Believe to Achieve

How to begin?  First, I never was and never will be (I'm turning 41 next Sunday) a track star.  I always and always will HATE speedwork unless I run considerably slower than some stupid  program puts me at.  So yes  I decided to follow some plan to see if I can improve my MP at Ogden starting at the 15 weeks to go.  So I ran like this after a 3 mile warmup at 1 % incline nice and easy:   1200m (6:11), 1000 (6:07), 800 (6:03), 600 (6:00), 400 (5:56), 200 (5:49).     Rest Interval (RI) was ONLY 200m.   At first I just ran them at a 9 minute mile pace then pretty much dying after the third one I decided to put the TM at 3.7 mph and gradually increase it back to 6.7 mph (8:57).  This, at least, gave me a longer RI then less one minute, more like 90 seconds.  PHEW!! and  YIKES!!  I wasn't at puke zone but  I was at OXYGEN DEBT and I want to stop this TM now zone!!!    It was a lot easier SLOWLY jogging the RIs.  The plan says to do that so I guess for a good reason.  Ran a 3.5 mile cool down.  Total miles 10 exact (thinking of you Smooth) at 7:52 avg pace.  P.S.  It didn't help that I went night skiing (first time this season) with my kids and husband at Sundance after my 21 miler.  Skating with my 7 year old held on to my pole to get her in the line- did this several times- caused a nice sciatic problem on the left to resurface.  NO soreness however anywhere.  A few morning getting out of bed aches but that's all.  Just a nagging sciatic pain.  Got Troy to give me a massage last night.  That helped. 

Nice GA run.  Would have left earlier but woke up to a muscle cramp in my leg (reminds me when I was 7 months pregnant, I would get them all the time) and leg pain was still nagging.  I took some yoga moments after only sleeping less than 3 hours getting up and trying to do some piano playing then tried reading church magazines to lull me back to sleep.  Nothing worked.  By the time stretching was done at 210pm,  I felt like running.  Much to my surprise it was warmer than usual and the sun was actually out again--thats two days in a row-- like a long lost friend back in my life.  I should have left earlier to enjoy it longer but could only get in 3.61 miles at 8:32 pace.  Then flew out of my house to make  it to staff meeting by 3pm until 6pm (luckily I am exactly 1.1 miles from the hospital where I work : D).  Oh my.  I sat there with a grumbly tummy and a tired head but the run at least revived me for the first hour of it.   I was sad to just let the warm daylight disappear before my eyes sitting there...oh how I wish I were running out there then.  Now its dark and chilly and I need a nice long restful sleep before the big T tomorrow.  

MTR (medium tempo run).  7 miles at .5% to 2 % incline at 7:19 pace.  3 mile warm up.  1.25 mile cooldown.  No cheating.  Kept it the same the whole time with no stopping.  Not sure I am ready for all this working out.  And I am sorry to say I ate 2 m&ms before vowing off sugar for February.  

RR run at GA pace.  I guess.  I don't know I just ran by feel and rarely looked at my garmin.  Ran this way and that through the dregs of AF and PG.  Some scary abodes some ever so lovely.  The show HOARDERS should come visit some of the homes I saw today.    Did enjoy the sidewalk run, though, with all the bumps and cracks and slants and some snow packs.  I went from sidewalk to sidewalk enjoying the sounds of birds chirping and fire engines roaring (around mile three a fire engine and ambulances stopped at a house two blocks in front of me.  I could hear them a ways off and then they showed up in front of me in a remote street, weird.  Didn't look like a house was on fire.  I am thinking carbon monoxide alarm.  Who knows.)  Anyway I was enjoying my ever so at ease pace but my joints began to bug me as my hips are out so my sciatica flares up.  It actually first shows as joint pain, so I change my gait and then my fourth toe has sharp nerve-like pain in it.  Sure enough I do some back stretches and my toe is no longer in pain.  Got out late so feel like I have tons to do so better go soon.  Have a very high protein (lots of lentils etc... whole wheat pasta, brown rice...soup a brewing.  Day two of chocolate detox going well.  I really already had been doing really well about no treats except chocolate chips.  Had a wicked headache last night but hopefully three days and I will be fine.  Ran 10.76 miles at an easy 8:42 pace.  First mile 9:34.  Last mile 8:14.  

