It's Been A Rough Winter

It was a long hard winter.  I had to struggle with motivation and depression.  It became a cycle that I had to break.  This week I broke it!

I spent this week trying to get back on track and start building my base back up.  I have my workout calendar hanging in the bathroom.  I ran or worked out every day.  I'm feeling really good this week. 

I'm running for time as opposed to mileage right now.  I started with just 15 minutes and have been adding time each day.  I did a day of cross training and two days of weights.  I'm also doing a fitness challenge this month.  By having the calendar hanging on the bathroom mirror, I see it several times a day and I have to be accountable to myself.

April and May will be used to build my base back up and on June 1st I start half marathon training again.

This week was tough, but I did it.  I ran two races this week.  On Friday I did the Good Friday Road Races.  James and I ran the 5k.  It wasn't his best race running wise, but he showed that he's really grown.  He knew it wasn't a going well, but he kept a great attitude and kept saying he just needs to finish.  He didn't complain and he kept moving.  I was so proud of him!

We also counted this race as two of the virtual races we are signed up for.  We did the Spaceballs Dark Helmut 5k and the Live Long and Prosper Leonard Nimoy Memorial Mile run.  The route had some hills, but they weren't too bad.  My legs were sore though from adding weights back and doing the fitness challenge exercises.

Saturday I ran the Harry's Spring Run Off 8k.  That one killed my legs.  They were complete toast by the end of the race.  It was hilly and ended with an uphill.  I was glad I did it though and I hope to get to do it again next year.

I had to change around some of my workouts for this week, but I have it all on my calendar.  It feels good to be back.  I'm feeling better as well.  I just needed to get up and get going.  I had to break the cycle.  It was hard, but I'm glad I forced myself to get back at it.

James is excited to start running with me this summer.  He loves running and I love having him run with me.  Tomorrow and Tuesday I'm in the gym, Wednesday is a partial rest day, Thursday and Friday I'm running, and Saturday I'm going to go the gym again.  I have the fitness challenge everyday this week as well.

Week 2 is going to be great!

100 Miles In August Challenge: Mile 11

Last week was kind of a blur.  It feels like I didn't do a thing, yet I was busy the whole week.  The weekend I ended up with a stomach bug of some sort.  I got some much needed rest though.

I went out for a run on Saturday with River.  It felt so good!  The first 20 minutes were nice and easy.  I was able to really feel great running for the first time in awhile.  Then my stomach started acting up.  I figured it was because I needed some water.  River and I stopped so I could give her some water too.  We got started again and my stomach was in full revolt mode.  Luckily we were near the park and I made it to the bathroom.  I had to call Mike to come get me.  I ended up getting a 5k in, but it was not a fun 5k.  Sunday I took it easy.  Yesterday I was still feeling a bit queasy so I opted to take River hiking through the trails at Huron Park.  We did 5k and I felt better.  I still ended up taking a nap in the afternoon.

This morning I felt pretty good so River and I went for a run.  I wanted to do the 5 miles I started on Saturday, but 10 minutes in I knew that wasn't happening.  I ended up doing 5k, but it was more due to the humidity rather than my stomach.  Tomorrow should be better.  I'm planning on doing some pace/speed work with James.  He likes doing that stuff.

I started this 100 miles in August challenge.  You run/walk 100 miles in the month of August.  I am excited about this challenge.  I know some of miles will come from walking the dogs, but I want the bulk of them to come from running.  This is the kick in the pants I need to stay on track with my half marathon training.  River is going to do a lot of the miles with me as well.  She does love her runs.

Today our run ended in a full 100 meter sprint because she had to chase down the garbage truck.  She's such a goofy girl.  She doesn't like buses or trucks and feels the need to chase them away.  The drivers always laugh at her.  I would to if she she weren't attached to me.

Tomorrow will be speed work.  James will like that.  Then we will hit his craft class and the comic book store for new comic book day!  Should be a fun week!

Rainy Days and Mondays

Today it's both, but they are  NOT getting me down!  Last night we had a lot of rain.  I knew it would be a wet morning.  When I got up around 6:30, it was pouring rain.  I thought there was no way I was running in that mess.  I figured I would just go to the gym. I got up and started getting ready, but remembered that Mike had to take my car today since his truck is in the shop.  No gym for me.  Then I realized that I had to take River for a walk rain or no rain.  After much back and forth in my head, I put my running clothes on and headed out the door with River. 

