Bill and I picked a perfect week (Tuesday through Friday) to head down to the Outer Banks for a few days of rest and relaxation – for me at least. Bill spent the entire time working, but at least his views were pretty darn good.
- Monday
- Strength Train – 1 hour
- Rodney Yee’s Yoga Conditioning For Athletes (affiliate link) – Yoga for Runners
- Tuesday
- Intervals – 1-mile warm-up, 6 x 800’s at 7:02, 7:07, 6:58, 6:44, and 7:10 paces (goal pace was 7:15), 1-mile cool-down
- Teeter Hang Ups (affiliate link) Inversion – 15 minutes
- Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga For Beginners (affiliate link) – Yoga For Flexibility
Before heading to the beach on Tuesday, I met my MRTT friends for intervals at a local middle school. I ran on the W&OD Trail for my warm-up and just as I stepped through the clearing from the trail to the middle school, a mama fox and her three babies scattered. We see a fox almost every Thursday at that point on the trail, and I bet it was the same one. I couldn’t get my phone out quickly enough to take pictures of the four of them, and I barely got this picture of the mama running down the hill.
- Wednesday
- Strength Training – 15 minutes
- Run/Walk – 2 miles
- Rodney Yee’s Intermediate Yoga (affiliate link) Sun Salutations
While Bill worked, I headed out for a short run/walk in the near perfect weather. We had a breeze coming in from the sound side, and I couldn’t resist running in the pools of water created by the spring tides.
After my run, I did yoga (followed by some planks) on the deck.
- Thursday
- Tempo Run On Sand – .25 mile warm-up walk, 5 tempo miles at 9:46, 9:46, 9:35, 9:12, 8:51, and 1.2 mile cool-down at 9:50 pace
- Walk – 3 Miles
- Yoga Basics
I got out a little late for my tempo run on Thursday morning, so the tide was heading back in significantly as I finished my run. Sections of the beach south of us have a flatter more gradual beach and it’s a much better place to run. Once I got down there, I ran my tempo miles back and forth there, and walked the rest of the way home once I finished my cool-down.
- Friday
- Walk – 1 mile
With the cool weather, the wild horses were out and about the whole time we were there. On Friday morning we were treated to this territorial fight between two stallions. The darker horse had six other horses behind him cheering him on, and in the end, he won, sending the lighter brown horse back to where he’d come from.
The horse fight in the middle of the road, caused this Wild Horse tour group to have to stop and wait for the fight to end before continuing on. Those people certainly got their money’s worth!
After the fight, the remaining seven horses wondered around our house for a hour or so before moving on to more interesting places.
- Saturday
- Run – 8 miles at an 8:45 pace
- Core Training – 15 minutes
- Yoga for Runners
- Teeter Inversion – 15 minutes
We left the Outer Banks late on Friday afternoon and didn’t get home until after 11 PM. I opted to sleep in a little bit on Saturday morning which meant I had to run alone. I think I’ve finally recovered from Ragnar Trail Richmond Ultra because I’m finally hitting decent paces again.
I started running around 9:30 AM when the temps had already climbed to the high 70’s and finished with it in the 80’s. I felt good so I pushed it and managed to average an 8:45 pace for eight miles. While out, Bill passed by on his bike while heading out for his 44-mile ride.
- Sunday
- Walk – 4 miles
- Yoga for Flexibility
Today has been all about catching up after being gone for several days, and scheming on when we’re heading back to the beach.
- Weekly Overview:
- Weight Training: Monday and Wednesday
- Running: Tuesday – 5 miles, Thursday – 6.2 miles, Saturday 8 (Total: 19.2 miles)
- Biking: zero
- Walking: 10 miles
- Yoga: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Teeter Inversion: Tuesday and Saturday
- Average Steps Per Day: 15,377
- Average Hours Sleep Per Night: 7:04 hours
- Questions:
- How’s the weather been where you live? ~ I heard it was delightful in Virginia, too, while we were at the beach.
- Random question – do you like sushi? ~ I tried my first sushi, yellowtail serrano, on Saturday night and really liked it!
- Did you race this weekend?
Have a great week!
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I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
I’ve always wanted to ride horses on the beach. I thought that was just an “off season” activity though because I see them at VA Beach in the fall but not during the summer. I take it they do it during the summer too, In outer Banks?
These horses are wild and wander the beach freely. They originally “landed” on the Outer Banks about 500 years ago when Spanish ships carrying them wrecked off the coast of North Carolina and the horses swam to safely on the barrier island.
WOW that’s so cool about getting to see the Stallions duke it out! I’m jealous!
It was very cool, and I was grateful to be watching it from the safety of my deck. 🙂
I’ve never been to the Outer Banks but I really want to go! Looks beautiful!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…The Things I Think About When I’m Not Thinking About Running
It’s lovely! You should add the Outer Banks Marathon or Half Marathon to your race bucket list.
How cool to see those horses battle it out. And how interesting that it doesn’t seem very violent – more of a show of strength? I’m impressed that you did a tempo run on the beach!
Coco recently posted…Balancing Work And Yoga In San Francisco
Yeah, the darker horse was definitely letting the lighter colored one know that the mares were HIS!
