Wednesday, March 28, 2012

stories...

Have I mentioned how difficult it is to push the boys and run at the same time? I have? Oh, well, let me say it again: HOLY CRAP, THEY ARE GETTING RIDICULOUSLY BIG, AND IT'S HARD!!!!! But, we still have fun. On this particular day, I told them the story of their birth for about three miles. They love to hear this, and I love to tell them. Then, we stopped at the park so that they could play (and mommy could get a break). Still, my pace with them was faster than my pace with the dogs last week! We're getting them big boy bikes for their birthdays, and they will soon be able to ride while I run.
Stats: 4.58 miles in 51:44 for an 11:18mpm pace

Monday, March 26, 2012

Just before the storm

Today was a completely solo run in Tooele. I left the dogs home because, well, I just wasn't up for dealing with them today. What a boob I am! Anyway, I ran the same route that I took them on last week, and my time was much different. I stopped twice for traffic, and I took two walk breaks but only because I was going straight into the wind. It was nasty this morning, but I managed to make it home right before the storm hit. The sky was spitting a few raindrops while I was out, but it was full-on raining by the time I got out of the bath, and it was hailing when we left the driveway. I got done just in time! It was a good run, and I felt strong throughout.
Stats: 4.58 miles in 49:52 or a 10:52mpm pace

Friday, March 23, 2012

Speed work - thanks to Russell!

Carol had a meeting this morning, so she couldn't run. I've had vertigo for a day and a half, but I was determined to run anyway. Besides, it's subsiding quickly this time. However, half of the weight class had a fit when they found out I intended to go it alone. What if you get sick (entirely possible since I barfed in my wastepaper basket yesterday)? What if you lose your balance (again, I have vertigo, duh)? I've run by myself in this state before, but they were having none of it. Finally, Russell said that he would go with me. I felt like I had a babysitter, but I was happy for the company. I thought that he would just run at his own pace and check in on me every once in a while to make sure that I hadn't tipped over into traffic. What I didn't expect was that I would try to keep up with him! What was I thinking? I was a couple of steps behind him the entire time, but I did my best to stay at his pace (which was probably a bit toned down for my benefit). When we got to 17th South, he said "Ok. We're going to pick up the pace a bit, and then when we get to the Return's Center, we'll sprint." To which I replied "Dude, I HAVE BEEN SPRINTING!" He finished the run about 30 seconds before me. I couldn't speak when I finished, and I looked like someone had spray painted my face red, but I was happy to have finished under 30 minutes!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 29:34 for a 9:33mpm pace (Yes, you read that right!)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Weird heart rate problem....

This was a good run with the exception of two blocks. I ran solo because Carol isn't feeling well after a bout of food poisoning, so I headed up to Sugarhouse Park. Nice morning, felt great, no problems until after the break at 7th East for the traffic light. As soon as I stepped off the curb to begin running again, I suddenly had a hard time catching my breath; I just couldn't seem to get my lungs full. It wasn't like I was gasping for air, but I just didn't feel right. So, I stopped at 9th to "stretch" (which means I stopped to see what was going on, but I didn't want to look like a fool to the passing motorists - as if they really care), and my heart felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest. I felt for my pulse, and I'm surprised that my neck hadn't burst open! My heart had to have been going twice the normal pace for running, and it was so strong that it felt like the veins in my neck must have been enormous! Strange. So, I stretched and tried to breathe slowly to lower my heart rate. This didn't work very well. It was OK, but not great. So I walked a block. Still not great. I slowly ran a half block, but that didn't work. I stopped to "stretch" again. This time, I bent over with my head towards my knees, and suddenly, my heart rate just sank almost to the reate that it is when I am sitting. It was an instant drop, and that feeling that I couldn't catch my breath went away instantly, too. It was so weird! I didn't have a single problem for the rest of the run. I did take two walk breaks in the park, and I made them twice as long as usual, just to be safe, but basically everything was back to normal immediately following my bent-over stretch. It was weird!
Stats: 5.5 miles in 57:45 for a 10:30mpm pace

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Geez! Tubbo and Lardo!

A solo run in Tooele - these are rare. I took the dogs - even more rare! Our pace for the first 1/2 mile was really good, but then it kicked in and Lizzy was wiped out by mile 3. We did a lot of walk breaks for her. In fact, we did a lot of standing breaks! Sadie was even pretty calm because she was so tired! I haven't taken Liz for a run for a long time, so I'm sure that she is now sore. I've only taken Sadie a couple of times, but she managed to remember something from those times, and she behaved really well. I've got to get the two of them out more. Liz has gained 9 pounds in 2 years - and she's not a big dog. And, Sadie? She's just a fatso right now which is ridiculous since she is still just a puppy. It was a good run - cold, but fun.
Stats: 4.58 miles in 54:24 for an 11:53mpm pace

Friday, March 16, 2012

company

We had a friend join us today. He's faster than we are, so he would run out and back, out and back. He probably got 4 miles to our 3.1, but it was still fun. I hope that he comes with us more often since he is a fun and upbeat guy. He's also in our weight lifting class, so his arms and shoulders were shaking this morning too. Seriously, my abs felt neglected since I swear we spent the entire 45 minutes focusing on the shoulders. And, the room was like a sauna. We were all just dripping with sweat. Always love it when those workouts are done!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 35:26 for a 11:26mpm pace

Monday, March 12, 2012

Hello, Spring!

