Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

I met Annette at the Y to run on the treadmill and avoid the wind.   It was long and boring.   Weights afterwards with Jake.

Avg Pace:  8:40

9 easy and very fun miles with Jenny!

easy miles with Jenny and then 3 MP miles to finish it off.

Avg Pace 8:44

Met the girls at the store, minus Wendy who is sick, and we were planning on running the first 15 of the Cowtown course. I love the course and was so excited to run. Brit was there and leading the way, pushing her jogger with her 2 year old, like it was no big deal. We were consistently 8:20 - 8:30 and I had to keep saying we need to slow down, we have the hard part of the course left. I made it up the long hill to the courthouse pretty good and was pleased with the even effort and then within the next mile started to feel absolutely terrible and at mile 8 decided to turn back and head to the store. Little did I know, I was coming down with the flu and the sickest I have been in 15 years. Great run and hopefully I will be back out with them in a few weeks.

Avg Pace 8:41

Sicker than a dog but ran while my daughter was a volleyball.  It felt good to clear out my lungs a little but was probably not the smartest decision.   Not the best area to be running in when it is dark.

4 easy miles with Jenny and fighting congestion the entire time

PM: 4 miles on the hotel treadmill and thought I was going to die.

WOW! I didn't realize it had been so long since I had logged miles. The last few weeks have been crazy. I have had the flu the past two weeks and have had work coming out of my ears along with the start of club volleyball and high school baseball. I am going to go back and add what I can remember, too many treadmill runs lately, but very little the during the "sickness".

First run since Tuesday and I had to run later in the day because I was in charge of the 5K for my son's baseball team. Putting on a race is a lot more fun then running one. Huge thank you to Cox Racing Services for all their help!

Ended up on the treadmill late in the day catching up on Scandal. Set the incline at 1.5% and started out nice and easy and progressively worked up to 8:30's for the last couple of miles. I can tell I am tired and still coughed quite a bit but very glad and happy to be running.

Crazy Texas weather!  Last Tuesday it was all winter gear and today shorts and a t-shirt, wishing I had worn a tank.    Very hot and humid.   1 mile to CVS, 3.5 with Jenny and 1.5 home.  Harder than it should have been but considering the month I have had, I will take it. 

Signing up for a 4 miler on the 16th....not much time to get in shape.

Yesterday morning we had 20+mph winds and decided to delay our run until the evening.  The evening brought more wind, rain and not getting home from work until 7:30.   I tried really hard to motivate myself to get on the treadmill and it didn't happen.   

Windy again this morning, so I headed to the Y to run on their treadmills (trying to let everyone at my house sleep a little longer).  A 2 mile warm up and then tried to re-introduce my body to speed work.  The foot turn over isn't there yet, so I took a different approach and while the on's were not as fast, the recovery was much faster than normal.   

16x1min on/off

On's at 7:30 pace/Off's at 8:30 pace

Next week I will work on the On's faster with a slower recovery.

Avg Pace 8:28

....still coughing more than anyone should....ever.

Met Jenny for some easy miles around the big block.   Had a little detour through her neighborhood and while she made a pit stop, I did a little bit of speed work.  She finished at 5 miles and I added on to get to 7.   

Crazy thing about Texas:  Monday shorts and T-shirts and I was too hot.  Today, full winter gear and I was freezing.    Mother Nature is keeping us on our toes.

Sicker than a dog again on Monday and finally went to the doctor and 24 hours of antibiotics makes a world of difference.

AM:  4.8 with Jenny...long slow miles due to my need to stop every 5 min and find a bathroom.  

PM:  I knew I was going to be on my own on Wednesday and the likelyhood of me getting out was slim, so I opted to run tonight.   I had started out on the treadmill with a 2 mile warm up and then began 1 min on/off with the on's at 5k pace.   After one mile, I was hot and irritated and decided that I was heading outside and would stay on my street as a safety precaution.  My street is short - .07, and so I sprinted one way and then recovered back for two miles.  I then circled a few streets to cool down for a mile to come home and my 8 yr old was wanting to run.   Another 1.5 with her to call it a day.

Met Jenny for easy miles.  I ended up being sore from Tuesday night so the first couple of miles were slow, slow and slow.  We ended up with 4 total with an avg pace of 9:37.

