Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

Absolutely beautiful morning!  63 degrees, 67% humidity and 4mph winds....this is as good as it gets here in FW during the summer.   I met Annette for some easy mile this morning and we enjoyed chatting and watching the sunrise.  

Avg Pace 8:57

I ran 2 miles to meet Annette and then we ran 11 more together and I finished up 1 more on my own.  It was another beautiful Texas morning.....I am sure it will be short lived.    

Avg Pace 8:44

Today was supposed to be a 30 min tempo run....we gave it our best effort but struggled.   I ate horribly all weekend with family in town, baseball games and chasing, not the best way to fuel for a run.   

I met Annette and we ended up warming up for 3 miles and then started the tempo  

1 min on/ 1 min off

2 min on/2 min off

extra rest due to to POP stop...so glad McDonald's was open

3 min on/3 min off

and then back down....

We ended up with only 24 min tempo and then I went to run the 3 miles home.  I ended up pushing the last mile, to just sub MP.

Avg Pace 8:36...bummer.

Easy, fun miles:  1 to meet Jenny, 4 with Jenny, 1 home and 1 with my mom and daughter.  Slow and easy..

I am struggling right now with hydration.   It is causing some nausea and my poor nutrition this week with my parents in town isn't helping.  I took yesterday off due to not feeling well at all and rested.  Normally, if I get nauseated, it is due to exhaustion and this felt the same, but the rest day did not help much.   

6 miles in the evening on the treadmill at the Y.  

1.5 mile warm up

3 miles @ MP - 7:53

1 mile w/ 1 min at 5K (6:47) & 1 min at MP

.5 cool down

The MP felt easier than expected, but I don't know how much of that is due to the treadmill.  

Yoga.

I was lazy this morning and laid in bed instead of getting up. I am continually amazed at how rational I can make crazy sound at 5 am. I can convince myself of many reasons to lay in bed. Today's was that I didn't want to miss my parents leaving...They would have waited, I knew it - we had discussed...but it was my crazy rational thinking that convinced me to not get up.

I also went back to work today and had thought about running at lunch but my husband couldn't bring my gear. So I bailed on hanging out with my family on a Friday night and went to the Y. 9 miles of punishment on the treadmill. About .5 mile in I was mentally done so I broke it up into 5k's to make it seem less torturous.

5K# 1: warm up 9:15 pace down to 8:40 pace @ 1% grade

5K #2: .5 mile hill climbing @ 8:49 1% - 5% /.5 mile @ 0% x 3

5K #3: .5 segments varying between 8:27 - 8:41

The last .2 were done at a 5% grade to replicate the MCM finish.

So glad it was done. Now I am trying to rehydrate in time for tomorrow mornings long run.

I was a little nervous about running early this morning after my 9 miler last night.  I actually felt really good until the last two miles and I was hanging on.  

I met Tim & Ashley at the running store and we headed out on the trail system.  We ended up going opposite the group, but this end of the trail is much more enjoyable.   The highlight was leaving the trail for just under a mile about half-way and finding the best water stop ever.   One of the country clubs is over there and the have a hole right off the road with easy access.....Ice cold water with a cup in the shade....it doesn't get much better.  We enjoyed this stop a little too long:)  Tim and I picked up the pace a little more on the way back and I ended up with two POP stops.  I felt great until mile 13 and then I was like a kid - checking my garmin, trying to figure out how much longer and just hang on.  My legs were extremely fatigued, but that is also good.  Doing a long run on fatigued legs is very good training.   

I am now at the pool with my little girls, hanging out and we have baseball tonight.  Pretty perfect Saturday.

Avg Pace 8:29

I am in Amarillo for work, so it is welcome to the land of flat, dusty, windy and smelly.   We had a late evening last night, so I was unsure on how I would feel this morning but popped right up ready to go......until I realized that I had left my socks at home.  At that point the debate began regarding the following options:

 1.  not run

 2.  run with out socks - knowing 3 miles would be it and I would have blisters

3.  trying running with my panty hose under my shorts and see how it goes.  

I opted for choice three and was really glad they were nude colored and it was dark outside.   Once I got outside, I was shocked by how "cold" it was  - low 60's, windy and NO humidity.. makes a big difference.   I ran out and back and found the only two hills in this place, but they were good size.   Nice easy run with a MP mile at the end.   A good way to start the week, minus the three flights today - back to Dallas, to OKC and back home.

