Hey gang! If you’re in the Northeast battling blizzard conditions, I hope you are staying warm and safe. I am sure many people are forced to change their running plans or resort to the treadmill this week as it sounds like it’s going to be nasty weather. If you need some inspiration before your treadmill run, check out this race recap of a treadmill marathon!

Since it’s Monday that means it’s time to share last week’s training with you guys. I’m really pleased with last weeks training. Jess has done a great job making training work for my schedule which will often include winter sports during the weekend. This weekend that meant a day of cross country skiing but in the future there will be quite a few ski weekends thrown into the mix.

I was able to easily stick with a mix of cross training though I did fall short on the strength training. I find it’s so easy to do this when traveling as I far prefer it over hotel gym cardio machines but when I have other cross training options, it’s always pushed aside. Therefore, this week my goal will be to prioritize strength workouts just as much as my running!

Weekly Workout Recap – Savannah Half Marathon Training Week 10

Monday: Easy Run + Strides + Yoga I forced myself to roll out of bed early for a pre-work run. It wasn’t easy on a Monday morning but I was wide awake and energized after the 4 miles. The cold weather helped me move faster than planned, resulting in an “easy run” at 9:33 pace.  After work, I met a few friends for an hour of yoga at InnerCity yoga. The class is a relaxing class that has a different focus each week ranging from cooling inversions, twists and even a full class of hip and shoulder openers. The teacher, while newer, has a calming voice and does lots of adjustments during class which really helps me gain so much more from the 60 minutes.  I think this will be a regular part of my weekly workout schedule, becoming a social event, as each of us enjoy the class so much!

Tuesday: Swim+ Strength After snow and ice kept us from making morning swim practice, we rescheduled swimming for after work. I have no desire to swim after work again as the pool was packed. There were 10-12 people sharing a lane and every few minutes the lifeguards would close another lane due to competitive swim team practices. Regardless of how little I enjoyed the workout, the 40 minute swim felt great!

Wednesday: Spin I feel like this spin class should actually count as a strength workout as Bo and I had a private class due to many no-shows or last minute cancellations. Matt made us work hard the entire class and showed us no mercy. He focused in on my cadence and resistance, making sure that I was loaded heavy for the multiple climbs. I was dripping sweat and out of breath when class ended!

Thursday: Pick-Ups I really enjoyed this early morning run! I run a lot faster in the cold weather so  the pick-up minutes were easier and faster than expected though by the end my quads were burning. I started with a 15 minute warm-up followed by 2 minute repeats at 80% followed by 2 minutes at 40%, repeated 4 times. I finished with 10 minute cool down on the way home, slowing down to catch my breath and shake out my legs a bit. By the end of the workout my glutes and thighs were burning due to the spin workout and speed workout less than 12 hours apart!

Friday: Long run I woke up around 6:15, chugged some DailyBurn Pre and ate a few dried figs before heading out the door. The Weather Channel website said it was 28 degrees but felt like 21 degrees. Well, I think they meant felt like –21 degrees as this run was DOWNRIGHT freezing due to the damp air and blustery wind. Even in three layers and windproof gloves I was so uncomfortable that I called it quits at 6.2 miles, 10 minutes short of the prescribed 70 minute workout.

Saturday: Cross Country Skiing I now understand why many say that this workout burns more calories than any other. Holy heck was I sore after my first cross country ski experience!

Sunday: Rest I enjoyed a complete rest day save for walking up and down our four flights of stairs, unpacking the car and foam rolling. Spending five hours on the sofa watching movies (The Hundred Foot Journey left me craving Indian food in a HUGE way) and catching up with family on the phone was the perfect end to the weekend.

Your turn – How’s your training going? Did you get all your workouts done last week? Are you having to make changes due to this week’s snow? What’s your least favorite workout of training that always gets pushed aside?

PS: I’m working with the team to get the comments issue fixed – sorry guys! Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean I’m not reading and responding to them!

