Happy holidays! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday week/weekend. Mine was low-key and included a lot of running, which is just the way I like it. Here’s how training for the Charleston marathon went this past week:
Monday: 6 treadmill miles before work, 8:45 min/mile average
Tuesday: Long treadmill workout!
25 min warm-up, 21 min of 3x (4min@8:20-8:15, 3min@8:00-7:55), 3min easy jog, 4x (90 sec@ 7:15-7:00, 90 sec easy),3 min easy jog, 14min of 2x (4 min@ 8:20-8:15, 3 min@ 7:50-7:40), 3 min easy jog, 4x (30 sec@ 6:50-6:40, 2 min easy jog), 15 min cool down. 11.3 miles total.
The workout was kind of a complicated one but my coach uses “VDOT 02,” with that software, the workout will auto-load right to my Garmin, I don’t have to bother programming it myself, which is great. This was also a good one to do on the treadmill, as it was in ‘minutes’ vs. distance. Sometimes my Garmin and treadmill don’t align for distance, but at least with a time based workout, I can still use my Garmin for the sets, but use the distance and paces on my treadmill.
After work- 35 minutes of lower body on Peloton: 15 min glutes & legs with Selena, 10 min glutes & legs with Callie, & 10 min glutes & legs with Matty
Wednesday: The power company was replacing a pole in the alley, so we lost power around 9 am, including the internet. I couldn’t work, so instead I took Ruth for a quick 4 mile run, 8:30 min/mile average. I finished up my scheduled miles after work on the treadmill with 6 more miles, 9 min/mile average, watching “The Great” on Hulu, followed by a 20 min strength for runners + 10 min core on the Peloton app.
10 miles on the day.
Thursday: Rest from running!
Due to the holiday, I moved my long run to Friday, so my rest day was Thursday. I did 40 minutes of upper body (2×10 min arms & light weights with Tunde and 20 min chest & back with Andy) and walked the dogs (it was 38 degrees!) but that was it for the day.
Friday: Christmas Eve solo 20 miler! I lucked out with the weather, as it was in the upper 30’s and felt downright balmy.
I ran down Minnehaha Parkway to Lake Nokomis and then added Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles at the end to get to 20. Not my worst 20 miler, not my best, but I got it done!
I was sure to visit Peter Cottontail on the Trail on Minnehaha Parkway. He was looking festive!
Saturday: Merry Christmas! I did a quick 4-mile run with Ruth before a low-key celebration. We celebrated with Dustin’s family when we were in Arizona earlier this month, and my parents were staying closer to home, so it was just Dustin and me. It was lovely.
Kim from Kim Runs on the Fly put together this fun collage of several of the bloggers who participate in this weekly link-up, getting some fitness in over the holiday!
Sunday: 10 miles, 8:30 min/mile average. It was 13 degrees with a feels like of 4, so I tested out some new winter running gear from Santa, like these purple Rainier tights from Athleta and this cozy Craft ADV SUBZ jacket.
Summary: 61 miles of running, a mix of strength on the Peloton app (still loving it!) This was probably my biggest mileage week for Charleston; I won’t be tapering quite yet, but I don’t think I’ll do another 20 miler.
One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was from my dad (and mom.) I sent him a picture of something similar I saw online a few months ago, and he turned it into this!
Obviously the Barkley Marathon is not a race we will ever do- ha! He made other boards with other distances that we can change out as we please. We can add times with dry-erase markers or chalk on the other side. Pretty fancy!
It turned out so well. Way to go Dad! We love it.
That’s it for the week- I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. See you next weekend!
I’m linking up with Running on the Fly and Confessions of a Mother Runner as part of their Weekly Rundown. Check it out!
Great job on that 20 miler! Hopefully, you weren’t hosting Christmas Eve! And that PR board your dad made is amazing!
I love the rainier tights from Athleta–I got a pair last year on sale and they are just amazing. I need to see if they have them on sale now…
Thank you Wendy! I am so proud of my dad’s craftsmanship!
The Rainier tights in purple and in red are on sale right now!
That is the best gift ever from your dad! I love it and I am sure you both do too. Wow it is already so cold there! Way to get it done this week
Thank you Deborah. He did a wonderful job on it!
That’s a really cool race board — and even better that your Dad made it. <3 I can’t believe you stacked two Tunde arms workouts.
Tunde’s classes are great! My triceps were sore for sure.
Great week…wow, all those miles! The board from your dad is absolutely beautiful! Way to go on the solo 20-miler, those super long runs are tough!
