Kinda Felt Like Flying

This week was all about recovery for me after my race last weekend. Running continues to be the best way to work through life these days. Right now,  I'm not following any specific training and it's been fun to just wing it. While I do have a live 5k and a virtual half next month, they aren't goal races. Instead, my strength coach and I are shifting focus to a heavy lifting cycle. 

Weekly Rundown

Monday: CrossFit with 1 mile running

Tuesday: rest day

Wednesday: Trail run 6 miles

Thursday: Run 2 miles, Strength Train

Friday: Run 5.5 miles

Saturday: Hike ~3 miles

Sunday: Run 7 miles

Running

After last Saturday's live half marathon, aware of the need for recovery, I wanted to continue to run as part of my mileage challenge for breast cancer awareness this month. Part of Monday's WOD included 400m sprints; I was pleasantly surprised at how good my legs felt. But on Wednesday when I took to the trails for my run, I was feeling the DOMS from both my race and the WOD. It was a perfect opportunity to slow down and the single track works well for that. The weather was spectacular and I really enjoyed my time in the woods. The colors are really starting to pop!

I woke up Thursday morning in a funk. It was another gorgeous day so I laced up my shoes and threw down a zippy (16:29) 2 mile loop around the retention pond. I know it probably wasn't a good idea to push the pace like that with heavy lifting later that morning but you know what? I felt the need for speed and nothing else would do. You might be judging me--after all, I was supposed to be recovering this week from that half marathon. You might really be judging me when I tell you that I ran again on Friday. Like I said, I needed it. I know I'm skating on thin ice--hello old arthritic knees--but running is my therapy. Friday morning was beautiful, my tempo-ish run felt great, and I have zero regrets. More miles in the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Research Foundation donation bank.

Sunday morning at the lake was cool and overcast. I laced up and ran along the lake, hills and all. I surprised myself--just a few months ago, I had to walk up every single one of these hills. Fully prepared to run/walk, my legs gave me a gift and I truly felt like I was flying. I felt like could have run forever. How often do we get a run that feels like that?

CrossFit/Strength

Monday's WOD was a tough one! Anytime there are thrusters in the workout, I'm tempted to skip it, but there was also running. And deadlifts. You know I went. The WOD started with a 12 minute EMOM of alternating thrusters x8 (I did 55#) and burpees x8. I had to drop a couple of thrusters in the las couple of set. My arms just weren't having it. The MetCon was 3 rounds for time of those 400m runs, 10 handstand pushups (I did negatives down to an ab mat x4), 12 deadlifts (125#), and 14 box jump overs (I did step ups). I felt this one for a couple of days!

On Thursday, we kicked off my heavy strength cycle. I don't think SJ was too pleased with my 2 mile run, but I promised that I could push myself and I did. She loaded up the barbell with 105# for 4 sets of back squats x 10 reps. Yeah, it was hard. She had me alternate those with banded lat pull downs. Then I alternated 3 sets of RDLs using a 25# KB with triceps kickbacks. I finished up with the heavy bag carry, 75# x 3 laps. Tired. A happy, satisfied, sore kind of tired.

Hiking

My husband and I took a much needed ride up to the lake house. My anxiety has been off the charts this week, but it melted away as soon as we crossed the border into Wisconsin. I know, I know, Wisco is off the charts COVID-wise, but as always, we packed everything we needed for the weekend so we wouldn't have to go to the store or anything that involved people. The weather was perfection and I convinced my husband to hike with me on the Gibraltar Rock segment of the Ice Age Trail. You may remember me going there last spring with my son. The trail didn't disappoint! Cocoa enjoyed it as well, although her fur was matted with burrs when we finished. The colors weren't quite at their peak, but I think you'll agree that they were pretty lovely. 

Lake Wisconsin from the top of Gibraltar Rock

This is Gibraltar Rock from the road. If you click on the photo, you can see the people on the rock!

My best friend and me

Later, we took a boat ride around Lake Wisconsin and enjoyed the foliage. No, I did not go waterskiing. The water temperature was 51 degrees--too cold even for me! Too bad, because the conditions were perfect. 

Cocoa loves the boat!

Here's to hoping that the calm I got from our little getaway stays with me for a while. There's nothing like the outdoors to chase all that ick away. On Friday, I'll be sharing some random stuff from this week. I got some fun mail I wanted to share along with some other goodness.

How was your week? Are you basking in beautiful fall weather? Anyone else having some really good runs?

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