CIM Training Log: Week 7

So I am going to try to actually talk about things other than running in this post! Mainly because I think a blog that is purely, 100% training logs can get a bit boring.

However, I have only like three good pictures to share! So, apologies in advance for the relatively picture-free post.

Here is a picture of Miss Bea and Miss Betty. Every cat picture is a worthwhile picture, right?
(And yes, this counts toward the "three good pictures").

Last week was gloriously less busy than the week following (and including...) Labor Day. I still billed approximately 50 hours, but the difference between 50 hours and 63 hours (between Monday to Friday) is getting enough sleep at night. And that, my friends, is the key.

Tuesday was a bit rough. I had to wake up at 5:00 a.m. to drive to downtown LA (not my favorite place...) and attend a calendar hearing for my pro bono asylum client. I am working on the asylum application of a family from El Salvador, and so far it has been a bit rough going (not the family's fault at all!). I'm a corporate lawyer, not a litigator, so the guide I've been following for the process assumes I know certain things that I don't, so I was nervous on my drive up, even though the hearing was just to schedule the "merits" hearing (or "el grande audiencia", which is what I'm calling it since I speak only broken Spanish -- I have an amazing law student Spanish interpreter for whom I am incredibly grateful).

I woke up Tuesday to pounding rain. Seriously, it rains like 20 days a year in Southern California, but it rained on one of the three days this year I had to drive up to LA for work. Rain automatically adds at least 30 minutes to a commute. Without traffic (HAH. Hahahahahaha.) it takes about 50 minutes to get to Downtown LA. With rush hour traffic, it's more like 80 minutes. Tuesday -- with the pouring rain -- it took me 2 hours to get to the immigration courthouse in downtown LA.

Anyway, thankfully, the hearing went smoothly. The merits hearing was set for October 2016. Yes, you read that right: 2016, as in, over a year from now. Our immigration courts are so backed up that it will be a year before the family has their asylum application decided. However, it's a year they don't have to live in their town in El Salvador, which has been overrun by violent gangs, so they were not upset at all. The next step will be to get a work permit for the adult of the family, which takes a few months per government regulations.

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. Saturday consisted of a long run at Huntington Beach with Kristina, which felt like a bit of a slog for both of us, but was redeemed with a glorious "ice" bath in the Pacific Ocean, followed by my annual haircut. Not a joke -- I hadn't gotten my hair cut in over a year. I'm ashamed. And yes, I showered first. I'm not a (completely) horrible human being.

Post-long run cool-downs in the Pacific! SoCal living at its finest.

Sourabh and I spent Saturday night at a really special event: the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation's Annual Bid for the Cure. I became involved with the organization after volunteering at the PCRF's Reaching for the Cure Race in March. PCRF is rolling out a new program, the PCRF Ambassadors, which will be made up of young survivors of pediatric cancer. The program will have two aspects: assisting in fundraising and having a pot of funds, which the ambassadors will use after deciding on a research program to grant the funds to. I'm excited to be helping with the program since it allows children and young adults to share their stories, but also gives them an opportunity to feel like they're contributing to the research being done to beat this disease.

During the dinner, I spoke briefly about why I care so deeply about supporting cancer research, and not just research for a cure but research for less debilitating treatments. I saw the toll that radiation took on Katie -- she could barely walk up stairs due to her lung disease from multiple rounds of radiation on her kidneys and surrounding organs, which affected her lungs.

The event raised a substantial amount of money for PCRF, and I was grateful to play even a tiny part in that. And on a lighter note, I won a champagne tasting for four in Sonoma in the silent auction, so I guess I have my post-marathon plan for December already!

(Side note: why do we say we "win" in an auction? It just means we agreed to pay the most money...)


CIM Training Log: Week 7

Monday: 30 minutes recovery run around neighborhood + core work.

Ran along nearby sidewalks, about 2.9 miles total (went Garmin and HRM-free, which I'm trying to do more and more). Foam rolled and did some calf stretches and lunges/hip openers after. Quads/hip flexors have been feeling pretty tight.

