After last week’s blizzard, this week ended much much milder! It started out cold; in fact on Tuesday’s run, it was cold enough to kill my iPhone! But then Halloween was one of the warmest in Minneapolis in quite some time.
But enough on the weather, ha! It was a solid week of running, including an actual in-person 10k- woohoo!
Here’s my recap:
Monday: 7 miles on the treadmill, 9:05 min/mile average, PT appointment with dry needling, virtual 1:1 with Discover Strength after work. The trails probably would have been fine to run outside, but I was able to keep an eye on work stuff while running on the treadmill, so it just made more sense based on my workload that day.
Tuesday: Short speed workout before work- chilly out there too, with temps in the teens! My body didn’t want to move fast, but I tried my best.
3 mile warm-up, 5x (90sec@ 5k effort, 1min easy, 30sec@ Mile effort, 2min easy), 2 miles cool down. I didn’t quite hit the paces my coach had written in for the 5k or 1 mile effort, but I did what I could on the day.
8 miles total at 9 min/mil average.
Wednesday: 7 miles easy before work, 9:25 min/mil average. Nice and easy recovery. Discover Strength virtual 1:1 over lunch, and then a bonus 5 miles with two coworkers after work for a ‘networking run’, 9:20 min/mile average. 12 miles on the day.
Thursday: Total rest, other than a dog walk or two. Perfect after a very full Wednesday.
Friday: 4 miles with Ruth (8:40 min/mile average) in the dark before jogging to my PT appointment (0.8 mile), then PT, then jog home (0.8 mile) for about 5.5 miles total. I also took a 1:1 virtual strength Discover Strength training session over lunch.
Saturday: My first in-person race since the Atlanta Marathon in March!
The race was the MNy 250 Halloween 10k, which went around Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles, i.e. a starting line less than a 1/2 mile from my house. Perfect!
It was actually the first race I have done, other than the Twin Cities Marathon, that goes around Lake of the Isles! I run that lake all the time, but races rarely are held there. Because this 10k was so small, the road wasn’t even shut down to traffic; instead we just ran on the pedestrian paths but it was perfectly fine for such a small event.
Most races run around Bde Maka Ska or even more commonly on Lake Harriet for 5k’s and 10k’s.
Look- all the snow is gone. And I’m in SHORTS!
The race was so fun! I plan to share more about the race in a separate post, but overall it was a lovely morning (well, except for some 40 mph wind gusts!) and it felt great to be at a race again.
Twin Cities in Motion, the organization hosting the race, did a great job with Covid-19 safety precautions.
Great job Twin Cities in Motion!
With a 2 mile warm-up, the 10k, then 1.3 mile cool-down, I had about 9.5 miles on the day.
Sunday: Loved that extra hour of sleep! Dustin, Ruth (the 1 1/2 year-old vizsla), and I ran 5.3 miles together, 8:25 min/mile average. Then we dropped off Ruth and picked up Matilda (the 11 year old vizsla) for another 1.13 mile jog around the neighborhood, 10 min/mile.
Matilda seems to enjoy a short easy jog; as long as she’s feeling good, I figure it’s okay for the little old lady to jog a bit still.
Summary: About 48 miles of running, 3 strength training sessions, 2 PT appointments (with dry needling.)
My Achilles has been feeling pretty good and I’m going to start going to PT just once a week, then hopefully every other week, and then maybe done!
Did you all do anything special for Halloween?
We did not…our neighbors handed out candy on tables outside their houses, but since we don’t have kids, we skipped this year and just cooked at home and watched another documentary. God, we’re boring. 🙂
I usually love Halloween and spend way to much time coming up with a costume, but not in a pandemic! This year was one of the warmest Halloweens on record, with temps near 60, which is nuts after last week’s blizzard, right? But with cases increasing like crazy, no Halloween parties for us this year.
Ruth and Matilda did put on their costumes briefly- Ruth was a demogordon and Matilda was a lobster!
Ruth and Matilda also want to remind you to vote this Tuesday. They were disappointed to learn dogs can’t vote. Please make sure you use your vote since they can’t!
I’m linking up with Running on the Fly and Confessions of a Mother Runner Check it out!
Our Halloween, though very windy, was also very warm…in the 60F’s by afternoon. We laid out a bunch of full-size Hershey bars on our front stoop, thinking what didn’t get taken we could still use for s’mores …but all were gone. Kind of boring on our end, too. Great week of running for you!
Glad you had a good Halloween Kim! Thanks for hosting the link-up.
Gotta love in person racing! We did a candy chute for Halloween. My youngest stepson is “too old” but his brother isn’t;-) It was a good time.
Oh how fun, a candy chute! Glad you could still participate in a safe way.
