Training recap: Weeks 11 and 12

Yeah, I missed a weekly recap. I only ran once this past week. That didn't seem to merit a blog post! So this one is a long one!

Tuesday September 3

I feel like this was forever ago. I can't even remember the run! I'm looking at the map on the Garmin Connect website thing, and I seriously can't remember doing this run!

Distance: 5 km
Time: 28:38
Average Pace: 5:38/km

Splits

1 - 5:45
2 - 5:52
3 - 5:49

4 - 5:20

5 - 5:27

Monday September 9

Sometimes, my short runs make me think "omg, I'm never going to be able to do a half marathon!" but other days, like today, make me think that I definitely can. I REALLY enjoyed my run today. Which isn't something that usually happens! I ran the River Rd and back, and then to the beach and back for a total of 6 k. 

I didn't think my body would feel great today, since I didn't drink much all day, and probably didn't eat the best things, but I felt great. I ran the 5k without stopping (also uncommon!), and even made it up TDH with no more than a bit of extra effort. Running down the slight downhill toward the beach, I pushed the pace a bit, and ran my fastest ever km (my garmin told me I had a new record: fastest mile at 8:13... I don't do miles though, so I know what that really "means"). I stopped before my last km. I wasn't sure if I was going to do 5 or 6, but I was a km away from home, so why not run it?

Distance: 6 km
Time: 33:21
Average Pace: 5:33/km

Splits

1 - 5:31
2 - 5:44
3 - 6:09 - TDH

4 - 5:32

5 - 4:27 - Whoa!

6 - 5:55

Wednesday September 11

Crappy run today. I made the mistake of deciding to do the "to-the-beach-and-back" route twice, but I should have know better! I did it once and felt terrible, so I stopped after 2.5k. If I had gone the other way toward the River Rd, I would have probably stuck it out for a full 5, but reaching my driveway after 2.5 k did me in. 

Distance: 2.5 km 
Time: 14:09
Average Pace: 5:39/km

Splits

1 - 5:32
2 - 5:47
3 - 2:50

Friday September 13

Much better today than Wednesday. I decided to head out for my run before it started to rain (Gabrielle is on her way), but it was misting/sprinking the whole time. No biggie, but it was really humid!

An average -feeling run, but I was pretty speedy. A new 5k personal best of 26:06! I was pretty winded during the whole run, so I knew I was going faster than my regular pace. I paused the garmin twice: once to fix my hair at the halfway mark (I was turning around and would have a tail wind... I hate when my ponytail is blown around onto my neck and into my face), and once before TDH. 

Now, I'm "rungry". 

Distance: 5 km
Time: 26:06  -PB!
Average Pace: 5:13/km

Splits

1 - 4:55
2 - 5:22
3 - 5:28

4 - 5:20

5 - 5:01

Sunday September 15

What a beautiful day for running today! I should have gone for my run first thing this morning... Little Fox got me up at 6 am, so I would have had plenty of time... But I procrastinated until 6 pm. My goal for this run was a pain-free 8k. My phone was dead (no music) so I told Red Fox that if I wasn't back in an hour to come get me, because that would mean I'd be limping home! My plan was to run out for 4k, and the head back until I either had to stop, or until I got back home. I was 250 m from home when Red Fox came to find me! haha It had only been about 50 minutes, but I'm glad he remembered! 

It was an average run. I felt like I was a bit more out of breath than I'd like, but what can I expect, considering I've been limited for 5 or 6 k for a few weeks now. But, I made it, and my knee is just fine. 

Mini Gear Review: - I bought a Sweaty Band headband yesterday using some of the 50 dollar gift card I won. I wore it yesterday and it was great, but I thought today would be the "real" test. I felt like it was super tight, and I adjusted it at the half-way point. The top/front was fine, but the back was moving slightly. I figured out when I got home that it wasn't the headband that was tight, it was my ponytail! I'm not 100% satisfied with the headband. It DID stay in place, but it gets in the way of my glasses, and it doesn't lay flat on my head... the front of the band is, but the back part is loose, and it's only about an inch wide. I guess I need the super narrow one. Considering it's made of about 4 inches of narrow elastic, and about 16 inches of 2 types of ribbon, I don't think they are worth the 18 dollars. 

Distance: 8 km 
Time: 47:00
Average Pace: 5:52/km

Splits

1 - 5:33
2 - 5:54
3 - 6:05 

4 - 5:41

5 - 6:00

6 - 5:47
7 - 5:44
8 - 6:15 - I ran/walked TDH