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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
Walking: 5K
• Average pace: 18:10 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 106 feet
• Start time: 6:42 PM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 84° and sunny with a light breeze
• What I wore: shorts, short sleeved tee, and Topsiders
After a day of fun with the family (and saying goodbye to Pablo as he headed home), I decided to walk while chatting on the phone with my mom. Too lazy to change out of my casual clothes and into a workout outfit, I headed out for what I planned to only be a mile or so. I ended up walking longer and got a blister on my sockless pinky toe. What. An. Idiot!
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Tuesday
Cycling: 30 miles
• Average speed: 13.6 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,453 feet
• Start time: 7:22 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Leesburg loop with Thomas Mill and Woodburn climbs
• Weather: 73° and overcast, climbing to 82° (feels like 91°) and sunny
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
On Tuesday’s I regularly ride two hills to get me into climbing shape as I prepare for the Reston Century (100 miles with about 5,000 feet total ascent). One of the two hills is Thomas Mill, a 1.5-mile climb with an average grade of 4.9% with the steeper parts near the bottom where there’s a short 14% section.
Just before I got to the top of Thomas Mill, I met an older gentleman (probably around 80) walking down. He asked if I’d ridden all the way up and when I replied that I had, he asked, “From the very bottom?” When I told him that I had, he turned and shouted as I rode past, “Congratulations!” How cute is that?!
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Thursday
Running: 2 Miles
• Average pace: 10:10 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 88 feet
• Start time: 7 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 77°, overcast, and humid
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
Walking: 2 Miles
• Average pace: 14:49 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 115 feet
• Start time: 7:35 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 78°, overcast, and humid
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and visor
After a long hiatus, I pulled out my GoPro (affiliate link) – not sure why I’d let it work its way to the back of my running/cycling gadgets shelf because it takes such fun pictures.
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Saturday
Cycling: 40 miles
• Average speed: 15.2 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,516 feet
• Start time: 6:37 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Sterling/Hamilton loop with some side country roads
• Weather: 72° and overcast, climbing to 86° (feels like 96°) and sunny
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
Up early to beat the heat, my husband and I met our friend Chuck for a ride on the trail. Unplanned, we were all on our Specialized Roubaix Comps (to be expected since it was a road ride) and wearing our Mile 0 Conch Republic shirts from our Key West ride in January 2022.
On the way back and with about five miles to go, I was leading our little group of three when two guys passed us. I was feeling fresh and decided to jump on the last guy’s wheel. I was a considerate cyclist, though, and pulled ahead twice to lead the little peloton, letting them draft off of me. It was an amazing workout and I set a bunch of Strava PR’s on a section of the trail that I ride frequently!
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
Questions
- • Do you have any gadgets that you used more frequently in the past, but have mostly stopped using? ~ I think I’ll try to use my GoPro a little more frequently now that I’ve pulled it out of the back of the cabinet.
- • Which workouts were your most enjoyable, toughest, and/or memorable? ~ Yesterday’s ride with my husband and friend was the most enjoyable, especially when I jumped on the wheel of the two fast guys.
- • 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.
Glad to see all your GoPro pics.
I wore shoes without socks to work because I’d just be sitting. Then I decided to take a long walk. Ouch.
I have a thing to wrap around anything so you can take a photo with your photo. I rarely use it. I just prop my phone for those selfies.
No race. Each run this week was rough. Hot humid. The most enjoyable was a walk one night because it was followed by dinner out and ice cream.
Oh yeah, I have one of those things to wrap around tree branches, etc. for taking pictures. I need to dig it out, too. 😉
Oh, that’s a nice reward for taking a walk!
When I swam for Tri training, I love using my GoPro for underwater pics. Unfortunately, it was stolen out of my checked bag a few years ago at JFK! It was when we went to the Maldives and I was very disappointed to discover it. Have a great week ahead!
That’s awful that your GoPro was stolen from a checked bag. 🙁
Love that the older gentleman congratulated you. How sweet!
I guess today’s run, although it felt hard for unknown reasons, was the best because the weather was awesome! We’re getting a very nice break this coming week.
Oops on the blister. Ouch! I’ve done that occasionally when I walk to far in sneakers without socks — usually on my heel, though.
Yes, I thought it was so sweet and cute that he congratulated me. 🙂
That’s great that you’re getting a break in the weather. We are as well – today’s humidity is much lower than it’s been.
Nice week! I want one of those Mile-0 jerseys! I guess there’s only one way to get one…earn it, LOL
We were just talking yesterday about how we’d love to do that ride again. 🙂 I’ll definitely keep you in the loop if we do!
Sounds like you had a great week (aside from the blister.) Your cycling routes look beautiful, as always. That is really sweet that the guy complimented you- we need to do that to each other more often!
Luckily, the blister hasn’t bothered me at all this week. And I agree, we should compliment each other more often.
Since I’m not training for anything, I should get my Go Pro out again! I really need to get some good waterskiing shots and I need to figure out how to do that!
Nice job on that bike climb! Cute that the older man noticed!
I wonder if there’s any sort of GoPro mount for water skis? I know there are suction cup types, but would that stay on a water ski? Certainly not with the wipeouts I’m so good at doing! 😉
Well done on heading that all-male peloton! I’m not strong enough on the bike to do that, so I always stay put behind the others.
When is the Reston Century ride?
Thanks, Catrina! The Reston Century is on August 20th so it’s coming up soon.
Seems like many on Instagram are no longer using their GoPros. I no longer see the cool pics I used to. I have one we’ve used on vacation years ago but I’ve never used it for running. Nice bike climb!
It seems like most people on Instagram have moved on to Reels. I miss just being able to scroll and see cool pictures.
You take great GoPro pics! I like the idea of this thing that wraps around trees, but then you need to carry it on runs…hmm…I just usually hope to run into Dustin to ask him to take a picture, but that hasn’t been happening since he’s injured!
Yes, I think it’s called a Splat and it would be a bit cumbersome to carry on a run. Sometimes after my run I grab my tripod or whatever and walk back to the trail right behind our house for a picture.
excellent week! so cute how that guy congratulated you ! Every time I see your gopro photos I wish I had one – I had a friend who used to work there (in Amsterdam) and I waited to long to get one through her with a discount. She left the company and moved back to Lithuania :(. Maybe I’ll still get one some day!
No races last week, not the best week in general…
Thanks, Renée! I used to use my GoPro so much more than I do now. Not sure why I stopped…