track fan

1:55:32.  Ran down in the desert today ... I hadn't run this route since last may (snake season) ... although it is "overall" more flat than my usual runs it is tough because there are some long grades in sandy/rocky terrain and lots of downs and ups - in and out of deep washes - it was nice to be back!!  Another beautiful day.

Very tired today, had quite the busy weekend with my friends -- did just about all the fun things there are to do here with visitors, although with one more day it would have been better as we did not get to the Mission (which is very cool -- a very old (1700s) mission on the reservation that has some spectacular statues and just very cool).  And it would have been nice to have brunch at the botanic gardens (though probably not as popular with the 11 year old boy set, except maybe the prickly pear lemonade).  Now I have to take a nap so I can get caught up on some of the work I missed over the weekend ... 

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Congrats to McMillan Elite -- both men and women teams won club cross-country nationals.  The men absolutely dominated (only 29 points!!!! the next team had 69 points)!!!

Our Nan also just killed it!!! She really rocks! 

AM: (9 miles, 1:18:15).  20 x :30 w/1` recovery.

PM: (easy 4).

Have an early morning meeting today so I need to be brief.  However, I did see 3 coyotes this morning ... they "ran" with me for a while ;-).  And, I forgot to tell you about last Sunday.  I got to run with a red tailed hawk.  I was running on a trail that parallels some telephone poles - it was flying above me and then alighted on a pole, as soon as I got up to the pole it would take of and fly around and then sit on the further pole, and so on - we did this for almost 2 miles!  Pretty cool.

I hope you are all doing well and have a great day of running and everything! 

~1:05 ... up the mountain.  It is hunting season in the mountains where we live, however, they are only supposed be hunting with a bow.  Well, after I turned around to come down the mountain I heard gunshots ...  I ran a little faster after that.  Plus I went and called the "Arizona Game and Fish".  I am not a huge fan of hunting, but I realize they should get an opportunity to use the area, I only wish they would follow the rules.  I see them parked all over the place in areas (private property - we all have a lot of acreage where I live) right in front of clearly marked signs: "No Trespassing, No Hunting" ... and that pisses me off.  So I tattle on them.  Anyway, an exciting morning!

I hope you are all doing well!

AM: (11 miles, 1:29:51).  30:31 wu + strides, 6 x 800 w/400 recovery, 27:49 cd.  Yikes, I could not find the right pace for anything ... I am rusty rusty, splits: 3:28, 3:23, 3:25, 3:24, 3:20, 3:23, my recovery averaged in the 2:20s.  I was supposed to be running 5K effort -- this was a "fitness check".  Theoretically, I should have been running 6:37 pace (3:18 for the 800), but Greg knows that I am unlikely in shape to be running a good 5K (since I haven't raced or trained for a 5K in nearly 7 years!!) - I was hoping to be about 6:45 average -- and I came pretty close (6:46) so I guess it was a success - last year I did 5 x 800 at 6:45 pace, and I was in much better shape (43:30 10K shape) ... however, I learned that my internal garmin needs some calibration.

PM: I am not sure yet, I might run 4 miles easy, I might do an hour of pool running -- I have both sets of workout clothes here at work and I will choose later.  We have a faculty candidate in town interviewing and I have to take him to dinner tonight, so it depends on which one I have time for -- I would really like to do the pool running (burns more calories and will be better for my tired legs). 

1:04:26.  I am so glad that I did an hour pool run last night.  Not only did I burn more calories, but I feel so good today.  I am planning on replacing one or two second runs with an hour pool run every few weeks.  I think it will help decrease chance of injury and actually mean that I can run more of my harder workouts harder (increasing benefit) ...

It rained most of the afternoon and early evening ... so it is foggy and "misty" today.  It made my mountain run really fun ...

Have a wonderful Friday bloggers! 

AM: (8 miles, 1:09:19).  Ahhhhh ... I finally got 8 hours of sleep (first time since thanksgiving) and I felt fabulous this morning ... 

PM: (4 miles easy). 

I have to finish my Christmas shopping today, not only am I a procrastinator, I seriously have not had any time to do any of this type of thing this semester.  Next week will be super busy (I have about 3 weeks to finish two papers that I am working on with other people, one paper of my own, two grants that will be submitted in February that I have to begin sketching out a design for, and find some papers and create homework assignments for my next semesters class).  It will be fun though, I can sleep in most days and work into late in the night -- I love when classes are not in session and everyone else is away ;-).

I hope you have a wonderful weekend bloggers!