I love running in the rain.  I really do.  I don't know why I had to talk myself into this.  I like running in the rain for many reasons.  One, it's quiet and the air is fresh.  You aren't going to run into many people.  I love the smell of the air during a rain storm.  Two, I love running though the puddles.  When you're little you are always told not to splash, but I get to splash all I want on my runs with River.  We got out of our way to run though puddles.  Finally, the rain keeps you cool.  It's nice to feel the splash of cool water on your hot face.

River was all smiles too.  She's not one that likes the rain and will usually pout, but today she was game and happy to be running.  I am glad I got out the door this morning for run rather than a walk.

For the workout today, I did do a run walk simply because I took a hilly route and knew my legs just weren't quite ready for a straight run.  I did the following intervals:

10 minute run/2 minute walk

10 minute run/1 minute walk

10 minute run/2 minute walk

3 minute run to finish

I did the 1 minute walk in the middle because the walk interval came up halfway up a hill.  At the 1 minute mark I was at the top and wasn't going to walk down a hill.  My legs were sore at the bottom because it's a steeper hill.

I did take this weekend off.   I just couldn't get going.  I don't know what the deal was.  I have to make sure this coming weekend I'm up and out the door.  James will be here so that will help.

Tomorrow will be a gym day.  I'm doing speed intervals and weights.  Wednesday I have James with me so it will be shorter run with intervals.  I may make Wednesday a double and do a longer run in the evening.  Thursday will be run as I have to switch my 2nd gym day to Friday since I have a meeting that day.  Saturday will be a mid-distance run and Sunday my long run.  

It's been a slow start to the this half marathon training, but I'm getting there.  I will be ready by October!

Lord Of the Bling 10k Wrap-up

This week James and I have been running in a virtual race.  Last year we stumbled on this great group called Nerd Herd Running and signed up for their racing series.  They are virtual races with different geeky themes.  Right up our alley!  We had a such a good time doing it, we signed up again this year.  We are on our second race of the trilogy. 

James initially had a goal of running the 10k straight.  That fell through when he didn't train so we broke it down over the week.  Today we finished our 10k.  We went to Huron Park near us and decided to do a trail run.  We also were making our video for the contest they were running along with the 10k run. 

With a name like Lord of the Bling, you can guess what geek theme the race was.  Lord of the Rings of course!  The video contest was a You Shall Not Pass video.  We used River as our monster and I was the runner trying to pass James who was Gandalf.   Here is our resulting video.

 

 We had a good time doing it too!  It took several takes and some editing, but we got it!

 Today we did the following intervals:

5 rounds of 3 minutes run/1 minute walk

4 rounds of 4 minutes run/1 minute walk

We did this all on trails.  That is something I'm not used to , but James is.  He helped me a lot by talking me through it.  It was nice to run in the shade almost the whole time though.  We didn't like the mosquitoes at all!  They could have stayed in hiding.

James loved doing this run and can't wait to get his medals in October for the series.  We have one more in the series and that's in October.  That one is a 5k or half-marathon.  James will be doing the 5k option.  I have to look at the dates, but I may be doing the half-marathon if it's at the same time as the half I'm already running.

We also took a couple of before and after pictures today.

Tomorrow my only running partner will be River.  We are planning a 4-5 mile run in the morning and on Sunday I have a long 8 mile run planned.  It feels so good to be back on track!  James will be running with me on Wednesday next week.  It will be nice to have him back with me after having several days of him not running with me.

I Think I've Found My New Cross Training

It's hard to believe that today is Wednesday!  James and I have been busy little bees today.  We got up this morning bright and early for our run.  We both were secretly hoping it would be raining so we could run in the rain, but it wasn't.  It was cooler this morning though.  We got River hooked up, our water bottles on and headed out.  Today our run went like this:

 2 Rounds 2 minutes run/1 minute walk

5 Rounds 3 minutes run/1 minute walk

2 Rounds 4 minutes run/1 minute walk

It was a great run!  James smiled the whole way.  He did much better at keeping up with River and myself.  He had a great time!  I'm feeling like I'm back to myself so I'm doing a double tomorrow.  I'm getting up early to run with River and then I'm going to the gym to do the bike and weights.  I won't do a long run, but I just want to see how I feel.

We did our 30 minute clean/purge and then he went to Michael's for his craft class.  I found a quiet corner of the store to read since we can't leave the store while he's in class.  I have to sit and read otherwise I will spend way too much money and we need to save for our trip to Indiana and for Fan Expo in August.

