Running in the Rockies

So, Santa finally made good on his promise and I got cold weather running gear today!!!! I was so excited to try it out this afternoon while the babies were sleeping and before the snow began to fall - so I rescheduled a doctor's appointment just to be able to run! (hee,hee)

It was very nice to have light-weight clothing and still feel warm enough. It was about 35 degrees and I wore my new pants, long sleeve shirt, and 1/4 zip pullover (with gloves and a headband, which I already had) At times, I was a little cold (downhill and into the wnd); but I still ended up carrying my gloves and was warm ... almost everywhere. My caboose was still cold. ha! But overall, I was still very happy with my new clothes!!

Well, I missed the warmest part of the day to get that .5 nap time (hee,hee), but my sweet husband still let me go during rush hour (which is the time between 4-7:00 at our house - dinner, baths, and bedtime). I sure owe him big time today because he helped out a ton! I had a doctor's appointment, a staff meeting (I'm a CNA for my oldest daughter) and then my run. Luckily he had a slow work day. Having him working from home has been such a huge blessing for me! Yet I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the pay and not knowing when, how much, or will it continue? But, I just consider every day he has work to be a blessing and try to not worry about the future. The Lord has always looked out for us and blessed my husband with opportunities that surprised even us.

My clothes were still drying from washing them, so I improvised: yoga pants, sweat pants, thin long sleeve shirt and running jacket (with headband and gloves). It was 29 degrees and dropping, but I think this turned out to be the right combo. I was a little cold the 1st half mile, but the rest of the run I was great. I took my gloves off and on a couple times, so that means I was dressed just right. :o) I felt so tired and slow today. Once I finally decided that I didn't mind that I was going slow, I just enjoyed the run and didn't mind the distance. I think next week I'm ready to bump up a few runs to 4 miles or more. Three miles is starting to feel normal and sometimes towards the end, I feel like I could just keep going. I still think of the other great runners on this blog and wonder if I'll ever be able to run for as far as they do, but I remind myself that just taking it a week at a time, and a run at a time - I'll get there someday!!!

I actually didn't mean to run 4 miles today. I thought I was going on a 3 1/2 mile route, but somehow I added a little. That's one of the drawbacks of changing my route all the time: it keeps it interesting and I feel somehow safer, but I can't remember exactly how much each route and deviation adds up to. And like my run on Tuesday, I ran very slow and the first mile was hard - but I didn't really notice the distance. My knees hurt for a bit - probably because of the rotten ice and packed snow. And my right arch is a little ache-y since the run. But I'm sure a good night's rest will help that. Okay, so it's too late for a good night's rest ... but tonight's rest will help. :o)

Whoa! Crazy run today! I went on a trail that I have only been on once before. It's a beaufiul trail and I love the scenery, but soon after I turned around to come home I heard coyotes yelping to my left, and then another one to my right! Ahh!! Needless to say, my pace picked up a little and a lot of backward glances and silent prayers happened for about 5-10 minutes until I could hear them further behind me and then not at all. Freaky!!! I don't think I'll go on that trail again unless I have a running partner, a large dog, or a bicycle. I also ran past 2 deer that were in my neighborhood while they lazily watched me and my pitiful attempt to run up my mammoth hill. lol

I'm still running really slow (ave 12:16) even though the run is fine other than that. I'm not sure why my pace has slowed in the last few weeks. Another thing that I've noticed is that if I don't get off my feet for a little bit after my run, then my lower legs and feet ache for a long time. For example, if I have to start making dinner right away or clean, then I am quite uncomfortable all evening until I do get off my feet for a while. I don't know if this means that I'm going too long before I'm ready - or too inconsistently (only 4 times a week, rather than 6 like Sasha would prefer). Or maybe it's my shoes or the cold or my gait. I can't figure it out.