Believe to Achieve

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.