The theme of the week was friends, and I attribute my running comeback to great weather, loads of laughter, and miles of smiles!
I’ve been thinking about my running plans for 2018 a lot lately. It’s been a source of anxiety for me for the last couple of weeks. Last year at this time, I knew what I wanted to do, how far I wanted to run, and had a basic road map of where I was going. This time around it feels like things are very much up in the air. I’ve had some clarity in the last few days, which has helped a bit, but I still have a lot more sole searching to do before I make any final decisions.
In related news, taking some major time off from running has worked wonders for me. I ran a total of 50.95 miles in November. That’s the lowest mileage I’ve had in months. My average monthly mileage through training from January through October was 140 miles. That’s a drastic reduction! But wow did I need it.
After that much needed break, I finally felt ready to tackle some mileage last week. I ended up logging 24 miles which is significant considering how low my mileage has been lately. I planned all my runs with others, and I think without that external motivation I might have sat out a day or two longer.
My plan is to begin training again in the next month or so, but I’ve got some nagging tendinitis that might need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
It’s Miles of Smiles When Running with Friends!
Monday — 3 miles
My husband and I ran two miles together on Monday. Even though it was tough and I would have preferred to quit, I really wanted a 3-miler to start off the week. I continued on for another mile and finished strong.
Tuesday — 4.15 miles
Tuesday was an adventure! I met a new friend at a local park and we logged four miles together. Afterward I took my husband out for a birthday breakfast and we spent the day goofing around together. Such fun!
Wednesday — 5.03 miles
I was up bright and early to meet Ben for sunrise miles on Wednesday. We ran on quiet neighborhood streets and through the downtown area of a local small town. Holiday lights made the run feel festive and easy! It was a nice way to start the day.
Friday — 6.01 miles
On Friday I met my friend Carole to run one of my favorite routes. I can be found there often logging double digit miles in the height of marathon training. But it’s also one of the hilliest, and most challenging, routes nearby. It’s not the rolling hills that make it a challenge. It’s the length and the climb that makes them beastly. 2 miles up to start. Any takers?
I hadn’t run in this particular location in a long while. It was nice to get back there! Carole and I had a great time, chit-chatting the miles away. It was so slippery, though! I found myself running on the grass on the edge of the path quite a bit. (I had no interest in biting it on asphalt, ya know?)
Sunday — 6.11 miles + strength training
I had an amazing run on Sunday! A small group of us ran some trails together. I ran much faster than I had planned, but I felt pretty good through the run. We spent about an hour on the trails and ended up with just over 6 miles.
I trained a client after my run, and then got so inspired by her I decided to do a strength workout as well. My husband joined in and afterward I felt sufficiently exhausted. A great Sunday!
Last week was a resounding success in terms of running. The weather was perfect, there was abundant sunshine, and I had the pleasure of having some amazing running company. My running comeback felt terrific — and I’m glad to be back!
xo
Let’s talk!
Have you taken a significant break from running?
Pick one: roads or trails?
Linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin’ for the Weekly Wrap, and My No-Guilt Life, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and MCM Mama Runs for Tuesdays on the Run.
