Let’s try this again. Sorry for all the people who got a mess of HTML in their reader. My blog has been messing up a bit lately.

The last couple of weeks have been really busy so I am just getting to my next couple of training recaps now. My sprint triathlon is over and the next thing on my horizon is the Victoria half-marathon on October 9 with Lisa, Leigh and Lauren (who is running the full). I would like to PR (faster than 2:01:40) but I would especially like to run this race in under two hours.

So you’ll see the term HMP (half-marathon pace) on the blog a lot lately. The pace I’m training for is 9:00 min/mile and I’m incorporating HMP miles into a lot of my runs lately.

***

Week 7 (week after my sprint tri and when I traveled to Minneapolis):

Monday – REST

Definitely needed this the day after my triathlon!

Tuesday – REST

Wednesday – 4 miles at the track

We did 1.5 miles warmup, 4 x 100 m strides and then 8 x 400′s. The 400 metre repeats were TOUGH. I don’t think I was quite recovered from the tri yet because I felt very pukey this entire run!

Thursday – REST (traveling to Minneapolis all day)

Friday – 4 mile run with Lisa!

This was a great run with Lisa along the river and running paths by her condo. It was good for me to get out in Minneapolis for a run before our long one on Saturday because the climate is a bit different and I had to get used to it. We didn’t start this run until 9:00 AM so it was hot out there but it was so fun to run with my training buddy! We did the 4 miles in about 39 minutes and a 9:40 pace.

Saturday – 10 mile run with Lisa!

I went with Lisa to her Run Club workout but we broke off from the group so she could take me around the beautiful lakes that she did all of her marathon training on last summer. This was a gorgeous run and there were so many other runners out on the paths!

We did two 1-mile pickups. Once from miles 5-6 and again from 7-8. This was a tough workout and my legs were tired at the end. Showed me I need to start doing pick-ups more often!

Sunday – 70 minutes of easy biking

We didn’t do a focused workout this day but we did spend about 70-minutes riding the Nice Ride bikes all over Minneapolis! It was SO fun. I love commuting by bike!

Week 8:

Monday – REST (traveling back from Minneapolis)

Tuesday – REST

I think I was jet lagged or something this day even though there is only a two hour time difference. I was just so out of it on Tuesday and my voice was scratchy like I’d just woken up all day long!

Wednesday – 4.5 miles at the track + 90-minute hot yoga class

We did a pyramid workout this day and it was really fun. We started with 1.5 mile warmup and 4 x 100 m strides and then got into the workout that went like this: 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1200 m, 800 m, 400 m, 200 m. We did every second interval on the grass and holy crap was that ever tough. My legs felt so heavy running on the grass! Overall a great workout, though.

I got back to hot yoga on Wednesday evening and it was amazing! I don’t know why I talk myself out of going all the time, it always makes me feel great!

Thursday – 6.5 miles easy

I ran with my old neighbour on our usual route. We realized on Thursday that I’d been running that route with her for about a year. It was last September that we discovered we lived two houses a part and were both training for a marathon so I joined her on her regular route 1-2 times per week. She’s been doing this route for years now and sometimes does it three times a week!

I have to say, for a route I do pretty regularly it NEVER gets any easier. I think it has the right balance of rolling hills to keep things tough.

Friday – 25 minute bodyweight strength workout

I don’t remember where online I found this workout but it was so, so tough. I was dripping sweat at the end!

• Burpees – 10
• Girl pushups – 15
• Lateral lunges – 10 per side
• Squats – 15
• Bentover dumbbell row – 15 @ 15 lbs
• Plank – 45 seconds
• Leg lifts – 15

Saturday – REST

I was so, so sore from my strength training workout! My whole body – but especially my upper body from the burpees – was killing me!

Sunday – 12 miles with 3 miles @ HMP

I set out for a 12-mile run yesterday morning and it was the perfect day for a run. Crisp and cool with the sun shining. I couldn’t help but smile huge when I came to the above part of my running path. It’s a beautiful path that I always find myself forgetting about so I only run it sometimes.

The first five miles flew by and then it was time for me to pick up the pace. I picked it up from miles 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10 and ran them in 8:41, 8:32 and 8:51 respectively. I was definitely going too fast the first two and felt a lot more steady and sustainable on the last pick-up. I slowed way down on the recovery miles between the pick-ups so averaged a 9:50 pace on the run overall.

This was an amazing run that I felt super strong on! Oh, and on my way back I noticed the Kamloops “skyline” on the horizion. Since I shared the beautiful Minneapolis skyline for you I thought I’d show you what Kamloops looks like

What? You don’t see those “skyscrapers”? Heh.

***

And that is the last two weeks of training! Lots of rest days but I was also busy, busy and traveled halfway across two countries! The next five weeks have to be solid if I want to achieve my sub-2 goal.

How is your labour day weekend going? How did your last two weeks of training go? Anyone have any advice for me to achieve my sub-2 goal?

(Sorry about all the weird fonts/spacing in this post. I’m literally on my last straw with Ecto and I’m thisclose to deleting it and trying something different!)

***

Catching up from the weekend? Here are the updates from my first two days in Minneapolis!