PMP (predicted MP + 45 sec) =  goal of 7:49 for 13 miles with Kim today.  We ran 1800 North west then up a winding road to 700 north (above Costco) headed East then to before AF cementary then head North past the Gazebo Park (I call it that) and up to the road Mtn Ridge Jr. High is on and turned right towards there then right again down Alpine Hwy then thru Lone Peak Park via West Park Rd and up and over past Lone Peak High School crossing over by Walmart and turning right at the roundabout to Henley (sp.?) Rd then west to Farm Rd and some funky looping around Kim's to get us to 13 even. I think we ran well.  Had a headwind as the storm was gaining on us but not too bad.  So glad we went at 5:35am as now the storm is showing its face.  We were at conversation pace and did 5 miles at 7:32, 7:32, 7:33, 7:39, 7:39.  Only two miles above an 8.  One was the first warm up mile at 8:28 that was uphill for me.  The other was a significant uphill by AF jr. high at 8:04 pace.  The other miles were steady inclines with some better downhill near the end.  We ended with a strong mile of 7:39  with more than half of it being uphill and  lots of turning around several times to get to 13 at her house.  13 miles avg pace 7:50.  Missed 7:49 by 13 seconds.  Oh well.  Ran a cool down mile to my house at a trot pace of 9:08.  Carried my B-day present from Kim--  Two cadbury, one dark, one caramel, chocolate bars and a pair of nice addidas running socks.  So sweet!!  I will try not to break into the chocolate bar until Monday.  But I have to say that I had a strong craving at 3 am this morning and was about to give into temptation.  I am not sure how long I can hold out.  Total miles 14.12. Work the weekend, both nights.

got home at just after 7am.  Got in bed at 7:35.  Woke at 12:09.   Yay, 4.5 hours of sleep be it daytime sleep it is more than 3 hours.  And that's with a little sleep aid 1/2 tab of xanax.  So of course I wasn't quite in the mood to run at first and even tried to fall back to sleep.  To no avail.  I decided to get up drink ice cold water to fully awake myself, see my kids, feed them lunch then leave on my run by 1:40pm.  I should just leave when I think of running because the more I wait the more tired I get.  Oh well.  Just told myself to go at 10 min pace and enjoy the fresh air.  It was warm-- 40 degrees I think and was quite pleasant rockin' out to Troy's music on his $30 dollar cheapo player as I killed my iPod on Tuesday's run. Short as that run was my iPod had been taking a beating with my sweaty runs in California and then my runs with this new protector that I could see was locking in the moisture after runs.  Gradually the buttons wouldn't work and then presto no more music, no more lit up screen.  Bummer.  Looked this up on the internet and found a guy who had "ruined" at least 20 iPods from his sweat.  He has a long blog about his frustration there.  Funny.  Mine has lasted 3 years I think. Still bummed.  Figure something 100 dollars should last longer.  Anyway, Troy's music more rockin' then mine so it at least kept me awake for the run.   I grazily ran towards the PG rec thinking of doing some TM miles but the AQ was so nice I just stayed outside and headed up the hills of East PG.  Just mozied along without a care and it felt great.  Each mile I felt more and more alive and not more and more like a zombie arising from the grave.  I felt renewed and reflected on my last run as a 40 year old.  Tomorrow I turn 41.  A Sunday, so no running on my b-day.  A rest day of all things.  What a present.  Did an awesome steep hill loop and breathed in some great pine smells mixed with the melting snow.  So lovely.  Thought my pace would be 9:30 to 10 avg so was glad to see it at 8:51 for 11.1 miles.  Off to work I go. 

