July 24: I started the week off with a good three miles. I knew it was going to be a hot week and I was thankful I didn’t have practice. Not because I don’t enjoy running with my team, but we start at 7 a.m. and even then it’s already steaming outside. Water is going to be the key to making it through this week even if it’s going to be a light scheduled one.
July 26: I skipped running on the 25th and did four miles today. After looking at the temperatures for the week, I decided I was topping off with a max of four miles every day. My hip flexor started bothering me and I could feel my shins starting to hurt. It looks like water AND lots of additional stretching is going to be the sources of success for this week.
July 27: Today was tough. It was all I could do not to quit too early and I really had to push myself to keep going. It was extremely hot and the persistent pain in my hip was throwing my running off. When I first started running everyone told me that “running was 90-percent mental and 10-percent actual training.” I am a firm believer in this now and today proved it.
July 29: I rested and iced my hip and shins through the course of the day on the 28th. I was feeling stiff and my willpower was starting to burn out. The heat was taking its toll on my body and I could tell. I hydrated properly (finally!) and I knew that helped to get me through this short three-mile run.
July 30: I finished the week off with a four mile run. It was easy, short, and I was done. I could make tons of excuses (the heat, my hip, my shins, dehydration…) but what’s done was done. This was a light week and I’m ready to push it next week!
Weekly total: 18miles
Summer total: 200 miles -- the requirement for returning runners of my XC team for summer running!