Road to Joy

I ran a 1 mile warm-up, 6X400 hills (easy on the downhill), and a 1 mile cool-down. 

All of that is actually pretty approximate.  I couldn't see where I'd put down my Garmin watch when I got ready to run from my sister's house today what with all the diapers and blankets and kids and such that I'd just deposited all over her entryway.  I tend to just spill and spread all over her house when I come by.  I figured I didn't really need the watch anyway since I knew the hill I wanted to run and I knew where a mile was from her house. 

What? you say.  You don't need a watch just because you know the distance?  Aren't you running hills?  Don't you want to know your pace? 

Nope.  I didn't.  I definitely didn't because I had no problem seeing my watch on the floor in front of the diaper bag the second I stepped in the house after finishing the work-out.  I've got some serious serious work-out issues to work-out.  I'm still very afraid to hold myself to a time.  I'm still mighty frightened by anything other than a comfortable run day.  That's one of the reasons I'm here.

So everything was going hunky-dory with me watchless, pressureless and content on my warm-up.  Then I got to my quarter mile hill that I knew was a quarter mile.  The only hill I knew for miles around that was exactly a quarter mile.  And suddenly running across two streets and a grassy yard was a dumb little brown barking dog.  Yeah, ok, I'll be upfront.  Saying he weighed ten pounds is just me trying to make myself look good, but he was a persistent fella and came right up to my ankles and layed out on his forepaws all mennacing and sneering like, barking madly all the while.  I figured I'd just keep running but it only got him more excited and closer to my ankles.  Besides, you know what they say, its not the size of the dog that matters - its the size of his teeth.  Think parana - they're small but those doggone teeth - yikes.  I really, really, really wanted to yell in the window of the dog's owner, "Could you please remove your public nuisance from my ankles," but I didn't know which window of which house to direct my anger.  I did do that once - I yelled at somebody's house who let their dog harrass runners that came down their country road daily.  I yelled with all sorts of gusto, "Could you PLEASE come get your dog."  Nobody came that day, but the dog was behind the fence next time.  And I felt so much better having gotten my feelings off of my chest.  Anyhow - my next recourse of action was to run into my sister's house real quick and find out who's dumb dog was keeping me from my 400 hill.  All I got from her was a, "Yes!  Now you know!  That dog is always chasing me when I go running."  "Who's dog is it?"  I ask trying to get to the point, not too worried about her vindication.  "I don't know, it's somebody in the other ward.  But yep, he's always out there."  So all I could do was curse the dog and his unknown owners and go try to guess how far a 400 was on another hill.  I think I guessed short, but looking for the hill lengthened out my warm-up and cool-down so I still figure I was somewhere around 5 miles.

So two lessons:

1) Tie up your dumb dog or get a fence.

2) Get some guts and don't "lose" your Garmin watch.

I did 4.5 miles at an 8:32 pace.  This was a hard easy-day run.  My legs were clunky and heavy from the get-go and never really worked out of it.  I felt like a sandbag was in the middle of my brain cavity sloughing its weight around my ears.  And I could feel the the ridge of my eyelids all along my eyeballs - they wanted to close sooooooo bad.  I didn't run until the afternoon and I'm usually a morning runner so that might have been part of the reason for the tiredness.  The other part comes in thirds - a 3 year old third, a 21-month old third and a 3 month old third.  All of them have chosen to have sleep issues through the last couple of weeks.  It would be nice if they all coordinated their issue at once - say at 2 o'clock in the morning or whenever o'clock in the morning that they agreed upon.  But instead they tag-team it and one of them wakes me up every two hours like its shift work.  POOOOOOR ME!!!  Now my husband really is a good guy and is helpful when he isn't thousands of miles away - but he's thousands of miles away for the year.  So as I said, POOOOOOOOOR ME!!!  These things come and go, though.  So I'm recording my sleep hours here just so I can feel all the more gratified in three to six months when I can put a big chunky 8 in the sleep box every day.

