Apparently basic maths is a problem for me and I managed to mis-number my weekly training, whoops. Back on track now!
This week was a battle between my mind and my legs. I think a lot of stress from the last few weeks, coupled with numerous early mornings, has left me exhausted. It took a lot of mental strength to get the workouts done, but at the end of the week I had to listen to my body and take a break.
The barre workouts were front loaded this week which happened due to my schedule plus my trip to Belfast but I think in the following weeks I’ll try to even this out a little more!
Monday – Barrecore class after work.
Tuesday – Yasso 800s. Not my favourite workout, but I used some of my tricks for getting through a speed workout to get them done. 8 X 800m at 3.35, with the same amount of rest between each set.
BarreAsana class after work.
Wednesday – Barrecore class. My Mum came to take some photos of me before class started which was lovely of her, although slightly embarrassing!
Thursday – Rooftop yoga at John Lewis with Sloggi to start the day. Charlie and I braved the slightly wet conditions for a great stretch and wheel attempts under a grey sky. I’ve noticed that my regular Barre workouts are improving my yoga strength and flexibility and I was able to do wheel and crow pose for the first time in ages!
Friday – 10 miles, first mile at 8.45, then 9 miles at 8.10 pace. This run was mentally a challenge. I wanted to quit right from the start, but didn’t. I forced myself to push onwards, knowing that it will be mental strength that will keep my going during the final miles of the Chicago Marathon. 9 miles at 7.58 pace, and I felt 100 times happier and more confident after it!
Saturday – Rest day. Spent in Belfast with Tom doing a city tour and a short hike at the Giant’s Causeway.
Sunday – I woke up exhausted, and after another short hike at the Giant’s Causeway, fell asleep in the car on the way back to Belfast. We had lunch and watched the athletics at Tom’s flat, and I fell asleep again! I put my kit on to start my 18 miler and knew almost immediately that it wasn’t going to happen. My legs felt tight, my breathing felt all wrong and I couldn’t get my pace right.
I switched off my Garmin and headed for a little sightseeing loop of Belfast, including the leaning Clocktower, Titanic Museum and the docks before heading to The Sweatshop to purchase a foam roller, buying some ice and heading back to the flat. I spent that evening completing a Jas Yoga online sequence, foam rolling, icing my knee and hydrating before getting an early night.
You are doing so well- remember rest is important too though. You don’t want to burn out!
Great job! Rest is really really important! I also didn’t manage my long run this week. I headed out on Monday evening with a big goal (20 miles – I was feeling crazy!) and got overwhelmed at 8K and headed over to my boyfriend’s for dinner instead. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but that just makes it all the better when it does! Keep up the good work! 🙂
Great job and listening to your body is SO important. I feel like especially with training sometimes people get caught up in following plans to a T and that doesn’t always work. Awesome job on that 10 mile run! I had a 6 mile run with 4 a tempo that felt great-I love when runs are confidence boosters!
Rest is SO SO important and the fact that you know and recognize this is HUGE!!
I am learning! Only took me 5 training cycles…
Cracking work on the 10 miler – sometimes the best runs are the ones that take a real push to finish.
Also had yassos on the plan but 10 of them….apparently we are doing 12 in 4 weeks (YUK!) Definitely a big fan of techniques to get through – I’ve taken to counting breaths and apparently 36 gets me round 200m..I literally don’t think about anything else except counting and it seems to work…
Thanks katie, I’ll have to try that next time I try them and see how many breaths I take!