After taking over a week off to recover from the Chicago Spring Half Marathon, I slowly stepped back into my exercise routine. I was somewhat surprised that I didn’t feel completely refreshed and ready to take on the world with my first run after my rest. This has become a concern for me regarding recovering now that I’m older – resting versus risking losing too much hard earned speed and endurance. Perhaps I’ll dig into that a bit more in a future post…

 

 

  • Tuesday 
  • Run – 6.2 miles at 11:16 average pace
  • Teeter Hang Ups (affiliate link) Inversion – 15 minutes

Don’t let the puffy clouds and pretty flowers fool you; it was a crappy run. I set out to run intervals or at the very least, pickups, but ended up running a slow and steady pace. Of course, scheduling my first run after my break in the heat and humidity at noon didn’t help.

CloudsAndFlowersGoProRun
 

I celebrated Global Running Day with the Cruisers, but as our 7 PM meet-up time approached I started getting emails from runners saying they couldn’t make it because traffic was awful. It ended up being just Alan and me with a guest runner. Drumroll please… Bill joined us for a half mile before turning around to pick up his bike from our car and riding for a couple of hours. It’s been almost one year since his knee surgery and he still hasn’t been able to return to running comfortably – his surgeon said it would be six weeks…

GlobalRunningDayCruisersRunning
GlobalRunningDayBillBike
 

I finally made an appointment with a new podiatrist and saw him on Thursday. It turns out that I have stage one hallux rigidus on my left foot and stage two on my right foot – no surprise there. Dr. Deb had self-diagnosed this ages ago. I bristled when my doctor suggested I buy a whole new pair of orthotics (I paid $450 for each of my two current pairs and insurance didn’t pay a penny), so he is sending off one pair to have them refurbished with a more stable forefoot so the toe can’t move as much. Anyway, we discussed a steroid shot for me, but since I’m not in a lot of pain, he recommended we hold off.

He said to continue my yoga, lunges, running, etc. as long as I don’t experience pain while doing those movements. I will go back to see him a couple of weeks after my refurbished orthotics come back and I’ve had a chance to give them a try. I hope they work well, but I am disappointed that the only way I’ll really regain full mobility in my right big toe is through surgery. Bottom line, no more super high heels for me, but at least he didn’t say for me to stop running!

 

  • Friday 
  • Strength Training – 1 hour
  • Yoga Basics

We had this terrapin visit our yard on Friday morning, and one of the guys from our lawn service crew carried her back to the creek for safety. Sometime Saturday night into Sunday morning she found her way back up to our flower gardens and laid her eggs leaving behind a telltale sign of mud and displaced mulch the width of her body. She was nowhere to be seen and we assume she headed back to the creek to do her turtle thing. The babies will hatch in about two months, taking up to seven hours to break free of their shells and another day or so to make their way out of the ground. They will most likely gather in a group and make their way down the hill and to the creek. It’s amazing what you learn when you do a little research.

Terrapin
 

  • Saturday 
  • Run – 6 miles at 9:29 pace 
  • Yoga for Runners
  • Teeter Inversion – 15 minutes

After my Saturday morning run, I came home and headed outside for some planks. I set up my GoPro (affiliate link), hoping to get a cool planking picture. I had no more than gotten up from my plank when this 5-foot long black rat snake slithered along the mulch and onto the deck where I’d just been planking.

DebPlankAndSnakiePoo
 

  • Sunday 
  • Walk – 3 miles 

This afternoon my friend Amanda stopped by with a special little item. Our MRTT ultra team won first place in the Women’s Submasters division at Ragnar Trail Richmond, and our belt buckle awards were sent to her since she was our team captain. I’m debating on whether or not to disclose that we were the only team in the Women’s Submasters division… Oh wait, I guess I just did…  

RagnarRVABeltBuckleAward
 

And speaking of my Ragnar team, I still have one more post to write introducing our team members, but first I have to finish my Chicago half recap. My plan is to not go to bed tonight until after I finish writing it, so hopefully, it will be up tomorrow. Stay tuned!

 

  • Weekly Overview:  
  • Weight Training: Wednesday and Friday
  • Running: Tuesday – 6.2 miles, Wednesday – 5 miles, Saturday 6.02 (Total: 17.22 miles)
  • Biking: zero
  • Walking: 3 miles
  • Yoga: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
  • Teeter Inversion: Tuesday and Saturday
  • Average Steps Per Day: 14,349
  • Average Hours Sleep Per Night: 6:59 hours

 

  • Questions:
  • What’s your best reptile or critter story?
  • How did you celebrate Global Running Day?
  • 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.

 

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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, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!

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