Easy Week of Recovery

With last Saturday’s Gravel Grinders Nationals 100-mile race behind me, it was time for a chill week to give my body some time to recover. My week included more time in the car than my body would have liked, but I countered that with lots of stretching. For exercise, I enjoyed:

  • • Walking: 5 walks, 2 of which were at the farm
  • • Cycling: 2 easy bike rides
  • • Strength training: 2 core only workouts and 1 full-body

 

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: 3.07 miles
• Average pace: 15:44 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 97 feet
• Start time: 9:54 AM
• Location: greater neighborhood
• Weather: 60°, sunny, and breezy, climbing to 62° and cloudy
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor

Surprisingly, after the previous day’s 103-mile gravel ride with almost 7,500 feet of climbing, I felt remarkably good. I had a relaxing day which included a walk just to keep my legs moving.

 

Monday

Drive to the farm

Walking: 2.01 miles
• Average pace: 17:32 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 122 feet
• Start time: 5:16 PM
• Location: gravel road at the farm
• Weather: 71°, cloudy, and breezy
• What I wore: capris and s/s shirt

It was late morning by the time we arrived at the farm and after hours of sitting in the car, it felt good to get outside to stretch my legs. The cloudy sky was the perfect backdrop for taking pictures of the sights along the gravel road at the farm.

 

Tuesday

Walking: 2.12 miles
• Average pace: 16:17 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 145 feet
• Start time: 10:31 AM
• Location: gravel road at the farm
• Weather: 67° and cloudy
• What I wore: capris and s/s shirt

I got up early to take care of some gardening – Mom’s peonies were in full bloom and I took advantage of dividing a bright pink beauty to transplant to my own perennial garden. After pruning back a few plants and weeding a small garden, I decided to go for a walk before rain moved into the area. While on my walk, I discovered these wildflowers along the country road.

 

Once home from my walk, I cut bouquets of peonies, rhododendron, and roses to put in vases in Mom’s house. While cutting the roses, I found a cardinal nest with two babies. All this before breakfast!

 

Wednesday

Drive home from the farm

Strength training: 15 minutes of core

Less than two miles from the farm, we saw a huge bear in the river. He quickly made his way toward the road and crossed it right in front of our car before disappearing into the wooded area on the other side of the road. Unfortunately, because it was early dawn and just getting light, the pictures didn’t turn out very well.

 

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the top of the mountain where we always stop to see if the view is worth capturing. The view was stunning as fog settled in the lowest valleys. Our farm is not pictured in this view, but the terrain is very similar to what’s pictured.

 

Thursday

Walking: 4.05 miles
• Average pace: 14:53 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 151 feet
• Start time: 5:36 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 57° and clear
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, nylon shell, gloves, and visor (took gloves off after first mile)

Cycling: 20.13 miles
• Average speed: 13 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 617 feet
• Start time: 10:10 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Leesburg loop
• Weather: 72° and sunny, climbing to 75°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves

My day started with an early morning virtual walk with Kim. It was the first time in quite a while that we were both doing the same activity.

 

While on my first post-race ride, I rode past the familiar orange fence being put up along the W&OD Trail while being guarded by two Austrian shepherds. I bet that I’ll see goats munching on the tall grass when I ride past next week.

I was tempted, but didn’t eat the wild strawberries I found along the trail because I couldn’t be sure they hadn’t been sprayed with pesticides. I have fond memories of picking wild strawberries on the farm with my brother when I was little. We’d bring them home, put them in a bowl with milk and savor every bite of our special treat!

 

Friday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Walking: 3.04 miles / 1.8 miles
• Average pace: 15:30 minute/mile / 18:28 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 152 feet / 131 feet
• Start time: 3:23 PM / 5:43 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails / trails and streets to Wine’ing Butcher and back
• Weather: 71° and drizzly / 67° and drizzly
• What I wore: shorts and s/s shirt / shorts, s/s shirt, and rain jacket

Just as I was ready to leave home to teach my balance and stretching class, a crew of men and machines (I counted 13 men and 6 machines/trucks) filled our cul-de-sac, blocking my exit. By the end of the day our little neighborhood had a brand new and very smooth layer of asphalt. I’ll no longer have to worry about catching my toe in a pothole and ripping the skin off my elbows and knees like I did while running a couple of years ago.

Later, I fit in two walks, the latter with my husband for dinner.

 

Saturday

Cycling: 12 miles
• Average speed: 15.8 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 9:28 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66° (61° and raining outside)
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra

We’re in a rainy pattern and I didn’t feel like riding outside so I hopped on my spin bike for a few miles before running some errands with my husband. A stop by Maverick Bikes & Cafe included a hot chocolate (or coffee) which is free for customers. Remember when I freaked out about forgetting to pay for a hot chocolate back in the winter? Well, apparently the new owners don’t charge customers for coffee/hot chocolate if they are making a purchasing or having a bike serviced. I’m loving the friendly atmosphere of that place now that the new owner has taken over. It’s such a happy place to visit! They even tried to talk us into riding RAGBRAI (Iowa) as part of a store team next year.

 

Last Week’s Blog Posts

In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…

 

Questions:
  • • Does your local town use goats or sheep to “mow” the grass in hard to reach areas? ~ Leesburg started doing this a couple of years ago.
  • • Do you pick wild berries to eat while out hiking, running, etc? ~ Last summer I saw a lot of people out picking blackberries and raspberries from the many brambles along the trail. I never stopped to eat any, though. If I were out hiking where I knew there was little chance the bushes, vines, brambles, etc. had been sprayed, I would most definitely enjoy a fruity snack!
  • • Did you participate in a 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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