It's amazing how much you can get done on a weekend when you're not running a combined 30+ miles. This past weekend was a "short" one, and included two "baby" runs of 10 miles each. The week was rough for me, so the shorter milage was welcomed with open arms.
Not to be giving TMI, but I need to say that I get CHRONIC kidney and bladder infections. I think it may be hereditary (which honestly I have no idea since I was adopted), but either way it is a giant pain. Quite literally. Like, the worst imaginable pain...ever, aside from maybe childbirth which I hear has a real "ouch" factor. And maybe being engulfed in flames. That would hurt too.
So in result, I have been on a week long course of antibiotics. This is the first time since my diet make over that I have been on any meds, so I was really disappointed that I had to resort to them. I knew it was going to effect my runs, and it did. My heart rate was higher, and I felt like my muscle recovery wasn't happening.
The midweek runs were all slower than I had wanted. I forced myself to do some hill work on Friday, and managed to crank out over 600 feet of elevation with MANY 50 foot hills. We have this little hill near our house known as "Hay Hill". It's pretty small but also kind of visually stunning since it's in the middle of nowhere. In the summer as the ground gets dry and dead the hill turns a really beautiful hay color, and in the winter and spring when we get more rain it's a very lush green.
It's a great place to get a workout done because there are so many options to go up it! Some of the ways are VERY steep and I have to basically go at a crawling pace to keep my heart rate low. There are a couple of spots where it is a very long and gradual incline. I can usually run up most of that at a very slow pace. There are some that are in between the two, and then there's a side with stairs. At the top of the hill are plenty of benches and pretty wind sculptures. I know the thing like the back of my hand, and hope to make an illustrated chart some day. Is that geeky? I don't know.
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| Hay Hill |
I did one of my long runs at a trail that I used to run on almost religiously. It's known as the Sawyer Camp Trail at the Crystal Springs Reservoir. I love this trail for numerous of reasons. It is a great 12 mile out and back with rolling hills, and includes a mile long hill at the 5-6 mile mark. The path is paved and well maintained, and on the sides are some dirt paths that are easier on the legs. I always see deer roaming around the area, and it's decently shaded once you get past the 2 mile marker. It also has several bathrooms, as well as a water fountain at mile 6. If you wanted to run longer, there's an additional path at the top for an extra 2 or so miles. The only real negative is that sometimes on the weekend it can get crowded, which include a lot of walkers walking four abreast, or a lot of @$$hole cyclists blowing through everyone at 25mph. Not cool. Oh and the bathrooms get REALLY stinky.
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| Crystal Springs Trail |
I really struggled through that run. My body was not feeling it, and it was the first run that I've done on this training that I REALLY wanted to quit on. I had to ignore my heart rate and just go above it because it was just making me angry trying to go so slow. I don't regret going over my MAF heart rate. I know not to stray too far from it, but I try not to freak out if I need to do a run and go over. I need to prepare myself mentally to go well over it for when the race comes up.
Aside from my crappy running week, I was surprisingly productive on the ol' homestead. I got a LOT of gardening done. I prepared both of my gardening beds, and my boyfriend helped me build this indoor grow light shelving area for my seedlings. Yeah, it looks pretty fishy from my neighbor's perspective, but they're tomatoes, I swear!!! I also single handedly cleaned the whole house, and made a trip to the farmer's market! Not too shabby if I must say so.
All of that gardening made me REALLY sore. Granted, I am super weak from my lack of strenght work, but I swear you don't need a gym if you have outdoor chores to do. Weed pulling, soil turning, lifting heavy bags of dirt. My goal in life is to move to the country, have a farm with chickens, goats, little cows, and bees. I think I'd be fitter, happier, and healthier. I would also grow these luscious heirloom tomatoes. Meat, milk, eggs and tomatoes. That's all anyone really needs, right? I think that growing your own food is important, if not only to realize how much work and energy really goes into making your food. I wish more people understood and appreciated that.
I'll get off my soapbox now, but I highly encourage you to start that garden that you've always wanted to dabble with! Even if you have a patio you can have a small container garden.
That's about all the news over here. This weekend is a BIG weekend for us, as it will be my very first 50k in Folsom. I can't believe I'm running a 50k as a TRAINING run. dontfreakout.dontfreakout.dontfreakout.
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