7:53 pace. I ran a different route than usual and it was nice to see some new scenery - it made things pass by faster. My legs felt pretty darn good at the end of it. I found that it actually helped my joints to run a little faster at the end. I guess the plodding can get to your body.
Easy miles today. The wind wasn't blowing this morning so the coolness was pleasant. I'm still looking forward to warmer days though. I can't wait to get back to the park and my boy is begging to go to the zoo. Lots to look forward to...if I could just believe it was coming.
1.75 warm-up and cool-down, 6x1mile with 1/4 mile slow between
?, 6:38, 6:55, 6:38, 6:49, 6:31
I forgot to push my lap button on the first repeat. I'm running this a good fifteen seconds slower then I was a month and a half ago. Back then I was running it faster at the beginning and then slowing down - now I'm
doing the opposite. The only real worry I have is that I might not be running as hard as I should. After having done the workout a couple of times in the past, it really started to scare me. Hopefully I'll get to that zen middle point in the next few times I do the workout.
I ran the same roads but in a little different direction just to beat the boredom - it was an easy run. I think 7 months is the longest I've ever run in a row - especially from the same location. I'm excited that I still have another couple months left in this stint. My daughter has a doctor's appointment tomorrow that will helpfully shed light on what my time schedule and possibility of running a marathon this summer will be. Hopefully everything goes just like I want it to.
I'm playing catch-up here. 1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down, 4 mile tempo at 6:43, more down-hill than up-hill. Still I think my first mile was significantly the slowest and it was downhill. I'm certainly playing it cautious these days.
Went to my daughter's Dr.'s appointment. No surgery this summer. That leaves the moving to KY schedule open. My head is running in a thousand different directions on when and how to move. I'm not sure yet how the provo marathon will pan out. I'm definitely in a "wish I could do everything" mode of mind right now.
I was sure that the marathon was out on this workout so I shammed and ran 16 instead of 18. I sure wish I had run 18. I'll remember that from now on - a good learning experience. This Saturday is 20 regardless. Hopefully I won't kill my legs too bad. And I've just got to get me an ipod that works to soothe the pain. I have an old one of my sister-in-law's that lasts for about 20 minutes after it gets fully charged. Such a bummer.
Easy, pleasant miles - probably most pleasant because I ran by a steep hill covered in daffodils. The port-o-potty that has saved me on many a run will be gone from the house it has been sitting in front of soon. It looks like the reconstruction effort is done. Beautiful house - don't know what I'll do without the potty. Could I knock on someone's door? Has anybody ever? I don't think my guts or my desperation could ever really pull it off.
1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down. 5 mile tempo run at 6:39, 1% incline
I took my ipod with me to the gym. My ipod - my six year old ipod that I got for free from my SIL when she didn't want it anymore that has seven, yes a grand total of seven, songs on it - doesn't take a charge very well. So on the rare occasion that I use it, I fully charge it, I go out for a run, and wait to see how many miles I get to do with music. It can be anywhere from 2 to 16. But its unpredictable. It feels kind of like playing pop-goes-the-weasel. I'm always cringing in anticipation of a sudden unwelcoming, demotivating silence. My plan to beat the demotivating power-down today was to wait to use my ipod until after I was finished with my warm-up and then just pray that it would take me through at least four miles of tempo pain. By the time I was near the end of the tempo portion I don't know what had me more on edge - whether I'd make it the final half mile or if my ipod would. Well we both made it to the end which gave me renewed hope in us. I needed it.
Anyhow - so I bring up the ipod for a reason. When I use a treadmill and I use the ipod I can go for 5 miles at a 6:39 pace. Minus the ipod and the treadmill I'm guessing it would have been around 6:45 to 6:50. So am I just cheating myself by using these crutches or do you think it actually is helpful because I'm making myself go faster than I otherwise would? I just can't decide myself.
Spry would not be the word to describe how I felt warming up. I had to take my ipod off after the warm-up because I needed focus to overcome the blahs. When I ran the repeats I felt good - the in-between 400s felt like junk in my muscles and joints. Kinda crazy.
7:43 pace. I never feel like I choose the pace on these long runs, the pace always chooses me. I ran in the afternoon today - it was 75 degrees. After the longest winter ever - oh that's a lie, I've lived in Northern New York, still I enjoy the hyperbole, so - after the longest winter ever 75 degrees felt pretty darn hot...and I liked it.
Now I am tired through and through. Here's hoping all the kids feel like sleeping through the night.
Wow - yeah, a little sore from Saturday still. Hopefully I was able to work most of the stiffness out today since tomorrow is the 6X1 mile workout. I can hardly think about it - scary.
1.75 mile warm-up and cool-down, 6x1 mile with quarter mile easy between
6:56, 6:13, 6:40, 6:15, 6:43, 6:18
So getting started was a bit tough. But I was disappointed enough by the first mile to get myself moving after that. I'm always glad when this work-out is over. I'll probably only do it two more times before I run the marathon. If I run the marathon, that is - if somehow I can manage to not be in Kentucky when the starting gun goes off in Provo.
Wow. I'm still really sore. I ran at an 8:30 pace because my legs felt so awkward. I'm not sure what I'll be ready for tomorrow. I'm not sure if I should push through this or not.
I ran by a house today and the backyard was on fire. There was already a man knocking on the door of the house to inform the residents. An old lady in a robe answered the door looking pretty confused. The fire trucks were there by the time I passed again and the backyard burning was out. There's something I haven't seen on a run before.
8 miles in the heartland. I ran from our new house in KY - beautiful, green and plenty of cows. I'm excited. The only problem with a rural road is that although 95% of the time you see no cars - the 5% of the time that you do, they are going 65 miles down a road barely wide enough for two cars to pass and hills and turns are frequent. Hopefully I won't die.
1.5 warm-up and cool down, 5 mile tempo at 6:45. All on the TM.
I worked hard painting and cleaning and getting utilities etc. set up along with having to do the whole closing thing while I was in KY (Sunday to Wed.). My friend that I was staying with lived 30 minutes from my house. I got about 5 hours of sleep a night and didn't even take the time to eat too much. And there is still TONS to do on our little 1250 s.f. house. Yeah - the running just didn't get prioritized after Monday. My husband told me to just count it as a rest week - especially since my legs still don't feel quite right.
I barely got to the gym in time to do this what with not wanting to leave my kids again after they'd already been through 3 days without me. I went to the gym after they fell asleep. This run was confidence building. The 6:45 pace didn't feel too hard. I kept it a little slower to protect my recovering legs. It bothers me that I haven't done much speed work over the last couple of weeks - but I'm trying to let it go.
The darned wind. Oh the darned wind. It was blowing out at my sister's. It was great for the first few miles because it blew me out, then I turned around for the next 5 miles and had my work cut out for me. I kept reminding myself that I became a stronger runner when we were living in AZ and I'm pretty sure its because I was constantly fighting wind. Its kind of like how swimmers wear that second swimsuit.
My legs felt awful for the first four miles or so and then the awkward feeling faded away. I'm grateful that this temper tantrum my legs are throwing right now is happening now and not two weeks before the marathon. I really think (hope) (pray) (desperately desire) that it will go away soon.