you, I stopped running once it got to a certain incline. I didn’t want to mess up my calf muscle again like I did a few weeks ago.
Kudos to you for sticking with your workouts despite crazy long workdays!
Its’ good to challenge yourself at OTF, but you have to know where to draw the line!
As I told Kim, that Everest workout has me so intrigued! I bet I could come up with something similar on my own…but I’d have to resort to spending time with Milly to do so. Poor thing, I have totally ignored her since…February? I love the pic of you and your biking friends…so many colors going on with your gear and helmets!
I find it much harder to torture myself. It’s easier to do a crazy workout with a coach, loud music, and others suffering along with you. 🙂 Pretty sure my TM is growing cobwebs ….
I love the birthday ride and the fact that you all had different coloured helmets!! Hope this week is not as intense, work-wise. But well done for squeezing in all that exercise. It certainly helps to break the monotony and refocus the mind.
Hah! I didn’t notice our helmet rainbow! Work is back to the normal level of crazy this week. The exercise gave me a much needed break from my computer and from sitting on my butt!
I have been getting headaches after my summer runs a lot this year. Another perk of getting older huh? Love the big group you had for the birthday ride. Hope your work situation calms down a bit this week. Thanks for linking up!
Whew! I’m just tired reading all that activity. Thankfully I rarely get headaches, but I’m also a pretty good hydrator. Most of my friends never seem to drink water & I just don’t get that!
I hope work settles down and that you have a marvelous vacation.
I’m not a good hydrator on my bike, because I don’t have the coordination to drink from my water bottle while I’m riding. I drank nearly 3 16 oz bottles worth from my hydration pack!
Wow. That is a whole lotta water! I think I would’ve been making constant pitstops!
You always pack a lot in your weeks! I’m going to spend a few days recovering from the weekend. Plus my schedule is all crazy because I have to cover for 2 of the doctors.
I’m not feeling a lot of sympathy over your need to recover from the weekend. I hope I can make it next year. It sounds so awesome.
You have such a beautiful place to run, Coco. I look like a hot mess after hot yoga too. Actually, I look like a hot mess after most of my summertime runs at home too!
LOL, I do too, but hot yoga is especially drippy!
Love your bridge run…
You are certainly active even with a hard work week.
Work is picking up for me just as marathon training will be – YIKES!
I hope I can keep both under control.
At least it’s my first marathon and I just want to finish without dying.
It’s hard when work and training collide. I’m sure you’ll do great!
Let’s hope so. I’ll do what I can.
Sounds like a tough week! Yay for it being over 🙂 That Everest workout sounds really tough. I can’t imagine doing the treadmill at 15%.
15% is pretty steep! It’s a challenge even walking.
That Everest workout just sounds insane! I don’t know that I’ve ever set a treadmill for 15% incline!
Good for you for finding time to fit in your workouts with such a busy work schedule. Hope things are quieter for you this week!
I never would have gone to 15% without the peer pressure! This week is all about catching up and getting things in order for vacation.
Busy weeks at work are tough! I already struggle with getting up early so all my workouts happen after work (well I did manage a lunch run last week YAY). The busier I am, the more I work out in the evening, the harder it is to get up the next day… last week was busy for me too – always at the end of the month and certainly now during “vacation period” (pretty much July – end Aug…). I think you did great with the situation still taking care of yourself in the meantime! Love the sweaty prisma photo!
Thanks! I do like how it turned out. Looks like my super flat hair has some life. 🙂
Wow! Despite your busy work week, you sure did get a lot of physical activity in! What a beautiful place to get your runs and biking in. And you always capture such stunning photos!
Love your active and busy week. The headaches from the bike rides could be that you’re dehydrated or tired. I usually get them when I am tired or hungry. 🙂
Love it!
First of all, you can never go wrong with Wonder Woman. She is always the answer.
The boardwalk aerial is gorgeous. What a great path to run.
You always manage to get in such a varied workout. It’s so great!
I’ve had some hydration headaches too – although mine are partially that I can’t do coffee before I run and some long runs are getting too long to have a coffee and the half calf doesn’t always cut it. Glad your project didn’t go even longer, sounds like you had a bananas week. Your Roosevelt Island is prettier than ours