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Focusing on the Current
As I build my running miles back up to the staggering 6-9 mile per week I was running prior to my calf injury, I’ve got a big decision to make. Do I ramp the mileage back up during cycling season or do I keep it low and put all my eggs in my bicycle basket (see what I did there?) 😉
Two summers ago when I wasn’t running due to my back injury, I was cycling strong and felt great. Last summer, with a couple of runs per week, I felt tired riding, especially when climbing. I’ve been toying with a plan and think it’s probably best if I just choose a sport. It just makes sense to focus on cycling during the summer and running during the winter…
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: 1 mile / 1 mile
• Average pace: not timed / 18:13 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: not recorded /86 feet
• Start time: 10:12 AM / 7:02 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails / neighborhood circle
• Weather: 57° and breezy /69° and sunny
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt and light jacket / capris and s/s shirt
Running: ½ mile
• Average pace: 11:32 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 5 feet
• Start time: 7:21 PM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 69° and sunny
• What I wore: capris and s/s shirt
After a slow and relaxing untimed morning walk, my husband and I skipped going on an outdoor ride and later regretted it. According to Fitbit (affiliate link), I took a 2 hour 8 minute nap which means I was quite tired and helps explain my lack of interest in riding.
After my nap, I enjoyed the beautiful 72° while uncovering our patio furniture and setting up the deck to enjoy this spring. After dinner, I headed back outside for a walk and at the end of a mile decided to do a ½-mile test run. I kept it nice and easy and felt zero calf pain!
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Cycling: 10 miles
• Average speed: 16.4 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 2:25 PM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
While continuing to work on my Parkinson’s Foundation class for CEC’s I hopped on my spin bike (affiliate link) during the first half hour of watching videos. My legs felt like lead so I moved on to the kitchen table to work for the remainder of the afternoon.
Tuesday
Cycling: 10 miles
• Average speed: 17.6 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:25 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 62°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
Running: 1 mile
• Average pace: 9:28 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 52 feet
• Start time: 11:27 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 53°, partly cloudy, and breezy
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, and visor
After an indoor ride while virtually training my first client, I went for my second run since injuring my calf. I felt great and finished as one happy girl!
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Thursday
Cycling: 16 miles
• Average speed: 17.6 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:00 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 61°
• What I wore: bike shorts and tank
About 15 minutes before our scheduled virtual ride together, Kim texted to say she was wearing her Iowa Hawkeyes tank. Even though I knew we’d have plenty of women’s NCAA basketball to discuss, it hadn’t occurred to me to wear my Virginia Tech Hokies tank so I rushed back upstairs to change. Both Kim’s and my alma mater teams had made it to the final four and were to play on Friday evening (Iowa played USC and VT played LSU). The winners of those two games will play each other this afternoon for the national championship title. As much as we hoped our teams would play each other, my Hokies lost. Kim’s lady Hawks won so I’ll be cheering them on this afternoon!
Collage credit: Kim
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
My day was capped off with a super fun fitness blogger meetup over dinner. With Kim and Cari in town for the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, Deborah organized a blogger meet-up and invited Coco and me to join them for dinner at Urbano in the Mosaic District. It was so much fun and as Cari said, “We could have talked for hours.”
Cheers to friends I wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for blogging!
Saturday
Running: 1 mile
• Average pace: 10:02 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 9:54 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65°
• What I wore: shorts and tank
Walking: 2 miles
• Average pace: 14:11 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 10:32 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66°
• What I wore: shorts and jog bra
With heavy rain and high winds outside, I was grateful to have the option to stay inside and run/walk on my treadmill (affiliate link). Once again, my calf felt great so I plan to run 2 miles on Tuesday.
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: March 19 – 25 / Taking Advantage of Getting Outside for Riding
- • Friday – Runfessions of a Klutzy, Bouncing Off the Walls Vivid Dreamer
Questions
- • If you blog, have you been lucky enough to meet other bloggers in person? ~ Deborah and Coco live near enough by that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting them several times, and even though Kim lives in Iowa, we’ve met in person four times. I met both Darlene and Judy in the fall, and this was my first time meeting Cari. I’ve met Megan from Turkey Runner many times – we ran three Ragnar Relays together. I’ve also been fortunate to meet Erika from MCM Mama, Courtney from Eat Pray Run, Sue from This Momma Runs for Cupcakes, and several other runners who no longer blog.
- • What was your favorite workout of the week? ~ I’m going to cheat a little on my answer and say that no doubt working whatever muscles were used for talking and laughing while having dinner with the girls was my favorite workout.
- • 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.
Yes I have met other bloggers. We need to meet longer next time.
Meetups are great. We should all plan to race together.
I had your problem when I started running. I played tennis. A lot. I tried to do both well. It didn’t work. And gradually I gave up tennis. If I didn’t still work I could probably still play tennis a little.
No race yet. My favorite workout was my walk in NYC Central Park.
Our meetup was so quick that we definitely need to hang out longer next time.
Glad your calf is feeling better! So fun to see you for dinner-glad you could make it
Thanks, Deborah!
