sidebar | life and training 10.18 – 10.24

What’s up, fools? This week was about reintegrating into everyday life: work, regular training, and more FMG content development. The increase in free time brought to you by not marathon training has truly been a blessing. The holidays – yes, they’re coming, no denying the passage of time – are my favorite period of the year, and I think if I were marathon training actively such an ordeal would spoil the season.

Travel and family plans are slowly scribbling onto the calendars. J and I plan to visit my sister and her boyfriend the week preceding Thanksgiving, then the sibling flies down the week of turkey day. She also comes back around Christmastime. I am limited on how much time I can take away from work, for practical reasons and out of respect, else I’d just travel constantly. J brought up a random escapade to Salt Late after Thanksgiving, but as I said, gotta be careful with my time off.

We usually do Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, but mom is not into the idea of such a vast crowd of people, so we’re forgoing the organized event and instead taking to a nearby trail to do our workouts. I’m debating whether to attempt a 5K time trial that day, as if I were properly racing. A lot of what might determine that is how my lungs feel, since I’m still struggling with remnant asthma-like symptoms after Chicago. Either way, I do want to make some cute bibs, and as always pumpkin waffles are on the menu thereafter.

The FMG Fall Guide is Here!

Fall doesn’t last forever, friends! In the Fall Guide you’ll find recipes, tips for enjoying outdoor workouts in the darker mornings, and more! After receiving some feedback I’ve made the guide downloadable. Press that cursor here to access the PDF file!

A Few Things I’m Digging

Lifting…It’s funny, I used to deplore lifting and barely went to the gym even when training for other running events. I think so many months of constant cardio work made strength days feel more like recovery, a nice break in routine. In the marathon offseason I intend to get to the gym 5-6 days with different splits on each: back & biceps, shoulders & triceps, legs x 2, and accessory/core work. Looking forward to it!

Hot chocolate…I don’t know where this obsession came from, but every chance I get of late, I heat a very simple homemade cocoa with oat milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and a bit of salt. I added a touch of protein powder one morning and it tasted pretty solid, not to mention extra creamy. Do I need a more elaborate hot chocolate recipe on FMG?

Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Molasses Cookies…I at first was not digging these because they took four trials to nail down, but holy shit, they’re so good. I could eat a whole batch of the dough alone and another batch of the actual cookies. Melt-in-your-mouth soft.

Skincare…I’m slowly overhauling my old skincare habits and forming new ones. Since I’m closer to 30 than 20, I know my complexion will experience rapidly-changing appearances so I figure it’s wise to nip them in the bud now, or leastwise delay their onset. I’m testing out a bevy of new products and am happy to provide some feedback likely in Instagram once I’ve a better idea how well they work!

Pumpkin patches…We’ve a yearly tradition of eating tacos at a place near our neighborhood pumpkin patch, and then picking out our gourds for Halloween carving! The patch closed obscenely early this week, so we wound up just having the tacos and returning the following morning to find our perfect matches. I also got to pet a big floofy Samoyed and it made me unbelievably joyful.

Week in Training

Monday, 10.18: 3.28 miles, 10:40 pace + 45 minute shoulders & triceps

I’m a bastard. I couldn’t pass up the amazing 62 degree morning, so I laced up and tried out my first run back since Chicago. I performed 2 minute run/:30 walk for 35 minutes. It felt strange in many ways, and my breathing still became gunky about halfway through which concerns me a bit. Still, my heartrate stayed very low and manageable, my legs mostly felt good except some twinges here and there, and it overall was amazing to get back outside and enjoy the weather. I walked home to the gym for 20 minutes as well.

Strength:

• 3 x 8 shoulder press
• 3 x 10 overhead triceps extension
• 3 x 10 around-the-worlds
• 3 x 10 upright row
• 3 x 10 lying triceps extension
• 3 x 12 calf raise
• 3 x 12 curtsy lunge
• 3 x 10 ea. windmill
• 3 x (50 flutter kick, 40 scissor kick, 30 bicycles, 20 jackknives, 10 ea. hip dips)

Tuesday, 10.19: 25 miles, 21.1 mph cycling (1:11:14)

Didn’t really know if I wanted to ride at any length before work, so I determined to get 30 minutes done and see how I felt from there. Though my heart rate was still wonky, my legs felt great and I kept up my spin for much longer than I expected! I held 90+ RPM for over an hour and averaged 119W, still not exactly my normal but closer than prior. Snuck out for a 20 minute walk afterwards.