We had some lunch and did another quick purge to finish filling the Salvation Army boxes.  Then it was off to drop our boxes off.  Afterwards we went to the park.  Here is where I found my new cross training. 

I know playing on a playground is good for your motor skills both fine and gross.  I play with James when we go.  This playground has a lot of balance type things though.  My core is really sore right now!  I balanced (or tried to) on this really wobbly wake board thingy and had a tough time doing it.  I played on the monkey bars and some of the other wobbly toys.  It was a lot of fun and James got me trying to do it all.

I'm thinking a few trips to the park in the mornings might help my core. I've been trying to figure out how to make myself do more core work.  I'm just to lazy to just do it, but if it's fun like this I just may be on board.

So tomorrow I'm doing a double.  Friday James and I are running and make our video for the Lord of the Bling Contest.  Saturday I'm doing speed work and weights in the gym.  Sunday is my long run.  Here we go!

Warrior Dash, Piano Contest, and Back To Training

This past weekend I ran the Warrior Dash for the 4th year in a row.  I have a love/hate relationship with this race.  I love running and trying to conquer the obstacles, but before the race I have my moment of what the heck am I doing???????  This year was no different.  I was super nervous at the starting line and when I started out.  Once I got going though, I was fine.

It seemed that the whole race was uphill this year.  Oh my goodness was it uphill!!!!!  Some hills were steeper than others, but there were tons of hills!  The obstacles were lot more balanced this year.  Last year it seemed like there were a lot of climbing and this year it was a good balance.  I did have to go around one of them and another I got up to the top and couldn't get over it so had to climb back down.  And did I mention the hills??????

I am very proud that once again I did climb over the cargo net obstacle.  I always get to the top and have to pause and figure out how to get over the top to climb back down, but I manage to do it without killing myself.  The mud wasn't very thick this year either.  That was a blessing.  I didn't get stuck.

Here is a before and after picture of me.

We had a great time afterwards eating turkey legs and drinking a beer.  James had a big beaver tail.  We listened to a great band and enjoyed being outside in the beautiful weather.  It was a fun day!

Sunday we spent the day in Toronto at James' piano contest.  He had two performances.  The first one he got a Superior rating.  He was a little disappointed, but he wasn't expecting to place with that song.  His second performance he did really well.  He made one mistake and after he was done, looked like he was going to cry.  When they announced the winners he ended up getting 2nd place!  He was so excited!  I wish I would have had a picture of his face.

Yesterday we both were lazy so we took it as a rest day.  Today we were back at our training.  James, River and I were up early since it was supposed to get hot and humid today.  We did 5 rounds of 2 minutes run/1 minute walk and 4 rounds of 3 minutes run/1 minute walk.  James did a much better job today.  He said his new running shoes helped.  Tomorrow we are up early again for a run possibly in the rain.  Friday we are going to Huron Park to do our run because we are doing a special video for a contest that goes along with our virtual run we are doing this week.  It's going to be awesome and funny according to James.  I can't wait to see what he has planned.

I'm looking forward to another great summer day with James tomorrow!

Feeding the Drama Llama

Oh this morning that Drama Llama showed up and James fed it a lot of drama.  He likes running, but some days he doesn't want to put in the effort.  He would rather just run a few steps and then walk for 10 minutes then run a few more steps.  Today was one of those days.  We had moaning and groaning.  He was running like a little old man.  He complained the whole time.  Yet when I asked him if he wanted to stop, he got mad at me.  I don't get 9 year old boys sometimes.

We made it through a 25 minute run/walk, but the Drama Llama was right there with us the whole time.  River was just wanting to run, but she had to wait on James.  She was not a happy dog.  In fact when we got home she was still ready to move.  Usually we get home and she crashes, but not today.

Now to be fair, James did need new running shoes which we got today.  But he could have won an Academy Award for best dramatic actor this morning.  Maybe he was being filmed and that was what he was going for.  Who knows.

The rest of the day went well.  We did our cleaning and our errands.  He went to Michael's for the arts and crafts thing.  We had lunch and then we took all 3 dogs out for a walk.  He wore his new running shoes to start breaking them in.  He and Mulder ran most of the time and there were no complaints. 

