Happy Sunday and Happy Easter Sunday! If you celebrate, I hope that you are having an awesome holiday and celebrating with family and friends. Church was great this morning and I got in a great workout afterwards. I’m also looking forward to Easter dinner and all the yummy food π
This was week 2 of my training for the Cleveland 8K and Half Marathon (If you want to join me in Cleveland, use code KGCLE10 to save 10% off registration). Let’s discuss!
Monday 3/26
3 mile run + 10 supermans/10 push-ups/30 second plank.
This was my first run back after the marathon. The first mile felt super crappy but then it got better. I even ended the run with negative splits!
Tuesday 3/27
Strength Training (45 mins) + 20 burpees.
I’m back to my Tuesday Body Works + Abs class. It’s pretty much a total body workout. This will definitely help me with my additional strength training during this training cycle.
Wednesday 3/28
I had an evening event to attend for work so I missed my usual boot camp class. I didn’t get home until around 9pm, so no workout but I did do 20 supermans/20 push-ups and a 30 second plank for the Total Body Challenge.
Thursday 3/29
4 mile run + 30 burpees.
I did something a little different for this run. I ran 2 miles, did 30 burpees, then finished my run with another 2 miles. It was a nice way to break up the run!
Friday 3/30
Rest Day, but I did 30 supermans/30 push-ups/30 second plank for TBC.
Saturday 3/31
7 mile run + 10 supermans/10 burpees/10 push-ups/30 second plank.
Although this run felt harder than it should have, the weather was gorgeous so I can’t complain! Unfortunately I had a pretty hard time with my allergies for the rest of the day π It’s definitely that time of the year. Thank goodness for Zyrtec!
I also ended the month with 90.4 miles. Not too bad considering I didn’t run for a week during the month!
Sunday 4/1
Strength Training (45 minutes) + 3.5 mile birthday run!
Another body works + abs class for this week. I also added in a 3.5 mile run for my 35th birthday!
Total Weekly Mileage: 17.5
Total Training Cycle Miles β 17.5
Grade β A
Overall it was a pretty good week! Getting back to running after a week off definitely isn’t easy but I’m sure that it will get better. As I mentioned, my run on Saturday felt way harder than it should have. I was also having an issue with my right hip flexor. I had similar pain on today’s run as well. I usually don’t have any pain there so I might need to move tomorrow’s run to later on in the week.
Saturday was the last day for the Total Body Challenge. One of my goals was to complete the challenge this month. It was hard but I’m glad that I stuck with it! I’ll be joining Rachel and a bunch of other ladies for the Tricep Dips, Push-Ups and Jump Squats Challenge for April! These challenges work in perfectly with my goal to do more strength training π
On another note, I have 2 pairs of sneakers coming up for retirement soon (I retire sneakers at 400 miles), so it’s becoming more necessary for me to find new sneakers. It’s going to be a lot of trial and error. First up – The Brooks Launch sneakers. I ordered these a few days ago and will get them soon. I will use these for shorter runs since it’s a neutral sneaker. When I compared the stats of the Mizuno Wave Inspire to the Launch, the drop and weight were similar so I have high hopes for these sneakers. Eventually I’ll also try the Brooks Ravenna sneakers (Brooks customer service recommended this support sneaker based on the Wave Inspire stats) and the new Mizuno Wave Inspire 14s. I’m hoping to find success with at least one, or all of these. Kim also suggested the Brooks Glycerins so I’ll give those a try too. This summer will be all about experimenting with sneakers.
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? If so, any tips on how to deal? I’m always looking for suggestions!
Iβm linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap.
In Case You Missed It
5 New Things I Tried During Marathon Training
Join Me For March Runfessions
Jessie says
I don’t suffer from seasonal allergies…it sounds awful! Good luck with your shoe experiments. Do you have a local running store that offers free returns? The ones around here generally will if you only do one run to test them out. Although I think Road Runner Sports will too. Good luck!
kookyrunner says
Ugh – it’s awful. It has actually messed with me for most of the weekend which sucked π
I don’t have a running store in my town but there is one not too far from me. I can definitely check them out – thanks for the tip!
