Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links…
First Run With Friends in Over a Year
For years I ran alone until I met a group of ladies who ran at 6:30 AM before getting their children on the school bus. I was thrilled when they invited me to join them and quickly realized how fast the miles ticked away when chatting with my new friends. As the last of those friends moved away, I was introduced to our local MRTT chapter and a whole new group of running friends emerged.
Eventually, my work schedule moved earlier and earlier until it precluded me from being able to join my friends and make it to the gym on time, so I started running alone and was usually out the door by 5 AM. Last December’s injury prevented me from even being able to join group runs on the weekend, so until yesterday, I had not run with friends since last December…
Overview of the Week
Before discussing each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll down for daily details…
Sunday
I decided to take Sunday as a total rest day. Sure, I did chores around the house and blogging stuff, but otherwise took it easy after a busy weekend of decorating for Christmas.
Monday
My workout was limited to an hour of early morning strength training.
Tuesday
Still in isolation from my exposure to Covid over a week ago, I had no choice but to run on my treadmill (affiliate link). I had planned for December to be the beginning of just running after almost five months of run/walk intervals, but I find that running intervals on the treadmill makes the time go by much faster so I stuck with my 5-minute run/1-minute walk intervals – besides I have no races coming up so another week of intervals isn’t going to hurt a thing. I finished at a 9:54 average pace, but felt like I’d worked much harder.
Wednesday
Up early, I completed an hour of strength training before seeing my first client. Around noon I hopped on my spin bike (affiliate link) for 20 miles at 16.7 MPH average speed.
After my run I noticed this notification that had popped up on my phone. Since I had had minor symptoms, but tested negative, I fit into the 10-day period and my 10 days would be up at the end of the day! Yippee!!!
Thursday
At 5 AM when I saw 27° on my weather app, I stayed inside my cozy house and postponed my run until midday. It was a much more reasonable 51° at 12:30 PM by the time I made it outside (yes, outside) for 4-miles at 5-minute run/1-minute walk intervals at a 9:39 average pace.
Friday
My workouts were spread throughout the day… I was in the basement by 5:30 AM for an hour of strength training before seeing my first client and then at 10 AM I taught my balance and stretching class which consists of 15 minutes of strength training, 15 minutes of balance drills, and 15 minutes of stretching (sadly, the only stretching I did all week). Just after noon I hopped on my spin bike for 10 easy miles at 16.4 MPH.
Saturday
I met friends at the W&OD Trail for a 5-mile run (9:30 average pace) which was the longest, the first without walk breaks, and the first run with friends in 2020. It was 42° (with a feels like of 36°) and quite breezy, but we quickly warmed up and eventually had to shed our jackets. It felt wonderful to be back out on the trail with friends!
Here’s What You Might Have Missed
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
- • Sunday – Weekly RunDown: November 22 – 28 / Thanksgiving Week
- • Tuesday – 2020 Virtual Ashburn Farm Thanksgiving Day 5K Race Recap
- • Friday – Catching Up Over Coffee: Funny Neighbors and a Lumpy Pillow
Questions:
- • What’s the longest you’ve had to take a break from working out due to an injury?
- • Do you normally run, bike, or hike with friends or alone?
- • Did you run in a race this weekend? If so, was it live or virtual?
And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!
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I’m linking up with Deborah at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Kim from Running on the Fly for their Weekly Run Down. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but those of the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
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 small 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 run alone. It is just so much easier for me right now. Plus, I feel like since I run slower, that I will hold people back. I know, I know. I need to change that way of thinking.
Lots of people mention the W&OD Trail and I am so curious about it.
Zenaida Arroyo recently posted…Weekly Run Down: Running 100 days and 32:22
The W&OD Trail is built on the old Washington and Old Dominion rail bed. It’s 44.5 miles long with a parallel gravel horse trail. We’ve very lucky because we can step out of our back yard and onto a neighborhood trail that leads to the W&OD Trail just 1.3 miles away.
I usually run alone unless my husband comes with me! Glad your quarantine is over and that you didn’t get sick! The longest I took off running for an injury was about 6 months before I had hip surgery. Luckily I was able to do lots of other kinds of workouts.
Six months is a long time, but look at you now!
