So last I checked in on the running front I had done a 9 miler on Sunday.

This is what has been completed:

Monday:

6ish Miles outside in the industrial park at work.  Testing out the Newtons, so I didn’t put any pressure on myself by wearing my Garmin or any silliness like that.  The Newtons are different in that they are a zero drop shoe, with lugs in the mid-foot to provide extra cushioning and balance.  You can definitely feel the lugs at first-  they feel like a big lump in the shoe that you foot rolls over- but after a 3 miles or so I forgot about the different shoes.  I remembered again at 5 miles, because the shoe was causing me to use ever so slightly different muscle groups and they were all getting a little tired.  Overall time: 51 minutes.

Tuesday:

6 Miles total w/ 4 miles @ 7:15 pace (had to get them done ASAP) to get to the Muscle Pump class at 5:30.

I didn’t sleep well at all Monday night, so to say that I was not enthusiastic for what I had planned for Tuesday evening was an understatement.  I felt off all day- headache, slightly congested/drippy nose- but did I let it stop me?  Nope!

Also, I forgot my headphones.  BIG FAIL considering 6 miles with 4 at tempo is not exactly a walk in the day-dreaming park.  Workouts like that require some type of motivation or distraction for me-  not just staring at the other gym patrons… and losing at solitaire (yes, the treadmills at my gym have solitaire built into them for your playing pleasure- simply agree “not to use at speeds over 4.5 mph”  READ –> if you fall off it is your fault).  But I did it.  I lost 5 games of solitaire (aka I gave up and hit “new game”) and I raced a random chick running next to me to get through the last mile at tempo…  then sort of read lips on the big tv’s to round out the last mile.

Muscle Pump is one of my goals for the next couple of months leading into training for Boston.  The gym near my office has some good classes, and so does the gym near my house.  I have been favoring the gym near my office for convenience- some days I can pop out at lunch time to get a quick workout in.  Needless to say, I am going to be hella sore tomorrow.  I hadn’t done a muscle class in at least two weeks- and do I go down in weights at all?  Oh, no- this girl just grabs the heavy stuff and keeps on trucking.  ughhh.

Wednesday (planned):

1 hour  arc trainer (active recovery), core, and foam rolling

Thursday (planned):

8 Miles (most likely TM, since it will be an early AM workout) – what I like to call the 2x2x3x1 workout-  for me it is 2 miles@ 6.8 mph, 2 @ 7.2 mph 3@ 8mph, 1 @ 6.8.  This is one of my favorite treadmill workouts since I began running seriously-  when I can get through it and it all seems easy peasy, I know I am in pretty good shape.  I’m almost there.

Friday-  a toss up.  I am teaching at my second job at the Museum right after work, so if I get to run it would be 6 or 7 miles outside at the office.

The weekend:  TBD.  Either rest and a race or a LR and some muscle.  I am undecided at the moment!

Questions to all of you-

Do you plan your workouts ahead?  Is it comforting or daunting to do it?

How many rest days do you take?

Favorite recovery food?