Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

AM: 2 miles to meet Carrie & Mike, 3 with them and .5 back home to use the restroom - Seriously!  I am about done with this and would like to get back to running.  It was warm and humid today.

PM:  To finish what I started this morning.  I dropped my daughter off at orchestra and waited out a down pour for 10 min and headed out in a light drizzle....Love running in the drizzily rain.   It was dark and I was in unfamiliar territory so it glad that my only objective was to take it easy.   Finished up and went in to listen to the last 10 min of orchestra and came out to a huge down pour.  

Hoping the weather is drier in the morning.

What a morning.  I spent 30 min in bed trying to convince myself to go out and face the wind.  I hate wind and it was blowing this morning.   I met Saskia and we  ran 2 together and she left to go nurse a sore IT Band.   The plan was for hills on Dutch branch and Bryant Irvin - with this you are UP or DOWN and nothing in between.  We always end up with this run when it is hilly and the biggest hill ends up being directly into the wind.   I ran the out and felt okay, but I can tell I have not run enough hills.  Hit the turn around and felt like I hit a brick wall.   I ended up with two short walk breaks on the big hill into the wind and another on the last hill.....I was a wimp!  The wind was tough, I missed dinner last night....excuses, excuses..... but I was a wimp.   This route needs to be in the rotation every two - three weeks.

Avg pace 8:53 - actually better than I expected.  

Took yesterday off as a rest day.  I was completely wiped out after yesterdays run and one thing I have learned is that I have to approach this training cycle differently than I have in the past.   With the changes in work, family and the stress associated with both, sometimes rest is better than recovery miles.   

Out this morning with chilly temps, but so, so nice.   2 mile warm up and then 6 MP miles and 1.5 cool down.   I avoided the traditional move MP to tempo for 3 miles but the average was closer to MP then tempo.  Also found 3 new POPs - so excited and such a sad statement of my life.  Too bad the are all right next to each other, but on the good side I did not need them today.   Felt good through the MP/tempo but glad it was done.

Avg Pace 8:16  (splits later, travel day)

I am in Omaha today for work and so I took the opportunity to run in both Nebraska and Iowa.  How often do you get to say your run took you into two states??  This was a first for me.   It was chilly but saw two other runners and spent mile 4 running around the new CWS ballpark.  What a great place.  Took in the baseball and as much as I could see of the field and then back to the hotel.   

Avg Pace 9:07

Wind, wind, wind - I hate wind!   This is just the start, the next 6 months all it does here is blow.   I was hoping we would head south and into the wind to start, but no....

Headed out with the group and knew right away I did not want to run 18 at an 8/sub 8 pace so at the first water stop  I fell back.   I really should have waited for Clint and his group at this point but decided to plug away on my own.   Hit the 6.5 mile turn around and ran back with Lindsay and Ashley.  We picked it up a little but the effort was much harder than what is reflected in the pace.   The last two back were pretty much miserable.   Grabbed water at the store and then headed back out for another 5.   This time I headed south but in the trees and path in the park.   This was much more sheltered and at 15.5 I turned back around.   I ran into Melissa and she finished with me and then she had 3 more to do.

I am tired this afternoon and I am now finally sitting down and I might not move ever again.   We had wind both today and last Tuesday and I have been pretty tired after both workouts.

I also realized that my calculations for 20 milers are off and I am a week ahead in training.   So another couple weeks of 15-18 milers and then the 20's will start Dec 3 not Thanksgiving weekend.   Both relieved and bummed.

Avg Pace: 8:20