It’s getting closer! Now only three full weeks away is my next half marathon – really hard to believe that it’s almost here.
My daughters are both running the 2k the day before my race, so it’s going to be a fun weekend of running! Sadly, my husband works that whole weekend – bummahhh!! Anyway, training last week was better then week #8 so I’m heading in the right direction. Or at least I think I am!
What was Planned vs What Really Happened
Monday: 60 minutes cross training | Rest Day. My body was in need of a rest day after my 15k long run on Sunday so I took it.
Tuesday: 8 k | Yoga Flow. I went to yoga at lunch and it was just what my body needed. A good stretch and a little challenge here and there. I was thinking about running that evening but decided to take it easy.
Wednesday: 45 min tempo run | 5 k trail run (35 minutes) with Carmacks. It was the first run that I’ve fallen while running with him attached to me. Thankfully, nothing was broken and I only had a few good bruises and 1 large splinter to dig out of my hand.
Thursday: 5 k | 20.40 km Cycling. I didn’t really want to run on my treadmill (only option for the day) so I jumped on my bike around 8 pm once my girls were asleep (husband was working). It wasn’t the best ride but I got it done. I’m way off my monthly cycling mileage for the month but I’m okay with where I’m at. There is a possibility I can get in a ride Monday night so we’ll see!
![IMG_20180426_212020_081[1].jpg](https://pipersrun.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180426_212020_0811.jpg?w=326&h=408)
Friday: Rest Day | Soccer Game. Friday’s are usually my standard rest day but I had a soccer game. One that I was really nervous for since I haven’t played much this winter due to injury. We had no subs which meant I played the whole game. So much sprinting, tracking, running, jockying and moving around the field. This was my speed work for the week for sure! My abs hurt for a few days after along with the muscles in my feet and shins! Oh, and we won!
Saturday: Rest | Rest Day. I took the day off from any activity. My girls has swimming lessons and then went to our neighbours for a sleep over. Since they were gone, my husband and I went out to dinner and came home to watch “Downsizing”. Meh, it was okay but I don’t think I’d recommend it. at 9:30 we got the call to come get the girls as they couldn’t fall asleep. We both anticipated this so it wasn’t a big surprise.
Sunday: 15 k Race | 17 k Long Run. Our girls planned to go back over to our neighbour’s house to have breakfast and my husband and I planned to go for a long run together. However, our neighbour wasn’t feeling 100% so we brought them home for breakfast. I went for my long run and my husband ran when I got back.
So my long run. We’ll it was just plain shitty. I ran 3 k with Carmacks and came home to meet my husband for our run but that fell through so I went off to run another 14 k by myself. I chose a hill route as my husband and I enjoy running that and I figured I’d just stay with the plan.
![IMG_20180429_120625_485[1].jpg](https://pipersrun.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180429_120625_4851.jpg?w=406&h=406)
It sucked. I hated it. I enjoyed only 1 km of that run as I was flying down a long hill but pretty much everything else about that run sucked. Running is hard for me right now, really hard. And, that’s okay…not every run can be easy or good or enjoyable! In the end I was happy to have accomplished the distance but hope I can get back to really loving running again.
This could have been the week that I just pushed myself to do a few workouts rather then enjoy them. However, I think coming off the flu has taken me a little while to really get to 100% feeling great. I’m hoping that this week is better. Better sleep and recovery, better running, better workouts.
Total km of running this week: 22km, 20km cycling, 1 soccer game.
Total km this training cycle: 137 km
How was your weekend?
What do you do when running is just hard?
Do you substitute other sports for speed work?
I’m linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap today.
Piper's Run 
I did a 4-miler on Saturday after 3 weeks of rest (illness) and was impressed with my time considering the break. When I have difficulty running, I drop my intervals down. I try to start at 10/1 (run to walk) and if it’s too much I drop down to 5/1 or 3/1. If it’s a really bad running day – I’ll just drop down and walk the entire planned distance/time length. Frustrating, but I try to listen to my body so it can be 100% next time.
So sorry that your run this weekend didn’t go well, but that just means that your next long run is going to be awesome!!
Like I told you in the “runfessional” running is hard for me now too. I take enough walk breaks to make it pleasurable and call it good. How great your daughters are running too! So fun!
Running “pleasure” is pretty cyclical. There are times when I have several tough runs happening right after each other, but I remind myself that those bad runs will eventually give way to better runs (or even GREAT runs). Besides, the tough runs make us more badazz, right?
That’s what I’m trying to remind myself of….good runs are coming my way soon!
Sorry about your fall and your rough long run. Hopefully this week will be better.
Sometimes we just have to have bad runs to really enjoy the good ones!
I hope this week goes better for you. But you still fit a lot in and it can be hard when the kids are young. So way to go!!
Thanks. It can be hard fitting it all in.
Ah we all have those tough runs every once in a while. That’s what makes running so humbling and so amazing. have a great week
I”m sorry to hear that your workouts aren’t going so well for you! At least you’re getting it done. Hopefully you will have a better week!
I try to get out with a friend so I’m not concentrating on the run
I love that what was the plan versus what really happened. I always start with such zealous plans and end the week like well what happened was…I hope this week goes as planned for you!
I have had some bad runs lately too, but then was totally surprised by a spectacular 10 miler this past Saturday! I bet your next good run is right around the corner!!
I’m sorry your running hasn’t been enjoyable right now. That’s really hard 😦
We had a great weekend, celebrating our son’s 10th birthday. It was crazy busy and my body is exhausted from all the cooking and entertaining.
I’ve been slacking hard on my speed work right now. I need to get back into it.
OMG I am so glad you both were ok after the fall! Falling on your own is one thing! I shudder to think how you felt right afterwards!!
The soccer game sounds fun but challenging. You DEFINITELY did your sprint work for the week, like you said.
Are you bummed you missed the 15K race? Do you feel like it maybe would have been a better run than you had? Or do you feel like things just aren’t going well with running and maybe it wouldn’t have mattered? I sure can commiserate because running is not super pleasurable at the moment for me either. And instead of the marathon in May I’ve dropped down to the Half. Sunday’s run was ok, but I have HUGE CHAFING on my arm (HUGE) and I fell after only 1.7KM. I’m sick of the nerve pain in my foot, I’m sick of not losing weight, it just all feels crap right now. So I get that running feels shitty right now. I sure hope you feel better soon, so you can enjoy your workouts again.
Lately I just give myself a break – everything is too much right now, so if I CAN I will substitute something for my workouts and if not, I don’t beat myself up. Sometimes it’s just hard. I guess that helps us appreciate when it’s easier?
Running has been hard for me so I decided to take a break and focus on other things. I keep coming back to it but it still has not felt right to me for more than a few runs.
Congrats on winning your soccer game! I would DEF count that as speed work for sure!
Hope you have a good week and can enjoy a run 🙂