Sunday morning bliss

What a wonderful run today! I ran 9 miles at an 8:15 pace. It should have felt hard for how I've been feeling lately, but it was a nice easy pace today.

Mile one was 8:15, mile two: 8:05, mile three: 8:18, mile 4: 8:17, at mile 5 I had to stop to go to the bathroom...TMI, I know, but this has NEVER happened on a lake run before (or any other run for that matter). I won't say where I "pulled over to pee" or go into any more detail about it, but my mile 5 was pretty fast considering the "stop" at 8:18. Mile 6: 8:15, mile 7: 8:20, and 8:20 at mile 8, then my final mile was 8:11.

Total for this week: 25 miles. (I took Thursday off, which was to be my 5 mile day. I can forsee this happening a few more times prior to race day on Oct. 4. I really have to get off this blog and get started with some online homework!)

Thought for the day: Why do we waste our time worrying about the things we cannot change? Worry has never solved any problems, and it never will.

Saturday, in the Park...

I took a couple of well deserved days off. I have to admit I'm a bit stressed out right now, but things will get better once I get used to the new schedule of running, working, and going to school, then of course my most important job of keeping the house and family taken care of!

Today, I ran a 2 mile wmup, with a 3 mile race pace, then a one mile cooldown. Here are my times...

Miles one and two: 8:20 and 8:17.
Miles three, four, and five: 7:58, 7:40, 7:09.
Mile 6: 8:22.

Good workout! Shelley is over with Austin, as well as T! Shelley, Austin, B and C, and I went to the playground today! It was a TON of fun but very cold. It's been a fun weekend so far! Tomorrow, I'll get up early and get 9 miles in. I'm not sure if I'll run around the lake a few times or go another route. I think I'll decide that at the last minute.

The race is coming up very quick. I can't believe it's already almost September. One more month of consistent training and I'll see what my hard work has done for my race performance. I may not run a lot after the race is over. I'm thinking about just trying to get out the door 4-5 days a week and doing short runs all but one of those runs. Sunday will probably always be my long run day. I'm very excited for the race, but really need to focus on school right now.

Thought for the day: Stress is just a nasty six-letter word!

Progression

I haven't been very good about posting lately. I can see myself posting less and less during the school year (that comes with the territory of the full time job with full time school).

Monday was my easy run. Three miles at a modest pace (I think 8:40/mile).

Tuesday I had off. I didn't run at all, but I played outside a lot!

Today I got out the door at about 7am. I love that time of day (now that it's staying darker later in the morning). Unfortunately, I will have to really get myself used to waking up earlier and just GETTING out the DOOR~~

My progression run felt amazing. I still feel like my lactic acid threshold is low and the last mile of my hard run (mile 6) was torture! Overall, the workout was really great!

Mile one- 8:31
Mile two- 7:43
Mile three- 7:33
Mile four- 7:19
Mile five- 7:15
Mile six- 6:57
Mile seven (cooldown)- 8:31

It's really amazing how EASY 8:31 feels when you've run hard for 5 miles!

Classes start soon! I already have emails from UWC (for my three online classes), as well as confirmation of my 5 credit UWRF course for this fall! I signed up to take my PRAXIS 2 test (I have to pass this to student teach). I'll be taking this test in November! This should be an exciting and BUSY school year! I'm looking forward to graduating college. Even if I don't get a teaching job right away, I love working in the school! Every day is a new adventure, and a chance to reach children with the hope of passing on a love for learning!

Thought for the day: "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idol, wise people are diligent." BUDDHA

Sunday Is Just One Day

This morning was a glorious run. I didn't feel amazing, and my legs still feel as if the lactic acid is pooling (some SERIOUS dead legs going on), but the run was terrific and not too fast! I ran 8 miles today at a nice even 8:31 pace. I also ran a different route than my normal Sunday route (not just around the lake).

My mileage this week totaled 29 miles. I skipped my Monday run (after running 13 miles until 8:30pm Sunday night). I didn't see this as a disasterous turn. What I do forsee as disasterous is what could happen to me when school starts again. I could use some good advice for what to do with 2 kids, a full time job, and full time college, as well as the desire to run well. I'm not looking to be an elite athlete any time soon, here. I just want to keep improving and see where I can go!

Tomorrow, an easy three. It's my progression week (7 mile progression on Wed.) coming up, and I'm hoping to kick some butt!

Thought for the day: Get outside! It's BEAUTIFUL~!

Poor Blogger

I haven't been very good about keeping up with my blog. Truth be told, I am EXHAUSTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just finished my final summer class yesterday, but it has been a very exhausting (yet worthwhile) process. Running has been going okay, but I feel slower and more lethargic than usual.

I took Monday off (was supposed to go an easy three), but couldn't get myself up and out of bed in time. I wanted to stay under the covers all day, but class trumps sleeping!

