Chug-along-chica!

I've been getting really good sleep since I've been sick. My fever is gone, my energy is returning, but there is still a lot of gunk in my lungs. I left church early today because I couldn't stop coughing like I was trying to bring up a hairball. Next week will be better.

Well...let me explain that rotten sleep. I took my traditional Sunday nap yesterday, and it wreaked the traditional havoc with my bedtime/ability to fall asleep. I should give it up, but I just love napping! I don't see why all kids everywhere don't beg their parents for naps. Youth is wasted on the young!

So today I spent almost ALL my time and energy potty training my littlest guy. I won't bore (or horrify!) you with the grisly details, but let me just say that I think we are 95% there. I can hardly wrap my mind around the idea of no more diapers after 7 years. This is a red letter day in my life!

In terms of running, I am preblogging here. Christine and I are going out for a gentle 3, she is going to talk my ear off, my knee is going to be fine, and I am going to run no faster than 11:30 pace (which is my ultra-safe speed).

(Ended up being 3.12 at 11:18 pace, almost eventful, as my productive coughing fit mid-run almost produced  a yakk.  But the knee is ok, so I'm trying for 4 tomorrow.)
 

3 miles with Christine.  I woke up this morning feeling not so hot, so I skipped my planned morning mile.  That 8 hours of sleep is somewhat misleading.  I was in bed that long, it was very interrupted sleep.  I had to get up so many times with my littlest.  Post-traumatic potty training syndrome, I guess.  I am exhausted.   (Zero accidents today, though!  I'm proud.) 

Blechy day.   This was supposed to just be my extra mile, but I didn't get out this evening as planned because I was needed at home.   It's probably good to rest a little.  I am still coughing a ridiculous amount.

I am feeling pessimistic about doing the Striders half.  My training has been pathetic for a very long time.   

One bright spot from today is that my little 3 year-old is making me so proud.  He has memorized some verses of scripture describing our religious beliefs (The Articles of Faith).  He's just barely potty trained and he's got the first three memorized!  I'd been teaching them to my older guys, and he just picked them up.  It's funny to hear his little mouth say big ol' words like "atonement," or "ordinances."  

4 miles, 1.4 BAREFOOT! Hahahaha! Running barefoot for the very first time in my life brought the biggest smile to my face I've had all day. It feels good! It took me about a quarter mile to really start getting into it, and not run so gingerly, but then, it was all good news! I could feel that there were muscles in my feet and lower leg that I don't normally use. By the end of the first mile, I could tell that I had modified my gait. It seemed like I was much more forward, putting more weight on the balls of my feet, and my foot does its own little push-off. After 1.4 I put my shoes on. I still felt myself running a little differently. One interesting thing is that after running barefoot, my shoes felt much tighter. I think it is because of increased circulation in my feet. I wonder if this is part of the reason that barefoot running is supposed to prevent injury. I've got to try it again tomorrow. The only bad thing is that there is an occasional little rock that I'd step on. Ow. This was the most exhilarating run I've had in a long time. I was planning on stopping at 3, but I just didn't want to, so I tacked on another mile.

1 mile this morning, barefoot. It was beautiful...sun just coming up, ducks on the lakes, the cool pavement between my toes...

3 Miles tonight, shod. Within .1 of starting, my knee started to hurt/get a little tight. I stopped and walked for half a mile, then continued my run with no more issues. My knee doesn't like going straight from sitting at a computer (reading about running barefoot, of course) to running. Guess a little warm-up is in order, even though I'm still running slowly.

Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for my nightly coughing-for-20 min. ritual. Very long-lasting cough, this one. I am so ready to be over it!

Oh yeah, and I am NOT running the Striders Half Marathon. James will be running the Provo City Half Marathon, and if I feel up to it, I will too. Otherwise I will run the Provo City 5K. To tell the truth, I would MUCH rather run the 5K. You see, April 7th marks the year anniversary of when I really starting running/training. Sasha said he thought I'd be able to break my high school 5K PR in about a year. Too bad I've had these injury set-backs, or I might have already done it. But I was close! And if I were to break my high school 5K time in Provo, I would...I would...I'd just EXPLODE from happiness and every ache and pain or annoyance from running in this last year would be totally worth it. *Sigh.* It's not every day you get the chance to go back and right a wrong that has haunted you for a long time. You guys probably have no clue what I'm talking about, but I'm too tired right now to elaborate. Sweet dreams, everyone.

(The other night I dreamed I was the Prime Minister of Britain. Just thought I'd throw that out there...)

1 Mile barefooted. 3 More with shoes and the dog. Lovely night.