Solo 20 milers are good for mental strength!
I love reading your posts because your life is so different than mine, and you make it all sound so appealing- even living in Minnesota. In real life I’m sure I would hate it (so cold and dark) but your pictures are beautiful. And my fantasy self would definitely be running 60 miles a week!
So your dad made that? What a great gift!!! What a great dad! Sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas.
Minnesota and Florida are so very different 🙂 And of course, not having kids leaves me with a bit more time for 60+ miles of running.
Thanks for the kind words, my dad did such a great job on the PR board!
Congrats on your solo 20 miler! Love the photo of Peter Cottontail with the hats. I love finding that kind of stuff around!
Your Dad is really talented — what a great gift!
Thank you Judy!
That board is such a fun gift! I saw the Barkley Marathon and thought really? They’re gonna do it?? Hahaha! Did your Ranier tights perform well in that temperature? I love mine but haven’t run in weather that cold yet. Love the purple! Hooray for a solid 20 miler. That’s always something to celebrate!
No way! My dad saw the documentary about the Barkley Marathon though and he just had to add it as a joke. I don’t even have plans to do most of the others (50k, 50 mile, 100 mile) but Dustin does. I figure we can switch them out if we are excited about a particular race time.
wow – 20 miles alone. that is tough. I need company for any run over 4 miles lol
What a great gift. Your dad is talented. Can’t wait to watch to add PRs to the board in 2022..
Happy New Year.
20 miles solo wasn’t so terrible. I’m “alone” for the marathon too so I guess its good practice!
Yes, my dad did such an amazing job on that gift, I love it and am excited to update some PR’s in 2022!
What a brilliant gift from your dad! Christmas Day was just me and Matthew and we made an epic lunch, I loved running to and round and home from parkrun and seeing all my friends there, and it was brilliant joining in the collage (plus it made me start writing posts for the link-up again, not just commenting on everyone else’s!). Happy Christmas and best wishes for a lovely 2022 x
Sounds like you had a lovely Christmas Liz! Best wishes to you as well for 2022!
How was the jacket? The zipper on my hybrid jacket broke yesterday so I am on the search for a new one. I am in Iowa so the temps are pretty cold and the wind is brutal! And the tights are great? I’ve been so hesitant to try a new pair of winter tights because I love my old ones. I am worried that I will make the investment and hate them!
Hi Jackie! I LOVE the jacket- I think Craft gear is worth the price. I have a few other jackets of theirs and they have really held up and are quite warm!
The rainier tights are probably best for temps from 15-25; they are warm, but I’ll need to double up on the really cold Minnesota runs!
I have a super ugly pair of tights that have wind-blocker fabric on the front when I need to double up. I did that on our Turkey Trot this year as it was 13 degrees and constant winds at 15 mph. I looked like a moose but I was warm! I have such a hard time figuring out if tights are warm as the reviews are submitted by people that just run errands in them or are in warmer climates. Good to know that the Rainer tights are good down to 15.
Some of the warmest tights are not the cutest, that’s for sure! I have a VERY warm pair from Craft that are so unflattering, but who cares? They are warm enough for the coldest Minnesota winter run 🙂
I think you can trust a Minnesotan’s reviews, ha! We have it the worst up here, though I have been opting for the treadmill this week as its icy out there. I’ve already broken a leg twice slipping on the ice. If I do it a third time, I need to find a new hobby!
What an awesome gift your dad made!
20 miles solo is challenging! Well done!
Thanks Michelle! Happy New Year!
38->13. Yikes!
Glad that wrokout auto loads to your Garmin, I’m not sure I could math that before coffee. When we were marathon training there was one that was maaaybe 20% as complicated and we all lost track
Love the purple tights and the PR board, such a beautiful idea.
Right! It got cold quickly, but I’m so glad I got my long run in outside before the temps dipped.
Having the workout load automatically is a HUGE time saver!
Your dad did a fantastic job on your PR board! I’m sorry, but if the Barkley Marathon is on the board it means you must do it. LOL I love that he gave you alternative distances to choose from!
ha! I don’t think I even have a chance of getting my name in there for the Barkley Marathon, unless I’m the one that he chooses that has zero chance (the sacrificial lamb or whatever he calls it!
Oh, I love the new PR board! That’s fabulous!
I am all about the lowkey holiday right now. It just seems easier.
[…] distance at ~2.5 miles each way. And I got to try out the amazing Athleta Rainier tights that Jessie and Deborah had posted about. Cameo from the Brooks gloves which I bought myself when Deborah […]