I usually post training (or non-training, as is the case now) recaps on Sundays, but this Sunday, I had too much to do. By the time I got everything done, my options were blog or bed. I chose sleep and I do not regret it. Adding to   my lack of bloggng motivation was that I took a grand total of one picture all week. File that under “Things That Aren’t Surprising.”

Anyway, here’s how’ last week’s workouts went:

Monday:

Easy 4-mile run and 35 minutes of strength training

Tuesday: 

7 easy miles. It was beautiful and fallish and I didn’t bring my phone, so just imagine it. Afterward, I met up with old blue-tighted friend and the gang from 8-minute abs.

Wednesday: 

I met up with my friend Jaylin for five easy miles. She’s the one who got me into this whole distance running thing. We trained for and ran our first half together, and then she had kids and stuff so she hasn’t run one since. Her second half is coming up on Sunday– Rock ‘n Roll Denver. Makes me wish I was running it again this year, especially since Amy and Brooke both are, too.

Thursday: 

I thought I was running both weekend days, so I just lifted and did a quick  spin bike workout. Every time I bike, I think I should do it more because it kicks my butt.. And then I don’t do it more, and it kicks my butt again the next time. I am a slow learner.

Friday:

5 easy miles. and some abs. I took the week’s only picture on this run, because I thought the “rainbow” in this crop sprinkler’s arc was pretty.

Saturday:

My school’s home cross country meet was today, and they host a citizen’s 5k first. I ran the race, clocking 20:00 even. That’s exactly what I expected, since I hadn’t done speedwork since the marathon, and marathon speedwork and 5k speedwork are quite different. But hey, I won.

I spent a substantial chunk of the rest of the day at the race. Our education association does a water booth for the meet, so I filled lots and lots of cups. I didn’t get puked on, so that was the second win of the day.

Side note: When my school’s star runner finished, I asked him how he did (I was cup-filling and missed his finish). He said, “We were just running easy since regionals is next week. I ran a 17-something.”
(image source) Oh. How slow of you.

Sunday: 

I told Jaylin that I’d meet her at 6 for a hilly long run, but I’m a crappy friend, so I bailed. I’d been fighting a cold, and I felt like extra sleep would do me more good than 11 early miles in the cold and possible rain — especially since I’m not technically training right now. It was a good choice; I woke up feeling much better. Sunday was a rest day, per usual.

Totals: 29.1 miles, a little over an hour of strength

And there you have it. I’m still debating what to do with myself next, but I’m leaning hard toward Racing Underground’s winter series. It might be fun to actually train for a 5k (the first race) and see if I can find some fast-twitch fibers in my marathoning legs. And prepping for the next two races, the 10k and half, would help me build a solid base for marathon training…once I pick a spring marathon.

I can’t come up with a good way to end this post, and I’m tired. So I’m going to take a cue from some of my freshmen and just stop writing instead of writing a conclusion.

Have you ever bailed on a friend you were supposed to run with? Did you feel like a jerk? I did. But a well-rested and healthy jerk.