I ran from my sister's house again today.  She took my three kids along with her two kids to the park while I ran (she's a trooper!).  We all left at once and my three year old started running after me as I went down the street.  He yelled, "Be careful Mom!  I don't want you to run into those trees."  "It's alright.  I'll be careful.  Stay with your Aunt."  I ran a few more steps with my little boy huffing after me.  "Be careful Mom.  I don't want you to run into those cars."  "Yep.  I'll be careful buddy.  Thanks.  Stay with your Aunt."  But stay with his Aunt he wouldn't.  I had to walk with him to the park and then run from there.  As I went running off from the park I wondered if I should be flattered that my cute boy cared enough to worry about me, or deflated because he thinks I'm such a clutz (:

I ran out at my sister's yet again.  This time I ran in the morning before the sleep deprivation effects could really sink in.  I wish I could blame my kids for me getting no sleep, but this time I stayed up too late talking to my sister and her husband.  Unfortunately they are way too easy and fun to talk to.  It kills me every time.  Anyhow, I was able to keep an 8:20 pace and it felt nice and easy and relaxing.  I'm not sure if I should be pushing my long-runs any harder.  Right now I feel completely unintimidated by them because I know I'll let myself relax and I always hit a groove around mile two or three.  By the time I get up to fifteen or sixteen miles the intimidation sets back in again, though.  That's something to worry about later.

There are a lot of good qualities about where my sister lives as far as getting a running work-out is concerned.  There are nice rolling hills, ubiquitous enough that a gal can't get lazy and find a flat long run route.  There is very little traffic so a mother doesn't have to worry about orphaning her young children all because she didn't want to muff her pace.  There are empty fields that run into a lake that you can see a snow-capped mountain range behind so some of an aesthete's running pain can be dulled by the beauty.  And there are lots of other runners out on Saturday mornings to motivate an overly-competitve soul to look like and act like a fast runner.  But best of all, the very, extremely best of all thing about where my sister lives for a runner is that there is lots of new construction going on.  And at houses that are being constructed there are often porta-potties for the workers to use.  And they are never locked.  I really, really, really value that.

I ran an easy 8:40 pace.  I had to use the treadmill to run tonight.  Ugh.  My daughter had a Dr.'s appointment in the morning so I lost my chance of running early.  There were some positive things about the treadmill run though.  One, it made freezing cold weather look down-right enjoyable and two...hmmm...two...uhhhhh...well at least I have some motivation to run numb-faced again.

I did get the treadmill with the remote control on it.  How lucky is that - I must've done something good today.  So I turned the T.V. to PBS and watched a documentary about Seabiscuit, the hero horse of the 1930's who won a big horse race after what was thought to be a career ending injury with a rider who should have been done with horses himself after some serious broken bone-age.  It was all very inspiring and made me think that maybe if I lost an arm or a leg it might be easier for me to get that sub 3 hr. goal.  Hopefully just running when it is really, really cold will do the self-sacrificing trick.  I do wonder if the girls running around me thought I was a boring old lady for having the T.V. on PBS - snoresville.

A piece of good news: I thought I might have to move out to Baltimore where I would be babysitter-less this summer in order for my daughter to get a surgery she will need.  Today I found out the surgery can be done here where we are in a place with babysitters galore.  That means a fall marathon can still be in the works for me.  Phewph!  Oh, and there will be less disruption in my children's lives and all that not-focused on me and my needs stuff.  It was a good day.

1 mile warm-up, 5x800 with 400 easy in between, 1 1/2 mile cool-down

800's at 3:22 (downhill), 3:38 (uphill), 3:26, 3:29, 3:30

I have felt invincible to the running blah's since I've returned to running from this last pregnancy.  The pukes, hunting down babysitters, cool weather - nothing has discouraged me.  But today when I walked outside and felt the freezing cold and thought about how I was going to have to push myself in my work-out, I was really grateful that I had my mother-in-law inside watching my kids who I want to continue to bamboozle into thinking I'm a tough girl.  It's really important to me that people think that I'm unnaturally tough and so I overplay the card quite a bit which, I'm sure, just leads folks to the correct conclusion, that I'm a bit of a pansy.  My labor nurses would be able to confirm on that one if you're one of the those that I've been able to pull the wool over on.  I did warm up eventually, kind of, by the end of the run but I don't think I'll be putting the hat and gloves aside anymore.  I was thinking that there needs to be a little loop on all winter running pants and hooks on hats and gloves so that you don't have to carry your hat in your hand once your head starts steaming up.  I think I'll make that one of my future sewing projects that never happens.  Consider it on the list.