I told him that he doesn't have to be the best or the fastest, but if he wants to do this, he has to put in the work and put some honest effort into it.  We call it feeding the Drama Llama because it's easy to remember and to cue him when he's being overly dramatic about anything.  James has that tendency to overreact to everything and blow it all out of proportion. We are trying to teach him not to do that.  He is getting better, but every so often he brings the Drama Llama with him.

We talked about it and he wanted to know what he could do when he's at his mom's and his cousin is watching him to help with his running. I gave a few really easy things and showed him a couple of great Runner's World videos.  He likes the idea of it, but I don't know if he's allowed outside when his mom's not home.  I can understand that.  Next week he's with us and will run 3 days with me.  We are doing the Lord of the Bling virtual run and he's excited about that.  That coupled with the new shoes should help.

I now understand why my parents got frustrated when I would get overly dramatic.  It really is quite a production.

Back to Basics

I'm finding that I'm getting frustrated with my running.  I'm not where I want to be due to being hit and miss with my training.  Because I'm not where I want to be, I get frustrated and talk myself out of my runs.  I had to take the weekend and reset my thinking.  I have to go back to the basics and just enjoy the run.

I think I'm setting myself up for failure.  I put to much pressure on myself to get faster, better, stronger and forget why I'm running.  I'm running because I enjoy being outside.  I enjoy the feeling of going far and knowing that I can have my body do that.  I enjoy clearing my mind.  I enjoy the way I feel afterwards.  It's not about times and pace and winning.  It's for me.

Today I went back to the beginning.  I ran for 20 minutes.  I did a run/walk interval.  The first 10 minutes it was a 1:1 and the last 10 minutes it was a 2:1.  It felt good.  River was with me and there was no pressure on myself.  I just enjoyed going fast for the run and recovering on the walk.  I enjoyed the morning.  It was cool and peaceful.  River was excited to be out and running.  She smiled the whole time.  I smiled the whole time.  I felt relaxed and I wasn't putting pressure on myself.  It was fun.

Tomorrow I'm in the gym.  I will do 20 minutes on the treadmill or something else and start back to lifting weights.  Once again, it will be back to basics.  Slow and steady.  I am still going to run the half marathon in October because I enjoy it.  I'm going to do it because I enjoy it.  I'm not going to worry about times or paces or anything like that.  I'm doing it for the pure joy of running.

On a another note, last week I got my new tattoo.  It is really awesome!  Here it is.

It's the TARDIS from Doctor Who.  I love it!  My leg is still sore because I just got in on Thursday, but the run didn't hurt.  I love how detailed it is.  Ben outdid himself once again.  He's an amazing artist!  If you are in the area check him out at Motor City Tattoo in Oshawa.  He does amazing work!

Tomorrow I'm in the gym, Wednesday I will do a 20 minute run again with James, Thursday is another gym day, and Friday I will do do a 25 minute run.  Saturday I'm doing the Warrior Dash.  It's a fun race and I know I'm not going to be first, but I enjoy running it and challenging myself.  It should be a good time.

Sunday James has his piano contest so it's a rest day for me.  Then Monday it's back to easy running.

I think by taking a step back I will be back to where I want to be in a few weeks.  Just have to get back to basics.

It Doesn't Feel Like July

And I'm okay with that right now.  I got up and went for a run with River this morning.  It was a beautiful 54 degrees.  There was no humidity and a nice breeze.  River was in heaven.  She got to chase her giant growling bunnies (buses) and check out what was going on in the neighborhood. 

While I love this change in weather, my head has different ideas.  I've been fighting migraines this week.  With storm systems moving through and now Arthur moving up the coast, my head has been on the verge of exploding for several days.  I have been taking a lot of headache/migraine meds which in turn has caused my stomach to revolt.  I have to decide if I want blinding pain or an upset stomach.  I have chosen the upset stomach.

During the run my head started hurting. I made sure I brought lots of water and drank some so that helped a bit.  I usually don't run with water for short runs like this, but after being so dehydrated this past weekend, I decided to take some.  I was glad I did.  River had her water bottle and ended up wanting to drink some which she rarely does on the short runs.  I guess we both needed the water.

I'm using this week and next week to get my endurance base back then I start on a 14 week training plan for my half marathon.  I sat down last night and put my schedule in my planner along with my races and swim schedule.  It looks good.

Next week I'm back at the weights too.  I don't like lifting weights all that much, but I know I need to do it.  I also need to get more core work in.  Those are my biggest weaknesses in my training.  I will be able to do it and I have to just stay on myself.

