Cross It Off the List

Run - check.  And now, to do the 101 other things on my to-do list tonight...

Miles logged: 6.3
Miles I was supposed to log: 6
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Better Days Ahead

The whole time I ran today, I was thinking about my upcoming long run this Saturday in Oshkosh.  I cannot wait to be that far north and do an outside run in 60-70 degree weather.  It's that exciting, that I am mostly able to ignore my (always in the back of my head) fear that I won't be able to find a bathroom if necessary on an unfamiliar route.  But I guess that's why I run with a stash of toilet paper in my water belt.  TMI?!

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Red Light. Green Light.

I got my groove back.  Or I feel rested.  Or whatever.  But I had a nice, normal run today, minus the frequent interruptions at 10 minute intervals by the boy, who was insistent than I come join in his game of pirate.  To me it felt more like a game of red light green light.  (Poh-tay-toe.  Poh-ta-toe.)  The joys of motherhood.  I say this with not one ounce of sarcasm.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: None
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Masochist

For pretty much all of week 4, I've ended each run thinking "well, it was ugly, but it got done."  The combination of this particularly awful July heat wave plus the little bit of strength training that I added to my workout on Monday was no doubt the main cause of my sluggishness / discomfort / soreness this week. Today was no different (well, except that I was no longer sore from the strength training.)  But with ample water breaks (where I walked as I drank), energy gel, timing my run for the crack of dawn, and the fact that this week was my first mini-taper in long run mileage, it got done.  And yes, I still happily inflict this pain on myself.  (Although this week, I was just a little less happy to do this than others.)
Miles logged: 8.2
Miles I was supposed to log: 8
Pace: Somewhere between 9:30-9:40 / mile (exact pace hard to say -- a multitude of traffic lights and a bathroom break made the math hard, since I don't exactly know how much time was lost there...)

Too Hot to Function

Unless you live in Seattle or have not left your house in a week, you are likely being tormented by the ridiculous heat wave scorching the country right now.  Well today, it officially hit us here in DC.  I have been hot since I walked the dog at 7:00.  And even running on the treadmill tonight, in a temperature controlled environment, I was still feeling the heat permeate from the window in front of me as a ran.  (Yeah, our windows are crap.)  I was so not feeling my run today.  Furthermore, I am completely dreading the long run scheduled for Saturday (as the low Friday night is only supposed to get down to 81.)  If I'm lucky, when I head out the door at 6:00 a.m., it will only be in the low 80s.  Yuck.  I'm over this heat, and wishing that I still lived in San Luis Obispo.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Pour a Little for My Fallen Homies

It was over 3 1/2 years ago that we bought our treadmill.  At the time, I was trying to get pregnant but had not yet been successful.  I started walking 2-3 miles a day on the treadmill, and within the month, I was pregnant.  No kidding.  Clomid did nothing for me except to make me hormonal, crazy and stressed out, but a little bit of physical activity, and all the sudden I was knocked up.  I walked all of the way through a particularly complicated pregnancy, which I am quite positive kept me healthy enough to handle all of the randomness that happened health-wise during that time in my life.  I took six weeks off post-partum to recover from my c-section, and then back to it.  When after a few months, I decided I wanted more of a challenge, I threw a little bit of running in during my daily walk.  By the boy's first birthday, I was running 5 miles a day, and the rest (as they say) is history.  Today, I run because it keeps me healthy.  I run because it makes me feel strong.  I run because I can.

All of this to say that I think my treadmill is close to death, and that makes me sad.  I figure I've logged a little over 4680 miles in the last 3 1/2 years, about 2/3 of which were on that treadmill.  My mechanic is working on it now to see if we can coax a few more months out of it, but if it lasts that long, I'll be impressed.

Miles logged: 6.35
Miles I was supposed to log: 6
Pace: 9:30 / mile

Boom-boom. Boom-boom.

Today, my quads feel like massive tree trunks, and I am totally feeling the lunges I did yesterday.  I didn't run so much as I stomped along on the treadmill.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will feel normal again.

