14.5 Before Breakfast... How 'Bout you?

Today when I left the house at 6:00, the sun was not yet up and it was barely hovering at 70 degrees.  Awesomeness -- a reminder that Fall is right around the corner.  I cannot wait for this fall.  Running in 60 degree weather.  Tackling my first marathon.  Halloween.  Tall suede boots.  But I digress. 

 

I set out to do 14 miles today, and ended up doing 14.5.  Why?  Because as I was nearing the 14 mile mark, I all of the sudden felt bad about doing less than I had run two weeks ago, so I pressed on.  I wouldn't want to run with a bruised ego this coming week, so it was worth the extra half mile. 

 

It also bears noting that my legs felt tired after 12 miles.  I realized after the fact that I forgot to take my second gel.  But I was also running faster than my target pace.  Bottom line: I don't know if my tired legs should be attributed to one or the other, or both.  Regardless, next week I'm scheduled to do 16, so I do need to slow it down.  That will be a challenge because I am half the time fighting the urge to race other runners on the trail.  Yes, I run imaginary races every weekend.  Who knew I was so competative?  Subsequently, it is this mentality which I need to get over so that I don't find myself injured a month before the race.

Miles logged: 14.5

Miles I was supposed to log: 14
Pace: 9:20 / mile

Mixing Things Up

I did some tempo running today.  I started at a 9:40 pace, and worked up to a 8:45 pace.  I threw some incline into the run for extra fun.  It was challenging, but I feel good (and nasty sweaty) now that it's done.  I am grateful that tomorrow is an off day.  While I felt pretty strong at the start of the week, my muscles definitely feel tired today.  I've been vigilant about hydration, but I haven't gotten as much sleep as I should have, so I think this has contributed to my general fatigue.

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 8:45 - 9:40 / mile

No New Kicks For You

I went to my local running store today to buy some gels and replacement running shoes (my current pair are close to spent.)  To my horror, I was told that they discontinued my shoe.  What, what, what???  Damn you Brooks!!!  Why can't you leave well enough alone!?  I have been running in  Glycerin 8s since I got orthodics.  I am hesitant to switch to the updated version, so my only other option is to go online and buy out the remaining stock from one of the online giant retailers.  This is sad because I'd rather give my money to the local running store which organizes group runs and puts on races than one of the online stores.  Frickin, frackin.

Subsequently, I'm wondering if I might be close to wearing out my orthodics, too.  I've seemed to have developed a reoccuring blister on one of my toes.  I used some body glide on it during my run today, which seems to have helped, but I can't help but wonder (how Sex and the City of me) if the blister is a sign of worn orthodics?  Or maybe just a sign of lots of miles?  I guess I'll find out soon enough.

As for today's run, it was perfectly fine.  Typical.  Miles 1-3 were more challenging, I loosened up after mile 4, and plowed on through miles 4-7.  I think I need to be better about stretching.  I did a lot of downward dog stretching after today's run.  Hope that helps for tomorrow.

Miles logged: 7.25
Miles I was supposed to log: 7
Pace: 9:40 / mile

This Mother Runner

I confess - I love blogs.  I do.  And one of my favorites is Another Mother Runner - I faithfully read this one several times a week.  This week, the blog is featuring guest bloggers who have posted on why they run.  I concur with everything that has been said so far this week: running gives me an invisible / baddass badge of honor; it gives me rockin' legs; my efforts are affirmed every time I have crossed any finish line; it's fun to shock people with the distances that I have logged so far and will continue to log; and it's a test of my determination.  I'm sure I will feel the same way about the rest of the posts that go up this week.  And I would also add that in addition to these reasons, I also run because I love hamburgers, and lots of miles means lots of guilt-free burgers.  Yum.  What's for dinner?

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Back To Me

This has been a pretty crappy last few days, only because of my tooth pain.  And while at the beginning of last week, running actually seemed to cause my tooth not hurt, that didn't last long.  In fact, after my Thursday and Saturday run, I experienced a tremendous throbbing pain in my mouth.  Whine, whine, whine, I know.  But now, I'm fixed.  Woo-hoo.  And now, I feel like me again.  Yay!!!!