Adding on for 4 more miles around the big block and as usual I took what should have been an 8:30 - 8:45 paced run and picked up more than I should have with a moderate mile, 2 fast miles and a cooled down mile... that cool down mile always kills me with the last half being up hill and today, in the the wind.  Avg pace 8:18

Six solo miles.   Temp said 48 degrees with winds from the north and as soon as I started, I wished I had gloves and my ear warmer.   Ran the entire time by feel and trying not to get lazy on the 2 miles (3&4) that were head on into the wind.   I ended up with a nice progressive run...Avg Pace 8:45

My husband volunteered for volleyball duty, so I had the rare opportunity to sleep in and run later.   In theory it should have worked well, but I ended up getting up early to help them get ready to go.  I did however go back to bed until I heard from Jenny.   We ended up getting out around 9:30.  I ran 1.5 to her house, 5 with her and another 2.5 to finish it off.   I took my phone with me today to keep tabs on the matches and it was nice to focus on that for a while.  I did notice that during mile 9, they were playing a very close match and my pace pick up quite a bit.   If Texas could just figure out how to avoid 20 mph winds most the time, I would be much happier.

Avg Pace 8:45

On the hotel treadmill in OKC.  One of the things I want to work on is how to properly do a tempo run.   I usually stick to intervals and avoid the true tempo, so today was going to be my first attempt at a true tempo.    I warmed up for 2 miles and then did 2 miles at 7:30 pace and then cooled down.   It wasn't as bad as I thought, but I was on a treadmill.

AM:   4.5 miles outside and cut short due to needing a bathroom.  very slow.

PM:  4 miles on the treadmill

Yoga

I was supposed to go downtown and run the Cox 4 miler today, but Jenny is sick and I am worn out.   So I ended up doing 10 miles around my neighborhood - 6 with Annette and then another 4 on my own. 

Avg Pace 8:52

I ran tonight while my daughter was at volleyball and started out way to fast and decided to maintain the pace as opposed to slowing down.   Did the first 5 in 40:51 (8:10 pace) and then the last 2.25, I cooled down with an 8:39 pace.  Not too bad with the 20+mph winds.

Started on the treadmill and then headed outside.

Overheated in the hotel gym....to bad I didn't bring gear for a blizzard.

easy miles with jenny

Easy miles with Jenny.

Drowning at work right now and it is not going to get any better.   I told myself just to run and not watch the pace.  I did pretty good until the last two miles.  Funny how I am faster when I don't "watch the watch"

Avg Pace 8:11

Easy miles with Jenny.   Work has killed me the past couple of weeks and there really isn't an end in sight.   Good problem to have - or so I tell myself :)    

Easy miles in the morning with Jenny.   My right hip was hurting and I had sharp, shooting pain down the leg at one point, so called it when she was done.    Rolled on the tennis ball and Yoga in the evening. 

After work trying to squeeze in as much mileage as I could before volleyball.   I ran down Arborlawn and then on to the trail(way to many bugs) back out to Hulen, Bellaire and then up the Arborlawn hill.   I had 2.5 miles just above MP and the legs were very tired and sore from yoga the night before.  Kicked my butt...good thing. 

Avg Pace: 8:19

8 miles on my own in the windy morning.  Nice to be alone with my thoughts but a little boring.   It ended up being a very nice progression run that I thought was faster in the end than what the watch showed.    It is what happens when you get out of shape.  

Avg Pace 8:45

PM:  5 more miles to get to 30 for the week.  We will be traveling to and from Houston tomorrow for volleyball, so running will not be happening.   I started out from my house and headed south on the new road for 2 miles of uphill and into 20-25 mph winds....good training but hard when it was 80 degrees outside.  I am not ready for the heat but ready to be done with the crazy wind!   Finished the 5 at my son's ballgame just in time for the National Anthem.

Avg Pace 8:30....was supposed to be easy and the pace reflects that but the effort was much harder. 

6 very easy miles with Jenny that felt much harder than they should.    Legs were tired and heavy and all the junk I ate yesterday didn't help my stomach.

Avg Pace 9:24

Finally back to logging my miles.    I have taken most the year off and just run when I felt like it at the pace I felt like for the day.   2012 wasn't my year and I wanted to learn to love running again and I think I am about there.    

