This week in running: week 5

This was a great week running-wise ... until my long run. Pesky long runs can make or break the week, in my opinion. If it's not good, I start to worry. But, I'll focus on the positive first.

Monday

Not a normal running day, but since our last long run got cut short by thunderstorms, I decided to tack on some miles around the neighborhood. I felt great, but I'd just rather not run by myself. I miss my running group!

Distance: 3 miles

Tuesday

Yay! It's running group day! Yay! It's speed work day! (Yes, I just typed that.)

I did my first official track workout, but I did it on a sidewalk. I've heard mention of these 400 meter repeats, and I never really knew what it was. Now I do. Well, kind of ... I don't fully understand all of the terminology, but I know I did them.

I *think* we did three sets of 400 meter repeats. We ran 400 meters, had a 1-minute break, ran 400 meters, had a 2-minute break, and then ran 400 meters. We repeated this three times with longer breaks in between sets. Our goal was to continually get faster, like this.

 
Instead, mine looked like this.

Yeah, not how it's supposed to look. Oops.

But, I loved every second of this workout. From the easy run down to our "track" to the repeats (all of them) to the easy run back, I loved it. I felt awesome. I felt, dare I say it, fast.

Distance: 3.73 miles

Thursday

This was supposed to be a 50-minute run broken out into repeating 10 easy minutes followed by 10 minutes at a faster pace. It really didn't happen for my running buddy and me. We just ran for 50 minutes, and it all rocked.

Our coach said this was fine if we feel we don't really have a faster, sustainable pace. She'd rather us just run a solid 50 minutes. So that's what we did. Maybe someday I'll have a pace besides slow.

Distance: 4 miles

Sunday

OK, here's the bad one. 

It is still way too hot in Florida at 7 a.m. People keep talking about this foreign concept, "fall," and it is definitely not happening here.

I just felt overwhelmed by the heat at first. My face just felt like it was burning up.

I finally settled in and felt a little cooler once we made a turn to run by the bay (yay for breezes off the water). I didn't feel too shabby (aside from the initial heat issues) up until mile 4. Pesky mile 4 made me feel like all of my energy was zapped. I kept pushing on for the next few miles, but I just didn't feel that great. 

So, I finished not feeling that great and feeling hot and frustrated. 

Not feeling great and feeling hot and frustrated

I guess looking back, it wasn't really that bad. But, I feel like it really could have gone better. 

Distance: 6 miles

How was your week in running? Have you done track workouts? Do you like them? Do they help you get faster? Do you base how good your training week was by your long run?

A reason to run

My next half marathon is the Rock 'n' Roll St. Petersburg Half Marathon on Feb. 12. I didn't decide to run this race because there is live music every mile. It was more due to the timing, the location and my running group having a training program for it.

After being a long run loser lately (and hearing horror stories about other Rock 'n' Roll events), I haven't really been all that excited about this race ... until now. Now, it's all about the music.

I mean, wouldn't everyone be excited to hear this performed live at a post-race concert?

Or is that just me?  

Long run loser

After my first half marathon on Nov. 20, I really didn’t have a desire to run. After a week break, I finally got back into the groove (for the weekly speed workouts, anyway). But, I just couldn’t muster any desire to do a long run.

I’d try and would run 3 miles and call it quits. My longest run during this time was 6 miles. And, it was miserable. I probably walked half of it. I kept telling myself that next week would be the week I’d complete a long run. And, next week came, and I couldn’t do it. A few miles were OK. But, anything much more than 4 miles was getting into iffy territory.

As with all running-related issues, I started evaluating why I felt this way. And, I came up with a few reasons:

• I’d accomplished the goal I worked so hard for (completing the Women’s Half Marathon), and I lost my drive.
• With holidays, visitors and travelling, running took a back seat.
• My last long run was the half marathon race on Nov. 20. Because it was hot, miserable and didn’t go at all like I hoped, I lost my love of the long run.

I think all of these played into my lack of desire to run a long distance. But, I think the last reason probably played the biggest part.

