Friday, June 29, 2012

How did I even finish?

I don't actually know how I even finished this run. Weight class this morning was brutal, and I'm not sure that I could even feel my legs for most of the run. Plus, it's hot. Hot, hot, hot! And, I'm tired. I slept like crap last night. In spite of all that, I had a good pace. OK - enough whining. Stats: 3.14 miles in 32:52 for a 10:29mpm pace

Thursday, June 28, 2012

hot dog - literally

Oh, I just did NOT have it in me yesterday. I slept in. I think that the weekend finally caught up with me. Today's run started out fast enough, but about halfway through, Sadie realized that she was roasting and that boundless energy wasn't working out for her. She ssslllloooooowwwwed way down. She was really hot. It was really hot. I probably shouldn't have taken her out in the first place. So, we stopped at many sprinklers. She wouldn't drink, but I splashed water on her. I finally convinced her to just lay IN the sprinklers. When we got home, I hosed her off with cold water to help with her cool down. After we had completed 2/3 of the course, there was a quarter mile section where we just walked. After that, I felt like I was almost dragging her. She's so out of shape! I was going to take Lizzy out for a quick loop in the cemetary, but by the time Sadie and I got home, it was over 75*. Not worth it. I think that Liz is mad at me now... Stats: 5.38 miles in 1:02:00 for an 11:32mpm pace

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

first run post festival

I haven't run since last Wednesday. I have been up to my eyeballs in arts festival stuff. Marking the park, setting up, going non-stop all three festival days, tear down, and then a trip to the zoo to thank the boys for letting me be gone for so long! It was a great/crazy event, and I can't wait until next year! As for running over the weekend, no-freakin-way did I have the energy for that. I was in bed at 11:30pm and up at 5:30am each day, and on my feet the entire time. If that weren't enough, the 30, 40, 50mph winds and 100* temps would have put me over the edge. So, today's run was welcome, and surprisingly good. I thought that my legs would be complete crap, but they weren't too bad. We didn't push it, but we didn't slack off, either. Stats: 3.1 miles in 34:29 for an 11:08mpm pace

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

a long run before the festival

I would have gotten another 1/10th of a mile in, but I really had to potty. It is what it is. I've missed long runs for the last couple of weeks, so this run got a bit tiresome towards the end. With the arts festival going on this weekend, I knew that I woudln't get a long run in again, so I knew that I would need to get it done this morning. Plus, it's going to be really hot this weekend, so today was the best opportunity all around. I basically did a tour of the city. I only saw one other runner out which surprised me. Stats: 9.92 miles in 1:45:24 for a 10:38mpm pace

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

non-stop

For this run, I managed to avoid every opportunity to stop. Instead of stop lights, I would turn and run a new street. Instead of traffic, I would jay-walk! (oops) I added an extra 1/2 mile to my normal after-class run. Class was pretty difficult this morning with a lot of planks, but we all pushed through. Perhaps a long run tomorrow? Stats: 3.53 miles in 34:37 for a 9:49mpm pace

Monday, June 18, 2012

Now, THESE are hills!

I let a co-worker and work-out buddy talk me into this as a preparation for Tough Mudder coming up in October. He promised steep and difficult climbs. He was NOT kidding. We drove to the trailhead and started out walking through the scrub oak. We ran a bit of uphill trail before the roller coasters started. (Carol wisely backed out when she saw the first hill because the tread on her shoes wasn't great, and she has oodles of races planned this summer. To fall and get hurt would be a huge waste of money - not to mention the getting hurt part. She ran the paved hills below us.) We "sprinted" up the first hill. When I say "sprinted," I mean that MW sprinted and I struggled. I made it halfway up the hill before I had to walk. These were seriously steep. At the top, he barfed and fought waves of nausea. Finally, he convinced me to go on ahead. I did three more of these hills. There was a lot of walking involved. I looked at the last one and said HELL NO. I met up with MW on the way back. We had to gingerly walk what were now the downhills because they were so steep. He was right. This was a good climbing workout. We're going to do it again a few times before the TM race. We'll run some other hills in other places between now and then. I would love to take the boys there sometime! Stats: 2.48 miles in 35:44 for a 14:25mpm pace

Friday, June 15, 2012

non-stop

This was a pretty good run - but lonely. Carol and her hubby, GB, are off camping, so I headed off for our typical after-weight-class run. It was a really nice morning, and it only got hot towards the end of the run. I didn't have to stop for traffic at any time which also means that I didn't have any good excuses for walk breaks or standing-at-the-light breaks. I'm happy with my time, but I would have liked it to be just a smidge faster. (OK - truly, never satisfied, am I?) Stats: 3.1 miles in 30:19 for a 9:47mpm pace

Thursday, June 14, 2012

still sluggish

This run was not as bad as yesterday's, but it was still hard. My legs were/are still tired, and I still wasn't feeling it. I drank plenty of water yesterday, so that wasn't the problem. During yoga this morning, my quads were very tired - probably because I did a couple of one-minute wall squats yesterday (on top of tired legs from weight class on Tuesday and an almost-seven mile run in the morning). I'm sure that all of these things together are making my legs feel sluggish, but I don't see the need to back off of any of them. After all, I should totally be able to do a couple of wall squats without being a gimp the next day, right? Anyway, SoSaLa was as un-scenic as ever, but it was a nice change of pace from my typical 3-mile route. Stats: 3.15 miles in 30:45 for a 9:46mpm pace

