I’m currently training for the Gabs 1/2 Marathon on the 10th March 2019. This will be my third Half but the first of the five Half Marathons I have planned this year. I have done this event twice before, in 2017 and in 2018, but both times I did 10 km.
Week 3: A Whole Lot of Sweat
Monday, 14th January: Easy Run, 5.01 km, 36:55 | Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 9). In my quest to never miss a Monday, I started the week with a 5 km run. I set off at 06:20 so it was still quite cool and I managed a solid pace of 07:22 min/km. Ditiro started off with me but went at his usual pace. It was a good start to the week.
Tuesday, 15th January: Strength Training, 50 min. | Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 10). I was supposed to go to the gym but the kids were starting school on Wednesday and I still had labels to put on uniforms. So instead, I had a great strength workout at home using my 10 kg kettle bell (swings, quad lifts, leg lifts) as well as a resistance band. I also did lots of squats and some work on the mat (sit-ups, flutter kicks, planks). It was strangely fun and probably the longest time I have dedicated to a home workout. Progress.
Wednesday, 16th January: Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 11).
Thursday, 17th January: Combo Run, 8.01 km, 1:03:17 |Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 12). It was an uncomfortably hot day. This heat wave is relentless. So before I got home I decided I would use the treadmill and I am glad I did because shortly after I started and for the duration of the run, there was so much thunder and lightning outside!
I started with a 2 km Easy, then 3 km Steady, then 4 x 2 min at Tempo pace with 90 secs rest in between intervals, and finally a 1 km cool down. It was hands down one of the sweatiest runs I have ever done. But I am so glad I really pushed myself after not really being too keen to run in the first place.
Friday, 18th January: Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 13).
Saturday, 19th January: Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 14).
Sunday, 20th January: Long Run, 12.01 km, 1:30:39 |Squats and Abs Challenge (Day 15). I was really nervous about this run for some reason but soon fell into my stride and was very pleased with my 07:33 min/km pace. It was a lonely run as I was on my own but I had some good music for company and made sure I greeted all the other runners out there. I came home and had a good stretch and also did my daily squats and abs challenge – I am now up to 81 squats and a 45 second plank.
Summary: This was a good week. My shorter runs were tough but only because I really pushed myself and I felt strong on my Long Run. I am also pleased that I managed a Strength Training session at home. This coming week I have to restart pilates and hopefully I can make it to a Grid session at the gym too.
[Gabs 1/2 Training Cycle: 69.49 km | 2019 Mileage: 69.49 km | Gym Classes: 0]
To keep myself accountable I am linking up with the inspirational Holly from HoHo Runs and Wendy from Taking the Long Way Home.
The Gaborone Runner 
You are having a really strong start to the year with your training!
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Thanks Deborah! I am doing everything I can to keep pushing. Really don’t want to lose steam or enthusiasm!
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Great job keeping up with your squats and ab challenge. I need to get back to work after a somewhat lazy Fall! Music sure help get me in the running groove on those long lonely runs. I can’t imagine running with out. Wonderful training week for you! Thanks for linking.
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I’ve been really impressed by the power of music when running! When I slow down, I change to a faster song and immediately I get a bounce back in my step, LOL!
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You’ve been working hard girl! I’m glad that you are having such a strong training cycle so far!
I should follow you and do the abs and squats challenge. One thing I really need to work on is my leg and core strength!
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Thanks lady! It’s been really helpful – I downloaded some 30-Day challenges and that’s what I am following. I really need a whole lot more strength work but doing these challenges is a step in the right direction.
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Whoop!! Way to go on that squat and ab challenge! 81 squats is awesome!!
I’m glad you chose the treadmill instead of outside. I’ve been caught more than once in a pop-up thunderstorm and they’re so scary to be out in!! You definitely had a good week of training. 🙂
I love that green kettlebell. It would totally blend right in at my CrossFit gym. The walls are pretty much the same color. Haha! Unfortunately, that color should only be for kettlebells and such – the walls are a bit much. lol
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Thank you Jennifer!
I love the green too, but I cannot imagine it as a wall colour, LOL!
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I’m so impressed with your great start to 2019! I keep saying I’m going to do a home workout program and I never do…lol…I do yoga and that’s about it. Excited for you to crush your half marathons this year. You’re sure doing the work!