I feel pretty good about the times I ran today.  Of course I want some vast improvement over the next six months, but I felt like I was working hard and that's mostly what I ask of myself.  Although I do wonder if I was really working as hard as I could.  One thing I want to improve on in this next marathon is my mental game.  I want to be a little less cautious than I have been about going at a harder pace.  I'm sure the speed work-outs are the place to work on my ever-conservative, pain-fearing mind.  So I'll try to keep track of my mental status on speed and hill days.  Be afraid.

I'm playing catch-up AND I just realized I am posting a week behind where I should be.  Wow.  Do I have it together or what??  I'll just call this Thanksgiving week and skip the next week and then I should be all solved.  Yipes.  This 4 mile run was done in a panicked rush on a morning I was trying to get ready to go to my sisters for a few days.  It was slow and unfocused - but at least I made time for it!  Oh and I had another yippy dog experience.  PEOPLE!!

I meant to do a 5k this morning but poor circumstances prevailed.  It made me sad.  I have to force myself not to get discouraged about trying to carve out running time for myself.  It seems like a constant battle and infringement on others.  It keeps me sane though, so I've got the motivation to keep carving.

I did 1 mile warm-up and cool-down.  4X400 hills with a 400 back down.  I ran into the dog from my last hill work-out - darn dog - and I was pretty brazen about getting him home.  Maybe I'll come back into this blog when I have more time and detail the whole gory story.  No time now though with the baby in my lap.  The hills felt decent, but the dog kept the work-out from being as intense as it should have been.  Yep - blame it all on the dog.

This was a glorious, fantastic, marvelous, escapist run - just what the momma ordered.  It was a pretty, cool morning.  I kept an 8:12 pace and it felt like a moderate run.  Again the first 2-3 miles felt stiff and slow with the last 3 feeling fast and free.  I love the fast and free - just the way I was meant to be.

I came out to visit my parents for the next couple of weeks.  Oh Colorado, I do love you.  I did a night-time run since both of my parents work.  I looped through the unfinished neighborhoods  - equal part field and dream-house with a lake and a golf course to boot.  Running in the dark always makes me go fast - something about not seeing the road stretching in front of me and trying to keep a step ahead of the bogeyman.  I ran a moderate pace and averaged 7:54.  I was good with that.  My baby was screaming out of control when I got home.  I've never seen him so upset.  Sigh.  The downside of running.

I've got to get more sleep.  Its a matter of discipline.

1 mile warm-up, 1 mile cool-down, 4x800 fast with 400 slow between 3:31, 3:26, 3:20, 3:29, 7:44 avg. overall I probably should have done 6 800s today, but I left my kids with my Dad and I still had the memory of my baby crying out-of-control last night when I ran, so I just did 4. I felt like the 4 I did I pushed myself on and I took my warm-up and cool-down a little harder than usual too so at least I got worked-out. Were it not for this little place in the middle of nowhere that nobody knows about except my husband, I wouldn't have even done a speed work-out today. I kind of felt like going out for a nondescript 4 mile run and calling it good. But this darn fastrunning site MADE me do the run I knew I should. Three cheers.

4 miles pretty laid back at a 7:55 pace.  Goodnight it was cold!  I spent a lot of time trying to think of a way to breathe without using my mouth or my nose.  I felt like every time I breathed it was like I was spraying a mist bottle at my face - like I was running the sprinklers on my lawn in December - it was nonsensical.  Every breath added a layer of ice to my nose and cheeks.  I thought that if I tapped my face with one of those triangle hammers that doctors whack across an innocent patient's knees to make sure they have a nervous system (or to get out some aggression - there have to be kinder ways to prove a person has an opperative nervous system) my whole face would have shattered in pieces on the ground in the form of an interesting Picasso.  Yeah, it was that cold.  It took me about a mile to know that I was telling myself the truth, but it was still WAY better than running on a treadmill.

On the positive side, I ran at night again so that my parents could watch my kids and this time I didn't think any criminal element was going to wrap me up in duct tape and put me in a cement mixer because there is no way any bad guy was going to be out looking for me on a night like this one.  I had a teacher at church in high school who always told me to keep my eye on the donut and not on the hole.  It has really stuck with me.

