How My Training Looks

I've been writing a lot of dull posts about rehabbing my back lately, so today I'm changing it up and writing about.....training! Because I have been! Not like some of you badasses who are earning Marathon Maniac shirts and winning races and running vast amounts of miles on all kinds of crazy terrain, but considering where I've been, I'll take it.


My typical training week right now, as written by Darren, my coach, looks like this:

Monday: an hour to 70 minutes on the recumbent bike with intervals at differing resistances

Tuesday: a 35-minute run with short pick-ups in the middle; I do this run outside on the flat gravel path where I did my first comeback run with Cynthia; after coming home and getting the kids off to preschool, I go to Pilates class with Patty; last Tuesday's Pilates session was my first ever on the Reformer; man, am I in love with that thing! I felt about two inches taller when we were finished.

Wednesday: back to my recumbent friend for another hour to 70 minute ride with resistance intervals

Thursday: a treadmill run of about 35 minutes, followed by a weights/core/stretching session at the gym

Friday: a 35-minute run outside with longer pick-ups than Tuesday's; yesterday's were the longest so far of the training session, at 75 seconds each; again, that doesn't sound like much compared with the speed workouts some of you are throwing down, but they make me feel like Shalane Flanagan right now.

Saturday: typically divided between an elliptical workout and a run; today started with 30 minutes on the elliptical and finished with a 30 minute treadmill run; paces on Saturday stay easy.

Sunday: Off (though I do some core work and foam rolling and often will take a walk)

This schedule can vary when I'm traveling or if something else unusual is going on, but it's been pretty consistent since I hired Darren in June.

I try to pay attention to my heart rates when I'm on the machines, including the treadmill, because when I'm all clear to do harder stuff, heart rate is going to be very important. It's interesting to me how much it can vary from day to day. This week, for instance, on Thursday's treadmill run, I felt vaguely crappy and my heart rate reflected that, soaring way higher than I thought it should have been for such easy paces. Today, in contrast, it stayed nice and low at paces that were slightly speedier than Thursday's. I could have run faster if had Darren let me--and this despite the fact that I'd already done an elliptical workout.

Medical Update: I had my MRI yesterday morning and will get the results on Tuesday. My fingers are crossed that the way ahead will be clear.

Kids Update: Will and Ruth boarded the plane to see my parents this morning and have already landed and are in the care of my dad and stepmom. We had no drama at the gate. Will was so eager to get down the jetway that I had to remind him to kiss me goodbye. Ruthie looked slightly more sober, but she's a rule follower like me and anyway her brother was going and she had a Rice Krispie treat in her bag. So down she went and she didn't look back.

Now Dan and I are.....doing whatever we want. For five days.