Despite the power outage this week, I had a solid week of training.
Monday: | 13.1 around |
Tuesday: | 10.7 |
Wednesday: | 10.7 |
Thursday: | OFF |
Friday: | 11.11 |
Saturday: | Independence 10k (6:40 pace) |
Sunday: | 10.7 |
Total: | 66 |
Thoughts:
I felt good throughout the week. Last Sunday I took a rest day. I felt great on Monday and ran longer than expected. It was the furthest I have run since the Shamrock Half Marathon! That run was my favorite and most enjoyable of the training week. I felt good and everything went smoothly. My rest of the week felt good as well.
I also added a few fartleks and various 15 second speed bursts into each run. Last week I had informal speed work such as fartleks and fast finishes. Depending on my schedule, I might try and go to the track sometime soon!
On Saturday I ran the Independence Day 10k. Cliff notes: I took the race out to fast and paid the price. It was still fun and I had a great time with friends.
Next week:
I plan to add a few more fartleks and fast finishes. I feel my legs starting to get more comfortable with running and informal speed work. I haven’t felt this strong since January when I was in the depth of marathon training. It’s time to focus on more speed and get back into races.
Other then that it was an uneventful week!
——————–
I haven’t filled out a running survey in a while and it made sense to add it to my Sunday training log! Instead of doing a lengthy training post for the week, I thought I would fill out a lengthy survey.
Janae posted it last week and I found it fun. I’m nosy and like to learn more about people’s running life so feel free to answer any or all of the questions!
Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail?
I would rather run on a mountain trail. I enjoy hill work. Running on the beach or in the mountains will make you sore…so pick your poison.

If you could choose the flavor of gatorade at your next race’s aid stations, what would it be?
I like strawberry, raspberry or kiwi.
If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it?
I don’t know because I work at a local running store. I would probably donate it or give it away.
Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and how fast you want to run?
As Beyonce says: I woke up like this.
I normally have a rough idea of what I want to do each week but I don’t follow an exact training plan.
Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end with the uphill?
I would rather start downhill and end uphill. It takes me a few miles to warm up and my body is not ready to run uphill out the door.
When you can’t run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do?
Hashtag ellipical for life. I can mindlessly creep on twitter and watch trashy TV.
What is your preference—> Out and back, point to point or loop runs?
I feel like out and back runs go by faster! That being said I don’t have a personal preference.
If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be a—>
A good pair of shoes. That’s all you need to run.
Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs?
Since I went to college in the Upstate, NY I have seen a lot of different animals. I’ve seen bears, turkeys, turtles, dangerous dogs and cats, raccoons, geese (the worst). I’m sure I’ve seen more that I can’t remember.

Ever gotten lost while out on a run?
I have gotten lost several times. If you haven’t gotten lost, I’m really impressed.
If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be?
I’m a morning runner. If the meal is magically waiting for me, than omelets. Every time I try and cook eggs they become scrambled.
Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often?
Shorts! I own one pair of capris but I normally just lounge in them.
At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go?
20-30 minutes
What do you do with your key when you run?
I leave it in my house or I hold it.
If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be?
The Nike Women’s Half Marathon.
What type of run is your least favorite type of run?
The kind that I’m injured.
What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on?
The motivation to try and stay consistent this summer.
When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start?
I like to leave from my front door. In five out of six of my weekly runs, I leave from my front door.
When running in daylight—> are sunglasses a must or an annoyance?
I think I have run with sunglasses a total of 5 times in my life.
When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting?
I’m normally not home. So if I quit…I’m awkwardly standing there instead of being home.
Question for you: Answer any or all of the questions.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been focusing on reintroducing speed on the run too. My workouts have called for pick-ups and strides at the end. I’m feeling pretty good so far, so hopefully “official” speedwork will start up again soon. Solid week overall for you–nice work!
I like the survey and I might steal it and fill it out sometime :).
Congratulations on your race and winning even if you went out too fast. 10Ks are kinda hard when it comes to that because if Mile 1 is too fast you have 5 more to go (unlike a 5K where there’s only 2 more to go). It looks like you had a good week of training and hooray for introducing some speed in there.
I always think about getting injured or lost mid-run. Or just being out of gas or something and you’re far away from your starting point. I have a fear of just looking around and being like,”Welp, this is awkward”, as you watch people drive by and have to walk back. Haha!
Love the survey. I like to drive to a trail to do my outdoor runs. The trail does pass near my house but it doesn’t get “nice” for a number of miles, so I prefer to drive to the nice parts to run. If I’m biking, I just pick it up near my house (I can cycle through the rougher neighborhoods faster than i can run through them, lol!).
I love this running survey! I can’t help but scramble eggs either. That was a great week of training and races. All that hot, summer running is really going to pay off in the fall.
I loved hearing your responses to the survey 🙂
I’m also really happy to hear that your speed is coming back. That’s an amazing 10K time, even though you don’t feel as though you paced the race as well as you’d like. You almost look like you’re floating and superimposed onto the background – oh to be anywhere near that graceful at the end of a race!
Hahahahaha! Love your answer to the last question. Yeah, that’d be kinda weird just stopping because you are tired, but still miles away from home.
I also love the Nike Women’s. I’ve been doing that race (in San Francisco) since 2005. Usually the full, but starting last year they are only offering the half.
I think seeing turkeys on my runs are the worst! They are quite freaky looking!!!!
I like to run straight from my front door too. One of the best things about running is that it doesn’t require any extra equipment and is available to everyone. I don’t like the idea of getting in my car to go someplace and run. I just like to open the door and get out there.
Loved your survey! Question: do you do most of your runs alone or with others? I have realized I’m much happier running long with people 🙂
Cool 🙂 Loved learning more about you! I had no idea you were a big fan of the elliptical, but I guess none of us particularly love screaming about those kinda things as if we are doing them day in day out that means one thing….the type of running you hate! Looks like training is coming along well, happy for you!
I have to run in sunglasses! Squinting all the time makes my head hurt! If I could do it again, I would run the Seattle Marathon. It was a beautiful, challenging course and also my current PR (that I can’t seem to get close to anymore!). Have a great week Hollie!
I love these surveys, I feel like I learn so much more about you. Rasberrry Gatorade? Ulgh 😉 I hope we can run a Nike Womens race together someday!
Ever gotten lost while out on a run?
Noooo…okay, maybe for a minute.
If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be?
Scrambled eggs and bacon. Mmmmmm…bacon
Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often?
Um…this is not really an option for me and reminds me once again that I am a thorn among roses in the mostly female blog.
At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go?
Usually by a couple miles in….so about 15-20 minutes.
What do you do with your key when you run?
Long runs…fuel belt pocket. Short runs…water bottle pocket or shorts.
If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be?
2014 Boston Marathon. What an amazing feeling turning the corner onto Boylston a year after what happened there. Emotional and humbling.
What type of run is your least favorite type of run?
Tempo
What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on?
Going to try to make another run at a PR at Twin Cities this fall.
When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start?
Front door.
When running in daylight—> are sunglasses a must or an annoyance?
An absolute must. I don’t like squinting or the thought of going blind.
When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting?
Out and backs. Can’t quit before turning around and then I still have to get home. 🙂
I love the survey! I think everyone should do this so we can learn more about each other as runners and people. So fun to get to know more about you! 🙂
You killed it in the 10K!!! Congrats!! And congrats on a solid bulk of training you have going on right now!!!
PS: I HAVE to run in sunglasses 🙂