I used to love long runs. We lucked out with the weather for most of our long training runs for the half marathon. The weather was fairly cool (for Florida) for most of our longer distances. The training was working, and I could run a longer distance each week. After a rough 7-mile run one week, all of my runs were pretty glorious. I remember loving two 10-mile runs. They were just completely enjoyable. Then, this blasted half marathon came along and ruined everything. It was hot. It was humid. It was awful.

I'm only smiling on the outside.

Every time I thought about a long run from that point forward, I remembered that terrible run. And, I hated it.

With the holidays over, the visitors gone and the traveling done, I decided this past Sunday was the day to do a long run.

First step, tell my coach that I really sucked it up in regard to long runs. I really didn’t want to admit that my training was turning into a big pile of failure. But, I did. And, I felt better already. So, instead of running the 11 miles (yikes!) on my schedule, my coach suggested a 6-8-mile run. That sounded doable.

Second step, show up and run. At 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, I met my group for a still undetermined number of miles (but between 6 and 8) run.

The first few miles were kind of rough. My first few miles of any long run usually aren’t the best, though. So, I kept going. At the 3-mile turnaround point, I decided to keep going. The run still wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but I’d gotten in the groove. I went another 0.5 miles before turning around. The last 3.5 miles were easier than the first, and I’m so happy I finally ran a non-stop 7 miles. And, my time was almost exactly the same as my (better) 7-mile run during my previous training (1:21). I’ll take it!

I have a tendency to take a turn to negative town, so part of the run I was so disgusted at myself for not being able to run the 11 miles on my schedule. But, toward the end, I felt happy for getting back out there and tackling a long run. And, replacing my last miserable long run memory with a pleasant one.

Day 42 (Nov. 14)

Since I spent this past weekend in Kansas, I didn't do my long run on Sunday with the training group. Instead, I spent time with my family and recovered from tailgating and a four-OT Kansas State football game (yes, FOUR). K-State won, but man. My nerves were shot.


Woo-hoo! Victory after four OTs!



Losers! I'd post a picture of the winning team, but I sat by the visiting team's ramp.



My sweet purple shoes that I am certain contributed to a Wildcat victory.

So, after recovering from the madness, I decided to run tonight with my best running buddy, Caroline. Since I hated my 11-mile run, my main goal tonight for our 6-7-mile run (we did 6.5 miles) was to enjoy it. I was hoping it would go well since it is the last long (taper) run before the race. And, it did! I wouldn't say it was the best run ever, but it definitely wasn't the worst either. I mostly enjoyed it, and I felt good throughout.

The only real issue was my breathing. Not an I'm-exerting-myself-too-much-and-I-can't-breathe feeling, but more of a the-air-is-thick-or-the-neck-of-my-shirt-is-choking-me feeling. It was really humid, so that probably played into it. Also, it was low tide, and the smelliness of the bay could have played into it, too. I've got some leftover allergy issues from Kansas, so that may have been an issue as well. But, my fear is: it's nerves. Yeah, I know I said I was ready to rock this half marathon, and I am, but I've started panicking. Among my many, many fears:

• What if I can't breathe during the race?
• What if I sprain my ankle, leg, knee, toe, some other body part I'm not thinking of?
• What if I get sick before the race?
• What if it's too hot (I'm obsessively checking the forecast, and it looks kind of warm)?
• What if I'm not hydrated?
• What if I'm not fueled properly?
• What if I completely bomb the race after almost four months of training? (This is my biggest fear.)

So, now I'm freaking out as opposed to being excited. I'm so happy I joined my training group because I'd be nowhere near prepared if it wasn't for the group and my coaches, but ... it adds another level of pressure. I feel like people expect a lot out of me. "This girl's been training for months. She better not suck." Ack! I'm nervous. And worried. And anxious.

Day 39 (Nov. 6)

I hated almost everything about this 11-mile run, including:

• I ran almost the entire 11 miles by myself. My coach ran with me for about one mile at the beginning, and then I was on my own for the entire time until the last ½ mile when my assistant coach ran to the finish with me.
• My lower back hurt. Bad. I haven’t really run into much pain throughout this training, so I guess it all hit on this run. Gee, thanks.
• It was a mental battle from start to finish. I just wanted to give up. I had to talk myself out of quitting almost the entire 11 miles.
• I did not see Derek Jeter! Come on, dude. Why couldn’t you step out of your house and wave or just drive by?

