Believe to Achieve

just not in the mood to get out running this morning.  got distracted.  first kids to school then dusting, then paying for kids school lunches and organizing....stumbling my feet.  Wore shorts and compression socks.  yup.  just being silly.   Thighs were red for a bit but since I left at 9:45am it wasn't as bad as it could be.  My stomach was bright red however because the shirt I wore doesn't wisk away moisture and trapped my sweat to freeze right there in my middle.  brrrr...!!!  AGAIN garmin in stopwatch mode as I ran in to AF downtown then up back toward Highland and turning and running up the steep temple Hill by Mt. Timponogos Temple.  Such a lovely run.  I just ran an easy pace, no idea of distance or pace.  Got back and pleasantly surprised with an AP of 7:51 for 8.33 miles.  Very odd how I am running better without watching my pace???  We put up our Christmas Tree decorations yesterday.  Fun times as a family!! Just love my little family!!!    : D

Speedwork on the treadmill 4 mile warmup.1 percent incline. 3 by 10 miles per hour.  3 by 10.1 mph.  3 by 10.2 miles per hour. Lastly 3 by 10.3 miles per hour. offs

treadmill again in order to get my dear husband to join me in working out : D.  Otherwise I would have run outside.  Nice day.    TM-- easy pace miles increased pace by 0.1 mph every 0.75 miles.  It breaks the monotony.  Started at 7.0 mph  (8:34) so ended at 7.7 mph (7:47) at 6 miles.  Okay-- back track three miles--- just before the three mile mark I got a raging bloody nose.  Yup went to blow my nose on my sleeve and blood.  And more blood.  Just on my hands at the moment so I waited til I got to 3 miles (.25 miles away) and made the mad dash to the bathrrom for the clean up.  Amazing none on my clothes or the floor!!  Lots on my hands and in to the sink!!  Came back out to finish up with a tissue stuffed in my nostril for three more miles.  Took it out for my last two fast miles-- 6:53 for 0.75 miles, 6:49 for 0.75 miles and 6:44 for 0.25 miles and 6-6:31 pace for last 0.25 miles to make it 8 miles yet again.  AS RACHELLE pointed out (I was well aware of the time frame however), I have two more regular running days until my CROSSTRAINING month is in full swing!!  Thank you Rachelle for holding me to my word!!  I will only be running 15-30 miles a week and lifting, spinning and stair climbing the rest (possibly some elliptical, hate that machine!!).  GO ME!!  AP 7:48. 

1/2 mile to meet Jane and Kim (I run up and they run down and we meet in the middle).  Shandi also came along.  Of course Kim was at regular speed in the first mile but I was so in my easy easy pace groove that I stayed with Shandi up the first steep hill by Kim's.  We peeled off our layers just after my first mile.  I saw that it was going to be warm by my fancy new smartphone.  I also noticed the warmer air last night talking with my mother in law on her way to her car.  I wore my thinner running tights, just gloves with a short sleeved shirt.  Removed headband and long sleeve at the top of the hill.  After that I was pretty much warmed up and could take anything Kim and Jane threw at me.  : D.  I am feeling pretty strong lately.  Perhaps it is all the vitamins I have been taking??? I have been reading a book "The Ultramind Solution" about vitamins and their role in our bodies-- each body requiring different amounts based off genetic make up.  And MY VERY LOW vitamin D (results were labeled "insufficiency", 2 points off from DEFICIENT two years ago when I was at an all time running low-- bones and joints aching etc....This book says NOT only is deficiency, or insufficiency bad for you but LONG term chronic insufficiency LEADS to disease over time.  WE NEED MORE than the RECOMMENDED allowance because of our NUTRIENT POOR eating habits in this country.  I totally believe it.  I have YET to be SUFFICIENT in VITAMIN D since my all time low number two years ago-- it 21 (under 20 DEFICIENT) and then after taking vitamin d for a few months and rechecking 6 months or so later it was 28.    My last level was 29 taken in October.   Normal is over 30 but BEST is over 50 according to the book I am reading.  Just towing the line is not sufficient enough.  I was also low in Vitamin B and VERY low in DHEA.  Alright enough of supplement soapbox.   I feel better and for that I am very thankful!!!!     I  ran 10.5 miles at 7:23 AP.  Watch in time mode and light was turned off on garmin so never had any clue of pace.  I told Kim not to tell me.  Felt really strong most of the run-- slight fatigue noted around 2 miles before finishing but that quickly passed with the nice downhill we had earlier climbed.  Before SG I hadn't run any short runs that quick.   I wouldn't have been able to do it without a lot of huffing and puffing.  THIS IS MY ON YEAR.  I feel it!! :D

okay so I got out in my shorts and compression "socks" (they are actually arm bands I wear on my skinny legs) and after the first mile off went the gloves and long sleeve-- which I always take off while running.  I only stop on runs with friends.  So I just cruised along in a state of oblivion when I got the notion to do one of my old runs from like two years ago.  Not just a regular hum drum run but the hilliest monster "you are crazy Julie" run.  So with my watch in stopwatch mode I had no reference and I kept the rolling time hidden until close to the finish.  I had remembered that this route was roughly 10 miles depending on which way I went.  Of course I took the very steepest way.  And by steep I mean top of battlecreek drive steep.  Rocky moment for sure.  I got a lot of stares and some cheers.  Very pleasantly surprised with the AP overall at 8:00 even.  I was quite sure that mountainous climbs were slowing me to a halt.  10.23 miles.  Over and out : D.

8:19 AP  after work at 7pm looking at Christmas lights.  and avoiding being hit by cars.