Greetings from the tundra! I am so, so glad the cold snap is ending this week–this was a tough one with temps in the single digits and a 14 inch dump of snow on Thursday. We definitely have stretches like this most winters in MA, but this one was early and it was HARSH. I was glad that I was able to stick to the plan this week and really pleased to see my first 40+ mile week since October.
Basically, this was a week of taking advantage of whatever indoor or daytime miles I could snag. On New Year’s Day J and I managed to get a run in together–I love when we can coordinate our easy runs and pass the time chatting. Tuesday I gratefully hit up my favorite morning track workout, and Wednesday I squeezed in a run commute on a busy day. 
Sidenote–I have a 2.5 mile run to and from work and would love to use that to my advantage more often. Does anyone have tips on run commuting? Tips on backpacks that don’t bug the heck out of you?
Thursday was the big blizzard (or the “bomb cyclone”) so I was all set to head to the gym in the morning until I discovered that it hadn’t started snowing yet! So I suited up and got my run done just as the flakes were really starting to fly. It was a little bit rough with the wind, but kind of magical to be out there in part of the storm. Our local yoga studio was open all day, so J and I took a trudge through the snow for a nice warm class. Luckily I had Friday off anyway, but the frigid temps Saturday morning sent me indoors for my long run. I ended up taking two back-to-back classes at Heartbreak Hill Running Company’s Run Studio–it’s definitely still treadmill running, but way more entertaining than toughing it out alone. 
Boston folks, I highly recommend checking these guys out if you need an indoor option for your runs! I even ran into a couple of Oiselle teammates, which is always a nice surprise.
Sunday morning was freezing again, but I waited it out and managed to get my run done outdoors before J and I took advantage of the snow for a little bit of XC skiing. I even strapped on my skate skis from high school and took them for a spin–what a humbling experience! Skate skiing is super, duper hard but really fun–highly recommended for a good challenge 🙂
I can’t wait to hit the roads this week as the temps soar to the 30s and 40s–bring on the heat wave!!
Week 5: 42.4 miles
- Monday: 6 easy miles
- Tuesday: 1200, 800, 400 x 3 (track workout) for 8 total
- Wednesday: 2.5 recovery miles (run commute)
- Thursday: 6.8 easy pre-blizzard miles, 90 minute vinyasa yoga
Friday: Rest day - Saturday: 14 treadmill miles
- Sunday: 4.6 easy and 5 miles of XC skiing
Linking up with The Weekly Wrap (hosted by Hoho Runs and Taking the Long Way Home).
Shorter and Faster 
I’m impressed that you kept on running outside in spite of the weather! I mean, that’s what I would do but I know I”m odd like that…
I’m so glad you linked up and I’m excited to follow your training to Boston! Bring on the warm weather!
Oh man–I hate treadmills, so whenever I can get outside I make it happen! Glad I’m not the only crazy one 🙂 Thanks for stopping my and congrats on being a new linkup host!!
14 treadmill miles?! Goodness gracious, that’ll build some mental toughness!!
You’re telling me! Definitely not my ideal but I’ll do it when the roads are icy and the wind chills are well below zero.
OK, I’ve never even heard of skate skiing and I do snow ski. I’ll have to check that out. 14 miles on a treadmill is very impressive. But, the Run Studio classes sound like a cool option for treadmill running. I hope you’ll have some warmer weather this week. Thanks for linking!
You’d recognize it if you saw it, I bet! It’s more of an ice skating-type motion–you can really fly that way 🙂 Thanks–hoping for warmer temps this week for sure!
Ah yes, the lovely bomb cyclone on Thursday. That was fun, right?! I was also very thankful for my gym and my treadmill in the basement this week!
UGH. So glad it’s over–thank goodness for treadmills when you need ’em! I can’t wait to have my own someday!
I’m a huge advocate for outdoor running, but this past week, I pretty much hibernated inside. It’s my off-season, after all, and I’m really milking it LOL
Haha I’m super jealous!! Boston training definitely falls at the toughest time of the year–I think it’ll be worth it in the end though 😉
I might have mentioned this already, but my friend Ellen is a coach at Heartbreak Running. So what are the classes exactly? You were able to get in 7 miles in each class? Please tell me more!
You did! Such a small world! I haven’t taken a class with her yet but I know I’ve seen her around. So there are different types of classes but there is a “long and strong” 65 minute class that takes you through some hills, strides, intervals, and tempos to get you through a solid hour+ of treadmill running. They add a bunch of additional classes to the schedule when the weather is really bad, and a lot of folks opt to use them to get a long run in. It’s pricey but so worth it when conditions are bad! I think you can actually stream some of the classes remotely–you should check it out!!
I’ve never worked close enough to run commute consistently, but when I worked 15 miles away I’d sometimes run to OR from work. I’d stash an extra set of work clothes at my desk the night before that I could change into. Fortunately it was an athletic brand so it wasn’t unusual for sweaty weirdos to be showing up in the morning. Also there were showers.
15 miles–impressive! The athletic culture and showers sound like they were pretty clutch. It definitely takes some real planning regardless 🙂
It is magical to run when it is snowing out, I love it, especially if it isnt windy! Looks like a great week of training!
Thank you! I totally agree–this was a great one until the windy last mile. Still worth it to avoid the dreadmill!
Great Miles for the week. I wish i had an indoor track to go to. If definitely take advantage of that!
Wow, great job on your mileage especially considering this weather! I love running in the snow, it’s always a fun time!
Nice to find you on the Weekly Wrap and look forward to connecting and reading more about your training. Enjoy the warmer weather this week!
Hey Deborah! Thanks so much for stopping by–hope you’re getting some warmer temps too 🙂
Way to get those runs done with the weather we had here in Boston! I can’t even imagine running 14 miles on a treadmill. I was lucky to be down on the Cape for a week over the holidays where I avoided a good amount of the snow, and I was thankfully able to get my 18 miler in last Wednesday before I went up to VT. Memorial Drive was decent until the Eliot Bridge, and then it got real dicey. Hopefully all this warmish weather is melting the paths along the Charles and we can continue on with our marathon training!
Oh man–lucky you! Yeah the 14 miler was rough, but there’s only so much we can do. I haven’t ventured out on the river recently but I’m hoping it clears up soon–I miss it!