Whilst the weather remains Ohio style pot luck, this past week felt definitely spring-like and with that came a buoyancy of mood. Most of my running was done on the 5am shift under the cover of darkness, but the longer runs all ended with at least the hint of a beautiful sun rising in the West in glorious vignettes of red to orange to blue. Is misery possible in the face of a beautiful sunrise?
This week just gone was my peak week with a target 55 miles to run. It included a 12 and 20 miler and as a total gift, a 7 mile threshold session. I managed to sort of dodge the latter in a way by swapping it for last weeks Heart Mini 15K. Still, however, you can only feel proud of yourself when you complete a week like that.
Sun rises, planks, mimosas and shamrocks. That all happened.
My plan includes 3 x 20 milers. This week’s was my second go at it and it was freakin’ AWESOME! I remember 20 #2 being awesome last year too, (so much so I think I added 2 bonus miles). The first in this training cycle was actually faster than this one, but it broke me a bit. I think we all have “that run”. I think we all know that if you pick yourself up, dust yourself down and carry on, redemption is never far away in this sport.
I guess this is the training effect in action. My second 20 was a million miles from the first. I finished strong and happy and it’s hard to explain but I quite simply felt fit. And do you know what, I think I pretty much am right now. *There were also Mimosas, amazing friends and avocado on toast made to look like a funny face – I can’t deny that these things played a role 😉
Other cool things that happened were literally being able to fall out of bed and run with my new neighbourhood homie (AND go back to bed for a whole hour before the rest of my house woke up). There was a rehab run with special favourite lovely, LeeAnn and I ended the week doing a bit of fun “running” with my son Ben for St Patrick’s Day.
My Weekly Inner Philosophical Debate: A little bit of loving on YOGA
Is it evident from the golden hue that this is not a photo from recent weeks?
This week, pretty much exactly a year ago, is when I took yoga into my heart as part of my “WHAT DO I DO WHILE INJURED FROM RUNNING” panic. Here is yet another thing I have to thank Crystal for (I think I need a blog about 50 ways Crystal can improve your life). I think since then not a week has gone by when I haven’t done at least one class a week. I’d go so far to say, in exercise terms, this is second to running as something I love to do. It’s important to add – I’m no good at it. I don’t seem to bend well from the hip, I can’t get my foot from down dog to warrior 1 without yanking it with my hand and I’m usually “most likely in class for the instructor to come and stick a block under something”. But, I literally crave it now. After a long or fast run, there is nothing quite like how nice it feels to stretch certain bits, it feels so so nice.
I just wanted to sell this to you as a concept. I think running goes together with yoga… as once quoted by Forrest Gump… like peas and carrots. And if you need any more reason than that, I give you one word: SAVASANA*
*lying down with your eyes closed in the dark listening to spa music. Namaste Beasts!