We sent my son off on his mission this week and the girls are heading back to school and vollebyall is still in full swing, but I am ready to go. 

6 miles on the hotel tredmill - progressive with my music and a quick POP break at  the halfway point. 

Plan for today called for 5 miles with on/off.   My watch was dead so I ended up using light poles as a reference.    1 mile warm up, 3 light poles on/off for 3.5 miles and .6 cool down.    Ended up being about 42 min's total.  Not great but a start.

am:  Met Jenny to run during early morning seminary.    4.3 miles

pm, possibly Wednesday:  Out of town and couldn't sleep so I ended up running at midnight instead of in the morning.   Six progressive miles on the treadmill.

5 miles on the hotel treadmill in Houston.   Same treadmill progression run I have done lately, but keeping it easy.  Had planned on 6 but my foot started bothering me and no need to get inured.

Easy miles with Jenny until I ran out of time to get the kids out the door.

We had volleyball on Saturday, so a run did not happen.  I draw the line at 90+ degrees.   I had planned on today being my long run, but due to a rain/lightening storm, I had to delay until about 9:30 am.   It was hot and muggy and down right hard.   I ended up deciding to call it at 5.75 and run home instead of completing the 10 miles.    Trying not to hard to stress, due to the 85 degrees and 95% humidity.  

In St. Louis on business and mapped out a route the night before.    I failed to realize that the first .5 mile did not have a shoulder or sidewalk and was a little dangerous... live and learn.   The rest of the route was an out an back with some pretty good hills.   I had forgotten how amazing 65 degrees can feel!  

I will be at a conference on Saturday, so I had to get my long run in today.    Jenny and I met at 5 am to get as many miles in as possible.   We ran the first 5 together and then split up to finish.    It was hot and humid but I felt pretty good, just slower than I would like.....the result of inconsistency over the past several months.

At a conference at the Hyatt Lost Pines and ran 6 easy miles on the treadmill before heading home.    Uneventful and boring.

Met Wendy, Meghan and Heather early for easly miles.   We ended up running at a pretty good pace up to the Woodshed and then took it easier on the way back.  Glad to be back running with them again. 

Avg. Pace 8:44

Easy miles on my own after giving myself a pep talk for a while.    Legs were tired and never really found their gear.  Avg Pace 9:09

Met Ashley, Tim, Wendy and Meghan for a run up to the Woodshed and back.    This time took it easy on the way out and picked up with two MP miles at the end.   My garmin said 8:33 but Meghan's registered 8:19...I like her's better and do know that I messed mine up at the last light.

Met Jenny for easy miles.  It was 83 degrees, humid and my legs were tired.  It was brutal, but we got it done. Avg Pace 9:42....sad.

Met Ashley, Tim, Wendy, Mo and Meghan at the store for a long run.   I had very low expectations for today, because I was tired and emotionally drained from a crazy week at work.   We ran on the trail - out six, back six.  Something happened at the turn around and I started picking up the pace.   I let myself get ahead of the group for 2 miles and then fell back in for the last 4.   Avg Pace 8:47

This has been the best week I have had for a long time both in consistency and good runs.  Hopefully, both will continue. 

I met Megan early and we ran 6 together - up to the Woodshed and back and then added on 2 more. Avg Pace 8:48

Jenny and I met  and ran 4 together and I added 2 more on to total 6.

It had rained all night and I was wiped out when I woke up - bailed.   3 min later decided we should go.  Tried to bail again 5 min before heading out because the rain had picked back up, but Jenny had driven to my house, so we were going.    We ended up with 6 miles in the pooring rain.  No watch, easy and relaxed, but a good for mental toughness.    Hoping that at some point my shoes will be dry.

Last week, Wendy had told me they were planning 15 miles for today, so I was prepared.   Ended up just being Maureen and myself and it was her last long run before SGM.   We started out slow and it was dark, the trail was muddy and the 7th street bridge access is a mess.    We ran out 6 on the trail and then headed back 2 miles, up Baily and then to the store and a few miles in the park.    I took a gel at mile 8 and ended up with two POP stops - mile 9 and mile 12.   We both messed up our garmins and tried to do math and run...never a good idea for me and that is how we ended up with 16.2.     It was an absolutely beautiful morning and I felt great.   Avg Pace 8:54.

