Tuesday we planned to meet up again for a run but first I went to Bar Method. It's weird, I totally expect to have a bad run every once in a while but I actually had my first bad Bar Method class! For some reason it seemed like every exercise was either irritating my hip flexor, knees, or shoulders. I just couldn't seem to keep up and left feeling like I didn't get a very good workout. I'm hoping it's just like running and my next class will be awesome! And since I ran 4.5 miles with Sarah after I wasn't too concerned about not getting a good workout in.
I took Wednesday off but Thursday I went to Bar Method. Class was pretty rough since my hip flexor was hurting more than ever. The one thing I love about Bar Method above all other barre classes is the instructors really understand body mechanics so mine was able to give me modifications that helped me finish class. I didn't feel completely awful though, I managed to do all 50 of my push ups on my toes.
Friday was another rest day. Except I didn't rest. Last year I would have made sure I ate super healthy, no drinking, and in bed extra early to be ready for a 20 mile run. But I didn't do any of that and didn't even drink enough water which I'm usually super diligent about. Part of it had to do with the fact that technically this should have been a recovery week so if I "only" ran 15 it wouldn't be a problem. The schedule calls for 20 miles next week but I'm doing a half marathon so it was either get the 20 in this week or the week after next.
I figured I'd shoot for 20 on Saturday and see how far I could get. I was really lucky that my friend Kasia was willing to join me AND willing to run at my much slower pace. Unfortunately she is tapering for the Surf City Marathon so she only had 8 miles to run which meant only 4 miles together. She did an amazing job slowing down for me yet the miles flew by thanks to our conversations. Once we said goodbye I tried my best to stay slow but it was really tough. Thankfully the path didn't have as much sand this week so it was easier to run. I ran well into Marina Del Rey and it was an amazing warm day.
I decided to fuel every 7 miles and was able to keep running while eating my Vega gel. At mile 14 I walked a bit so I could eat my Hammer bar. When I started running again my left ankle felt awful. I had to walk again but even that was painful so I stopped and took my shoes off since they felt too tight. I did some stretches, prayed, laced up, and started walking again. Very quickly I tried to run again and felt great! I got to mile 17 before I started dragging again. I decided to look for someone to potentially pace me as a distraction. At mile 18 a guy passed me just barely and then slowed to my pace. I caught up and asked him how far he was running. He explained his route which worked with mine so I continued to run with him and make conversation. I had no idea how much it would help to have "fresh legs." The mile flew by but at that point he said he was going to walk so I was on my own again. It was downright hot by this point and I just wanted to be done so I increased my pace and my last mile ended up being my fastest!
It was such a beautiful day I wanted to take pictures constantly but also felt it was important to take as few breaks as possible so I only took a few. Around mile 9 I heard a splat and saw a seagull up ahead so I figured he pooped. Then I saw him eating the supposed poop and realized he had dropped a clam and was eating the contents! I was so impressed I stopped to take a picture of the evidence.
At this point I was also running along Ballona Creek and got to see the college crew teams practicing. I ran all the way to Admiralty Way before turning around which was actually 10.15 miles. Last week I had to run off The Strand to get my full 18 so I wanted to make sure I'd finish on The Strand this week. The beach was packed, it looked like a summer day and really hard to believe it's January!
I finished a bit too fast considering Peachy had recommended running at a 12:30 pace to avoid injury. My target pace to finish the marathon under 5 hours is 11:25 which means shaving more than 30 seconds per mile off my pace from last year. I definitely feel a lot better than my training runs last year so I think I've got a good shot.
Sunday I drove out to Lululemon in Calabasas and turned in 28 miles which means $140 for SOS Mentor. Their mission is to educate, motivate, and empower underserved Los Angeles youth to make healthy eating choices, live an active lifestyle, and become health advocates in their communities. Definitely something I can get behind and all I had to do was drive a little out of my way. On the way back home I stopped at Black Dog Yoga for a restorative yoga class. It was extremely different from any yoga class I've ever taken. No downward facing dog, we didn't even stand up! We used bolsters, blocks, and a blanket and held poses for 5-10 minutes. I nearly fell asleep multiple times. So sure, it wasn't much of a workout but it was pretty nice to spend 90 minutes without a phone, tv, or computer and just focusing on breathing.
Overall it was a pretty good week on the running front, however fundraising seems to have stalled for the moment. I have managed to remain in the top spot having raised over $2,073 and our team is closing in on $30,000 however my goal is $4,000 and our team goal is $50,000. We are hoping for a big boost on Friday the 25th at CATS Comedy Night. If you can't make it but still want to donate please click Donate Now in the top right or just click HERE.
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