I did the same route as last night, but a whole second faster per mile.  It was a 7:54 tonight.  I was just going to run 3 miles because my parents kept telling me how incredibly cold it was going to be.  They even suggested that I shouldn't go.  I might have rolled my eyes at them except I saw my little kids sitting next to them on the couch watching a movie and I thought "geez I love my kids and I know I'm going to love them until I'm dead" and I decided to keep the eye roll to myself.  I was all prepared to be knocked down by the cold, to wish that I had access to a treadmill, to die of frozen lungs - but I'm pretty sure it was warmer tonight than it was last night.  It was still face-cracking cold, but slightly less face cracking cold than last night.  So I extended the run to 4 miles.  I even considered five miles but I'm planning on 5 tomorrow and 10 on Saturday and I'm still trying to bring my mileage up slowly enough not to give myself injuries.  I've finally faced the fact that I'm in my 30's and my body isn't going to up and do whatever the heck I want it to, gosh.

Anyhow, tonight my body felt good, loose and content to be running.  I didn't feel any numbness of leg or mind.  In no way did I feel  like I was improving as a runner tonight but I also didn't feel like I was DISimproving.  It was simply a decent run.

Today was one of those days where I felt slightly off angle with the rest of the world.  I was just a little annoyed, a little miffed, a little frustrated with everything.  I didn't even really want to go running but running is usually my cure-all so off I went tonight while my parents, my sister, and her husband settled down to some very good-looking bowls of ice cream.  But for once running really didn't make me feel better.  I kind of slugged it at an 8:12 pace but I didn't get a step in that I truly found satisfaction or release in.  Contemplating on it as I ran I figured part of it was that I wasn't doing the hill work-out that I wanted to do - I was feeling like a bit of a lazy bones.  But most of it was that my missing-my-husband feelings were able to put a crack in the dam of my subconscious today and enough pity water came through to make me feel a little off-kilter.

Just before I left to run I checked in on a good friend's blog.  She's been married almost eight years and hasn't been able to have a baby yet.  She has had several adoptions fall through, a miscarriage and a heartbreaking loss of twins at 20 weeks gestation - but as much as it has been painful, she has come out with a sharpened appreciation for God and life.  Whenever I feel like I need a dollop of humility and faith-strengthening, I turn to her.  And tonight she told me that not only is she adopting a baby in a few weeks, but she is expecting a baby as well in five months.  She called me on the phone after my run and we giggled and laughed and were amazed together for a while.  And it reminded me that hard things pass, good things come - life is beautiful even with the blunt edges.  And I think tomorrow's run will go better.

I don't know that my body felt much better running today, but my mind was much more at ease.  My legs have been feeling heavy and sluggish all week.  It might have to do with the lack of sleep.  I still managed to keep a 7:58 pace.  I kind of felt like knocking my watch against the ground to make sure it was working right because my legs definitely felt like they were going at an 8:45 pace.  Give all the 45 second credit to my mind.  I'm starting these long runs out thinking I'm going to take it easy, but I usually finish them briskly.  I don't know if that's good or bad.

But I'll tell you what I do know, I love my long day runs.  Love, love, love them.  Because when you go eleven miles you can usually choose to go somewhere pretty and there is lots of time to focus on the details of the prettiness.  Today I ran out in the prairie along a river.  The yellows and browns of the grass and trees and leaves made me feel like I was running into an old-timey photo.  Like maybe I'd run into a homestead dug-out where I'd find a dirty two-toothed farmer shooting the hat off of some guy all dressed in black trying to steal his horse.  I didn't run into that though.  I did run past an old shack that's probably been around since forever and it gave me a bit of the creeps to think that somebody or something might be hiding inside just waiting for me to pass so they or it good jump out at me and yell "Boogooody Boo!" or something frightening like that.  That didn't happen either though.  I just got me a quiet, beautiful run in.  Nice.

Today I ran an 8 minute pace on the treadmill. Oh horrors. I could not create a better instrument of boredom if I tried for a thousand years. It was a mightily painful forty minutes. I love hyperbole when talking about treadmills - the worst ever of all time, worse then being hung by my toe-nails, worse than eating live bugs, worse than sitting chained to a wall for years of my life - but not worse than running in below zero temperatures I guess.

I would consider running outside tomorrow, but I think I'm going to have to treadmill-it again because I couldn't find a person to pay for my use of the treadmill in the gym that I went to. I completely stole a treadmill ride tonight. When I walked in there were two glass doors right next to each other. One said, "For Members," and the other said, "For Visitors." I dutifully went through the visitors door only to see the gym spread out before me and absolutely NO employee to pay. So very, very odd. I figured I'd just pay up after my run, but the place was employeeless for the night I suppose. So I'm going to have to be an Honest Abe and go back and pay for my soporific run. Maybe that is their conniving way of getting me back on their stupendously horrific treadmill - tricky devils!!