"SUGAR BAD FOR YOU"  This is said with a chinese accent.  It is a quote from Dr. Wong, cardiologist  I saw a few years ago for all my skipping heart beats and difficulty getting my heartrate down after exercise.  Turns out his ancient secret is right.  When I stopped eating tons of treats  20 months ago I began to feel better and my heart no longer skipped many beats except in cases of extreme fatigue or an allergen exposure like perfume.  No more HR problems after excersize too.  Where am I going with all this?  Well I am glad I chose yesterday in place of today for my free day because starting at midnight (Sunday  Morning) on my birthday  I was bombarded with treats.  First we started light- a veggie tray with  chips and dip then there was one of those cakes with TONS of white thick frosting. Followed by ice cream.  Well why stop there?  I decided to devour the last two donuts from my mother in law in a single sitting after arriving home from work in the morning yesterday.  It felt great going in but I knew I was in for it as my body tried to process it.  Needless to say I did not sleep well.  Less than 3 hours.  But hey its my birthday why lay there in my bed?  Got up and came downstairs to a vision of a double chocolate cake Troy and my littlest made for me.  Oh no.  Just when I was done with the treats already...but how could I turn away a present?  An hour later a ring at my doorbell and a present again revealed 4 chocolate frosted brownies with a layer of pink and red frosting and sprinkles.  Valentine-like.  Oh man, what next?  I managed to hold out until after dinner and Family Home Evening for a large piece of chocolate cake with milk.  No brownie.  Then, I could not fall asleep until 10pm.  Got up at 7:45 am and low and behold my vision had wavy lines all through it .  I have had this before.  It can be an aura to a migraine.  It is called scintillating scotoma.  It comes from the occiput region of the brain not the eyes.  I had surgery there but basically I know it is from the lack of sleep mixed with WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR, so help me.  I honestly feel like I have a hangover, although I have never had one of those per se.  But it doesn't end there...as I opened the front door to watch my daughter leave for school her carpool is yelling " Courtney take the cookies, take the cookies!!!"  What are they talking about?  I looked down and there was a card and a large plate of those sugar cookies with a chocolate KISS on them.  What?  So far no brownie or cookie has been consumed and after today's detox wicked run I have to refrain.  I am going to give them to my kids slowly over the week in their lunches.  My run today was so difficult and I bet it is because "SUGAR BAD FOR YOU!".    Here are the brief details of my run:  5 by 1K (1000m or .625miles)with 400m recovery lap  after a 4.1 mile warm up (3.1 mile run at 8:37 to the rec).  Goal was all at 6:08.  But that was clearly not going to happen.  I ran this pace for them:  6:18, 6:15, 6:11, 6:09, 6:07.  I should have switched TMs earlier by the third one the off balance TM was getting ridiculous.  It shook greatly when I turned it up on the SW.  Ahhh so much better on the last one.  So basically the first four were like I was on a ship.  This was not helping my head.  I was getting a bit dizzy.  I am prone to seasickness.  I use to get carsick all the time.  Anyway, survived it.  Head is pounding.  Ran home 3.1 miles @ 8:49 pace.  Total miles 12.5.

Slept less than three hours.  Right up there on lack of sleep runs.  It was difficult but I gradually "awakened" on my run.  Avg pace 8:28 for 5.5.  Ran a two mile loop 2.5 times switching directions three times.  Picked up my car (ran out of gas on my way home from work this morning and I am only a mile a way from work--pathetic I know, but I like to push my car on empty, just like I push myself).  Troy had exchanged the gas-less suv, filling it with 2 gallons of carry-out gasloine, with our Honda.  I was glad the sun was out but the air was chilly.  I sprinted the last .05 miles and got the garmin to read maximum (best pace) 5:42 per mile.  And that wasn't even all out so that was nice to see.  Weird running when muslces, brain and limbs feel all disconnected.  I just keep telling myself "this won't last forever" and somehow I can get thru each day.  I am doing much better than last year at this same time dealing with the lack of sleep thing.  I getting slightly more adjusted.  

Mid-Tempo Run Day.  Wasn't looking forward to running on tired legs, they feel tight in the upper thighs to the buttocks.  Need a deep massage and some stretching.  Sleep still not great but better last night to get in over 8 hours, it just didn't feel rejuvenating.  I guess I need another Disneyland trip.  The nights there were soooo luxurious.   Okay I'll take Hawaii instead.  Anyway, ran to the rec and added on a mile to get 4 miles there.  Warmup mile on the TM at 1 % incline, was going to change it to zero for the tempo run but I decided to test myself and keep it at 1% telling myself I could turn it downanytime to make it feel easier.  I always take the bait.  After the warmup I ran these mile paces:  7:08, 7:08, 7:03, 7:03, 6:59.   Goal was 7:05 avg so I think I got that right on.  Felt very controlled and if my butt and hips weren't tight it would have been really nice.  I am off to Olive Garden for Birthday Luncheon.  My mother in law gave me a gift card there.  Too bad I can't have dessert...for a while.  I did drink 8 ounces of gatorade though as I am out of Orange Juice.  Work the next two nights.  Should average exactly 60 miles this week.  Just keeping it real :D.  EXCITED for the WINTER OLYMPICS.  I would have loved to be an Olympic Cross Country Skier.

