Week nine for Active’s 5k-to-10k program is a recovery week. And boy have I. I skipped Monday’s gym day because I did T-75 on Saturday and then did 10k distance (week 8, day 3) on Sunday so I felt like I had pretty well deserved it. Tuesday’s run was a short and sweet two-mile run, Thursday’s run (that I did on Saturday – don’t ask) was an equally short and sweet 2.26 miles. Add Title Boxing Club on Wednesday and Friday and that brings you to today, Sunday, week 9, workout 3.

I slept way late yesterday (9am, equalling about 10 hours of sleep) went for my run, went out for lunch and then took an hour and a half nap when I got home. I must have been more tired than I realized but just when I thought I was surely caught up on sleep, I end up sleeping another 10 hours Saturday night. That means I wasn’t outside today until well after the sun was up and trying to melt the whole of Knoxville. I was not looking forward to this.

Despite the heat and humidity it was actually not a bad run at all. A simple 30 minute run that I tried to keep at my 10k pace around the elementary school, north along Ebenezer, west along Westland, turn around at the halfway point and come back. I’ve been encountering more and more friendly runners/walkers along this path lately which is awesome. I ran with music today and yesterday which is a little odd for me but it was nice to change it up a little bit. The sounds of Venom, Suicide Silence, Body Count and, yes, Miley Cyrus, filled my ears as I ran and sweated, quite literally, buckets filled to the brim. Today I saw a bunny start jumping across Ebenezer when there was a break in traffic. I shouted “Go, bunny, go!” as it sprinted (hopped?) across the five lanes of Ebenezer, watching it leap up onto the curb on the other side of the road merely seconds before the next oncoming car came barreling down behind. Watching the bunny go with all of its soul as hard as it could to make its destination was motivational for me as I was nearing the completion of my own short-term goal for the day so I ran just a little harder.

…And then was stopped by an older gentleman who was walking – I had passed him going the other direction earlier. He stopped to say to me “Mruahmruahmurahmurah” – I took my headphones out – “I didn’t think that rabbit was going to make it!” I replied “Me neither! I was cheering him on, though!” “So was I!” he said to complete this short conversation and began walking again. Another instance of me feeling inconvenienced by someone that wants to stop and chat while I’m running but in the end I enjoyed the short conversation even though it all but killed the urge to sprint I was so graciously given by the topic of conversation.

And that’s it. In a few more minutes I had finished. At 3.28 miles I was done with week 9, workout 3 – the final workout of the Active 5k-to-10k program. It feels awesome to be finished with it. Feels astonishing that the program pushed me for 87.52 miles. And I’m now feeling more motivated than ever (and also more nervous than ever) to stay in shape for my 10k coming up in August to celebrate my 1 year running anniversary.

It’s strange that here I am today after hitting over 3 miles on a recovery day when less than a year ago I was terrified by the thought of running my first 5k. What a killer year it’s been. I feel like that’s been the theme of my last several posts and I’m okay with that!

Let’s check on the numbers. Starting next week I guess I need to add a row!

Finally, this is what you look like when you finish the 5k-to-10k program on a much too hot first day of Summer…

https://instagram.com/p/4Mgr4EL2XG