Weekly Wrap #17


This past week was full of smoke, and thankfully this week is starting to clear up (a little bit). Between the numerous wildfires north of us in Canada, to the two wildfires south of us, thick smoke has filled the skies. Luckily the ones south of us have been over 50% contained, but there are so many in Canada, I am unsure of their current standings. It is easy to mistake it as Pacific Northwest fog, but don't be fooled. The mountains have been difficult to see and I've heard people down in Seattle have had days where the mountains can't even be seen at all! Our air quality has been rated poor and the weather has given us hot days with no rain in sight. People with heart disease or breathing problems have been advised to stay indoors whenever possible, which left me heading out for a run as a test to see if my lungs would freak out or if it'd be somewhat normal. Thankfully the air hasn't affected or bothered me at all, so I am happy about that!



Week 13
SUNDAY: Rest
MONDAY: RAN 13.21 miles @7:38 pace on treadmill + walked .5 miles
TUESDAY: RAN 3.44 miles @9:26 pace on trails
WEDNESDAY: Walked 1 mile
THURSDAY: RAN 15.33 miles @9:00 pace + walked 2.20 miles w/stroller
FRIDAY: RAN 7.13 miles @9:14 pace w/ stroller
SATURDAY: Rest
Total weekly miles: 42.81


Smokey skies
On Monday we hit the gym and I hopped on the treadmill for my weekly indoor run. I've been using the treadmill to focus on speedwork, either interval training or tempo runs for shorter distances. After reaching 8 miles at a 7:24 pace, I thought, "What the heck?!" and decided to shoot for a faster half marathon pace. Yes, obviously the treadmill isn't like the roads, but I try to start at 1% and adjust the incline up at different parts of the run. My 3-4 other outdoor weekly runs are very hilly and have a nice amount of elevation gain. Even though it was "unofficial" and on a treadmill, I managed to cut off 3:08 off my half marathon PR. I finished in 1:40:53, which comes out to a 7:38 pace. Ultra training sure has had its benefits, like making 13.2 miles seem like a shorter run. 😀

Our family has been making the best effort we can to enjoy the remainder of summer. We have so many months of cloudy, rainy days that it would be a bummer to pass up this nice weather. Two of the dog parks here are located next to lakes, which is a perfect way for your furry pal to cool off and splash around! Remi ventured into the water for her first time and she even had a full-fledged swim session that had lots of people laughing! It was the funniest thing to see this huge pit bull puppy grinning and having the time of her life while swimming in the lake. She seriously looked like a dolphin or mermaid hahaha! 

Even though it was only a short 3.44 miles, I was very thankful to get some toddler-free time alone on the trails. The mental state change and feeling of freedom while trail running versus road running is insanely different! I thoroughly embrace and enjoy the time I'm able to spend on the dirt, surrounded by huge trees, sword ferns, and beautiful moss. Eisley definitely prefers when we go on the trails too! We enjoy the birds singing, squirrels running up the trees, and searching for deer. She likes foraging for wild blackberries, huckleberries, and salmon berries along the way. Who wouldn't want to be pushed around while eating delicious, wild treats?!



Once again, I'm linking up with Tricia and Holly for the Weekly Wrap! They've started a new Guest Host Series for the Weekly Wrap and this week's host is Heather from 3 Black Cat Co.

 

Comments

  1. KookyRunnerAugust 7, 2017 at 12:39 PM

    Oh man, those fires sound scary! I'm glad that they have been able to get some of them under control!

    Congrats on another great week of training. Two double digits runs in one week?! You're a rockstar!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emily RenteriaAugust 21, 2017 at 6:06 AM

      They were very scary, my heart goes out to the families that lived close to them. Thank you, taper time is here and it's driving me crazy!

      Delete
  2. SaraAugust 7, 2017 at 1:29 PM

    Awesome week of training! The trails in your area are beautiful! Which ultra are you training for?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emily RenteriaAugust 21, 2017 at 6:09 AM

      Thanks Sara! I'm so thankful for the trails and opportunities here for running and hiking. The race is called Hamster Endurance Runs https://www.hamsterenduranceruns.com/ It's a 2.58 mile trail loop around a lake and you run as many laps as you can in your time. I chose 6hrs, but there's also 12, 24, and even 32hr options!

      Delete
  3. deborah @ Confessions of a mother runnerAugust 7, 2017 at 2:37 PM

    I keep seeing pics of all the forest fires out in Northwest that's so scary and they seem to spread so quickly. Hope things clear up for you all. Nice job getting those long runs in!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownAugust 8, 2017 at 2:25 PM

    The fires would scare me too. I did wonder about breathing in the smoke so glad to know it didn't bother you! Great week for you, and that pace on the mill is so dang impressive, heck just getting a run that long on one is enough to impress me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emily RenteriaAugust 21, 2017 at 6:11 AM

      I was nervous about the smoke and did some easier efforts as a test along with carrying my inhaler. No dryness, itchy throat, or burning at all.

      Delete
  5. HoHo RunsAugust 9, 2017 at 4:43 PM

    Fires are something we've never had to consider around here. It's generally pretty wet and steamy. I'm glad the air hasn't affected you and hopefully they will be contained soon. Your trails look lovely. I wish I had them at my disposal.

    ReplyDelete

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