Sara says
I’m loving your yellow shoes! I also run in the brooks Ravenna primarily (although I do have a pair of launches too). I think that you’ll like the Ravenna best if you need support. I’ve tried a couple different brands and this has become my it shoe. Can’t wait to hear what you think of them. Happy birthday!! Hope you are having a wonderful day!
kookyrunner says
Thank Sara! Those are Mizuno Wave Inspire 10s and unfortunately I’ll be retiring them soon π I hate that because I absolutely love those sneakers (I love anything bright)!
Glad to hear your positive feedback about the Ravenna! I’m just waiting for the latest version to go on sale before buying them, lol. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes!
Lesley says
I started using Flonase a few years ago to help with my allergies. Pills don’t seem to work, and the Flonase also helps with my sinus headaches.
kookyrunner says
I’ve been meaning to try Flonase so thanks for that suggestion!
Coco says
Happy Birthday!!! Love the bunny ears — so fun! It seems like you are right back to running — 7 miles is a solid run!
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much for the bday wishes! Yup, I’m right back into training so hopefully my right hip flexor will stop being stubborn!
HoHo Runs says
Happy Birthday, Kim! I love your Easter hats. Nice mileage for March, even with a week off! Also, great job getting back to training work. I feel you on the allergies. Allegra and I have been having an affair for two months now. I’m going to see if I can wean myself off. I’m hoping my spring allergies are over. Thanks for linking!
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! I love getting all of those themed headbands for holidays from Party City!
My spring allergies came in with a vengeance on Saturday morning. I’m starting to feel a little bit better now, thankfully!
Stephani says
I live with terrible allergies. I am always highly medicated, and with these temperature swings, as I am a human barometer, that isn’t enough. Good luck to you.
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Stephani – it’s definitely hard to navigate life and running when you have really bad allergies. Here’s hoping that we both get some relief soon.
Lacey@fairytalesandfitness says
Happy Birthday! Cute ears! Luckily I don’t suffer from allergies but it has been bad here lately with the pollen. My car is suppose to be navy blue but lately it has had a yellow tint to it.
kookyrunner says
Thanks Lacey! It’s funny because the pollen hasn’t been that bad here so I don’t know why my allergies were so awful this weekend.
Catherine says
I used to work for brooks so Iβve tried most of their shoes and wear the ghost these days. I used to like the Ravenna a lot but the latest one is a bit more narrow which may be great for you if your foot is skinnier than mine. I have a pair of the launch and theyβre definitely a shorter distance shoe because theyβre relatively light. The glycerin is super cushy and my sister swears by it. Happy shoe shopping!
kookyrunner says
That’s really good feedback – thanks so much for sharing!! Finding the perfect running sneaker is such a process!
Wendy says
I’ve been trying a pair of Wave Inspires to hopefully give me a little more support than I get with the Wave Riders. We’ll see. It was so easy when the Asics Gel Nimbus met all my needs… :p
You had a great week of training! I bet it feels good to be back at it! Happy birthday!
kookyrunner says
Hopefully we will both be blessed by the running sneaker fairy and find something that works well for us.
Thanks for the bday wishes!
Kimberly Hatting says
Hey birthday girl!! I hope you had a great day π It’s actually the Brooks Adrenaline GTS shoes that I love ;-), but they (the Brooks peeps at the Route 66 expo) told me that the Ravenna was a similar shoe (just not quite as much arch support)…so they may work well for you. Shoe trial and error is SOOOO frustrating, right? ugh. Another approach I’m looking into is finding a men’s shoe in one of my discontinued brands…a narrow men’s shoe (B width) is actually equivalent to a women’s normal width (also a B width). Men’s shoes typically are sized to be (2) sizes bigger than women’s…so a men’s 8B would usually be the same as a women’s 10B (I used to work in a shoe store LOL #insiderinfo). I don’t know how narrow/wide your feet are….but that may be something to consider if you don’t have much luck trying some of these new shoes. Fingers crossed we BOTH find some solutions π
Marcia says
Happy Birthday! You’re killing it post-marathon Kim! I have occasional seasonal allergies. We’re still well below freezing here so no worries on that yet. All the best with shoe shopping. I’m set with a long run shoe but when it comes time to replace my Wave Sayonaras (discontinued) I’m not sure what I’ll do.
