Happy April!!! Another week of half marathon training is in the books and it was a little all over the place. I took an extra rest day and then piled on a few cycling miles to try and reach my cycling goals for the month of March! I’ll write about that soon for now, this is how week #5 went of training.
What was Planned vs What Really Happened:
Monday: 50 min x-train | Rest Day. Just didn’t have it in me to work out.
Tuesday: 7k | Nothing. This wasn’t a great day. Our hot water tank died and I had to get that replaced, drove to the city for a workshop and drove back. Got home after 630, got the girls to bed and ate a late dinner sometime after 730. We then had to clear out our old couch from one room and put it in another room. I was just spent after all that.
Wednedsay: 7 x 400’s | 7k treadmill run. It was a long day at work but I managed to get in a good 7k treadmill run. It wasn’t was of those runs where I was dreading how long each km was taking me but more of a surprise…I’m already at this point in my run. Kinda slow going but it felt good!
![IMG_20180328_205729_306[1]](https://pipersrun.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/img_20180328_205729_3061.jpg?w=311&h=311)
Thursday: 5k |5k at lunch time. My first runch of the year up and down some hills, it was rough going.
![IMG_20180329_125848_854[1]](https://pipersrun.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/img_20180329_125848_8541.jpg?w=315&h=315)
Friday: Rest Day | 26.27km Cycling! I pounded away on my bike for an hour and one minute to get in 26 km. My monthly goal was 100km and this would get me SO close!
Saturday: 5k pace | 20.18km Cycling. As noted above, I was so close to my goal for the month I couldn’t let it slip away. Happy to say I met it with a little to spare.
Sunday: 13k |13k long run. Boy, was I NOT wanting to do this run. I just wanted to put it off, and put it off again. We did a small Easter egg hunt for our girls and then my husband went back to bed (night shift) and my girls and I drove to Halifax for family dinner.
Before dinner, I had to get in my long run so my girls hung out with my parents and I ran. Even as I put on my running gear, I didn’t want to run. For some reason, running just hasn’t been FUN lately for me. It’s more then likely because I’m really having to work hard during all my runs. Hills are hard, distances are hard, speed with with Carmacks is hard BUT, I’m still doing it all. No one ever said it would be easy…and I’m okay with that.
As I started out for my long run in my parents subdivision that is nothing but hills, I decided to hit the main road (St. Marg. Bay Road – SMBR) and then head up towards the 101 highway. This meant that I had to run up a really massive hill and I was half excited for the challenge and have scared I couldn’t do it. I made it to the first street and took a short little jaunt down the road to catch my breath and reset for the next leg of the hill.
I wanted to make it to the bridge to the Golf course and once I got there I decided to go over the bridge and run around the golf course. This might have been a bad decision as it was nothing but hills again! After a kilometre in there, I left and ran back down the massive hill to SMBR towards another subdivision where my sister lives. I then back tracked to my parents place but those last 4 km were the worst.
I took some fuel and water with me (left my Nuun at home – sad day) and consumed them along the way. I finally tried the “salted” maple syrup my friend gave me from Endurance Tap – WOAH!!!! This stuff is AMAZING! I honestly though I was about to dive into a plate full of pancakes with THE BEST maple syrup around! It was thick and sweet. I have no sweet clue if it helped me but it was by far way better then any fuel I’ve had to date!
I finished my run strong which made me feel good however I could hardly comprehend how my legs even knew how to keep running those last few kilometres. I had on my Tiux compression socks which are a life saver for me. I did some stretching and legs up the wall for a bit, grabbed a shower and was ready for Easter dinner with minutes to spare!
Total running km this week: 25km (46 cycling)
Total km training this cycle: 73
I’m happy with my week of running and cycling but looking for a little more balance during the whole 7 days rather then packing it all in a few days. More planning is needed on my end.
How was your Easter weekend?
Anyone run a race this weekend?
Favourite fuel for training/racing?
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I’m linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap today.
Piper's Run 
Good for you in getting it done. It’s sometimes so hard getting out the door but when you’re done, you’re glad.
I use Gu for long races. Otherwise a banana or fig bars.
I ran a 5K and it was pretty fun.
I’ve never thought of fig bars for training. I might try that next week.
I’m not sure they’re healthy but definitely healthier than cookies and cheaper than some protein bars.
Awesome job on running #allthehills last week!
For long runs and half marathons/marathons, I use Tailwind. Technically uoi only need that for both hydration and fuel, but I also use honey stinger gels as well (not many, usually just 1) because I feel that I need the extra energy.
Finishing your long run strong is the best feeling of all! Hope you have a great week
Lol I’ve discovered that every golf course seems to be all hills. I’m always tempted to run them until I remember this fact
I have not heard of Endurance Tap…but the salted maple sounds heavenly! I’m gonna look that up! I’m slowly transitioning to using different fuel. The Gu gels do NOT make my tummy happy, but the Honey Stingers work if I’m careful to take them with water (and not mix in too much Gatorade during a race). I tried Tailwind, but it was too much water for me (if you can believe that!)…I loved the flavor, but my bladder was on overdrive.
Great job with your workouts this week, and congrats on that long run! It always feels good to finish a run feeling strong even it was tough.
Ooooh salted maple syrup sounds pretty amazing! I recently bought GU’s Birthday Cake flavor but I’ve yet to try it.
I’m a Tailwind girl, but if I need to gel I use Clif Endurance Razz. My tummy is extremely sensitive!
I had my long run to do yesterday and well put it off had I known you were in town I totally would have come run with you. I ran 14km today instead but I struggles and didn’t run all last week.
If I remembered to look at my monthly miles before the end of the month, I’d probably try to hit my goals too. I usually think of it too late. What’s this salted maple product??? Sounds amazing.
Congrats on hitting your cycling goal for the month! Endurance Tap sounds like something I need to check out. My stomach is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to gels. I usually do pretty well with Huma gels.
I’m so sorry you have been having a tough time running! That stinks 😦
That maple gel sounds awesome. I want to see if I can find it around here to try.
Easter was fairly chill and low-key around here. We did a egg hunt and had dinner at home with my parents.
Cycling is so fun! I don’t think I could ever adopt it as my “sport,” but it’s such a reprieve sometimes. I do hope you feel better soon and you can return to running again!
Great job on getting your runs done and all of your cycling! I haven’t really been motivated to run lately either since the marathon. I’m trying to change things up as best I can, but I’m tired. I hope you have a good week!
wow you still really cranked it out! even if you weren’t feeling it, you did the majority of your workouts or at least an awesome alternative! I sometimes have runs where I think “why am I doing this again???” and then suddenly i have a run where it’s “This is why I do this!” if it were always perfect I suppose we wouldn’t appreciate it!
So Easter – we didn’t do much. At least, we don’t celebrate and it’s just the two of us so business as usual. No race, but a long run. The fuel I use is High5 Gels (my fave is the berry caffeine gel) and SIS electrolyte tablets for my water (no Nuun here). that endurance tap stuff sounds amazing!!! I LOVE MAPLE SYRUP everything. I literally pay an arm and a leg for real Canadian syrup here (in a tiny bottle…)
I really love how you outline what you had planned, and what really happened– it’s great to see “real life,” and makes me feel a little better when things don’t go exactly as I intended. Looks like a good training week; best wishes for your race!
Kudos to you for getting out there for those runs, even when you didn’t want to. The fact that you pushed yourself out the door is evidence of your mental strength. Good job!
I haven’t tried maple flavored fuel yet. Sounds interesting, Nice job on hitting your cycling goal! I went through of period of not enjoying my runs too. When I allowed myself to stop stressing over getting up early (when I was already extra tired and cranky) and run later after work — it got much better. Thanks for linking!