M - REST
T - Ran 6 Miles -- Easy Progression(11:09 / 10:42 / 10:04 / 9:56 / 9:44 / 9:15)
W - Ran 5 Miles Tempo [ 1 w/u + 4 @ 9:11]
T - Cycled 15 Miles (14.7 mph)
F - Ran 6 Miles Easy
S - Cycled 20 Miles (14.3 mph) + Strength
S - Ran 17 Miles Slow
Total Ran = 34 Miles
Total Cycled = 35 Miles
Last week, the Weekly Wrap turned ONE YEAR OLD.
If you missed it, get caught up here >>> Happy Birthday Weekly Wrap!
All in all, it was another solid week of marathon training. The tropical mess that was spinning around all week in the Gulf of Mexico really added some extra moisture to our air. [My heart goes out to you Louisiana!] Consequently, I had a hard time locating said air every morning. Thankfully on Wednesday there was the addition of a slight breeze with misting rain which helped me work on speed, at least a little. It rained during my 15 mile bike ride Thursday morning. I intentionally kept it a little slower and watched those corners carefully. I was soaked thoroughly!
 |
| Typical early morning -- hazy, mucky, mess |
Saturday,
I didn't think I'd be able to water ski due to the weather so I
rode my bike for 20 miles in the morning instead. I didn't ride particularly fast and was just happy to be outside doing something. I explored a few new streets that I think I'll add to my regular big loop, although they are hilly. If the weather is nice this week, maybe I'll convince PoPo to pull me skiing on a weekday. There aren't many weeks left now before the water cools down. Years ago, I would add to my skiing time by wearing a wet suit, but I just don't enjoy being wet and cold these days. It's not like running where you can keep yourself warm.
 |
| Riding selfies are quite difficult! |
On Sunday I ran 17 long slow miles. Again, it was the typical southern August morning.
I flipped my watch to its heart rate screen and got to work -- while
completely ignoring my pace. I was pleased to keep my HR on the lower
end with a 149 (best yet). As a point of reference, I usually have a net weight loss of about 5 pounds on a steamy, long run. That is with the consumption of over 60 ounces of fluid. One thing I know how to do very well is sweat! But keeping it real...this run was BRUTAL.
 |
| My post run reward (plus coffee) |
Our middle son moved to his college apartment, armed with his Star
Wars sheets (#kidyounot). I will miss him dearly. But, I'm more excited for him than I am sad for me. He will be studying Biology at the unmentionable rival university. But, it comforts me that he is not too far from home The last thing he asked for was Brown Sugar Brownies {sniff sniff}. We baked them together.
 |
| Always dream big dreams, sweetie! |
I'm sure you know this time of year is called the Dog Days of Summer. Accordingly it's the name of the August Level Up virtual run. For every race entry, Level Up will be donating a toy, blanket, or dog bowl to the Second Chance Dog Rescue in San Diego, Ca. As a dog mama of two rescues, this one speaks right to my heart. If you've never participated in a Level Up run, just know their medals are spectacular. You can use code SAVE10 on any Level Up race registration!
Level Up is also giving away a FREE ENTRY for this run.
Enter their giveaway below!
Is anyone counting down the days to September like me?
Have you eaten Brown Sugar Brownies?
And that's a wrap!
Brown sugar brownies!?!?!?! Oh my goodness, I have never heard or tried such a thing before. Can you please share the recipe?
ReplyDeleteGreat job on pushing through your bike rides and long runs in the crazy heat and humidity. It takes a ton of perseverance and determination - and will pay off for you big time on race day. I think it's a great idea to focus only on heart rate rather than pace, too. I should try that myself.
What a great cause for the August virtual run!!! I am a huge supporter of animal shelters so this sounds terrific!
I hope it pays off on race day! I think that is why I was so upset last year. I trained through the same typical hellacious summer and then couldn't race. I had nothing to show for all that sweat!
DeleteI love that your son took his Star Wars sheets to college with him. It's that kind of thing that gets me, brings me to tears (cue the post I already penned for Wednesday...)
