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Perhaps I Threw Running Under the Bus too Quickly
As I analyze my the numb foot I’ve had off and on for almost two weeks, I think I was too quick to throw my 5-mile run under the bus. I truly believe that the guilty party was too much sitting and on the wrong types of surfaces the week following my run. My spine acts like the princess of The Princess and the Pea and best tolerates me sitting on hard kitchen chairs. While traveling to the farm and then on to Charlotte, NC and back home, I sat in a car for over 16 hours. And while in Charlotte, I spent more time on a sofa than I ever would at home. End result, an ornery back.
This coming week, I plan to hit up the trail for a couple of 3-mile runs and see how things play out. Fingers crossed that I’m onto something and those runs will feel as great as my 1-mile test runs I did this past week.
Italian Dinner Night
I spent a lot of my spare time this past week preparing for our annual Italian dinner party which was held last night. Over the years, friends have moved away and the guest list has been whittled down to four fabulous couples. I wrote the original linked blog post ten years ago, and as I reread the post, I realized how much I’ve needed to change in the week leading up to the party. I’m older and get tired more easily these days so I make the chicken Parmigiana up to two weeks earlier, freeze it, and then reheat it. I assemble the beef braciola the day before, then braise and bake it the afternoon of the party timing it so that it and the chicken Parm come out of the ovens at the same time. Of course, I still assign appetizers and desserts to my friends!
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
Drive home from visiting Pablo and his humans.
You know I couldn’t resist one last picture of this handsome good boy before I left!
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Tuesday
Walking: 5K broken into: 1.54 miles / 1.56 miles
• Average pace: 13:32 minute/mile / 13;38 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 72 feet / 85 feet
• Start time: 6:36 AM / 8:10 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 35° (feels like 32°) and clear / 38° (feels like 36°) and sunny
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, puffer vest, gloves, mittens, and ear warmer headband
I didn’t get started early enough to complete my walk before seeing my first client so I stopped half way into it and finished after our training session.
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Thursday
Cycling: 20 miles
• Average speed: 16.5 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 5:59 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 62°
• What I wore: bike shorts and tank
Walking: 2 miles
• Average pace: 13:33 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 99 feet
• Start time: 8:05 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 49° and cloudy
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, puffer vest, gloves, and ear warmer headband
Running: 1 mile
• Average pace: 9:24 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 95 feet
• Start time: 10:56 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 57° and cloudy
• What I wore: capris and s/s shirt
Stretching: 10 minutes
After a few lackluster days of doing cardio, I was grateful to have Kim get me going nice and early on my spin bike (affiliate link). As always, Kim was kind enough to make a collage post ride. With a lot of rain in the forecast, I got outside for quick walk before seeing two clients and then squeezed in a test run after them and before the rain hit.
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Saturday
Cycling: 12 miles
• Average speed: 16.2 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 9:02 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 62°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
Running: 1 mile
• Average pace: 9:39 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 28 feet
• Start time: 10:33 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 34° (feels like 29°) and sunny
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, light jacket, gloves, mittens, ear warmer headband, and visor
Walking: 1 mile
• Average pace: 14:50 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 0 feet
• Start time: 10:48 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 35° (feels like 31°) and sunny
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, light jacket, gloves, mittens, ear warmer headband, and visor
Even though my run on Thursday had felt great, I kept this one at a mile just to play it safe.
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
Questions
- • Which do you like more, cardio or strength training? ~ I love that cardio takes me outside and the feeling of freedom that goes along with it, but I do enjoy strength training and love the benefits I get from doing it regularly.
- • What was your favorite workout of the week? ~ Riding virtually with Kim was my workout highlight of the week.
- • Did you run in race this weekend? ~ No
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.
Hope you foot continues to improve. At least you keep active with cycling and cardio.
The highlight of my week was the Florida sunshine and warm temps.
Thanks, Darlene, and yes, I keep plenty busy with cycling and strength training.
Hope you’re adjusting to the cooler temperatures now that you’re home from Florida.
I was actually appalled that my butt did not complain about our 8-9 hour car rides this week. It is probably too used to that much sitting. I’m glad you are feeling a bit better.
I go through phases of cardio vs. strength — hopefully it ends up balanced!
Thanks, Coco! Do you find car seats less comfortable than your office chair?
Sitting for a long time always bothers me as well usually the piraformis. Hope easing back into running works well this week. Fingers crossed for you! I love running but I also really enjoy strength training. I have backed way off of additional cardio
Thanks, Deborah!
Yes sitting is the WORST! I’ll bet that’s what did it. Of course, I never want to believe that any of my problems are caused by running (but sometimes they really aren’t.) Glad you’re feeling ready to get back to it.
To answer your question, I think I’ve made it known that I used to hate strength training, but now I have a newfound appreciation for it. I still don’t love it while I’m doing it, but I feel amazing afterwards.
Are we going to get a recap of your Italian dinner party? It sounds pretty amazing!
I agree, sadly the foot numbness most likely resulted from sitting to much. It’s getting better every day even though I’m gradually adding running back into my routine.
I love that you’ve added strength training to your fitness routine!
No, sorry, I don’t plan to recap this year’s Italian dinner party, but if you’re interested in reading more, click on the link I provided from a recap from a previous year. I always make the same two main dishes, chicken Parmigiana and beef braciola.
