On October 7th I will be running the Chicago Marathon as a member of Team Ronald McDonald House Charities. Please consider visiting my fundraising page and supporting this worthy cause. Thanks!
The theme of last week’s training was challenging. Not only is summer training often a challenge, but we were also out of town from Wednesday-Sunday, which added an extra layer of challenge to my training. Despite the challenges that I faced I refused to give up and kept pushing forward. I did the best that I could, and that is all that I can ask of myself.
Monday, July 2nd
After working out seven days in a row my body was in desperate need of a rest day, so that’s exactly what I gave it.
Tuesday, July 3rd
The heat here in Virginia went from bad to worse on Tuesday. After being under a heat advisory for several days in a row, we were under an excessive heat warning on Tuesday. Since being safe was my top priority, I completed my run on the treadmill at the gym. It was difficult enough to breathe and complete my run inside so I cannot imagine having attempted to run outside. After my 4.50 mile run I walked an additional half mile.
Given that it felt like 112 degrees outside when I drove to the gym, there was no choice but to complete my run on the treadmill.
Wednesday, July 4th
Before heading out of town to celebrate 4th of July with my in-laws in New Jersey I headed to the gym for cross and strength training. I spent 30 minutes on the elliptical and then did 30 minutes of full body weight training.
Thursday, July 5th
We spent the day in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, which was about a 90 minute drive from my father-in-law’s house. Our day included riding the historic steam train on the Strasburg Railroad. Little man is currently obsessed with anything and everything trains so he had an absolute blast during our day in Strasburg. Needless to say, working out didn’t happen, though I did do quite a bit of walking.
Little man had an absolute blast riding the train.
Friday, July 6th
Another busy day with family resulted in not being able to get a chance to run until after dinner. I didn’t wait long enough after eating dinner to start my run, which I completed on my sister-in-law’s treadmill. I struggled during the majority of my run, and eventually admitted that I needed to cut my run short. I walked half a mile afterwards, partly in hopes that I would feel better and would be able to resume running, but that didn’t happen.
This is my “At least I tried!” face.
Saturday, July 7th
We took a day trip to Ocean City, New Jersey, which with traffic was about a 90 minute drive from my father-in-law’s house. During our day there I walked just under five miles on the boardwalk while little man napped in the stroller.
I could exercise all day long with the beach and ocean as my backdrop. I absolutely love anything and everything that has to do with the beach.
Sunday, July 8th
After spending the early morning with my father-in-law we started our drive home mid-morning. After arriving home and eating lunch, I had a small window in which was my one and only opportunity yesterday to complete my long run for the week. When I started my run just before 2:30 p.m. it was at the height of the day’s heat and sunshine. I didn’t even have the time to drive to the gym to complete my run on the treadmill, so I sucked it up and headed out for my run. It was slow going, but I was happy just to be able to get my run in at all.
The bright and shining sun certainly beat down on me during my long run.
Total Weekly Mileage – 23.34 miles (9.22 miles less than week 4)
Total Chicago Marathon Mileage – 124.42 miles
QOTD: How did you celebrate 4th of July?
I’m linking up with Holly from HoHo Runs and Wendy from Taking the Long Way Home for the Weekly Wrap link up. Be sure to check out their posts as well.
You did a great job of squeezing it all in! The walk by the ocean looks amazing.
Thanks Wendy. I could spend 24/7 at the beach.
Gosh you motivate me so much to workout harder everyday!You’re amazing at this, keep writing!xx
Oh wow, thanks. All I do is try my best to fit it all in.
I think you did an excellent job of fitting in your workouts despite the heat and travel. I love that even when you aren’t running or strength training, you are still very active by walking, etc. Great job this week!
My little man absolutely loves being outside in the stroller, which helps make it easier to walk as much as I do.
I bet that train ride was a blast! When our kids were young (and we were living in Michigan), we took the Amtrak to Chicago for a weekend. Our son thought that was pretty cool 😉
My little man absolutely loved the train ride and did not want to get off.
I get it. It is tough to workout when you are not at home but we do our best. And you did.
