Sunday, May 31, 2020

An Escape

The week started off so well. Memorial Day was spent at home with my family. Both boys came over and as always it was great to have everyone together. As the week progressed, the heat was on and I did my share of complaining about slogging through swampy conditions on the trails.

Then came the terrible news out of Minneapolis and following that, the subsequent protests and violence. While this is a running blog, I just can't post this week without commenting on how much the turmoil in our country is affecting me. Sleep was a challenge--I woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat with the image of George Floyd, on the ground, pleading for his life. I don't understand how a person develops such hatred for another, without knowing anything about them except for skin color or religion or whatever. This could have happened anywhere. It has to stop. I don't have answers but I don't think violence and destruction are useful.

All of this is happening on the heels of the COVID pandemic, which is causing a great deal of fear and divisiveness as well. I'm feeling overwhelmed and helpless with all the bad news. I wrapped up my week with a heavy heart, once again. I am grateful for the love of my family and friends. I am grateful for the running, which gives me a chance to escape and process my feelings.

I pray for peace.



Weekly Rundown
Monday: Murph (including 2 miles running)
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: trail 10k for the Uncanceled Project
Thursday: Strength training and CrossFit+1250m running
Friday: rest
Saturday: Run 8 miles, Hike 2 miles
Sunday: Run 5k for the Virtual Cure Arthritis Challenge

Total miles for May: 107

It was another 100+ mile month! Every day that I worked out this week had some running. Because of this, instead of breaking down my workouts by type, I'm going to share them as they happened.

On Monday, Memorial Day, I did a modified virtual Murph. Murph is done at CrossFit boxes nationwide to commemorate Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy Seal who sacrificed his life to save his fellow soldiers during the war in Afghanistan. The workout starts with a mile run followed by 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and ends with a mile run. I don't have pullups yet, so I did 100 TRX body rows. I broke the workout into 10 rounds, which was completely doable. I couldn't do 200 strict push-ups--I ended up doing about half of them on my knees. I was thrilled was that both my miles were almost identical: 8:34 and 8:39. Considering the difficulty of the workout and the humidity I ran in, this was a huge win for me!

Victorious after finishing the full (modified) Murph

I felt the Murph DOMS mostly on Wednesday. I was sore and tired when I hit the trails for my Uncanceled Project 10k. The humidity didn't help, either. The trails were much less muddy than they had been on the weekend, but this week I had a new issue--mosquitoes. I took a detour into the woods and when I stopped to walk through some mud I became breakfast for the little pests. I swear, if I ever get this trail running thing figured out, it will be a miracle. I still had those blisters on my foot to contend with as well. The theme of this run was joy but I was not really feeling joyful, though I was grateful for the shade, which kept me cooler than had I been running on the road. The beauty of the trail makes it all worthwhile.


It was back to the weights on Thursday. Coach Sammy Jo programmed an interesting session for me--I did a resistance band move called Side Palloff Presses, which works the core, helping to build stability. She had me alternate those with supermans that I had to hold. That was followed by a 10 minute EMOM of front squats alternating with the evil wheel. I finished with 3 rounds of skater jumps, tempo pushups, and banded bicep curls. I also did the day's WOD, which was a good old-fashioned bootcamp style 35 minute AMRAP of 10 each KB swings, situps, shoulder to OH, lunges, plank step-ups, DB snatches, and bulgarian split squats. Every 5 minutes, there was a 200m run, which I did on the treadmill. I made it through 7 full rounds and finished with lunges in the 8th round.

Got my lifting face on, I guess!
We took a ride up to Lake Wisconsin on Saturday. It was cool but the sun was shining. When we arrived, I laced up my Run Happy shoes and ran along the lake. Perfect conditons should have made for a perfect run, but this run felt hard. Looking at my paces, I'm just running these long runs too fast.  This week, I start training for the Ice Age 50k and I am going to focus on slowing down.


My oldest son drove up from Chicago and we went hiking at the Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area. I can't believe that after all these years of traveling here, I've never been there! The trail is part of the Ice Age Trail, which was formed by the glaciers as they moved across Wisconsin. We were awed and amazed and we will go back. Climbing up there, surveying the countryside around us, it's hard to believe that anything bad is going on in the world.


My youngest son drove over from Madison and joined us for dinner, a boat ride, and a bonfire. My heart was full. It truly was the escape that I needed.


I wrapped up the week with the Cure Arthritis Challenge virtual 5k on Sunday. May is Arthritis Awareness Month--I've been posting about it and all monthe I've been participating in the Instagram #curearthritis streak.



What's missing from my workouts? Yoga. I have to get better about finding time to hit the mat. I am missing it and I am feeling it. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had such painful DOMS had I done a little stretching after I did Murph. I've got some goals for next week for sure.

How was your week? Did you battle the heat and humidity? Are you making time for yoga? Do you have any advice how to slow down?

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown.


42 comments :

  1. Yoga has been MIA for me too. I need it. Like you, I'm not sleeping well either. I'm trying to figure out what the lesson is in all of our horrible national turmoil. Glad you had a chance to escape and enjoy some peaceful times with family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There were riots in Madison too; Matthew went back last night but I was nervous! He got up early this morning to help clean up.