Tomorrow we have another short 3-4 mile run.  I'm looking forward to it and the weather should be nice again.  Just have to stay with it and get back on a good schedule!

Let the Half Marathon Training Begin!

Today was my kickoff to half marathon training.  I won't really start a structured program until next week, but James was here and we went for a run.


He was up before me this morning.  I was in the process of trying to drag myself out of bed when I heard him rustling around.  I got up and checked my email while he spent a half hour doing his "paperwork" in his "office."  I thought I would have to pry him out of bed and hook him up to River's leash to get him started, but nope, he was ready to go.


Today we took a route that went by his old school.  I think that was some of his motivation.  His mother moved so he switched schools this year.  He loves his new school, but misses his old one.  Plus the route is fairly flat for my benefit.


River was ready to go as well.  She did he getting into the leash dance and the hurry up and put on your shoes song.  It was a nice morning for a run and River took off with me in tow.  I got her settled into a pace just in time for a bus to come along.  River views buses as the enemy and it's her job to protect the city from these vicious beasts.  It's a job she take very seriously.  After she yelled and chased the bus away, we had to wait for James to catch up.


We didn't get very far from the bus stop when I pug decided to join us on our run.  Pugs are not good at looking both ways before they cross the street, so I'm waving a van off while this pug is moving it's little pug legs to catch up to River.  Once he got to us, he decided that running isn't a pug thing, but cuddles was.  The owner came and got him and we were off once more.


I think back to when I first started back with running and how I wouldn't go on main roads because I didn't view myself as a "real runner."  Man was I missing out. I love to see the looks on peoples faces as I'm running.  Now keep in mind I have a crazy eyed coon hound around my waist, a 9 year old boy doing his best impression of the Phoebe run from Friends, and my Training For the Zombie Apocalypse Bondi Band on.  I can only imagine what we all looked like.


Today we ran a half mile further than we ran on Sunday and only a minute and a half longer.  I'm very proud of my running partners.  James a very clear goal of running the 10K Lord of the Bling virtual run.  He really wants to do that so he's training for it now. 


We're home now and getting ready to shower and run errands.  I'm off to Nepean for a swim meet so probably won't get my runs in this weekend.  I'll take my running stuff just in case, but I don't see it happening.  If I don't get to run, my next run with be the Canada Day 5k on Tuesday.


Canada Day is when my training officially kicks off.  James and River will be my training partners for the shorter runs, sprint days and hill days.  James says his looking forward to the hill days because he loves running uphill.  He's a bit crazy that way.


Have a great weekend!

What a Sticky Run

Today I postponed my run until after I dropped James off at school.  I think that was a mistake. I should have just run at five this morning.  It got humid out!  River was excited when she saw my running shoes come out.  I love watching her literally jump into her harness to go for a run.  It makes me smile and it makes it easier to get out the door.

We started out at a slow pace until a city bus passed us.  All bets were off then.  See, River thinks buses are giant rabbits to be chased.  I will say I do get my interval training in by running with her.

She was fine until about 15 minutes into the run.  She started slowing down then.  I don't take water with us on anything under 5k as it's usually around a 30 minute run.  Today I think she may appreciated the water.  I also didn't think it was that humid out either.  I feel like such a bad doggy mama. 

I did have to stop and stretch my hip so she got a rest then.  When I fell on Monday, I must have landed on it and not realized it.  I can't tell if there is a bruise as it's right where I have one of my tattoos so I can't see it there is a bruise there or not.

Towards the end of the run, I thought River was going to slow down for a walk but one of those really loud giant rabbits went by and we sprinted almost the last 3 minutes. 

After our walks or runs, she usually demands her lunch.  Today she drank some water and flopped down on the floor and is now sound asleep.  She's worn out.  Poor girl.  She loves every minute of the run though.

Tomorrow I'm back in the gym and starting back up with the weights.  I'll stop in the gym after I'm done coaching my Masters swim practice.  I'm excited to be back at it.  I'm feeling pretty good and motivated to get back to running and back to the gym.

It's all about pulling hard, running fast, being carefree and having fun. 

Back At It!

This morning I was determined to get up and out the door for a quick run.  I know I have to build back up and that is the plan.  I set my alarm and the dogs helped get me up.  I fed them and got dressed.  When I pulled out my running shoes, River got really excited.  She knows what my running shoes look like and she knew that she was going to go for a run.  Once she gets going, I have no excuse not to get out the door.


