Believe to Achieve

Slept until 4am but NO way was I about to run in THAT bitterness of DEATH (below 15 degrees).  So I fell back to sleep accidentally til 6:10am and headed to the gym by 6:25am.  Ran 8.5 miles before needing to get back to my daughter.  AP 7:37 for 8.5.   First 3 miles 8:03 AP.  Last 5.5 miles at 7:23 AP.  1 % incline.  Feeling like my running self the past few days.  Whatever was ailing me is (knock on wood) is in remission for the moment.  I looked back through my blog from last year and I had a very similar "attack" last year at the exact same week but this year it just lasted longer and more painful.  Varying "attacks" in degree of severity from SGM on.  I feel so light on the TM now (haven't lost weight) and my muscles feel normal again.  Crossing fingers this lasts until Boston.    I was SOOOOOO Euphoric at work Saturday after my 330am run for 13 miles because I felt good for the first time in three months.  Normal.  Whatever the definition of normal is.  : D.   Finished off with 50 pushups.  Perfect form.  Feeling strong.  Steroid shots working miracles for both my feet.  PM-- 330pm (the polar opposite of 330am runs : D) run with pullover of course (cause HELL-O with the ice cold weather!!).  I was so very perfectly warm on this run with some WINDchill.  Just a little short, easy pace run (thought I was going much slower so that's good).  4.12 miles at 8:14 AP.  Ended too quickly.  : D.

late start morning. I  was hibernating : D.  Got to the rec at 930am with my poor husband who had to run extra just waiting for me to finish.  Also--- I got in a POLITE argument with the TM cleaner-guy.  He turned off several TMs and I told him HE COULD NOT DO THAT TO ME AND that he should talk to the front desk woman who knows I always get my runs in and blah and blah and blah.  Finally since he heard I was running 12 miles (probably in shock) he let me turn my TM on.  By the end of my run he only had to wait about 8 minutes for me to finish.  He had finished cleaning all the other TMs in the room and I was last.  He was in his 20s and his dad was supervising.  Anyway plan was (and I stuck to it) to run easy progressive run.  Not part of the plan was keeping the incline at 2 percent the whole time.  So some extra work needed on my part.  But it still felt easy.  Progressive miles-- 8:57, 8:49, 8:41, 8:34, 8:27, 8:20, 8:13, 8:06, 8:00, 7:53, 7:47, 6:44 to 7:41 pace for last mile all the while the boy parked in front of my TM waiting patiently to clean it : D.  AP for 12 = 8:14.  2 % incline.