Shorts and a t-shirt, baby! Hello, spring! This was a great run in terms of temperatures and company. Looking back at it now, I'm sure that we could have pushed the pace a bit more. We probably could have gotten more miles, too. Oh well. It was nice to just run and talk since Carol has been out of town for a week. We did the downtown loop, so it wasn't anything too exciting. It was, however, dark. Daylight savings time started yesterday, and while it always messes with me, this time it was the darkness of our run that got me. (Well, that and the whole screwed up sleep schedule for the boys....)
Stats: 5.46 miles in 1:00:14 for an 11:02mpm pace

Friday, March 9, 2012

I'm so blah.

I struggled through the weight class today. I simply must strengthen my shoulders, and today was just difficult for me. I didn't like it. And, I'm just in a shitty place right now. I'm stressed, and it just seems like nothing is going my way. I'm not whining, really, I'm not. OK - maybe a little. I have ass loads of stuff to figure out, and I can't seem to catch a break. Plus, work, work, and more work. It's becoming a bit excessive. One positive? My pace was a sub-10 today.
Stats: 3.15 miles in 31:13 for a 9:55mpm pace

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

icy way

This was a nice run. I would have liked it to be a bit longer, but I got to work 30 minutes later than normal. I ran one lap in Sugarhouse Park and back to work. The park was almost empty, and since it had snowed last night, it was beautiful - and cold! The only problems that I had along the way were some icy patches on the sidewalks. If not for those, I would have completed the run in less than an hour.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 1:00:07 for a 10:56mpm pace

Monday, March 5, 2012

Well, hello Liberty!

For the first time in a LONG time, I ran Liberty Park. It was as boring as I remembered.... That sounds bad. It's a great park - it really is. But, we have run it so many times in the last two winters. This is the FIRST time I have run it so far this winter since it has been so mild. I ran it because I was going solo, and I wanted someplace safe. (A lot of people would disagree with me that this is a safe area, but it is. There are a lot of people in the park even early in the morning.) I was rewarded with a chance to see a cute little squirrel. It was actually almost enjoyable!
Stats: 4.5 miles in 46:27 for a 10:20mpm pace

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Winter Corporate Games

I participated in the Salt Lake County Corporate Winter Games as the runner in the triathlon relay. It was an odd set up, at least I thought so. It was all indoors, and a timed (not a distance) event. Basically, the swimmers swam for ten minutes. They got a point for every lap that they completed. The runners ran for 25 minutes and got a point for every 1/10mile they completed. The cyclists biked (on recumbant bikes? odd) for 25 minutes and got a point for every 1/10mile they completed. Then, the just added up all of the points, and there you go.

So, I started by warming up on the indoor track with the boys. (Wait. We started by getting lost since I was given a wrong address. Therefore, we were late to the check in. Grrrr...) So, the boys and I just jogged around the indoor track a few times. Then, we wandered around and checked things out. We watched our swimmer for a few minutes, but the activity pool was being refinished, so we couldn't stay in that room for long. The fumes from the chlorine, paint, adhesives, and other chemicals was just too much. Our swimmer was awesome, though. The was just very consistent and the water barely broke when he completed his strokes. The other swimmers were very choppy and had to keep taking breaks. Our guy rocked it.

Then, we all stood around and waited for a treadmill to come open. I hadn't run on a treadmill since November 2010, and so I felt all wonky. I was running up against the front of the belt the entire time because I had it on 0% incline (I needed all the help I could get), and I was trying to get some points for our team, so I had the speed cranked (for me). In my 25 minutes, I completed 2.85 miles. The room was really hot and packed with people. I started at a 6.5 pace and continuously amped it up and down so that I could get some speed and some recovery. I was generally between 6.7 and 7.2, but at the end, I had it up to 7.4. I felt pretty good about all of that. (My stats for this portion were 2.85 miles in 25 minutes for an 8:47mpm pace!)

I had also done a slow warm-up on the treadmill, so I have bumped my overall distance up and my overall pace down for the day's total.

After I was done, we cheered on our biker who was really cranking it out. It was a really fun event, all things considered. There was a bit more waiting around than I expected, but it was a good time.
Stats: 3 miles in 30 minutes for a 10mpm pace

This is what happens when Bub takes a picture with my phone..... Oh well.

This picture MIGHT be a bit better: