Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

One mile to meet the ladies, 3 together and 2.5 back home.    

We met 30 min later than usual and it was a little bit cooler than the normal 5 am.   Nice to get out and hopefully this week brings more success than the past few.

Met Saskia and Jenny for some hills.  We warmed up for 2 miles and then did a 1.15 mile climb and then a .5 mile down hill back to the start.  Originally we planned 3, but I ended up backtracking a few times on the up hill portion to check on Jenny so we only had time for 2 and a nice cool down.

Avg Pace 8:55

Work has been less than kind this week and I have not been getting a lot of sleep.  I ended up taking 2 Dramamine and 2 Advil before I went to bed - Good news - I slept like a rock, Bad news - I was in a fog for most the morning.  

I ran 1 to meet the ladies and then 3.8 with them.  I should have run home, but took a ride instead.  LAZY

No sleep = No Run

Oh another hot morning!  86 degrees!  

2 miles to meet Saskia

6 miles together

2 miles back home

Glad to get 10 under my belt this week but the heat is killing the running.   I was so thirsty the entire time and it just is oppressive.

Avg Pace 9:05

On my own today and boy are the legs fatigued.   I didn't really have a plan and would have probably liked more miles than what I ended up with but this week has taken it's toll on me and 5 it is.   

I have not gotten nauseated much before now, but this is twice in the last week that I have felt horrible on a run - easy runs.   I am hoping it is the heat and not lack of fitness ( and no, I am not pregnant)

6 miles with the ladies.   Nice and hot and we are now 38 days in to the triple digit heat streak, I am thinking it will never end.

In other news, I got new running shoes and my husband ordered me a different style than I had worn before.   I liked them but they came up high around my ankle/heel and now I have a blister......

Warmed up for 2 miles and then we did 800's on the track.  I HATE the track and I almost cry every time it comes around.    I made it through all 4 repeats and my times were not good at all and my time keeping abilities are even worse.  The girls bailed after three and I was close but stuck it out and then added on to get 7 in for the day.  

Everyone bailed and I am starting to be okay with that because I get a better workout on my own.   Just an out and back at a moderate pace.   8:55

TODAY IT RAINED!   I woke up at 5 and heard the rain and was so happy - it has been so long since we have had rain - and went back to bed.   After sleeping in, Jay and I ran some errands and then I headed out around noon.  The rain was just stopping and the humidity was high - 80%+, but it was also only 77 degrees.  I cannot remember the last time I ran in temps less than 80 degrees (except Utah).  

The first 6 miles felt absolutely great and then the wheels fell off.   The next 4 were very difficult and I walked a couple of times.   The legs felt dead and my knees started bothering me and this is when I need to run with someone to help me not get lost in the mess and push through.  This has become a huge frustration of mine lately.   The ladies I have been running with have been bailing quite a bit and I am not getting in the training that I need to be ready for Houston in January.   All of this brings me back to my frustrations from last fall.......... There are two great running stores here in FW and they both have good training programs/groups but the charge to run with them.     I am getting desperate and will probably cave at some point but I hate paying to run.  

Enough whining.... next week is completely crazy and stressful at work but I need to be consistent so we will see what happens.  

Forgot one postive note:  The nausea that has been plaguing my runs the past few weeks hit right around mile 10 and I wanted to stop, but pushed through and after about .5 mile felt fine - This is good - I will not die.

5:15 am; 86 degrees, Humidity 58%, dew point 64 degrees

I am going back to adding the weather to my log.  Last summer I had mentioned it almost everyday and it has been helpful in looking back and comparing workouts.   I am almost to the point I am going to add the sleep tracker to my log as well.   I am not getting much on some nights and between that and work related stress, there is impact to running.   

Enough of the housekeeping items.  Again everyone bailed but I told my husband last night to kick me out of bed even if I didn't want to go.  He didn't have to kick me out, but he did encourage a little.  

I warmed up for 2 miles and then did 4 repeats on the hilly Summer Creek road -  1.13 miles   I have done this work out a few times over the past year and we have a love/hate relationship with each other.   It isn't horrible but it is by no means fun.  I also messed up my garmin and thought I had turned off the auto lap but did not.   This actually was probably a good thing because I didn't have a time to measure against and be discouraged when I was done.  I was also very dissociative today which is nice because you just get it done but if I was truly focused I am sure the times would have been better.

The mile splits:  8:20, 8:29, 8:28, 8:16 & 3:57 for the last .5

Avg Pace 8:45

Exact duplication of yesterday's weather - 84 degrees, 51% humidity, 64 degree dew point and winds at 8mph.  We are nothing if not consistent.

On my own again today and 6.6 easy miles.   Nothing overly monumental other than I did a better job managing the pace and staying around 9 min miles.   With a mile left I had a nice little jaunt through some sprinklers and on days like this, it is a pretty sweet treat!

Ave pace 9:07

Weather pretty much the same and I forgot to check before I left.

Jenny and I rant 3.25 as my warm up and her run and then a quick pit stop for me and out for the work out portion.   I could not remember if today was MP or tempo so I opted for a little of both.   I had 3 miles  - 8:18, 7:47 & 7:30, with a mile cool down.   The first mile has a good uphill stretch so 8:18 is not to bad.  The avg pace for these three miles was 7:52 and avg pace with the cool down was 8:04.  