I only had about 20-25 minutes since Mike had to leave for work.  It was just enough for my first day back.  It was a beautiful, cool morning.  I had the radio on and was enjoying the quiet calm of the day.  Early mornings are my favorite time of the day.  River and I love being out and checking out everything. 


I felt pretty good and the run was feeling nice and easy.  That's when it happened.  I misjudged the curb and did a fantastic swan dive into a beautiful tuck and roll landing.  I sat there stunned for a minute and then hopped up before anyone saw me.  As I was sitting there, River gave me a look that said, "Get up!  I have geese to chase!"  When I got home I saw the damage.

I also have a nice scrape on my ankle.  It was quite the fall.  We finished the run and I sat on the deck for a bit just enjoying the birds and the world waking up.  

Tomorrow I'm out for a bit longer.  Just increasing my time not focusing on the mileage just yet.  Just running a few more minutes each day for the next week and a half.  July 1st is my kick off for training for my next half marathon.

Beautiful Friday

I got some much needed sleep last night.  One of the reasons my motivation has been lacking is my lack of sleep.  I have been having problems sleeping.  I have slept fairly well the past few nights so Sunday should be a go for my run.


I took all 3 dogs our for our mid-morning walk and they loved it.  The walk well together for the most part.  River wants to get back to running though.  When we pass a runner she looks back at me as if to say, "This should be us!"  Mulder and Anya are not runners, but they love the long walks.


I get to spend the rest of the day hitting up all the thrift stores because James announced that he wants to go at the 11th Doctor to the Niagara Falls Comic Com tomorrow.  I'm off to find the pieces for the costume.  At least it wasn't a Pokémon character because I have no time to make a costume like that.


I spent the walk making my normal lists of what needs to get done and spent some time thinking about my running.  It's one of the few times I don't think and with my mind in overdrive lately I really need to get back at it.  I planned our route for Sunday.  I know it's just going to be a short run, but just thinking about getting back out there makes me smile.  Sunday looks perfect for a run too!


I'm ready to be back at it.  I have a few races coming up that I will run with James and I'm excited to have him training with me this summer. He won't go on long runs, but he and I will do some short runs, hill work and speed work together.  He made the comment that he likes running with River and I.  Then he said something that I have to remember to keep me motivated and remind me why I enjoy running.  He said, "I like when we run with River because she has a lot of fun running.  She reminds me of 4 things about running.  You should run fast, pull hard, be carefree and have fun."  It's so true! 


Running should be fun and carefree.  Sometimes I think we lose that when we are training for a goal race or trying to find time to fit in a run.  My goal for the summer is to be carefree and have fun while I'm running.  I want to be as happy as River is when she's running.  I want to have that 9 year old mind set that James has.  Just have that feeling I did when I was a kid.  How great it felt to run.


So my mantra for the summer is Run Fast. Pull Hard. Be Carefree. Have Fun!


Have a great day!

Day 3: Olympic Inspiration

James got up early this morning and I had been up for a couple of hours already.  I was watching the Olympics and the women's hockey game was starting when he got up.  It was USA vs. Canada.  He was very excited and got to watch the first period before he had to get ready for school.  On the way to school, we kept trying to find the game, but couldn't.  When we got to school, the US was up 1-0.  I went to the gym after dropping him off and was able to watch the 3 period.  It was a pretty good game.  Canada won 3-2.  When the United States scored their 2nd goal I forgot where I was.  I was running along and when the goal was scored, I threw my hands up and said, "YES!" in a not so quiet voice.  Oops....It was a good game.  I can't wait for the medal games now.

I did do 4.5 miles on the treadmill today.  I felt pretty good and kept moving.  I think watching the Olympics is helping.  It helps pass the time and I am an Olympic junkie!  I got to also watch speed skating.  Today was a day off from my weights.  Tomorrow I have another cross training day and weights again.  Friday is my first long run of my training.  I have to remember my vasaline though.  My legs are a bit chaffed from running today.

This weekend I'll have 2 rest days as I'm at a swim meet all weekend.  It should be a fun time though. 

109 days left!

Day 3: Brrrr.....

Yesterday I just took River for a walk.  I was supposed to do speed work, but Mike was out of town and I just couldn't get motivated to get to the gym later in the day.  Today we woke up to snow and cold temperatures.  After dropping James off, I came home and got ready for my run.  River was excited like she always is.

