Getting Back on Track

After a super fun week with our family together most nights for dinner, things were back to normal with just my husband and me. And although both of our sons’ families and my husband and I normally eat very healthy, there was a pizza party, dinner out where I ordered chicken parm, and another afternoon eating brewery food for what ended up being my dinner. We’re back on track with eating mostly chicken or salmon with fresh and roasted veggies most nights now and my body is thanking me.

My workouts weren’t disrupted during the visit which was great, and even though I was never sick, I felt like I was fighting something with my lungs feeling exhausted a couple of days when I walked. My youngest son started his marathon training cycle while here and I so wished I could go out and run with him, but hopefully I’ll be there cheering him on in November when he runs the Charlotte Marathon.

My husband and I dragged our feet and didn’t register for the Reston Century (or metric century) in time, so today we’ll be doing our own ¾-century along part of the route, starting at least an hour before the course opens. We’ll ride from our house heading west while cutting off the early part of the route that’s east of us. So if you’re reading this on Sunday morning, think of us pedaling away!

 

Overview of the Week

Before getting into each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…

 

Sunday

Walking: 3.02 miles
• Average pace: 14:58 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 149 feet
• Start time: 11:46 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 80° and sunny, climbing to 83°
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor

Cycling: 24 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.4 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 3:01 PM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 68° in the basement, 86° and sunny outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra

Sadly Pablo and his humans left to return home to North Carolina. BTW, Pablo and I were wearing the same expressions as we buckled him in his bed for the long ride home. Once they pulled out of our cul-de-sac, I took off for church, but with too little time to walk there. Walking and cycling would have to wait until later in the morning/afternoon.

 

Monday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Walking: 2.07 miles
• Average pace: 17:39 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 86 feet
• Start time: 4:34 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 87° and sunny
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor

Shortly after starting my walk, my foot right foot started bothering me, something that had bothered me off and on in the spring, but had eventually gone away. I shortened the planned distance and slowed my pace and made it through the walk. Interestingly, by the time I’d showered the pain had completely gone away, just like in the spring. I’ve been aware of it a couple of times since, but like I said, it’s comes and goes. I suspect it’s due to increasing my walking distance and speed during the last couple of weeks, much like during the spring after my illness.

 

Tuesday

Cycling: 38.32 miles
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Average speed: 13.5 MPH
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,424 feet
• Start time: 8:35 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Hamilton loop including Quail Creek and Irene
• Weather: 75° and mostly cloudy, climbing to 84°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves

I noticed immediately upon getting on the W&OD Trail that the area under trees was covered with a sticky substance. The clearings had no sticky spots, but had bicycle tire tracks trailing from the previous spot. At first I thought I had a flat because it was noticeably harder to ride and my tires were making a weird noise. I thought maybe they’d sprayed the trees to kill the spotted lanternflies, but then saw the same dark spots under trees along some side roads (pictured). Eventually, I decided it was lanternfly honeydew (pee). When I got home from my ride I looked it up, and sure enough, I was riding through bug pee for 38 miles. Ewww!

 

Wednesday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Even though my foot was feeling fine, I decided to give it a day off from walking considering I had a long walk on tap for the following morning.

This is an example of one of our more typical dinners. And yes, I realize I should have turned the plate around so the asparagus stalks were facing away.

 

Thursday

Walking: 4.02 miles
• Average pace: 16:26 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 187 feet
• Start time: 6:03 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 72° and partly cloudy, climbing to 74°
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor

Gardening: 2 hours 10 minutes

I was a beautiful morning both in Virginia and Iowa when Kim and I met for our virtual walk. While I enjoyed a sky full of yellows and oranges at the beginning of my walk, Kim was treated to pinks and purples near the end of her walk (we have a one hour time difference). BTW, my foot felt perfectly fine.

 

After walking with Kim and then seeing a client, I headed outside to my happy place with my string trimmer in hand – talk about a major core workout! There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment after a job well done. Zoom in and look at my sunglasses. LOL

 

Friday

Strength training: 30 minutes of core and legs

Balance and stretching: 45 minutes

Cycling: 50 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.2 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:11 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 67° in basement, 70° and clear outside

I did my core exercises before hopping on my spin bike, finished my ride, taught my balance and stretching class, and then completed my legs workout much later in the afternoon.

 

Saturday

Strength training: 30 minutes of upper body

Cycling: 25 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.3 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 8:29 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66° in the basement, 76° and cloudy outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra

With a busy Sunday morning planned, I made sure to go to Saturday evening mass, eat a good dinner, and get to bed early.

 

Questions:
  • • Do visitors or travel upend your eating habits and/or throw you off your workout routine? ~ Sometimes, but I try not to stress about it… There’s always the next week to get back on track.
  • • Do you call the machine I was using on Thursday a string trimmer, weed eater, or weed whacker? ~ I think it depends on where you live, but I normally call it a weed eater. I just learned from Google that Weed Eater was originally a brand name.
  • • Which workout this past week left you feeling the most satisfied? ~ The two hours I spent weed eating left me the most satisfied. It was quite the workout and the results look great!

 

And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!