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!