Week Seven: Not In Training Heaven

The excitement and fun of training has worn off!! Winter Warrior has ended. Now what do I do? Help, I need motivation. Week seven was my worst week of training yet. I think physically I was tired from the half marathon on Sunday. Mentally, and a little physically too, I am SO over this winter and dealing with snow and cold. He are my cruddy stats:

Monday- Yoga at Molly's Yoga Corner.

Tuesday- 4.25 miles at Cobb's Hill.  

Wednesday- 1 hour spin and sculpt class at the RAC. 

Thursday- Rest. 

Friday- Rest.

Saturday- 5.1 miles alone around Fairport.

Sunday- 6 miles from FF Brighton with Laura & Molly. 

Total Miles: 15.35        Planned Miles: 22         

Total Marathon Miles: 122.10

The week started out okay enough. My lovely Fiance´ bought me a special treat for my new half marathon PR. I was sore, hence the giant bottle of ibuprofen in the background, but thought it would be a week of the same old routine.

My running gals and I like to mix these
with some white wine, oh yea!

Monday I enjoyed some stretching and relaxing at Yoga, so glad I have a couple more visits. I forgot how much I was missing and needed the sessions. Tuesday I had my appointment with Dr. Burton and he worked out my hips a bit, but mostly focused on my tired calves. I blame the tightness on slipping and sliding around in the snow. Oh and maybe on my lack of adequate stretching time. Then I headed to Cobb's Hill. Where I proceeded to have the slowest, stiffest, pain in the butt run in a really long time, maybe ever. My time was embarrassing, but as bad as I felt, I did manage to do an extra repeat after I went up and around. Take that non-cooperating body! When I woke up Wednesday morning my calves felt perfect, I couldn't believe the difference. Dr. Burton is the man. In the afternoon I headed to spinning and my week was on the right track. Then Thursday came. I normally get a run in Thursday night, but Rob and I had our engagement photographs scheduled. I fully intended to get my run in afterward. We had issues with the session and I got moody and sabotaged my own workout by getting chinese and cupcakes. Okay, no big deal I'll get my run in Friday night instead. My sister called during the day and needed help picking up the kids in the afternoon and one thing lead to another and I wound up hanging out there longer then expected and again no running.

How could you leave this smiling face?
She even had a stomach bug.

That's okay I told myself, I'll only be a couple miles behind for the week. Due to Molly's schedule we switched our long run to Sunday so I got my butt out the door on Saturday and did my Sunday mileage, with a couple extra miles to try to make my deficit not so big. My run was faster and better then I anticipated and I felt pretty darn good! Have I mentioned how sick I am of cold and wind and snow? Last year was my first full winter running outdoors and it was so mild. Ugh. So spoiled. I am ready for dry roads, warmer temps and the smell of spring in the air.

Laura, Molly and I met at 7am at FF Brighton and went out to do 2 six mile loops. It was clear early on that the second loop wasn't happening, as per my running pals and my own body. Every little bit or so my body felt tired and my legs were heavy, other times I felt pretty good and moved right along. I thought about running around the store by myself just to add a couple more miles on and I talked myself out of it. I figured Rob had to run and that we could get a run in together later in the day. Well that didn't happen either.

It's funny how mental running is. I think my body would have been totally capable of doing more miles, but I talked myself out of it on multiple occasions. I need to get my head back in the game because I'm not even half way through training yet. One perk of the week was that at the Freezeroo race last weekend I won a Road ID gift certificate! I already have a Road ID bracelet and even asked for more bands for Christmas, but I didn't get them. I guess that race turned out pretty decent after all!

How do you tell the difference between 

physical or mental fatigue?