ReplyDeleteYou had a great week of running and reminded me about the importance of HR training. I'm going to get out my HR monitor for this heat. That will help me stay on track.
I can't believe the water cools down already for you? I figured you ski into October. Crap!
If I am really lucky, I can ski through September. Occasionally I've skied into October but it's rare. The water will cool off very quickly, almost overnight.
DeleteIt's definitely been hot and humid lately. I can't say Im ready for summer to be over but I could use a break from the extreme weather! That 17 miler sounds really tough. Great job with your workouts!
ReplyDeleteI don't want time to rush along but I'm tired of the heat now. If Mother Nature would just grant us cool weather in August -- I'd be all over it.
DeleteI've got someone here who'd be all over those Star Wars sheets! I'd better not even mention them. Brown sugar brownies? Never heard of them and I'd better leave it that way. Glad to hear marathon training is going well! Thanks for the linkup!
ReplyDeleteThis kid has always been so level headed, responsible and truly acts older than he is. But things like the Star Wars sheets reminds you he is still just a kid. I'm very excited for him.
DeleteWoah, great week! 17 miles in the August weather and no whining, unlike mean much shorter runs. You are a better woman than I am! Brown sugar brownies?! I think I need them!
ReplyDeleteI really did some soul searching on that run! It's crazy to train for a marathon in this weather. Truly.
DeleteGreat training week in the heat!
ReplyDeleteNo, not at all looking forward to sept (except for vacation, hopefully, FINALLY). For us, it means fall is coming quickly (and short days, SADD, weight gain, a gazillion layers again . . . )
I agree about not looking forward to less sunlight. It's amazing how dark it is in the mornings now. It's like I always forget about that. I don't even like wearing a coat, Judy! Drives me nuts.
DeleteAww I love that your son took his Star Wars sheets! Brown Sugar Brownies sound dangerously good - I may need that recipe :)
ReplyDeleteI use to make those brownies all the time because the ingredients were always on hand. They require nothing special: butter, flour, brown sugar and egg.
DeleteBrown sugar brownies? Sounds heavenly! Wow, you cranked out some great miles (running and biking) in that heat! Go HOLLY!! Our second (the son) goes back to college next weekend....((sigh))
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to make sure I get plenty of cardio cross training this training cycle. I know you'll miss your son after having him home for the summer.
DeleteGood luck to your son and his first year of college! My son is halfway there, I can't believe how fast the time flies, I just try to soak it all in as much as I can.
ReplyDeleteYes, soak it in and make lots of wonderful memories. This kid was such a helper to me. I will miss that for sure.
DeleteI've never heard of brown sugar brownies - recipe please! I'm also writing about the dog days of summer - must be that time of year! I thought I was doing good to get in 8 miles this weekend. 17 would have done me in for sure! Way to get it done.
ReplyDeleteHa -- it came close to doing me in. I hope the next extra long run will not be so bad. Thankfully, I only have 3 more on the schedule anyway.
DeleteI would like a brown sugar brownie, please! great week for you! When will this humidity ease up- I tired of sweating! Congrats on another child headed off to college- we don't have to mention the school :) That just keeps football season fun!!! My Level up run is done- looking forward to the next one!
ReplyDeleteYes, football season will be interesting. There will have to be a lot of convincing to get PoPo to the rival stadium to watch a Tiger game.
DeleteBrown sugar brownies? Yes please! Wow those sound heavenly.
ReplyDeleteGreat job training in the heat this week!
I had stopped making them because they are so rich! But he remembered and wanted some.
DeleteNever heard of brown sugar brownies but I bet they are great. That surprises me that your water cools off so early. I figured you Floridians would water ski till at least November!
ReplyDeleteWhere we live, the water starts cooling mid to late September. Quickly, it will drop below 80 and I get very chilled then. Fall usually brings windy conditions too, which is not conducive. I wish I could ski year round!
DeleteI enjoy cycling as well and I've been considering doing one of the Alabama Backroads events. We should get Tricia to buy a road bike and all do one of these events sometime!
