This was a heavy week- literally and figuratively. The air felt heavy. The weights were heavy. The stroller was heavy. The legs felt heavy. My mind and heart felt heavy. It always feels good to get out and pound the pavement during weeks like this, even if its not exactly easy.
I’ve spent a lot of time this week trying to learn more about racism, white privilege, implicit biases, and more. I’ve been reading, listening to others who are farther along on this journey, and self-reflecting. There are so many amazing people on social media who are sharing helpful and important information. (Then there are people whose anger and negativity reminds me of how much work there is to do.) I really started learning about equity and how to be an ally at work a few years ago, and what I am realizing these past few weeks is how much I have isolated that to my work setting. These issues are everywhere even if we aren’t always talking about them.
I know that it is a privilege that I am learning about racism and have not experienced it. I wish I had better words to share about this but for now I will continue doing the work. We need to keep moving forward and not lose momentum in a few weeks.
Weekly Run Down
Monday: Strength Training
Tuesday: Rest (Foam Rolling + Core)
Wednesday: 4 Miles
Thursday: Strength Training + 3.5 Stroller Miles
Friday: 4 Stroller Miles + Hip/Glute Exercises
Saturday: 10 Miles
Sunday: 3.5 Stroller Miles
Strength Training
This was another week of heavy lifting. It takes me a longer time to do these workouts when I’m working harder, which makes sense. It’s about more than just my legs feeling heavy though. I feel like my entire body needs to work hard and stabilize to allow me to lift and push/pull or whatever the move is that I am doing. I definitely feel very accomplished after these workouts.
Global Running Day
Global Running Day was on Wednesday and I was registered to do the Brook’s Running 5k. Brooks donated $100,000 to the Equity Justice Fund plus $1 for everyone who signed up for the race through June 7th. I decided not to race this 5, or even run it hard. My legs were heavy, and my heart was heavy. I just wanted to run and think.
Long Run Saturday
It was another hot and humid day on Saturday. I guess that is just the norm now. I ran 10 miles and it was kind of a struggle but it felt good to get in a longer run. It also felt nice to run solo after 2 days of stroller runs! I hope I acclimate to the heat soon, but I know in past years I felt like it never really got easier. ‘
Stroller Running
We’re still doing pretty well with the stroller running. Although Grayson keeps getting heavier (why does that have to happen?…) and I definitely feel it. I don’t know how people push older kids or a double stroller. Then again a few years ago I said I didn’t know how people ran with a stroller at all, and here I am.
[Tweet “This was a heavy week- literally and figuratively. Here is how my week of workouts turned out. @milebymilerun #weeklyrundown”]
You may also like:
A Week of Tired Legs, Warm Weather, and Another Virtual Race
The Double Digits of Quarantine
How were your workouts last week?
Is it getting hot/humid where you live?
I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down!
The heat and humidity definitely arrived here as well and I was reminded how brutal running in it is.
Yes, lifting heavy makes you learn to brace your entire body. When I first started on the bench press a billion years ago it took SO much effort just to stabilize the bar. But like anything else, the body adapts. That’s a great pic of G in the stroller!
I am learning alot about the strength work and I feel like by making that my focus right now I’m making more progress. It’s tough but it feels good!
The heavy lifing is such a great metaphor for current events. I’ve been having tough conversations with friends who are on the same page as me. The friends who aren’t–those conversations are going to be even more difficult. I’m bracing myself for that. I’m working on educating myself so that I can say the things I need to say.
Exactly- I feel like I need to educate myself first. It’s not easy to have those uncomfortable conversations.
At a race series that I did last year, there was always this ONE DAD who turned up with a double stroller. The first time I saw him, he lined up in front of me and I remember being slightly annoyed, as I now would have to weave around him once the race started.
I needn’t have worried. There was no way I could keep up with him.
And it wasn’t like we were racing on paved streets – we’re talking paths in the forest.
This dad was legendary and everyone was in awe.
I always wondered what would have happened if he one day turned up without the stroller! He probably would have won every race!
Wow, that’s amazing! One time I saw someone running with a double stroller on the beach in the sand. That sounds impossible to me!
Yes, I am definitely feeling the humidity/heat/current events in my runs. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done a true long run, and while the plan was to drop my distance so that I can focus on speed I have to say that I miss my long runs. Oh well, it’s just a season.