Brilliant you could get a proper race, looks very well organised, too. And I love your dog-lobster costume! We decorated our front window and put a sign up after one group rang the bell – it was supposed to be pumpkin trails with no trick or treating around here and I loved seeing all the exciting windows this week.
Thanks Liz! Matilda wasn’t too sure about the lobster costume, but she’s pretty tolerant overall.
well I cannot wait to read how your race went! Very exciting to be running a real race again. congrats and glad that you are feeling well.
It felt great to have a real race!
The girls are so cute in their costumes! We were sort of stuck at home all day Saturday since the inlaws wanted to stop by and drop off cranberry bars. First they were coming at 11 then 1 then 3, then 3:30. I swear it’s a control thing my MIL does because it happens consistently and it’s so irritating. Yay for an IRL race!
Thanks Marcia! The pups were pretty tolerant with the costumes.
Ugh, that sounds very frustrating with the MIL. Sorry you’re dealing with that.
Going from snow to shorts weather in a matter of days is right on par for 2020, lol. I’m glad that you had great weather (minus the wind) for the in-person 10k. It sounds like it was very well executed too!
I love the costumes that you had for your dogs!
Haha, right? The weather is just nuts. Yes, the 10k was very well organized and safe! Super spaced out.
Congrats on the 10k! How fun to run it on your ‘home track’. My Thanksgiving half is always held on the trail where I do a lot of my long runs. It really takes the pressure off, running somewhere so familiar.
I think Ruth is not loving her costume, lol!
I read that Minnesota is a possible swing state for you know who–I’m sure you’re being bombarded with his propaganda. Stay strong, stay safe, and spread the message that it’s time for a change! <3
Oh how lucky you are to have a Thanksgiving half so close! The same organization that held this Halloween race is doing a Thanksgiving 5k, which I feel will be just as safe.
Yes…Minnesota is usually Democratic. I have to admit I live in a liberal bubble in Minneapolis, but the minute you go outside of the Twin Cities, it changes quickly. And its so sad.
The weather has just been crazy this fall! It was warm here earlier in the week, then we got a ton of rain and now its cold and gross. So glad your achilles is doing better and your are well on the road to recovery!
Thanks Lisa! I’m optimistic the achilles is under control.
LOL on the canine costumes — so cute! And love their Biden bandanas! I’m going to hyperventilate thinking about the election …. Yay on the real race! With Scooby, I’ve been doing all my runs on sidewalks, so I’d be used to that surface now.
Haha, thanks Coco! I thought you might like their Dogs for Biden bandanas 🙂
Aww, love Ruth & Matilda! So nice that Matilda still gets to enjoy a run. We voted by absentee ballot this year.
How fun to do a live race! Looks like nice weather!
Our Halloween was pretty darn cold, high 20s in the morning warming up to 40ish with wind.
I voted by mail, but my husband is going to vote in person on Tuesday. i’m very curious to hear how it goes for him. I really liked voting by mail!
I love those costumes! I didn’t have anything for the kids either. To be honest I kind of forgot it was Halloween too till I went outside and saw my neighbor had a sign to let the kids know to ring a bell so they could get candy.
I am looking forward to reading about your race. I love it that you wore shorts!!!
From a blizzard to shorts! 🙂
Yay on an in person race that went well. I love your line on Tuesday of doing the best you could on that day. Sometiimes that’s all that’s possible.
Totally!
Oh my gosh that photo of your dogs in costumes made my morning 🙂
Great week for you and yay for an in-person race!!
Haha, thanks Michelle! They might not have loved the costumes too much 🙂
My son is sitting here while I read this, and he is IN LOVE with the pupper costumes <3
I had my first in-person 5k on Saturday. It was crazy, but so good to be back out there, for a variety of reasons. We have a local 10K coming up in a few weeks, and I think I’m going for it.
Ha, awesome Jenn! I’m glad he enjoyed the costumes!
Great job on your in-person 5k!
Yay for a real live race! I was supposed to do a live 5k this weekend but not happening due to the fracture. Hopefully I can find one to do when my leg heals!
Halloween is my favorite holiday but I enjoy going all out for Christmas too. I just love holidays!
Sending healing vibes on the leg!
Your area has such interestingly named places and things! Halloween was decent overall, but I really enjoyed going out getting candy with the kids dressed up, but now they are older, it’s a bit of a bummer. I look forward to hearing about your race!
Haha, do you mean Bde Maka Ska? It was called Lake Calhoun, but they changed it to its original native name, as John Calhoun was not a great guy! Lake of the Isles is named due to its shape. Minneapolis has a ton of small lakes that make up the Chain of Lakes with running paths around them, which are very close to our house!
I’m so jealous that you got to run in a live race. I was injured during the January to March races and I just found out that my Run With Santa 5K will be virtual. 🙁
Oh bummer, sorry to hear about your Run with Santa!
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