As tempo runs go, it wasn’t very impressive, but at least I got it done!
Loved the horse video, I had never seen that before. I don’t know how you run on the beach. I ran last year and it seriously took me 3 weeks to recover ! My knees and hips were so.sore.
You have gorgeous views. That is one part of the US I have never been to.
Enjoy your week.
I’ve been running on that beach for 28 years, but I don’t think that several runs in a week once a year has conditioned me to not get sore. 😉 Not sure why you got sore and I don’t – perhaps the drop to the water was steeper where you run or you ran in deeper sand?
You certainly had beautiful weather for your vacation. It has gotten really hot here, 90’s yesterday, but thankfully a breeze kept it comfortable. I had no idea that horses were territorial, what an interesting story and video.
Pam recently posted…Weekly Workout Roundup: June 13th
I had heard that sometimes a sick horse will get kicked out of the herd, but I’d never seen a territorial fight like this before. It was quite entertaining!
We did a lot of work while at the beach this week too. It’s hard to imagine there are wild horses in the outer banks. It’s very cool you get to watch them. I am envious of your paces! I am nowhere near mine in this heat. Thanks for your continued support of the WW Deb!
The horses are contained to an area of the beach where there are no paved roads – where our house is located. It’s pretty cool having them around. 😀
Great job on your workouts!! I am definitely envious of you out on the beach! The weather was super hot this weekend up to almost 90 but I think we’re cooling down a bit for a few days. I need to do more planks, they are getting harder and harder for me to do!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Weekly Wrap: Pre-Marathon Training Week 1
We got so lucky with the weather while at the beach. I doubt it will be so nice when we go back in August!
Planks are definitely one of those exercises that get a lot harder when not done regularly.
I love your beach run pics!
I can’t get over how loud the horses are.
You hold really well in the heat! That is great you are hitting those paces.
I only recall one good morning last week, Thursday it was cool here. Other than that is was too hot for me, but I seem to struggle more than most in the heat. Saturday afternoon we tried to walk around the mall, but it was 90+ here. I lasted 15 minutes lol
Karen recently posted…Here’s What!
Thanks, Karen! Those horses are a real treat, and we love seeing them while at the beach.
That horse fight sounds crazy and scary all at one time! Sounds like you had a nice time though and had great weather.- good thing you weren’t in Florida- rain and heat here! Have a great week!
Mary Beth Jackson recently posted…Happy June Week Two- Storm Week
It’s actually really nice here at home this week, too. I don’t know what to do without all of that rain we had in the spring. Not really – I’m enjoying the great weather!
I live in Hampton Roads so you definitely got the same amazing weather in the Outer Banks that we had. It was an awesome few days after a crummy, rainy spring! I love the Outer Banks – so chill! Looks like you really took advantage of the beach scenery for your workouts.
Christine @ Two Runners Travel recently posted…Weekly Workout Roundup: June 13th
So are you having good weather again this week? It’s still really nice in the DC area.
Looks so beautiful!! Horses and the beach seem like the perfect combination.
I live in Birmingham, Al, so it is insanely hot and muggy! It’s bearable, though. Way better than being cold!
Great post, thanks for posting!
Even though we’ve been seeing the horses around our house for almost thirty years, it’s still exciting every time we see them!
In answer to your questions….The weather has been extremely hot & humid recently. Yes, I raced…in the hot & humid weather 😉 I didn’t race fast,but I did finish (half marathon in my hometown). Sushi? no thanks. Your beach pics are beautiful!
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Relentless Forward Motion
I read your race recap earlier this morning and you did great considering your heel started acting up. Congrats!
Thanks for the comment about my beach pictures! It’s easy to take good pictures with such cool scenery.
Seems like the perfect vacation. I miss ocean!
I LOVE sushi. My husband always jokes that introducing me to it was the worst thing he ever did 🙂
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…RnR Las Vegas Half Marathon Race Recap 12/4/11
That’s funny! I think my husband would love being able to say that about me someday. In the meantime, we just found a new restaurant that serves amazing sushi (according to Bill and our sons) and has a fantastic hibachi menu that I can order from.
I’d definitely say the tourist got their money’s worth. We don’t have wild horses on the beaches around here. Great job on your 8 mile run. I can’t maintain a speedy pace in the heat of the day. I’m not a sushi fan.
Debra @HappyRunningSole recently posted…Weekly Wrap
Definitely! I always feel badly for the people who pay for tours in the summer when it’s really hot and humid and the horses are hanging out in the shade near the sound and can’t be seen.
Nice running at the beach! Pretty wild to see that stallion fight. The wild horse tour got their moneys worth for sure! That’s a long bike ride Bill went for on Saturday. Awesome!
Also really cool that you saw the mama fox with her babies. So cute. When we lived on the dairy farm, a family of foxes made a home in the field across from our house. I loved going out there and watching them each day. The little ones were always out running around and playing with each other.
Meagan recently posted…From Road Marathon to Trail 50K
The baby foxes were rolling all over the place wrestling with each other. Today I turned my GoPro on as I ran through the clearing to the track, but they weren’t there. I ran about thirty minutes later than I have been and I think they’d already gone back to their den for the day when I got there.