Progressive feel like a runner run.  Was feeling yucky, just one more night.  BTW I wake up while I am at work and do really well staying with it and alive.  Hence my problem with staying alive during the day when I should be sleeping and can't.  Anyway.  Told my husband I wasn't going run.  Then ate a banana and peanut butter toast and taped on the valentine chocolate kisses to my kids Valentines they wrote out last night.  Figure I would try to get a run in at 250pm.  So just got out and slowly came alive and legs in the mood by mile 3.  Got my pace to 6:53 at one point.  The whole run began to feel easy especially at 7:20 pace.  Since first miles were turtle like overall pace was 8:18 avg.  Was supposed to be a recovery run anyway.  No over doing it.  I work in pediatrics tonight.  Luckily it is at the hospital closest to my home :D.  Probably be a long night.  

The extreme no sleep thing is wearing on me that I don't think I will convince myself to get out today.  No words to describe.  My shift was long, working hard for very ill children.  I think I will just enjoy walking around in my newly zeroed sauconys.  They feel great walking around.  My head is in the clouds and my mind fuzzy that neurologically I need to give my body a break.  So much for 60 miles this week unless I turn my 13 miler into 20 tomorrow.  I'd say the chances for that is 50/50.  I've been known in these parts to be a not so anonymous insane runner : D.   I am toying with the idea of a cycling class tonight.   I hope there isn't one available on Fridays so I am not tempted.  Need to go read the rec center's calendar and that's too far away right now (bedroom closet).  I am drifting as I write this so I am going to try to sleep again.  I also will be getting in some walking passing out flyers for the Valentine's Social tomorrow night.  Chocolate Fondue Fountain will be served.  Sorry but I think I am taking another free 1/4 day.  I haven't been able to stick full-heartedly to this no sugar/chocolate thing because otherwise I wouldn't make it thru my shifts in a happy mood.  Probably an excuse but chocolate really boosts my mood before working all night.  Oh well.  I should do better that I don't work until Monday night then have another three nights off then repeat the 5 of  7 night thing again.  Luckily I like my job and really love it when I am working with the babies :  D.   "Wo unto the unintentional LIAR for she shall not....I don't know where I am going with this except...wearing my zeroes around and still not sleeping I told myself to just jog to Kim's and show her my new shoes and that I was wearing the socks she gave me.  She lives a mile a way.  It was 5:15pm. Well, I woke up after my 10:20 minute first mile and the cool sun going down air was just so relaxing that I kept trotting along feeling more and more alive and free.  My legs and feet felt awfully light in my new shoes and I wore shorts with a headband and gloves etc...   I felt so refreshed with every mile.  I kept it easy and my legs were lovin' me.  Did manage to speed it up naturally that avg pace was 9:12 for 7 miles.  I ran on sidewalks and dirt sides of road to try out the shoes.  I am liking them.  Time will tell.  But first day on them very reassuring.  I guess this run means I am not running 20 tomorrow.  Ahh.  Just an easy 13 to make 60.  My nose is not growing.....yet.

13 (.26) Dreadful miles.    Wish to blame it on the wind, the cold, lack of sleep, new shoes and no interest.   Was doing well until I stopped and my body froze up and I couldn't run any longer.  My new shoes were ailing me and I just couldn't keep going.  I started strong and finished dreadfully slow.  I almost called my husband from Walmart in Cedar Hills.  And these last three miles were downhill.  No umph in my umph.  No nothing.  It was a definite Forrest Gump moment.  I sure hope this is a brief phase.  I surely felt like I had never ran before in my life (the last 4 miles).  Well, at least I made it to 60 miles for the week.  That is the only positve in this string of sadness.  I feel down.  Depressed.  I am sure I need to just run more :  D......later, another day.  Looking forward to rest day.  Off to put on a Valentine's Party for our ward.  A chocolate fountain should cheer me up.  I think I need a Smoothie : D.