I definitely miss long runs when I dont do them for a few weeks. But this is a good time of year to cut back!
I really like that quote you posted. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves and we need to be kinder to each other all around on every issue really. The heavier weights do make my legs feel more tired as well. I still think it’s a good thing to build over all strength especially when you are not in the midst of heavy training for a race. A good week for you overall!
It’s kind of good to not be tempted to train for anything right now so I can focus on building strength. I haven’t worried as much about being tired for my runs.
Haha, I don’t know how people run with a stroller and I will never find out. 🙂 You are doing GREAT!!
Umm, yeah this past week was rough. I mean running was fine but everything that happened and is going on was not. 🙁
Thank you! Yes, definitely a tough week. I just hope we can make progress from everything that has happened.
What a perfect title for this post – it was a heavy week indeed. I do like that this has now opened up dialogue more than I have seen in recent years. I hope that we all continue to learn and advocate.
The humidity this week was downright oppressive. It just felt like a heavy blanket – even walking was just uncomfortable. I think that we will get a break in the humidity this week – thank goodness!
The past 2 days have felt so nice with less humidity! I hope it sticks around for a bit but I’m sure it won’t.
So heavy. There is just an unsettled feeling with everything and it keeps getting worse. But yes. Foot on gas and keep on learning and listening.
You had a great week in running and workouts. You’re doing wonderfully with that stroller too!
Thanks! I hope the stroller runs start to feel easier soon. I still really struggle with going up hills!
You did a great job getting all your workouts done, Lisa 😉 I wasn’t a runner when our kids were of stroller age, so I have zero experience running with the stroller. I did a lot of speed walking with it though (both a single and a double-seater LOL). Our heat was pretty intense last week, then plummeted for the weekend…and now it’s back for a few days 😉 Not complaining 😉
I think that humidity last week was just a shock for everyone! I was happy to have warmer weather though.
You expressed your feelings beautifully and I feel like I am in the same boat. It has been a heavy week but we do need to continue to push on, learn, and support.
Yes, exactly. I worry that we will lose momentum as the weeks go on, but we need to stay focused.
I’ll take heavy lifting over a heavy heart any day — too bad we don’t get to choose. I hope we can keep the attention on the issues once the initial wave of outrage and energy has faded. It’s going to be a long slog to change things, but it can happen if we continue to insist on better. As for the weights, it will be nice when I can get back to my office gym and I can work with heavier weights again. I was just getting up to 25 lbs for some moves ….
That’s too bad that you can’t get to your gym and use the heavier weights right now! Hopefully you can get back in there (safely) sometime soon.
I thought it was a heavy week too Lisa. And while I think I’ve learned a lot about racism and white privilege (to start) over the last few decades, a year or so ago I saw 13th and it was like suddenly there was an explosion in my head. I recommend watching it, I think it’s still on Netflix.
things were so heavy that my head wasn’t really in the workout game. I’m trying to hit the upswing this week.
we had some really nice summery weather and that all changed for about a week now. I even had to wear long sleeves! but it will get better again. We are nearly back to typical June weather.
Our weather has kind of been all over the place too! It wasn’t until about 2 weeks ago that it really started to feel like summer, and it came on full force. Thanks for the movie recommendation!
It’s still back and forth with the humidity here. MD is far more humid than upstate NY, though (I lived in MD one year).
Yup, seriously don’t know how people run with strollers, so I bet that solo long run felt good!
We actually had a few days of low humidity earlier this week which was so nice. Now its back to being sticky again.
I feel you. The judging of how people are engaging with this (or not) needs to ease up. It doesn’t help. I’m in the same boat as you – done work DEAI stuff but it’s hard to translate out. I’m committed to taking that step. It’s so necessary
There’s so much negativity in general lately. It makes me not want to be on social media sometimes!
Everything is really heavy right now… I’ve been reading and educating myself on racism and I feel the hardest part is that some of that stuff is so ingrained that we don’t even realize it. It’s one thing to be intentionally hurtful (we need to stop that!), but when you’re doing it unintentionally? That’s hard to catch and change and we really have to do some work.
Totally agree. I think there are alot of things we are doing to contribute to the problem that we may not even realize.