Avg Pace 8:35

I hate Yasso 800's.  They are the workout that makes me cry everytime.   I traveled all day yesterday and didn't get home until after midnight last night.   I attempted getting up to run this morning, got dressed and headed out the door and up the hill for about .1 mile and felt like I was going to throw up ( common for me when I reach the complete exhaustion stage).  There was no way I could do a hard work out this morning, so I turned around and went back to bed.    

I headed to the Y after work and ended up doing the work out on the treadmill.  Pro: I hit the right pace every time and yes, it sucked.   Con:  I am afraid I am going to fall off the treadmill running at such a fast pace.   The first two where horrible - this workout for me mentally is just a nightmare and I have no idea why.   The third, I started making up my own trash talk to the song on my ipod and it actually helped.   The forth was okay but I really just wanted to be done.   To think I have to build up to 10 in the next 6 months - agh!  I then did 1 mile of 1 min @ 5K pace and 1 min @ MP and cooled down for .5 mile.   

So, so glad it is done.   I am worried that I have done 3 speed workouts in the last 2 weeks on the treadmill and that it is not as tough as outside.  I always set the incline to 1% but this is the first workout I felt was really hard.   

Avg pace 8:10

Yoga afterwards - sweet!

Annette and I did our long run today due to a scheduling conflict this weekend.   I started out feeling pretty good, but by 2-3 miles, my legs felt so completely fatigued.  This continued until about mile 11 and for some reason at this point they started to feel pretty good.   I had a client dinner last night and tried to avoid dessert but was not successful.   We ate at the Capital Grille in FW and they have a Coconut Cream Pie that is one of the best things I have eaten in a really long time, it was fabulous!  Unfortunately, all the cream did not do anything good for running, just causing the need for three longer than necessary bathroom stops.  My garmin died at mile 10, so I ran the rest by feel.  Interestingly, this is when I started to feel really good and pick up the pace.   Glad to have it done early for the week, but I don't know how many days I can get away with showing up for work at 9:15.   

We had an electrical storm this morning, so we were forced to go to the Y.   7 easy boring miles on the treadmill... they dragged on forever.

In very sad news, we received word that a friend of ours was killed in a cycling accident in Alabama yesterday.   Very, very sad, leaving a young family....

I met Tim, Ashley and Wendy at the store for a longish run, they were all doing 16 but since I had already done mine, I opted for 12.    We headed out along the river trail and the first 6 miles flew by as we chatted.  They are all running SG this year and I am so, so sad I opted for Marine Corps.  If I could be sure I would be recovered, I would see if I can get in, but it is too close.   When we hit the 6 mile mark I turned around and had planned on 4 MP miles with a 2 mile cool down.   I always have a hard time getting the pace down, but once I do, I am fine.  I had a quick water stop just past mile 3 - you must stop when it is 80 degrees and 80% humidity and there are only a few fountains along the trail.  I went to cool down and ended up with 5 MP miles and 1 cool down mile.   Pretty good way to start a Saturday.  Splits for MP:  8:06, 7:53, 7:34, 7:41,7:58.   

Avg Pace 8:24 

Now of to bake in the sun at baseball.

Today was supposed to be one of my favorite Texas workouts - hill repeats at Oakmont Park.   There is a great hill that measures just over 1 mile up, climbing 150 feet and then you get 3/4 mile down.    Annette picked me up way to early (4:45) and we headed over.   We warmed up for a mile and the warm up felt much harder than it needed to be and I was feeling worse.  I was dehydrated and nauseated but I was there and going to get it done.   We did the first repeat and I ran it ahead and survived and stopped at the Quick Trip and bought a gatorade.   The next two, I ended up staying behind Annette and pushed, not quite race effort pushed but when thinking about if I was pushing as hard as I could, it was close.   We cooled down for a mile and ended up with a pretty progressive run and each repeat was faster than the previous.   Glad it is done.

Avg Pace 8:38

10 easy miles - 

1 mile to meet the group

6 with Annette and Saskia

3 on my own

I gave up checking the weather because it always says the same thing - never changes.

Temp: high 70's   Humidity: 80%+  Wind: 8-12 mph

So today when I started out, I thought it was actually cool.....In relaying this to Annette, she told me it was 76 degrees....Who would have thought that was cool at 5 am... I am losing it.   We kept it very easy and the legs were tired from yesterday and a big workout tomorrow.

Avg Pace 9:10

I had a very rough night and opted for 2.5 more hours of sleep and figured I would run at lunch and after work.  I did the 3 miles at lunch, but left work late and my son had ball, so a whopping 3 for the day.

