Week 49: Day 7 - December 11, 2016

• Holiday Half Marathon = 13.1 miles; time = 2:13:00 (official finish time); pace @ 10:09
• easy walk with dogs = 2.6 miles

Running: 

Total Weekly Mileage: 24.16

Total Monthly Mileage: 44.53

Total Yearly Mileage: 929.71

Total Shoe Mileage: 341.46

Cycling: 

Total Weekly Mileage: 60.9

Total Monthly Mileage: 60.9

Total Yearly Mileage: 1701.98

I can take a rest day tomorrow. I do not plan to ride/bike to work. My legs are not that bad right now, but I will probably become very sore if I do ride to work tomorrow. I am working on Tuesday morning to fill in someone else's shift, and going to work by bike is questionable. Most likely, I am. Even though I want to do some easy, recovery runs later in the week, I also want to catch up on sleep. I need to sleep and I can finally catch up on it!

I also think it's time to get new shoes...although the current pair will do okay for a few more miles

Week 49: Day 5 - December 09, 2016

• trail/road run (solo) = 6.28 miles; time = 1:12:50; average pace @ 11:36
• easy walk with dogs = 2.6 miles
• bike commute to mall (free birthday meal @ red robin) = 22.88 miles total; 1:52:44; average pace @ 12.2 mph

Last training run before the race! I am so ready for the race on Sunday! I was going to do a run yesterday, but I really struggled mentally to get started and a run never happened. I felt better to run this morning. I almost didn't want to do a bike ride out of laziness, but I felt much better once I got started.

Week 49: Day 2 - December 06, 2016

• trail/road run (solo) = 4.78 miles; time = 57:27; average pace @ 12:01
• easy walk with dogs = 2.6 miles

Yesterday morning felt way colder than this morning. I wish the weather/temperature switched places, so I could run in colder temperatures. After I walk my dogs tomorrow morning, I plan to go back to sleep until it is time to walk my dogs again and get ready for work. I need sleep!

Week 49: Day 1 - December 05, 2016

• bike commute to work - 38.04 miles total; time = 2:58:08; average pace @ 12.8 mph
• easy walk with dogs = 2.6 miles

I forgot to wear gloves while commuting to work this morning. Normally, I can handle 45 F degrees weather when I'm running because running makes me hot and it doesn't take much for me to get hot, but it's different on a bike. My hands were so stiff frozen when I got to work that I had to put my hands in running hot (to the point of tolerable) until they felt better. Going home was different and much better.

Week 48: Day 7 - December 04, 2016

• long road run (solo) = 10.19 miles; time = 1:58:54; average pace @ 11:40
• easy walk with dogs = 2.5 miles

Running:
Total Weekly Mileage: 25.22
Total Monthly (November) Mileage: 116.23
Total Monthly (December) Mileage: 20.37
Total Yearly Mileage: 905.55
Total Shoe Mileage: 317.30

Cycling:
Total Weekly Mileage: 36.7
Total Monthly (November) Mileage: 163.24
Total Monthly (December) Mileage: 0
Total Yearly Mileage: 1641.08

Final long run today. I have three training runs left and then the race next weekend. After next weekend, I will do a few easy, recovery runs and get lots of sleep. I need to catch up on sleep! I'm always tired!

Week 48: Day 5 - December 02, 2016

• road/trail run (solo) = 6.65 miles; time = 1:13:44; average pace @ 11:05
• easy walk with dogs = 2.5 miles

I had plans to do a bike ride today, but I was on the bike for all of two feet when I realized that my patched up tire was flat. Because I had no idea how to patch up a tiny hole in a bike tube. So I changed out the "bad" tube for a new tube. I lost motivation to ride my bike when I was done. On the bright side, it took me ten to fifteen minutes for the whole process of changing a flat on a bike. I feel like a pro with that now. I'm good to go for riding to work on Monday morning, but I should probably buy a new tube this weekend in case I somehow managed to get another flat on Monday to work or after work. I don't want to be stuck somewhere because I don't have a ride (someone with a car) or a spare tube. I should also pack a small flashlight in case I get a flat on the morning commute to work. Part of my ride is in the dark, so I need to be able to see what I am doing.

Week 48: Day 4 - December 01, 2016

• challenging hilly trail run (solo) = 3.53 miles; time = 42:45; average pace @ 12:06
• easy walk with dogs = 2.6 miles

When I did this same run/route last week, I was able to run 1.3 miles (of the 1.4 mile) up the hill before stopping for a rest break. I took another rest break during that last 1/10 mile before reaching the top of the hill. I was able to run 1.35 mile before taking a break and I only took one break this morning. I think if I had kept trying to run through the burn no matter how much it hurt, I would have been able to make it to the top without taking any rest breaks by now. Next week is the last week of training because the race is next weekend, December 01. I usually do this run (that I did this morning) when I am training for a half marathon, so it may be a long time before I do this run again. I may just try it one more time during the week after the race.