Showing your face could have saved my run.

As much as I hated it, I guess there were some good things:

• I ran the entire way. I stopped a few times to stretch (to try and help my pesky stiff back) and to get water, but no walking. I was worried even stopping to do those things would ruin my rhythm (not that I really had any). But, I was able to stop, stretch or get water, and keep going.
• I ran faster than I expected for running by myself. I kept the same pace as I did running 10 miles and what I *hope* to run during the race.
• I felt great toward the end. My back loosened up, the end was in sight, and I felt stronger those last two miles than I did the previous 9 miles.
• My last mile was my fastest mile!

So, this was it: the last long run before the race. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself knowing that. I wanted it to be the best ever. And, it wasn’t. But, I did it. I ran 11 miles, and I despised almost every second of it.

Day 36 (Oct. 30)

I didn’t think a 10-mile run could be better than last week, but I was wrong.

This week’s run rocked, and I knocked it out in 7 less minutes than the week before (I think I also cut 7 minutes off my drive to our meeting spot due to running late). Thanks extremely cool weather! Oh, and thanks previous 12 weeks of training.

This was especially awesome because I didn’t go to sleep until 2 a.m. due to Halloween fun at the senior prom with a bloody twist-themed party. Much like the week before, I had a vow to only have two beers and leave by midnight … I stuck to the two-beer rule. But, darn! That party was so fun! I kept extending the time we were going to leave. It ended up being 12:45 a.m. by the time we left.

(On a side note: after the initial fear of looking like a panda or raccoon, I ended up looking less like a cute, cuddly animal, but still not really frightening ... and perhaps still like a panda. I’ve never really been anything scary for Halloween (it was a big no-no growing up).)

Then, I did not account for the excessive amount of time it would take to de-bloody-twisty me. That hair color spray turns what was once soft, freshly washed hair into a crispy, rats’ nesty mess. It took thorough brushing, then washing, and then gobs of conditioner and a comb to get my hair back to normal. Not to mention washing off all the face paint that didn’t want to come off. So, after all that madness, I went to sleep in the wee hours of the morning to wake up less than 5 hours later.

This is where cutting time off my drive to our training group meeting spot came into play. Since I didn’t want to wake up after less than 5 hours of sleep, I kept delaying it. Well, I delayed it too long. And, I turned what is normally a 22-minute drive into a 15-minute drive. Thanks, cops, for being somewhere other than on my route.

After arriving in a frenzy, the run was so peaceful and enjoyable. A little chilly at first (near 60 degrees to begin the run), but that’s perfect (for running purposes only). There was also a breeze, which helped to keep things cool.

Again, I must express my love for the GU Chomps. I’m so happy I found these delicious little nuggets of energy! They’re easy to eat and help me avoid that choking-unable-to-breath feeling of the energy gels. I pop a few along the run, and I’m good to go.

And go I did (for 10 miles)! I felt great throughout the run, even with my faster than usual pace. I started to tire a little bit toward the end, but I guess that’s to be expected.

It was a great run, but I still did not spot Derek Jeter. I’ve got one more long run (11 miles next week) to see him. It’s your last chance, Jeter. Show your face. Step out of your house. Drive by. Something.

Day 33 (Oct. 23)

I rocked my first ever double-digit run on Sunday (10 miles), and I’m calling it my best run ever (well, best double-digit run anyway)!

I managed to not overdo it at the Halloween party the night before (only two beers), and we left at a decent time (my goal was 11:30 p.m., but it ended up being close to midnight, and then 12:15 a.m. by the time we went back for the cooler we forgot ... oops). After washing the green spray out of my hair (I debated leaving it in, but the smell and the thought of green color running into my eyes during my run that day convinced me to wash it out — excellent decision on my part), it was 1 a.m. by the time I got to bed. But, I was ready for our run at 7:30 a.m.

