Denouement

No run.  Was planning on waking up at 4:30 and going straight to work and getting major work done.  I set my alarm for 4:30PM!! so I woke up on my own at 6:15.  I got good sleep and had a highly effective day.

Met MacK.  Ran 1.1, then stretched, then ran 5 more with her.  Then ran 5 on my own.  Mostly cough free, but wanted to cough at times, and coughed after running a bit.  My throat is much less raw, but I still have the urge to cough.

Core workout in the PM

Went to work straight after waking up.

Took a nap at the dentist while waiting for him to come in to put in my crown.

Ran in the pm, having to stop to take my son to art class, so I ran 3.25 on the tm and 1.75 outside.  It was so warm and lovely.

Made two batches of fondant, my first fondant ever. A pink patch (it's supposed to be red, but you know how that is, even with the powerful food coloring) and a yellow batch.  It was fun.

Stretching. 

Met SteveK, TylerS and Travis at the SF track.  I don't know why we ever meet there.  It is always so windy.  Today was no exception.  But every time I think, "it won't be windy today."  

Warmed up 2.25. After .25 of warm up and some coughing in this first stint, I went to my van and drank some dayquil.  Wasn't sure how the 1/2 piece of bread/vanilla gu/dayquil concoction would interact in my stomach, might have turned into a volcanic science experiment, but it was ok.

Plan was 6x1200, 600m rest, McMillan pace chart says 4:17-4:30.  I wanted 4:17-4:20.  I did 4:19 (with a very fast first lap 1:22 thanks to TylerS' exuberant pacing) (3:57 rest), 4:17 (3:58 rest), 4:20 (4:34-includes hs bathroom break), 4:20 (4:11), 4:21 (3:54), 4:21.  I was so sad to be 4:21 in the last two.  I was able to outkick Tyler on #5, but on #6 he started strong and stayed strong, and I came in last on the last one (the lead guys did 4:09-impressive!).   The guys were great to run with, and really helped me.  Given how I feel and this point in tax season, I am thrilled with this workout.  There is the famous Yoda saying printed on the hs wall that I read each of the three times I hit the bathroom this morning, "Do, or do not.  There is no 'try'."  Well, that didn't quite work for going 4:20 or faster, but it did for completing 6 reps.  One day I may be a jedi, but for now I am a padawan.

Short run this morning.  I thought I would run more after work but had a strange pain in my knee part of the time at work, especially going up and down stairs.  So I iced it after work instead, and hoped I felt better for my Saturday run.

Weight is bad.  Three more weeks of tax season.  I am going to do a whole 24 hours in bed after tax season.  Watch me. 

Walked 3 min, stretched then met MacK, Aub and Holly at Osborne's.  They were already warmed up, so we went straight into sub 8 min miles, so I was glad I had a slight walking warm up on my own.  At least that's something.  We kept a good pace the whole time.  We started chatting about food and recipes and I was so glad when the conversation went away from that, makes me kind of nauseous.  In the last mile there was a guy ahead of us and I wanted to get him, then MacK said we might get him, and that's all it took.  I practiced chasing down a gazelle and the poor guy didn't know what hit him.  It was good practice reeling someone in.  Last mile was 7:11 and was net uphill (treeline to Osborne's).  7:35 average pace overall.  Today was a Saturday miracle - no bathroom stops at all during the run.  That's a Michelle-feat.  

When I was driving up Woodland Hills Drive to my home (about 1300 feet above where I run), there was some crazy run-up-the-mountain race going on, and one of the other great girl runners that lives up here, Jen Hughes asked why I wasn't racing. Its a good question.  I am a wuss and hardly ever run the hills up here, mostly because I know the downhills aren't good for me.  I saw the last person racing, it was a man, and he had a big camelback that looked like it was stuffed with survival gear.  He also had a bulky sweatshirt around his waist.  I slowed to ask if he wanted me to bring his sweater to the park, and he said sure, and we realized we knew each other.  He's my kids' pediatrician.  I was wondering what crazy folk ran this race.  Now I know and I can tease him about having his own firetruck escort.