In Which the Holidays (and Weather) Conspire against My Running

Double Rainbow at the end of Thursday's big rainstorm.

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. My week was a combination of work, holiday socializing, and *not* getting anywhere close to meeting my running and workout goals.

On the socializing front, I fit in a holiday party for my law school's local networking group, drinks with a colleague I hadn't seen in several years, lunch with a colleague I hadn't seen in 6 months, a brunch in our new kitchen for a fun group of local running folks, and a multi-hour lunch and post-lunch tea/coffee with local friends to round out a lazy Sunday.

On the fitness front, this week was a very poor showing.  No Yoga.  22.8 total miles on my feet, but at least 1/4 of it walking (actually, I thought the mileage was lower, I'm pleasantly surprised). 

On Monday, due to AM work obligations, I got out late, and my rescheduled 8-mile pseudo-long run turned into 4.57 miles with the first 2.5 miles easy and the last bit made up of 0.25 mile intervals in the high 8's/mile with walking recovery.  It felt great.  But it sure wasn't anything close to 8 miles.

Tuesday I couldn't bring myself to do anything other than walk 3 miles and listen to my audiobook.

Wednesday I fit in 3.3 miles in the pattern of Monday with the first few miles very easy slow running and the last mile or so doing 0.25 mile intervals (this time in the mid 8s/mile).

Thursday was the bay area freak out over a storm that for our local area was just rain and wind, so I went to the gym and did 3 miles on the TM (1.75 mile ladder with a mile at 10/mile and then 1 minute +0.1 on the speed dial for each minute 'til I hit 1.75 and decided I needed to walk; followed by, of course, 0.25 mile speed intervals, this time at 7:30/mile with walking recovery).  From there it was another half hour of core and stretching including 3X12 pushups, splits stretching, situps; crunches, clamshells, leg extensions, ankle arch, single leg hip holds, etc.

Friday, I was back in the gym due to the storm, but I wanted to save my legs for Saturday's trail half marathon, so I did 30 minutes of rowing, followed by reverse incline situps and arm weights (a rarity for me), including bicep curls and bent rows.  In other news, my arms wonder who I am and they are crazy sore.

Saturday, I headed out to the Summit Rock half marathon.  I was worried that it was going to be super muddy and dangerous due to the storm, but it was actually relatively tame.  The floor in the Saratoga forest is so full of tree needles that the water appeared to have drained through most of it.  The upside, of course, in addition to a beautiful course without too much mud, was running with friends:

Blurry Run-Selfie

I started easy, knowing I  hadn't run anything longer than 8 miles since late November.  Unfortunately, this meant I got caught behind a single trail line of uphill hikers.  Which, really, wasn't that bad.  I was in the middle of a lazy work-out week and it was a beautiful course.  

This is what most of the first 3 miles looked like for me.  Lots of hiking, not so much running.

But, thanks to the lack of running much, I didn't make it to the 5K aid station 'til 1h04 -- in other words, I was going *slow*.  I'd considered turning around and doing the 10K earlier in the week due to my fear of mud and danger on the trail.  Now, I was just worried about being a bad hostess and being the reason everyone had to wait before coming to our house for post-run brunch.  Also, let's be honest, I was feeling lazy.

So, I tapped the 5K marker, turned around, started gunning downhill, and less than 0.1 miles later, I rolled my left ankle.  I cussed.  It hurt.  A very sweet woman stopped to ask if I was okay and stayed with me a few minutes until I started walking.  I walked for a while, super annoyed to have missed whatever obstacle it was that took me out.  Eventually, after my ankle made it clear that it wasn't super serious, I started running again (it was, after all, completely downhill at this point, and me and my backside love to run downhill -- the ass helps balance the forward lean you need, you see?).

Unfortunately, about a mile later, I rolled my left foot *again*.  F*CK!!!

I yelled.  An adorable older Japanese man with a walking stick hiking uphill stopped, looked concerned, and asked me, "Okay?"  Holding on to the nearest tree, I weakly said, "Yes.  I'll be okay."  He shook his head sadly and said, "Narrow..." and then he walked on.  It was true.  The course was narrow.  But I was just annoyed with myself for missing yet *another* obstacle that took me out.

I walked most of the rest of the way down, with occasional ginger jogging spurts when it was flat and safe.  After crossing the line around 2 hours, I assured the race directors that I was not, in fact, the third female half marathon finisher.

The upside is that I got home in time to shower and continue breaking in the kitchen by warming up the quiches I'd made the night before.  And then, I very much enjoyed hosting a brunch for all the local runner/blogger friends of mine who'd registered for the race.

Over-the-top-mushroom-quiche in the springform pan was the winner.

So, yeah.  It was a 10K personal worst.  Somewhere in the 2 hour range.  Good times.  I iced before and after the brunch and woke this AM with throbbing pain in my foot (annoying!), but after some ibuprofen and additional icing and a rest day today, I seem to be headed in the right direction.

Wishing you all a very happy extremely short daylight week.