Postpartum 10K Training, Week 3

Last week’s workouts were successful, although they were squeezed into a busy, tiring week. I love the feeling of being back to training and it’s worth the time and energy. Although I could not imagine trying to train for a longer distance right now! 

Monday: 5.4 mile easy run

The treadmill is a sanity saver on Mondays. Mondays are my busiest workdays, since I do most of my coaching feedback on Mondays. Hopping on the treadmill just makes the day mentally easier. I ran a hilly iFit course at an easy pace (9:12/mile), then quickly it was onto a day full of coaching feedback and taking care of Isla. 

Tuesday: 25 minute tempo run (60 min total)

After a 20 minute warm-up, I set the pace to 7.9 mph (7:35/mile pace). It felt comfortably hard for the first 15 minutes. The final 10 minutes did not feel too hard, but I had to focus more as I got some mild side stitches. I need to remember to always have water on the treadmill for longer efforts. 

Wednesday: Strength training

I progressed to the next set of ReCore2 exercises. These ones included bear holds, plank saws, and stacked upper body exercises that left my arms shaking. 

Thursday:  1 hour run

An hour is such an enjoyable duration for me. I can get in a good groove but not be too tired for the rest of the day. I kept the pace easy and covered 6.5 miles with over 300 feet of elevation gain. 

Friday: 4 mile run & strength training

When I gave Isla her early morning dreamfeed, I observed she was sick. Flu season and baby fevers make me nervous, so I planned on calling the pediatrician as soon as they opened. To pass the time, I focused on my workout. I ran four easy miles on the treadmill and then completed that week’s ReCore2 exercises.

Saturday: 9.1 mile long run

Typically, I run before breakfast, but I was tired and worried after Isla was diagnosed with flu. Even though Isla slept, I woke up every few hours to check the monitor. She was visibly improving by her mid-morning nap, so I ran while she slept.

I opted for the treadmill because it was still snowy and cold outside. Mentally, it was easier to not go too far from her. I used the Google Maps feature to set a custom course along one of my favorite routes from when we lived in Washington. I turned on a podcast (Mario Fraioli’s  interview with Lindsey Crouse on the Morning Shakeout, well worth a listen). My goal was to run up to nine miles, but I was not going to force it. 

Those nine miles provided me with what I physically and mentally needed. I ran the first hour easy with some incline variation and then a 20 minute aerobic progression. Once I hit nine, I cooled down with a tenth of a mile jog to hit a round 32 miles for the week.

Sunday: Rest day

Taking care of a sick baby is tiring, so I took my rest day easy and enjoyed a short afternoon nap. Next week is a cutback week, which I’m looking forward to after my first three weeks of focused training in over a year! 

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