Well, you know my story with running sabbaticals LOL. In 2017, I utilized walking as my running substitute and most recently, biking was my poison. Both sabbaticals were great lessons in gratitude and perseverance, so no regrets from either. I love my alone time (running/walking/biking), but there’s nothing quite like a good run (or walk or ride) with a companion (or several) for conversation. Glad I have access to both options 😉
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Streaking Through the Week
I sounds like we’re very similar in the way we feel about running alone or with friends… both have their places and we make the most of whichever situation we’re in. 😀
so nice to see you back out there running with your crew! Nothing better than that. Glad you are feeling better and back to regular activities. Whatever those are these days!
Thanks, Deborah!
I’ve been running alone since March – it’s just easier for me right now. My run group before was small and one member is now pregnant and a few are older so it’s just safer for all of us to run separately for a little while longer, but we stay connected through a group text chat which is nice 🙂
So glad that your quarantine is over!
Thanks, Kim! Won’t it be nice, though, when we can run with whomever whenever we want without giving it a second thought?
My longest break from running was when I broke my tibia/fibula….that was about 6 months totally off and then slowly building back with the zero gravity treadmill, run-walking, etc.
I’m glad you tested negative and your quarantine is over and you were able to meet up with run friends again!
Thanks, Jessie!
That was quite the comeback you made from such a devastating injury. So glad things worked out so well for you!
Sounds like a pretty good week, despite having to spend some time at home. I’m sure it felt great to be back with friends! I’m not sure mine will allow me back in the group, since I’m the only one who has chosen to be completely solo. Different strokes & all that.
I do get together with friends one on one; I’m just more comfortable with that. And sometimes I can drag Mr. Judy out, although he can’t go anywhere near as far as I’d like to go, usually.
Nice job on running 5 miles with no breaks!
Thanks, Judy!
If your friends don’t welcome you back into their running group with open arms, it’s their loss!
How nice that you got to run with your tribe again! I got to do quite a few group runs this summer and they were just wonderful. Once school start everyone was either earlier or later than me so we haven’t run in some time but I look forward to running with them again next summer for sure.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie recently posted…Weekly Sweat: Hanging with the Cool Kids
Yeah, that work schedule can get in the way with a lot of things. LOL
So glad you were able to get out of COVID jail a little earlier than expected and yay for running with friends.
Funny on your comment about intervals making treadmill go faster – that’s how I started running. Couldn’t fathom walking forever on treadmill on rainy, cold January day so I tossed in a run interval and.. it’s almost four years now. Yikes!
Cari recently posted…November Run Down
Wow, what a great story about how you started running, and look at you now!
After the easing of the latest lockdown I get to go out with my running club, and I really can’t wait. I am quite happy running on my own (in fact often I prefer it), however from time to time it is just nice to be with others chewing the fat.
Andy @ JoggersNipple.com recently posted…Garmin Connect Custom Training Plan Workout
I hope your lockdown continues to ease. Our numbers are going up here…
Glad your quarantine ended.
I run mostly alone but we did start back to running together (COVID style) in May. I look forward to seeing them and catching up on their lives. Can’t wait until we can high five and stand close but it’s better than hiding out.
Thanks, Darlene! Here’s hoping we can pose closer together again soon!
I do run with one other person. It’s been a saving grace. Seriously.
I’m glad that your quarantine went quickly, and even reduced. That must have been hard. 🙁
Jenn recently posted…week 49: countdown to the holidays
As much as I enjoy socializing, I do need my time alone so quarantining wasn’t all that bad. The tough part was when I’d think of something I needed to do, but couldn’t… like running out to get a new passport photo so I could renew my passport. My hubby was great about running to the grocery store and things like that that he could do for me.
So great that you got to run with friends. That’s a long time to be away from them! I tend to get into moods where I’d rather just listen to music or podcasts and run on my own a lot, but I do always love it when I go run with friends. When my daughter got out of quarantine we were like “whoowhoo, we’re outta here!!” Very liberating 🙂 Glad you are feeling OK!
Lisa @ TechChick Adventures recently posted…Weekly workouts – oodles of Starbucks
Thanks, Lisa! And yes, it had been way too long since I’d seen those friends.