Miles logged: 5.65 + a whole lot of downward dog to stretch out my legs after the run
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

"Hello Michelle. It's been 286 days since your last yoga session."

So yeah... Saturday when I said that I could have run for miles and miles more than my scheduled 12, well it's good that I didn't because today, I was sore.  Not hurt sore, just tired-muscle sore.  So I opted to just do a slow and easy short run and then augment my workout with strength training.  (Subsequently, my strength training program of choice was Wii Fit, which reminded me that it's been 286 days since my last session.  Oops.  Best intentions and all that.)  I have a feeling that this is the week that I will start cutting down on the mileage of weekday runs to so that I can better recover from the long weekend runs.  At this point, my plan is to listen to my body and play it by ear.

Miles logged: 3.5 + strength training
Miles I was supposed to log: 0
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Pack Mentality

Today I had one of those runs where I just kicked butt. I ran 12 miles, and when I finished, I felt invigorated, strong, and that I could go on for quite a big longer.  (5 more miles? 10?)  That would of course been completely stupid to do just 3 weeks into my training, but this feeling is exactly what keeps me going at this.  Raah!

I opted to run with a local running group this morning, which no doubt contributed to the energy of today's run.  There is something about trotting along in a group that helps me push on ahead more easily and with less concern for the passing miles.  I've run with this group a few times before, but typically, things like wanting to sleep in later, logistical challenges, or not liking a particular route have kept me from participating in their group long runs.  That said, today shows me that I'm better off to just suck it up and make it happen because I'm liking the feeling of this whole group-run thing.

Miles logged: 12
Miles I was supposed to log: 12
Pace: 9:30 / mile

Thud

Today, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. and got my run in. Go ahead and pick yourself up off of the floor.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

You Get What You Get

I got my hair cut today (on a lark I might add.)  It's not quite what I asked for.  I wanted a short bob, but I got another shoulder length bob with layers... that I hope I don't have to go back in a week and get fixed like I did the last time because my hair had that 90's Rachel / mushroom look going on. 

I have to confess that the strong desire to come home and do a trial run fixing my new haircut was almost enough to distract me from running.  But I managed to exhibit some self control and do what I am supposed to do.  That is all.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 5
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Um. Err. Uhh.

I am terrified of public speaking.  Moreover, I am someone who is not naturally inclined with this ability.  In fact, in front of a group, I tend to lose all ability to communicate like a normal person.  Unfortunately, my job sometimes requires me to do a little bit of public speaking.  So, when the opportunity presented itself to attend a professional development course designed to improve public speaking skills, I signed up.  The course took place this morning, and as as you might expected, involved completing a number of exercises meant to hone public speaking skills.  This was all fine and dandy when I was sitting at the conference table engaging in back and forth dialogue.  However, at the end of the course, we all went through the exercise of standing up as individuals and giving an impromptu formal speech in front of the class.  When it was my turn, I proceeded to do every single thing that they had taught us not to.  I said "ummm" so many times that I even distracted myself from what I was saying.  And I kind of danced back and forth as I stood in place.  And I used my hands inappropriately.  And my eyes bounced around the room so quickly that I looked like I was on crack and had no ability to hold eye contact with anyone.  I was without a doubt the worst in the class.  It was awesome, in a completely awkward and humiliating sort of a way.

So what does any of this have to do with my marathon training?  Well in short, this morning's experience is what I mulled over for the last 50 minutes as I ran to nowhere on the treadmill.  But on the positive side, I was so distracted by my thoughts and reliving the horror of the morning, I plowed through the run like it was nothing.  Perhaps before I do the Marine Corps Marathon, I'll steal the mic from whoever is starting the race and give a little speech all about me.  No doubt that would fuel me to finish the race in 3 hours.  Go me!

