It feels amazing to be back in GOAL mode and following a training plan. As I shared last week, now that I am 11-months postpartum I’m thrilled to be in the place where I want to train and have the emotional, mental and physical ability to work towards a goal.  While I am keeping a training journal, where I track my progress, I want to also share my training with you all as I know many of you are chasing the same sub 2-hour goal and others are just curious and enjoy reading workout recaps and getting a bit more details behind my daily workouts.

So, with that said, let’s dive into my first true week of training which includes not only my workouts, but also my health and wellness goals.

Average steps: 8,108 (vs previous average of 6,500)

Number of glasses of wine: 5

Did I track my meals breakfast, lunch & snacks Monday through Friday? Yes!

• Monday: After a long time away, I finally returned to Body Pump. Our local YMCA offers Body Pump classes 10 different times throughout the week and I’ve chosen this as my primary strength workout during this training. With so many weekly opportunities, it is easy to fit in my schedule and it’s included in my YMCA membership plan.  Since it was my first time doing Body Pump in AGES, it took me a few tracks to figure out the right weight combination. I wish I’d written down the weight I used during class so that I can easily remember each week but I’ll have to do this next time. The class flew by and I appreciated all the adjustments the instructor made during class.
• Tuesday: Thanks to a package I received at Christmas, I have a few private Pilates sessions at my neighborhood Pilates studio, A-Line. I spent a lot of time here during pregnancy as it was one of my favorite prenatal workouts and the breathing techniques helped me through labor. Now that I’m safely postpartum, it is so much fun to push my body during their tower and mat classes. The private class helped me focus on form as Lindsay constantly adjusted and helped me focus on the breath. These private classes are giving me more confidence to take the tower and mat group classes.
• Wednesday: In celebration of Global Running Day, I joined Brooks and a few of my friends for a fun-filled 5k run along the West Side Highway bright and early before work.
• Thursday: While I rarely have double workout days, I ended up running 4 miles with my Brooklyn mom running group bright and early and then ended the day with a 45-minute mat Pilates class. We did a lot of posture and back work during this class which helped me focus on my posture throughout the week and standing just a little bit taller and straighter.
• Friday: I was able to sleep in an hour and a half later than normal since Bo and I decided to kick off our date night with a 45 minute Flywheel class. Since I frequently spin at home these days on our Fly Anywhere bike, it was a treat to not only take class in a studio but with one of my favorite instructors – Dionna!
• Saturday: 100% rest day including a relaxing bath and some foam rolling
• Sunday: My first “long run” of half marathon training was a 3.3 mile run throughout Red Hook.  I focused on the pace and having consistent splits – 8:56, 8:59, 9:07, 9:09.  The last 3/10 of a mile were completely uphill so the change in pace wasn’t a surprise. Since I knew I only had one small window of time to run, during Katie’s afternoon nap, I definitely “made it count” and focused on my form, breathing and enjoying the water views and my playlist.

Overall, my first week was exactly the kick in the butt I needed and left me feeling excited, energized and hopeful for what is to come!