Well, I’ve recently learned (thanks to comments on my blog) to “keep the main thing the main thing.” Maybe it does make sense to you to focus on cycling in the summer and running in the winter.
I’ve met Darlene and Cari, and hope to meet more bloggers in the future. Your blogger meetup this week sounds amazing!
Glad your calf is feeling better.
Thanks, Jenny! And yes, we had a lot of fun at dinner.
I’m so glad for you that your calf injury is better and you can run again.
The blogger meet-up looks like so much fun. I haven’t met any bloggers yet but I will this summer when I blogger friend is coming to Ireland. I’m looking forward to that!
Thanks, Susanne! And yes, our blogger meetup was lots of fun! Enjoy your meetup this summer!
It has been years since I’ve done any sorta blogger meetup – it would be so much fun to have one! How fun you were all able to meet up and get a photo and of course a lovely Mexican dinner. Those drinks look delish! Laughter really is the best medicine — and exercise 🙂
We had so much fun!
I’ve actually met quite a few bloggers/instagrammers over the years. What’s really funny is when people recognize me from social media! I always like meeting other runners that way. I do love our blogging group–we’ve really been friends, all of us, for a long time! Of our longtimers, I have met just about everyone! I hope we can meet up someday!
Too bad our planned meetup for a run when I was in Chicago that time didn’t work out.
Ah, I’m a sucker for a good play on words. 🙂 I find I have to make a choice about running vs. biking in the summer, because the Conte’s rides are on Saturdays, when I prefer to do my long run. We can ride after church on Sundays, but it’s tough for me to fit in a run before church and then too warm for running after. OTOH we haven’t scheduled any big biking adventures (yet) so who knows what the summer will bring.
It was great seeing you Friday!
Ah yes, figuring the timing out around the summer heat adds just another layer to getting workout in…
It was so fun biking on Thursday morning (on bikes) & laughing/talking (in person) Friday night. It’s great the network we’ve built …it’s been an amazing means of support 🙂 I think my fav workout would be this morning’s Cherry Blossom (because it felt so amazing), but the ride & dinner were fabulous too 🙂
I agree, I’ve made so many great friends through blogging and really enjoy the network we’ve built. 🙂
That looks like one fabulous blogger meetup! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many bloggers over the years as well and running a couple of Ragnars and Hood to Coasts with various blog teams. It’s all so fun!
It was a great meetup! I’ve met a few bloggers at Ragnar Relays, too.
It is so hard to juggle everything we want to do! I know personally for me, even if it’s just a few miles a week, running is still important to my cardiovascular health. But biking more in the Summer there totally makes sense!
The blogger meetup sounds fantastic.
I’ve been able to meet quite a few bloggers, here and there, over the years & it’s always fun. There’s a really outside chance I could meet another on our upcoming vacation, but I tend to think it won’t happen due to logistics.
Again thanks for literally going the extra mile(s) to meet up with me!
The blogger meetup was super fun, as was hiking with you! We’ve got a great network of blogger friends.
Great week! My Hurricanes went all the way to the Final Four for the first time in history, but couldn’t hold up against Duke.
I’ve met so many awesome bloggers, but I want to meet so many more! It’s fun to hang out in person.
I did a little beachside 5K this week! It was perfect.
Thanks, Jenn! Your beachside 5K sounds fun!
Such a fun blogger meet-up! I have had the pleasure of catching up with several bloggers, though I’m overdue for a good meet-up!
It’s definitely hard to fit in “all the fitness” – your plan to focus on biking this summer makes total sense.
Michelle recently posted…Welcoming April
Thanks, Michelle! We still need to meet in person some day. 🙂
That blogger meet-up photo makes me smile 🙂
I think what you mentioned about sticking to cycling during the summer and running during the winter makes a lot of sense. That way you can really put all your energy into one sport for that season.
Our meetup was the best!
I would have loved to have joined your blogger meet-up!
Blogging opens up so many new adventures.
I got to meet several bloggers in Germany and Austria through my blog. They introduced me to new races, new places and new people – so it gets more and more interesting as you go along!
We would have LOVED having you join us, too!
I have a friend who does ride almost exclusively during the summer and runs during the winter. When I first saw her Strava feed (she was in my training group at one point) I was concerned that she was injured because she was cycling so much! haha! She is a beast on the bike and I’d love to be as strong as she is.
Lisa @ TechChick Adventures recently posted…Weekly workouts – Spring Break!
That’s good to hear! Without as much cycling I may be a stronger rider, but I’m sure I’ll still fall short of being a beast. 😉
I am so glad the stars finally aligned for us to meet.
I’m afraid I’m going to miss someone so trying to go alpha but I’ve met:
Coco – luckily we met once in NYC pre covid and had a drive to Florida lunch break traditions the first two Novembers of COVID
Darlene
Deborah
both Erica and Erika
Jenn
Jenny
Judy
Kim
Grateful for every minute with each of you.
Enjoyed learning about college basketabll through you and Kim.
It took long enough for us to meet, right?