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

Saturday (8/13):
Miles logged: 8.1
Miles I was supposed to log: 8
Pace: 9:45 / mile

Thursday (8/11):
Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Words Words Words

I have no reflective or quippy or clever words today.  I met my mile goal.  That is all.

Today:
Miles logged: 7.3
Miles I was supposed to log: 7
Pace: 9:30 / mile

Running Cures All My Ails... At Least Temporarily

Last week, I broke a molar while eating almonds.  I'll skip all of the gory details, but basically, there was a possibility I was going to need a root canal if all of the dental work that ensued irritated the nerve.  That was Thursday.  Today (Tuesday,) I can say with pretty much absolute certainty that I will need a root canal.  My mouth hurts tremendously.  What does this have to do with running?  Well, the only time my mouth wasn't throbbing was the time I spent running.  That 50 minutes of sweet relief is going to hold me over until tomorrow... when I will call up my dentist and BEG him (for the love of God!) to rip that nerve out.  And I may or may not run 20 more miles between now and then.

Today:
Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Yesterday:
Miles logged: ZERO
Miles I was supposed to log: ZERO
(Not running when I was supposed to not run is only notable because I have been otherwise running on Mondays.  I skipped yesterday due to a wicked headache and neck pain... I'm such a special care kitty this week.)

Another One Bites the Dust

Things that bit the dust today:
1.  My old record for longest distance ran - before today, that would be 13.1 miles; after today, 14.5 miles.
2.  My old record for most miles run in a week - before this week, I maxed at 35 miles; after today's run, I've hit 37.65.
3.  Me - I had a good crash.  When I realized I was going down no matter what, I made the decision to let my hand and arm take the brunt of it, (you don't need those appendages to run,) and save my knee.  My hand was numb for 10 minutes after.
With each new week, I will continue to break my own records. (Awesome!)  I will also no doubt crash again - that's what I do.

Miles logged: 14.5 (higher only because of a necessary pit stop that added an additional .5 miles to my run)
Miles I was supposed to log: 14
Pace: 9:15 / mile (FAST! Not on purpose.)

Wait, Did I Just Do That?

Today's run was a blur.  I did not spend the time doing math in my head or running imaginary races with nonexistent people.  Instead, I spent pretty much the whole time thinking about the buttload of projects that I need to finish at work.  And wondering whether or not the boy was going to pee his pants in the other room.  (Potty training -- so much fun.)

Miles logged: 5.65
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile

161 Miles in 5 weeks

I'm feeling strong and ready to run.

I just tallied up the first 5 weeks of training and as of last Saturday, I logged 161.5 miles.  This week, assuming I run what I'm scheduled to, I should log the most miles I've ever run in a week (37.15) and the longest run I'll have done to date (14 miles... 0.9 miles more than a half marathon.)  All of this is making me feel very accomplished, and I'm not even half-way through my training. 

At this rate, I am on track to blow out my shoes somewhere between week 9 and week 10.  (My shoes only ever last me 300 miles... 350 if I push it, which I do not intend to do because I have no interest in an injury at this point in the game.)  But I always love me a pair of new shoes, so bring it!

Yesterday (Tuesday):
Miles logged: 5.6
Miles I was supposed to log: 4
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Today:
Miles logged: 7.25
Miles I was supposed to log: 7
Pace: 9:40 / mile

Whirlwind

Back from our trip.  The long run in Oshkosh was good.  I got up at 5:00 a.m. and hit my route, with a few pit stops here and there.  As usual, the first 4 miles sucked, but I felt good after that.  What's more impressive though, is that I then went and walked around the show all day after that.  I like that I basically ran a half marathon (minus .6 miles) and then felt just fine to do another (relatively) physical activity for the rest of the day.  Yay for strong runner legs!

Subsequently, I tried out a few new gels on my Saturday run.  I can say with certainty that I can cross off the GU gels from the list of gels I'll use in the future.  The consistency was like snot.  Bleh.

Thursday:
Miles logged: 5.25 (pre-flight)
Miles I was supposed to log: 3
Pace: 9:15 / mile

Saturday:
Miles logged: 12.5
Miles I was supposed to log: 12
Pace: 9:45 / mile

Today:
Miles logged: 4.5 (with a vacation hangover)
Miles I was supposed to log: none
Pace: 9:15 / mile