Week 1 of theoretical Boston training 2.0/Pandemic running week 10

Last week was basically exactly what I expected.

It got hot, summer arrived!
(and will be MUCH worse this week.....)

Seriously

Running was fine this week. I had to cram quite a few days in a row to free up days when I was busy. I did end up feeling a tiny bit overcooked, but nothing major at all. I basically just ran. No real hills. No real workouts. Junk miles? Perhaps.

We took another tiny, local hike on Sunday to enjoy the beautiful weather. It really is nice living somewhere when a short drive brings you to a lovely place.

This is fine

I have been moving towards reopening my business, and (to be entirely honest) it has been a little stressful. Of course, I am very happy to be returning to work after a LENGTHY hiatus (I have referred to my current situation as "volunteering" at the stable, as I can still manage to put in a 50 hour week for free.....) It's just the details and the concerns making things complex. I have a lot of responsibility to my clients and staff, and have never been in a situation like this before. My strategy is to take things slow, and cautiously (and maintain insane levels of sanitation) and plan on things being fine. (like.... next year....)

So, what's on the books for this week other than it being hot AF.
I am hoping to chug out about 30 miles again. I have some misgivings about the 90 degree days, but hope to be able to work around them. I should have gone for a run today, but I allowed a work situation to get in the way. (I mean... volunteer situation.... let's be real. nobody paying me for this extra time hahah!) (and I just looked at this forecast again and thing I might just run 3 miles instead of 30.)

So week one of imaginary training:
Miles: 31
Long run: Not long . Like 6.8
Hottest day: 77 at run time on Thursday (which was after 6PM)

Pandemic running week 9

Winter is over. The 10 day forecast has 3 days well into the 80's!!
There is no doubt about it, while I may be in better running shape at the moment than I have been at this point during the past couple years, the heat is going to slow me down.

Hello Summer

Last week went exactly as planned, logging 25 miles. My leg feels good, and I feel pretty fit (although it could have been the chilly, windy days talking....)
The snow from the previous week melted immediately and spring arrived. Yay! So did the bugs. BOO.

Spring

Eric and Ellie and I went on a tiny local hike over the weekend. The whole pandemic mess has completely disrupted our big hiking plans, but we are lucky to have local trails that have zero people on them. We plan to make the best of it!

Decent view for a tiny hill 

Evidently this week is the beginning of *theoretical training for Boston 2.0*

I plan to run 30 miles this week.

After that...

I'm just going to put in the work until the race gets cancelled for good, and then I am going to keep running.
I think I learned something important last year. Apparently, at 40, it takes a lot longer to get back into shape after a break than it does at 35. UGH OLD AGE!!!! Kidding though, I imagine in 10 years I will wish for the *fitness, speed, and excellent skin* that I have a 40 (because DAYUM, I sure look back 8/10 years ago and wonder WHAT the devil I was complaining about!!)

Here is what will be easy about Theoretical Boston 2.0 Training:
-I want to keep running.
-I am reasonably fit so it won't be, like, totally awful. Maybe?
-I do feel motivation not to fall off the running wagon. Because, as discussed, OLD.
-Not much else to do at the moment
-HEALTH....??? So much health plus many fitness goals. Pshhhh.

What will be hard:
-Well. Running.
-The fact that I don't believe I'm really race training. So, I'm going to have to trick myself into doing shit bag things like speed work and 18 mile long runs when it is 85, humid, and thunder.....
-Heat and humidity and all the dry heaving that causes.
-Possibly one million pandemic related things that I don't know exist.

BECAUSE WHO THE FUCK WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE LIVING THIS????

I mean, seriously.

Anyway. I am healthy, my family is healthy, my business is about to reopen (although my summer side hustle is in serious jeopardy...) So... so far so good? ISH?

So next week. I will give a glorious report on how my majestic marathon training is going. Eric keeps saying we are going to run a beer mile, so maybe that will spice things up a bit (plus, more barf related posts, I imagine!)

Pandemic Running Week 8

I'm pleased to say that after a week of easy peasey running that my hamstring has settled right down. I have felt no twinges at all in the past few days, which is reassuring! 

Weird week though. After last weekend when we saw temps hit 70, we managed to get an actual snow storm this week, plus a couple of really chilly days. Gross! I'm not sure if I can actually remember real snow this late, but there are no rules at the moment. Pandemic. Murder Hornets. People just doing whatever TF they want. Snow. The usual!

Hello

"Things" are slowly reopening over the next couple weeks. (some things anyway.) I suppose that the time of social isolation did help to slow the virus, and to keep from overwhelming the health care system. Unless we wish for complete economic collapse, things are going to have to begin to move in the direction of "normal." That being said.... It's hardly going to be normal. 

My business will carefully embark on a multi-phase reopening process beginning on the 18th. I am fortunate not to have a "high risk" job, and while I am thankful to be allowed to reopen my feeling of responsibility to my family, and staff, make me feel like I am handling a ticking time bomb. I plan to use all precautions, and can only hope that is enough. 

On the running front. Technically 8 days until Boston 2.0 training begins. Weird, to begin training again for a race that will most likely not happen. Either way though, I'm a good bit more fit than when I began training for Boston 1.0, and why not, right? Just going to train along and try to have a good time doing it. 

For next week I think it is reasonable to get back to get back to the mid 20's. I'll say that my goal is between 25-30 miles (but probably closer to 25.... lazyyyy.) No need to go too hard this far out. 

Pandemic Running: Week 7,000

I managed to eeeeeek out exactly 26.2 last week, which was the plan, and hence a win!

I awoke on Wednesday will a sore hamstring, for no reason that I could think of. It was no better or worse after I ran that day, but I gave it a couple rest days to be safe. That was a bad choice, as it just got more angry with rest! Two super days of easy running later, and I could tell it was on the mend.

So, that trend will continue throughout this week- super easy running as long as it feels fine. Since training for the theoretical marathon begins in 2 weeks there is NO, and I mean NO!!!!! reason to get a stupid injury.

Maybe 20 miles this week, give or take a few. 

Spring is here, but it is chilly. 

There is still a pandemic. The end!!!