I started last week with high energy, feeling ready to give a really strong effort in all my workouts. After races, I always feel energized and eager to improve and with snowshoe races every weekend I've been riding that energy for a few weeks. On Monday I nailed a solid workout, fought through a Nor'easter to get Tuesday's run in and was feeling good through Wednesday's tabata workout. But Wednesday night, my youngest Liam was up three times. We think he's starting to have night terrors, he wakes up hysterically crying and then clings so tightly to me when I pick him up that I have to pry him off to put him back down. So I've been bringing him into bed with me until he falls asleep and then taking him back to his crib. Three times in one night was exhausting. I have no idea how I trained for Boston last year when this kind of sleep deprivation was the norm?! No wonder I bonked in Boston.

Not getting sleep Wednesday night had me feeling super drained for Thursday's run. By the time Friday (my planned rest day) rolled around I was feeling rundown and on the verge of getting sick. I let my coach know how I was feeling and he suggested a second rest day on Saturday since both snowshoe races for this weekend were cancelled due to lack of snow. I got a good night's sleep on Saturday and a day off was exactly what I needed. By Sunday morning I was feeling like I'd kicked whatever rundown, sickness was coming on.

Here's what last week looked like:

Monday

Planned: 40 min steady state. 10 min warm up and 30 @ 7:30 min/mi pace.

Actual: 10 min warm up and 30 minutes with mile splits at 7:23, 7:26, 7:32, 7:23 Total Miles: 5.45 mi @ 7:50 min/mi

This run was really tough on the way back, the wind was a good 20mph heading home and I really wanted to keep my splits under that 7:30 mark. I had to fight so hard for that third mile where I ran along the coast directly exposed to the headwind. For the final mile I was able to duck inland a bit and change direction, there were some spots where I had a direct headwind with nothing blocking it and that was a challenge again. But I'm pleased I was able to fight through the wind to get the work done. You never know what kind of conditions race-day will bring so I'm a fan of getting out there no matter what. Even if it means not hitting your goal paces...because sometimes you'll surprised yourself and hit your goal paces in adverse conditions and that is a HUGE confidence boost. I suppose that the opposite is also true: when you don't hit your paces in adverse conditions it can be discouraging. But why not at least give yourself the chance and try?

Tuesday

Planned: 45 min easy. 45 min strength training

Actual: 4.82 miles in 47:56 @ 9:57 min/mi; 45 min strength training

A Nor'easter hit the coast of New England on Tuesday and I was strangely excited to go out and run in it. I get a weird thrill out of going out in really bad conditions that no one else wants to run in. The wind gusts were up to 40mph and you could hear the freezing rain pelting the glass. I knew it was going to be slow going, but I had a recovery run planned so I wasn't to worried about a slower pace. When I finally got out there the roads weren't plowed and I probably would have been better off in snowshoes. I had the wind at my back for the first half of the run and then ran into the wind for the second half and basically felt like I was standing still as the freezing rain beat at my face. I stayed dry and relatively warm and wore my STABILIcers for traction.

I followed up the run with a 30 min kettlebell workout and a 15 min core routine.

Wednesday

Planned: 30 min with 2 x (4 x 20 sec max, 10 sec recover)

Actual: 35:53 with 3 x (4 x 20 sec max, 10 sec recover) in the middle, 3.99 @9:00 min/mi

This run was straightforward: warm up, tabatas and then the cool down. I was feeling really good and kind of lost count on the second round of tabatas so did a third set to get me to the end of the road so that my run back would be the cool down.

Thursday

Planned: 30 minutes easy. 45 min strength.

Actual: 3.71 in 34:59 @ 9:25 min/mi; 30 min strength training

This is the night Liam woke up three times. I slept through my first alarm and was slow getting out the door. My run was basically "auto pilot" to get the minutes in and then a scramble to try to get as much of a strength workout as I could manage before the kids woke up. I was able to get in 30 minutes:

3 sets, 10-12 reps

plank w/toe taps

single leg deadlift

KB row

side plank with arm raise

3 sets, 20 reps

crunch

bridge with leg lift

clamshell

side lying leg raise

supine leg raise

1/4 squat on L side for glute activation

Friday

Planned: Rest day

Felt rundown and on the verge of getting sick all day. Liam was up again once on Thursday night.

Saturday

Planned: Snowshoe Race (cancelled)

Actual: rest day

So glad for a rest day, feeling better, like I kicked whatever was making me sick. Got a massage!! Super important to keep up with the maintenance.

Sunday

Planned: 7 easy miles

Actual: 9.01 in 1:20:27 @ 8:56

Met up with some friends who are both training for marathons and agreed to go a couple miles longer just to have some company. The run felt SO easy. It felt like I ran only 4-5 miles and the time flew. I love how that happens when you meet up with friends for long runs. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful day!

I feel really good about last week even with the unplanned rest. It's exactly what my body needed. I'm kind of glad the snowshoe races canceled because it gave me the chance to have a nice easy long run, which I haven't done in a few weeks. This week is a step-back week so I'm running fewer miles. Fingers crossed we get snow for this weekends race!

-Sarah

Want to check out my training and daily musings? Follow me on Instagram.

Or connect with me here, I love getting emails from readers!

Email: RunFarGirl [at] gmail [dot] com

Twitter:@RunFarGirl

Facebook:Facebook.com/runfargirl262

Pinterest: pinterest.com/runfargirl

Training Update: Nor'Easters and Sleepless Nights