The weather was awesome. Gone (at least for a few days) are the dreadful heat and humidity that plagues Florida so much of the year. Replacing it was a wonderfully cool and breezy day. Temperatures were in the upper 50s to begin the run — chilly!

I ran the first 5 miles by myself, which kind of sucked, but I managed to get through it. I determined I’m not good at pacing myself (probably because I think about it way too much). But, if I have someone to run with, which I did the last 5 miles, I don’t think about it because I am talking or listening or just keeping up with the other person. Looking back at my Garmin, my first mile was painfully slow, but the second and third were fast (for me), and the fourth and fifth were back to slow and then fast again. But, my remaining 5 miles were a consistent, steady pace, and I felt the best during that time.

Due to my disastrous 9-mile run a week ago, I made some changes to my diet, specifically my diet the day before a long run. I made sure to eat a decent meal for dinner, and oh my goodness! The difference it made! I had energy, which is really kind of important when running. I also brought along some GU Chomps (the watermelon flavor — yum, yum, yum!), and ate a few of those along the way to sustain my energy. I tried energy gels during my previous runs, and I hated that texture in my mouth while running. It just sat in my throat and made me feel like I couldn’t breathe (uncool while running … or anytime, really).

I felt super strong throughout the run. I think I even felt stronger toward the end. If needed, I think I could have picked up the pace or sprinted the last bit, which is so different from my wanting-to-throw-a-temper-tantrum last mile of my 9-mile run a week prior. I didn’t think of stopping to walk — even when I got to that pesky, hilly bridge.

The only disappointment of the run: no Derek Jeter spotting. Come on, DJ! Don’t you want to be ogled by some random running girl early on a Sunday morning?!? I know he does, so I have faith he’ll make an appearance at some point. All he needs to do is take a few steps out of his house.

A scary prospect

I love costumes, so Halloween is my kind of holiday. I'll dress up even if it's not Halloween, so it's nice to have a time when people don't look at me so strange. Oh, wait ... they still do. But, not because I'm wearing a costume at an inappropriate time.

This year, I have two costume parties. The first is tonight, and it's just a general costume party. I didn't know about it until late (a boyfriend's coworker's friend's party ... or something like that), so I haven't really been planning a  new costume. But, I do have plenty of options to choose from.

My next party is next Saturday, and the theme is "senior prom with a bloody twist." I have some ideas, but really haven't started on a costume for that. I'm excited about the possibilities, though.

What I'm not excited about is that both of these parties are on a Saturday night. I have long runs on Sunday mornings at 7:30 a.m., and we're getting to our longest runs of our training (10 miles each for the next two Sundays). These are important runs, but these are also important parties. So, I've got to enjoy myself at the party (with limited or no adult beverages) and call it an early night. I'm not good at that normally, but especially when costumes are involved.

Day 30 (Oct. 16)

Sunday was definitely not my best running day, but I managed to run 9 miles.

When I say “not my best,” I mean it was really pretty terrible toward the end. As in, I debated about sitting on the ground, crying and throwing an all-out temper tantrum about finishing. As in, if there was a serial killer driving by in a kidnap van who asked if I wanted a ride, I'd say "yes" without hesitation. But, I finished, and I feel a total sense of accomplishment. And, it seems ridiculous that I wanted to throw a temper tantrum or was willing to take a ride with a serial killer.

The run started out fabulous. The weather was beautiful and the big, scary sun was hidden behind the clouds. There was even a nice breeze.

And, the views along the run were awesome. I saw a dolphin in the bay. Unfortunately, I did not see Derek Jeter (he lives in the area where we run), but I’m still holding out hope.

Things were going really well. Then, around mile 6, I started to feel all my energy disappearing. After another half of an energy gel (thanks to my running buddy, Caroline), I powered through for awhile longer. But, my energy was fading fast. My legs felt heavy. And, when the pesky bridge appeared, I had to walk up it and down it before starting again.

