chugging along

Approx 168 days til the Newport Marathon.  I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of running it, but it's far enough away for me to loose interest and fall off track.  Lets review what's working:
1.  6:30am runs during the week - nothing better than forgetting that you have already run.  The issue with these runs is that I really don't have time to run longer - this might be a problem later this summer.  Yes I could start earlier but then they slowly become more of a hassle and I start to "forget" to run.
2.  6:00am track on Thursdays.  I've found a little group to run with and it helps to keep it challenging while also not totally sucking.  And also has that it's so early I have a hard time remembering that it really happened appeal.
3.  Sunday early morning long run - A start time of 6:30/7 allows me to run long and then do family stuff like walking around the zoo for 3 hours (misery by the way, total misery).  It also helps that Jeff has gotten out of bed to join me, misery loves company.
So what's not working?
1.  My toe hurts.  Hurts to the point where earlier this week I thought about getting it checked out and then realized that I don't have time for that so bi-weekly acupuncture is it.  Recommendation years ago had been surgery and I've ignored and will continue to ignore that recommendation.
2.  I miss running with Joe.  I just want him to run this race with me and it's not going to happen for a variety of reasons.  He'll be there cheering and is totally down to discuss pace over and over again with coffee after a long run, but he's not going out there with me and it kind of sucks.

That said more is going right than wrong so I'm still on track.

Ran 9 miles today.

Total Fail?

The goal had been 11 miles, would have been happy with 10.  Ended up with just shy of 8...irritating.  Ready for the excuses?  Lets start with the 2 hours of sleep the night before.  Yep, 2 hours and it wasn't because I enjoyed this wild night out...it was becuase the kid refused to sleep.  After about 3 hours of going back and forth trying every trick in our playbooks I caved and brought him in our bed.  Not that it meant that I got any meaningful sleep but at least there was silence in my house again.  I angrily stormed out of bed with the sound of my alarm at 5:45.  Luckily I had pre-planned and made arrangements to meet Jeff for 6:30 or I never would have gotten up.  2nd excuse was the stomach cramps that started at mile 6 that I think were due to my english muffin with peanutbutter and bannana.  Upon relfection this wasn't the best choice, but please remember excuse 1...my thinking was clouded.  The run itself was fine, pace ended up at a 9:04 and felt fairly easy so that why I'm not totally convinced this was a total fail.  If it hadn't been for the cramping I likely would have gotten in the last 2 miles but when my car was in sight I didn't want to risk it.  The marathon is months off and active training hasn't begun.  I'm just working on strength and building a base.  So the pace was quick and felt easy, my legs feel strong.  I'm getting into my T/W/TH/S/SU routine and with accupuncture my toe pain and swelling has been kept to a minimum.  Tomorrow is a rest day and if the kid doesn't sleep again I'm quitting and might seriously consider moving out.

Ran 8 miles today

The benefit to a morning run

I just got back from an out of the office visit and was able to enjoy the sunshine for a bit.  On my way back I thought for a moment about when I'd fit my run in.  It's nice, I want to be outside but would rather be with the kid throwing rocks or teaching him how to pedal his trike than pounding the pavement.  Wait a min!  I already ran today!  6am track, a killer workout of too many 800's that were in the 3:41-3:45 range.  Haha!  A hard workout that 6 hours later I barely remember....I'll totally take it!

Ran 4 miles today...I think.

A different spin on the family fun run

I need to address Boston as a runner and a human.  I can't make sense of it and have a hard time thinking too hard about it.  Those were my friends and family out there running and cheering.  I spent an afternoon like many frantic for updates about where people were and if they were ok.  My cousin is 18, a freshman in college.  This was her first Marathon Monday as a cute college girl on the side lines cheering for strangers and likely drinking too many beers.  I worried about her.  My running club was well supported at the race, your track friendships are hard to explain to those who don't have them, I worried about all of them.  I worried about my running friends who would happen to be up taking in the day.  I worry about future events.  I worry more about the world my 22 month old son will have as his reality.