ReplyDeleteAlso, my middle son is leaving for college this coming week..so I know exactly what you're feeling! Say a little prayer for me! :)
Do you know I've never heard of those events? (I just Googled.) Thank you for mentioning it. I'd love to do one of those! I love riding!! I'll be thinking of you next week...we will get through it.
DeleteI've made brown sugar brownies before - for some reason I always have brown sugar on hand but never regular granulated sugar - and they are so delicious! Great job on training this week, especially doing that 17 miler in such heat! Sadly the humidity doesn't subside much in fall here in Seattle, but it does a bit - and I'll take that break before rainy season begins!
ReplyDeleteI used to make those brownies often because I always had the four ingredients necessary.
DeleteNice job with the heat training this week. It's a good idea to look at your heart rate and not how fast you were going, especially when it is so hot and humid. I do love fall, but I am not counting down until September. Because my maternity leave ends and I am enjoying every day being home with my new baby!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want the summer to be over quickly in your case. I know you must be enjoying that precious little one.
DeleteHappy belated birthday to the weekly wrap! Jumping in a pool sounds so refreshing after 17 miles. And those brownies do sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of cooling off is the only thing that gets my through those last few scorching miles.
DeleteGreat job with your training! I've really been suffering in the humidity, but you can only really focus on effort instead of pace when the weather is so rough! That's sweet that you and your son baked together before he goes off to school. I usually love August but I think I'll be happy when September gets here!
ReplyDeleteMaking a game out of keeping my HR low is a very necessary distraction on these tough, hot runs.
DeleteGood luck to your middle son! I'm sure the university I work at will be having orientation this week. The first day of the semester is next Monday, so things will start getting busy(er).
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how busy it must be for you at the beginning of the school year.
Delete17 miles in this hot humid mucky muggy weather??? you are such a bad a$$!!
ReplyDeleteThis type of training will pay off on race day!!!
Love the cause for the virtual race btw- I think rescue animals make the best addition to the family!!!
OH and its so sweet your son is taking his star wars sheets with him to college..that makes it a touch bitter sweet though-
I have no idea how I will handle my children going to college. My youngest will start kindergarten next year and I will be such a basket case!!!
It's not about being a bad a$$, more about doing what you got to do. LOL. There isn't much choice for a southern non TM runner like me.
DeleteI'm impressed with your biking selfie! And with all the miles you got in with the heat. Those brown sugar brownies sound amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt took a few takes to get a bike selfie I could use. HA.
DeleteI've never heard of Brown Sugar Brownies, but I've never met a brownie I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteI am anxiously awaiting September, though feel a bit bad saying it, because I know I'll wish for this weather in the dead of winter, but this humidity is killing me. Our real feel with the temp + humidity was like 103 the other day, which for once made me glad I live in the "North".
I hate to wish away the summer, but I really need a break from the humidity right now. I think I'm close to my breaking point.
DeleteStar Wars sheets?! I need some of those in Queen size?
ReplyDeleteThose brown sugar brownies sound delicious!
Jumping in the pool after a long run is the best reward!
Two different types of Star Wars sheets!
DeleteTechnically, I should train with a much lower HR. But that is about the best I can do without walking. And I'm not training to walk a marathon. The lost weight comes right back within about two days as I rehydrate.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so great on your marathon training. Especially in the heat. I LOVE the pictures of you jumping into the pool, I can feel how refreshing it must be.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you Southerners while running in the heat while on vacation. We had temps from mid 80s to low 100s every day, way to hot to run even if it is perfect weather for sitting by the pool.
Even living here all my life, it's something you don't ever quite get used to. That's why I love our Winter running so much.
DeleteDefinitely share the brown sugar brownie recipe - that sounds delish! Great job with the bike selfie - the phone and/or the bike would go down if I tried that. :)
ReplyDeleteIt took a few attempts to get a pic I could use. You definitely need a quiet and straight stretch of road.
Deletethe brownies sound amazing! Good luck to your son as he heads off to school!!
ReplyDeleteI'll surely miss him, but I know he'll do fantastic.