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

SUCKY RUN - whiner alert

This run SUCKED. I don't know why. Carol doesn't know why. It just SUCKED. Both of us felt sluggish in our legs and just blah the entire way. We were slated to do a 10 miler, and we were both looking forward to it - until this morning. Yuck, yuck, yuck. We ran our downtown loop with some added blocks in for mileage. We took a walk break every two blocks at least. Sometimes it was EVERY block. It just SUCKED. There was one two-block stretch that was downhill. That was the ONLY good part of the run. PLUS, it was stinky. There was one stretch that had the stench of ripe garbage. Another section reeked of doggie doo. One entire block downtown smelled just awful and the air even TASTED awful! (I think that maybe the lawns had just been sprayed or something?) BLECK! The only nice part of the run was that we were both having a bad day at the same time. (I would have felt horrible if I had ruined a good run for Carol by my AWFULNESS.) Stats: 6.91 miles in 1:18:07 for an 11:19mpm pace PS - today's post brought to you by the UNNECESSARY use of CAPITAL LETTERS!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

forgetting - too busy

If I would have had a bit more energy at the start of this run, it would have been a sub-10. UG! Weight class was effective - I know this because my legs were pretty spent. I ran solo because Carol had a meeting. It was a very nice morning - very bright. The vernal equinox is next week already! I like the light conditions, but sometimes I don't like the heat very much. While running today, I remembered that I was supposed to send an e-mail to a group of people. Totally forgot. I remembered that I was going to send an appreciation button to a friend of mine. I totally forgot. I remembered that I am waiting for a call back from the dentist. They have totally forgotten me. There are about 10,000 things that I need to get done before the arts festival next weekend - it's just ten days away! I hope that I remember even half of them. After the festival is over, I'll start remembering something... Maybe. Stats: 3.1 miles in 31:01 for a 10:01mpm pace (ug! so close!)

Monday, June 11, 2012

but, I'm reading a really good book

Since I sat on my fat fanny all weekend, this was a good run to get in. I didn't run at all on Saturday or Sunday which means I've now missed three long runs in a row. NOT a good way to train for a marathon. In fact, this is exactly the same way that I've trained for my last two marathons, and they have been miserable experiences. I've got to shake this bad habit! We ran a bit slower and took a lot of walk breaks today because Carol just ran a 1/2 on Saturday and is still in recovery mode. (OK - I didn't sit on my ass ALL weekend. On Saturday morning, I went out to check one of the blackberry patches and noticed that the entire cherry tree had turned red. The cherries were yellow just two days before. So, Saturday was spent pitting cherries. In all fairness, though, I should have had my long run in before I ever went out to check that berry patch, but I got up and read my book instead.....) Stats: 5.08 miles in 58:30 for an 11:31mpm pace

Thursday, June 7, 2012

glad I did it

Oh, I hemmed and hawed about this run after today's yoga class. Carol took another day off to rest her knee, and when she doesn't run, it's a real challenge for me to get my lazy ass out the door! But, after tinkering around at my desk for a few minutes, I finally sucked it up and left. After all, it's only 3 miles, right? And, it felt great. Really, a comfortable run! I only stopped twice - once for a light and once to help someone with directions (and I hope that I sent her to the right place!). I'm almost never sorry that I went for a run, and today was no different. Stats: 3.1 miles in 30:45 for a 9:56mpm pace

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

8th South hell... hill... hell.... whatever

Carol's knee is twinging again, so I ran alone. I was supposed to do 7 miles, and that usually means the route around Westminster. Today, however, I thought that I would do it in reverse, and THAT means running UP the hill on 8th South. I knew that it needed to be done, and I knew that Carol shouldn't do it anytime soon with a wonky knee, do I did it this morning. And, when I say "run," I truly mean "run-20-steps-walk-20-steps-run-25-steps-walk-10-steps-etc." Um, it was miserable. I hate that hill. It's such a bitch. However, if I'm running the hardest legs at Ragnar Vegas this year (and I am), then I've got to get the hill training done NOW. This will not be the last time I do this run in reverse... Stats: 7.39 miles in 1:17:27 for a 10:29mpm pace

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Hoooo-eeeee!

What a run! From the first steps, we were both grumbling about how tired we were. Leg exercises in weight class made it less than fun, and I felt like I was running through water. It was hot, and even a bit humid for these parts. But, we managed to talk the entire time which made the seconds tick by a bit faster. Stats: 3.1 miles in 35:11 for an 11:21mpm pace

Monday, June 4, 2012

took some "personal time"

Well, it's been FIVE DAYS since I did anything remotely strenuous (except for gardening), and I could feel it, for sure. It was that way for both Carol and I since she had taken the same amount of "personal time." Yes. Let's call it "personal time." That sounds far better than "sitting on my butt eating cake" time. As a personal punishment, we chose to do Sugarhouse. It was definitely UN-fun. Serves me right for being so lazy. Stats: 5.76 miles in 1:02:36 for a 10:53mpm pace