What a Week of Training

Welcome to the Weekly Rundown. What a week of training!  This week I had a very strange encounter, a training breakthrough, and built a bee hotel.  It was a week where my training actually felt like it was coming together, despite the craziness of life.  Taking care of my mental health and letting go of stress definitely helped.  Setting up some goal races did as well.  Linking up with hosts Deborah and Kim for this weekly training recap.

 

 



Monday 6/3

Run: Easy.  Went for a rare lunch run.  Or a “runch” as I fondly call them.  Luckily, I was in the field all day, so I didn’t have to rush to a meeting.

Other: Abs n Arms class.  Earlier this year, I had a very consistent routine and went to this class every week.   But then when team practice changed to Monday morning, my days became SO long that I was too exhausted. I’m back on the wagon (the longer daylight hours certainly help).  One of my June goals is to make every class.  To help keep me accountable, I invited to of the athletes I coach two the class.

 

 

Tuesday 6/4

Run: Speed workout.  I had a weird incident in the morning at the track.  Around 5:30, I was in the middle of my workout, talking with Robyn and a guy friend from EDGE.  A random man walked over.  He was babbling all sorts of crazy things, talking to himself, and started to take off his pants.  My friend told him that he couldn’t do that here, at which point the man pulled out a small knife and started yelling.

My friend called the cops and we all walked away.  He wasn’t making any attempts to get near us, and I never felt threatened, but I didn’t want to get anywhere near him.  We all waited for the cops to come but it took a SECOND phone call to get them there.  By then, the man, still babbling and exposing himself, had wandered under one of the tunnels near the track. The police showed up and talked with him for a while before leaving him in the tunnel.  Apparently he lives there.  Luckily, he stayed away from the track for the rest of the morning and we were able to resume regular running activities.  I have NEVER had an incident like that before.

Other: Therapist.  I’ve been feeling off lately. Just blah, emotionally, mentally and physically.  I decided I needed to go back and check in with my old therapist.  We hadn’t had a session since March of 2018, so I had quite a lot to fill her in on.  Sometimes it’s just so nice to have an objective perspective on all the emotions that roll around in my head.  I was glad to have scheduled this on the day with the crazy man so I could process all that too.  I left feeling SO much better.




Wednesday 6/5

Run: Easy + strength.  I went to Robyn’s class in the morning and then ran to November Project to celebrate Global Running Day.

Other:  Global Running Day.  One of my favorite days of the year!  I took advantage of the discount code from Rock n Roll Races and signed up for the Chicago half marathon in July.  I ran the RnR half in 2009, the first year it was in Chicago, with some of my college girlfriends.  It was my second half marathon ever, and I am looking forward to participating again.  Hopefully it won’t be insanely hot! I also signed up for the Chicago Marathon through the American Cancer Society.  I’ve never fundraised for a race before, but I am looking forward to it.  And to running Chicago, I just love that race.

 

What a Week of running
Throwback to 2009 Rock n Roll Half

 




Thursday 6/6

Run: Speed workout.  Last week, my Thursday workout ended in a frustrating fizzle and a teary phone call to my mom. This week.  Wow.  I don’t know if it was my fitness settling in, calmer state of mind due to my therapy session, or a goal race planned, but man.  Was I on cloud nine after this.  The workout was the same as last week but flipped so the mile was first: one mile at 5k pace, then 25 thirty second sprints at mile pace with the same amount of recovery.  My 5k goal pace is 6:15…. I ran a 5:56!  I ran the FASTEST MILE I’ve ever run.  At least, that I can ever remember running.  Without trying to!

 

what a week - fastest mile 5k training

 

Friday 6/7

Run: Rest Day.  It was a rest day, so I went to November Project and just did all the non-running parts of the workout.  Earlier in the year, I would have slept in and skipped the workout, but Dani, one of the co-leaders, is moving in a week.  She’s been a wonderful leader, friend, hugger, work remote buddy, and more.  I want to see her as often as I can before she goes.

Other:  Lunch Date.  I took Thursday and Friday off of work for mental health days.  Stress has just been piling up, and I just needed a break.  Friday was the perfect day to head out to Oak Park and meet my friend Angela for lunch!

