TexasLindsey

8 miles this morning at 5:30 am.  I woke up Sunday with a sore throat.  I think I have a minor sinus infection.  I didn't feel like getting up this morning but I convinced myself by saying I could go as slow as I wanted and I would only do 6 miles.  I went really slow for the first 4 miles and then I just started feeling much better so I sped up and decided to run an extra 2 miles than I had planned. 

Splits

11:31

10:35

10:28

10:28

10:03

10:01

9:59

9:12

8 miles at 5:10 this morning. Took it slow and easy. I'm going to try to run 8 miles every morning this week and then 12 on Saturday. That will be 52 miles for the week, which is another increase from last week... so I'm just taking it nice and easy so I don't get an overuse injury.

Kinda funny thing happened today... I always encounter alot of bugs as I pass through this park on my route. 1/3 of my morning runs I either get a bug in my mouth or my eye. So today I was running through it on my way out and I decided to keep my mouth closed... but then after a mile, I started getting a stitch in my side. I guess not opening my mouth affected my breathing. It took me another mile to get the stitch to go away. So on my way back home when I was going through the park again, I decided to just take my chances and breath normally. Of course, I get a bug in my mouth. Yuck! So it's either stitches in the side or bugs in the mouth. Or maybe.... hmmm, I wonder if other people saw me running with a surgical mask through the park if they would think I was weird.

Splits

10:59

10:45

10:45

10:40

10:30

10:17

9:51

9:03

6.5 miles at 5:30 am.  Was planning on doing 8 again but I decided to cut run short and just take the final miles faster.  Still have this minor sinus infection... feels like my sinuses are clogged.  Legs felt great though.

Splits

11:23

10:22

10:05

9:43

9:20

9:18

8:09 (last 1/2 mile)

8 miles at 5:15 am. I didn't get much sleep. I've been going to bed at 8 pm with my 3 year old these last several nights. Yesterday he took a 3 hour nap and he wouldn't go to sleep at 8. I didn't get to sleep until 10. Then I woke up several times with the 5 month old. I had to change a diaper and give a bottle at 4:30 am so I was wide awake at that time and I considered skipping the run this morning to try to get more sleep.

What got me out of bed was thinking that through... It's not like "sleeping in" is truely an option for me. It would be very disruptive sleep that would ultimately end with me being jolted awake by either a crying 5 month old or a wimpering 3 year old with a poopy diaper. It really wouldn't satisfy my desire for more sleep... so I would end up starting my day resentful about not getting enough sleep and feeling guilty that I didn't run... Then I'd spend the whole day trying to arrange it so I could go run that evening. I would spend the whole day thinking about whether I felt like running in the heat.

OR I could decide not to wimp out and go run this morning my planned 8 miles. I would be back in time to make breakfast for everyone. I would wake up under my terms and after the run I could start my day feeling happy. I wouldn't have to worry about fitting any run in later in the day. 

Funny!  There was a time that I thought having 2 kids would be an impediment to me running... when actually it's what making me run more than I ever have.

Splits:

11:37

11:06

10:46

10:12

10:04

9:50

9:50

9:10

Today's run was awesome!!  It's runs like today that make me LOVE running!  I ran 12 miles all between 8:00 and 8:45 pace (which is really fast for me).   The route included a very steep hill.  I plugged it into www.mapmyrun.com to see what the elevation was.  It was about 1/2 mile long hill that went up 250 feet.  The grade was 8%.   It was a tough hill...   But last year, I thought it was alot tougher.  Today I did the mile that included that hill in 9:45.  My legs felt strong the whole run.  Even the hill didn't wear them out.  I must say I am really impressed with myself.  My best race before I got prego last year was a 20K (12.4 miles), in which I ran 8:34 per mile... today, I did almost as good as that and I felt great!  I can't wait to see how I do at the half marathon in a couple weeks. 

I did all this while running all by myself and without an ipod (it broke today)!  There was no one running my pace in the group today.  There were a couple girls doing 7:45 miles and a group of 4 guys who were running 7:00 or 7:30 miles... and then the next fastest was the 10 minute group.  I was in between.  I kept doing a slinky thing with the guys.  They were taking longer at the water stops because there were 4 of them so I'd catch up with them there... then we'd start out again and I'd fall behind and catch up with them 2 miles later at the next water.  

The advice I got from Sasha's article about increasing my daily miles and frequency has made a tremendous difference!  I can't believe how much faster I am now.  During the week I just run easy 6-8 milers everyday.  Then I show up on Saturday long runs with my group and run faster and faster. 

Splits:

8:41

8:52

8:50

8:40

8:29

8:45

9:45 (included the HUGE hill)

8:23

8:10

8:44

8:40

8:13