July 21-27 Total 47.8 miles
This week was interesting in terms of training I had some great runs and really enjoyed the week. I also took two days off. The first was Monday the 22nd I just felt like I needed to rest my calves were really bothering me and I want to be careful. The second was Thursday the 25th because we were out camping and I just didn’t get in a run. I am enjoying just running what I feel each day and not worrying too much about following any kind of plan but I am also feeling a little aimless and ready to have more focused training again after this race.
Sunday the 21st 8 miles 59:36
Just ran the canal loop from home before church. It was a beautiful morning and great just to be outside. I listened to the Training for Ultra podcast and just kind of zoned out. The rest of the day we spent time at the Grove Plaza letting the kids play in the fountains before going home and watching the Empire Strikes Back. It has been fun to watch the Star Wars movies with the boys they are really getting into them. We are moving on to Episodes 1-3 now.
Monday the 22nd 1.22 mile walk
Took the day off from running my calves are still tight from last weeks tempo run and I just want to be careful. Nice to get out for a short walk to start the day. Later in the day went for a bike ride with Judah and then just relaxed. Just a lazy day at the house with everyone.
Tuesday the 23rd 8.71 miles 932 ft elevation gain
Nice easy run on the Central Ridge Trail. I love this area of the foothills there are a lot of people out and it is encouraging to see all of them starting their day on the trails. After the run we spent the morning packing up and getting ready to go camping. By mid afternoon we headed up to Shafer Butte campground past Bogus Basin. After getting their we went on a short hike and explored the area. It was a blast to watch the boys scrambling up the rocks. They were excited to find some quartz and amazing sticks to take back to the campsite. Once we got back we got the fire going and roasted hot dogs and smores. After dinner a thunderstorm rolled in and we ended up packing up and going home for an aborted camping trip!
Wednesday the 24th 10.85 miles 1636 ft elevation gain
Hadn’t planned on running today since I thought we would be camping! Ended up being an amazing run on the Corrals trail. I felt great and without paying attention averaged about 30 sec a mile fast than last time I ran the same route three weeks ago. My climbing is getting stronger and I am much more confident running fast downhill. I did fall though and got pretty scraped up! I need to make sure I pay attention the whole time.
After the run we decided to try camping again since the weather cleared up and looked like a great day. Got back to the same exact campsite around 4pm and after another short hike we set up the tent and had a replay of the night before. It was so run just to spend the night as a family with no distractions. The boys had a blast feeding the fire and exploring through the woods at dusk. We found a tiny steam tucked away in the trees and played there for a while before heading to bed.
Thursday the 25th Day off
No running today but I did get in a short hike with Judah at sunrise as everyone else was still sleeping. I love when I get to spend time with him alone. After everyone woke up we made eggs and potatoes for breakfast on the stove and packed up the campsite. By midmorning we were headed back down the mountain to Big City Coffee for a cinnamon roll and coffee. Later in the day we headed to Nampa so Ezekiel and I could spend the afternoon together. He really wanted to go to Jeremy’s downtown arcade so we spent the afternoon there and at Messenger Pizza. I don’t get to spend enough time alone with him but it was blast to be just the two of us. He was telling me how excited he is about Kindergarten because he knows he is going to learn a lot and make so many new friends. It is hard to believe he is starting school in a month!
Friday the 26th 10 miles 1:06:39 (6:40 pace)
Decided to run on the greenbelt today so I could open up and run a little quicker. This run actually gave me a ton of confidence in my fitness as I just kept the effort fairly moderate but was still able to run the last 8 miles at 6:20-6:30. Just felt nice and relaxed the entire time. After the run we just spent the day at home. I set up our NES Classic and played retro 8 bit video games with the boys most of the day. In the evening we watched Star Wars Episode 1 the Phantom Menace. The boys loved it and it was fun just watching get so into the story.
Saturday the 27th 11.14 miles 1,197 ft elevation gain
Just meandered around the Fort Boise Trails for a little more than an hour and half trying to learn how they all connect to each other. Nice easy run on the hills I purposefully kept the effort low. After Breakfast headed to the Capital City Market where we met Rachel’s parents and enjoyed the morning browsing all the booths. After a few hours there we went to Even Stevens Sandwiches where I had the Sprang Chicken Sandwich. It was amazing! Eventually we headed home to get out of the heat and by the evening were on the couch watching Episode two of Star Wars.
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