Empty Nest Runner

Slow and Easy wins the race...

After my 17 miles yesterday, thought it would to the ol' body good to shake out a little bit.  Thoroughly enjoying the 60 degree weather, I ran in pursuit of flatness and found myself in Bear Creek Park--which of course has no flatness (but no where near as hilly as Deer Creek, whcih was yesterday...).  SO, took it super sleazy, easy and practiced my fueling strategies.  Carried a hand held with some gu and power bar chews (cuz they totally taste like candy), and just enjoyed my day out in the park.  Marathoner Matt joined me for the first 10 and then I opted to do 5.75 more cuz I still had some fuel and some water.

Ran out of both and just decided to stop.  I am no longer wondering why my "friends" call my Gump.  So this was a Gumpalicious run!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Got to the school and the kids either a) ran already cuz they are on their running break tween seasons, or b) were too dolled up to run cuz they (think they) have hot dates.  Met a few new girls that will be joining the team, so the next couple weeks will be a challenge until all the other coaches are on board...

SO, went home to my 3 wonderful dogs, gave them a V-day treat and headed out to t he park for a very lazy 8.  Really feeling some muscle aches from the last couple o days, but able to put in 2 miles at 7:20 (the rest were ridiculously slow..)

NOW for some post-run chocolate!!!!!

Went a bit shorter today, cuz  was a bit more tired during the workday than I would have liked.  SO, decided to stretch my legs a bit to make it really count and also to try to get out of my slog-fest that I have been enjoying (my REALLY slow recovery miles...)

It seemed like it was 70 today (car said 67, but not quite sure what the official weather was.  The track was drenched with snow melt, so running faster than a stride sent a shivering sprinkle of water up my backside with each step.  With sloshing shoes, I realized that I was not going to get in mile repeats today (I have to be careful how long my feet remain wet, as the foot skin still has a nasty habit of just sloughing away when immersed for too long...sigh...)  It's always surreal to be running in 70 degree weather and yet still have snow on either side...

W/u stretches/drill/strides x 2

4 x 200m @ 5k pace with 100m jog rest (6:21, 6:30, 6:45, 6:46) so quite a bit slow...

400m jog

5 minutes at 10k pace (6:37)

400m jog

4 x 300m @ 5k pace with 100m jog (6:00, 5:45, 5:52, 5:47)

2 mile cool down

Kinda of a messy worko out, both water wise and pace wise, but just needed to stretch the legs a bit...

Met with the mentors for the half marathon Group that I will be coaching this Spring leading up to the Napa Valley Half Marathon in July.  Incredible energy!!  So very excited about this years trip.  (Just too bad that I never get to actually race this course as it is FAST!!!--last year I ran 23 miles over the course while pacing different participants.)  Good Times!  race is sold out, so the only way to get in now is...

Gorgeous 70 degree weather brought out 4 new freshman girls to the distance crew.  Since the boys had an easy 20 minutes (they ar on their interseason break), I had the opportunity to run with the girls today. 

Took them out for 15 minutes to warm up, showed them our stretching and drill routine then introduced them to "circuit training".  After a moderate quarter, gave the girls a series of 4 exercises (med ball, planks, lunges & conditioning type exercises). I had them do this only 3 times (3 laps plus 12 different exercises), as they were pretty darn tired!  Cooled down with them for a half mile, let them stretch with some guidance from a returnee and set out to get my miles in. 

Initially, I had planned to get off the track, but there was this guy...so instead, i opted to see how long it would take me to hunt him down on the track and lap him.  After 1.5 miles, he either was done with his workout or was mortified tht I had lapped him and quit.  Either way, he gave me some entertainment and a way to get in a few moderate laps.  Did 2 more laps while he stretched, so at least he didn;t hink I was run stalking him...then left the track to do 4 more miles on very muddy and fun trails by the school.

SO, found out one of my patients was brutally murdered today...so, did not have time to run much...

EASY 4 miles at Bear Creek Park.  It was dark by the time I got home and the moon was not as bright as I thought.  SO, as much as I needed a longer run, it just was not safe enough footing without a headlamp. Ended up missing Jurek, McDougall and Krupicka speaking in Boulder tonight, so sad on many levels...

On a more positive note, just got notified that i am definitely running the Illinois mrathon!  Thanks so much to Mike Almquist and GoFar Events.  Very excited to have my marathon (re)debut on such a friendly and FLAT course.  Anyone else running it??

Still reeling from yesterdays news...

20 min warm up

2 x100 striders

4 x 200m @ 5k pace (goal was 6:09- actual 5:50, 6:00, 5:57, 5:56) with 100m jog

400m jog

5 x 1 mile with 2 min rest @ tempo pace (goal was 6:39, act: 6:32, 6:33, 6:38, 6:37, 6:58--oops...   60 degrees plus today.  Beautiful but really windy!  I'd like to think that was why #5 was so slow, but....

6.25 mile cool down--Went out on the trails around the school...muddy but a delicious rest on the legs.

SO, glad I got through this workout.  These are hard by self.  Woke up with intentions of going to Boulder to workout with the BRC crew and as I was leaving had a massive bloodynose that took 15 minutes to get under control.  By then,. I was going to be way late as it is at least 45 minute drive to our meeting place...sigh..went back to bed.

Found out my son has pneumonia up at school.  Tempted to go get him and bring him home for a ffew days, but he has to check in with his coach.  hate that he will have to miss almost a week of school.  They gave him a mask to wear, so hopefully if his fever breaks tonight, he can go back by Tuesday and wear his mask.  His roommate was in the ER yesterday as well.  I think they have been incubating some nasty germs in that room...Drew took care of roommate for almost a week before he caught it...YUCK!