There is something wonderful and exciting about a training plan. I’m excited to lace up these week, hoping I’ll feel a bit stronger than the week prior.

Each Sunday brings a new email from Jess with a list of workouts to accomplish for the week. Having someone who I can confide in daily, via email, makes training a lot easier. Sometimes training for a race, regardless the length, can make you a bit crazy. Was I this sore the last time I trained? What do I do if my legs are tired? How many rounds do I do of this workout. Suddenly there is this voice of reason who speaks to you on a weekly and daily basis. Yes, I know I can get training plans for free in many different places or just motivate myself to run but man oh man is it great having her support these days.

This training plan is 11 weeks in length, last week being the first week of full training. I thought it would be tough to jump back into a more strict workout routine, ensuring that some of the fun, “extracurricular” workouts are replaced with challenging runs, but I am actually thriving.

Maybe it’s because amidst lots of upcoming travel and work demands having this training plan makes just one thing in life simpler and clearer. Regardless the reason, I couldn’t be happier with training and am happier now that it’s back in my life. I’m sure I may have a different response ten weeks from now when the race is quickly approaching, but for now, I’m so excited for the half marathon and to see friends and family.

Even though we traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia Thursday through Sunday I was able to easily keep up with training and in fact, it helped motivate Bo and I to workout for an hour each day, helping balance out all the indulgent food and vodka.

Weekly Workout Recap – Savannah Half Marathon Training Week 11

Monday: Easy run + strides + yoga  My lunch time run was easier than normal thanks to the final Serial episode and some new music. I kept a 9:34 pace which was probably faster than my easy run should be moving forward but it felt good. I ended the run with 5 20 second strides. Monday evening I met my friend for InnerCity Yoga’s relax yoga class. By the end of class I was pretty much melted onto the mat. It is one of the first yoga classes that leaves me feeling blissed out and relaxed versus sweating from pushing myself.

Tuesday: Spin After work we met a few of our friends for a hill filled 80’s night themed spin class at Spin Geneve. It’s been three weeks and I can already feel my legs getting stronger and my body becoming accustomed to the bike. It’s so nice to finally have a spin studio in Geneva!

Wednesday: Pick-ups This workout was a new one but a perfect way to beat treadmill boredom as the sleet and rain forced my early morning workout inside. The workout was 15 minutes of warm-up followed by 8 x 1 minute 80% effort intervals with a 1 minute 40% recovery in between. My 80% effort ended up being 8:12 pace with 9:30 for the recovery intervals.  I finished with a 10 minute cool down and some much needed time on the foam roller.

Thursday: Long run As soon as we arrived at our hotel on Thursday Bo and I headed to the gym, intent to squeeze in at least a quick workout before dinner. I hopped on the treadmill for a 6 mile run. Having Bo’s company made the run fly by as we talked about St Petersburg and what we’d seen so far while I ran and he biked. My 9:41 pace didn’t feel easy but I was happy to have it done.

Friday: Strength Workout Jess put together two different body-weight strength workouts I will do each week during training. They look innocent on paper but by the end of the workout I was drenched in sweat. They high knees, lateral jumps and jump squats killed me! It helped me realize just how under-trained some aspects of my body are right now. I’m excited to see the improvements during the next ten weeks.

Saturday: Rest This was an active rest day as we walked more than five miles but it felt good to take a break from formal workouts. Our hotel’s spa special was too good to pass so I also enjoyed a 90 minute deep tissue massage, perfect for my sore legs.

Sunday: Strength Workout Bo and I did strength workout #2 together in the hotel gym after a warm-up on the elliptical and bike. Wall sits are my strength while jump lunges are my nemesis. Just like Friday’s experience with these body-weight plyometric workouts, my body was begging for mercy by the end.

So that’s a wrap. Week one or eleven, depending how you count, is finished and in the books!

How is your training going? What is a podcast or book that you enjoy for long runs or workouts?