Hold your breath for this:
Saturday, Nov. 12th
OFF (oldest sister’s Baby Shower party =)). I’m going to be an aunt in about a month =)))) ) (girl)
Sunday, Nov. 13th
OFF (travel to Milan. HUGE headache towards the end. I had a cold all day, and I cold when I went to bed at night. Which converted into a 38.9 dC fever, which I couldn’t manage to drop, all night =S )
A bit better in the morning
Monday, Nov. 14th,
OFF (fever gone, but, ya know… this day had to be off)
Exciting training, wasn’t it? 
Tuesday, Nov. 15th (cold)
- 15min warm up
stretch, drill, strides
- 6 x 200m at a relaxed pace (I had to do only warm up, drills, strides and go home, but I decided to jump in since I was feeling ok).
for the first 4 recoveries were very short - only 100m walk, times were 31, 31, 32, 33, then took two longer rests, and 31, 31. Ok, I suppose, under the circumstances.
Wednesday, Nov. 16th
- 40min run
(dinner at the coach’s house, and it was a very DELICIOUS and MUSICAL night. This guy can play the keyboard, the guitar, and has a GREAT voice).
Thursday, Nov. 17th
(15min biking)
- 15min warm up
stretch, drill, stride
(legs feeling a bit “off” due to the influence of fabulous white wine from the night before, so did a pretty ‘relaxed’ training (again) )
- 400m (@1:12), rest 4’
- 300m (@50), rest 3’
- 200m (@30), rest 4’
- 150m (@22)
cool down
- 40min gym (strength, ab work and stretching)
(15min biking)
Friday, Nov. 18th
(15min biking)
-
15min warm up
stretch, drill, stride
-
5 x 80m, walk back recoveries (we weren’t timing these, because it was VERY cold and we had to be careful), 4’ rest
-
5 x 60m, walk back recoveries, 5’ rest (almost pulled a hammie here, but all good).
-
1 x 300m @46" (very relaxed at the first 150m)
(15min biking)
Saturday, Nov. 19th
soreeee todayyyy 
(I like this kind of pain)
30min + 30min of biking
Sunday, Nov. 20th
(15min biking > fabulousssss, no cars in Milan today =))) )
-
15min fast warm up (this sicilian is incapable of warming up slowly …)
stretching, drills
-
3 x strides
-
4 x 110m hills + 6 x 100m hills (all with 1’10" recovery, > pretty much jogging back). 6 min recovery
-
4 x 60m hills, (walk back recoveries). 6min recovery
-
900m fast stride.
-
10min cool down
(15min biking)
I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee training. <3
Monday, Nov. 21st
morning:
- 20min run
- DRILLS
- few strides
evening:
Tuesday, Nov. 22nd
(15min biking)
-
20min warm up
-
stretch, drill, stride
-
300, 200, 300, 200, 300, 200 (1min walk rests, shortly longer between reps 4 and 5), @ 51, 34, 53, 34, 52, 32
gym:
40min strength, abs and stretch
(15min biking)
Wednesday, Nov. 23rd
(15min biking)
- 20min + 20min run (progressive) (the “+” was a short bathroom break)
(25min biking)
(30min bking)
Thursday, Nov. 24th, 2011
(15min biking)
-
20min warm up run
stretch, drill , stride
-
6 x 150m walk back recoveries
3min break
-
1 x 150m
3min break
-
1 x 150m
(times: 21-22")
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
Tireddddd… (last day off was Monday the 14th, but I’m resting this Saturday). Other than that, all is perfect =)
Friday, Nov. 25th, 2011
(15min biking)
- 20min warm up run (progressive)
stretch, drill, stride
fartlek training:
- 3 continuous 700m, with a 200m straight going faster, splits @ 2:45, 2:47, 2:31.
cool down
- 40min gym (strength, abs, stretch)
(15min biking).
Drawing some cool stuff.
Trying to finish this phd.
Delivery of final draft is Dec. 12th
Presentation is Dec. 14th (for approval to complete the work in February). Think positively for me… please.
Eating a whole lot of diospyros - kaki (I discovered this fruit last week at my trainer’s house. I HAVEN’T LIVED… !! )
My next fruit-enlightenment must be 'fico d’india ’ !!! (= prickly pear) !!! I can’t believe there are so many fruits I’ve never tried beforeeee.
I asked my mom why I’ve never had a diospyros kaki in my life before.
Here’s her whitty story:
‘Dear… a dispyros kaki in Greek, is called a [i]lotos /i. In Homer’s Odyssey, when Odysseus found himself on the island of the lotofagos (νησί των λωτοφάγων), whoever ate a lotos (a diospyros kaki), forgot all about his home land and never returned back home.
And because we were in the States for all those years, I was afraid to treat you with a lotos, because I didn’t want you girls to forget all about Greece, and never return back to your roots’.
Imagination runs in the family.
Saturday, Nov. 26th
So after 11 days of training, today had to be off. But I was feeling so in need to ‘turn on my engine’, that I literally ran to the supermaket … I know, I have a problem.
I had Korean dinner tonight, cooked by a friend =)) Yuummmyyyyy. That was my second korean dish ever.
