Hello and happy Tuesday! I have a chance to recap my training last week closer to the beginning rather than the end of this week, so that’s progress. Let’s do it!

Week 6 was a tale of two very different modes; the beginning was slow, tired, and generally just blah. The end turned a corner though, and the last three days were A+ training. I was originally planning on following a very formulaic, pre-planned schedule for this cycle, but so far that hasn’t really worked out — and that’s totally okay. I’m mostly just letting things ebb and flow according to how I feel, and last week was a perfect example of how such a method is so helpful sometimes. I’m starting to realize that extra rest is sometimes more beneficial than a hard, fast workout — and in a lot of ways they’re both a means to the same end.

Here’s the nitty gritty:

M: Rest

T: 8 miles + lifting

Would you look at that, I finally got back to the weights. Adam and I forced ourselves to the overcrowded, post-work gym and followed a tough, major muscle group routine. And guess what happens when you don’t do more than push-ups and planks for 2 months then lift a whole lot? You’re sore for the entire week after. It was our intent to lift again on Thursday, but there would have been no point…we were hurting too badly. But it’s a start! I love lifting with Adam because he gets me to do lifts I ordinarily don’t do on my own.

W: November Project workout + run to/from (~6 miles)

Imagine my horror when upon getting to NP, we were instructed to kick things off with “100 100s,” which is 100 push-ups and 100 leg-throw downs (read: ab destroyers) spread out over a few sets. After my night of muscle-shaking weight training, I was not psyched. But, I got it done, and I enjoyed the rest of the workout a lot (running interspersed with lunges, mountain climbers, and burpees (wait, I hated those…)). GO TO NOVEMBER PROJECT.

T: Rest, unplanned, but necessary

F: November Project workout + run to (8.75 miles total)

Hills! This was an awesome workout, and it gave me a bit of a confidence boost. Essentially, for 35 minutes, we ran up and down a ~0.3 mile hill. I finished with about 4.5 miles total, which I was uber pleased about since my uphill running definitely leaves something to be desired. I ran the entire time with an ultrarunner, and I feel like the distraction/company helped me push the pace.

Also, you can’t really tell in the above photo, but I was wearing an ear-warmer, and most people showed up in down coats and leggings. Yep, 34 degrees on September 12. Colorado is weird.

S: Mt. Bierstadt! 7 miles roundtrip, 2,850 feet elevation gain

I summited my 10th 14er of the summer with Julia, and it was fan-flipping-tastic. The weather was gorgeous, the trees were teetering perfectly between green and yellow, and we kicked some major mountain butt. 3.5 hours roundtrip, not including a lovely stop on the summit. I’m pretty sure half the people of Denver were on the mountain with us, but it didn’t really matter. So fun.

S: 14 miles

A solid long run following last week’s disaster. 8:25-ish average, felt great the whole time, and got to see some new parts of Denver.

Total= 36.75 miles (running)

A nice little step back week, including a solid ending. I’m starting to feel a little more spring in my step than I have been, and I’m happy to remember what that’s like.

We finished off the week sweating it out at the Broncos game, and I mean that both very literally and very figuratively. But, they pulled through in the end, much unlike our NFC friends to the north who let Phil Rivers get away with an upset. I’m not naming names, but…LOL.

Have a stellar week!