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

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...)