Jenny and I met this morning to run some .5 mile repeats.  This is the first "speedwork" I have done in months, so the expectations were low.    I ended up with 4x.5 mile with .25 recovery.   I was surprised with my speed (not great, but not as bad as expected), but I have zero endurance.

3:34, 3:38, 3:36, 3:41 (lost focus)

Met the group at Tom Thumb and ran to the Woodshed and back , plus two more on my own. 

Avg Pace 8:29

Easy miles w/ Jenny

6 miles in the rain, good times.

12 miles with Wendy.   Was wanting a progressive run, but ended up all over the place. 

Avg pace 8:39

Met Megan at Tom Thum, nice and easy.  Avg pace 8:53

Eay miles with Jenny, Avg Pace 9:15

Met Wendy, Ashley and Tim at Tom Thumb to run the Arberlawn hill.   We did one up and back, one 2.2 mile loop and then another up and back.   I can tell I have not run hills enough.

Avg. Pace 8:47

Easy miles with Jenny

Avg Pace 9:11

Met Wendy for a Saturday long run.  Highly dissapointed that the cooler temps hadn't rolled in yet.  Aother morning of 80 degree temps and 80% humidity....too much.  We ended up with 10 easy miles on the trail that were not as brutal as last week, but close.

Avg Pace 8:49

8 easy miles to start the week.   4 with Jenny & Wendy and then the other 4 with Wendy.

Avg Pace 9:11

I am tagging onto Wendy's training plan and she had an 8 mile tempo today.   I have work issues this week and did not have time run 10, so we cut it to 8 total and a 6 mile tempo.   I was nervous/scared/excited for this run.  I have done very little speedwork, but knew I could pace off of Wendy and get it done.   

We met at the Woodshed and did the miles all on the trail.   We warmed up for a mile and then the tempo started.  Wendy took off and I  knew I would not be able to sustain that pace.  I found my grove and did pretty well on the way out.   The second mile was a little slow due to running under the freeway in the construction area.  We hit the turn around and grabbed a drink and stopped longer than ideal to wait for Tim and Ashely.   We headed back and at mile 4.5 I was really considering stopping at mile 5.   Wendy happened to be right there and stayed with me until the last .6 and she took off.  That last half mile was dang hard, but done.

Tempo Splits:  7:37, 7:44, 7:35, 7:34, 7:38, 7:22

Not overly even but, I am pleased for a first attempt.    Wendy's target was 7:25 for the entire run and I belive she hit that.   

Avg Pace for the entire run 7:58

5 easy miles with Jenny - the best.

As I have mentioned before, I tagging along with Wendy's training plan.  Today called for 40 min of hill repeats.   Ashley, Wendy and I met at Quick Trip and warmed up down to Ashley's new house and then back up the hill.   We then started repeats on the backside of the QT hill.  About half-way in, I realized I had forgotten to remind my husband that Libby had volleyball practice that morning.  We had a little longer than normal break to call and wake him up.  Once that was over we returned.   We ran up the hill and would keep pressing for 30 yards past the hill and then recover down, just under .25 mile each way.    Oh not a fun workout, but so good at the same time.   The recover was easy and the pace over all was slow - 9:11, but we accomplished what we were supposed to.  One mile cool down. 
 

Four very easy miles with Wendy and Jenny.
 

I met Wedy, Robert, Ashley, Tim, Maureen and Brit at the store.  The guys did their own thing and the five girls headed out on the trail.    I am growing tired of mid 70's temperatures and high humidity.....really, really tired.    We ran out to the Trailhead food park and used the nicest portable restrooms ever!  Air conditioned with running water!  Headed across the river and then through Tanglewood, the Colonial and up to the Woodsheed and eventually the store and then back out two the Luke's waterstop and again to the store.   We got yelled at by the cops in Tanglewood because we were in their way while they directed TCU Homecoming traffic.   When we were finished, my clothes were dripping with sweat.... I am ready for fall, but not winter.   Avg Pace 8:44

This has been good week - mileage increased (almost too much), ran 6 days - even Tuesday when I thought I might die, and the hard runs were hard and we completed the work out strong and easy days were easy.   Next week I have some travel and I am not sure how the last part of the work week will play out.

I missed getting out early due to storm and after a horrible day, snuck out around 4:30.   6 easy miles in horrible humidity (theme of the month..year) on the trails and Bellaire.