I ran for awhile longer, but then had to take another walk break. After encouragement from Caroline (and some electrolyte drink from her, too — it’s time for me to invest in a water belt; my baby bottle just isn’t cutting it anymore), we ran the rest of the way (1+ miles). It was during this last mile that I was considering my temper tantrum or ride with a serial killer. I just didn’t feel like I had the energy to complete the run. I wasn’t in pain; I just didn’t feel like I could lift my legs, which is rather detrimental when trying to run. It was the best feeling to hear that Garmin watch beep at the 9-mile mark and arrive back at our starting point.

It’s amazing how quickly you recover. After stopping and doing some stretching, I felt great. Happy even. When people asked how the run went, I even replied, “Good.” Completing the long run makes me forget how bad it may have been during. That feeling of accomplishment just overwhelms me, and any troubles are forgotten.

As per usual when I have a bad run, I started evaluating what went wrong. I think I easily pinpointed the problem. I just didn’t eat much on Saturday. I really need to work on fuelling myself properly for these long runs. I don’t eat breakfast the morning of a long run, so what I eat for dinner is extremely important. Remembering that feeling of heavy legs and being on the verge of a temper tantrum hopefully will help me to never forget the importance of having the right fuel.  

A rest day with Tad Hamilton

Well, in my debate to make up my 8-mile long vs. not make it up, not make it up won.

My legs have felt fatigued the last two times I ran, so I figured I could use the rest. Also, interval Tuesday is tough! I don't know if I could handle it after running 8 miles the day before. I can barely handle it on its own. 

So, instead of squeezing in 8 miles on a Monday night, I rested ... while cleaning my turtles' tank, washing dishes and watching a very underappreciated movie, "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!" I love this movie. This totally solidified that I made the right decision by choosing a rest day. Thank you, Tad Hamilton.

It's probably cheesy and unrealistic, but I find it quite humorous. And, I can't pull my eyes away from anything that stars Josh Duhamel. 

I know I'm supposed to want Rosalee (Kate Bosworth) to choose her true love, Pete (Topher Grace), but I think she makes a terrible decision. Absolutely terrible. Pete over Tad (Josh Duhamel)? Puh-leaze. Pete is whiny, annoying and unattractive. He grates on my nerves. But, Tad, beautiful Tad. Ahh, he's just so darn appealing. I know he's the wrong choice, but I don't care about being right in this instance (and I'm pretty darn competitive, so this is a big sacrifice ... huge). 

But, I digress. I hope I don't regret hanging out with Tad Hamilton. Ahem, sorry ... I was dreaming there for a second. I hope I don't regret taking a rest day. This was my one week to run 8 miles. Next week, we're up to 9 miles. Eek! 

Day 27 (Oct. 9)

After last week's Best. Run. Ever., I was excited to tackle 8 miles this week for our long run.

Problem: I didn't go to the group run, which is always so much better than running by myself. I think it could have been rained out; I'm not sure. I woke up and received a weather report from a reliable source (my boyfriend) that it was raining in Tampa. I live in Clearwater, which is about a 12-minute drive to Tampa. I debated, but I finally decided it wasn't worth the drive with such a high possibility of the run being rained out anyway.

But, since I was already awake, and it wasn't raining in Clearwater, I decided to run my 8 miles here. In my neighborhood, we have a 2.8-mile sidewalk loop, which is nice in some ways and daunting in others. I like not being far from home at any point in my run. But, I don't like the idea of needing to run around the same route almost three times to get in my mileage.

My legs still felt fatigued, but I was determined to get my long run in to stay on track with my training schedule.

It was overcast, but not nearly as cool as last week. Boo! And, the run wasn't nearly as smooth as last week. I didn't feel great from the start, but I stuck it out ... for awhile. At almost 3 miles, it started sprinkling. I decided to head back just in case the rain got harder (advantage: loop). Smart decision on my part. By the time I got home, it was pouring.

So, I started thinking about my options. I could: (a). wait for the rain to stop to finish my run, (b). hit the treadmill in the craptastic gym, or (c). give up and call it a day. I opted for (b). Surprised, right? I know that I go on and on about the craptasticness of this gym, but it seemed like the best option. I thought that if the fan was fixed, and I could find an old "Beverly Hills 90210" episode on TV, it might even be fun.

