As we kick off The Boston Project training (read all about it here) I’m focusing this week on ACCOUNTABILITY. Finding strategies to keep myself accountable with my training.

• Texting my coach when I need to make a change or need someone just to check in after a run to make sure I’ve done it!
• Putting it out on social media – I know you’ll help me when things are tough
• Running with a friend (following government guidelines) for a couple of runs – less likely to bail if you have someone to meet
• Creating a calendar with your weekly training and keeping it somewhere you can clearly see
• Telling people – friends/.family/colleagues that you ARE going for that run

Whilst my mileage is low and the runs are easy right now, I want to find tools that I can incorporate now that will help see me through when the miles ramp up and that ‘new training plan’ feeling begins to wear off.

I’m really excited to be training for something big again. For me, that’s a major part of the excitement around running is having big goals. It helps get me out of bed in the morning or into the gym in the evening when it’s freezing.

My Weekly Workouts 4th-10th January 2021

MONDAY

Kicked off the week with a 6.30am ride with my friend Amanda. We did a 30 Minute Pop Ride with Alex Toussaint. Tom told me I hadn’t hit 200 in a Peloton ride for a while so I went for it in the last 5 mins…

My plan is to continue with Peloton bike workouts 2 -3 times a week, with one harder workout and two shakeout style rides.

TUESDAY

Strength training workout with my personal trainer via Zoom – I shared it on my Instagram here. I went through each set three times.

➡️Barbell Hip Bridge x 10
➡️Hamstring Squat x 10
➡️Seated Single Leg Squats x 8

➡️Airborne Lunges (try to control the descent on your back leg and avoid using that foot to push up – you want the standing leg to be doing the work!) x 8
➡️Goblet Squat with 3 second hold x10
➡️Single Leg Squat x 10

➡️crunches x10
➡️Deadbugs x 10
➡️Full body crunches x 10

Then 2 mile easy run at lunch. Things have been crazy busy at work so whilst I had intentions of continuing with my lunchtime runs over the past few months but last week’s 2 miles was the first since August!

WEDNESDAY

30 minute Peloton Beatles Ride virtually with two friends – definitely helped to keep me accountable having them to ‘meet’ for our workout.

THURSDAY

2.6 mile run walk around Henley with Emma. I LOVE run/walks – I had a 2 mile run on my plan but added a little due to the walking sections (and to finish at the coffee shop!) Accidentally didn’t start my watch because my fingers were so cold in -1C! 10.14 per mile average pace.

FRIDAY

Rest Day – originally I had a 2.5 mile run planned with a friend but an early start at work (and a poor nights sleep) and a rest day was definitely the best choice.

SATURDAY

Finally jumped on the treadmill for a 20 min Miley Cyrus Peloton Run just after 7pm…and I loved it. That’s my fave thing about the Peloton workouts. they always put me in a great mood!

SUNDAY

Long Run – getting into the habit of Sunday long runs, even though my mileage definitely isn’t there yet. I ran 3.5 miles easy listening to a podcast with Marty Hehir (he won The Marathon Project). He balances life as an elite athlete with medical school and two young kids – loved hearing his approach to training and how he makes time for running in his day.

20 minute Peloton Restorative yoga class to finish off the week.

Total Weekly Mileage: 10 miles

Overall I’m really happy with how this week went. I can get a little in my head about ‘only running 2 miles’ and being so far away from my Boston Goals. But this is the reality of where I am. THere’s no point rushing to run higher mileage, only to risk injury. Instead, I’m choosing to be excited that I get to start from scratch, work on my weaknesses like mobility and strength and become faster, stronger and fitter than ever.