Wednesday I ran my workout. It was 3x1600m with 800m rest in between. My warmup was 1.5 miles and my cooldown was 2.5 miles. Believe me, I needed that 2.5 mile cooldown! As soon as I got home from my run, it was off to the showers, get dressed and literally, RUN out the door with the boys to class. (Yes, my boys have taken a college class now! They were with me every day except last Wednesday! Good for them!)

Wednesday's workout was fair. T had me running 7 min. miles on paper, but in reality, the first mile was 7:12, the second, 6:56, and the third was 7:07. Not exactly as fast as it was supposed to be, but my body just wouldn't let me go faster.

Today, I ran 5 miles with 8x100 strides. Again, it wasn't that great. I ran decent, but my body just felt like junk. I didn't think negatively during my run. I kept positive (which kept me on the road). Tomorrow is 7 miles. It's going to be more about keeping a positive mind set than anything else!

Thought for the day: When you like what you're doing, it's easy. When you don't like what you're doing, it's work.

Last Weeks Update

Okay, I ran 3 miles on Saturday morning. I got to try out my new Garmin 305 with heart monitor. The strap for the heart monitor was a bit (okay, very) uncomfortable, and it slipped while I ran. I also found that my heartrate was really high. I wonder if that was because the heart rate monitor strap was cutting off my circulation!!!

Randy and I ran together last night! Our wonderful neighbors watched our children while we set out for 13 miles. In the end, I actually ran 13.3 miles, but felt like it was a really worthwhile run. It was nice and easy (except there were LOTS of hills), but that's good for me. We didn't get done until after 8pm, so I'm not running this morning. I slept in a little and have school today, so I'll try to get 3 ez in later today or tonight.

Total for the week: 32 miles

Can't Expect Much

This week and next week are too crazy (school is INTENSE), so I'm not putting much in my blogs, as I have no time. It's 9:30pm right now, and all I want to do is go to sleep.

Yesterday, I ran 5.7 miles. It was supposed to be a 5 mile run, but I ran longer...no big deal. It was pretty muggy out early on, and I still had a nice run. Not too hard, not to easy. My pace was 7:56/mile.

I didn't run today. It's my day off. Good thing too...I had class all day in River Falls. I was so busy getting ready this morning, I skipped breakfast...Naughty!

Tomorrow I do an easy 3 miles. I'll get that done really early if possible. I'm going to the cabin tomorrow in the early afternoon. Not sure what I'm going to do about running 13 on Sunday. I think Randy and I will run 13 together closer to evening time. I was thinking somewhere around 6pm. We'll take it easy so that means probably 9 to 9:20 pace per mile. I'm hoping for decent weather that night. If it storms out, I'm scratching my run for the day...not sure what to do then....

Peace OUT...

Thought for the day: Stress is all in your mind...and your joints, and your nervous system, and your muscles.............

Progression Run

Let me start out by saying...I got a FULL night's sleep last night. I don't know HOW that happened, but it felt great! It helped to start the morning out on a positive note, with my 7 mile progression run ahead!

About 6:20, I left the house, waited for the Garmin to acquire satellite signal, and started my run, nice and easy. My first mile was completed in 8:35. I purposely slowed myself to make sure I wasn't going out too hard!

The second mile (the first of 5 for the actual PROGRESSION run) was pretty easy just under 8 minutes (7:54). My third mile was done at a 7:44 pace. Unfortunately, that's the mile where I met up with a couple of crazy little dogs and couldn't get them to go back home (I tried to use the pepper spray, but couldn't get it to work). It was a little scary, but their owner called them back (FINALLY) and off they went. Seriously, people. PUT YOUR PETS AWAY! T said I shouldn't worry about running all out to make up time like that. I guess my pride got in the way, and I really wanted this to be a progression run...that's my story. Anyway, it kind of ruined the rest of my run. After running so hard and fast to make up for the "DOG" time, I felt really wiped. I still ran 7:09 for mile 4, and 7:03 and 7:01 for miles 5 and 6. But I was really hoping to have the last mile (if not the last 2 miles) under 7 minutes. That was my goal. Well, running is all about adjusting. We may be adjusting because of weather, animals, or injury and pain. I have to learn that not EVERY run is going to be stellar (or better each time). I'm happy with my progress.

For the last mile, the cooldown, I didn't want to run...I was hurting! But I pressed on and finished my last mile in 8:07. Good run for the day!

School was absolutely amazing! It's crazy, fast paced, and a really great learning experience (sounds like running to me!). I have one and a half weeks left! How's that for a 3 credit semester's worth class!?

Thought for the day: You will never climb the mountain if you never make it past the hill.

No time for small talk...

Wow~

Today was my first day of Inquiry Learning (my final summer class). I can tell it's going to be a tough 2 weeks (smushing one semesters worth of classwork into 2 WEEKS).

