One nice thing about having the kids off track is that I get to sleep in until they wake up on gym days :) 

15 minute warm up on the elliptical @ L12 -1.5 miles -talked to Kelli first, as she was finishing up her run, so I didn't get my normal 20 min - the day care has cracked down on 'overtime' in the daycare :( 

TM for 7 miles @ 8:43 AP. Started at 8:57 and did progressive through the miles until mile 5 was 8:13 and then did the last mile faster until the last .2 was at 6:58mm. Good workout and I felt great afterward as well.

didn't sleep much...too much going on in my brain after a rough afternoon/evening at home.

Got up and ran early with my neighbor again. I love that she gets me out! Did our normal 5K loop and she didn't stop once this time, progress! AP: 9:38; 9:31, 9:15, 10:05- best uphill mile so far.

Then ventured off on my tried and true 5 mile route, but did it opposite of normal. It was a good run and I felt good the whole time too! AP: 8:55 splits: 8:40, 8:57, 9:29, 9:38 (the 2 uphill miles!), 7:56. I pushed that last mile hoping I could score a sub 8, I was pleased when I saw the results. Only 1/2 of the mile is downhill - the other is a flat/uphill home, so it was nice to be rewarded for my strong finishing effort!

The sunrise was absolutely gorgeous this morning! When I stopped (I was running N at this point and couldn't see the best of it) I turned around and walked the .1 or so back home backwards so I could take it all in! I feel bad for everyone who wasn't able to enjoy it :)

Now I'm off to the gym for either total body class or Kelli's workout, we'll see which one I make time wise :)

***excellent workout with Kelli, she is better than a personal trainer! Upper body 3X and lower body 3X then I did 3 sets of ab's from Runner's World (standing, pull the weight up - ankle height to above head across the body; pull the weight across the body; pull the weight from the top down across the body). I might regret this workout tomorrow, but today it feels good :)***

I hate getting up early when its not for running! Had a dr appointment bright and early this AM, and I was too lazy to get up even earlier and run. Quick trip to the dermatologist to have a nice chunk of flesh removed from my upper calf, man it's gonna be pretty! :)

Got home and got ready for the gym, but wasn't able to make it there until 10, which normally isn't a problem, but my daughter had piano at 11 (a make-up lesson of sorts since she is off track), so I had to be home to take her. I've sent her on her bike before, but with ice over the dirt road she has to go on, I didn't think it wise. So, it was quality over quantity!

5.0 miles in just under 41 minutes. AP: 8:16. Started at 8:34 and at .75 miles started increasing the speed, but stayed at 8:07 for 2.5-3.5, then until 4.0 I was at 8:00mm. The last half mile was my push: 1/4 @ 7:30, then the last 1/4 @ 6:58. It was a good push. I'm not going to lie and say it was easy, but it was easier than I think I had anticipated it being in my head. I know my legs have this speed in them, they just need to learn it again. Is it possible to hit a 1:45 at Painters, or is this going to be asking too much?

Now it's off to the races at home!

Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'
-- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Another morning run with my neighbor. She seemed a lot stronger today than she has in the past, with no stopping at all. It's fun to see such progress! 3.3 miles @ AP: 9:50

Took off on my own not knowing what to do this morning or how long to go. I could tell my legs have a bit of fatigue in them, so I just ran comfortable the whole time and didn't push the pace. Ended up doing a 10K loop with 2 miles downhill, 3 miles up, then the last 1.2 down. Good course with lots of good training hills :)

AP: 9:12 splits: 9:04, 8:53, 9:44, 9:49, 9:35, 8:17, 8:35 (last .2)

Actually saw 3 other runners out today, must be the 20 degree heat wave we had this morning :)

Now I'm off to yoga and I'm determined to keep the computer off the rest of the day...yeah, good luck!

