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.