I’ll miss Milan… Having friends does wonders to one’s life. The last time I felt like an entity with friends, was in 2007. (good ones are truly hard to find… )
Sunday, Nov. 27th, 2011
(15min biking)
~25’ warm up run
stretch, strides
Fast 10’ run back.
Sicilian lunch, mmmm.
(15min biking)
Monday, Nov. 28th, 2011
40min run with just a brief stop every 10’, cause the machine wasn’t going very 'smoothly ’ …
Tuesday, No.v 29th, 2011
(15min biking)
-15min warm up run
stretch, drill, stride
- 200, 150, 200, 150, 200, 150, 200, 150 (rest between 45" and 1:10’ between reps), times @ 33" for 200s and 22" for 150s tops.
felt nice =) tightness (lactic) showed up on the 7th rep.
cool down
- 40min gym (strength, abs, stretch)
(15min biking)
Wednesday, Nov. 30th, 2011
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
30min easy run (effortless)
Thursday, Dec. 1st (HAPPY MONTH - This month, I will become an AUNT !!! ) =))))) I’m sooo psyched. She’s going to be an exceptional young girl (I think).
I’ll teach her violin.
(15min biking)
2km easy warm up
stretch, drill, stride
- 3400m “race” (700m on the track and the rest on the peripheral dirt path, with some ups and downs) - it wass supposed to be 4k race, but I gave up, a) because I wasn’t having much fun at all :p, and b) my calf got a bit overstretched but I caught it on time.
My time was 13:32" (running at 4’/km)
Ate a lot of after-race cake and cookies.
(15min biking).
I have a shin issue, but I’ll resolve it. (Nik jinxed it)
I’ll do my best! Is it better now?
haha, yes yes, all better, I massaged with voltaren last night, but I’m taking today off anyway, just for peace of mind
And my training partner has a stomach virus, so I’m not even tempted to ‘cheat’ and go…
Day of studying, green tea, abs, and music.
Life is good, but after December, I stop getting paid by my scholarship, and that could be a future issue
I’m posting some recent drawings, for the sake of visual variation on here
(it’s amazing what life’s ‘mood variations’ bring out in art - if you compare current stuff with the past…)
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> although now that I notice more closely, I just ‘cycled through’ a whole life’s phase, returning for just a blink to my ‘mood’ of about 5 years ago, which is shown on my avatar!
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us
p.s. you can read about that second drawing (from the top of the page) here, if you want - This writing was very spontaneous… I think I had a drunk moment (without the alcohol)
http://stefaniesart.com/?p=800
Saturday, Dec. 3rd
(15min bike)
- 42min run @4.30/km
(15min bike)
Sunday, Dec. 4th
(15min bike)
-
20min warm up
-
6 x 80m hills (jog back recovery), 6min rest
-
6 x 60m hills (walk back recovery), 6min rest
-
500m @1.35 (easy relaxed)
-
10min cool down
(15min biking)
Monday, Dec. 5th
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
Bad emotional day. Bad energy all around.
Tuesday, Dec. 6th
(15min biking)
- 15min warm up
stretch, drill, stride
- 300, 200, 300, 200, 300, 200, 300, 200, 300, 200 (100m fast walk between reps), 300s at 52-53 and 200s at 32-33 (spikes on track)
I enjoyed that.
- 40min gym (strength, abs, stretch)
(15min biking)
Feeling a bit sad. So I’ll draw.
Wednesday, Dec. 7th
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
Thursday, Dec. 8th
OFFFFF
Friday, Dec. 9th
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
Saturday, Dec. 10th
40min run, easy
Sunday, Dec. 11th
(10min biking)
15min warm up, stretch, drill, 4 x 80m strides
-
4 x 70m super-hills (steep inclination)
-
6 x 80m normal hills (walk back recoveries)
-
6 x 60m normal hills (walk back recoveries
(10min biking back)
Final thesis draft ready to be delivered today. But why I am up at 3am, with coffee in my mug, and wishing I had more multi-grain/fruit cookies??? No sleepppp… 
I suppose I can keep working on my Wednesday presentation
I need a hug.
Hi Stefanie, have very much enjoyed the thread and how honest you are in your more personal moments. I’m relatively new to CF.com, so have tried to get a decent overview of the 3 years you have invested in this thread. I have read through a bit but must have missed it…if you don’t mind, what event(s) do you compete in?
I very much enjoy the art and your writing, when you do narrate the journal. I was in Art school while at University while training and competing as well. I’m assuming the thesis you are working on is for your MFA? Best of luck all around.
Hi clymb !
Thanks for reading =) I used to be even more narrative in my previous journals (I’ve been threading since 2003 :o ) I’ll try to do more of it, because I too, enjoy going back and reading…
I’m generally training for the 400m.
But tomorrow I’m running a 2.5k cross country race
My phd is in urban and architectural design, and today I just got approved to conclude my work in March =))))) I’m very psyched =)))
And tired…
Thanks again !
S
Monday, Dec. 12
Tuesday, Dec. 13
- 20min warm up
stretch, drill, stride
very easy today:
- 6 x 200m (@33-34"), w/100m walk recoveries
After 8 hours of anticipation to present the final draft of my thesis, in order to get approval for thesis FINAL presentation in March (which also is the end of the phd journey), I got APPROVED
I 'm happy.
