Weekly Recap: 9/24-9/30

Spoiler alert - I finished the Monument Marathon and checked state number seven off my list! Look out for my race and travel reports this weekend - because right now quarter close is eating me alive, and it technically hasn't even started yet. Baller.

Wednesday, September 24
rest

I went to the chiro and had ART done on my lower back. That was a new kind of hell. I also managed to shove everything I needed for the weekend (including shoes!) into my backpack. I ain't paying Spirit no carry-on fees.

Thursday, September 25
rest

I drove to my parents (they live near DTW) and got a flat tire one block from their house. I spent most of the night waiting for AAA to come put the bike tire on. Fun times.

Friday, September 26
rest

Travel day! Obviously a longer report is forthcoming, but we saw some fossilized burrows dug by ancestors of the beaver. Then we ate runzas. I'm not sure which was cooler.

Also not sure why my running shoes look like combat boots in this picture.

Saturday, September 27
Monument Marathon, 5:29:33, 12:35 min/mile

This race was absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking for a Nebraska race. The scenery was stunning, it was well-organized, and all the volunteers were incredibly enthusiastic.

The only bad parts were the heat (the car read 90 degrees when we got in after finishing) and when I nearly puked from altitude sickness. But then I watched Minnesota destroy Michigan, and I felt all better.

Sunday, September 28
rest

We took a slight detour on the way back to the DEN and bagged the highest point in Nebraska, Panorama Point. This sounds weird but was super fun.

Less fun was when I sat behind a young girl throwing tantrums the whole way back to Detroit. At least enough people volunteered to give up their seats that no one got bumped.

Monday, September 29
rest

I was a lot less sore than anticipated, which tells me that I was significantly slowed by the heat during Monument, rather than just by my fitness. My lower legs felt very tender, but I had no problems, even going up and down stairs.

Tuesday, September 30
2 mi easy, 12 min/mile


I felt shockingly great during this run. My pace was slow, but I felt fluid and relaxed and like I could've picked up speed if I had wanted to. I felt some twinges of runner's knee (which I assume must have been aggravated by all the sitting the day after the race), but it wasn't bothersome. I also had a weird ache in my back, which I imagine is tied to the soreness I had in my obliques.

This next week will mostly be devoted to resting and recovering in preparation for Stone Bridge. I say mostly because I have the Scrumpy Skedaddle 10K on Sunday - which I'm super pumped for! The fact that I felt quite good today gives me hope I can turn in a decent-for-me time. I'm certainly not looking to PR, but I'd like to run fairly well, considering how good I did on my simulated 5K.

Worst case scenario I will become BFFs with the elevator at work.