Week 8 of Boston training. Where I get s**t done.

Once again I am very tardy for my weekly update. Silly things like work and SO MUCH running getting in the way! (although like running, working in last weeks weather was a DELIGHT!)

Week 8 was a big one and a good one. The weather was ridiculous, and not in the way that last year was. Every DAY I have been thankful for the weather both this winter and spring (not that it's really spring yet.)
I know we still have some yucky March days to contend with but the clear roads, mild temps and lack of an every other day blizzard have been incredible. I have enjoyed this training cycle immensely and I thank the conditions for that! This has been the kind of winter than makes all of us think that Spring races are a brilliant notion.....

Can't really complain about this.

We are almost to the home stretch here. I think I might speak for all of us when I observe that this is the time when you begin to notice results, but also notice fatigue. I am a little weirdo who, over the years, has learned to love the rigors of training and that's great and everything but I'm still a little tired!

Today was the day where our numbers and wave assignments were announced and YOU GUYS I WAS SO EXCITED!!!! Yeah, all my homies and I are in wave 3 and Hopkington is going to be a party! I always look forward to number assignment day, I like to know my bib number (18440) and I like to know when I'll be starting. I assume that this stems from years of waiting for, and being excited for horse show ride time assignments. Who knows. I'm a special flower.

OK, I find myself distracted by this weeks events. Let's recap last week, shall we?

Monday: I ran a 6 mile recovery run after zipping through the Hampton Half. My recovery pace is very gentle and easy. Basically nt one step faster than a 9:30 pace, sometimes closer to a 9:45. I'm pretty firm in my belief that recovery runs should help a person to recover.

My suggestion for a recovery beverage. After a few glasses of water maybe.

Tuesday: After all that recovery I got a rest day! Yay!!

I was also right in a (virtual) line to pre order my next pair of Hoka's, the Claytons. I have been promised big things and my hopes are high.

.....please be a good shoe.....

Wednesday: It was 65 magical degrees out which felt like summer. I legit put on tiny shorts and a little tank to run in and I still sweat out about 134,987 gallons of sweat. Gross.
This was hill day and since we are now in peak training time this meant a double dose of hills for a total of 10 sweaty miles. I felt fantastic (and warm) during this workout and finished with an 8:44 pace. This is a great route not only because of the uphills but the downs- great opportunity to thrash on the quads.

Thursday: Uh Oh, because of scheduling shenanigans this was speed work day.
Speed work day immediately after hill day can present some delightful problems but I toughed it out. The weather had gone to crap and it was pouring buckets (and I had to work until dark) so I pounded out 3x2 mile repeats at MP. Now, this is harder than it sounds. I'm always "this won't be too bad" and by the time I am done I'm a bit like "woof." Either way, I got it done.
After a week of falling asleep on the couch at 7:30 PM, on this day my body decided to take a different path and refuse to sleep much at all. Like, 4 hours tops which is NOT a good way for me to live.

Woof. Sweaty treadmill selfie.

Friday: Another gorgeous, but windy day. I happened to be in Bridgton for a Dr Appt so I decided to bring my running clothes and have fun running a different route. It was a great day for running and even though I had put some serious miles on my legs the previous two days I felt great. I ran 8 miles, over hills at base pace, which was 8:22. I consider base pace to be clearly easier than race pace and clearly harder than an easy run. I like to feel like I am "working" not "suffering". I enjoyed this run and seeing different things.

Nope, the ice isn't out yet!

Saturday: I was feeling a bit like a strugglebus. I knew that my lack of sleep was starting to be a problem and I recognized the fact that the warm weather and hard workouts were dehydrating me more than I was accounting for. By afternoon I was feeling a bit perkier so I headed out for my long run. I had settled on a pretty challenging route with an uphill section that stretches on for over 4 miles. After that you charge straight downhill for a mile and then are hit with aggressive rolling hills for the next 5. Did I mention that that is all in the second half of the run?
I was certainly feeling the mileage from the previous days and there was a brisk headwind for the first 8 miles or so that would have been most unpleasant had it not been 55 degrees out (for realz.)
At mile 11 or so I stopped for a quick 30 seconds to snap a pic of the cutest little donkeys ever! I love cute critters and these guys were fascinated by me and my foolish running.

OMG the donkeys! And a horse too obvs.

Unfortunately, at this point my strava decided that I must be done and quit recording my damn run. Which of course, makes us wonder if a non GPS recorded run EVEN COUNTS?? (It does.)

HAH! Yes, that is how I felt.

Luckily I knew that the mileage of the route was 20 miles so there was no problem there, but when I'm done running I like to critique my numbers and there were none to be found. I restarted the little bugger when I called Eric to come to our rendezvous point to get me but there were 7 miles lost in outer space somewhere. Whatever. It too me like, 3:03 which is just fine and dandy.

20 miles, done and done.

Sunday: Rest day!!

The weekly wrap up
Miles: 54.0
Favorite TV: House Hunters International, makes me want a fabulous home in a fabulous location.
Favorite beer: Bourbon this week!
Low temp: I'm trying to remember... I think it was 28 on Monday because it snowed a little.
High temp- 65 on Wednesday
Favorite food: Hmm. This wasn't a week of great excitement in the food department. I think it might have been the Bourbon brown butter ice cream I had- mmmmmmmm.....

So next week.... More work. The next two weeks will be quite similar to this week with the addition of Eastern States on the 26th. I'm hoping that the good weather sticks around and that my legs keep up the good work.