For me I would call this the training week that wasn’t. I ran one day this week…and I don’t even feel (that) bad. I know, what happened? Work. Work happened. I put in 80 hours at school this week in crunch mode between grading with mid-quarter grades due in a few days and cramming with kids to prepare for their Science Olympiad competition. I typically spend 10-11 hours at school or working on school stuff on a school day. This week I spent 12 hours at school Monday through Thursday. Friday I got to school at 7:15 a.m. and left at 11:45 p.m. after which I put in another 30 minutes at home for a total of 17 hours. Saturday I was up at 4:30 a.m., left the house at 5:00 to get school vans gassed and loaded, spent all day at our competition (which went well), and returned home at 7:00 p.m. for a total day of 14 hours.

Today I woke up with a pounding headache, a nauseous stomach, and just felt bad. My body was coming down from a week fueled by constant caffeine, adrenaline, nerves, and sugar. I spent all morning laying in bed and on the couch trying to get my head to stop feeling like I drank two bottles of wine the night before (which I didn’t, but sadly I do know how that feels). I finally started feeling better this afternoon, but not enough to run on a treadmill. It is once again below zero here. Shocker right?!

The positive to the week off from running is my foot feels almost perfectly normal. I doubt that would be the case had it not been for the extra work load this week. Normally I would be a freaking mess at missing this weeks miles, but oddly I’m not. I’m too mentally exhausted to care. It was a down week in miles for us too which helps. I worked my arse off this week and deserve to give myself a break over missed runs. I should be content with my own miles since ultimately no one else cares!

There is someone who had a solid workout week. That my friends, would be Ryan. Below are his workouts from the week. He is doing so awesome training for his first marathon. Not that I’m surprised, but yet I am slightly. He is so motivated, undeterred, and in shape. His body is responding to the miles just the way a runner would hope it to.

Monday-4 miles on treadmill (Ryan)

Tuesday-5 miles on treadmill (Ryan)

Wednesday-Ryan lifted

Thursday-4 miles (both of us)

We had a solid run on the treadmill. I was in a weird, stressed, and pissed mood so I ran intervals to some new party-pumping songs and rocked out 4 miles in 32 minutes. I was not pissed after.

Friday-Ryan lifted

Sunday-12 miles on treadmill (Ryan)

Ryan’s Tip of the Week-Don’t train for a spring marathon in Wisconsin. It was below zero all week. Kidding…sort of!

Sarah’s Tip of the Week-Don’t stress over a week off from running if it is for a good reason such as injury, emergency, or a work load that just won’t let it happen. One week off from running is not enough to have major cardiovascular or muscle strength/endurance loss. More than a week and you will experience setbacks. There is a difference between making excuses and truly not being able to run. I literally had no time on any day this week. Even my lunches were spent fundraising for my students’ team. If I used work as an excuse all the time, then that is exactly what it would be-an excuse. The important thing is to get back to your training plan right away. Like stat (as long as you are not injured)!

Ryan’s Total Weekly Miles-25

Sarah’s Total Weekly Miles-4