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Overview of the Week
Before getting into each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…
Sunday
Rest Day
About 30 minutes into the previous day’s ride, I developed a headache and body aches. I popped two Advil and felt great for the rest of the day, even forgetting that I hadn’t felt well earlier. Overnight I had a sore throat and by morning it felt better, but I woke up with chest congestion so I laid low for the entire day.
Monday
Strength training: 15 minutes of core
Walking: 5K
• Average pace: 14:25 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 112 feet
• Start time: 7:03 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 69° and overcast, climbing to 71°
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Just to play it safe, I canceled all of my in-person elderly clients and gave all other clients the option to see me or cancel. As a result, I had a very light day of seeing only three clients.
Tuesday
Cycling: 33 miles
• Average speed: 13.9 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,201 feet
• Start time: 9:29 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Hamilton loop
• Weather: 81° and sunny with low humidity, climbing to 88°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
Feeling much better, I waited until a little bit later to head out because I needed to swing by a bike store that wouldn’t be opening until 11 AM. Cooler early morning temps had already climbed into the 80’s, but with unseasonably low humidity it felt just fine on my bike.
As I rounded the corner mere seconds from finishing my ride, I saw my little neighbors selling lemonade so of course I stopped and bought a refreshing drink. Some afternoons they’ll ring our doorbell with lemonade in hand selling it door-to-door. I love their entrepreneurial spirit!
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Thursday
Running: 2 miles
• Average pace: 9:40 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 71 feet
• Start time: 6:00 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 73° and sunny
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Walking: 3 Miles
• Average pace: 14:47 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 112 feet
• Start time: 6:24 AM
• Location: neighborhood streets
• Weather: 74° and mostly sunny
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Finally feeling back to 100%, I met Kim for our weekly virtual cardio workout. The parkway near our little neighborhood had changed quite a bit in the past week with milling and paving of the road plus additional cables being buried alongside. We thought it would be fun to compare our views!
Collage credit: Kim
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Walking: 5K
• Average pace: 14:38 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 158 feet
• Start time: 6:54 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 72° and sunny with humidity creeping back in, climbing to 75°
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Cycling: 2 miles
• Average speed: 10.2 MPH
• Bike: Salsa Warbird
• Surface: gravel
• Elevation gain: 69 feet
• Start time: 4:33 PM
• Location: W&OD Trail
• Weather: 83° with a storm coming in fast
• What I wore: shorts and t-shirt
With plans to sleep in, my alarm was set for 6:45 AM, but when my husband left the bedroom at 5 AM for his bike ride, I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. With my newfound time I eventually headed outside for a walk.
Later in the afternoon, I met a lady at the W&OD Trail for a test ride on my Cannondale Topstone gravel bike that I’d listed for sale on some of the local bike groups’ Facebook pages. She loved the bike and bought it after our test ride.
Saturday
Cycling: 37 miles
• Average speed: 15 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 2,431 feet
• Start time: 7:13 AM
• Location: Purcellville/Lovettsville loop with Taylorstown and Stumptown climbs
• Weather: 68° and sunny, climbing to 83° with increased humidity
• What I wore: bike bibs, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
My husband and I met our Dawn Patrol friends for a fun little ride to climb the two steepest hills of the upcoming Reston Century – Stumptown and Taylorstown. Both are 1.3 miles long, but Stumptown gains 445 feet with an average grade of 6.9% and Taylorstown gains 355 feet at a 4.6% average. Needless to say, I was pumped to pull off a 15 MPH average pace with that much climbing. I expected the ride to be hard, but didn’t expect it to be so much fun!
After finishing the ride I saw that I’d already earned my July climbing challenge badge for climbing 10,000 feet over the past six rides.
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 2 – 8 / Celebrating Independence Day
- • Tuesday – 52-Mile Three Covered Bridges and Gettysburg Battlefield Tour on Independence Day
Questions
- • Do you participate in Garmin challenges? ~ July was the first month I’ve joined any Garmin challenges (I’d never noticed I had to join challenges – just though Garmin rewarded me with badges on special days like Global Running Day, etc.)