Got to go to a wonderful fancy dinner with my husband (on the company) to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse down town. Steaks are good, but OH!! Their broiled tomatoes are to die for! It is like candy melting in your mouth....mmmm!!! I think next time I'll just order sides and forgo the steak :)

So, since we were out late and my kids are off track my mom offered to watch them overnight - yay! We, of course, had to go back and pick up baby, but then I've been home with just him all day. So, we cuddled in bed this morning slept in like a couple of lazies :) I didn't get up and out of bed until 10:15! Ahhhh, the joys of having only one child. The only problem was the day care closes at noon - crap! I had to get to the gym. Because baby had been asleep so long he was soaked from head to toe,  and it was poopy soak...not clean. This was NOT a wipe job, it required a full bath (and washing my sheets today too!), but we still got to the gym just before 11. I knew I'd have enough time to put in my Friday 10K. Since my legs were feeling the miles yesterday (little aches and pains creeping in) I decided to just take this one nice and easy today.

Finished the 10K in 54 minutes, giving me an AP of 8:43. I did my normal progression run starting at 9:05 pace for 2 miles, then 8:41 for 2 miles then 8:34 until 5.5 miles, and from there did an 8:20 until the last .2 I ran a fast 7:30 to get 'er done.

The joy of this run came when the 'foot banger' came into the gym. Over my ipod I can hear his feet *bang, bang, bang* on the front of the TM and it drives me NUTS! So, after my run I had a couple minutes before daycare closed and I went over and nonchalantly asked him if he has knee problems (from reaching to far forward with his stride instead of landing his stride under his hips). He was recovering from ITBS, hmmm, really?!? Anyway, so I talked to him about how when he hears his feet hitting the front of the TM it should be a reminder to work on his form to not reach so far forward OR speed up the TM. I don't know if it made any difference, but hopefully he at least got the point that hearing the *bang, bang, bang* for six miles isn't a good thing - for him or us!

So, that was my crazy nosiness today. I don't think I've ever approached someone about stuff like that before, but I couldn't take it anymore.

“We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable.” - Roger Bannister

Had a wonderful run this morning! I knew it wasn't going to be a fast run, but that I could deal with the miles. My legs felt quite fatigued from the week and a little achy and rusty as we started off, I think at about mile 1.5 I was ready to turn back home :) Having Cal there to chat with kept my head off the legs though and on an out and back once you get out, the only thing to do is get back!

When we got to the lake the path around the lake was really bad snowed in still (I thought they would plow it!), so we stayed on the roads and just went out 7.5 then turned. It was perfectly timed at the end of the road. The plan was for 15, so I carried and dropped water where the lake's drinking fountain is and I took a Gu there (about mile 10) on the way home. That Gu really changed my run!

Cal started having some cramping problems and had to bail after repeated attempts to calm it down, so once he had a ride secured I took off on my own. Takes a while to adjust to the quiet after jabbering on for the past 2 hours. So, what my luck, there is Scott and Kelli coming the other way! Yipee, if she is at the end of her (literally) marathon run I will just jump in with them. Nope, she still had 15 left. Since I was already at 12 I wasn't going to run 27!! So, I kept on in the quiet.

As I approached the end of the road I got to thinking that since we'd walked some, I may be a tad short when I got home and instead of running around the 'hood to make it up, I'll just run an extra loop here. When I got to Smith's I had the idea that if I kept going up Rosecrest Rd that I could get the uphill over with sooner and be able to run downhill home. Sounded appealing so I went straight instead of coming home. This is how the Gu changed my run, not only did it make me convince myself to add on over 2 miles, it also convinced me that I could do extra hills so that I could run downhill home - stupid stuff! :)

Well, it all workout in the end and I had a wonderful run and I felt good at the end as well. Had it been more downhill I probably could've thrown a couple more in the mix. Especially if I had another Gu! So, it certainly wasn't a speed record for me, but I felt good and got the miles in - I really can't complain. It just makes me nervous about the 1/2 next weekend. I'm just such a pansy I'm afraid to shoot for a goal race time and not get it and prove to myself what a poor runner I've become over the last 18 months *sigh* I need some positive mental energy instead of what my brain feeds itself all the time!

AP: 9:30 splits: 9:27, 9:11, 9:07, 9:19, 9:00, 9:31, 9:48, 9:30, 9:31, 9:34, 9:56, 9:59 (first mile alone), 9:18, 9:50, 10:12 (the hardest part of and last section of hills!), 9:40, 8:49, 8:58 (last .3)

“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” - Herm Albright

Taper week next week so that I can shake out all this fatigue and little aches before race time. I'm going to hit this one, I will, I will, I will....