We made it to the Beach! We’re almost there!

Does anyone else feel like training makes your week just fly by?! Literally. I have know idea how the summer is half over, July is gone and the August long weekend is here. It doesn’t make any sense. So how did I spend my long weekend? By running of course!

Monday was another double teaching day, but this time I did not have to work the desk. I taught the community class in the morning then a Free Class with Jill! that evening to a colleague (hi, Val) and her friend. I stuck to my Monday plan of practicing yoga, but this particular Monday I ended up practicing twice. That’s what happens when you make yoga dates with friends and hang out at the studio all the time. I found out afterward Darren Hall was playing his crystal singing bowls for the 8pm music class. I had to stay.

Tuesdays, so far, have been a good day to run for me. I’ve noticed after a day off my body really takes flight the following day. Sometimes I feel heavy and the run isn’t the greatest, but mentally I know I have a job to do, so I go out and do it. I must say being in the office does help get me going. But please note there is a big difference in my feelings towards running early in the week to later. I think it’s hill training day where the mental switch happens… most likely. Wednesday Julie and I scheduled another running date after I taught the morning community class at MYD. We made our way to Poplar Plains and ran the 4 legs up and walked back down. It wasn’t fun, but running with Julie made it seem better than it was.

Thursday evening I had plans with Cecilley, so I ran at lunch once again, and missed the evening clinic. I didn’t quite make the 10k I was supposed to get in, but seeing how I ran extra the day before – my warm up to meet Julie, the warm up to the hills, then my run home – I didn’t really care at this point. I ran and that’s what mattered.

Friday was a complete off day. I, for real this time, did absolutely nothing (minus puttering around the house and doing random things). Saturday was another day where I didn’t run. Like I said last week, I discovered a new love and I spent the day on the beach paddleboarding with Jenn (Big City Boards) and a fellow Moksha teacher Marianne (hi, Jenn! hi Marianne!).

Look at me!

Yes, I fell in Lake Ontario and no nothing bad happened to me… at least not yet. Maybe some sort of mutation from the lake will make me a super runner? Or, I’ll keep dreaming! Jenn took Marianne and I out to a sweet little cove where the water was still and the bottom was nice and sandy. We paddled around did some yoga on the boards and attempted various balancing postures. Some where successful others not so much. But either way, it was so much fun!

And then I fell in! Thank you Jenn for the pictures.

After a second week in a row of sending my Saturday not running and on the water instead, I felt ready for the longest run of the clinic yet – a 23k route to the Beaches and around the east end then back to the store. Alice told me this part of the training is what really counts, when we begin running past half marathon distance. This Sunday Julie and I finally had the chance to run a long run together so I decided to try and have fun with it and run with the 4:30 pace group. Right away it felt okay. Don’t worry, I was shocked too! It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, and the company was great – all things necessary for a successful long run! Julie and I even took off near the end and felt strong enough to run ahead of the group. We finished strong and together!

We decided next week we’d drop down a pace group and see what the 4:15 will bring. Given this was my assigned pace group maybe it’s time to actually run with them! 26k will be the real test. Wish me luck!