I got all psyched to run while watching the drama unfold between Kelly and Brenda or Donna and David or Brandon and Steve. And there is always the wonderful possibility of catching one of three episodes Dean Cain appeared as Rick. Problem: both of the treadmills were in use. Argh! There's never anyone in the gym (for good reason), but I guess the rain brought everyone there.

So, I'm now down to option (a) or (c). I went for option (c). I feel like I gave the run a valiant effort. But, at this point, I was frustrated. Considering it's still raining three hours later as I'm typing this, (a) wasn't going to work either.

Instead of an 8-mile run, I did a 3-mile run. Not exactly the same. Now, I'm not sure what I do ... do I try to run 8 miles on Monday? I don't even know if I have the time to fit it in on a weekday. Do I want to run 8 miles Monday, and then do a speed workout on Tuesday? Is that too much? Do I need a rest day after a long run? Is it OK to miss that long of a run? Ahh! Pesky rain brought on all kinds of questions.

Day 24 (Oct. 2)

Best. Run. Ever.

I realize I may have said this before, but this day tops anything prior.

Up until this week, we were dealing with almost 80-degree temperatures and high humidity at our 7:30 a.m. Sunday runs. When we met for our long run this morning, temperatures were in the low 60s. And, almost more mind-blowing, the humidity was 0%. Living in Florida, you get used to 90%+ humidity. Every. Stinking. Day. Having none feels heavenly.

Due to these glorious temperatures, running felt like a breeze today. I still cannot believe I ran 7 miles with no walk breaks and without feeling like death. It felt easy. It felt fabulous.

I tackled that pesky, hilly bridge with no issues. I tackled the entire 7 miles with no issues.

Oh! And, I took 9 minutes off of my time from last week. Yes, 9 whole freakin' minutes!

I want every run to feel like today. I loved every minute of it, and I even wanted more. Call me crazy. Or call me a runner.

Day 21 (Sept. 25)

The day: Sunday. The time: 7:30 a.m. My mission: run 7 miles.

Mission complete!

I'm so happy I made it to our group run on Sunday. It's so much better to run with a group and knock out the run early in the morning.

The first 2.5 miles of the run were really smooth, and then I hit a hill. I know I said Florida is completely flat, and it is. The hills are bridges. Since we added more mileage to our runs, we have to run a bridge across the bay (a very small portion of the bay) to get to an area to increase our mileage. Curses! So, I hit the hill, and I walked.

Once I got across the bridge, I wasn't sure of the route, and I lost the faster folks in front of me, and the slower folks were too far behind me. So, I had no idea where to go. I picked a route, which was a very bad choice (lots of street crossings). I ended up getting to an area where I could run along the bay fairly uninterrupted, but it was a frustrating process getting there. While frustrated, I walked. I managed to get my 3.5 miles in, took an energy gel and headed back. 

I missed the bridge entrance on my way back (argh!), but managed to realize it and correct myself in a  reasonable time. I walked the bridge again. Pesky, hilly bridge!

But, back on the flat land (and after a water refill — it was blazing hot by this time), I managed to run the last two miles without a walk break. I was super-impressed at myself, as was my assistant coach (who ran with me). Yay!

And, I'm super-impressed I felt as good as I did. My legs weren't sore. And, they weren't sore later in the day or the next day. I defnitely felt like I did some physical activity, but they weren't overly painful. Sweet!

I learned three things from this run:

1. I need a bigger water bottle. My baby bottle didn't cut it (despite its cuteness). Thank goodness there is a water fountain (with surprisingly cold water) along the route, so I could refill it.
   
2. Plan your route before heading out on your run. Kind of a duh!, I realize, but I never really experienced the misfortune of not doing this. It is extremely frustrating to not know where you're going or stumble on a bad route.
3. Training really works! I never thought I'd be able to say I ran 7 miles (with minimal walk breaks). And, not be in excruitiating pain from it. Mind-blowing!

