Wine & Dine: Week 11

 

Week 11 is down, Week 12 is here and you know what that means -- it's Wine and Dine week! So excited! It's my first RunDisney race and I get to meet up with a whole bunch of super awesomely fabulous people (Heather, Amma, Selby, Alicia, & some others I don't know!) and have a grand ol' weekend. Can you say stoked? Yes'm.  Last full week of training -- next week, there's still some on the docket so I don't lose momentum, but won't take it as seriously. Sort of. 

Monday: Rest

Rest

I've gotten really good at Mondays. It was a crazy day anyway -- long day at work, ran home to get the pup out to the park, laundry, packed for Texas, packed for the gym, made my lunch, put all the laundry away (in the same day? It's a Christmas Halloween miracle!), finished my cousin's wedding gift, did my nails, and went to bed way too late.

Tuesday: 8 x 400 / 5K pace

6 x 400 / faster than 5K pace

This was a lot faster than 5K pace, or at least... what I think my 5K pace is lately. I haven't done a track workout in quite a few weeks (I'm learning to really enjoy some good tempo runs), but decided that I really want to do my best to stick with my speed trainings on Tuesdays. So, headed out the door, at the gym and on the track by 6:15 am to get in some quality track time (I'm trying to love it, really) and the Air Force ROTC students. I felt really good - I forgot to look at my fridge and see how many sets I was supposed to do, but decided I'd go to where I felt good and 6 happened to be it! I probably could have gone for more but I didn't want to push myself crazy hard to the first track sesh back. Overall, happy. Check out them splits:

 Not super consistent, but ballpark, so I'm happy with that.

Wednesday: 6 miles 
3.25 mi run / 32:14 / 9:55 pace and 3.26 mi cycle / 14:41 / 13.3 mph
My Brooks have been giving me the worst blisters lately - three, namely. One on top of my pinky (at the top of the nail-bed) and two at the tips of each of my second toes. It's been weird. They went a little way for a while, and then came back full force on Wednesday. I just couldn't fathom getting to 6 miles, so I pushed hard for the 3. 25 (they started killing me at mile 2), and decided I'd make up for the difference with a quick cycle to end it. Bummed, but glad I at least tried to make up for it! Eep!

Thursday: 3 miles
Rest
Thursday was travel day - I knew it'd be a stretch to get in these 3 miles, but I left them on the schedule anyway. Leaving for the airport at 6:35 am didn't allow me a ton of opportunity to get them in, but with all the walking I did in San Marcos on my visit to Texas State made up for it. It was nearly 80 on Thursday there, and I'd forgotten about those hills. Man! I think I made up for my lack of running 3 miles with walking a ton of them in hills and heat.

Friday: 10 miles
5.89 miles / 1:05:something / not sure!
Runnin' in Austin, woo! Went out a few early for a .5 mile jog around the block, then met up with my uncle. We were supposed to go for a run down on Town Lake, but he tweaked his knee earlier in the week, so we walked the 1.2 down to Town Lake from the hotel. I then ran out for a few extra miles while he walked, and then walked back. Not nearly the distance I'd hoped for, but given a) the early morning, b) the long day ahead, c) the long wedding weekend ahead, I'm glad I did it at all! I wish I had gotten photos of the gorgeous morning - runners everywhere, swans out & about... stunning. I miss Austin!

Friday continued with the bridesmaids' adventure in mani-pedis (my feet love me again), lunch, rehearsal, chillin', rehearsal dinner, & attempting to out for a drink only to walk back to the hotel to pass out!

Saturday: Rest
Rest
Well, not so restful - up and ready to go for hair appointments at 8:30 am. Yay, fun! Happy wedding day and congratulations to Marika and Jeff! More wedding photos to come, but I'll leave you two for now that at least set the scene. The venue was stunning - Green Pastures is in a residential neighborhood in southwest Austin, but you'd have no idea. Peacocks wander the property, it's covered in oak trees and shade, and is just... magnificent.

Doug & I on Saturday night! 

Sunday: Cross Train
Park Time!
Kickball totally counts as cross-training, right? Marika and Jeff had hosted a picnic in the park after their graduation from Stanford (mmhmm), they wanted to do it again after their wedding, so we split up for a little bride's-side/groom's-side kickball. Fantastic.

And then flew home Sunday evening, got to Athens and promptly fell into bed. 

Wine and Dine week is heeeeeeeeere!