Taking it down a notch.  May hit 50 this week, may not.  I really need to give myself a break.  Went to the Rec center.  Warmed up on the TM  for 2.5 miles and threw in at least a 1/4 mile repeat at 6:27 to 6:35.  Then went to a cycling class.  Second one ever.  The first was over two years ago.  It kicked my butt big time.  I think I am putting it at a high level to match my running on SW days.  I was definitely pushing it or I am out of biking shape.  Hope this helps my speed.  It should.   Ran another 2.5 miles with another 1/4 mile repeat at 6:27.  Avg pace 7:54 for 5.  Shoes feeling a bit better, or at least my body is.  They kind of turn my knees inward. Not sure why?    OLYMPIC SKIING TOO AWESOME!! LOVE THE mogul event for Women and then the Nordic combined.  Soo wishing U.S. came in first there but hey its the first medal ever in nordic since 1924 first olympics.  We'll take silver.  HE did awesome!!!  I was off my bed cheering.  I also soooooo loved the short track speed skating, Go Apollo!!!

I took a few steps towards starting a run then turned around.  I am really tired.  I am not sure I will run today.  Decided to eat something, watch some Olympics, take another nap.  I am not sure why I have lost that runnin' feeling.

Ran to the rec a nicer but longer route.  This took a fork lift but somehow I made it to the door by almost 11am.  Oh my did the start feel so agonizing.  There just was no zip to my zap.  I slept over 8 hours and still I wanted to sleep more.  I think the Olympic viewing plus working nights and trying to be a runner has taken my zap away.  Adrenal fatigue is probably the cause for this crash and its hard to zip out of it.  But I did my best and overall I am happy I pushed myself.  So 4 mile run to the rec at 8:33 pace, each half mile increasing the pace starting with a 9:30 pace.  Love the rolling hills there.  Got on TM and ran another mile,  increasing  the speed every 30 to 90 seconds to 7:24 pace just before "take off".   Ran the scheduled plan of 3 miles at short tempo pace:   6:49, 6:49 and 6:35  (0 to 1% incline) in a  row,  no stopping.    The last .1 miles I increased it to 6:11 pace. Could have run them faster especially the end but was feeling like I shouldn't push it too much yet.  My lower back, buttocks and hamstrings have some intense nerve pain and soreness that I just ignore.  This could still be part of adrenal fatigue as these are symptoms listed on line.  Got to get rid of the right shoe uneven problem before I get a serious injury.  It is causing my foot to turn inward and some slight pain in the arch.  I am heading to the peddler right after I shower.  Ran a two mile "cooldown" on the TM at 7:35  (.5% incline) pace then ran home the four mile route at 7:47 pace  (5:55 fastest pace on garmin : D).  Laid on the grass meditating.  It felt great to be done.  So my 10 miler turned into 15?   Who would have guessed?  

After getting hyped up watching the Olympics last night (Lindsay Vonn's Gold etc...) I tossed and turned all night in and out of imaginary Olympic moments for myself  (jk).  But I do imagine myself flying thru the Giant Slalom course and Sprinting on the X-Country ski course.    The Five Circles zipping my zap again until the wee hours of the morning as I take off on a run with Kim in the rainfall that turned to snow as I stepped outside at 5:45am.  Lovely.  Hey, the Olympics postpone their runs in this weather, what are we doing?  Well, been thru worse, most of us, at SGM 2008 so why the whining?  After dodging tons of puddles along the entire course, Disneyland revisited, we managed a fairly good pace of  8:05 for 10.13 miles.  Wow, to be done so early, now what to do?  BTW sneakers felt pretty good, too bad new shoes had to be run in the rain/snow.  After stretching I decided to try my old shoes on.  I didn't realize how much of a heel cushion and lift they had.  Quite a different feel.  Like the flat feel better.  Let's hope I can gain some better biomechanics from this.  

I tried the Michellel workout.  It was snowing out the entire time but still I set up my garmin as Michelle emailed me and I wanted to try it out.  I ran a 3 mile warm up at 9:05 pace and looped around Discovery park and decided I would do all my intervals around this loop so I wouldn't have distractions (speeding cars, etc..).  Well, still had some distractions even in the snow fall.  A man was walking his unleashed apparently tame dog and a community truck was driving on the loop for a bit, whatever?  Anyway that didn't happen until a few moments into it so I just kept up with the plan and pushed the lap button to start.  I wasn't ready for speedwork after SW Wednesday and the early run yesterday so I was not pushing it to the max I could have.    I was also thirsty at the start.  Tried to eat some fallen snow to wet my whistle.   The shoes are also causing some issues again.   Not enough heel cushioning and my body is not  quite adjusted.  It's only been two days on the exchanged pair.  I am kind of impatient.  My left achilles started to burn by interval 7.  I ran one minute on one minute off x 15.  Loved the little five seconds of beeps to warn you when its almost over and when its almost time to start.  There is a good uphill in this loop and I seemed to hit it during  the SW instead of recovery  time more than I would have liked.  You should be able to tell with my splits, but I will star them.  Here are my much slower than Michelle's splits:  6:26, 6:25, *6:40, 6:06, 6:26, *6:43, 6:16,  6:27,  6:15,  6:25, *6:49, 6:09, 6:37, *6:53, 6:05, 6:20.  Last one coming into the hill again but pushed.    My recovery minutes ranged from 7:48 (oops) to 9:13.  Avg was about 8:40 on them.  Ran home 1.8 miles at 8:27 pace.    I like this work out.  The miles go by without thinking about them cause you are thinking about that minute instead and lovely minute of recovery,  ahhhhh!!

