track fan

2:47:29 (8:22 AP).  So, I was supposed to this with the last 8 at marathon pace.  But, I have a cold'. It isn't a bad cold, but it is a cold.  I talked to Greg (in a panic), and we decided to back off today in hopes of letting my immune system do its thing.  I had planned on running 18, and I was supposed to take it easy.  If I started to feel badly at any point then cut it short.  Problem is that I wouldn't really (won't really) know if it was "too much" until tonight or tomorrow :-).   I tried to keep it at 65-75% effort, which apparently is 8:35 pace because that is what every single mile split was on the way out ... every one!  My body started picking up the pace after I turned around, I had to slow myself down ... It wasn't marathon pace (I had a couple 7:59s in there), but it was faster than I had promised myself to go, I was still averaging about 8:10-8:20 on the way back, even while trying to keep it easy.  Bummed that I didn't get some more MP miles, but I still have 2 more "workouts" to go and if I can stay healthy for them then it will be worth it!!

Happy Sunday!! Congrats on the awesome races today (Rachelle rocks!).  The Mill rose Games are on ESPN tonight for any of you that missed the live feeds yesterday!!  T&F! 

AM: 8.5. 10 x 1' w/1' recovery.

PM: easy 4.

Still fighting the good fight on the cold front.  Just so you know ... Snow down at 2800-3000 ft tonight!! Of course, I am flying out in the morning!

Happy day bloggers.  Stay warm and dry! 

yup, 40 mins!!  wow.  

I was in a hurry - rushing to the airport.  I am bummed to be leaving Tucson.  It was cold this morning - and after my plane left it snowed all day -- and actually stuck.  This happens 1 time in every 5-10 years, and I have to miss it ... booo!

And, I am sicker.  double boo.  I am sure 8 hours of travel will help my cold!

Ok, staying up with my friend until wee hours of the morning did not help either!!

I hope you are all doing well!! 

AM: (1:09:45,8.5 miles).  I was supposed to be doing 3 x 2000 w/2:30 tempo interval pace (6:44-6:57 pace) recovery + 3 x 200 w/200 recovery.  I did not have a track, but I did have easy access to the Rock Creek Trail, which has mile markers.  So, I figured I would run miles and then add on 1:40 or so.  It was 23F and windy.  I also woke up at 5:30 AM with a seriously sore throat ... took an ambien (before I saw that it was 5:30, but after I felt my sore throat, dumb me ;-)).  I had a conference call early this morning -- so I sort of overslept when I woke up at 8:30 AM (East Coast time -- 6:30 my time -- which was also oversleeping!).  

Anyway ... my friend Lara (who I am staying with -- and her 3 kids, beautiful petri dishes that they are) - is a pediatrician and when I told her that my throat hurt she said, "you won't feel it after a couple of miles, you are fine" -- ha ha ... so much for sympathy ;-).  She was correct.  My legs feel incredibly good -- though they are looking kind of fat to me, how does that happen?  is it taper-goggles? -- and I did not feel badly.   Since these are on the road, with all the hills, chilly headwind, etc. I was not expecting to hit my target at all, and was actually thinking that I would be happy with 7:30s given my health.  Instead:

7:09 +1:45, 1:56 + 6:53, 2:00 + 6:45.  (the last two I did the "extra 400 meters before the mile marker - the last mile had a goodly amount of downhill - this compensated for the extra meters I was running ;-)).  I was quite surprised with this.  And, I decided, Lara was right, I am fine -- no matter how aweful I seem to be feeling!!  I am hoping to get to my hotel and sleep early tonight ...

PM: easy 3.5 (30 mins).  I usually would rather run in a blizzard than run on the treadmill, but I think today I will do the treadmill because I am actually quite cold.

Happy Thursday!! 

easy run, early early early, cold ...brrr.

48:56. Yesterday I ran the same route (on the Mt. Vernon Trail - from Alexandria VA to near the DC line).  I was wearing two sets of gloves yesterday (because it was so cold), and I somehow hit my watch off at some point - so I wasn't exactly sure how far it was before I turned around.  So, today I had no 'watch malfunction' -- it was 25:01 at my turnaround point!!! wow, that was amazing yesterday!

So, two things, #1 I am sick, pretty darn sick.  So far, it has not moved to my chest, and I don't have a fever, so I am holding it together, though bummed that I am sick 7 days before my race. I don't understand how I got sick (sarcasm inserted here), I have only had two airplane/work/stressful trips in as many weeks, have been running in wintery mix weather for 3 days on little sleep!

Yesterday, I was supposed to fly out at 5PM after my meeting was over - I was flying from DC to Chicago to Tucson.   By 3PM I started getting text messages from the airline telling me that flights were delayed up to 90 mins in Chicago and 45 mins out of Chicago.  I knew there was no way I was going to make my connection in Chicago, and it was the last flight to Tucson of the day.  So, I rebooked my flight to this morning - and luckily was able to get the American Statistical Association to get me another night at the hotel.  I went back to recheck into the hotel and the lobby was FULL (3 bus fulls) of little cheerleader/beauty queen girls. Some of them were wearing huge amounts of make-up, seriously, like movie set amount!  I tried to talk to one of them in the elevator, she was a little snot and treated me like I was gum stuck on the bottom of her shoe (seriously).  I felt like telling her "pretty is as pretty does" - but I figured I wasn't my place, and she wouldn't get it anyway.  I will say that the experience (of just seeing all of these little girls prance around) was an interesting sociologic experience ;-).

Anyway ... it was a good call to change my flight.  I got to sleep in a comfortable bed, sleep in until 6:30AM (4:30 Tucson time), and go out with a friend of mine last night for dinner.  The flight I was supposed to be on was 4 1/2 hours delayed out of DC, I would have arrived in Chicago at midnight, and most certainly been stuck in the airport until about 6AM ;-)  good call!!  Today, I am stuck in DC again -- I already have missed my connection out of Dallas, and have had to rebook 2 flights.  However, I have all day to get some flight home, I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can catch at a minimum the last flight out of Dallas, which would get me in by 9PM.  I do have an Admirals Club pass, so the waiting is tolerable.

It looks like I will miss my 2nd run today -- I won't stress about it, having a cold is a much bigger threat than missing a run at this point.  DRAT. 

Happy Saturday bloggers.