Week 1 Recap - Sunday Feb 8, 2026

Our first weekly recap is here and it is Super Bowl Sunday!!! Reflecting on this week with pride as nothing is easy about finding a new schedule and routine while work and responsibilities continue.  Starting a new training routine can feel overwhelming, especially when using multiple apps and devices to track progress and we both have different fitness level and running experience. This week, the focus was on getting familiar with the Strava and Runna apps alongside the Apple Watch for tracking workouts. 

A major win this week was utilizing the Runna app for a personalized training plan for both Alex and I. Runna is a subscription-based running coaching app that creates personalized training plans and guidance to help runners of all levels train for goals ranging from their first 5K to a marathon or beyond. For our first plan we are gearing up for the Mystic Half Marathon in May and then will transition to the Hartford Marathon training plan. We have plenty of b-list races scheduled along the way that the app takes into account. 

Week 1 - Complete!

Let’s dive into this weeks recap! 

• Katie's training plans and progress

  • Monday 

    • Swim - 2,000 yds

    • Yoga

  • Tuesday 

    • Run - 2.5 miles (Easy Run) 

  • Wednesday 

    • Preview strength training 

    • Rest day 

  • Thursday 

    • Run - 1.9 miles (Alternating Hill Reps) 

  • Friday 

    • Rest day 

    • Winter running tips & tricks, gear & safety 

  • Saturday 

    • Swim - 2,000 yds

    • Run - 2.6 miles (Rolling 800s) 

    • Strength training - Fully Body 

  • Sunday 

    • Run - 2.6 miles (Hilly Long Run) - This was supposed to be 3.75 but timing with Y closing & some lower leg pain stopped the workout short

    • Strength training - Upper Body 

Screenshot from Runna (1.3 miles short)

• Wins, setbacks, and lessons learned

  • Wins - getting back into a routine and only taking 2 rest days! 

  • Setbacks - mental health challenges to push through 

  • Lessons Learned 

    • not feeling guilt for missing out on 2 workouts 

    • Not overexerting self and running what speed/distance able to 

      
      

• Favorite workouts and recovery tips

  • Really have been enjoying the Monday evening swims and the guided app workouts from Runna for the running and strength training. 

    
    

• Nutrition experiments and fueling strategies

  • We kept up with eating the food we had at home and avoiding eating out. 

    
    

• The honest reality of marathon prep while balancing everyday life

  • Wednesday this week had an early morning with a car pool pick up for Katie and a late evening with an annual planning meeting for a professional organization, WTS. We ran thru strength training in the morning but didn't finish in the evening. 

  • Friday evening we had a triathlon club meeting at Marathon Sports and took the evening off from working out but celebrated National Froyo day at Sweet Luna’s

    

    National Froyo Day at Sweet Luna's

As we look ahead to Week 2, incorpating yoga and healthy eating & meal tracking will be our major focus. Increasing mileage to 12.5 for the week; Week 1 completed with 9.6 miles.

Runna Week 2 Screenshot