It was another cold night tonight but I failed to get back to the gym that I owe five bucks to. I couldn't convince baby #3 that he would rather be in his crib than in my arms before closing time came for the gym. My Mom suggested that I use a stationary bike that is gathering dust in the storage room in their basement to get my exercise for the night. I had low hopes that this kind of work-out would be even close to tolerable or begin to create sweat. I was wrong.

The fantastic thing about a stationary bike is that you don't bounce up and down while you are doing it so you can actually read a book. With all the wishing power that I have I wish I could read a book on a treadmill. It would make ALL the difference. I read some of the Federalist Papers while I rode and got to read such gems as this, "A man must be far gone in Utopian speculations who can seriously doubt, that if these States should either be wholly disunited, or only united in partial confederacies, the subdivisions into which they might be thrown would have frequent and violent contests with each other. To presume a want of motives for such contests, as an argument against their existence, would be to forget that men are AMBITIOUS, VINDICTIVE, and RAPACIOUS." The Federalist Papers were written by Hamilton, Madison and a guy named John Jay to try to get the state of New York to ratify the constitution. Apparently New York was pretty gung-ho for a loose confederacy of states instead of a federal union. Anyhow - as indicated by the capital letters, I just loved the choice of adjuctives to describe the sorry lot of us - ambitious, vindictive and rapacious. Rapactious is my favorite descriptor of course, mostly because it sounds the most dastardly. At first when I read the phrase I was offended because I don't like to think of myself in those terms. But doggone it, Hamilton et. al had human nature pretty well pegged. As I went through the first few papers I couldn't help but think of Iraq trying to form as a republican nation and our muddling in it and I was even led to think about basic relationships that I have with people. It gave my mind lots of wandering to do and made me have to reread the parts I cruised over with my eyes while my mind was traipsing around off-course. Anyhow - the time passed quickly and I'm seriously considering some long-term borrowing of the stationary bike.

I put down 4 easy miles as the equivalent of fifty minutes on the bike. I went about 12 miles according to the computer. Four miles might be on the low end of equivalency for distance, but no doubt it would be considered easy miles. Although the bike would make me go uphill every now and again which made my heart beat harder so some sort of exercise did happen.

It was another night on the stationary bike. I was fine with one night of sitting on a bike, but when I figured there was no way I was going to be able to get to a gym for a second night it was hard to not get weighed down in wishes that I still lived in Arizona. Good ol' Arizona where the coldest days were in the 30's at night. Sigh. I knew I loved you then, but I love you even more now that you are gone.

On the positive side, I got some more reading in on the bike. I feel like I'm completely maximizing my free time by exercising and reading at the same time. I had to read the same five pages twice to really understand what was being said. I've always wished that I was smart and that I could retain the things that I read. I'm finding that if I read things twice, I more than double my comprehension. So I guess I might slow down a little bit in what I'm digesting and figure it is better to read and retain than to read more. Hamilton was making all sorts of references to Roman government last night that my brain kept straying away from. The only thing I really remember about the Romans is that they fell to Hannibal who came into Rome on an elephant. I don't know where in my many years of education I was told that Hannibal conquered the Empire on an elephant but it really stuck. I guess because I'd love to conquer anything on an elephant. I wonder how fast they run 26.2?

My Mom called me this morning from work and told me she would be home by 5pm and that I should have my running clothes on and be ready to go out the door. I love Moms. I really do. So I finally got to run outside again and it made me feel joyful in my heart - well after I got through the first mile and a half or so. For the first mile and a half it was mostly me wishing I didn't have a frozen face. But after that things got good and I think I would have kept going after six miles except I knew my Dad was inside with Chinese food. I didn't take my Garmin because I wasn't patient enough for it to pick up satellites. I was freezing right through my two layers of clothes and I didn't think that was a propitious way of beginning. I probably ran around 8 minute miles. I felt a little clunky in my legs and joints - I don't know whether to attribute that to the cold, that I haven't run in a couple of days, not stretching, not getting enough sleep or...there's gotta be something else to add to that list - being an Aquarius? Really I think I do need to give some more time to stretching. My right knee kind o' went out on me a couple of times and I really don't want it to turn into a problem. On a side-note - have you read or heard Obama's speech for the Nobel Peace Prize?  It made me want to be better - I thought he did amazingly well.  The man knows how to string some thoughts together

Here is a link if you want to read it: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.text.html?em

I think my average was about 8:20.  It snowed last night so I made first tracks on the sidewalks or ran on slippery roads for about 2/3 of the run.  It was a joy to be outside and running though.  Yesterday we came back from Colorado.  The temperature was much warmer here - I was baking in the 20 degree weather.  Nice.