Wednesday, 10.20: 3.89 miles, 10:21 pace + 45 minute legs

Increased my run to 40 minutes of 2 minute run/:30 walk. My legs felt much looser today than Monday…though I decided to murder them in the gym. When I walked into the weight room I encountered a huge roach crawling around, so I threw the bosu ball over it and carried on with my workout. I warned a girl who walked in and she screamed and ran out – guess that’s one way to assure I have the gym to myself.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 + 1 x 8 reverse squat
• 3 x 10 ea. side lunge
• 3 x 10 + 2 x 5 deadlift
• 3 x 10 hip thrust
• 2 x 10 + 2 x 10 heel raised squat (increased weight)
• 4 sets of 30 plank shoulder taps/30 v ups/30 sprinter crunches
• Finisher: 50 body weight squats, 40 lateral hops, 30 bodyweight lunges, 20 leg extensions (10 each), 10 jump lunges

Thursday, 10.21: 23.69 miles, 20.9 mph cycling (1:05:00) + 50 minutes back & biceps

No roach in the gym today, woo! My legs overall spun okay despite being ridiculously sore from yesterday, but my heart rate still climbed way too high and my breathing felt weird. Nonetheless, I’m enjoying a bit of extra time on the bike with my reduced running and especially my accompanying jazz music.

My heartrate monitor failed during half the strength workout, which annoyed me. Was a good one today, though, with a killer finisher you’ll see listed below. LOVE heavy weights and can’t wait to see the progress I make.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 biceps curl
• 3 x 8 + 1 x 6 row
• 3 x 8 reverse fly
• 3 x 10 concentration curls
• 3 x 8 reverse grip row
• 2 x 10/2 x 8/2 x 6 pushup (added weight in descending reps)
• 3 x 10 calf raise
• 3 x 10 single leg calf raise
• 4 x (20 side plank rotations, 10 inchworms, 5 burpees)
• 3 x 10 ea. standing oblique bends

Friday, 10.22: 4 miles, 10:11 pace + 45 minute shoulders & triceps

Really wasn’t feeling a bike session when I got up and was fairly nervous about running considering my lack of leg mobility from Wednesday, but I really wanted to be outside. Run felt really good but I again had issues with my heartrate – I averaged 164 which is ridiculous for that pacing. I don’t know at what point I should be worried, if at all.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 Arnold press
• 3 x 8 overhead triceps extension
• 3 x 8 bent front raise
• 3 x 10 triceps pulses
• 3 x 10 L raise
• 3 x 8 single arm triceps extension
• 3 x 10 barbell overhead press
• 4 x (30 stability ball crunch/30 alternating jackknife/15 ea. hip dips)
• 90 second plank

Saturday, 10.23: 6.22 miles, 10:24 pace + 50 minute legs

I don’t enjoy this late summer humid bullshit, but I was happy to get out for a longer run today. I tooled around one of my favorite routes and enjoyed the morning quiet. Averaged 162 bpm, which isn’t where I want to be, but it’s a bit better.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 bosu ball lunges
• 3 x 8 squat
• 3 x 8 deadlift
• 3 x 10 hip thrust
• 3 x 8 + 1 x 5 single leg deadlift
• 3 x (10 jump squats/10 jump lunges/10 lateral hops)
• 4 x (20 reverse tables/15 knee tucks/10 stability ball leg drops)
• 3 x 20 stability ball deadbugs
• 3 x 30 plank hip swivels

Sunday, 10.24: 2.5 mile walk

Thankful for a day off formal training! I strolled around early in the morning and actually was able to have a cup of coffee since, for obvious reasons, I forewent my usual preworkout. So relaxing, even though at night for some reason I was wiped and went to bed before 8 pm. I’m getting old.

Total running mileage: 17.4

Total cycling mileage: 48.7

Total swimming yardage: 0!