Week 36 - First Week

November 2.  It's one of the precious Saturday's over the next several months where I will actually be back in The States.  I've taken a new job that relocated me to Belgium, away from my family (I miss them so much already) for 3-4 weeks at a time, so I figured I'd train for the Monumental half in Indy.  My SIL Ashley asked me just before I left if I was gonna run the half and I said why yes, why not, I'll actually be home that weekend...so that's the story of how I signed up.

 

Sunday 1 September

The day after Ashley asked me about the race, I had already planned on running 8 miles with Megan anyway just to keep my fitness up and get a long run in before flying out on Monday.  Just your typical 6 am 8 mile run, filled with snakes in the road, puddles and a cop turning on his lights and yelling at us to get off the road or we'd get killed (at 6am on Sunday no one drives on this road).  Felt good, ave pace was around 10 min/mi.  Good start to long run training.

 

Monday 2 September

This was my last run in the states for almost three weeks.  I got up early and put in an easy mile around the neighborhood with Oly before my flight left at 2pm.  Oly is Kate and my awesome labradoodle we got from the pound in Iowa six years ago and he is a great short/middle distance runner and companion.   I'll miss running with Oly.  Pace was just under 11 min/mi.

 

Tuesday 3 September

First run in Belgium.  Have slept maybe 3 hours in the last 30.  Went straight from airport to my new workplace...left around 430pm to go to hotel.  Streets are cobblestone; there are not any defined sidewalks but walkers, runners and bikers have the right of way.  Hotel is situated just inside the city circle which I explored on this run.  2.43 km around the loop.  Pace was fast at 5:50 min/km.

Hasselt has lots of streets that look like this.
Ankle busters!!!!!

 

Wednesday 4 September

I am getting more comfortable running in the city and knowing my way around.  Did the full circle this time.  Pace was slower but still good at 6:10 min/km.  I'll go farther tomorrow now that the jet lag has dissipated.

Runkeeper stats

 

Thursday 5 September

It got up to 32 C (90 F) so i cut back the 5k i was gonna do and kept it at one loop.  Had a busy day and processed a lot during my run.  Felt good to push at the end and i am ready to see more of the town.  5:40 min/km.

 

Friday 6 September

It was warm today but not as warm as yesterday.  Ran the Hasselt ring again and at the market square area they had a huge screen TV and speakers to broadcast the soccer game from Scotland.  Pretty cool.  Frank, one of my new cohorts in Belgium, showed me two different parks today.  I'll hit up the Japanese Garden tomorrow and the Nature Preserve trail Sunday.  6:10 km/min.

 

Saturday 7 September

Ran to the Japanese Garden today.  Got lost twice on the way there and once on the way back, so i got a few more miles in than i had planned.  I didn't wake up until 9:30 and started at 10 and lucky for me breakfast at the hotel was still open until 11 so i grabbed a quick bite after my run and started my day.  The run at the garden was pretty.

Tress planted in rows and the fish and frog pond

 

Distance Recap

I really hadn't planned on doing any speed work; just figuring out where i am and how to get around.  Was target ting about 20 miles/32.2km this week and feel good about 19.1 mi/30.8 km.  We'll give this week a B+ in terms of training and dealing with travel, i felt it was pretty good.  

Next week I'd like to get one day of speed work in, either 800's or 400's and the Japanese garden looks good for it.  Long run will be tomorrow - shooting for 15km/9.3 miles.  Target distance next week = 40-45km/25-28mi.