Completed a core workout in the evening.


Tuesday: Strength workout.

3x15:
(1) chest press
(2) seated row
(3) hamstring curl
(4) single leg dead lift

15x
(1) overhead med ball tilts
(2) candlestick dippers
(3) "swimming supermans"
(4) leg windmills


Wednesday: 40 minute easy run + 6x20 second strides on nearby trails.

Ran in the evening on the nearby trails. Total of 3.65 miles in 40:00, ~310 ft elevation gain, 10:68 avg pace. It was a hilly route and my legs were a bit sore from the previous night's weights workout, so I was happy with the run. Also saw a coyote on the trail!

6x20 second strides: .29 miles, 7:00 avg pace, for 3.91 miles total.


Thursday: 7 miles (4 miles tempo) at Back Bay.

Ran after work because evening is my favorite time for speed workouts. Had great running weather compared to the past few hot, humid weeks: 74 degrees, "feels like" 72, 8 mph wind. 

2 mile w/u in mid-10s then dropped the pace for the four tempo miles. I really went by effort and made a conscious decision to barely look at my pace. This shockingly resulted in faster times! When I did look at my pace, it got into my head and made it harder to maintain the pace because I thought, "Eep, I'm running that pace? That's a 'hard' pace! I can't run that pace!" Coach Jess is really big on running by effort level, and the more I keep to that, the better I feel for speed work.

Pace/HR: (1) 8:23/154, (2) 8:16/159, (3) 8:22/161, (4) 7:51/166

1 mile c/d to finish.

I felt a lot better with this tempo run than the previous tempo run three weeks prior. Not only was it faster overall for the tempo miles, but it felt easier, too. My HR was also lower overall. Exciting to see progress!

Friday: 35 minute spin + upper body strength.

I just could NOT get my HR up. Not sure if I was sluggish after the previous night's tempo run or if I was too sleepy. Anyway, 5 minute w/u, 30 minutes @ 123 avg HR (urgh). Was running a bit late so skipped the typical 5 minute c/d since I needed to lift some weights then head home to get ready for work.

3x15:
(1) tricep press w/ cable machine
(2) bicep curls
(3) "Arnold" shoulder presses

2x15:
(1) toe taps on BOSU
(2) single leg bicycles on BOSU

Saturday: 2 hour 20 minute long run at Huntington Beach + light lower body strength.

Ran with Kristina, who is an awesome long run buddy. I am so grateful that I've had her stellar company on so many runs so far this training cycle! We ended up with 2:20:01 (it was hot and we were not about to run a minute over my assigned time), 14.06 miles, 9:58/mile avg pace, 152 avg HR.

Not sure why the high HR. My HR wasn't that high before I started running, but it was hot (mid to high 70s, feels like mid to high 80s) and although there was a breeze, the sun felt very hot (does that make sense?). I think I was about 3 lbs lighter post-run even drinking 3 handhelds full of water and stopping a few times at water fountains. We also chatted a lot, so that could have definitely played a part since it was using my cardiovascular system more than on a quiet run.

I fueled pre-run with a Picky Bar + 1/2 banana + coffee an hour beforehand. On the run fuel was about 10 oz of Gatorade mixed into water in my handheld, and one Salted Caramel Gu around mile 8. I was fatigued at the end so I think I would have needed more fuel if I was going to keep running, but it felt like a fine amount for 14 miles.

Splits: (1) 10:07, (2) 9:54, (3) 9:30, (4) 10:07, (5) 10:07, (6) 9:40, (7) 10:00, (8) 10:09, (9) 9:56, (10) 9:58, (11) 9:50, (12) 10:13, (13) 10:15, (14) 9:44

Light strength post-run -- 3x15:
(1) fire hydrants (each side)
(2) donkey kicks (each side)
(3) clamshells (each side)
(4) leg lifts (each side)

Sunday: Off.

Total Mileage = ~28 miles