A breath of fresh air

Will and I went to the indoor track this morning.  I dread the track a little.  I worry about Will being content for five miles.  I feel like all the people around that might be bugged if Will is complaining.  But, my worries were for nothing.  It was a pleasant trip to the track.

I left my watch at home.  Ya!  I enjoy running without my watch.  And I used cereal as counters again.  It worked very well.  I didn't lose track of what lap I was on!  I did strides on the 3rd and 6th laps of miles 2, 3, and 4.  My legs felt sore during the strides.

This afternoon, I did lunges and abs with my sister.

My goal for the pace of my tempo run today was between 8:00 and 8:30.  I decided to try for quarter between 2:00 and 2:05.

Here are my mile splits.

8:15--I was very pleased.  I was trying to keep the pace quick, but not impossible.

7:59--I messed up.  I didn't realize I was going faster on my third and fourth quarters.

8:09--Fatigue started to set in.  I tried to remind myself that I didn't have to push it, just keep it steady.  During the last quarter, I got angry.  Up head was another park maintenance truck.  My thought was, "Don't they realize I am trying to get my tempo run in!!!  How dare they force me off the path!"  As the truck passed flinging sand everywhere, I remembered that it's the truck that keeps the path cleared of snow and ice.  I am grateful for the cleared path.  I will never have evil thoughts about the park maintenances truck again.  (Lately, I've been the biggest hot head.  I am grateful my husband is still speaking to me.)

So, my three mile tempo run turned out well, 24:23.  I didn't feel as tuckered as I did after Saturday's tempo run.  The temperature was 15 degrees; the wind chill was 6.  The light snow wasn't a big deal.  Only two snowflakes flew in my eye.

Will and I were out doing errands and someone commented on the good weather.  My husband came home from classes and commented on the beautiful day.  It was a nice day.  Sunny.  Not much wind.  But, I did check the temperature when my husband got home--it was 13! and the wind chill was 6 degrees.  Aren't Iowans crazy!  It's a wonderful day when the high is 14. 

Will and I were back at the indoor track again this morning.  The warm up mile and cool down mile seemed to take longer than the other three.  The strides went well.  I would tell Will how long it would be until we'd run fast again.  Just before we started, I'd say, "On your mark. Get set."  And Will would say, "Go!"  During the last two laps, we sang "Itsy-Bitsy-Spider," "Once there was a Snowman," "I'm a little Tea Pot," and "The Wheels on the Bus."

My lap counters were raisins today.

It's official.  Will is allergic to peanuts and I am now versed in the directions of administering EpiPens.  My perfect little boy won't be able to eat open face peanut butter and honey sandwiches or honey roasted peanuts or Pad Thai. 

I feel lucky I got to squeeze in a run today.  I had a physical at 3 pm, so it was back at the doctor's.  (Will and I were at the doctor's and getting ointments and EpiPens from 7:40 to 1:10 pm.)  When I got home, my husband pleasantly surprised me by telling me he'd watch Will while I went running.  What a Valentine gift!  It was an easy five miles.

I feel tired.  I better go to bed.

Although a mile and a half is covered in snow, I decided to run the hilly Camp Cardinal loop.  It was pretty slow going, but enjoyable.

I have come to a realization--I have survived the winter.  Of course, it's not over.  (We are supposed to get another eight inches of snow this weekend.)  But, I seriously feel like I can handle anything that Old Man Winter throws at me.

Another snow/ice storm?  No big deal.

More fierce wind?  Give me your worse.

Negative temperatures?  BRING IT ON!

It was a wonderful day for a run--28 degrees and sunshine.  I did a mile and a half warm up before the tempo run.  Here are my mile splits.

8:13

8:07

7:57--I think the tail wind helped.

My goal was 2:05 quarters.  My first quarter was 2:10.  After that, I think I had a 2:05, but I everything else was quicker.  I felt fine.  I kept reminding myself to relax and that I didn't have to go fast.

The next six and a half miles went okay.  I was very tired by the ninth mile.  I took a new route for the last five miles and discovered two more running trails.

Next week, I am going to do the tempo run more in the middle of the long run and try out a new trail.