We started out a bit slower since there was snow on parts of the sidewalk.  I didn't want to slip and fall.  It was cold, but sunny and that made for a nice day to run.  I never really hit my groove today though.  The run just felt off the whole time.  It didn't hurt or fell hard, it just felt off.  My pace was okay even with the snow.  I just wasn't feeling it this morning.

River had a good time though.  She was in her element with this cooler temperatures.  She was happy and smiling the whole time.  Towards the end she was ready to come home though.  She has a point in the run where I think she just gets bored, but then all of a sudden she's back in the run.  It makes for some great interval training for me though.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to be in the gym.  I have to get back in that routine.  I'm back on a running schedule so now I have to get back to the gym.  It's a cross training day so I'll do the bike and weights.  I just have to make myself get up and go.  Friday is my long run day.  Going to try to get 10-12k in that morning.  Saturday is my rest day and Sunday I run the Hanukkah Hustle.  It should be a good next few days!

Day 1 of Training For My Next Goal Race

Today is my first day of training for my next goal race; The Robbie Burns 8k in January.  It will be my first race as a 40 year old.  I've run this race 2 other times and I love it.  The course is flat and the route is nice.  My first year, it was my first run longer than 5k.  Last year I ran with a strained hamstring.  This year I want to kill it!  My goal is under 55 minutes.  My 8k runs with River have been pretty good.  I'm feeling good since I've been back after my half marathon.  Last week was my first week of good solid running and I felt really strong.

Yesterday I was able to get out for a long run before the swim meet.  River and I ran 6.5 miles.  I had to really force myself out the door because I was tired.  I was only going to do a short run, but I started getting my water bottles together and River's water bottle together.  Pretty soon I was out the door and heading down my long route.  We ran through the country on a crisp morning.  The wind was blowing, but there was only about a mile that we were running into the wind.  That was a tough mile though.  I felt good for most of the run.  There was about 10-15 minutes that were rough, but River pulled me through it.  I felt really good after the run and River was sacked out for Mike and James while I was at the meet.

This morning we went for a short 2.5 mile recovery run.  Last week we were lucky in missing the rain.  Today not so much.  We had just started the run when it started raining.  Because of the temperature, the rain was slushy and icy.  River didn't like the rain and slush at all.  She is very much a fair weather dog.  She was pouting a bit on the last half of the run.  She is a trooper though.  I'm glad that she will come out running with me.

I wanted to be back in the gym tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I can since Mike is out of town and James gets dropped off so early.  I might have to do speed work with River at the "track" between the schools.  She'll like that as long as it's not raining. 

Now I'm off to get my week started!  Take some time today to remember all those who have served our country.  Thank you for you service!

First Snowy Run of the Winter!

Okay, so it was just a little snow, but it was still snow!

I got to sleep in a bit this morning since James' mother was taking him to school today.  River got me up at the time I normally get James up for school and she was anxious to get going.  She danced around me as I got ready to head out for what I wanted to be at least 5-6k this morning.  When she saw me put on my running shoes she got really excited.  Then we walked out the door.

She saw the snow, turned and looked at me, and sighed.  She is not a fan of snow at all.  She is a fan of running though.  We started out and she kept looking back at me as if to ask why all this snow was there.

About halfway through the run I snapped this picture.

She's happy to be out, but not happy about the snow. 

After a mile she wanted to go back home.  I directed down a street that led away from home, but she wasn't having it.  She found her way back home.  I was able to get 2 miles in this morning before she drug me back to the house.

She had her after run snack and is now curled up on the couch sleeping.

Hopefully Sunday there isn't any snow on the ground so I can get a 10k run in with her.

To be fair, Mulder wasn't to thrilled with the snow either.  He walked out on the deck and you could see his shoulders just sink as he realized that there was snow.  Anya is the only one that is happy that is snowed.  She rushed out and rolled around in it with a huge smile on her face.

I like the temps and the snow, but I really don't want the ice and covered sidewalks.  I want to run outside as long as I can.  I hate running on treadmills!

Off to start the rest of my day!  Enjoy yours!

Back on Track!

After taking about a week off after my half-marathon and then another week off due to a bad cold, I'm back in the swing of things.  Monday River and I ran 3 miles and today we did 5 miles.  The temperatures have been great for running!  Monday was a little on the cool side, but today was perfect.

