With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams...

2 mile easy walk in the pm

Easy recovery miles this morning.  It was around 40^o outside, so I was dressed warmly.  I hadn't worn my running tights since spring.  I realized I might need to get used to running in them for the race if it's that cold on race day.  

My warm up mile was a 10:08, then mile 2 was around 9:30, then the last 3/4 mile was around 9mm. My parts all felt good, but I could tell my effort was more than it should have been.  I guess they're still recovering from Saturday.

Because my training miles never got really high, should I try and keep my weekly training miles about the same and just diminish my long run miles until the week of the race?  I was only getting 20-25 miles pre-long run in.  Should I try and keep that level until race week, or taper those down too?

Had to drive to seminary again, so I only got in 4 miles before it was time to go.  Did some physical therapy after the drive.  I didn't have time for my Garmin to find the satellites before I started running, so mile one was a ? on the pace.  The other miles were 8:50, 8:35, 8:20. 

My legs felt okay, but were still a little worn out/tired.  I hope my tempo run tomorrow goes well.  My last 8 mile tempo run before the race.  The end of tunnel is getting closer!

Luckily, I've got some FAUBLOUS new red and black apple-bottom skorts to run in for the race.   I'm so excited to try them out this weekend when it gets a tad bit warmer for my run.  I just know they're gonig to be fast!  Thanks little RAD. :-)

40^o  81% humidity

In the afternoon, I was able to get a couple of miles in with some cool running ladies from work.  I forgot my garmin, so I said we'd just run a path I'd run before, and keep track of the time on my stopwatch.  Except I forgot to start the time on the stopwatch, so we ran for a while.  I know it was 2 miles we ran...it could have been just a little over.  Not sure on the pace.  Probably a 10mm average.

Easy eight...lol.   No, this was my tempo run today.  8 miles total.  1.5 warm up, then 4 sets of 1600x 8:11 (I was able to do a little bit faster)  with 800 recovery.  1 mile cool down (included the last recovery).

I did not want to get out of bed this morning.  I think I've said that every day for the last 5 days.  It's not getting better.  I thought maybe I'd be motivated because this is my last really tough tempo run....but I wasn't.  I almost persuaded myself to sleep in and do it tomorrow. 

The end is in sight, but I feel weary from the journey.  I'm looking forward to the week-end taper and the last week of easy workouts.  But most of all, I'm looking forward to finishing the marathon so I can whatever I feel like doing....especially if it includes sleep.

I think of Carolyn...running every day for an entire year.  That is awesome dedication. 

I managed to get the running program to come up on my watch.  But I wasn't prepared for all of the beeping it was going to do.  I'm not sure why there were extra beeps along the way.  At one point on my second tempo mile, I heard it beep, and the remaining distance portion said .50 so I thought that meant my tempo portion was over, and I started slowing down.  About 1/4 of a mile later, I realized I was wrong, and I hadn't even finished the mile tempo...I blame it on the early hour.   So my second tempo run was slower than it should have been. 

Came home and showered so I could try and see some of the shooting stars that were supposed to be out this am around 6.  I didn't see any shooting stars, but I did see an awesome sattelite zip through Orion.  Supercool.

45^o,  83% humidity. 

lap	dist	pace
1	1.5	10:23
2	1	7:39
3	.5	9:22
4	1	8:17
5	.5	9:21
6	1	7:48
7	.5	9:08
8	1	7:58
9	.5	9:20
10	.52	9:22

47^o     81% humidity       clear skies.......beautiful

Slow warm up mile.  Not sure of the pace, my garmin hadn't picked up the satellites.  So I ran the distance and started keeping track after I reached the mile point.

Started mile 2 at moderate effort, and it was around an 8:50 pace.  Mile 3 was around an 8:30 pace, and mile 4 was an 8:50 pace.  It got harder to keep up the pace as the miles went on.  The moderate effort went from a 5 to a 7, but I knew it was only for a short time, so I just went with it.  The last mile I ran slower..I wanted an easy cool down.  I can't remember the exact pace, but it was between a 9 & 9:30.  1/3 mile walk at the end. 

I managed a quick nap before work. I'm loving those morning naps.

Probably do running/bleachers after work as well. 

Added two miles after work.  Went running with someone who hasn't run for a while, so they were slow and easy miles.  We even walked a little, but it was good company and I enjoyed the sunshine.

I got to sleep in and do 30 min easy elliptical this morning.  I think it's my first Friday actually doing something for a while.  Since I only have 12 miles tomorrow, I figured I could do a little something today and not be totally burned out.

Went to run our favorite trail and there was a sign up that said the trail was closed until the end of December because of rifle hunting in the area.  Who is hunting rifles?  J/K.  We were bummed, and thought we'd go try another nearby trail that goes around a lake.

The lake trail wasn't what we thought it would be.  It was very uneven, very sandy, and it was hard to tell where we were supposed to go, because it kept shooting off in different directions that all dead-ended.  We got tired of trying to figure it out after 2+ miles and headed back to the car.  Mr. had run out of steam, and I wasn't liking the uneven surface.  At mile 3.6 I was back at the car.  We decided that I'd just run the road back to base and he'd drive along in the car and stop to give me water, gatorade, etc. when I needed it.

For the first 4 miles, there wasn't a shoulder on the road.  Just 2 lanes @ 55 mph.  I was having to run in the grass/weeds on the side of the road whenever a car came by.  The road was really hilly. Not steep hills, just a lot of ups & downs.   The second 4+ miles had a small shoulder, so it was less "off road" running.  Much better.  We did find some interesting items on the side of the road as I was running along.  Nothing I'd post on a family friendly blog though.

The weather forcast was supposed to be overcast & rainy.  It was just humid and hot..no rain, and too much sun.  When we started, it was 71^o with 99% humidity, and when I ended, it was 76% with 80% humidity.

I think I underestimated 12 miles.  After 24 last week, I thought 12 would be a walk in the park, and didn't fuel up correctly yesterday.  I realized when I was done today that 12 miles is something I should plan for a little better. 

Lots of new and different variables today with my run.  I don't think my head was in the game like it should have been.  But I did feel fabulous in my new apple bottom running skirt!  With extra room in the pockets for my cell phone and my gu.  Thanks again Little RAD.