I'm not crazy...I'm just bored!!

5 miles on my normal 6 mile route, but I cut out the last loop because I snoozed a little too long. Felt great this morning!

Remembered my Rools and kept pace on the uphill - very pleased with my splits. If it wasn't for the first mile, I'd call this nearly a full tempo run. I was really pushing up the hills, breathing was harder than I've pushed for quite some time! But oh how good it felt when I was done.

AP: 8:36 splits: 9:23, 8:21, 8:05, 8:26, 8:42. Those last 2 miles are all uphill, what I call my 'hill of death' because it's the long slow climb back home. I was SO surprised to see them under a 9mm.

Heading off the the gym for step class - love feelin' good and running well - now to put my diet in order :)

**step and abs class at the gym - it was a good sweaty workout, and thankfully ab's was a little easier than last week!**

I got to practice running from insurgents in a war zone this morning. Camp Williams was up playing war games this morning and when you don't have an ipod to drown out the blasts you have to use your imagination :)

Some 'little' friend of mine decided to turn my garmin on for over 13 hours as it sat by the computer yesterday, so this morning it was dead. I was going to try a new route, but decided to just do the 5 mile loop I did yesterday backwards, since I wasn't sure how far exactly the new loop would be. Downhill at the beginning and end was very nice! I like the loop this way better, I think.

Pushed on the hills, but nothing like yesterday. I'm sure the effort was around a 9:20 AP, but it's nice occasionally to run without the garmin - as long as I know how far I'm going.

Adam is 6 weeks old today - wow how time flies!!

***went to the gym and did total body/resistance/lifting class, then ran off to doc's for my last appointment. She cautioned me against losing any weight if I wanted to continue nursing. Has anyone ever done marathon training while nursing (or know someone) that could give me advice? I don't like dragging along these extra 20 pounds, but I also HIGHLY value nursing my babies until they are one. I need some advice..***

Long story short, I didn't get to bed until midnight last night. I figured I'd take a rest day mid week, I was tired and I deserved it - so I turned the alarm off, snuggled Adam and went back to sleep.

After getting up and getting the kids ready for school I wanted to run. My mom and sister came over to weed for me (my poor mother was terribly embarrassed by all my weeds during family parties a couple weekends ago!), so I figured I could leave my 3 year old to 'help' them - which he'd be doing anyway - and take baby in the jogger for a short stroll.

Turned out both Adam and I needed a good run this morning. Same 4 mile loop I did with the jogger last Friday, but a little faster today (letting those Rools sink back in, especially hills and headwinds). It was later and hotter, but cloud cover and a breeze made it tolerable.

Came home, helped with a little round-up and supervision duties and then I even got taken to lunch, and it was even better than the $ menu at McD's! However, I did have to buy my own cookie :)

Sleeping in, run, weeding done, lunch, cookie and now a nap - NICE day!!

AP: 9:13 splits: 9:10, 9:36, 9:45, 8:28

I love what these thunderstorms are doing to the sky for sunsets and sunrises! It truly is beautiful!!

Reflective morning, lots of wandering thoughts after getting passed by a young man like I was standing still. Am I really cut out for this? Remember when I was fast...and thin? Good thing I came around to remembering that I run for me because I love it and not for others or to compete with anyone but myself!

Felt slow and tight this morning, but around 4 miles finally felt good and in a nice rhythm. The downhill was faster, but the uphill (last 3-4 miles) was a stronger, more focused effort.

When I started out I saw 2 mommy deer and 2 babies running across an alf-alfa field. I don't know if the babies were twins or just out on a play date with moms, but it sure was neat to watch them. Stark contrast to the freshly hit raccoon on the way home :(

AP: 9:04 splits: 8:58, 8:29, 8:34, 9:14, 9:20, 9:35, 9:15

Slept in knowing I could easily do 3 on the TM at the gym (and hoping I could run with Kelli too!). It was nice to get a bit of extra sleep, but I did miss the sunrise :(

Total body conditioning class, then 3.25 on the TM - 2@9:20, then slowly increased pace during the last mile to end at an 8mm for the last 2 min of time (30 min total time), so I don't know the split I'm assuming around a 9mm. 

I had a GREAT time chatting with Kelli, and I'm glad she got stuck in training so I could run a bit with her. I sure do miss long runs with friends, just chatting the miles away! I hope I get brave enough soon to get back to long group runs on Saturdays.

headed out early for my run AROUND the lake today. About 1.5-2 miles in I had a guy join about 100 yards in front of me. He was running a slow enough pace I knew with a small steady increase I could take him :) Caught him before the light (my goal) and got chatting. He was going down to the lake as well, so I asked if I could tag along with him. We had a nice chat (a fellow marathoner) for the next few miles then he turned at the lake...and I went around.

Just a 1/4 mile later or so, I was blessed to run into the BBK group doing their long Saturday run! I had seen the email and thought if I was lucky I'd run into them at the lake or between there and the new HS. Sure enough! I couldn't keep up with the lead group's pace, but I wasn't too far behind :) It was nice to see and chat with them for a bit though!

The last 5 uphill miles home were slow, hard and lonely. I was very grateful that I had carried and dropped water at the HS so I could stop and drink @ 10 miles. I needed it! If I wasn't afraid of running with a sloshy belly I'd have drunk the whole bottle! I also got to walk about 1/3 of a mile home, which was a nice cool-down.

Overall it was a good run, but reviewing splits I think I started out too fast (with the first guy) and it pulled my energy the last few miles of the run. It didn't feel fast then, but those last 3 I could definitely feel the energy drain. Lesson learned!

Now that I'm home, rested, stretched and rolled I'm feeling good and thinking I could've run a few more. Nah, slow and steady - NO injuries!!

AP: 8:55 splits: 8:50, 8:06, 8:18, 8:29, 8:46, 8:55, 9:02, 9:04, 9:26, 9:07, 9:29, 9:42, 9:34 (last .10)

wow...faster than Ogden 1/2 (best 1/2 time so far this year) and highest mileage week since the first week of November (just before SF).