      Delete
  2. Yoga has not been in my plan for a few weeks which is probably why I feel so stiff! I just looked up those kneeling presses I like them and I will try them this week. Wow another great month of running mileage for you. That hiking trail looks like the perfect escape from everything!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This week has been really, really bad. To have all of this happening in the middle of a pandemic is also so scary. Like you, I'm praying for peace.

    That murph workout was a beast! I was sore for days after, but also plan on doing it again next year.

    So glad that you were able to get away this weekend and spend quality time with family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really scared for what is next, but having a little time away to regroup and calm my anxiety is a good thing.

      Delete
  4. Such a nice photo of you and your sons! I'm glad you had some time with them.
    Well done with the 10k trail run. No mud or toilet stops but mosquitos! Trail running is definitely not for the faint-hearted!

    ReplyDelete
  5. We had an extra helping of hot n'humid over here this week and man it was so tough! Your weekend getaway looks so peaceful. Congrats on another century month for running!

    ReplyDelete
  6. We went back and forth from heat & humidity to now Fall like temps. I embraced it all!

    My short long run today was hard, but definitely not because I was running too fast.

    That hike looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really was! I love having stuff like this to do with my guys.

      Delete
  7. I've been crap at yoga during lockdown though I have been doing some SI joint stretches the last few days and guess what?! I am so sorry for what is happening in the US. I saw the still pictures of Mr Floyd being killed, and am haunted by them (of course I couldn't make them out, peered in, oh god). I'm trying to share more Black Lives Matter stuff and seeking solutions I can be a part of in the UK. Lots of love to you and well done on a beautifully strong week full of family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you my friend! I think many of us feel as you do--we want to make it better. This is terrible.

      Delete
  8. Your hike looks amazing! And time with your boys is always good these days. On the heavier issues, I don’t even think it’s hate. I’m more and more convinced it’s a deep racism that lets you see a person as some “other” whose life just doesn’t matter. :-(

    ReplyDelete
  9. Time with your sons is always a very good thing!! I'm glad you got to escape all of the madness that seems to be completely consuming this country. It's been a hard week on so many levels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My heart is hurting so much. I hate what is happening. It is not who we are.

      Delete
  10. You know that I've been struggling to fit yoga into my routine. Not sure why, but it just hasn't been happening.

    How wonderful that you were able to spend time with your sons. I'm so grateful that our sons (and the girls) have been visiting us even if I haven't been able to give them a hug.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great job on the Murph challenge! The heat and humdity were rough at the start of the week - like a crash course in acclimation!
    I've been haunted by the George Floyd (and Ahmaud, and Breonna, and far too many others) this week. I worry about if my neighbors or coaching clients have ever encountered racism. I just don't understand how people can treat other people like that. I'm already trying to figure out how to raise my daughter to be an ally, because racism is so deep-seated that I know it will sadly continue exist, but we have to do even the small things to fight it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just do your best. Be kind and show kindness to everyone. We all do the best we can. <3

      Delete
  12. Great photo of you and your kids, glad you could be together and escape a bit. What a heavy week. I too slept so terribly, and cannot comprehend how such hatred exists. So sad...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm with you on the unrest of the country. My sleep tanked this week as well. So much to process that my brain can't shut off. Seeing you with your kids and fur kid made me so happy because you look happy. I'm glad you had a good weekend. And yeah...have you seen my yoga mat? I've slacked off big time and my body is talking to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel so lucky that we got another weekend together. It truly is a gift to be able to spend time with them. And yeah, there will be yoga this week. I need it!

      Delete
  14. The picture of your and your sons just warms my heart. How wonderful to spend time with them! That area looks amazing! Congrats on that murph workout. You and your amazing arms :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love spending time with my boys-it is such a treat and a reward after some turbulent teenage years!

      Delete
  15. My Murph DOMS hit me Tuesday morning like a rock, but only in the pecs/shoulders. Not sure why the squats DOMS were MIA...though I did a bunch of awkward garden squatting afterwards, so maybe that was the "stretching" those muscles needed to work out the kinks LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I felt those DOMS all week. This morning is the first time I've woken up without any soreness.

      Delete
  16. Your trip seems like it came at the perfect time! I've been a little better about keeping up with yoga, but my sessions are pretty short. Better than nothing I guess!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We plan on spending as much time as possible up there this summer!

      Delete
  17. Sounds like you had a nice time with your boys. I try to fit in one yoga aka recovery session a week.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm glad you got to get away and spend some time with your sons. This has been an incredibly rough week on tope of an incredibly tough two months, it's no wonder you are sad, discouraged, and exhausted. I feel the same, plus helpless. The violence is horrifying yet understandable. You hold someone down for so long they're going to fight back.

    Good job on your monthly mileage! I'm so glad your running is going well for you. And yes, you tend to run too fast on your long runs. Nothing new about that! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But I'm definitely going to make that change! I'll never survive my training plan if I keep running like that!

      Delete
  19. I am sure it truly did your soul good to have that time with them. On the heels of everything going on, you deserved that respite. It's hard to find the right words to say right now, but I think that people speaking up, standing up, listening and seeing is going to help facilitate the change we so desperately need.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You had such a great week! I love those shoes too. I am excited to follow along on your training for the 50k. I am also sad with everything that is going on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been a really challenging couple of months, hasn't it?

      Delete
  21. Have you read the book Fixing your Feet? It's such a great resource!

    ReplyDelete