All of that said, I'm still running and finally got my ass out there on the road on a Wednesday.  It was just the kind of run I needed.  Hysterical!  Me pushing the kid in the jogger.  Joe circling the Blvd slowly on his bike waiting for us to be finished.  Jen running next to me.  Here's where it gets really funny.  Her 4 year old running on our heels for what had to have been a mile and a half.  We are huffing and puffing and this little guy is breezing along next to us, like nothing.  Then behind Parker is Jeff, pushing a stroller...wearing kahki's!  Way to make me feel out of shape and slow!  All I have to say is the last quarter mile consisted of Jen signing the Insy Wincy Spider to Miles so that he'd remain in the stroller.  Just when you think we are done and can slowly jog into their driveway Parker announces a race to the finish and takes off.  Jeff threatens our lives yelling "!!HE CAN'T WIN!!" My saving grace is that I did not have to follow the stop.at.the.stop.sign.and.wait.for.a.parent.rule and totally made him cry by coming in first...to only have my win later contested :)

Ran 3+

Worm massacre

I learned today that worms can't breathe in the dirt after heavy rain and so to escape they run to dry ground (ie: the track).  Too bad for those that ended up on the Brown track this am, I'm not sure very many survived the 6am workout.  During my last 800 I was a bit grossed out by how many mashed worms littered the track.  I'll try to explain the workout, but for my simple not math minded mind I'm not sure how well I'll do.  Start with a straight mile (8:10 pace), followed by a 1 lap jog.  2nd mile was 3 laps hard, 200m jog and 1 lap hard (7:58 pace) followed by a 1 lap jog.  Last mile was 2x800 with a 200m jog in between (7:11 pace).  Yep, I typed 7:11 pace for that last mile.  Pretty pleased with myself.  I'm sitting at my desk now ready to snooze and unfortunately have a whole day booked ahead of me.  Food is going well.  Peanutbutter oats went in this morning post shower and a coffee is on it's way down the hatch.  Water, water, water.  Dinner is fridge left overs...some back bean soup and broccoli with some kind of sauce and whatever else I find in there later on.  Lunch is a salad with black beans, avocado, corn, hearts of palm with a seasame dressing.  I also have these AMAZING bars that we've grown addicted to.  I'll post the recipe later on if I remember b/c they are that good.

Beat the headwind

All morning long I noticed the breeze, it was hard not too.  Our doors flew open, hats flew off and our door mat ended up down the street and around the corner.  F my life...I have to run in this.  Nap time arrived and I headed down to the East Bay Bike Path (about sick of the Eastside!)  I started to run, and quickly went no where, the headwind was terrible.  T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E.  To the point where I thought about turning around after a mile or so and heading to the Y.  No, no keep going.  IF I do Newport, it's likely to be windy so I need to deal.  I started to panic about 2 miles in, this would be manageable if I had a tailwind on the way home but there is no way I could run into this twice.  I tried to study the shirts of those running/biking in the opposite direction.  Luckily all this panic about the wind made my run out go fairly quickly.  4.5 miles and a quick stop for a gel, time to fly back!  Lucky for me there was a sweet tailwind heading back.  Not only was this my fastest long run for this training period (9:14 pace) but my first 4.5 were at a 9:30 pace and the last 4.5 at a 8:56 pace.  Totally sweet and just what was needed after holding on for that brutal first half.

Next week, more of the same.  Long run is going up over double digits...I know it's about time.  The morning run routine is going well.

Food?  Tonight we dined on black bean quinoa burgers from twobluelemons.com.  I covered mine in vegan cheese, avocado and sauteed kale.  Lunch was the vegetarian sandwich from 7 Stars - not the healthiest choice but oh SO good!! Breakfast was a homemade bar.  One of the keys of success related to this working full time BS is meal planning and structured food shopping.  This week dinners will include pasta with a mushroom/onion/spinach sauce, hummus sammies and fruit at the park, black bean soup (left overs the next night).  Here goes nothing!

Ran 9 miles today

Week 2 of track

I made it out of bed and to my 2nd consecutive track workout.  1 mile warm up followed by this weird mile where we ran a hard 400 (jogged 100), hard 300 (jogged 200), hard 200 (jogged 300) hard 100.  Doesn't sound that bad...it kicked my ass.  My times were all over the place 8:27, 8:48, 8:41.  Part of my problem was breathing, I'm recovering from a sinus thing so at one point was drowning in my own junk.  Regardless I pulled my ass out of bed for 5:30 and made it there and suffered through the entire workout.  This week I've rejoined the land of the employed-full-time and suddenly find myself with no time for anything.  I feel like the time I have with the kid is very rushed, either rushing to get to daycare/school or rushing home for the dinner/bedtime routine.  I know this must become manageable at some point, most people do it. But the transition has me a bit harried.  My runs have all been pushed to the 6am hour in an attempt to not take away from kiddo time but then I'm ready for bed at 9 and the husband is looking at me funny wondering what happened to our 11pm bedtime.  GAH!  It's too much!!!  Oh and toss in friends and family who need face time and I could run away!!!  Enough, we'll call today a win and move forward.  Next up is an easy 4 miles with Jeff tomorrow am.

Ran 4 miles today