Here's the scoop...I ran 3 easy miles this morning. I have tomorrow off, then a 7 mile progression run on Wednesday. I'll work as hard as my legs will let me on Wednesday, but I said it before; I have got to lower the intensity...I'm feeling over"run" (hee hee!) right now.

Thought for the day: What the HECK was I thinking signing up for 11 credits this summer!!?

After the Storm

The temperature was over 70 degrees by 6:15am. I realize with the humidity, it felt much warmer (definately in the "muggy" realm). It didn't matter...I wasn't going to scrimp on my long run today. However, I did keep in mind the idea of not worrying about hammering out a long run; I would just run this one EASY!!

Nothing is easy about running in this weather. My body tightens up and my legs get heavy just stepping out the door. But today, NO EXCUSES. I went out and just RAN.

It was nice to keep a slower pace. I noticed things around the lake that I usually just ignore when I'm running faster. The lake was a light shade of grey, and it was calm, yet I could see movement coming from under the surface (possibly fish or ducks). At one point, I saw a baby mole scatter around the road. I wanted to lead him to the side of the road (so I didn't have to see him flattened on my second time around), but I just let him go on his own. He was kind of cute. His front legs were so short they stuck straight out in front of him. His eyes were squinty. and he moved in kind of a zigzag pattern. I imagine he can't see where he's going. I wondered where his mom was. It reminded me of all the kids running around with no parents in sight. This is supposed to be the age of caution, isn't it!?

Speaking of caution...

I wish I could see more people out running or at least walking. I came across a car parked on the side of the road, with NO ONE in it. I thought, ooh, maybe a psycho is hiding in there...no, it was just an older man that parked it there so he could go for a run. I didn't meet up with him, but it's nice to see people out there exercising! I'm a suspicious runner. I try to have a hightened sense of awareness; that's why I feel better when I see others running. I tend to relax a bit.

Okay, that was a whole lot of wind! Total for today: 11 miles. Total for the week: 32 miles.

Thought for the day: This is enough thinking for today...I'm going to go stretch and do my crunches. Have a good one!

Time for A Break

I've made so much progress since really getting serious about running in the last 6 weeks. With that said, I need to focus on slowing down. I know, slowing DOWN!!? I remember starting up running this March, wanting to train hard for the Garry Bjorklund half marathon in June. I started out just being able to run 3 miles. After those runs, I would feel tired and worthless. It was a chore just to get out and do 3 miles! Now, I'm on an actual program that's working for me; but am I working for it? I think my long-winded point is...I need to lower my intensity. Sure I'm excited about running again, and I'm very competitive by nature. Slowing down seems so far fetched (yeah, especially since I feel pretty good while I'm running faster). The goal is to not get injured and to log some long slow runs. The race speaks for itself with proper training/recovery time.

I'm not taking time off. It's not like I'm injured and need a real BREAK. I just think it would be best if I don't log boastable (for me, anyway) times for the majority of my runs. We'll see how that works out!

On to my run today...

I ran a 2 mile warm-up, a 3 mile "race pace" and a one mile cooldown for a total of 6 miles. My legs are still heavy from all the hard running I've done lately, but my 3 mile effort was pretty decent. I averaged about 7:13 a mile for my 3 mile "race pace". I better slow things down if I want to average that for a 10 miler some day!

Thought for the day: I can see clearly now, the rain is gone...but only for a moment; it's on it's way back!

Anxiety and Sleep Deprivation

I just got my new issue of Runner's World in the mail yesterday. Since I have all summer off of work, I spend a healthy portion of my time reading. I sat down with the new issue and began reading about Tera Moody. Her story of sleepless nights and early mornings reminds me of me just a little. The fact that I can't remember an actual full night of sleep for the last 10 years makes this story hit home for sure. It's not that I'm an insomniac. I consider an insomniac unable to sleep or nap for any decent period of time. My issue is my lack of a full night's sleep (and then my desire to nap throughout the day- especially in the summer when I'm not working). I relate with one of her statements, "...really wishes she knew how to sleep." I think I'd be a better runner (and feel better/less irritable) if I had proper sleep every night. That's something I'll have to work on; right now, I'll just focus on writing in my run for today.

Morning run, 5 miles with 8x100 strides. The first 5 miles felt really smooth, not pushed. My legs were still a bit sore (and my butt...TMI), from my hard track workout on Wednesday. I ran at an 8:03 pace, and was off to my 8x100's. The first two were a little awkward. I felt like I was overextending my stride and even felt a little pain behind my left knee. For the next 5, I took it a bit easier/ counting up higher as I couldn't figure out how to get the Garmin to do 100 meter intervals. For my last 100 meters, I was close to the turnoff at 85th ave. (the HILL). I just finished on the hill...maybe not the best way to do strides, but hey, I'm stubborn so I just did it!