I started having piriformis problems many years ago, but it took several years to make the connection that the problems worsened after I took on more hours at work…and was sitting more. I know, #duh, but honestly that was the only thing that had changed in my regimen, and I think it was a substantial one. Even now, my back is always much more ornery in the fall/winter, and I bet it’s from all the football and basketball I watch (and falling asleep on the couch afterwards, LOL). Thanks again for another fun cardio sesh on Thursday 😉
I bet you’re right. And like you, my back does not appreciate me sitting or lying on the sofa.
I definitely prefer running, but I do like the different kind of burn from strength training.
Glad the back/foot thing is feeling better!
Your Italian dinner sounds amazing! Hope all went well!
Thanks, Jessie! And I agree, I do like a good burn after lifting. 🙂
I’m so glad your foot is better. I feel like we are getting so fragile as we age, lol!
The highlight of my week was going out last night to see my neighbor’s band (he plays the standup bass in a trio) and seeing my oldest son, his girlfriend, and his friends there too!
Oh my goodness you hit the nail on the head. We are getting fragile! LOL
That sounds like such a fun night out. I love hanging out with my adult sons, too.
How fun with an Italian dinner, although a lot of work of course. But pre-cooking is a good way to do it!
That problem with the foot sounds a bit scary – glad to hear it’s getting better! Sitting too much is evil. Lots of my problems comes from too much sitting. My back problem especially. It’s getting a lot better now with more strength training, a stand-up desk in the office (and we’ve just ordered one for my home office), and generally moving more.
I love running and how it makes me feel, but my favourite is by far strength training. It gives me a lot more confidence, helps “fix” a lot of other problems with the body (I first started training because of shoulder and wrist problems), is an amazing mood lifter and I love the feeling when I make progress with lifting.
I agree, sitting is evil and causes so many problems. I have the slightest bulging disc that hates it when I sit too much so it rears its ugly head and presses against a nerve and next thing I know, I have a tingly or numb foot. 🙁
It’s great that you are passionate about both strength training and cardio. Many people dislike lifting and it’s such an important part of our fitness routine.
I’m right there with you on the conservative runs, for different reasons, though.
I definitely don’t have the energy I once had, and I keep hoping I’ll find some more again when this period of my life is over!
I haven’t been doing any ST lately. Just Pilates and some relatively hard core Yoga workouts. But I know I need some ST too . . . not enough hours in the day!
I had so much energy the beginning of the week when our weather was Spring like and now it’s just all drained away again. 🙁
It is hard to fit it all in, but don’t forget that Pilates is a form of strength training.
I love running! I like strength training if it’s combo workouts, but what I’m doing now just upper and core. Ugh, hate it. It’s something, but I like to do workouts that combine moves and give a lot of bang for their buck. Crossing my fingers for you on the running. That sticking to one mile thing is soooo hard. I am going to be there soon and I am going to need you girls all to keep me in check to not move too fast. You had a nice week.
Oh, I bet you can’t wait to get back into some lower body strength training workouts.
I ran two miles today and it felt great! We’re here for you to keep you reined in as you start running again. 🙂
Sitting for too long always presents challenges for me – I hope your foot is feeling better.
Your Italian dinner sounds like fun. I think you’re smart to prep food in advance.
I ebb and flow between cardio and strength – like you I love that cardio usually means an outdoor run. Getting outside is good for my psyche.
Michelle recently posted…Week 7 – Creating a New Plan
Thanks, Michelle! I agree, being outside is so good for my mood, actually my entire outlook on life.
My husband loved braciola. He would always tell me that he didn’t want me to slave away in the kitchen on holidays, but could I make it? Ugh. Now he can’t have beef at all, so I guess I’m off the hook.
I prefer cardio. Strength always makes me feel terrible about myself.
I’m sorry your husband can no longer enjoy a meal he loved so much, but I couldn’t help but smile when you mentioned that you’re now off the hook from making it. I only make braciola twice a year – for Italian dinner night and for my s-i-l’s birthday.
shoot, my comment must have gone *poof*…
Anyways, as always it was great having our weekly fitness session (again) this week. I really look forward to them! I can relate to your “sitting” situation with your back. I definitely notice more orneriness in the fall/winter since I’m on the couch watching much more tv than usual (I blame Big-10 football and basketball). Also, I noticed more piriformis issues after I’d taken on more hours at work (several years ago), and the big change in my routine was the increased sitting at my desk.
Oh no, I wasn’t checking on comments all day and didn’t approve your earlier comment… For some reason I always have to approve yours and Deborah’s comments and I can’t figure out how to make it so they’re always approved like everyone else’s. I’m so sorry you had to repost.
Glad your foot is feeling better! That is a lot of car time. I’m sure my back would object as well. Your annual Italian night sounds like so much fun! Pablo is such a cutie!
Thanks, Marcia!
Way more team cardio, but I know why strength is important. I think it’s two fold. I much prefer being outdoors and my apartment is cramped. I’m more likely to be eager about strength in a fitness center but am not yet ready to go back to the gym.
Yay on the runs feeling good! Love how Pablo is guarding his biscuit
Makes total sense why you lean team cardio. Yes, super happy that running feels so good.
Pablo used to gobble up his treats, but now he savors them. 😉
That Italian dinner party sounds amazing! The thought of cooking and serving guests makes me nervous, so good for you for enjoying it! I’m glad running is feeling good. You are smart to be cautious about starting back at it.
Thanks, Lisa! I decided to run two miles today instead of the planned three just to be cautious. I felt great so I’ll run three on Saturday.
Italian dinner night sounds yummy! That’s my favorite type of cuisine. It’s great that you still have the tradition even though some people have moved away.
It was a fun night and everyone said the food tasted great!