Wendy and I had 6 400's @ 1:42  on the plan for the day.  Her plan called for a 1 min total rest, not active rest.   This is the first time I have done these not using active rest and it was okay. 

We warmed up 2 miles to the middle school track and then did the 400's

1:40; 1:35; 1:44 - oops!, 1:36; 1:39, 1:40

Overall, not too bad and if it had been daylight, they would have been a second or two faster, the dark made it a little difficult. 

Cooled down for 2 miles

PM:  4 miles in OKC before I drove back home.....such a long day

7 easy miles with Wendy and Jenny.  Very slow and effort did not feel this slow.   The run the day before had taken its toll.

Wendy and I met at the TCU track to run 4x1000.    All I can say is the TCU track is so much nicer, even in the dark, than the CMS track we have been running on.   Plus they have bathrooms, enough said.   We warmed up for a mile on the road and then got started.   Neither one of us was sure on pacing and struggled hitting the 4:16 target.   Splits:

4:27, 4:25, 4:26, 4:27

I felt controlled the entire time which is good, but could't ever get it in gear.   

Cooled down by running the loop twice to total 8 miles.

6 easy miles with Jenny K

4 easy miles with Jenny K

Not a great start to a race morning - Volleyball team breakfast driving and rounding up teenage girls.   So we ended up leaving for the race late.   On the way, I realized I left my Garmin home, so I would be running by feel the entire time.  If you know me, you know I have no sense of pace...what-so-ever.

Goal:   Stay mentailly strong and do not give up

Jenny and I got to the start about 30 min early and chatted with a few people and really tried to stay warm and debated leaving our long sleeves or not.

We lined up and started out on the trail.  The course for this race takes you on another part of the trail system that I have never run, which was very nice since we seem to run the same 10-12 miles all the time.    I fell in quite a ways behind the lead pack and started out as the 4th girl.    I passed the 3rd girl about .5 mile in and then was 3rd until about mile 6.  I really did not want to pass the two lead girls that early on, but they were slowing and I was feeling good.   Passed the girl dressed as Wonder Women and then the lead lady about 2 min. later.  I could tell the lead lady was struggling, so if I could run strong and stay focused, I would be good.   The out portion of the race always takes longer then the return,  and while I like the trail system, the up and down on the levees drives me crazy.   Short steep climbs 3-4 times each way, plus some normal idoliations of up and down on the course.   I continued to feel pretty good until we turned for the last two miles and hit a wall of wind.   These last two mile were hard, very hard.   I just kept focused on running and trying to push as much as possible.    I had no idea what my time was, but based on effort I felt like I would have been faster than 1:48, but I will take it.  I ran strong and didn't give up. 

Met Wendy, Ashley and Megan at the store.  The original plan was for 15, but we were not overly committed.  This is my first run since the race and after a horriffic travel week and HR week at work and Wendy has been sick.   We ended up with 12 at an avg pace 8:34... not too shabby, but we are getting back after it this week.

8 miles with Wendy

14 miles with wendy

Easy miles with Wendy and Megan.  Ended up not being so easy - avg pace 8:23

8 Easy miles with Wendy and Megan avg Pace 8:39

Easy miles with Jenny and thought I was going to freeze.

8 miles with Wendy on the Cowtown course from Lancaster to the Zoo.  Ended up with an 8:54 pace and felt much faster.
 

15 miles with Wendy, Megan, Ashley and Mo on the Cowtown course.  A rough start because I forgot the first part of the route, but the rest of the run was great.   Up the main street hill, limited water stops to two and felt strong the last 1.5 miles that are all up hill.

Avg Pace 8;37

Easy miles with Jenny & Wendy

We were supposed to run mile repeats and I was exhausted and in a bad mood....a bad mood that was shared by both Wendy and Megan.   We ended up with an easy run that felt hard and glad we didn't bail on the run all together but mad at myself for not doing the workout.

8 miles looping TCU and including the hill between the tennis courts and football stadium.  The run was so much harder than it should have been and very dehydrated. 
 

8 miles on the treadmill.  Icemaggedon has come to FW and everything has shut down.  
 

Pretty much a repeat of yesterday, just 1 min slower....dang!

First run back from the flu from hell