I had originally not planned on running today, but woke up at 4 am and figured if I got out quickly, I could get a few miles in before I had to leave for the airport.   A little scary out alone at that hour but done.   Now I am in Houston at TCH and in between meetings trying not to fall asleep....not going well.

Avg Pace 8:26

Fun run in prep for El Scorcho.   

Tonight was are simulation run - timing and fuel - for El Scorcho.   We started at 9:00 pm with temps at 90 degrees and horrible humidity and headed out on the trail.   The plan was to do 18 and make it fun along the way.  The first 7 miles lived up to expectations and it was down hill from there.   We started out on the trail and ran north to downtown/7th street.  Ran past a concert in the park x 2 and 7th street was busy.   A pit stop at Sweet Sammies for an ice cream sandwich for fuel and then off again.   The botanical gardens set off fireworks and then we stopped and ran over the Land Rover mountain since there wasn't a car parked on it.  We hit the trail again just passed mile 7 and had great views of downtown all lit up and then the wheels started coming off.   It was hot, humid and sweating like crazy.   The park was dark and the crowd was suspect and Annette was slowing down, my IT band was bothering my and I was dying of heat.   We got back to the car and I asked Annette what she wanted to do and she was done - I was glad and we headed home.    There is no need to push at this point, the race is 25K and I will still have one more long run next week and I am too afraid of pushing to the point that the recovery will bleed over into next week and I will loose the opportunity for quality workouts.   12 miles is fine. 

While my plan to rest after work and fueling worked great, it was rough.  I am almost wishing we hadn't done this because now I know how rough it will be.   I had originally planned on MP for the goal, but now I am starting to rethink and just have fun.   It is a loop course that you repeat 5 times...agh!

I had a grand total of 4 hours of sleep, 1.5 of which came after 4 am so, I opted to rest and run later.  The plan was for 4  at lunch and then 6 later, but I got stuck at volleyball with my daughter and didn't get home until 10 pm.   

After two late nights, it was hard to get up this morning.   I was wondering how hot it would be last night when I left baseball at 9:15 and it was still 100 degrees.   Temp ended up being 86 and I am not sure what the humidity was, but it was high.  I ran a mile to meet Annette and then we did 6 together and I finished up with 3 on  my own.   We carried water and stopped every 1.5 - 2 miles to drink.  I actually felt better when I started picking up the pace, instead of easy off....interesting.  

Avg Pace 8:50 - last two were sub mp

3 miles during lunch at the Y.  Had a nice time visiting with ladies from the office, which made time fly.

Avg Pace 8:48

Again another busy weekend that forced the long run to mid week.  We started at about 5:30 with temps in the low 80's but humidity at 67% - wow!  What a difference this made.   We ran between my house and Annette's four times and added on a little at the last time we were out by her house.  This gave us easy access to water and bathrooms and since the last time we did 16, I had to make three POP stops.  Not today!  I felt great the entire run.  I kept the first half pretty slow and then began working into a progression run with the last 3 miles fast.  The goal was to be MP, but I have such a hard time pacing, they ended up being too fast.  Glad to have it done!

The last two weeks were pretty crappy, so I am enjoying this week and feeling much better. 

Splits:  9:46, 9:24, 9:22, 9:12, 9:12, 9:10, 9:11, 8:51, 8:41, 8:32, 8:36, 8:23, 8:21, 7:41, 7:32, 7:38

Avg Pace: 8:43

3 easy, easy miles on the treadmill at lunch.  I was unsure how I would feel and had decided that if I didn't feel great, I could walk.   Ended up feeling really well.

Yoga at the Y to finish off the day.  Best class I have been to for a long time.

8 very easy miles this morning.  I got to run with Jenny, which is one of my favorite things to do and it makes me take my recovery days easy, which I am not good at on my own.   Love mornings like this. 

 I am now at work, completely exhausted and trying not to fall asleep....I need to figure out how I can get paid to nap.  Working on that.

I am heading to Lubbock this morning to watch  my son play ball, so we just had time for a few miles.   Annette and I headed over to Dutch Branch/Bryant Irvin hill fest.   This is really one of my favorite routes here in Fort Worth, nice and hilly.   We stopped at the QuickTrip just over half way and grabbed a gatorade and then finished strong.  We ran the second half, which is the harder half, faster than the first and pushed the last long hill.  

Avg Pace:  8:51