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

New day, new week, new attitude. 

Cold has settled in my lungs and breathing isn't quite as nice as it used to be, but I'm doing much better gut wise. Decided to sleep this morning. No more cold for me. 

6 TM miles in 50:30 AP: 8:25 - nice and easy. Started out a tad slower because a friend was on the TM next to me and I wanted to chat. Plan was to do 8:20's, but I started at 8:34. Mile 2.25 I went to 8:27 and stayed there until the last mile which TT was 7:35. 7:40 pace until the last quarter I went progressive to the end.

Masters swim class afterward. Pulls, kicks, drill, catch up, then a couple 25's of speed. Must've done something to me, because our time trial at the end of class I did a 200 is 3:30. A 15 second improvement from last time and I felt good afterward, exhausted, but good. Not being able to breathe constantly in the water (like you can on land) must mean my lung issues aren't as big of a deal in the pool. Or, maybe it was the fact that the coach put me about 6th in line (she has us line up fastest to slowest for this) and I knew I should've been 3rd. So I had it out for all the other ladies in front of me. Guess what? yup. I passed them :) I do have my pride after all.

Good workout today. I want to get out early and run tomorrow, lets see how motivated I am at 6AM and it's 20 degrees outside....

Fun morning on the TM. It wasn't the cold so much that got to avoid the out of doors, it was sleep. I got to bed late and then read "Catching Fire" too late and I was tired. Glad I had made a day care reservation.

3.5 miles on the TM in 28:30 AP: 8:06 - Started at an 8:20, then went progressive to the last mile under 7:47 and a fast finish.

Hit the weights. Did arms, shoulders, back, then some core and legs stuff. Repeated 3X

Day care heater was broken so they had the kids in the gym, and I decided to run a mile on the track to watch my little guy play for a few minutes. Timed the run with the stopwatch on my phone and finished in 7:17. On a cool down lap caught baby's eye and he started to cry - oops. That was the last of the track for me!

2.5 remaining on the TM and finished just shy of 20 min. - AP: 7:59, nice. Started at 8:06 then at mile 1 went up 1/10th of a mph faster until the last quarter where I went for a fast finish.

Felt good and still had 25 min left on the clock for the day care. Wanted to spin, but took the book and stretched on the stretching machines (one of my favorite things in the rec center) and stretched all of the lower body while I jumped back into the Hunger Games.

I always have to talk myself into the Mexican Mountain Goat workout for a couple weeks. So, we finally got it going since I've been inside and avoiding all the daily hills outside.

Did a 10 min warm-up @ 8:34, and forgot to slow it down for the first incline, but at least it was only 2% and it wasn't too bad. 

The rest of the Mexican Mtn Goat was at 8:57 pace. 2 min at 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 1 min at 7%, 8%, 9% with a one minute 'flat' (0%) between each. Then I needed a 2 min 0% break after the 9% to get ready for the way down. Reversed the order and finished up at 5.8 miles. The last .2 miles I went downhill at a 6:58 (-2%); man, that seemed SO effortless!! TT: 53:10 AP: 8:52.

Masters swim class afterward. I love to jump in the pool after a hard workout. We did a lot of pulls and I hit my descending times like I should have. Almost finished it all, but had to jet off to get my little guys out of the day care.

Fabulous morning! Only, I might get stuck outside soon :( Baby Fartlek was NOT being nice and even had a report written up on him bitting, pulling hair and pinching. Stink. This is the first time he's ever done anything so crazy. I hope he doesn't get kicked out of the daycare - it's cold out there :)

Well, I did it. I ran outside, in the dark, in the cold. Problem? It wasn't all that bad. I was actually hot (over dressed), came inside stripped off the hat gloves and neck warmer then went back out to cool down. I guess 2 shirts, fleece and a jacket, under armor and tights, headband and hat, 2 pair of gloves, 2 pair of socks and a neck warmer are a little too much :)

6 miles, not as fast as I usually TM, but I guess it was a decent pace. Wish it would've been faster, but it was the uphill miles 3-5 that really kicked my butt. No surprise there. 

AP: 8:36 splits: 8:48, 8:18, 8:41, 9:11, 9:02 (both these 9's should be lower! Even though they were the hills - the 8:41 was uphill too), 7:35.

Came home, got kiddos off to school then did yoga X with the baby running around. I missed yoga. Glad the nursery issues from yesterday forced me out this morning. Plus, now that I'm done with The Hunger Games life can return to normal and I might actually pick something up or do some dishes today :)

Got outside again today. The waking up is the hard part now that I've tackled the cold. I was going to do an 8 mile loop, but when the alarm went of 20 minutes early I suddenly concocted a new route I've never run that would be 6-7. Perfect. Reset the alarm, went back to sleep :) Why is it that my brain seems to come up with the most brilliant ideas when it wants to sleep? I couldn't think of a 6-7 mile route I wanted to run last night for loving or money!

