Who did NOT die! The training journal of not-so-fast runner and costume addict (Comments welcome)

[The Expert]

All about that BASE

It's officially been two weeks since Dopey and I am feeling rested and ready! My Garmin is giving me solid greens for my HRV Status and my cold seems to be cleared up, so time to start the next thing.

Per Billy's advice, the plan is to spend 4-8 weeks doing a good base build with easy running, then a mile trial to see if I have a shot at a PR in the half. If not, I'll likely focus on improving my 10K time.

Knowing myself and that I won't stick to it if I just say I'm going to run 2 or 3 days a week, I did a bit of research and reading and decided to follow the Novice Higdon base plan. I'll add in my weekly strength training on Tuesdays, which may mean skipping that short run or moving it to Mondays.



One hitch -- have a mega trip to Egypt, Jordan and Istanbul in mid February, and due to packing constraints and the schedule, I hold no illusions that I will keep up running while I'm gone. It will definitely be active, though! So I will do the first three weeks of this before I go, then repeat week 3 and follow this through week 9 when I'm back. That puts my mile trial at the end of April.

And awayyyy we go!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

have a mega trip to Egypt, Jordan and Istanbul in mid February

Sounds amazing!!

 

[The Expert]

Sounds amazing!!

I hope so! Super excited for this one as we booked it during early Covid. We went through our "bucket list" and assigned timeframes. I was so focused on Dopey and a huge work project that I am just now really starting to plan details and get excited for it.

 

[GollyGadget]

here we goooooo

 

[Herding_Cats]

Oooooh the pics from that trip are going to AH-MAZING! I just know it. I hope you have the best time.

 

[The Expert]

We interrupt this training journal for an important announcement!

 

[SheHulk]

Ahem, Philadelphia would like a word...
Congrats and it's going to be fun!

 

[The Expert]

Ahem, Philadelphia would like a word...
Congrats and it's going to be fun!

I'm so excited for the Kelce Bowl!

 

[The Expert]

Three weeks post Dopey, and back to training!

I had planned a super easy Novice Higdon base plan (posted above) for the three weeks until my mega trip. Being out of the running routine and super busy at work complicated things more than I thought. AND my trainer was out of town last week, so I didn't have that on the calendar. I literally forgot to run on Tuesday! d'oh!

Tuesday 1/24: 1.5 miles easy
OOPS! I did remember this about 8:30pm and jumped on the treadmill for a 20 minute walk.

Wednesday 1/25: 3 miles easy
My first actual attempt at running (well, intervals) since Dopey. I'd been feeling a bit tired and sluggish, but this felt good! I actually had to slow myself down a bit to keep it in the easy range.

Thursday 1/26: 1.5 miles easy
These super short ones are tricky. My brain tries to convince me it's not even worth changing clothes, but I did this one during a long and boring division call for work. Yay for my treadmill desk!

Friday 1/27: rest

Saturday 1/28: 30 minute walk
We had an event at the zoo, so DH and I bundled up in the cold and went. Had a great time and ended up walking around for a couple of hours. It's on the bench of the mountains, so there's lots of elevation climbing and my legs were definitely feeling the workout by the time we climbed back in the car.

Sunday 1/29: 3 miles easy
I was pretty chill about the upcoming Chiefs game most of the day. After our usual big Sunday breakfast, I jumped on the treadmill for the early part of the Eagles/49ers game and had plenty of time to change and get all my rituals and superstitions in before the KC game. We had mail-order KC BBQ in the freezer that we thawed, as is our tradition for the AFC Championship. It worked and we won!

Now to find somewhere in Rome to watch the Super Bowl at 12:30am the day after we arrive on our way to Egypt. UGH!

 

[Blue Caterpillar]

Saturday 1/28: 30 minute walk
We had an event at the zoo, so DH and I bundled up in the cold and went. Had a great time and ended up walking around for a couple of hours. It's on the bench of the mountains, so there's lots of elevation climbing and my legs were definitely feeling the workout by the time we climbed back in the car.

Was that the Salt lake Zoo? That is the zoo we went to when a kid. I just went back the first time in over 30 years last summer. It's a really nice zoo, but you are right lots of elevation!

 

[The Expert]

Was that the Salt lake Zoo? That is the zoo we went to when a kid. I just went back the first time in over 30 years last summer. It's a really nice zoo, but you are right lots of elevation!

Yes! Hogle Zoo! They've done a great job keeping it updated.

 

[The Expert]

A mostly-not-training but very busy update

Sooooo all my intentions of keeping up that little bit of running while prepping for this mega trip and the massive opening at work? Gone. Kaput. Not happening. It has been insanely busy on both fronts and I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll just have to start back up when I return at the end of the month.

I have done SOME things. Like kept up with my strength training once a week, walking to appointments and errands within a mile or so, and the occasional iFit workout on the treadmill. This trip will also be super active, so my fitness shouldn't suffer too much.

One bit of big news: I registered for all three races for Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (thank you platinum Club rD)! There are a few familiar names on the thread, so it'll be fun to do a west coast meetup.

We leave Saturday for our trip, starting off in Rome (and trying to stay up for the Super Bowl), then on to Cairo,Luxor and our Nile cruise next week. After that we go to Jordan (Petra) and end up in Istanbul. If you want to follow along, I'll for sure post to my IG (@kim_captures). And no, I have not yet packed.

 

[NYC_MW]

Just dropped in to say WOOHOO!!! after last night's exciting game

 

[The Expert]

Just dropped in to say WOOHOO!!! after last night's exciting game

YES! DH managed to get a feed up on the computer and we stayed up until 4:15am to watch the end and the trophy presentation. WORTH IT!!!

