All it takes is all you've got

Aaron has quite persuasively immersed me in constant barefoot running discussion this weekend so of course I had to go barefoot again for a bit today. Went to the gym and ran my first 2 miles barefoot around the track. At first I just felt tight and tired from Saturday's race but as I focused my stride and cadence, I started feeling looser. I focussed on making quicker, more frequent steps and staying light on my feet. Other than the usual post-race fatigue I felt pretty awesome. After a couple of miles I stopped to stretch and evaluate how the no shoes was affecting my feet and legs. I felt a little bit of tightness on my lateral calves and decided that I didn't want to exasperate the tightness lingering from last week by running my whole workout barefoot, so I laced my shoes up and ran 6 more miles on the treadmill. To be honest I could have easily done more barefoot miles if my calves weren't already so tight but I didn't want them to work harder than they had to on a much needed recovery day. After I put my shoes back on I felt like my feet and lower legs just went into auto-pilot recovery running. I really liked how it was feeling to make them think and work a little more while barefoot though. I didn't have anyone talk to me about running barefoot at the gym but after Aaron's experience of being confronted and asked to put his shoes back on, I'm wondering if I ought to consider getting some Five Fingers too so I can continue to strengthen my feet through minimalist running. Or I could just pull out some old worn down compressed running shoes and get the same effect. I'm not as hyped up on the barefoot running as Aaron, but I'm certainly hyped to hear that he is planning on running a Marathon with me this next Fall! Yeah! I'll have a running partner for long runs this summer!

20 minute warm up, stretching, 4X25 sec. strides

8X800M on Boulder Creek Path. Splits were 2:56, 2:54, 2:59, 2:54, 2:55, 2:54, 2:52, 2:51.  Darren set out some cones and spray painted a start and finish line on the path for a measured half mile.  We just went back and forth on the measured half mile and jogged for a few minutes in between.  The first repeat and every other one after that was gradually up.  The odd ones were gradually down. 

10 minute cool down

My calves and achilles were pretty tight in the warm up and for the first two repeats, then I started to warm up and feel okay in my lower legs but my body didn't speed up any.  I guess  I'm still pretty tired from Saturday's race.  I was very happy to be able to make it through the workout even though I was tired and tight.  I have a massage scheduled for tonight....ahhhhh.

9 miles very easy.  Just enjoying the peaceful morning.

My kids got immunization shots yesterday afternoon.  Wow, that was not a fun visit.  It took over an hour to wait for the nurse, listen to her tell me about all the shots, and decide which ones we would do in that visit.  Then it took another hour for her to prepare the shots (each kid got 5-6), administer the shots, and check out.  The problem was that all my kids are way behind schedule for recieving their shots because I'm not a huge fan of injecting dead viruses into small babies so I purposefully delay it until they are a little older and bigger in the hope that their body can handle it better and not have side effects.  Since I delay, when I finally do decide to take them in for shots they need a lot.  The reason I decided to take them in this time is because Abe's school said he needed a few more to be attending school and I decided its time to start Ali on her first wave since she's a lot bigger and stronger than she was 16 months ago.  I made the mistake of allowing Breanne to be in the room as Abe recieved his shots and he was really tough but he did cry a little and I think just the sight of the needle and seeing her big tough brother wince in pain caused her to FLIP OUT.  She was crying and wincing for him and when it came time for her to get her shots she was hiding behind everything in the room like a little scared rabbit.  I tried reasoning with her and explaining the benefits but I was not getting through to her and she was becoming more and more upset so I finaly just had to take her arm sleeves off and pull her pants down to her knees and hold her tight.  Not my favorite thing to hold my child as she screams bloody murder and tenses up in fear and pain.  The nurse was as quick as she could be for all 5 injections but Breanne was not making it any easier.  Luckily Ali had been out in the hall walking with another nurse so she didn't witness the drama, but as I held her for her shots she did not like them at all and Breanne continued flipping out drastically while watching her baby sister get the evil pokes.  Breanne was in the most strung out and emotionally disasterous state I have ever seen her in.  I think next time I'll take back-up support (Aaron) to aid in the drama control. 

Last night and today we are dealing with the fun side-effects.  Abe complains of feeling tired and has cried multiple times about his arm aching.  Breanne puked and has been pale and sick all day.  Ali tossed, turned, coughed, and moaned all night with discomfort and I had to take her in the basement so that everyone upstairs could sleep (needless to say, I didn't sleep great lying next to a tossing, turning, coughing, moaning baby all night).  But at least we wont get whooping cough!  (In theory).  

So as you may realize, I'm not a huge fan of immunizations.  My biggest reason to get them for my kids is because I think it is socially responsible.  I can understand people who choose not to get them though.  Some kids may be more suseptible to severe side-effects from the shots and I think parents have the right to make that personal desision for their kids and not be punished for the fact that they would rather take the risk of their child getting the whopping cough or chicken-pox or whatever other illness they choose not to immunize for rather than risking the potential side-effects.  Most of the diseases themselves are not generally life-threatening anyway.  But on the flip side of the coin, the incidence of immunized diseases is probably lower because of the immunizations, so thank goodness for that.  Anyone else have an opinion about this issue?

Long Run today on Big Dry Creek.  I took it very easy for a couple of miles and then stopped to stretch.  I also stopped to stretch again at mile 4.  My legs felt tight for the first 4 miles, but after my second stretch I really loosened up and started feeling great.  8:08 pace overall.

I really enjoy long-runs.  These are my favorite training days.  Mostly because the first 2-5 miles of my runs are always tight and a bit slower, but once I warm up I feel like I can go forever.  Time just seems to pass and I get lost in my thoughts.  I didn't take any fuel or water on this run because I figured in 30 degrees I wouldn't sweat a ton and I was right.  I felt strong all the way to the finish.

Saw a Mom in a black mini-van with flames painted on the front hood dropping her kids off at middle-school. I think her coolness level may have trumped the secret handshake Mom I saw a few weeks ago. 

Decided to bike this morning because I was feeling tired and sore from yesterday and I was just really in the mood for biking much more than running.  Biked for a little over an hour (I'll call it 5 miles of running) in the beautiful 35 degree sunshine.  Wore my snowboarding gloves and some windproof shoe covers that Aaron has in his bike box.  Those shoe covers are genius!  My feet stayed nice and toasty.

This afternoon I went to the gym to put the kids in child care and ran 3 miles in my new Vibram Five Fingers.  Two miles on the track and another mile on the treadmill.  The treadmill made my feet feel hot.  It felt pretty awesome to really focus on my form and stay light on my feet with a quick cadence.

Lifted weights for another 40 minutes after running.

Four Mile Creek trail in Boulder with Running Republic.

20 minute warm up, stretching, 4X25 sec. strides

15 minute steady tempo at 6:20 pace (some gradual hills)

3 minute recovery

4X6 minute intervals with 3 minutes of jogging in between.  Intervals were at 6:11, 6:04, 6:06, and 5:47 pace over rolling trails.

15 minute cool down

Great workout today!  I felt a little bit tired and my right achilles was still a little bit tight, but I really enjoyed the beautiful weather and good company.

After running I stopped at Safeway to get some groceries and came home to make a big pot of chili to simmer all afternoon.  Then I cleaned the house and Aaron and I and the kids met our good friends (with 5 kids between the ages of 3-9) at a big indoor pool with slides and a lazy river and fun kids area.  We all came back to our house afterwards for chili, bread, watermelon, and cookies.  Adults played Hearts while kids watched They Might Be Giants, Here Comes Science and played in the basement.  Now they've gone home to bed and our kids are sleeping soundly too.

What a fun day!