See Ya April (WW # 91)

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RECAP:

M  Strength

T   Ran 4 Miles (Progressive)

W  Cycled 20 Miles 

T   Strength

F   Ran 5 Miles

S   Ran 8 Miles

S   Ran 3.5 Miles

Total Ran = 20.5 Miles

Total Cycled = 20 Miles 

I feel pretty good about my final week of effort before the Door County Half Marathon.  Recently returning to running after injury, I've been in a rebuilding stage.  I think my endurance is there.  My speed?  It needs more work.   Or perhaps just more time.   And perfect weather.  An easy course would be nice too.  Well...it needs a lot.



Tuesday's Mail Box Greetings

I got a decent cross training session on the bike trainer while watching Survivor Wednesday evening. {Up until now I've been cycling watching Sun Records.  Anybody else addicted?}  I'm really loving the comfort of the new Blink 3.0 I received as part of my ambassadorship with Heart Zones.  If you are a chest strap wearer, you would adore the Blink.  It is worn on your forearm and you will not even know it is there. My stats for this easy 20 mile ride:  Time: 66:52  Speed: 17.9  Blink HR: 134  Garmin HR: 136.  A solid effort in my BLUE zone. 

If you are confused about heart rate training check out this link.

Heart Zones does a great job of explaining the different zones.

 I also found a nifty calculator for determining my specific zones. 



Taking advantage of the shade in the park!

I had to rearrange my morning runs due to mid week storms.   Friday morning's run was a steamy, swampy mess.  I took it slow (seriously -- no other choice) and got it done.  Regarding heart rate training, these conditions make it extremely challenging stay in my YELLOW zone and out of the RED.  Blink: 156  Garmin: 158.  Sadly, my weekend runs were a repeat of the same stickiness.   So yeah, no last ditch effort to work on speed.  I did choose my hilliest route on Saturday which is a challenge in itself.  With the humidity?  Ugh.  Just stick a fork in me...



A beautiful April sunset from the Florida panhandle!

As April comes to a close, I'm as ready as I can be for my upcoming half marathon.  I hear from my friend Wendy this will be a hilly course.  However, the weather is shaping up to be a sunny, clear, and breathable mid 40's.  Regardless, I look forward to visiting the scenic Door County peninsula in Wisconsin and banging out half # 45 with my #holotta partner in crime.

And that's a wrap!

There was so many races this weekend!  Did you race?

What are you currently training for?

Do you know your Heart Zones?

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It Is What It Is (WW # 90)

Welcome to the Weekly Wrap!

This link was created to support active women.  
JOIN IN!  Click HERE  to see complete rules.

Tricia and I are thrilled you have chosen to link with us on the Weekly Wrap.  If you link early, please make sure you come back later in the week and check some of the other posts.  Our simple tip to the newcomers for making this linkup work for you:  the more you interact with others, the more they will interact with you.  We hope you'll find the connections, support and motivation you've been searching for right here!

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RECAP:

M  Strength

T   Ran 3.25 Miles (Easy)

W  Nothing!

T   Ran 4.50 Miles (Tempo) + Strength

F   Nothing!

S   Ran 13 Miles (Slow)

S   Ran 6.25 Miles (Recovery)

Total = 27 Miles

In 12 days, I will line up to run my first half marathon of the year.  Wow -- what a difference from my obsessive Half Fanaticism of years gone by.  It will be my 45th half.  A mere seven weeks ago, I was not running due to injury.  Again.  You'd better believe I cycled through it like a crazy old woman to maintain my cardio fitness.  But the harsh reality is, there hasn't been enough time to properly prepare for this race. Throw in a couple of vacations and -- It Is What It Is.   I certainly wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to run in beautiful Door County Wisconsin (a new state!) with my dear friend Wendy. #HoLottaFun  #HoLottaCheese

Did that sound gloomy?  That wasn't the intention.  I'm excited to be back racing the distance I love most.  In fact, I am grateful to be running at all.  Any distance.  Any speed.   If neither of my feet speak to me while running, it's a flat out victory!  So grateful, I am.  (ala Yoda).   It's all about perspective. After two humbling foot injuries in a short span of time, it is not so much about the numbers.  The simple ability to run is now appreciated first and foremost.  The rest?  Delicious gravy. 

A sweaty mascara mess after a tempo run in new SMDS gear.

The previous week was a super active week for me.  With 27 miles running, 20 miles cycling, strength exercises AND water skiing, I started off this week...spent...and with a sore left hamstring.  So my RECAP reports two days of full rest and no cycling.  It Is What It Is.  {Try it, people.  It's liberating!}

In other news, I've been testing the Blink 3.0 Heart Rate, Step and Cadence sensor as part of my new ambassadorship with Heart Zones.  You can see it on my forearm in the picture above.  I want to use it for a while, and also for different activities, before doing a full review.  I can already report it is very comfy and syncs with a host of fitness apps.  I'll be talking more about it, as well as heart rate training, in future posts. 

Glad to be done with 13 miles!  It was my longest run since January.

I opted to run long on Saturday morning due to Sunday's rainy forecast.  Blech, was it warm and humid or what?  I repeated the hilliest loops in my neighborhood to prepare for Door County.   I felt strong through mile 9 and then....yeah, not so much.  It Is What Is It.  {OK OK -- I'll stop now!} 

After the rain moved through Sunday, I went out intending to run just a few recovery miles.  Running at a low heart rate (149 per Blink, 158 per Garmin) and ignoring my pace felt fantastic.  Maybe it was the product of my recently adopted IIWII attitude -- but whatever the case, I did not want to stop.  I made myself quit at 6.25 miles.  

I'll leave you with this deep thought (LOL):  It'd be really special to get rewarded with a little gravy.   But if not, I'm happy with the biscuit.

And that's a wrap! 

Do you track your heart rate?  If yes, what type of monitor do you use?

Do you run using a smart phone app?  If yes, which one?

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