catherine's running efforts

I don't want to make any spoilers, so I'll just say that I'm glad my favorite is still in the game on The Bachelor. 

*Great* run tonight, by the way. Problem I've been having since June=fixed. :)

Also, today I started doing all my runs about 30 seconds faster.  

Today I had an energy drink, pop tarts, cheese, milk, english muffins, a whole mess of those chocolate-covered fruit juice pieces from Costco that masquerade as chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds, about the same amount of Cheeze-its, and some frozen pizza. So after 2.5 miles I took a break from the tummy sloshing and did 1 mile at 4.5/4% before I finished out the run. I've repented and am going to do better tomorrow. After I stay up all night tonight to finish all the stupid stuff I have to get done. 

To me cheese is healthy food. Like milk and yogurt. So I don't really get these ads. 

Also, my mom and sister joined the blog. Yay! You should go say hi!

I didn't pull the all-nighter I had planned for last night. At about 3 I decided that it would be better to go to bed and just wake up early, so I got about 4 hours of sleep. I think Eric got about 3. 

And have I mentioned what a dumb idea it was for me to promise a multiple-choice section on the midterm? Such a dumb idea. Multiple-choice questions are whack.

So anyway, I'm still working on the stupid test (and getting more behind on everything else) and didn't make it to the gym in time to finish my 5 before they closed. Gyms that close at midnight are whack. 

Also I got the PureConnect shoes I had ordered. First, when RoadRunnerSports says "free shipping," really they mean free outbound shipping (if you buy their stupid 1.99 membership) and 9.95 to send shoes back. The customer service person I talked to said that they'll waive the return shipping, but we're still not ordering from them again. Second, there's a lot of cush in the arch and the heel feels thick (even though the drop is the same as with the Kinvaras). I'm going to keep looking for my dream shoes.  

I love that I love running again. I even wanted to run one more mile but it was getting a little late and I needed to go home so that Eric would be able to make it to the gym before it closed. 

My run was bookended (?) by cadbury creme eggs. They were delicious.  

At the gym. I was super tired after another 4 hour night and a long day, but I did it.

We did this race because my mom was running it and because it was on the same course as one we did in November. I was looking forward to being a little faster than last time (just because I've been being more consistent; I don't really do any speedwork). Eric wasn't feeling like running fast so he and Elliott ran along with me. Running with Eric is one of my favorite things ever, and it's fun that now Elliott gets to come too. 

The biggest difference for me from November was that the race just felt easier. In November I wanted to run the first mile in under 7 minutes and it felt like almost all I could do. That was my goal again today, but it felt almost comfortable and definitely manageable. And after the first mile I didn't stop trying (like I pretty much did in November) - I slowed down a lot, but physically I felt fine and mentally I still felt like trying a little bit. About half through I was pretty winded (after about the first slightly downhill mile the course is a slight uphill until near the end), but even then I didn't *really* feel like quitting or anything. Overall I think I gave around 80% (physically; I still hold back a lot mentally because I'm afraid of something (but I'm not sure what)), and it was comfortably uncomfortable. 

Splits: 6:51, 7:34, 8:01, 7:00 (for 0.1)

(Splits in November: 6:59, 8:29, 8:45, 8:24 (for 0.1)) 

After Eric and I finished we ran back up the course to find my mom. She looked great! It was fun to see her finish. Then we went to see my brother kick some trash at the state swim meet (and I met his super cute girlfriend for the first time), and after we came home I slept for a couple of hours (thanks Eric) to try to catch up from the week. Then I had some awesome salad (spinach, strawberries, light raspberry vinaigrette, feta, and glazed pecans ("recipe" from the glazed pecan package)) and went to the Orem gym for 5.3 more miles to get to 9 for the day.