Month: April 2016

Johnny Miles Half Marathon Training Week 4

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 12 Comments

Since I am a few days into week #5, I figured I should hit publish on this post! I’ve been neglecting my little blog only because life happens. Life happens and I just didn’t have anything to blog about I guess.

Last week sure wasn’t the week I had planned. I was (and still) having SI joint issues and decided to go to my Osteopath and then was ill for a few days. Life happens, you keep moving forward and enjoy the rest days while you can, right.

Though I’m into week 5 as I write this, this is how last week’s training went down….

What was Planned VS What Really Happened:

Monday 18th: Stretch & Strengthen | Yoga. Love me some yoga! Monday yoga class is always more challenging than Tuesday’s (different class, different instructor). This was the last day with Christina 😦 which is a bummer as she challenged me in ways I didn’t think I could accomplish. Thank you for that!

Tuesday: 6k run| 6k run Outside. It was a last minute decision to run outside but such a good one. I was running a much faster pace then I have in the past so that was really encouraging.

april 20th run

Wednesday: 35 minute tempo run | 6k + Osteopath Appointment. I ran a slow and hard 6k during my lunch break as I had an Osteopath appointment at 3:15 PM. If I didn’t run it then, I wouldn’t be able to that evening. After an Osteopath appointment it’s recommended that you take a few days off to allow your body to recover from the treatment. Let’s just say, my SI joint and left side of my body was a mess. She released my SI joint but I was extremely sore that night and spent a lot of time icing it.

Thursday: 5k + Strength Training | Rest Day. Kinda had to rest as my SI joint/back was still sore.

Friday: Rest Day | Rest Day. Nailed it…again enforced rest day. Started to feel ill and went home in the afternoon for a nap! Seriously, who takes the afternoon off work to nap? I did. Don’t worry, my boss knew I was going home.

Saturday: Rest Day | Rest Day. SI joint was feeling okay but I was the worst stomach cramps ever – very comparable to childbirth contractions. My whole abdominal wall would tighten in server pain throughout the day. I had planned on running that night but my symptoms just got worse. Early to bed for me.

Sunday: 5k Race | 4k . I skipped the local 5k race as I still wasn’t feeling great. That evening I was feeling a lot better so I did a slow 4k on the treadmill. My body felt great but my SI joint area/lower back still aren’t happy.

We watched this lady run past our house Sunday – the girls cheering her on and me just wishing that was me 🙂

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So not a great week but I’m hopeful my SI joint/lower back will sort itself out soon. Sitting is the worst for me. I did have a great IronStrength workout last night and really looking forward to yoga at lunch today!

KM this week: 16k 

KM this training cycle: 86km

If you missed last week 3, you can find it here.

How was your weekend?

Anyone race/training?

What’s the longest number of days you’ve taken off during a training cycle?

 

Johnny Miles Half Marathon Training Week 3

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 8 Comments

It’s a big day for some people in BOSTON! I can’t even imaging how excited, nervous, anxious all those runners are. Good luck to all those running Boston, especially Kyla, Heather and Andrew!

Now back to little old me reality…half marathon training 🙂 I don’t know about you, but we just had the most amazing weather on the weekend. Well, Saturday was a bust with cooler temps and a few flurries to make us all freak out but Sunday was gorgeous! We got outside for some bike riding and bubble blowing! I even managed to sneak in a long run!

Biking weather.

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What was Planned vs What Really Happened.

Monday April 11th: Stretch & Strength | Massage. No workouts for me today as I had an appointment for a massage. My SI joint and hip flexors were giving sore so I though a massage would help…and it did immediately!  It was worth missing my evening strength training to feel better.

Tuesday: 6k | Yoga. I went to yoga class at lunch time and that helped my back/SI joint as well. I had planned to run that evening but complete wasted my night. However, my husband did jump on his bike – so a win for him 🙂

Wednesday: 6 x 400’s | 6 x 400’s + 2-3k more (8k total ran). This was a great run! All day I had planned to do it on the treadmill and last minute I took it outside to our local trail. The trail is just over 1km from our house so I used that as a warm up.

I did 3 x 400 along the trail with 30-60 seconds of rest in between and then turned around and did that again. Once I finished that I just wanted to keep running and thought I could get in 6-7k in total for the day. I remembered it was #worldlitterrunweek so I picked up a bag and started trotting along my run picking up litter.

Eventually, I turned around and put the whole bag in the trash at a local grocery store but still had to run the 1km home. In the end, I ran 8k. It was a successful 6 x 400 and run in general.

Thursday: 5 k + Strength| 5k. No strength training. I had planned on doing a double workout once the girls were in bed but life happens. My husband was working and when I got home our dog had not one but two accidents in the house 😦 Off the girls went to play with our neighbour while I cleaned it up and then made dinner. We were running behind all night and I didn’t start my run until 8:25 PM. I finished my 5k and turned off the treadmill and my phone rang; an old high school friend of mine. I thought about doing the strength training while chatting with her but I just wanted to sit chat and listen. So worth it.

Friday: Rest Day! | Rest Day! I just love Fridays! I think I was on a high all day because I knew I wasn’t doing ANYTHING that evening. I painted my nails and got caught up on Grey’s.

Matchy match totally unplanned.

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Saturday: Rest Day | 11k Long run. Nailed it. Okay, I didn’t nail this run at all. I started my run at 6:45 AM – that was a BIG win! It was terrible after 4k! I didn’t fuel properly and took nothing with me. It was cold but the temperature wasn’t bothering me, nor the route I ran. It was just physically HARD!

The face of struggle post run!

