Long Effin’ Run

Posted by Lauren

When I began my 12-week “get faster” workout plan, I could have never anticipated the news about our grandma I heard on Thursday. Plans were quickly made to leave Friday afternoon for Illinois, returning laaaate Monday night. Family time is a billion times more important than following this workout plan, but for consistency’s sake, I wanted to jot down what happened these past few days:

Week 1 – Friday and Saturday

Scheduled: Friday – bike to work, Tina’s full body workout 1C, easy 3 mile run.
Saturday – rest day.

Completed: did the full body workout and easy 3 miler early Friday while watching Parks n Rec, but did not bike to work. I rested Saturday (minus sweeping all the acorns off our IL driveway and deck).

Week 2 – Sunday and Monday

Scheduled: Sunday – long 1.5 hour run (grand plans of 72 mins @ 7.4mph, 18 mins @ 8.0mph) and Tina’s strength workout 2A.
Monday – Tina’s strength workout 2B and steady state treadmill hill hike.

Completed: both Nicole and I fit in a long run on Sunday between brunch and our Grandma’s evening memorial. I ran the requisite 1.5 hours, but it was a lot slower than originally planned (~10 miles). Totally fine by me! Sunday and Monday’s strength workout didn’t happen, and the treadmill hike clearly wasn’t possible.

Sweet Spot: Both of us really enjoyed our long runs. We split up after about a mile – Nicole took a nice trail into town, and I ran to my grandma’s house (the one before she moved to the nursing home). It was a crisp, fall day and the run was quite cathartic – memories of our grandma, summers in Illinois, and family gatherings surfaced as I ran music-free.

Sticky Spot: If anything, the only point I care to mention is that Nicole and I barely slept at all Sunday night due to upset stomachs. I got sick once, but Nicole really had it bad. All day Monday we felt awful – our main symptoms: queasy stomachs, pounding headaches, incessant chills, and dehydration. Hopefully we both feel better tomorrow after a full night’s sleep. Traveling from Effingham to St. Louis to Los Angeles to San Jose when all you want to do is curl up in a ball? No bueno.

Tomorrow I have a 6 mile recovery run, core workout, and ballet planned. I’m not sure what will happen (especially if I still feel gross) but lets hope by this upcoming Sunday WE are all in tip-top shape. Nicole, my mom, and I each have a different half marathon scheduled this weekend! Nike Women’s in SF, RnR St. Louis, and San Luis Obispo’s City to Sea, respectively. I’d also like to find time to make up the missed strength workouts….. hmm.

-Lauren