love and be loved

Could not sleep more than 3 hours last night. I finally dosed off around 12:30am and woke up at 3:30am. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I am basically lethargic during the daytime and restless at night. My mom suggested that I begin taking iron supplements for energy. Her doctor recommended it to her because she also has depression and has insomnia. I have been taking the iron pills for about 3 days and already feel a bit more energy during the day. (Although, I don't know if this is just a placebo effect). Other than that, I haven't had a real problem sleeping until now. It has always taken me quite a while to fall asleep, so that is nothing new. During and since college, I began having bouts of a few days where I have nightmares, but not the gruesome or really scary kind. Instead, they are the sort of dreams that instill uneasiness, discomfort, confusion, emotional turmoil, or embarrassment. I don't feel like I am too much more stressed than usual. The responsibilities of my new job starting at the end of the month frighten me because I have so much to do and learn before then, but it is kind of like the stresses of being a high-achieving college student..

So, anyway, I ran today to try to tucker myself out more so that hopefully I can get to sleep tonight. Did 4.3 miles at 6.2mph and 2% incline. Did the remaining 1.82 mile cool down at 6.0 to 4.7mph and 2% incline. Then did some good stretching and made some salad and soup for dinner. MMm..

After dinner, did free weight lifting, lunges, and 3 types of squats.

Spent the ENTIRE day working and only did 80 lower ab crunches for the night! Oyee.

Woke up this morning to the cat meowing incessantly at the door. Let her in and played with her with a rubber band I had on my wrist. She loved it. Then jumped out of bed and changed to run on the treadmill to do some by interval training (all at 2% incline)--

warm up: minutes 0-5 at 5.5mph

brisk pace: minutes 5-8 at 6.0mph

moderate pace: minutes 8-10 at 6.2mph

fast pace: minutes 10-12 at 7.0mph

moderate pace: minutes 12-14 at 6.0mph

fast pace: minutes 14-16 at 7.0mph

moderate pace: minutes 16-18 at 6.0mph

fast pace: minutes 18-20 at 7.0mph

moderate pace: minutes 20-22 at 6.0mph

fast pace: minutes 22-24at 7.0mph

moderate pace: minutes 24-26 at 6.3mph

brisk pace: minutes 26-28 at 6.0mph

cool down: minutes 28-30 at 5.5mph

Interval training totaled 3.1 miles. Then continued the cool down for another 1.01 miles at 5.5 to 4.0mph. SO humid I had to towel off multiple times during the run. Uck! Stretched and went upstairs for water and breakfast!

Woke up and Benn had made me tea this morning to sit and drink with him ( - I love it!) Then we got changes and headed out to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail for a run. Stretched and did 5 miles and saw ducks and a bunny along side the trail. I love running with Benn because even when I feel like procrastinating a run or don't want to go, I go because he is going and I want to be with him. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't get half the runs in that I do. He is a fantastic motivation. After the run, we stopped to do some quick stretching and go to the bathroom. Then we headed back out for a half mile cool down. My legs were a little tired but it felt really good out. It was overcast from a stormy night and had just the right amount of breeze. After getting back to the car and stretching, we drove to local diner to have a breakfast date. What a perfect start to a day!

Staying at my oldest sister's apartment just outside of Boston for the weekend with my best friend, Missy. EXTREMELY hot and humid today but stuck around the apartment while Missy went to do some job training this morning. I used my sister's Everlast boxing gloves and bag to do kickboxing. OYE... I had to break in the beginning to hook up a fan that helped a tiny bit. But after all the kicking and punching, my the inside of the gloves was pure sweat. Then I did yoga ball side and front crunches, squats, lunges, and leg lifts. Finished up with nice stretching - my left quad is tight for some reason.

Plan to walk around Boston the rest of the weekend with some friends. I hope we do not melt or burn out there! It's torture!

.... We ended up heading to the Boston Common and walked a lot around the Common & up and down Newbury Street. Missy and I actually ran into comedian Colin Quinn, who was walking out of a shop as we were entering and held the door for us. But me, being the televisionarily oblivious person that I am, didn't have the faintest idea who is was at the time. It was after we walked through the door and said our "thank you"s did Missy turn around to me with her face of excitement and told me who we just encountered. Anywho, had a lot of fun walking and taking in the sights. Prices are ridiculous, of course, so I didn't buy anything but trying things on was fun before I looked at the pice tags! Got back to the apartment almost around 10pm, hopped into our pajamas and had a bowl of cereal for dinner. Slept like a rock!