Another early morning wake-up while I try to sleep, but the kid is so cute I can't be mad at him. Hit spin class this morning - man do I love that sweat fest! Caught Bec as her tri-class was hitting the track and joined her for a warm-up mile. Then I did her workout with her (I was trying to keep up with her and she was taking it easy!): one lap to get the legs movin' and then 1/2 mile (4 laps) at a fast pace. I tried to run it like an 800 Yasso, a little more than comfortably hard. She only did one recovery lap, but I did 3 to round out my mile. Then I repeated the 1/2 mile push, but recovered for another 1/2 mile. I finished with a cool-down mile with pushing the last lap to speed out my legs. These four miles were in honor of my father - it's been 4 years today since he passed, and I wasn't a runner then. It was nice to honor him with a good solid 4 miles! If I had to guess I'd say the pace avg'd to about 8:30mm AP. Bec was finishing up with one last mile and I decided I would join her, so I guess I ended up with two cool-down miles.
On the way home I got the hair brained idea that I wasn't done yet. I knew Kelli was running a 5K for Riverton that I would pass on my way home, so assuming she'd be running extra miles I stopped to see if I could tag along. I couldn't believe it when I saw her in jeans! I guess when she'd told me she was 'running' the 5K I conveniently ignored that statement 'a water stop with the scouts' that followed :) She then said she was going to the gym with Wendy to do their normal Friday beat-down (they'd switched the long run and beat down days due to weather). I thought it would be nice to join them, so she said she'd let me know when they were on their way. When I got home Craig was 1/3 of the way through Kempo, so I joined him for the rest and then fed baby and put him down for a nap. Kelli conveniently texted then that they were on their way to the gym, so I hopped back in the car and went to the gym. When I told my husband I was leaving he asked where, and I answered "to the gym" "But you were just AT the gym?!?" Oh, the rhetorical questions posed to those that self-medicate with exercise. At the gym I did a .8 mile walk on a 5% grade @ 4.0 mph for warm-up and then we did a great workout: wall sits, plank, jumps, push-ups, walking lunges - repeated 4X. I finished off with 45 min on the elliptical @ L12 = 4.5 miles. I chose to do a little reading instead of more miles and chatting, gotta get through the book! :) I'm not quite as physically exhausted as I'd like to be, I'm afraid the emotional pain is going to start seeping in here soon. Now that I'm showered and with the family for the afternoon and evening I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to stop it. I like to exhaust myself so much on days like today that I have no energy left to feel emotional pain. Darn distance running, it takes 300X more effort and time to do that now - I used to be able to do it with just 3 miles! My father was (well, IS) an amazing man and it really saddens me at times that he isn't here to share with me some of the amazing things I feel like I've been able to do and to enjoy his wonderful grandchildren. I know he is watching and around...I just wish I could hug him and have a nice chat over ice cream sandwiches about life - oh well, I'll have to eat without him :)
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