Today was a bit rough getting out the door though.  I really had to talk myself into this run.  I was starting to get a headache because of the rain that was moving in.  I'm still not completely 100% after my cold, but I had to get River out for a walk so I figured I should just suck it up and run.  I put my Suck It Up Cupcake Bondi Band on to keep me motivated.  Once River saw me putting my running shoes on and getting her water bottle ready she got really excited so that made me even more excited.  We went out and River just wanted to start chasing all the leaves and things blowing around.  I got her settled on a pace and she was all smiles.

We have a 5 mile run that we do that takes us through a park and past the dog park we take her too.  there is some path running and it's a nice run.  Today we ran it backwards.  It made for a nice change.  She loved running the path as she got to chase squirrels and more leaves.  When we got to the dog park she kind of half-heartedly tried to get me to go in, but she was really enjoying the run. 

We did take a different side road to avoid some construction on the main road.  It gave her some new things to smell and some new things for me to look at while running.  We did see a few houses that already have their Christmas decorations up.  I'm so not ready for that!

Once back on the main road, River got to race a few buses.  I don't know why she loves chasing those, but she does.  It gives me some great interval training though.  The last mile was into the wind and it started raining a bit.  It was a nice finish though.

I'm so glad I went out for this run.  It just felt so good!  Now I have to get some lunch and get my work done.  On to the rest of the day!

Day 85: Recovery Run Day

After running 2 races this weekend I let myself sleep in until I had to get up to get ready to start the day.  Sleeping in for my is 5:30-6:00.  I decided to run after I took James to school.  I'm glad it did it then.  There wasn't a lot of traffic.  There really wasn't a lot of people out.  It was still cool and River got to run with me.

We did about 2.5 miles at a nice easy pace.  We took a couple of paths through the woods and behind one of the schools.  She likes those paths a lot.  She was having a good time until another dog barked at her.  It wasn't a friendly bark either.  She gets so upset when dogs don't like her.  Poor girl was so sad the rest of the run.

The rest of my day has been working at the computer so I'm glad I got my run in when I did.  I may do the same thing tomorrow.  I don't know if I will be able to take River or not.  It depends on the weather.

Starting tomorrow I'm going to take at least one picture on my training runs until I run my half marathon.  I want to see the change in leaves and nature over the next month.  It should be fun.

Today I signed us all up for a Halloween run.  James was very interested in it so we will all be running the 5k together.  It looks like a lot of fun and it will be a nice easy race for me after my half.  I won't run fast and I'll just have fun with it.  It will also be a great way to get back into my training after taking a few days off.

I'm getting really excited!!!  Only 27days left!!!!!!!

Days 76-78: Kind of a mixed bag weekend

I think I finally have a handle on this new school schedule.  At least I hope I do.  The past 2 weeks my training has been crap. 

This weekend was pretty good though.  Saturday, James ran his first obstacle race.  He ran the Badass Dash.  He had a great time!  It was a nice race for kids.  Mike and I couldn't run the adult race for several reasons.  For me it was too close to the half marathon.  For Mike, the only times open were early in the morning and I had swim practice.  He couldn't leave James alone while he ran.  Maybe next year.

Anyway, James had a good time and loved the obstacle race!  He said his favorite obstacle was the Water Web.  He got soaked, but he loved it!  He also love that he had to climb over a bus.  Here are a few pictures from the race.

Sunday, I got up and did the Terry Fox Run with the swim team.  My groups had to run a 5k and the older kids had to do 10k.  I did 20k because I had to get my long run in sometime.  It was a beautiful day to run and it was a loop course.  I did 8 loops.  I thought I would get bored with that, but I really didn't.  It was a pretty course and it kind of made it feel faster.  I may try to do that with my next long run here.

The run itself felt really good.  I did break down and get new shoes and that has made a huge difference.  I had no pain at all in my Achilles or hamstring.  I ran an hour and a half before I did my 5 minute walk to get my honey stingers and Gatorade.  Then I did a 2 minute walk at the 2:15 mark.  This run really made me feel like I can do this half marathon.  I should be under my goal time, but we'll see.

This morning I got up and did a 2 mile recovery run with River.  It is so nice to run in cool weather.  I love running in the fall and in the spring because the weather is so awesome! 

Tomorrow I'm supposed to do a tempo run that is in total 7 miles with warm-up/cool down and the tempo part.  I think I'll take River with me as there will be times for breaks and her to get water.  I'm feeling really good about this race.  Only 34 more days!