Easy, pleasant miles - probably most pleasant because I ran by a steep hill covered in daffodils. The port-o-potty that has saved me on many a run will be gone from the house it has been sitting in front of soon. It looks like the reconstruction effort is done. Beautiful house - don't know what I'll do without the potty. Could I knock on someone's door? Has anybody ever? I don't think my guts or my desperation could ever really pull it off.
1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down. 5 mile tempo run at 6:39, 1% incline
I took my ipod with me to the gym. My ipod - my six year old ipod that I got for free from my SIL when she didn't want it anymore that has seven, yes a grand total of seven, songs on it - doesn't take a charge very well. So on the rare occasion that I use it, I fully charge it, I go out for a run, and wait to see how many miles I get to do with music. It can be anywhere from 2 to 16. But its unpredictable. It feels kind of like playing pop-goes-the-weasel. I'm always cringing in anticipation of a sudden unwelcoming, demotivating silence. My plan to beat the demotivating power-down today was to wait to use my ipod until after I was finished with my warm-up and then just pray that it would take me through at least four miles of tempo pain. By the time I was near the end of the tempo portion I don't know what had me more on edge - whether I'd make it the final half mile or if my ipod would. Well we both made it to the end which gave me renewed hope in us. I needed it.
Anyhow - so I bring up the ipod for a reason. When I use a treadmill and I use the ipod I can go for 5 miles at a 6:39 pace. Minus the ipod and the treadmill I'm guessing it would have been around 6:45 to 6:50. So am I just cheating myself by using these crutches or do you think it actually is helpful because I'm making myself go faster than I otherwise would? I just can't decide myself.
Spry would not be the word to describe how I felt warming up. I had to take my ipod off after the warm-up because I needed focus to overcome the blahs. When I ran the repeats I felt good - the in-between 400s felt like junk in my muscles and joints. Kinda crazy.
7:43 pace. I never feel like I choose the pace on these long runs, the pace always chooses me. I ran in the afternoon today - it was 75 degrees. After the longest winter ever - oh that's a lie, I've lived in Northern New York, still I enjoy the hyperbole, so - after the longest winter ever 75 degrees felt pretty darn hot...and I liked it.
Now I am tired through and through. Here's hoping all the kids feel like sleeping through the night.