I relaxed on the 4th. It was Hot hot hot.
I did my best and that’s all that I can ask of myself. Some days are much easier than others to get it all in.
For sure
Sounds like a really full week! Great job getting in those workouts with the busy schedule.
Oh yes it was definitely a very busy week.
last week was such a tough week for running! We just have to stick it out until fall
And that’s exactly what I keep reminding myself of.
Sounds like a great holiday week spending time with family. You even go your workouts in. I have have a hard time getting mine in when I visit family, great job!
Thanks, I was disappointed that I didn’t get as many miles in as I would have had I been at home but when away its certainly harder to get it done.
Great week! I have no idea what it would take to get a heat advisory around here. We definitely do watch our pace and stay on top of our hydration because we need to stay safe, but it’s pretty rare that we give up a run due to weather. Of course, going out when the sun is down is critical to our success, but we just keep powering through!
Exactly!
What a great charity to be running for! You are doing a great job getting your workouts in through the heat. The Strasbourg railroad sounds like such fun. Your son must have loved that!
Oh he absolutely did.
It’s so tough in general to stick to a plan, and of course throwing holiday travel into the mix makes it that much harder. You did what you could! My oldest son was obsessed with trains when he was a kid. Your son must have loved that train ride! I had to work on the 4th, then went to my niece’s house for a party.
He did, and didn’t want to get off of the train when we returned to the station.
Great time management, well done! And we’ve all run too close to food – reminds me of my last long run before my last marathon. Argh! Hope it’s cooling down a bit for you now.
Its cooled down just a tad, but the temperature is supposed to go back up again. Argh!
Glad you had a good week visiting family! Way to fit those workouts in regardless of the circumstance!
Thanks for the support, Karen.
You did a good job of squeezing those runs in. I’m with you- there is nothing as great as being by the water:)
If I could be at the beach 365 days a year I would.
So would I! I don’t like actually sitting on the beach, but running or walking by it is awesome!
He’s at the train stage! In Alaska, I’m doing an excursion on the White Pass and Yukon Route. It should be lots of fun.
I can’t wait to hear all about it!
you did your best Kathyrn, that’s what it’s about! I love the beach too, so very much! you guys seemed to have a good time away. serious kudos for your treadmill runs and 8 miles out in the heat!
no 4th of July here for me, though there was a Democrats Abroad Netherlands BBQ meetup in Amsterdam. Since it was midweek and we were busy doing stuff (and Amsterdam is 85 miles away) I choose not to go. There are no fireworks or anything so it’s very ok that I miss these things (it’s weird, being here half my life and hanging out with Americans who have only been here a few years, it doesn’t always click).
I can only imagine how odd it must be for Americans living abroad on our federal holidays. I’m sure its a very different experience than what they would have back here in the U.S.
Nice job with your training schedule! I always find running in the summer a challenge. We had a mellow 4th of July and went to the beach with some friends. Having the holiday on a Wednesday was such a buzzkill this year!
I agree, and it made it incredibly difficult to plan. Thankfully my husband has every other Friday off due to working a compressed work schedule, and last Friday was one of his “off” days. Since we left town on Wednesday he only had to take one personal day (on Thursday). It worked out really well in our favor for traveling.
Wow, I think you did a great job fitting in your workouts despite traveling and all! Great job! Hopefully, it will cool off for all of us soon.
Fingers crossed!
Great job fitting in the runs! I’m really impressed with the afternoon long run!
Sometimes you don’t have any other choice and just have to suck it up and do it.
I think we drove by that train place when we were going to the Fondo – it looks like fun. And, oh my goodness, Little Man is getting so big! What a cutie.
Time is just flying by and he’s growing like a little weed. A healthy weed though. 🙂
Way to get things done especially when you’re out of town! Always fun to spend time with family.
Absolutely!
I would have been just as excited over the train ride as Little Man. I’m very impressive you took that hot afternoon window of opportunity to get your long run completed. That’s dedication. Thanks for linking!
Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do, even if it is a tad miserable.