If anything read the last highlighted part for some fun times!!  Plan was a little speed, like 4 x 1 miles repeats with 1/2 mile rest BUT NOPE.  Just DID NOT feel like it at all when I got there and ran a four mile warm up.  SO,  I improvised.  First of all, I got to the rec right when it opened.  530am.  Next to me was a guy running roughly the same pace.  He started out faster (I couldn't see his TM but he looked to be working harder).  I started out at 8:49 (all miles 1 %).  And to reduce the BOREDOM phenomenon that comes to me on the TM when running long-- I have like ADHD with MILLS--- I increased the pace 0.1 mph every 1/4 mile.  Pretty much like this 8:49, 8:41, 8:34, 8:27, 8:20, 8:13, 8:06, 8:00, 7:53, 7:47, 7:41, 7:35, 7:30, 7:24, 7:19.......THEN SUDDENLY at 3.75 miles my TM turned OFF.  WELL....I had noticed the guy next to me had just cranked up his TM pace to definitely over a 9mph pace and with me at a 7:19 pace THE CIRCUIT bailed on us.  OUR tms were plugged in the same outlet.  I hopped off ENERGETICALLY  and talking to the guy about how the TMs do that with sudden surges to over 9mph and he said he was almost to 4 miles and I said I was too.  BUT what was funny to me was that he was HUFFING and puffing and dripping sweat like no other.  AND could BARELY talk to me.  I was hopping around like a rabbit trying to help the situation. Finally under a deep breath  he said "I will go tell the front desk".  As he left I just went to an open TM that had my OWN socket.  I started off where I left off.  This time I had a great view of the track and got to watch several of my friends circle me a dozen times.  Ahhhh not as bored now.   So to carry on with my TM story I continued like this...7:13, 7:08, 7:03, 6:58, 6:53  (those were 1/4 miles) then 7:41 for one mile, then 1/4 miles again 7:35, 7:30, 7:24, 7:19, 7:13, 7:08, 7:03, 6:58, 6:53, 6:49, 6:44, 6:40 (actually down to 6:11 around the last bend), then 7:41 for  1/2 mile.  Then 7:35, 7:30, 7:30, 7:24, 7:19, 7:13, 7:08, 7:03, 6:58, 6:53 (actually down to 6:18 pace for most of it).  Did I ever tell the blog how much I love NUMBERS?  I remember them very easily.  I could tell my friends what times they ran for all their half and marathons, 10ks... etc... if they wanted to know..  VERY odd huh?  Anyway Visiting Teachers here.  AP for 12 miles = 7:28.  BTW STEROID SHOT HEAVENLY--- MY FOOT is SO HAPPY!!  Hence why I am running better.  However my left foot neuroma is not feeling the love.  The pain has somewhat dissipated but I can tell I favor how I position that foot to prevent it worsening.  Darn thing.  I absolutely do NOT what another steroid injeciton.  But I don't want surgery either.  Hopefully when I switch to my Altras (zeroed shoes) my neuroma will stop acting up.  The shoes are for Christmas.  I have them but I can't wear them until after Christmas since they will be wrapped under the tree : D.  Silly parents.  Oh yah did 52 push ups. Perfect form of course : D.  YOU KNOW YOU ARE COMPETITIVE WHEN.....you go to a work Christmas party and with  a TMJ disorder you are one of two FINALISTS in the drink down an ounce of breast milk (EGG NOG in this case) from a baby bottle with a  nipple on it of course.  I have two BRUISES on my tongue from my teeth clenching the bottle to hold my tongue in place.  I could hardly chew almonds this morning.  OUCH!!   My jaw is spasming!!   BABIES ROCK!!!  They have the strongest tongues and jaws!!

430am run around PG.  8 mile loop that I extend on to at the end to get in just over 9 miles.  COLD but not too bad with my SPECIAL WOOLY-like 80s jacket.  Love that thing!!  Chin frozen but CORE toasty!!  Ran easy after yesterday's TM run.  8:33 AP for 9.1 at under 20 degrees!!  First two miles 9:18, 9:04.  Ahhhh the way I like my recovery runs!! :D.

Worked all day yesterday then went to my daughter's choir performance with my family.  So....more tired this morning getting up to run a bit over 8 miles. In fact I awoke to my alarm.  I usually wake before my alarm.  I was wondering if I should just roll over for another hour.  But nope got myself out there in the FROZEN tundra.  Forgot that I had some hot flashes last night and while running my thighs were really cold and stiff....why?  oh yah, my hotflashes on my underclothing froze in the air and created a freezer effect.  Dang.  Should have changed out of them.  Oh well, after 6 miles my legs were warming up and felt quite light.   Feeling like my normal crazy running self.  The way I like it.  : D.  AP for 8.41 miles =  8:14.   First mile 8:58.  I so love a slow start.  : D.

First hope you all didn't miss the Lunar Eclipse this morning.  Aubrey pointed it out as she heard about it from the news last night.  And sure enough the moon was almost halfway covered as we started out on our run and at precisely 7:05-- the Eclipse!!!  Pretty cool!! None of us had a camera though.  My cell phone was frozen when I got back from the run so it wouldn't have helped either.  This was coldest run of the year so far.  Josse and I drove to Spanish Fork to meet Aubrey and McKenzie for a long run at 6am.  FREAK out.....so very cold.  17 degrees but feels like 8 (due to humidity).  My feet were numb for the first two miles.  My thighs never quite unthawed so they were super tight.  Aerobically it all felt easy but I was ridiculously stiff as a board.  I lagged behind a couple times but not far...but then finished with a quicker last mile.  I had my garmin in overall time mode so I didn't know our pace untiil mile beeps.  I was surprised we could even move below 8 mm pace in this freezer weather.  AP for 16.15 miles = 7:51.  I was on my own for my last mile as the others were only running 15.  I was going for that 70 mile week.  Since my foot is miraculously healed from the steroid shot I am feeling more and more like my winter running high mileage self.....will cut back come Jan. 1st before Boston Marathon training.  No time goal for Boston just yet.  It all depends on how I feel.