kookyrunner says
Thanks Marcia! I didn’t know that the Wavy Sayonaras were discontinued – that sucks π Why do they make sneaker shopping so hard, lol
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy says
My husband started to really suffer with allergies this week too. π I don’t usually — I’ll have a day here or there, but it’s not an ongoing thing. Allergies suck.
I hope your hip flexor cooperates soon.
I bought Launches recently & I really like them so far (I run in neutral shoes, though). My knee pain actually started after one in them, but I’ve since run in them with no problems, so I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with the shoes.
kookyrunner says
The allergies just came out of nowhere and really put a damper on my weekend which was crappy, but I feel better today…probably because it’s snowing outside!
I hope my hip flexor cooperates soon too! It’s so weird because I rarely have any pain there.
Chaitali says
Ugh, I feel you on the allergies! I’m taking both claritin and flonase right now and definitely feel it if I miss a does. I love the Easter head bands π
kookyrunner says
I’m going to try Flonase this week because I really can’t function that well when my allergies are so bad!
Montana @ Pretty Lil Mudder says
Usually I do suffer from seasonal allergies, but they haven’t been that bad so far. I’m hoping it stays that way because I’m not looking forward to dealing with that! Hope yours get better!!
kookyrunner says
Dealing with allergies and the warmer weather is always rough! It snowed today so of course my allergies aren’t bothering me anymore lol
Darlene says
Too bad about the allergies. I have them now and then and not every year. Mine is to grass.
I don’t keep track of my mileage but I should. I rotate my shoes a lot and make sure that I were a newish pair for each half marathon.
kookyrunner says
I try to use 2-3 different pairs of sneakers while training. That way I feel like I have them for longer, but always stop running in them after 400 miles. I know some runners that can get about 500 miles from their sneakers and I think that’s amazing!
Lisa @ Mile by Mile says
It always feels weird to run after some time off! But its good that you took time to recover after your marathon. I think the Ravennas and Launches feel very different (I prefer the Launches). I tried the Ravennas about a year ago and they felt heavier and stiffer, but Im not sure what the shoes you are wearing are like so maybe you will like them! Shoes trial and error can be very frustrating!
kookyrunner says
Thanks for your feedback on both the Launch and Ravenna sneakers. I’m just hoping that something works out for me!
Deborah @ Confessions of mother runner says
Happy happy birthday! Love the bunny ears. You are right back at your training nice job
kookyrunner says
Thanks Deborah!
Michelle @ Running with Attitude says
Great mileage – especially with the week off! It sounds like you haven’t missed a beat and should be in great form for Cleveland. Good luck with your shoe search. I had to let the Wave Skys go and I’m back to splitting my time between the Saucony Zealots and Kinvaras. Why is it so hard to find the right shoes!?!
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Michelle! It felt weird to have such a decrease in monthly miles from February, but I have to remember that was during my peak week of marathon training.
The never ending sneaker search continues lol
Jennifer @ Fit Nana says
Happy birthday!!! <3
I love that you broke up your run with burpees. That totally speaks to my CrossFit loving self. haha! I think I've done one that was *run a mile, 150 burpees, run a mile* or something like that. It was brutal. I'm probably wrong on the number of burpees – it may have actually been a little more. UGH!
Finding the right shoes is always a struggle for me. If Saucony ever completely discontinues the Kinvara, I will just curl up in a ball and die. lol
PS: your blog header is missing. :/ I'm glad I caught the problem for you yesterday but maybe there's still a small issue?
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Jen!