I feel sore today in my calves - probably from the muscles I used to fight the snow.  I had a hard time around mile 8 with feeling hungry.  I think I need to start taking water and a little something in case that happens on the longer runs.  I do like to eat.

It was snowy and slippery today with occasional slushy surprises.  Luckily I stepped into the biggest slush surprise with just a half mile left to run.  It was a soggy half mile.  I think I was around an 8:45 pace what with having to pick out every step and with fighting lethargy.  I think saturday's snow run really took it out of me. 

8 miles at 7:45 - mostly flat, mostly no deadly ice.  got faster and faster as run progressed - not planned - just happens on longer runs - boredom maybe? maybe just get used to the pace?  guilt that i've left some poor soul with 3 3-and-under?  anyhow - i do actually like the way serendipity is working.

have sick baby tonight that wants to be held.  hoping for sleep.

15 min. warm-up, 5x4x3x2x1 with 1 min. in between, 15 minute cool-down

splits per mile pace: 6:48, 6:45, 6:47, 6:38, 6:35

I did this because I saw that Nan did it sometime recently and it was something to do other than 800's which is the rut I have been in in the last month.  Yeah - don't be surprised if I rip all of my work-outs off from Nan and then do them MUCH slower and probably an abbreviated version.  The 5 and 4 were downhill and then I turned around and came back up after that.  I felt pretty tired by the time I got to my cool-down which is good.  I feel like I was in better shape by now after my last pregnancy, but I'm going to take Aaron's advice and enjoy my running and try not to get too worried about speed as long as I'm working hard.

Well, I've got one child screaming and another one getting warmed up so back to being a Mom.

It was just an easy run today at an 8:05 pace.  I need to work some time in for stretching - I'm getting tight through my hips these days.  I spent some time cruising around the internet trying to figure out some running terminology and how people figure out work-outs.  It was fun and gave me all sorts of stuff to dream that I'd like to do.  I'm sure I'll execute somewhere lower down on the scale, but the dreaming is awfully fun.

Today was one of those good days where I accomplished a few goals that I've been putting off, I got to see my kids playing happily with their cousins, and I got a good phone conversation with my husband (usually I have three kids demanding that I give them attention through the whole phone call and then as soon as I hang up they don't need me quite as bad anymore - I think the cousins distracted them today).  By the way, I'm starting a count-down, 40 days until the husband is home for a two week R&R.

I ran 12 miles at an 8:02 pace - probably faster than I should have with how my legs and hips felt today.  I ran up to the college I graduated from and then in the neighborhoods around there a bit.  My husband and I met doing a competition through the army ROTC where we ran a bit together and the course I went on made me think of running in formation with him and our good friends/old teammates all of whom are scattered through the U.S., Iraq and Afghanistan now.  It was highly motivating to think of those hard-working, competitive, faithful guys - to want to push myself hard because that is what they have done for themselves in the past and now.  I could hear them on my run today calling me by my last name and telling me not to drop off the formation, pushing me up front to lead the group - maybe hoping that my desire not to be trompled by 10 guys would make me run faster.  Maybe in 20 years when everybody is done with their Army career, had their fill of the Middle East and are home safe for good, maybe we could all go for a run together again and they could all tease me like brothers again.  I think that would be fun.

 39 days to R&R

An easy 5 miles.  I tried to go up and down some good hills just for the heck of it.  I felt really good - everything about it seemed smooth and unstressful.  It must have been my mood today because I really felt unrattleable with the daily whines and cries and dishes and diapers.  I'm guessing the good chi is coming from all the Christmas cookies I ate last night.  Three cheers for the season!

An easy 4 miles today at 8:12.  I was going to do a speed work-out today but I decided tomorrow would work better with the way I was feeling and because the snow was coming down pretty thick and right in my face.  As soon as I decided to just run easy it was amazing how the snow transformed into a peaceful reminder of the Christmas season instead of an enemy to be put off until tomorrow.  Oh well - now I can't back out tomorrow.

