Last week

Ok, so last Monday 12.28.08, I really didn't want to run, but I got up anyway because Meg was counting on me.  We started running and I dropped my waterbottle.  The top broke off and I could no longer use it.  I drink a ton of water - so I wanted to cry - but not so much because the water broke, but because I wanted to be home sleeping.  We ended up walking 2.5 miles... Later in the day I went to the Y and did 5 miles on the treadmill.  I think the treadmill was harder - I definitely had a lot more sweat!!

On Wednesday, we did 5.  It was pretty easy.  I remember thinking we should switch to 2-1's but I kept going.  I think I'm tired of the route.

On Friday, we did 10.  Pam and Julie joined us.  Julie had never run 10 before so it was exciting to see her accomplish what she thought was impossible.  My legs were sore, but my lungs and breathing could go on forever.

Next Saturday is 16!!  I will be thinking about that all week!

I haven't done any weights in two weeks - I'll be pretty sore Wednesday!!

54 miles on the new sneakers!

14 Miles!!

I did it!! I did it!! I did it!!  I ran/walk 14 miles.  I survived!  I thrived!  Ok, so I did 2-1 intervals.  I still did 14 miles!

I had this route all planned out and Meg met me at the Y at 4:30 (that's in the morning).  We were going to try a new route, and so as we left, Meg told me that she wasn't feeling well.  We ended up going about 2.5 miles and turning around.  It was the quietest run we've ever had!  

We got back to our cars and I told her I was going to keep going.  I thought she would put up a fight - because she doesn't like people to run alone.  But she said, "Ok, let me give you your keys."  You know she's sick when she doesn't argue...

I figured I would do the 1.5 mile strip of Center Rd 3 times.  The thought of running that 3 times drove me crazy, but I wanted to do 14!  The other thing... I didn't have my iPod!!  So it was just me and me for another 9 miles.  If you had tracked me on a GPS you would have thought I was looney-tunes.  I didn't do the 1.5 stretch back and forth 3 times.  I did this funny little zig-zag.  I'd go a few telephone poles, turn around and go back and forth between the telephone poles.  I'm not sure how to explain it, but it kept my mind active and myself entertained - which I figure is important if I'm doing 9 miles, by myself, with no iPod...

So with the 9 on my own and the 5 with Meg, I did 14 miles!  It took just over 3 hours.  I think the 2-1's are faster.

I'm feeling confident - which is huge for me...  

5 miles

5 on Wednesday and 5 on Friday.  It's been pretty warm lately and we have sweat hard core!!  Each run has taken a minute or two over an hour.  I definitely do better when I'm running with Meg!!

The last 3 runs

Friday - we walked.



Sunday - 8.65 miles - I was pretty slow, so I ended up making myself consciously run faster. I didn't do any Sharkies. I wore my new shoes. I think they are too narrow because my toe nails hurt all day.



Monday - 4.65 (what's up with the .65?) I did 4-1 intervals. That wasn't bad but I was really slow! It took me 58 minutes to do 4.65. I wore my original shoes - they are wide - and my toes feel good, but I can tell they have not cushion left. I guess I need to get wider shoes!

Monday and Wednesday

On Monday, Meg and I just walked. I have a cold. Today I'm still sick, but we did 5 miles. It was a tough five because I was coughing a lot. I think I say they are all tough. Notice that?? Anyway, I did 5 and I am starving. I've been eating like a pig lately - but I'm so hungry! I need to stock up on healthy snacks!!!!

Making up for last week

I met up with Meg and Pam today for a morning run. Pam is good friends with Meg and she is in our Tuesday/Thursday weights class. Pam is WAY more fit than Meg and I - so we said she was slumming by running with us. Anyway, Pam is doing the Sarasota half and her running people aren't doing the distances Pam needs.

We set out to do 10 and I felt great! It wasn't until we were about a mile from the Y that I started to slow down. I decided, though that I needed to make up for last week's miserable 12 and do two extra miles. Pam didn't do two more with us because she had to go to teach Jazzercise. The last two were pretty slow, but we did it! We did 12 miles!

Not only did we do 12, we did them with the new 3-1 interval!! I feel like we just climbed over a major hurdle. I know there will be tons more hurdles, but we got over one!!

I used the Sharkies today and I really like them. The stick in your teeth, so it takes longer to eat them and so I don't use as many. I didn't do Gatorade with my water and I didn't have any stomach trouble. I think the Gatorade doesn't work for me.

Now if I can just not eat 2/3rds of the cookies I'm baking today, I'll be all set!

Wednesday

hey-hey it's Wednesday! That means telephone poles. But to up the challenge, I recommended sprint-jog-walk rather than sprint-walk-sprint-walk. At first the new sequence seemed easy, but after a mile and a half it wasn't so easy. We only did 3 miles, but they were some tough 3 miles! We were sweating and huffing and puffing. It didn't help that it was hot and muggy. I noticed though, our heart rates were back to normal pretty quickly after the workout was over. We're making progress!! Once finished, Meg and I felt we had a great run - so that's one week with 2 fantastic runs. I'm getting there...