BURNING NERVE PAIN  yikes!!  from the left lower back, piformis etc....to the knee and down around the achilles tendon ending at the side of my foot, pain score 7 out of 10.  Can't do much but stretch and heat pad as I work again tonight.  Last night was busy and painful.   Blah.  Stupid new shoes.  I tried to put on my old shoes again and they just feel too strange now.  Great, now a pair of shoes screwing up my back and my old ones not showing any more longevity.  Time to research for better shoes.   Addendum......but don't think that's going to stop me (I am developing my ultra marathon psyche) I just got back from a 6.5 miler determined to punish my shoes for hurting me by trying to see if the correction lies within me.  I started out easy hoping to run the burning pain away by endorphins.  It worked.  I may pay for it tonight at work but at least after 3 miles I didn't really think of the burning pain but more on my form, accidentally at times gettin into the high 6s in pace so slowed it down.  Tried to figure were my comfort form pace is.  I think it is at 7:12 to 7:20.  That would be my avg pace for my SGM pace last year.  Go figure.   Avg pace for 6.5 supposed recovery run 8:08.  I even have the VP dude turned off. 

Weekend was tough.  Work very busy.  3/4 of the babies born needed extra support.  Storks are working overtime.  Slept three hours yesterday face down in my couch as I tuned into the Olympics for probably 5 minutes tops.  That was yesterday...today I got out at 9:45am. Ran to rec center 4 miles at 8:21 pace then got on TM thinking  I could run speedwork on a zipped zap.  Started out okay but as I progressed my achilles  burning pain was back so called it quits early.  I am beginning to think this is an electrolyte problem.  My muscles are starved for fuel and then take all my calcium.   Since the injury went away after running easily Saturday  and fueling up and then did not bother me running to the rec center.  Anyway ran 2 by 1200 (.75 miles) at 6:10 pace 0.5 % incline.  2 minute rest interval between each one then started on the 4 X800 but ended after 1.25 of them.    1.25 !!!!!!  I was dizzy from lack of fuel and my achilles was talking so over!!  Ran the first one at 6:07 pace and the 200 at 6:07.  I didn't want to risk an intenser pain in the ankle.  I still had to run home 4 miles.  So I stretched, did a few weights (first time in years) for 15 minutes and slowly made my way to the door.  My ankle bugged the whole way but found a way to land where it didn't burn so much.  Pace really slow.  Not not excited to mention it but I will,  9:25.  I just wanted to be home and didn't have my ruby slippers to take me there sooner.  I am glad it clear out but the air is cooler even with the sun.  Oh well, can't have both...yet.

Long nursery night, but ended holding a real cutie!!  I love just taking the time to hold the babies.  And that's just what they want, as the moms want their sleep.  Drifted off at first for three hours then started my Olympic viewing and drifted briefly once more.  Then after watching all the cross country relays I just got some zip to my zap so I headed out for a few easy miles.  Ran 6 at 8:17 pace.  A square route "enjoying" the sounds of zooming cars taking 1100 north to Albertsons and up Alpine highway back on 1800 North.  It kept me on my toes to avoid right turning cars and jagged sidewalks.  Felt as good as I could for the post night shift.  Like the sun being out longer.  Still cool air.  Its better going out at 2pm when the earth has warmed up a bit.  Achilles still "On Fiah!!".  It stems from the hip on account of the shoes but really I tried my old ones once more and they felt like I had some giant cushion under my heels.  Not even remotely comfortable.  I need to trash them once and for all. 