- • Which workouts were your most enjoyable, toughest, and/or memorable? ~ Yesterday’s Taylorstown/Stumptown ride was tough, but surprisingly fun! My friends and I were all pumped after having such great rides.
- • 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!
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Glad whatever it was was short lived! Congrats on enjoying your tough ride.
Seriously, right now I’m just pleased that Bandit is acting MUCH more normal. I’m sure he’s happy to feel better, too! Plus it’s been hard to get together with my friends lately, so it was a nice treat.
Thanks, Judy! And yes, you must be so relieved that Bandit is feeling better.
Glad to hear you are feeling better and were able to get in a cycling adventure.
One of our running friends now has COVID… it seems it’s still around. Sigh.
I love racing… so I did enjoy the 5k despite the humidity!!
I hate when the rain gets in the way of my plans!!!!
Thanks, Darlene! Glad you got to race!
Glad whatever you had was a short bug and you are feeling better. Sometimes I do Garmin challenges but with all of the Peloton ones it is hard to keep up!
Thanks, Deborah! Yes, Peloton seems to keep you busy!
Strong week! I love all those long rides you’re able to do during the week (and maybe a tiny bit jealous, LOL). I join the Garmin challenges for accountability. They also give me some goals to work towards, and extra motivation (hence that 10K Weekend badge I got yesterday).
I’m glad I finally realized that I could sign up for the Garmin challenges and that they’re not just automatic.
I love how you and Kim are so regular with your weekly virtual workouts! Sounds like you had a great week, after the iffy start (glad that turned out to be nothing serious.) I seem to have missed your July 4th ride recap so I have to go back and check it out!
Right? What started as a way to make it through our boring winter indoor spins has become a weekly thing!
Hope you enjoy the Independence Day bike ride recap!
A great workout week!
I envy that lady that bought your gravel bike from you! I would have gladly bought it if you lived closer to Switzerland, ha!
I don’t join any Garmin challenges – it would distract me too much from my coach’s plan!
Thanks Catrina! It’s a great bike and she got a great price. I would have loved to sell it to you. Wonder what shipping would have cost? LOL
Glad you weren’t sick for long! Last week, I had a canker sore and a really scratchy throat and then I discovered a blister on my thumb. I must have contracted hand, foot, and mouth from the young patient I saw earlier in the week. Sheesh! I’m so glad it was mild because I didn’t feel so good.
I don’t do any Garmin challenges. I sign up for some on Strava, but I don’t take them seriously.
Oh my goodness, the things you must be exposed to in your line of work. Glad it was mild!
good week for you though I’m sorry you weren’t feeling 100% at the start of it.
I don’t pay much attention to badges to be honest – it’s always a pleasant surprise. I do pay attention to strava Local Legend titles though :D. I have a few of those and when they are taken by me it’s usually someone I know from parkrun haha!
My favorite workout last week was definitely my intervals. They were just 2 minutes but I managed to get from 6:45 mpkm to 6 in the last 3 of the 5 sets.
no races from me, but i have a 10K coming up this Sunday 🙂
I want to be a Strava Local Legend! I told my husband if I lived closer to the Thomas Mill climb I’d do that twice a day so I could earn LL status on it at least once (it’s 11 miles just to get there).
You are a very strong cyclist! Way to go Deb!
Thanks, Jessie!
May we never outgrow lemonade stands
Glad your cooties were mild and quickly gone.
I <3 gamification on Stridekick and Apple Watch. Don't recall knowing about them when I had a Garmin, but I never liked it and it was under utilized so probably just missed it.
Agreed, and these little kiddos are so cute I can’t not buy from them. 🙂
Oh, Im so sorry you weren’t feeling well!
Lemonade stands are so cute. I never drink the lemonade, but I give cash if I have it.
Awesome that you sold your bike and rocked that challenge! I don’t use my Garmin as much anymore, but I do try to get the Apple watch badges.
Thanks, Jenn!
Another solid week, congrats!
Sorry for your headache, I can understand how you feel because sometimes I have the same problem. To solve the situation I take a pill but after I feel weak one whole day.
No races and no programs, I wait for better moments: too hot in this part of Italy.
Thanks, Stefano!