It’s Been a Week
It’s been a fun and frightening week, read on…
Overview of the Week
Before discussing each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…
Sunday
Walking: 5K
• Average pace: 14:32
• Start time: 10:13 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 78° (feels like 79°) and overcast, climbing to 80° (feels like 83°)
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of full body
Tuesday
Cycling: 42 miles
• Average speed: 15.5 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,506 feet
• Start time: 8:11 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail with some side country roads
• Weather: 75°, sunny, and humid, climbing to 84° (feels like 87°)
• What I wore: bike bibs and s/s jersey
My friends Mary and Rob joined me for a ride on my usual weekday course on the W&OD Trail. I’d only ridden with Mary once this spring and hadn’t seen Rob since our Key West ride in January. I hadn’t ridden this course in over about 14.7 MPH in a year, but with Rob pushing me, I average 15.5 MPH. I was wiped when we finished, but in the best way!
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of full body
Walking: 1.2 miles
• Average pace: 14:38
• Start time: 5:58 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 69° and humid
• What I wore: shorts and tank
Running: 2 miles
• Average pace: 10:09
• Start time: 6:23 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 69°, sunny, and humid
• What I wore: shorts and tank
Rolling: 10 minutes
Stretching: 10 minutes
My legs were tired from the previous day’s hard ride, but I had committed to running 3.2 miles in honor of a man who had dropped dead of a heart attack at the end of his run 45 years earlier at the age of 32 as his 7-year-old daughter ran into his arms. The daughter, a member of the Runners Over 50 Facebook group I’m in asked the rest of us 43.7K members if we’d be willing to dedicate miles to her father on the anniversary of his death. I readily agreed and as much as I wanted to run all 3.2 miles, I stuck to my plan and did a warmup walk , prior to my run which enabled me to complete the miles.
Thursday
Cycling: 50 miles
• Average speed: 14.5 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 2,290 feet
• Start time: 6:01 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail with some side roads including climbing Thomas Mill and Woodburn
• Weather: 72°, climbing to 86° (feels like 94°) and sunny
• What I wore: bike shorts and s/s jersey
When my friend Chuck told me he didn’t think he was up for riding the Reston Century with us because he hadn’t been doing enough hill training, I planned the perfect course for our Thursday ride (I knew he could do the distance since we’d ridden a century together in late June).
I also invited Rob from Tuesday’s ride who was up for some kick-ass hill training as well. Both guys loved the course so I’m sure they’ll be joining me again. My average speed was faster than usual for this course thanks to being challenged by the guys and drafting off them… not on the two hills, though, because they left me in their dust!
The view at the top of Thomas Mill never gets old!
Friday
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
I usually get up and lift either before my first client or during a break between sessions; however, I woke up to no internet and got distracted. I wasn’t surprised after the doozie of a storm that woke us up just after midnight – I’ve never heard a boom so loud!
It wasn’t until I walked into our kitchen and looked out at the upper deck that I realized the loud boom had been lightning hitting our stairs and upper deck railing. Thank goodness it hit the deck and not the house. So instead of lifting weights between clients, I spent my spare time filing an insurance claim and picking up shards of plastic shrapnel of all sizes that had been blown everywhere, including far into the back yard.
We think the lightning hit the lower post and ran up the stair railing. Our bedroom is right above those French doors so you can imagine how loud the strike sounded.
Saturday
Cycling: 29 miles
• Average speed: 11.7 MPH
• Bike: Cannondale Topstone
• Surface: gravel
• Elevation gain: 2,395 feet
• Start time: 9:o1 AM
• Location: Middleburg
• Weather: 73° and partly cloudy, climbing to 83° (feels like 91°)
• What I wore: bike shorts and s/s jersey
We planned a chill gravel ride with friends, introducing two newbies to their first gravel adventure. Both had a great time and I suspect they’ll be back for more gravel grinding. A relaxing lunch afterward was the perfect ending to our fun morning.
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
- • Sunday – Weekly RunDown: July 24 – 30 / A Last Minute Training Plan
- • Tuesday – Running the Alphabet: Races and Locations A – I
- • Friday – Catching Up Over Coffee: Baby Turtles, a Child Author, and a Growing Gnome Family
Questions:
- • What was your most fun activity of the week?
- • What was your favorite workout of the week?
- • Did you run in a race this weekend?
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!
Yikes. How scary.
We had quite a few thunderstorms this week. Still hot AF.
My favorite activity was a Jimmy Buffet concert.
On a racing break. 5k next weekend b
A lot good rides on your schedule. Love the pix.
I’d love to see Jimmy Buffet in concert sometime.
Good luck at your 5K next weekend!
That’s scary! There was a story on the news this week about a young girl who got struck by lightning in a park around here. The paramedics worked on her for a long time. I know they took her to the hospital but not sure what happened after that. Our run this morning was canceled because of storms. No need to take chances!
No races for me until October!
That’s so scary about the young girl. Four people were hit by lightning in Lafayette Park in front of the White House earlier in the evening on the same overnight as our strike. Three of the four have since died. 🙁
the storms were so scary and dangerous this week!~ Glad it was the deck and not your house (or you) that was hit. I assume you saw about those people in DC. So sad. Nice job getting in those cycling miles this week
Yes, I heard about the people in Lafayette Park getting struck by lightning. So scary and sad.
What a wonderful way to honor that girl’s father. I’m sure she appreciated everyone who participated.
I can imagine how scary that lightning strike must’ve been! We had a few close ones in TX. Including our neighbor’s house being hit (luckily no fire) — we were not home at the time. It fried our modem (remember those?) at the time, but both houses were pretty lucky!
The scenery from your ride looks amazing!
Thanks, Judy. I haven’t heard how many miles were run in honor of Debbie’s father (yes, her name is Debbie, also). A lot of people participated so I’m sure it was a lot. She said she was making a little booklet with our pictures and the mileage for her mom.
Oh, that’s a sad story about the runner who died! I can see why you were determined to get that 3.2. miles in. And crazy about lightning striking your house. We have so many storms in the summer here, but we’ve never had lightning strike that close to us. I can definitely imagine how loud and scary that BOOM was!
Yes, the response the runner who lost her father got from the other runners in the FB group was truly amazing, but we both know how much runners support each other.
What a beautiful tribute to the other Debbie’s father. I love doing runs like that <3 How scary with the lightning and deck damage! And, all those biking miles, especially those tow rides on Tuesday and Thursday. Well done!
I do remember you running miles for others several times. It’s a nice way we runners can show support.
And thanks, this is the time of the year that I finally start feeling strong with my cycling after taking the winter off. Of course, every summer I say I’m going to ride through the winter. LOL
Wow that lightning strike must have been so scary! There have been some really dangerous storms up this way as well. Glad you’re safe!
Thanks, Michelle!
I read about a few lightning strikes in different areas last week. I can’t imagine how loud that boom must have been! Glad that everyone was safe.
Thanks, Kim!
Holy moly! That’s so close! We had a lightning strike in my neighbor’s driveway today (according to the lightning strike app) but nothing like that!
I love that you were able to log those miles in that man’s memory. So amazing.
Yes, it was quite scary! I wonder if the lightning strike app shows hits in the past. I need to check that out.
How frightening! Glad you’re all safe and paperwork was the worst of it.
Thanks, Cari! What I didn’t know at the time I wrote the post was that lightning traveled in through our FIOS and fried our TV’s, sound systems, Tivo boxes, etc. We’re in the process of replacing them now.