Goodlife Victoria Half Marathon - Week 11 Recap

Oops!  Training recap is a weeee bit late this week...but for good reason!  Hubs and I were in the big smoke this weekend to see family and do some work, so yours truly had a chance to just hang out in Vancouver and do some much needed shopping (OK, maybe not a real need).  Overall the weekend was fun and relaxing...well...except for the massive spider bite I ended up getting on my hand.... 

Here is my hand as it is normally (still a tiny bit swollen...yes, I have vein-y old lady hands, thanks):

Here is my hand after I got bitten:

I noticed it Saturday morning on our long run, and kept absentmindedly scratching my hand as I thought it was a small patch of dry skin or something.  Bad mistake, as it soon turned into a welt.  By Sunday morning, my hand was alternating between aching and tingly plus it was really hot, an angry red/purple colour and swelling at an alarming rate.  Good old Hubs whipped me to the clinic where the doc prescribed antibiotics because she didn't like how the red was spreading and was worried that it was an infection. Thankfully, the antibiotics kicked in within a few days as my hand is back to a relatively normal size instead of meaty man ham hand.  The scary thing?  We were hanging out in my FILs spare room (where we were bunking out for the weekend) and Hubs saw this monster spider traipse across the floor so smashed it to hell...if that was what bit me, I don't even want to think about that ugly mofo sitting on my hand while I slept innocently.  *shiver*

Anyways, workouts last week were:

Sunday - 18K run
Even though we were supposed to run on Saturday, we definitely were glad that we put it off until Sunday as we had way more energy.  This was a decidedly "meh" kinda run...not bad, but not amazing either.  Average.

Monday - rest

Tuesday - rest

Wednesday - bootcamp a.m./clinic p.m.
Back at the double Jay days, hurray!  Morning was the usual hillwork/ass whupping that Jason usually does, but the clinic run was something else.  Did I mention that I realllly don't like speedwork?  Like really don't like it?  Jason took us to the university track and we did five 800 metre repeats with a two minute rest in between at 85% effort...the first few repeats weren't too bad, but by the time I got to the last repeat, I had to push hard to get through it as I was so tired and actually felt a little queasy afterwards.  After I checked my Garmin, I knew why...4:40/km average pace!  As hard as it was, I was super happy with my pace and how I felt from the prior week's speed session.  Yeehaw.

Thursday - Mindful Strides clinic
Another great clinic with Marilyn.  I'm kinda getting sad because I'm really enjoying doing the Wednesday and Thursday run clinics.  Marilyn is training for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon which is week after my half which is on Thanksgiving weekend, so I'll be sure to be tracking her progress.  She is sooo my idol...totally want to be her when I grow up.

Friday - rest
I know, I know!  Three rest days in a week?!  I  couldn't make bootcamp as we were heading to Van right after work on Friday...sure missed it though.

Saturday - 20K run
Hubs and I ran an 8K loop in Kerrisdale three times, and then finished off at a track that just happened to be where we parked the car.  Now if it had been up to me, I would have run along the famous Seawall because it's beautiful and scenic...and flat.  Hubs, on the other hand, didn't want to have to dodge the massive hordes of runners and walkers that would be swarming the Seawall at 7am.  Anyone sense any sarcasm?  Ha!  The loop was admittedly shady and probably much cooler, but it was really, really hilly.  Everytime we had to go up a hill, I'd turn around to give Hubs the stink eye, and all I could see was his big cheshire grin which would make me laugh each time.  Oh well...train hard, run easy, right?