I Probably Should Make My Blog Public again

Can't get back in the habit of blogging.  I need to catch up on everyone's stuff.

Happy New Year!

I am really dreading the temperature drop that I sense is coming.  It's been around 30 (except for the weird 60 degree day last week) and I can handle that.

Also, I have an itch INSIDE the bottom of my foot.   I have no idea what that's all about, but it is killing me cuz I can't scratch it.

Just 5 slow miles.  I need to sign up for a race or something, to get motivated to run faster. 

I squeezed this in before Euchre night (we play every other Wednesday).  I did not win (again).

5 easy miles. 

I don't like winter.  I've been dragging my feet when it's time to get outside...and the time-wasting just makes my life more difficult. 

A nice 6 miles after a day of cleaning and organizing.  I love cleaning and organizing (well, the result of cleaning and organizing anyway).  I haven't run with my garmin in a while because I have just been following established route, but I wore it.  It confirmed my slowness.  

I am a little bugged by my slowness, which is a good sign for me.  If I'm bothered by it I'll work to change it.  I'm not sure if I am going to race the Illinois 1/2 marathon (in early May) because I am planning on running with a former student who just finished chemo last month.  I really have no idea what to expect from him, whether he'll be able to run or will have to walk some (or much).  So I'm thinking about finding another 1/2 to race around that time.  I was also encouraged because I was looking at some papers from last year, and I started training in earnest on March 1.  That gives me 6 ish weeks to get my mileage up and my pace down...

I felt pretty good on this run.  Pushed the pace a little, just to knock some of the rust off my legs.  We're supposed to get a bunch of snow tonight.  I'm not feeling very happy about that, but as long as it doesn't get icy, I guess I'll allow it.

I've been running with a mask on lately and I feel really creepy wearing it.  Today when I was getting ready I thought I'd scare my husband by going upstairs and threatening him.  Then I thought better of it.  He said it was probably a good thing, because he might have punched me in fright. 

We didn't get quite as much snow as was forecasted (yay), but it was messy out (and still snowing) by the time I get ready to run.  I cross trained instead, but I think getting outside today will be much easier.  We'll see!

Sidewalks were mostly clear, but the run was still slow (and cold).  Nothing remarkable.

Yesterday I chipped a molar (!) on a piece of hard candy.  My tongue is now all cut up, and you know how annoying that is.  After thinking about having some popcorn (Wednesday is treat day at work) and deciding against it after for some reason I couldn't open the bag, I chose the piece of candy and told a coworker (who watched my failed attempt with the popcorn bag with amusement), "I'll just take this, even though it's probably worse for me."

I am a prophet.

Oh, and we are planning a summer voyage out west (June, we think).  We know for sure that we are going to Colorado Springs to visit friends and Mesa to visit family.  Then we'll be taking a leisurely trek back home.  We're still deciding what things to see on the way back.  I'm hopping I can see some bloggers, too, on the journey!

Cross trained after some shopping.  Bought new running shoes, as they were needed (I didn't get as many miles out of my last ones as I was hoping).  I also used a gift card that I got for Christmas to buy a new cold weather shirt.  

Got to my mom and dad's yesterday.  Went for a run by their house this morning.  Here most people shovel their sidewalks.  It's nice.

I saw a lot of people out running (well, I guess that's relative, because it was really about 5 people). 

Did Jillian Michaels with my sister, and then later we took 6 boys sledding!  It was pretty fun.  She didn't go, but I wouldn't miss an opportunity to sled.

An easy 4 miles.  It was warm(er) and foggy out.  Snow's melting, but I think it's supposed to refreeze (and maybe snow a bit more) tomorrow.

I saw Burt running the other day.  Wow does he have a big head.

(Oh, yeah.  And I ran today).

Squeezed in before Euchre.  I did not win.  Someday it will happen for me...

We got some fresh snow today, and since it was snowing all day, most sidewalks weren't shoveled.  Going was slow, but while I was running some guy with his dog, after I exchanged pleasantries with him, told me I was fast.  When I laughed he said he saw me on the other side of town.  And then his dog ran out into the street, right in front of a car.

Don't worry.  No dogs were harmed in the making of this blog entry.  He made it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw5MHsO-JI8

Here's a look at the life of a runner.

Yesterday instead of running I had a fun mother/son night with Eli while Chuck was supervising a basketball game and Caleb was at his first sleepover.  But I doubt I would have run anyway.  It warmed up to a balmy 5 degrees.

I either need to get a 3 month gym membership (not too expensive) or pull the trigger on my treadmill dream.  Still few shoveled driveways.

I hate 2 things right now. 

I hate snow.  I don't mind the cold, but I really hate snow.  There is not a single route that I can run right now that doesn't have at least 2 half mile stretches that are snow covered and slow.  Boooo!  I'm already slow.  The snow just mocks me.

I also hate running.  The first two miles I was musing on just how much I hate running.  I hate running so much that I am seriously contemplating using the FIRST training plan for the 1/2 that I'm doing.  That's the one where you run 3 key workouts each week and cross train the other 3 days.  The only problem is that right now I can't cross train either because my bike is broken and swimming would be inconvenient.  I'm contemplating just doing 5 days a week till March, then doing that training program after I get my bike fixed.

I hate running so much that yesterday I spurned running and instead sat on my behind and ate candy and chocolate chip banana bread.

I hate running so much that even the crazy little girl who told me that she loved my jacket as she ran past me on the way into her house didn't really shake the blackness of my mood.

But I did enjoy the last mile and a half of my run, when my path was relatively clear and I was able to open up a little.  I'm still none too fast, but at least my last mile was respectable.

So to summarize:  I hate snow and I hate running.

An easy 3.  By the time I felt warm, I was done.  

Well, I rethought my running routes, and realized that I can do mostly streets if I change things up a bit.  So that's what I did, and I had a good run.  It was a nice progression--ending with some sustained sub 8 pace, which felt pretty good.

Maybe I can learn to love running again, but it'll probably still be a while.  I did kinda like my run today.  My problem lately is that 9:30 has been about as fast as I'll go, and I've been content as long as my pace is below 10.  So maybe if I continue to push a little, it'll be good.  I'll have to run in the streets though, as its hard to get a good pace going on snowy sidewalks.

Slow and steady...

It's been above freezing during the day for the last 5 days or so, so the snow's been melting.  I stayed in the streets.  Most of my miles were between 9:10 and 9:20, but the last mile I pushed it again.  Pace for the last 1/4 mile was below 8 min.  I am looking forward to the day that pace feels sustainable for the long haul.

We are supposed to get more snow this week, which is okay with me, but only if the temps are what they were this past week.  If not, I'll probably be complaining again :)

I'll probably post this again, but I need some reading suggestions.  Just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I'm waiting till I can check out the next one from the library.  I'll read pretty much anything.  Anybody reading anything good?  

I have a Nook and I love that I can check out ebooks from my library