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I did managed to run up two challenging inclines/hill. The first incline I always dread as it just goes on for days. Honestly, you wouldn’t even notice that it’s an incline until you run/walk it. The second challenge was a hill just over 1km from my house. I was hurting but just kept saying “run to this point and then see how you are doing”. Which turned into “I can do hard things” and then “just a littler further and you can rest”.

I trotted home to my girls and my vegan husband who made me THE BEST scrambled eggs with cheese and toast with peanut butter. Lilly and Hilary stretched with me and then I gobbled up my food before a quick shower as Lilly has morning swimming lessons.

Sunday: 5k Race | IronStrength. I managed to get in a 45 minute IronStrength workout Sunday evening. I still hate burpees and my arms feel like jello as I type this AND I’m probably going to hurt tomorrow. It’s all good!

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KM this week: 24 km

KM in this training cycle: 70 km 

Overall: I feel good about last week even with missing a 6k and then struggling through an 11k when I was only supposed to race 6k. I’m hoping to run a 5k race next Sunday.

My SI joint is still bothering me, however the massage on Monday made it feel amazing and took away the pain immediately. I’m planning to book in with my Osteopath later this week, which will mean 2-3 days of rest/light activity. This could be good timing with week 4’s training plan. We’ll see!

Links for Training Plan, Week #1, Week #2 in case you missed them!

How was your weekend?

Anyone run? 

Who’s watching the Boston Marathon today? now anyone running?

 

Friday 5 Favourites: Half Marathon Training

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 13 Comments

It’s FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! I can honestly say I’m really happy to see Friday. It hasn’t been a terrible week or a long week but I’m just looking forward to the weekend.

To sleep in…ha ha, just kidding. I have kids that won’t let me sleep in. I’m also trying to figure out if I should keep to my training plan this weekend of a “5k race” which would be done on my own OR switch to a long run of 11k and then race 5k next weekend. There is a local 5k race next weekend on a course that I got a PB on in 2014! What would you do?

I’m joining Mar on the Run, Cynthia and Courtney on the {Friday Five Link Up}. It’s all about “Favourites”!!! Not Favorites…Favourites, I’m Canadian 🙂 So, I’m talking about all my favourites related to training for my current half marathon.

DC-Trifecta-Friday-Five-linkup

Foam Rollers

My oh my, I’m loving my foam rollers (one is missing from the photo). These are key to keeping my glutes happy while training for races. My legs are tired by the time I hit Friday and I’m hoping that will change over time but it’s foam rollers that keep my muscles happy.

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Strength Training

I’ve been digging the IronStrength workouts the last few weeks even though I skipped it last night. I ended up talking to a girlfriend of mine for almost an hour after my run. The chat was worth it though.

These workouts are hard! Sweat dripping off your body hard. Muscles aching for days hard. The workout where you grunt to get those last few reps in. The workout that is just what you needed.

Yoga

After spending the last 6-7 months going to yoga once a week, it’s still one of my favourite workouts. It’s something my body needs as well as my mind. It’s not always easy but sure is rewarding. It’s a chance to work on my strength, push my limits sometimes and have my body feel good. My body also knows when I miss a class.

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Smoothies.

It’s fair to say that I’ve become addicted to making smoothies throughout the week for me and Lilly. She’s still not a fan of the protein powder so I don’t put it in hers. This past week I forgot to make them and Lilly got after me. Atta-girl! During dinner the other night, I quickly prepped four zip-lock bags with cut up bananas, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. I put them in the freezer and then each morning I add in oj/water, Greek yogurt, protein powder for me and sometimes other fruits as we have them. Quick and easy!

Rest Days

Oh glory rest days! Friday’s are my official rest days. As in, I do no workouts. I try to get outside daily when I’m at work for a short walk but that would be the most activity I would get on a Friday. I usually go to bed early (9 PM), I know, I know…don’t be jealous! I’m such a wild cat, ha ha. I’m really looking forward to today’s rest day as I might get up early do to my long run tomorrow. That also is determined by switching up my training plan this weekend and next!

This weekend Lilly has swimming lessons and I’m taking the girls to an ice show “Frozen on Ice”! They don’t know about it yet so it should be fun. I’m also looking forward to playing outside and getting the girls on their bikes..maybe some hopscotch! Happy Friday!

Would you switch your training weeks around? 

What’s your favourite thing right now? 

Weekend Plans?

 

World Litter Run Week!

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

Did you know it’s World Littler Run Week? Well, it is! An initiative started by Aerobics First in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

What is it?

During your runs, before a run, post run, on your own/with a group between April 13th-17th, you pick up as much trash as you can in your community.

How do I participate?

It’s pretty simple. Run, pick up trash & share it on social media with #WorldLitterRunWeek. 

worldlitterrun april 13

Why?

Well, it’s all about doing your part in cleaning up the world, one piece of litter at a time. It makes your running community (trails, roads etc.) cleaner.

Last night I had to do my 6 x 400’s and decided to take it outside on our local trail. Once that was done I kept running as I wasn’t quiet ready to wrap it up. I remembered that it was World Litter Run Week and picked up a plastic bag (I’d recommend bringing your own and wear some gloves) and trotted along picking up litter along my route.

The trail I was on was a “rails to trails” near my house. People bike, run, walk and some ATV/Snowmobile usage. It wasn’t much but it was a grocery bag full of litter that I put in the trash and got off the trails.

Join In!

So, why don’t you join in. Collect the trash on your own or with your running club/group. Take a photo or two. Then share it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc., with the hashtag #WorldLitterRunWeek.

Check out all the awesome pictures of those around the world picking up litter here.

Do you ever clean up your local running trail (road etc.)?

Are you going to join in?