My 2018 Assessment (thus far)

So, how has 2018 treated you so far?

Things have been going alright for me. There have been some lessons learned, new workouts to try, several events to take part in, and a few happy moments as well.

Often times, #hashtags tell the story best, so here's what they have to say about 2018, thus far.

#UpAndOutTheDoor

A major thing that has rocked my world in 2018 is my commitment to early morning rising and shining. I had heard a lot of good things about "fasted cardio" workouts, so I decided to give them a try for myself. Basically, fasted cardio workouts are done after a period of fasting (for me, that means first thing in the morning). It was not my goal to lose weight, but to burn some of my residual body fat. 

What works for me is to shoot for 20-30 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning, before I have officially even started my day. More often than not, it's as simple as a power walk through my neighborhood, but sometimes I do stair work or HIIT circuits (usually involving burpees, push-ups, and various intervals of calisthenics). Also, once a week, I do my #5at5 run (five miles at 5:00 a.m.), which takes anywhere from 45-55 minutes, depending on the route. Any workout that will take longer, I will do later in the day or after I've had some food/fuel. My results? So far, my weight has not budged much, but I have lost a couple of inches around my waist. My abs still need some attention, but they are looking more firm overall.
Assessment? #thumbsup

Up and out the door before the sunrise

#RunnersCanWalkToo

Going hand-in-hand with my early morning routine, is my love of all things walking. As mentioned above, a lot of my early morning cardio is via the simple act of power walking. I realize a lot of runners have mixed feelings on walking (because it's not as fast as running), and that's unfortunate. Power walking has a calorie burn comparable to running, but has much less impact on your joints. It also works your leg muscles differently, so it's a great supplemental exercise to consider on a rest/recovery day. When I was out of commission from running last summer, I turned to walking to maintain my cardio endurance and to keep my legs active. Now, I walk pretty much everyday, in some capacity, and have really noticed a change in my legs' strength and endurance.

Assessment? #keeponkeepingon

just a walkin'

#NotJustARunner

It's no secret running is my sport of choice, but I'm a strong believer in doing other forms of exercise to stay healthy and fit. I routinely strength train, I do daily planks, and I have been known to run a few stairways now and then. I have tried to establish a consistent habit of yoga, but that has been a battle. I always feel oh-so-good when I'm done, but getting out the mat and actually making the time to do some deep breathing and gentle stretches or balance poses....ugh. The good news is that I have been doing some yoga. The bad news is that I have not been doing it very often.

Assessment?#needswork

I'll happily drop for a 5:00 plank, but ask me to do yoga and I'll procrastinate....

#RaceDayReady

There have been a lot of bibs pinned on, so far, in 2018:

2 - 5K's

1 - 5 miler

1 - 10K

2 - half marathons

1 - 20K

1 - 76-mile team relay

1 - stair climb event

1 - 1 miler

Assessment? #themorethemerrier

10 events thus far!

#ComfortZoneViolation
A big change for me, in recent months, has been adding speedwork to my training. I know, I know....most runners do speedwork (and some of them actually enjoy it!). Although I have always done some speedwork, I have never been very consistent with it. Let's be honest, speedwork is tough. I have long, awkward legs and "speed" does not come natural to me. And, quite truthfully, I'm more intrigued with running far than running fast.

None the less, I can't deny that I have been riding a plateau of sorts for awhile, in terms of my finish times. Although I have not really gotten any slower, I have not been spanking very many PR's either. After doing some speed drills this spring, I ran my first-ever 1-mile race (the Grand Blue Mile) in late April. Much to my surprise, I placed 3rd in my age group...out of 76, with a 7:53 finish time. Now, to keep things in perspective, the overall female winner ran that same mile in 4:35 (or about)...my "fast" mile was fast for me, but nothing grandiose in comparison to the really fast gals. Although my ego has remained in check, that fast mile made me realize that I may have been doing myself a disservice by not respecting speedwork. That's the great thing about running, there's always a new lesson to be learned, right?
Assessment?  #showspotential

Still in shock at that fast mile...

That's what's been happening in these first six months. I'm really excited to see what's in store for the remainder of 2018. I'll be in Chicago for the Rock'n'Roll ReMix weekend in July, and there are several other smaller events on tap for the remainder of summer.  I have my 8th marathon happening in October (the Cannonball Marathon, Greensboro NC), plus a few more late fall races in the works.

Talk to me! How has 2018 been for you so far? Any great race moments? PR's? New training strategies? Lessons learned?

**I'm linking up with Marcia and Patty and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Rachel and Marc and Lora for the Running Coaches' Corner