• Minneapolis Trip: Day 1
• Minneapolis Trip: Day 2

***

After a very long and busy day on Saturday we decided to keep things low-key on Sunday! It started with Amber and I renting bikes and biking across the bridge to meet Lisa for brunch after she went to Church. Biking around the city was a large part of Day 3 and it was such a fun way to see more of Minneapolis!

Lesli also met us for brunch! It was fun to meet another blogger

Lisa picked out the best restaurants for us to enjoy during our visit. This brunch was at the Wilde Roast Cafe and it was amazing. I had a strata (which I’d never heard of before) with roasted potatoes. I had to resist making an ‘mmmmh’ sound with every bite of this meal!

Lesli had to leave right after brunch so us three went over to a bridge near the cafe to take some photos. Amber and I had been gushing about Lisa’s amazing neighbourhood the whole weekend – it was just such a perfect blend of downtown urban living that still had lots of nature.

Amber really enjoyed playing with my DSLR camera and got some really fun/funny pictures of Lisa and I. We called them our “engagement photos”. Haha

After we were done with our photo taking we jumped on the bikes! ! I have to say, biking around a city with friends is just so relaxing and fun. I really, really enjoyed seeing more of the city this way! This nice ride program they have in Minneapolis is just too cool for words (Lisa blogged about it HERE if you want to know how it works!)

We stopped on the Stone Arch pedestrian/biker bridge by Lisa’s house for some MORE photo’s. Sorry but Lisa’s neighbourhood is just so gorgeous, we couldn’t resist!

Breathtaking right?!

We then biked downtown to go to my favourite American store (that is soon coming to Canada!) Target!!!! I shopped my little heart out and got four tops, a dress and a new sports bra. After our shopping trip we headed to the theatre for a relaxing afternoon at the movie. All three of us read One Day this year so we thought it would be fun to go to the movie together.

This movie was great – definitely one of the best books to movies I’ve seen. That being said, I could see why someone who hasn’t read the book might not enjoy it. I feel like the movie and book really complement each other. But if you’ve read the book I highly recommend checking out the movie as well.

After the movie we spent some time at Caribou Coffee so I could write this blog post and then hopped on our bikes again to go for one last dinner – another one of my American favourites. CHIPOTLE!

After dinner we walked back to Lisa’s, got into our PJ’s, sipped wine, watched 500 Days of Summer and had some great conversation about relationships! It was the perfect way to end our weekend.

Usually I am ready to get home after a weekend away and while I of course missed Eric, Webster and Chloe, I was NOT ready to leave Minneapolis yesterday! I had SO MUCH FUN with Lisa and Amber. It really was the perfect weekend that was a mix of busy, active and relaxing and also included plenty of good food and good conversation. I miss these girls so much already and I cannot wait for my next blogger weekend coming up in October.

I posted this to my blogs Facebook page and I completely stand by it. There is just something that can’t be described about spending time with people who know so much about you from reading your blog but whom you’ve never met before.

***

Question of the day: What does a “perfect weekend” entail for you?? I like being active, spending time with friends or family and eating good food

Wondering how my triathlon training has been going? Check out my weekly recaps here!

***

Dear Swimming,

Thanks for always being there for me. You’re my oldest friend and I know that even when I don’t see you for 2, 4, even 6 months you always come back to me like we never parted ways. I always get my best thinking in when I’m hanging out with you, our friendship just feels so right and easy. I’m sorry I don’t make as much time for you as I used to. I have a feeling that one day, way down the road, when running has left me I will still have you, old friend. That thought is comforting.

Always there for you,
Amber

Dear Running,

Even after 2.5 years together you still keep me on my toes. I can’t get enough of you even though sometimes my body needs the break from your tough love. I love reading about you, I love thinking about you and I always feel amazing after spending time with you. You’re just so unpredictable. Sometimes things are really, really good and other times they’re really, really bad. I think that’s why I keep coming back to you, you hurt so good!

Obsessively-yours,
Amber

Dear Biking,

I just don’t know about you. We’ve hung out a lot more this summer than last summer, and sometimes we have a lot of fun, but for the most part you’re a big, dull, dud. You become much more interesting when we’re hanging out with other people and bikes. I know I haven’t really seen you much the last couple of weeks, I just got a little burnt out from our weekly hangout sessions. I know you’re good for me, it’s just so hard to motivate myself to spend time with you.

Not-so-lovingly-yours,
Amber

Dear Yoga,

You are so good for me. I know this, you know this, so why do I fight it? I talk myself out of hanging out with you all the time even though I always feel SO GOOD afterwards; relaxed, calm and uplifted. You just take up so much time between getting to class, practicing for 90 minutes and having a shower afterwards. I know, I know, it’s time well-spent. You always soften the blow of my one true love – running – and running hasn’t hurt me the way he used to since I started hanging out with you more.

Your-not-so-devoted yogini,
Amber

Dear Triathlon,

See you in four sleeps. I’m still not sure what to wear for our date, but I’ll figure it out. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better and see if you’re a relationship I want to pursue.

Apprehensively-yours,
Amber

***

What would your exercise-related (and non-exercise related) love letters say today?