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Thanks Wendy! It’s been a good start and I’m determined to fight that lazy side that tends to crop up here and there!
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Excellent job this week! I know all about pushing oneself on the treadmill…ugh…had to do that myself this weekend LOL
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Thanks Kimberly! Not fun but at least ol’ Millie gets the job done when situation requires it! Mine stopped mid-run so I was forced out into the heat. Made me appreciate her a little bit more, LOL!
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Nicely done on your squat, plank progress and congrats on some great runs. Stay safe in the heat and hope back to school goes well
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Thanks Cari 🙂 Kids had a great start to the school year, and I for one am really glad we have some structure and routine back in our lives!
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Sounds like you did a good job working around the heat wave (yuck!) You had a strong week of running.
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It’s been like this since November. We are used to hot summers but even this is too much for us. Uurrgghhh!
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Great week for you! You are killing your squats/abs challenge. So funny to read about your heatwave when we are below zero here. Ha!
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It’s been so funny for me too! Here I am sweating in this relentless heat as you guys are ploughing through snow just to go to work or to get a run done! LOL!
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Great job on the week! You’ve got a lot of half’s planned for the year 🙂
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I think I may have been over-enthusiastic when I set that goal! But I’ll take them one at a time and see how it goes! 🙂
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Good job on your week! I was thinking I really need to get into a routine of strength training. Skiing (snow!) this weekend was really making my legs tired and if I did some leg work, that would benefit me for both skiing and running. Win, win!
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I read about your fantastic skiing weekend! I once read somewhere that skiing is one of the best forms of cross-training as it targets so many different muscle groups. I struggle with strength training but I have made it a priority now because if I want to do more and more Half Marathons, I need it, otherwise I will struggle with injuries especially because my form isn’t great.
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seems like a really good week, but holy heat!! great job on getting it all done!
I’ve been doing strength at home too lately! but I have 4, 6 and 8KG kettlebells. My trainer wants me to get a 10 and 12, but first I gotta get paid haha!
are you doing 80 squats in a row????
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Thank you! To be honest, the 10 kg is too heavy for me! I got it as a birthday present but I’m struggling using it for some workouts. So I am going to try and find some smaller ones this weekend. Not all squats in a row, thankfully! Usually about 20/30 and then a short break before continuing!
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Great week! I love all those challenges you are doing!
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Thank you! I really needed something to “force” me to do more strength training! The challenges seemed simple enough but effective!
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LOL on your “strangely fun” strength workout. I don’t always want to do my strength workouts, but usually I do enjoy them once a get started. You had a great week!
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Mid-workout I reluctantly said to myself “Dare I say, this is… uumm… fun?!” LOL!
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A really strong week! Good job! My runs are always sweaty. Even outside in winter!
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Thank you Judy! I’m typically not a “sweater” even when I’m working hard, so you know it’s a really tough day for me when I do sweat! LOL.
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You are lucky — I am not just a sweater, I’m a super sweater. 🙂
I remember one day my husband & I had to attend a memorial service (this was in TX, where it’s hot!). It was not in an air conditioned space.
As we sat in the car afterwards, I was sweating buckets & he was fine.
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Crazy how you’re having such a heat wave and those of us in the Midwest are freezing off our bums 🙂
Excited to follow your training for the Gabs 1/2 marathon (what a fun name!)
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Haha! It’s so hot, the air con in my office can’t keep up and it’s blowing hot air now. Apparently, this heat wave will only subside end of Feb. We are used to hot summers in Botswana but this is just pure madness now! So I’ve been slightly (VERY) envious of all the snow I’m seeing on other blogs!! “Gabs” is short for the city of Gaborone! 🙂
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Great work! Squats are quite nice to build up aren’t they – i did them every other day through January pretty well and I still do them in batches of 20 or 40 through the day. Glute feeling a lot better and I was stronger and somehow more flexible when I went back to yoga, which surprised me. Hope the heat goes off soon.
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I also find doing squats before my runs really helps to warm me up. Well done for getting all those done; I say we continue into February!
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I’m now doing them for my February Five, so go go go squat squat squat indeed!
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