Day 18 (Sept. 18)

The Saturday glass of wine with dinner turned into two (or three, ahem). This type of activity on Saturday night encourages one to blow off their run on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. But, I didn't ... well, I wasn't really intending to blow it off. I made myself get up and get dressed despite having a headache, being dehydrated and being super sleepy. I was ready to head out the door when I realized my keys weren't on the key rack where I always put them (I'm now realizing always probably isn't the best word choice in this instance). So, after searching my purse and a few other spots with no luck (and allowing no time for such activity in my schedule), I gave up on making it to the group run.

Since I was already in my running clothes, I decided to drink some water and go out running on my own. Bad idea. I made it one mile and turned around and walked the remaining mile back home. Ugh. I did not feel good. At all.

So, I figured my next shot was running that evening (after it cooled off). I tried to hydrate during the day, and 12 hours later, I went out to do my six-mile long run. I didn't feel great again (not nearly as bad as I did that morning, but it just wasn't a good running feeling). I got the mileage in, but I did some walking intervals. I felt much better during the second three miles than I did the first. I'd expect the opposite, so that was kind of strange.

Oh, and I found my keys (on the floorboard of the car).

Day 12 (Sept. 4)

I’m still in Kansas, and I need to run 5 miles — my long run for the week. I hit the Shunga Trail, which really rocked (aside from those portions where they were replacing sections of the trail and had blockades and no trail).

It was a cool day (a breezy 70 degrees). Yes, 70 is cool for me. If you’re used to dealing with 90 degrees with 100% humidity, you’d find this almost chilly. And, this made running a breeze. I guess all those people that kept telling me that once it cooled off running would seem easy were right!

I went 2.5 miles in one direction and turned back for the remaining 2.5 miles. I walked a few portions (those mentioned portions with no trail and blockades). I also walked a few sections that had an extreme uphill portion to come up from under a road — extreme uphill could be an exaggeration, but when you’re used to flat land, any hill is extreme (or so says Jina). I tried running them, but I swore I was just making the running motion and staying in the same spot.

This trail took me through neighborhoods, soccer and baseball fields and wooded areas. It really was an enjoyable way to see the city.

Sunday is a treat

After my long runs on Sunday, I feel like a deserve a treat. I mean, I woke up early. I ran _ (anywhere from 4-11) miles. I think I earned this treat. So, I treat myself. This treat is nothing major, usually just watching some guilty pleasure on TV with a glass of wine, which suits me just fine.

A few weeks ago, “Jersey Shore” aired on a special night: Sunday. Fist pump! Yes, I am a regular viewer of this show. I tried to hide/deny/not talk about this for quite some time, but I’m out in the open now. I like this show, and I’m not afraid to admit it (anymore). GTL, baby!

This week, my treat: Cowboys vs. Jets game. I love the Dallas Cowboys, and I love Sunday night football. A fabulous combination (especially with a glass of wine) … or so I thought until I watched the game. Ugh.

This is a picure from last year. I was not smiling last night.

After the game, Tony Romo, quarterback of the Cowboys, said, “I’ve got to get better. That’s the bottom line.” Yes, Tony, you do. Please. DO. IT. A fumble on the one yard line, an interception and a bobbled snap all in the fourth quarter is totally unacceptable (you dumping Jessica Simpson on her birthday is also totally unacceptable, but that’s a different rant).

Maybe next week's treat will be less frustrating.

Day 7

Tuesday’s run: rained out. But, never fear, our coach had rainy day lesson plans (yes, he used to be a PE teacher). He went into details about our training schedules, nutrition and rest days (since we had one yesterday).

I also learned that I’m an idiot. OK, I knew I was, but I just got further proof of this fact. I thought all of the energy gels were generically called “goos.” Wrong. They are called “energy gels” or just “gels.” There is a brand, GU, pronounced “goo” (which I thought was pronounced “gee-you”). So, excuse me for being an idiot. And, just ignore most of this post (but, even if I’m an idiot, I still think “Goo review” makes a better title than “Gel review”).

Besides me being an idiot, I learned that rest days are good (and help prevent injury), we’re adding speed work to our training in September, and we’ll need to start fuelling ourselves (with energy gels, sport beans or something else I don’t know of yet) during our longer runs.