SW.  Midtempo Run x 5 miles (goal 7:05).  Ran  5 @ 7:02 avg (first 4.5 at 7:03--.5% incline) since that's the pace on the TM, last 200m picked it up to 6:31 at 0 % incline.  Have to say it was fine the first two miles but then the Soap Operas on the TV at the rec were unmotivating and my shaking TM was too dizzying to look at so my form started to falter.  When I thought about form it felt much better.  Ran with an ace bandage on my left ankle.   It didn't bother me at all during or after the run this way.  I must have a weak ankle that showed its colors with my zeroed shoes forcing it to make a change.  Ran three mile warm up (9:00, 8:30, 8:00) and two mile "cooldown".  Avg pace for last seven was 7:23 so cooldown wasn't so down.  I kept it at 8 avg after the first lap.  Feel really good right now, not at all wasted as I do after max VO2  runs.  I also slept last night.  Work the next two nights.  Ate a hearty lunch-- turkey on whole wheat with honey dijon and homemade raspberry jam, lettuce and tomato.  Homemade salsa with cottage cheese and "natural" potato chips.  I think I will watch some more Olympics.  I am sure I will go through withdrawals next week.  

Recovery run.  7 easy at 8:38 pace.  Windy but surprisingly not as cold as I thought after having snowed last night  : D. 

Very Easy hill run included.  6.25 @ 8:52 pace.  Enjoyed the sunlight!!!  And yay  I just completed my 5th out of  7 night shifts!!  Now I get three off.  They always go by so quickly but I am so happy to arrived at this point again!!  Going long tomorrow...hope I can waken early to join my friends.  I guess I will just force myself to.  Did power lunges up and down the stairs at AF hospital times 17 minutes at 330am.   Used coworkers iPod and had great workout sweating it out to the beat.  I got so revved up I could have gone for run around the halls : D.

Ran the BIG WORKOUT, revised edition.  I don't know why I thought a third SW in a week (although the first one this week was cut short pathetically) was necessary but I wanted the 18 miles to fly by.  They went by quickly but man they hurt more.   Especially after the power lunges Friday at 330am.  Should have known 24 hours later I would be tight/sore.  Picked up Kim, Kerri and Jane at 635am and drove to the JRP 1500 north start and ran north 5 miles.  We were doing great on our warm up with an avg at 8:25 then we ran 4 x 2 miles with a mile at easy pace in between sets.   We lived for our rest miles.  The first one was pretty funny as we had no idea it would turn in to a 6-7% grade uphill in places especially the second mile it was intensely uphill.  We ran those under goal pace. The wind picked up and we were huffing and puffing.  When Kim stops  talking that's saying something.  

PART  ONE including 3 mile warm up.  Here are all the splits to mile 15 (*MP miles):  8:45 (dirt pile, road block), 8:24, 8:14, *7:25 Hill, *7:49 EVEN STEEPER HILL, 8:32 (back down hill, ahh, too bad it's a rest mile), *7:01, *7:07, 8:49, *7:08 (turned around at dirt pile and headed back up so we could end at dirt pile),* 7:03, 8:54 (dirt pile avg) stopped at car, (south portion begins)*7:07, *7:09, 8:36.  On our rest miles we kind of jogged in place for a few seconds to catch our breath so this decreased our avg pace for sure.  Kim and I ran all 18 together.  Jane was right there.  Kerri only wanted 16 she ended up with 17 and her avg was a lot better than she thought she could do for a long run.  She has only been running for a few years and she is running so well!!! 

PART TWO:  8 x 1 min on/ 1 min off.  So glad only doing eight would get us to our goal  of 18 miles with  one cool down mile.  Splits: 6:37, 8:36, 6:37, 8:40, 6:39,  8:40, 6:32, 8:31, 6:34, 8:10, 6:28, 8:34, 6:19, 8:11, 6:31 9:06.  SO DONE!!  Cooldown mile: 7:48.  Avg pace with our trotting ends of our 4 x 2 miles = 7:48 avg for all 18.  We were pleased considering only one water stop which I took a sip of water, sip of gatorade and one gu.  Muscles feel worked over.  Achilles burned briefly without ace bandage.  I am starving although I already ate.  The wind chill took most of that run from me as well as that ridiculous grade on our speedplay.  Kim, Jane and Kerri "say" they are glad they ran like that but who knows what they were really thinking : D.