Uneventful morning, except that there was an ice cream cone someone had dropped on the shoulder of the road. Funny, but it was still frozen. Not melted frozen, but still in a good soft serve swirl, on it's side partially smashed frozen. Yup, it's cold.

I was surprised when I saw the TT when I hit 7 miles: 1:00:15 - wow. I didn't think I was running that fast, especially with the hill of despair in there. Those miles were slow mind you, but I didn't think the others were fast enough to make up that much. I thought I'd be closer to 1:02 or 1:03. AP: 8:36 splits: 8:54, 8:10, 8:14, 9:24, 9:35, 8:16, 7:41 - besides the warm-up first mile and the 2 nasty uphill miles I hate looks like a good 8:15ish pace, since effort was pretty equal that just goes to show the nasty uphill and how well I really perform going UP!

Went to the gym for spin class, I'd been looking forward to it all week! Good class and I got a bike in front of the fan so I wasn't a horrible sweaty mess :)

Is anybody willing to or running afternoon tomorrow? I can run at 4 in the morning or at 2PM, I hate both options, but will take 2 over 4AM in the winter. I'd love some company if anyone is willing! Just planning on 12ish.

Well today's run made up for last Saturday. Waiting until the afternoon was definitely the right answer today. 

Lauren (10) had a swim meet at 7AM, so I was up early anyway, but for a different cause. She did a great job and will probably take a couple ribbons home. The SLco meets are nice, because they don't charge you anything for the meet - just your early Saturday morning hours :)

Got home, got boys up and then off to Jr Jazz and piano lessons. This whole time I also had 'work' with me and she wasn't going home until 2 or 3. So, after the craziness we had lunch and relaxed for a bit. But, my work's mom came to get her at 1:00! I was so excited - except that I'd just eaten a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese (don't forget the jalapenos!). Yeah, I was expecting a few more hours.

I waited until 2, then got ready. Garmin low battery - crap. 15 min charge and fingers crossed it would last and I headed out. 2 miles in I figured I'd better just run home. I was being pouty about not getting to run with anyone, lunch kept 'workin' its way back to me', and I've been having some emotional issues these past couple days. But, I figured I was tougher than that and I had to press on.

This was my "Tour of Herriman" route. Pretty much touches the N, S, E, W borders of the town, so by the time I was at the E border and at 'the top of the world' at that point I was feeling good and ready for the flight down! I love running DOWN that hill!! Over 300 ft of elevation drop in 1 mile - nice. It does make the flat and then subsequent gentle up feel VERY hard though.

Mile 7.5 I stopped my watch while waiting for the light and I noticed it said low battery - crap! I'm having a good run. Oh well, I'll just keep an eye on it and mentally note where and then switch timing to a stop watch on the cell phone. I hated keeping an eye on the garmin, but I got really good at just glancing at it to make sure the numbers were on and not actually looking AT the numbers :)

Stopped at the rec center for a drink. I felt good and with the fritzy watch thought maybe I shouldn't, but I knew I had a 4+ mile uphill climb home to go and that I would appreciate it later.

I glanced at my watch at mile 10.8 and it was 1:29:xx and I was amazed...hmmm, if I kept up a decent pace I could finish 13 miles (home) in under 1:50. I did have all the cruddy uphill to deal with, but I could do it. I can! So, I pushed on trying to keep a good pace and hitting those hills hard - for me.

I finished in 1:48:34 - awesome. I honestly think this is the fastest 'long' run I've done on my own and without racing. PLUS, I felt good afterward and probably could've tacked on a couple more miles. Even the hills didn't seem all that bad today. Crazy, I know! I guess I deserved a good one after last week, I know the secret fuel now - jalapenos! :)

I also got to watch the sun set - twice (thanks to running SO close to the mountains at one point). I thought about how sometimes it's the sunrise and sometimes it's the sunset, but just being out there enjoying it is the awesome part. We (runners) are an amazing group you know. Everyone is a friend, we smile and wave, then we'll run you down just to show you we can run faster and further than you can :)

AP: 8:21 splits: 9:00, 8:16, 8:16, 8:41, 8:21 6:51 (hello downhill!), 8:08, 8:50, 8:04, 8:36, 8:38, 8:30 - do you see that? Those last 2 miles I usually drag butt home (the hill I hate) I ate 'em up in 8:30's! Nice. I guess that Mexican Mtn goat workout really does help :) It is really nice to see my 'speed' training starting to pay off and that I can hold low 8's without feeling like I'm putting forth a HUGE effort, plus I recorded over 1100ft of elevation gain, so it wasn't 'easy' either. Gives me hope. Good hope. All I want for Christmas is a BQ!