DeleteWhen it's hot and muggy out, I enjoy focusing on my heart rate as a measure of effort rather than pace as well. Sometimes it's the "keep it as low as possible" for a long run, and sometimes it's a tempo run at a higher HR. I love that you can easily go water-skiing from home! But I hear you on the "end of summer" cram in the fun outdoor things!
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I ran every run at the same pace or effort. This way, at least I know some runs are at a lower effort like they should be.
DeleteSounds like a good week of training! Great job on your 17 miler and good luck to your middle son going to college!
ReplyDeleteThis training cycle is going quickly. I think there's only 3 super-duper long runs left. Yay.
DeleteGreat job on your 17 miler. Just love how you've been finishing your long runs with a jump in the pool.
ReplyDeleteLooks like your training is going awesome and your right on track for your marathon.
I've really enjoyed following your summer on IG. witj everything I have going on right now IG has been my favorite way to semi keep up with blogging friends!.
Have another great week of running and fun!
It's so hot there's no other way to cool off quickly other than with water. Any water!
DeleteFinally the internet is working well enough at the beach for me to be able to get your blog to fully load and comment!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to your son at college! We know all to well about a child going to a rival university. Our oldest son went to Virginia Tech, but our youngest son went to that other school! And you know what? We found ourselves cheering for them as long as they weren't playing the Hokies! :-)
Thanks for the linkup!
I'm sure it will be that way with us too. It was just a little hard for PoPo to digest at first. LOL.
DeleteAw man, your boy going to school...I'm dreading that day even though it's still a good 16 years away. They grow up too fast!
ReplyDeleteIt's been so hot and humid. It's like walking (or running) through a cloud. Awful. So ready for fall. I'm thinking I need to get a HRM so I can use that instead of pace in this weather because pace is so deceiving right now. Good job getting it done this week!
I have one more son at home and then we will be empty nesters. Pace is very deceptive in the heat & humidity. If I were to only look at that number, I'm afraid I'd get pretty discouraged.
DeleteI only have admiration for you and all the others who are training for a fall marathon in this unrelenting heat. You definitely have to dig deep mentally to get through the tough runs but it will help tremendously on race day.
ReplyDeleteSending your kid off to college is a big milestone and I can't imagine having to do the same many years from today. Honestly, I'm excited to have a few hours to myself now that the kids will be back to school. Yet I know when they actually leave the house for college I will a bit of a mess!
I handled that transition much better than I thought. I'm just so excited FOR him that I couldn't find a reason to be sad. It helps he is not that far from home too.
DeleteGreat job on your 17 miler! I knew once you got a few weeks under ya you'd be killing your training!
ReplyDeleteI also loved the comment about the unmentionable university! Ha!
I shared your giveaway on twitter and fb too! :)
Well, you know how I tend to overdo everything. I'm actually having to rein myself in with the mileage in order to prevent injury.
DeleteSolid week of training... I hear ya on this humidity!
ReplyDeleteI keep telling myself only a few more weeks. Here's hoping!
DeleteI could use a brown sugar brownie right now, Holly! So sweet that you and your son baked them together. Hang in there through these hot days! Your training looks very strong 🙌
ReplyDeleteHe has always been so helpful and always interested in what was going on in the kitchen. So far, he is cooking his own meals at school.
DeleteNice job with your marathon training! Way to go on your 17 miler and keeping your heart rate low! My kiddos have Star Wars sheets. Good luck to your son in college!
ReplyDeleteThey may be taking their sheets to college too! This kid has a silly, playful streak and the Star Wars sheets only emphasize that.
DeleteI feel you with the august heat! It is terrible! At least you got some rain to cool you down. We have rain in the forecast every day for the next week. I’m crossing my fingers! I like watching my heart rate screen too instead of my pace. I actually think I run better when I’m not paying attention to my pace. I have such a soft spot for rescue dogs. I can’t stand to see a dog suffering. I will have to do this virtual run!
ReplyDeleteI have two rescues that were both adopted by someone else and returned to the shelter. Then they came to live with us! I can't go to the shelter else I'd adopt them all.
Delete