I Probably Should Make My Blog Public again

This run felt great!  It was foggy so I wore my vest, but I was happy to get out running in the daylight.  Sidewalks were almost all the way clear, but there were a few areas where snow/ice still lingered. 

I started at a good pace and then just kept pretty steady until the end, where I tried to push for the last 15 minutes.  My splits are odd because I accidentally pressed the lap button when starting the watch after waiting at a light at 1.46 miles, so splits were taken every mile thereafter (at .46).

Avg:  8:38.  Splits 9:02, .46 at 8:42, then miles of 8:32, 8:50, 8:52, 8:39, 8:37, 8:44, 8:53, 8:05, and .65 at 7:41.

Didn't really want to go out on this run.  When I was out on this run I was contemplating doing 4 miles, then 6, and finally I just figured if I was about 8, I would be satisfied.  It was easy and uneventful.

Avg: about 9:35.  

Long time on the gazelle.  Freezing rain outside.  Watched some NCIS.

We're supposed to get thunderstorms Thurs.  Weird.  But then I hear it is to be 50 on Saturday, which I like.

I signed up last week for Chicago's Shamrock Shuffle in March.  My only dilemma is the start.  I'm in a start corral (the slowest one).  All my other people could get into a better start corral, but they are content to be in the open because they don't want to race.  Since none of them care, I have to decide if I should just stay put in my slow corral.  I could submit 5K results to get a better start corral, but it just seems like a lot of effort...I just don't want to go in the open with them because I do want to race and I know I would allow them to seduce me over to the dark side if I started with them.

Did yoga when I came home from school.  The 3 kids joined me (I pick up my nephew from school.  He's almost like one of my kids).  Eli got bored after 5 minutes and then wandered around trying to get the other two to stop.  Caleb got bored after about 20 minutes.  Spencer did pretty much the whole thing with me.  He sat out for a few minutes when the poses got hard for him.

Then I went out to the KC's for dinner, where I was the hero of the night.  They do this monthly drawing.  If your number is drawn, you win a certain amount of money.  If you aren't there to collect, you only win half.  My husband had to work and I really didn't want to go, but I was told I had to.  I almost didn't go, but I did, and...we won!  $1710.  Now, don't get too excited for me.  We split it 5 ways (my husband's brothers do everything together.  They each get a number and they always split).  But still.  A bit over $300  If I hadn't gone, it would have been 1/2.

Normally my mantra is "I hate the KC's," but today I love it.  The love won't last long.

And then I came home and did the gazelle for my 7 cross training miles.

Class tonight.  Woke up early to get in an hour of cross training.

Hoping tomorrow is going to be warm.  After I get out of class tomorrow afternoon I'd like to get in at least 10 miles.  It depends on how guilty I feel for spending more time away from the kids, though.

Professor pushed back class start time from 8 until 9, so I was able to get in my run before class. 

And I rocked it.

Did 3 faster miles mid run.  I'm thinking that I will be shooting for a 8 min pace (or maybe a little under) for the 1/2 in May.  So I tried to hit that pace for the 3 miles, and I was a little under.

Avg. pace: 8:45.  Splits:  9:23, 9:00, 8:58, 7:41, 7:52 (for 1.03--I accidentally hit the lap button at .82 and then forgot to push it again right at an even mile), 7:52, 10:03 (started this mile with a .1 walk), 9:13, 9:05, 8:35 and then 8:39 pace for the last bit.

Did not feel totally awesome at the end of the 3rd fast mile.  But felt really good after I was done with the run.  (Almost) wished that I had more time to run a little longer.  But I was a few minutes late for class because I got off to a later start than I should have.