 

Saturday 6/8

Run: Long Run.  Woke up with TERRIBLE GI issues.  Not sure what caused it (maybe lunch/dinner Friday?).  Either way. I made sure to run near a bathroom and carry toilet paper in my commuter back pack.  Yikes.  I had signed up to volunteer at the EDGE air station for ACS Walk n Roll race, but was worried I would be able to make it all the way through.  I ran straight south with my commuter pack – carrying a change of clothes and some snacks.  Luckily, no issues.  Phew.

Other: Volunteering.  Volunteering was a lot of fun!  The event was a 5k run or walk, or a 15k bike or a 10k ROLLER BLADE.  How fun!  We set up our water stop in record time, and passed the time with acroyoga before the event began.  I had a blast hanging with the EDGE fam outside of the typical training run.  The only hiccup was that the Park District double-booked the path and suddenly in the middle of the walk a different 5k race came speeding through.  There was a bit of a traffic jam, but we were able to reroute and get everything sorted.

 

acro yoga - what a week

 


 

Sunday 6/9

Run: Easy + Strength.  Like last week, I ran down to On Your Mark for a morning strength class.  Like last week, I wore my commute backpack so I could bring my helmet and bike home.  Unlike last week, the run felt effortless and I was hitting 7:50s with ease.

Other:  Bee Hotel.  For the May “Ladies Who Lit” bookclub, we read the book My Family and Other Animals.  I should say, they all read it.  I just came for the food and catch up hour.  Out of that meeting, came the discussion of the decline of bee populations and the idea to make bee hotels.  So we spend the afternoon with power tools and paint, crafting away!  Read more on bee hotels here.

 

bee hotel

 

 

And that’s a wrap!  What a week! I totaled 36 miles, with one PHENOMENAL speed workout, a crazy man, a therapy session, an aid station traffic jam and a bee hotel.  Never a dull moment.

 

This week, my hard work with running started to show itself.  Or maybe the signs have been there, and I was finally in a good, low-stress headspace to see them.  Either way, I am happy to kick of marathon training next week!

 

How was your week?  Have you ever had to call the cops during a workout?  Did you know about bee hotels? Let’s stay in touch!  Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more food/fitness related posts.  

 

 

Happy running,

Becca

 

 


 

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Cari
4 years ago

Wow, what a week. Or even what a Tuesday. Glad you were safe but kind of frightening that the man is allowed to remain there – with a knife! Congrats on the PR and glad your therapist was able to help
Good luck with Chicago!

therightfits
therightfits
4 years ago

Love the Air Bee n Bee! So adorable.

That story is CRAZY- the guy had a knife and was exposing himself and the cops just let him be? Seems really odd!

Zenaida Arroyo
4 years ago

That is so weird with the incident with that man! And he had a knife?!?! Great job on your sub 6 mile! Sometimes I feel like I need to talk to a therapist too about what happened with my mom and other family stuff. I also ran the RnR Chicago Half Marathon in 2009. I’ve also run it here and there because it is always HOT on that day. Excited you are planning to run the Chicago Marathon. Such a fun race!

Debbie Woodruff
4 years ago

Whoa, that crazy man sounds scary! While I imagine he’s just a homeless guy with mental issues, it is still frightening that he was so close to where you were running.

Renée
4 years ago

so wait, crazy man LIVES in the tunnel by the track?? to answer your question, no, I’ve never had to call the cops during a workout! YIKES! and BIZARRE!! yay for Chicago RnR Half in July! that was my first US RnR race a couple of years ago. In fact, it was the first time I’d even been back to Chicago in forever (more than 20 years for sure), but I felt like I was right back home again <3 and Yay for the marathon too! I wish you easy fund-raising! I'll be there too; I can't wait! your GI… Read more »

kookyrunner
4 years ago

Just reading about that encounter on the track gave my goosebumps – so glad that everyone was okay but I can’t imagine how scary that was for all of you.

Congrats on a great week of training – it’s nice when everything starts to click!

Wendy
4 years ago

What a great week for you! Congrats on that sub-6 mile! Woo! At least you know you can run fast away from creepy naked knife man…life in the big city is never dull!

Kim at Running on the Fly
Kim at Running on the Fly
4 years ago

Congrats on a great week! OMG…that freaky dude, though (???). I love working my arms (abs? not so much LOL). Thanks for linking with us 😉

Deborah Brooks
4 years ago

wow kind of freaky about the guy in the park. You never know what is really going on in those situations. I do like an arms and abs class myself. Cool group photo might have to steal that idea!