So I got myself to do the speed work-out that I wanted to do yesterday.  I almost got out of it again because my husband called right when my mother-in-law was supposed to come down and watch the kids.  It was a good connection so we talked for over an hour which took up the time my mother-in-law had in the morning.  Much to the joy of my subconscience, I was able to put off running until the kids went to bed tonight and left the baby with my in-laws and went to the gym.  I ran on the treadmill and did a 1 1/2 warm up and the same for a cool-down and then 4x1 mile with a quarter mile in between.  I was pretty afraid that I wouldn't be able to make myself run consistently if I did the 1 miles on the road for the first time.  It was good for me to see that I could do a 6:49 pace and maybe even take it up a little bit more.  I feel like I know what to expect out of myself on the road now.  I used to do this when I trained for my last marathon - if I had a speed work-out to do that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to have the discipline to make myself meet the time hacks on, I'd go in the gym and use the treadmill.  I always felt like I was cheating and had to confess my sin to my husband as soon as I got home.  I kind of feel like I need to email him tonight and let him know I used the treadmill and I'm a little ashamed (:  34 days 'til I can tell him in person!

I did 13 miles at an 8:49 pace.  My goal was to go easy - maybe I didn't think it would be quite that easy, but it was certainly the pace I needed today and I'm just glad I didn't let myself push it anymore than that.  I didn't mean to not run the last couple of days but between getting only 4 hours of sleep one night this week and feeling bad asking my mother-in-law or sister to watch my kids when they were so busy with Christmas preparation the running just didn't happen.  I have to say that the run today was just the physical, emotional and mental release I needed.  One month exactly until my husband will be watching the kids while I run!

5 miles easy at 8:11 pace I think.  My mother-in-law has been trying to make me wear a scarf on my last couple of runs because I've had a sore throat and I think she doesn't want me to go completely south and have to be in charge of the kiddos for longer than her daily hour (I think this is the appropriate time to mention that I really do have one of the best mother-in-laws EVER).  When she tied it around my neck on Saturday I went outside, stretched, took the scarf off and put it on the bumper of my car so I'd remember to pick it up when I got back, and went running.  For some reason today I didn't take it off - I think it was curiosity to see if anything positive really could come from a strangling piece of cloth around the neck - scarfs are a foreign piece of clothing for this gal.  And it was actually nice.  I pulled the scarf up over my mouth and nose for a mile or two of the run when my face got particularly frozen and it was a sweet, warm relief if slightly suffocating.  It reminded me of running in a gas mask in my old Army ROTC days - its a great way to get one-hundred percent focused on how you breath.  So I guess for this entry I'm officially endorsing the scarf.  I'll be right here waiting to be paid my millions by scarf-makers.

29 days 'til the husband.  I wish I knew how many days until the inversion is over!!

OK, so I guess I wasn't too serious about feeling guilty for using the treadmill for my speed work-outs.  Well, closer to the truth, I'm not strong enough to overcome my desire to use the treadmill for my speed work-outs.  Today I did a 1 1/2 mile warm-up, 6x800 with an easy 400 between and then a mile cool-down all on the treadmill.  It really was snowing pretty good outside and would've been pretty slippery to run on...really it would have been really, really hard...super hard...i'm a wimp!  Anyhow, I did the 800's at 3:15.  The first few steps at the 3:15 pace each time made me feel a little panicky and then it eased in and wasn't as bad as I was imagining it would be on my way over.

I was kind of glad to have to drive over to the gym anyway.  Aaron Burr has finally killed Alexander Hamilton on my book on tape.  I've got to take the book back to the library tomorrow and I was afraid I wouldn't even get through the duel.  Nothing like killing two birds with one stone - I mean running and finishing a book.  29 days until the husband comes home (his leave date was pushed back just a smidgen - I can deal with smidgens).

This was a happy run.  It was snowing big, peaceful flakes and the big, peaceful flakes were landing lightly on mounds of already settled flakes.  It was like running through Robert Frost's snowy wood on an evening.  My feet made first tracks on the sidewalks.  First tracks make me feel like an explorer - nobody had ever touched that snow before - I was the first.  I slipped once on the snow and landed right on my backside and out came a giggle.  I felt like a little kid playing in the snow for the first time of the winter.  Yeah - anyhow - I liked it.  It was a slow, but I had a down-right pleasant time of it.