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

As Graceful as an Ogre

Today, it took me 4 miles before I felt warmed up.  And then I stopped briefly at mile 4.5 to check on the boy, who was banging away on something in the other room (a drum, as it turns out.  So at least it was appropriate hitting.)  The break messed up my groove.  And after that, I felt like I was stomping along as I ran like an ogre.  It wasn't pretty.  But I finished nonetheless.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: ZERO
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Climbing My Mount Everest

So taking inspiration from my brother's discipline, I dragged myself out of bed and was out the door by 6:00 am this morning.  I did an out and back run so that the driver of my support vehicle did not have to forgo sleeping in on Saturday just to pick me up from wherever I might go on a particular day.  (As I usually pick a favorite coffee place as the end point for a long run, this also meant forgoing the immediate chai latte that typically awaits me .  What?!  Chai lattes are basically like chocolate milk.  Just replace the chocolate with delicious spices, and it's the same thing.  Yummy protein to rebuild my spent muscles.  But I digress.)  What a difference from last Saturday!  I didn't even go through half of the water in my belt.  I had a good, strong run up until mile 8(ish), when I came to the nasty hill that starts the mostly uphill final leg of my return to home.  The first big hill I ascend has a grade of like 100%.  (Okay, that's an exageration, but it's steep.)  And I know the trick to conquering these things is fast, short steps.  So I dug in... but with each step, I grew slower and slower.  And I finally got to the point where I recognized that I could move faster if I were walking briskly.  Subsequently, this was at one point when a squirrel popped out from behind a bush and just starred at me coming up on him, without flinching, and then slowly turned and sauntered off.  I was half way up that first hill, and I conceded to walk until the grade became reasonable.  The rest of the run was okay, but my quads definately felt spent after that hill.

Miles logged: 10.4
Miles I was supposed to log: 10
Pace: 9:45 / mile

Mathlete

I frequently do math in my head when I run.  I'll just be trotting along while calculating fractions, doing division, and doing multiplication.  'Cause I'm cool like that.  My college calculus professor (Prof. Stodgehill) would be so proud.  If he weren't too busy flinging erasers at me.  'Cause he was cool like that.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

"No mommy, you are the runner..."

Totally random story, because I'm a woman / mother and it's my prerogative to convey such stories.  Anyway, while getting the boy ready for bed the other night, he asks "where's daddy."  I respond that daddy is downstairs running, to which the boy emphatically states "no mommy, you are the runner!"  Yes, yes I am.  Which I will admit pleases me to no end that "runner" is part of his definition of mommy.  Anyway, we then went on to talk about that one day, maybe all of us could run a race together, and wouldn't that be fun?  I wonder, is 3 years too young to compete in the tough mudder series?

Miles logged: 6
Miles I was supposed to log: 5
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Two for One

I like days off.  It's easier to run in the morning when I can wake up at my leisure and head out when I am good and ready.  Which I did yesterday.  And then went about my day.

Yesterday:
Miles logged: 5.75
Miles I was supposed to log: Zero.  Nada.  None-at-all.
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Fast forward to today.  It felt like a Monday run, and I didn't even pretend that I was going to try to wake up before work and pound the pavement (or as I do on weekdays, pound the belt on the treadmill)... which I will admit that I do at least half of all weekday mornings.  And honestly, I don't know that I've done a run before work once in the past six months.  Which is funny, because back when the boy was first born, I used to wake up at the crack of dawn (literally) and get my day started on the treadmill.  I don't know what happened there.  Perhaps when he started sleeping later, I felt obligated to do so as well.  Hmph.

Today:
Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Hot As Hades

I had every intention of waking up at 7:00 so that I could get my run in before the heat kicked up.  Yeah... that didn't happen.  I didn't leave the house until almost 8:45, at which time is was already nice and hot.  Lesson learned?  Wake my lazy ass up out of bed on time for Saturday long runs.  On the plus side, I met everyone at St. Elmos at the end of my run and had a giant chai latte to "recover" my muscles.
Miles logged: 8.04
Miles I was supposed to log: 8
Pace: 9:30 / mile