I loved doing burpees in the middle of my run last week. Such a fun way to mix it up! Wow – 150 burpees? No way could I do that – you’re amazing!
Yeah the blog header thing is acting wacky – it shows up on my MAC computer at home but not my Windows computer at work – sigh. This website is driving me nuts.
Jenn says
Good luck with your shoe hunt! I hope you find something you love as much as those older Inspires π
I don’t have seasonal allergies but my son gets crushed by them. It’s miserable, and there’s so little to be done. The one thing we do have is a sinugator – it’s similar to a netipot, but it’s battery/push-button operated. It does a fairly strong saline rinse, which helps clear out the sinuses and move any mucous/crud along. My husband uses it to help prevent his bi-annual sinus infection, and little man uses it to help alleviate some of his allergy symptoms. It was a recommendation from our pediatrician, and it’s made a world of difference for us.
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Jen. The running sneaker hunt is so frustrating!
The saline rinse is great for allergies. I also use Zyrtec and Nettle tea. The tea really helped me over the weekend when I was totally miserable!
Sherry says
I’m thankful I don’t suffer from seasonal allergies. Sounds like a good week! Great job with your total body challenge! What a great way to get strength training in!
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Sherry!
Debbie says
I love your Easter βbonnets!β Iβm so lucky I donβt have allergies since I live in an area where they can really drive people crazy!
kookyrunner says
Thanks Debbie! I found the bunny ears at Party City.
Teresa says
I feel you on the hip flexor …mine is still cranky. Like you, I’ve never had this issue before so I really don’t know what to do other than rest, ice, roll and stretch.
Happy Birthday …how fun to celebrate it with your Mom and a run!!
I’m so impressed you finished the challenge last month …my mind was just not in it. Now that the hubby has left though, I’m determined to finish Aprils challenge. Lol
kookyrunner says
Same here – I did some icing and foam rolling when I got home. It didn’t hurt on my run today, but I did that run on the treadmill so I wonder if that’s why. Running is so strange lol
Happy to be doing the April challenge with you!
Clarinda says
Thankfully, I’ve never had to deal with allergies. *knock on wood* Great job with your March mileage – even with a week off! I finally broke 15 miles for the year. π Happy birthday yesterday! Your bunny ears were super cute!!
kookyrunner says
You’re so lucky that you don’t have to deal with allergies!
Thanks so much for the birthday wishes π
Renee @runlaugheatpie says
Yay for lots of runs and better weather! Boo on the allergies!
I don’t envy your sneaker search. But can I ask, why retire at 400 miles? Can you not get a couple hundred (or at least 100) more out of them? I usually go up to about 800KM. I know it’s personal, just wondering what your reasoning behind it is.
What sort of exercises do you do for your hip flexors? Are you stretching before your run? I find it so hard sometimes, finding the right ways to prep our body for running!
Glad you had a good birthday – nice way to crack out some miles for it as well! Maybe I’ll do that on my birthday too… but then I’d have to do 5 miles… π
kookyrunner says
Once I start having weird aches during runs, I have to retire the sneakers. I have noticed that it usually happens at 400 miles for me.
I’m going to try stretching more before my runs to see if that will help with the hip flexor.
Anna @ Piper's Run says
Happy Birthday!
You had quite a solid week of workouts! Love the Easter headbands!
kookyrunner says
Thanks so much Anna!
Andrea says
Lady, you are a rock star! Aries birthdays rock π My bday is on Thursday lol. Happy birthday and keep up the great work!
kookyrunner says
Woo-hoo – another fellow Aries! Happy early birthday! π
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets says
Happy birthday! I’m glad you had a great week back into training mode! Thankfully I haven’t been impacted by allergies yet – sometimes I feel it, sometimes I don’t!
I’ve been telling myself that I’ll join Rachel’s challenge in May – when I’m finally free from marathon training, lol!
kookyrunner says
Thanks Janelle – it was a great birthday!
Rachel’s Challenges have been great this year! I’m so happy that she started them π