Naples Half / Broke Man's WWU Training Week 7

I work in that building. Photo from my 6 miler.

Happy Monday! Time for the Weekly Review linkup with Hoho Runs and MissSippiPiddlin. My training cycle focuses on the Broke Man's Winter Warm Up (7.5 miler) and the Naples Half Marathon. You can read about each race in Week 1's recap. 

Week of Dec 14-20

Monday: 4 miles, 8:45 pace (treadmill)
Tuesday: 1 mile, 8:14
Wednesday: 6 miles, 8:58 pace
Thursday: 1 mile, 7:43
Friday: 1 mile, 7:48
Saturday: 9 miles, 10:08 pace
Sunday: 2.2 miles, 8:22 pace

Total: 24.2 miles

We went to Chicago on Sunday and Monday, so my Monday miles were on the hotel treadmill. The gym was extremely warm, plus my stupid treadmill TV wouldn't show anything but ESPN without sound. We didn't get home until Tuesday at 2am and I had a work late night (a 10-12 hour day – ughhhh). I ran a mile before work and my normal 6 miler was moved to Wednesday. It was a great run and the weather was fantastic (57 and sunny).

For lunch on Thursday my office went to a 3 year anniversary party at a beer shop. Mmmm.

I planned to run 5 after work Thursday but a co-worker had two extra tickets to see Star Wars at 7:30pm so I ran a mile before we met up to secure our seats. (Oh yeah, and we went to a beer place for lunch and had lots of samples.) I'm not a die hard Star Wars fan. I've seen them all and know the plot, but I don't know the ins and outs the way I do with something like Harry Potter. Regardless, I really enjoyed the movie and I'm glad we got to see it so early!

Free Balegas!!!

I don't remember why I didn't run 3 miles in the morning on Friday, but I'm guessing it had to do with lack of sleep and the dramatic cool down. I planned to run before sunset but couldn't get out of work early enough so had to settle for a quick mile with Alex. I probably should have continued on for 3, but he didn't want to run farther because it was so cold (he works outside all day) and I didn't feel like freezing alone. We watched the Pixar movie Inside Out after, which I found oddly stressful!

Saturday was lovely because I was back with my training group for an informal kickoff (for new folks to see if they'd like to join). Lots of new faces, but old friends, too. I was hoping for a warmer kick-off, but Saturday was extra chilly (20-some degrees). I ran with the fulls for 6 miles and 3 on my own (after I collected a free pair of Balega socks. Amazing perk!). My pace for the first 6 miles was 10:45 and felt nice and easy, but my legs felt heavy by the end of the 9 miles.

Glow in the dark shoes!

Sunday was a lazy day. I had my first free weekend in months and didn't do much of anything. We packed up Goodwill donations and I addressed Christmas cards while watching Age of Adaline (which I enjoyed). Later in the afternoon I was really congested and felt pretty gross. I took some meds and they knocked me out for an afternoon nap. I woke up right before sunset, strapped on my shoes, and got in a quick 2.2 miles. I really should have run 3 to make up for Friday, but the sun had set. Oh well, at least I felt better after the run.

I slept terribly this week, starting with our late return from Chicago. Even though I was in bed by 10 or 11 each night, I couldn't fall asleep until 1 or 2. It was a stressful week and my body obviously needed a rest, but running helped me feel better. It's just too bad I didn't meet my milage goal (27 miles). For the next two weeks I'm going to try very hard to meet my milage. If I do I'll have my first 100 mile month and I'll take my yearly total to 800 miles! My goal was to match last year's 550, so it's pretty wild I've surpassed it by so much!

Have you seen the new Star Wars? How about Inside Out or Age of Adaline? 
What's your favorite holiday treat or side dish? (My favorite: my mom's bacon-wrapped water chestnuts)