 

[The Expert]

I'm baaaaack! Well, technically we got back last Sunday but it's been a busy busy week. I travel for work on Monday for our big grand opening, so been playing catch-up on everything BUT the DIS. I plan to spend some quality time this weekend catching up.

I did manage to cull through my 2500+ photos (not video yet, though) and put together some galleries for the trip. If you're interested:

Rome: https://adobe.ly/3Zp0yly
Egypt: https://adobe.ly/3ZlOMsa
Jordan: https://adobe.ly/3Yoz1PT
Istanbul: https://adobe.ly/3EXL27V

Relevant to this training journal, it was an incredibly active trip. I think I hit my elevation goal every day, especially in Egypt climbing in and out of tombs. I have an EPIC story about an unexpected 7-mile hike the back way to and through Petra in Jordan that I can't wait to share! The Garmin track looks like we literallly climbed momtain, which we kind of did.

More soon!

A few teaser pics...

 

[The Expert]

... who did NOT die! Yes, I am indeed alive. No, I am not really training at all. So much for that base post. You know what they say about making plans? Yeah... I thought I would have all this free time after my trip was over and my big project at work wrapped up in mid March. Then DH got recruited to run a company. In VERMONT! And now it looks like we're moving there. DH starts May 15!

So indulge me for a while as this training journal turns into a moving-with-six-cats and a moving-to-a-state-I've-visited-once and a moving-after-living-in-the-same-condo-for-20-years journal. (We've lived in Salt Lake for almost 30 years!)

Our initial idea was to rent for a few months, but northern VT (Waterbury/Montpelier area) doesn't have a lot of options. What is there is pricier than buying, so we're touring homes over Zoom right now. We'll probably buy something that we'll be in for five years or so, while we decide if this is where we want to land forever. If so, we'll buy land and build. That was always our plan, but we thought we'd be in Wyoming or Montana. We like cold weather and want some land for some small livestock (goats, chickens, etc), so Vermont could still work unless we get there and hate it.

Next week, all six cats go in to see the vet (two at a time). We are driving our truck and trailer, so we don't have to do health certificates, but we do want to be sure everyone is up to date on vaccinations and we have all their records and microchip info updated.

I have a huge to-do list right now! In addition to the home shopping, we're looking for long stay hotels or AirBnBs we could get into for a few weeks or a month in case the closing and furniture delivery doesn't line up. But since we are taking our trailer, we COULD live out of it at a campground if we had to. Six cats and two people (and me working from "home") in a 19-footer might not be super fun, but it's workable for a bit. And way less $$ than the other options right now.

DH is looking into moving companies. Thankfully his new company is paying all our costs, so we're going to find someone who will just come in and pack everything up for us. THAT will be nice! I know there will be some things we'll want to pack and take ourselves, but the bulk will be done for us.

I'm researching transport options for my car. I know a convertible Mustang probably isn't super practical in Vermont, but I love my car and want to keep it even if it sits in the garage most of the year.

I'm also incessantly watching YouTube videos about traveling with cats, even though I feel like I know how to do this. It has been 30 years since we moved long-distance with animals, and it's probably going to take us 3-4 days to make the trip. I discovered yesterday that the AAA app has a digital Triptik! I can put in how many hours a day we want to travel, and it shows me where the stops are. Then I can pull up campgrounds and hotels around each one. I think our plan will be to drive 8-10 hours a day and hook up at a campground. The cats would ride in the truck with us (in kennels/carriers) during the day, and we'd all get a break and sleep in the trailer at night.

Okay, enough rambling for now. But if anyone has insight on Vermont or cross-country moves, I'm open to advice, referrals and anything else you want to share, here or via DM!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Re: possibly camping.
IDK what the Vermont camping scene is like, but in Michigan it's been NUTS since covid. Full hook-up sites book out sometimes 6 months in advance, holiday weekends tend to sell out really early too. So if that might be something to look into booking and then cancelling if you don't need it (which will of course depend on a cancellation policy.)

Also, crazy chicken lady here when you get to that point.

 

[The Expert]

Re: possibly camping.
IDK what the Vermont camping scene is like, but in Michigan it's been NUTS since covid. Full hook-up sites book out sometimes 6 months in advance, holiday weekends tend to sell out really early too. So if that might be something to look into booking and then cancelling if you don't need it (which will of course depend on a cancellation policy.)

Also, crazy chicken lady here when you get to that point.

Yep, that's how it's been here in Utah too. So far, the ones along the route aren't yet full on our likely dates. (Probably because nobody wants a campsite just off a major interstate.) But what's in the area we're landing is definitely scarce, so not sure that option is going to work out. Fingers crossed for the right house and the right closing time to come up soon.

And yes, will hit you up for chicken info for sure!

 

[Jules76126]

I jumped over from the running thread when I saw your post about VT. I live in MA, but we have been to VT a few times as my husband has a family member who lives in Southern VT. Beautiful area but definitely still chilly around these parts. Spring tends to take longer to hit up there.

 

[The Expert]

I jumped over from the running thread when I saw your post about VT. I live in MA, but we have been to VT a few times as my husband has a family member who lives in Southern VT. Beautiful area but definitely still chilly around these parts. Spring tends to take longer to hit up there.

Thanks for the info! I'm totally happy with chilly weather. If it never got above 80 again, I'd be thrilled! And coming from Salt Lake, where it snowed 8 inches yesterday, it won't be a big adjustment this year.