Trying to figure out a plan for Saturday, I need 10-12. 

PM 1.5 miles shagging balls for my son as he took BP..........I am a glutton

6:00 am, 86 degrees, 44% humidity, dew poing 62 and wind at 5 mph.

Nice morning out on the trail.   I headed out for 3.5 miles and this was the worst part of the entire run - the bugs were horrible.   Little gnats all over the place and in some places very thick, in my eyes, hair, sweat and mouth.    About the point I turned around they had thinned out and were barely noticeable.   A pit stop at a port a poty at 5.25 and then a GU at 7.   From here I did 2.5 out and back the other direction.    It was starting to warm up but I felt pretty good.  There was some sort of cross country thing taking place at Trinity Park and saw one of the girls from my ward running.  

The trail was extremely crowded today, cyclists, runners, walkers but it all made for lots of people to wave at.   I did a much better job pacing today and ended up with a nice progressive run.

Splits:  9:36, 9:30, 9:15, 9:09, 8:56, 8:56, 8:49, 8:45, 8:39, 8:24, 8:18, 8:24

Avg Pace - 8:53

PM 1.25 Shagging balls for my son in 107 degree temps.....I told him and my husband I don't know if I would do this again.  It seems to bother my knee and it is just plain hot!

1.5 miles to meet the ladies, 3 with them another 1.5 back home.   I drank way to much Diet Coke this weekend because I was very dehydrated the whole run.   Legs were tired from Saturday but it didn't seem to linger too long.  Not nearly enough sleep last night, Sunday nights are rough.    Also, the kids go back to school today and I cannot decide if I am happy about that or not.   We have 4 kids in 4 different schools this year and my son who is a Junior has a schedule that makes me want to cry.....

Complete train wreck of a morning. I woke up feeling okay but about 1.5 miles in  my stomach started giving me trouble.   A long pit stop at a 7-11 at 3.5 and another pit stop at the Quick Trip at 4.8 and I made to the end.   I was pretty frustrated with the stomach issues because we were running a hilly run on Dutch Branch/Bryant Irvin and this is one of my favorite hard runs and it turned into survival.  

An absolutely horrible night - 4 hours of sleep and woken up at 2 am.   Still up at 4 am and decided to call the run and try to sleep.   Not really ever sure what to do but error on the side of sleep.    

Had to give myself a pep talk to get out of bed.   My husband is out of town for two weeks and he is very good at helping (kicking) me out the door some days.   I unnecessarly worry about leaving my kids - they sleep the entire time.  

Ran 1.5 to the meeting spot, to meet no one.   No text, no notice - just no shows.   Ran another 1.5 and then did 2 MP miles and then cooled down back home and ran through my favorite row of sprinklers - little rewards like these are the best!

MP miles where 7:56 & 7:39.  I have a hard time maintaining the 8 pace and try to slow down but it doesn't happen.

 Avg pace: 8:34

Yesterday was an exercise in frustration.  I had to go to McAllen for work and our flight was rerouted to Harlingen (45 min away) due to an electrical storm.  I missed my meeting but had to still fly to McAllen and then back to Dallas.   Nothing like an entire afternoon flying around Texas for no good reason!   I ate horribly and got home around 9:30 exhausted and cranky.   

When my alarm went off at 5 it took 30 min to talk myself into getting up and running.  Arrived at the trail at 6 am and had my run broken into 3 segments.   The first was 2 miles out and an another 2 back heading north on the trail.   All the group runners where heading in the opposite direction so it was a little crazy but the bugs were not near as bad this way. After these 4 miles did the same thing heading south on the trail and watched the sun rise.  GU'd at mile 8 and then decided to follow where the Lukc's Locker and Amercian Cancer society groups run.   Headed down around the Colonial and into Tangelwood.   Passed lots of people both ways and really enjoyed this part of the run.   

I started out faster today then normal and had a very hard time sticking around a 9 min pace but did pretty good.   I let myself pick it up and run by feel the last two miles - 8:12 & 7:49.  

After I stretched and got in my car, I realized I probably should have cooled down for a mile and was mad I didn't even think of that.   Overall felt better than last week and was 70 seconds faster than last weeks run which was a little easier because I stayed on the trail the entire time.   

Splits:  9:09, 9:12, 9:06, 8:56, 9:00, 9:00, 8:52, 8:49, 8:44, 8:36, 8:12, 7:49.

Avg Pace: 8:47

5:00 am, 88 degrees, 29% humidity and dewpoint at 52 - not getting any better.

Went to head out the door and couldn't get my garmin to turn on.  The mode button has been acting up and now the thing is just dead!  Just what I need.   I have tried resetting now that I am home  - no luck, so today at lunch I am going to buy a new one - 305 again or 405?  Any suggestions?

Today was supposed to be a recovery day but I am not a good judge of pace so who knows.

1.04 to meet Saskia

4.02 with her, I drank way too much diet coke, becuase I was dying of thirst...this has become a bad Sunday habit.

1.64 afterwards, with a very nice run through some sprinklers - this makes it all worth it these days.

Kind of crazy day and frustrated with the garmin thing but the week is off to a good start.

Met Saskia for some hills and easy miles early this morning.   88 degrees, which is completely ridiculous.   The new garmin arrived tonight, but the run was sans watch.