Peace out. That's my post for today, 5 and strides. Maybe my full-time anxiousness (ask my family...), and my lack of sleep go hand in hand. One thing is for sure; I am a type A personality. We live shorter lives, we strive for perfection, we usually overexamine EVERYTHING! I'd like to be laid back and relaxed...just give me a set of directions on how to do that, and I'll follow them!

Thought for the day: If at first you don't succeed...

Track Workout #2

Who: Me
What: Track workout #2
Where: Saint Croix Falls Track
When: 7am
Why: Because I'm crazy, that's why!

This was my second track workout this season. I began with a nice 2 mile warmup. After that, I stretched out a bit, drank a little water, and toed the starting line for my first 800 meters (of 4 total).

The first 800 meters was faster than I had expected, at 3:11. I haven't done 800 repeats in a very VERY long time; so maybe I shouldn't have expected anything at all! My rest was nice (400meters...I needed it). For my second 800, I ran 3:09. Okay, that was a little too fast. For the next one, I slowed the pace down to 3 minutes and 13 seconds. On my final 800, the watch said 2:45. I kept running as the GPS told me my 800 was finished (but I still had a good 60 meters to go). Although the watch said 2:45, it was more like 3 minutes. Very fast for me, but I pushed on the final 800 and knew this one was faster than the other 3. After doing my final 400meter recovery lap, I took some water, and JOGGED the 2 mile cooldown. My heart was pounding for the first 4 laps, and finally I started settling into a normal EZ pace for the final mile of cooldown.

The weather held together nicely. It was about 65-70 degrees with a bit of wind, but not enough to make a difference. I hear humidity and heat are headed our way for this weekend. I'll have to make sure to get out really early for my long run on Sunday!!

I enjoyed this track workout. I know I'm unfamiliar with my pace for 400/800/1600 meters, so for my next track workout (in 2 weeks), when I run 1600 repeats, I'll be sure to just let my body tell me where I should be. I'm not going to concern myself with trying to keep a certain pace.

School news...Financial aid has not shown up on my eSIS report as of today. I am in a boatload of trouble if it doesn't show up by the 20th of August. I contacted the fin. aid and admissions and registrar on all this. One of the ladies said it could be a problem. Okay, time is ticking away. I would hate for this to be the reason I can't graduate this coming spring. Wish me luck! I need it!

Thought for the day: “Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people”- Nido Qubein

EZ is not always easy

I'm seeing a trend in my Monday ez runs...they're not so easy. As I increase the intensity of my Sunday runs (and therefore, better my pace), my legs are heavy and I feel like I have to work harder to push out an easy Monday 3 miles.

I wonder if that's normal? If it isn't; maybe I need to intentionally slow myself down on my Sunday long run. The thing is; I feel good on my Sunday runs. I always push myself a little, but not so hard I'm overextending myself. For now, the answers remain a mystery. I have been using the "stick" and I'm not sure if I see any dramatic results. I'll keep using it...maybe there is a trick to it, and I don't know it!!

Today, lots of stretching, a little knee icing, last minute Place Based Science work (my last class wraps up tonight!), and then class at UWRF from 4-7:30!
Busy day! (that's always nice!)

Thought for the day: Observation is the KEY to open the door to learning.

10 is more fun than 1

That was the dumbest title I could think of for today. I'm losing ideas for titles. I suppose I could just use the date as my title....Well, I didn't.

Today was a nice comfortable 10 mile run. I laced up my new mizunos at 6:22 and headed out the door.

It was nice to see PEOPLE out this morning. On my first round around the lake, I met up with a guy on a bicycle. He said, "Good morning!" (I try to just wave, as I don't want to spark up conversations while I'm running). I saw him again coming around the other side of the lake and he said, "I'm beating you!" That was pretty funny...

On my last leg around the lake, I saw an older man walk/running his 2 big dogs. He was trying to talk to me, but I was trying to push out the last 2 miles of my run and didn't want to waste energy or time talking; so I kept running. It was a pretty even paced run, with the last 2 miles at 7:56 and 7:19. My last mile was intentionally faster, for the purpose of seeing what I had left after a pretty decent run. Overall, my pace was 8:01.

Total for today: 10 miles. Total for the week: 28 miles

Thought for the day: If you look at yourself and think, "What the heck was I thinking?", think again and make a change.

Windy morning run

Wait...to call this a run would be mocking the art of running. This morning, my run was more of a "jog against the wind"! It was my ez 3 mile day, anyway, so having a nice easy "jog" was the whole point. However, the wind pretty much took the wind out of me; so I ended up working harder than usual on an easy run.

No problems! I had my new shoes on today. I ended up getting the Mizuno Wave Inspire 5, and they were such a great deal, I was able to get "The Stick" as well. I can't wait to use it on my legs, even if they aren't sore!

Thought for the day: One more month until school starts!