This past week completed week 14 of my 16-week Run Less Run Faster (affiliate link) training cycle for my OBX Half Marathon. We weren’t traveling for a game (more on that later) so I didn’t have to move around any of my workout days like I had to last week.

Between injuries and other friends already finished with their fall training cycle, Tiffany and I have been the only two meeting at the track on Tuesday mornings for the last couple of weeks. Scheduled for my track workout was 2 x 1200 repeats at a 7:35 goal pace and 4 x 800 repeats at a 7:27 pace with 2-minute recoveries between each repeat, bookended by a 1-mile warm-up and 1-mile cool-down. I hit my 1200’s at 7:27 and 7:23 paces, and then hit my 800’s at 7:19, 7:49, 7:11, and 7:17 paces. Can you tell during which repeat I had to leave the track and run uphill to the porta potty? 😀

 

My training plan for Thursday’s tempo run was, again, pretty straight forward – run a 1-mile warm-up, then 5 miles at an 8:28 goal tempo pace, and finish it up with a 1-mile cool-down. I hit my tempo miles at 8:30, 8:17, 8:22, 8:33, and 8:27. The extra day of rest helped me hit very closely to my goal paces, unlike last week’s tempo run when I only had 24 hours of rest and ran each mile at about 20-30 seconds over goal pace.

On the way to the trail, I saw the mostly white skunk foraging in our neighborhood. I’ve seen him one other time. We also regularly see a similar looking skunk along the W&OD Trail where we often run. Even though these mostly white skunks have black feet, we’ve named them all Albiny for albino.

 

My Saturday long run called for 12 miles at a 10:28 average pace which I was really looking forward to because I had plans to meet Beth. We’ve run hundreds of miles together over many years of marathon training, but hadn’t run together in several months due to both of our busy traveling schedules.

It was 46° when we started running, but because of a forecast of wind, I wore my thin Brooks shell (affiliate link). I hadn’t even run a mile when I got way too hot, took off my jacket, rolled it up into its little self-pouch, and carried it on the back of my right hand (you can barely see it in the picture below). Just before I took this picture, a biker came flying by and shouted, “Oh my God, you must be freezing.” I held up my little jacket ball and replied that I’d gotten too hot, but he was zipping by so fast that I doubt he heard me.

 

We finished our run at a 10:06 pace with both of us feeling quite good. Beth needed to take off for home, but I stuck around for a little while playing with my GoPro (affiliate link). The leaves were too pretty not to capture a fall running picture, and since most of my runs are in the early morning hours before sunrise, that’s become increasingly hard to do. I will admit that I occasionally go back out later in the day to reenact a run. 😉

 

Last weekend we made the decision not to drive back to Blacksburg this weekend for the game, and instead, try to sell our tickets. From our warm and dry basement family room we watched the rain get heavier as the game progressed, and we patted ourselves on our backs for making the smart decision to stay home. After the game was over, the players played slip ‘n slide on the soggy field and I captured this picture to show just how miserable the conditions had gotten.

 

In case you missed it on the blog, you didn’t miss anything because I was sooooo busy that didn’t get another post written, and I totally forgot to join in on the Runfession fun. I’ll catch you up over coffee on Saturday about all the non-running stuff that kept me incredibly busy all week.

Looking ahead to this coming week, tomorrow I’ll post my October Race Linkup. Please feel free to join me and let your friends know which races they can find you running this fall. Also, on Wednesday please be sure to join me for my monthly Wednesday Word linkup where this month’s word is discipline. And as I mentioned, I plan to join in on the fun with Deborah and Coco at the Ultimate Coffee Update.

In addition to the runs I mentioned above, here’s a run-down of the other workouts I completed this past week…

 

Fitness tools beyond the equipment in my gym that I used during the week included:

Cameras used for blog photography include:

 

  • Questions:
  • Which is your favorite season?
  • Have you ever canceled big plans which in hindsight ended up being a really good decision? 
  • Did you race this weekend? 

 

Have a great week!

 

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.

 

*********************************************************************

 

I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!

WeeklyWrapButton