Auntie Em Goes Running

Recovery run day.  My swollen foot looks very near normal this morning; that's pretty good news considering the workout yesterday.  Ran 7 recovery miles today, occasionally sneaking up to under 9 minutes/mile, but bringing it right back down to easy.  Rewarded myself with a few 200m strides at the end.  I feel tired, but my foot feels good.

I ran along the North Lake Whatcom trail this morning.  This is a great place for a recovery run; its a trail that skirts the lakefront 3.25 miles each way, and is flat and gentle the entire way.  Running along the water is always so peaceful.  The other great thing about this trail is that it is a popular place for dog walking, and I get to see a lot of dogs!  This morning they were all jumping into the lake.  I am glad that I got to enjoy their happy play without having the wet dog smell in my car. 

I thought it was supposed to go back to rainy weather today, but I guess we got a bonus day.  I don't know how warm it is, but I was just outside working in the yard, wearing shorts, and I had to take off my sweatshirt!  Daffodils blooming.

Did a strength and stretching session this morning for 40 minutes, then ran 5.73 miles, trying for "easy" pace by feel.  My feel was all off, though, and AP was 8:23.  So I called it Marathon Pace miles!  

That's all for today, unless maybe a bike ride later. 

Oops, forgot to post this yesterday.  I chose not to do track last night, because my foot was sort of not right, and I had some acupuncture to take care of it.  I rode the stationary bike for 90 minutes instead.

I went out this morning and made up the track workout that I missed last night.  Its sooo hard now because we are back to our normal winter weather -- rain!  Not cold though.  Because it is now lighter in the morning, I was able to go to a track nearer to my house, where there are no lights.  And, truthfully, once I was out in it, the rain felt kind of nice and soothing.  

I did 4 800s, 3 600s, and 4 200s, all at 7 minute mile pace.  This is slower than my VO2Max pace, but much faster than my marathon pace, so I counted it as threshold miles, even though it is also faster than my threshold pace!  Confusing.  So,  while I warmed up, I did the mental math for how long each interval should take me at 7 minute mile pace, and then realized it didn't matter; all I had to do was turn on my Garmin and keep the PACE number at 7.  Anyway, the 800s were at 6:32, 6:58, 6:52, and 6:52 mile pace, a bit fast.  The 600s were at 6:51, 6:48, and 6:49, still a bit too fast.  The 200s got really bad, I think I just wanted to be done, so I ran them faster.  I knew that when I finished my workout, I got to go and get my massage, and I really wanted to get there!  200s were at 6:35, 6:18, 6:19, and 6:22.  Some days I just can't get it right.  Did a few cool down miles.

When I put my shoes on to go to the track, my foot/ankle was, as usual, swollen.  But, as I ran, I kept tightening my right shoe as it loosened.  When I got to my massage, I took off my shoes to show him my foot, and it looked normal!  He worked a lot on it, which was very painful, and when he was done with my foot, it was smaller than the other one!  This whole thing with my foot is just too weird, but clearly running is good for it.  Then he worked on my neck which has been stiff for weeks.  I really wish that I would get a massage every month, but I don't like to spend the time.  I feel great, and the best part is that there are freshly baked cookies in the front of the building where I get my massage!  I got two today because the foot treatment hurt, and I deserved it.  One was this dark chocolate chip thing with some apricot jam on top - heavenly!

Sorry for talking so much today, I'm getting a bit rambling here.   

Easy miles this morning before yoga.  AP 9:59!  Funny, but I kept thinking that I was going too fast, and kept slowing down, but my AP is great.  Maybe its because it was still so dark out for most of the run.  Yoga was great, really helpful in stretching out my foot, which is a little sore from the harsh massage yesterday - but not swollen!  

I've got another run this afternoon, marathon miles and tempo miles.  Will post later!

Waking a struggle;

its just too early, until

the run has begun. 

2nd run update:  This was supposed to be a 45 minute run, 15 at easy, then 30 at marathon pace, with 6 strides at the end.  AP for the whole thing was 8:28.  Wasn't too picky about pace, and I know that we both went a bit too fast on the marathon bit.  Fun run, our day turned out really beautiful here.  I actually had to take off my winter running shirt and run in sports bra top!  It felt like it was 50 degrees.  

I really love having two runs a day! 

Day off of running to rest for tomorrow's 10K.  Just trotted up and down my street and kicked up a few strides.  I am very excited for tomorrow's race, and then onwards to Bainbridge with my friend for a road bike ride on Sunday.  This is the kick off bike ride for the Cascade Bicycle Club, and has 5,000 riders!  I will be riding with a slower group and saving myself for long running on Monday.  

The heavens let loose -

at least that is what they say;

I just call it rain.

Yep, you guessed it; back to rain.  Plus the winds are howling!  I'll go downtown and do some yoga this evening.   

10K day!  I had myself way too worked up over this race, because I just knew that I couldn't do the 7:33 pace.  I just determined to give it my best shot, stay on pace, and hold it as long as I could.  I'm VERY unfamiliar with this distance; I've only run one 10K before, and I sort of don't get this distance.  A 5K I get, just run fast and short; a 10K seems too long for that, so you are constantly holding back a bit.  

Anyway, I started out a wee bit fast, from excitement, but brought it under control in the first 1/2 mile  First two miles were just a touch under pace, but that worked out fine, since the middle 2.5 miles were out on the open flats through fields and the head winds were strong enough to knock me over.  So I slowed a bit in these miles.  A man began drafting off of me here, which is OK, except that he refused to switch leads and give me a break.  If I pulled back, he slowed WAY down and dropped behind me.  I didn't say anything, just ran and pulled him along through the last 4 miles of the race.  I saw him afterwards in the gym and I said "nice race, did you have fun?"  He goes:  "yeah, nice pace".  No thank you or anything.  I forgave him later when I realized he was probably a new runner and I just helped him a bit is all.  

Anyhow, I DID KEEP MY PACE all the way to the end!  Surprise, surprise.  And a nice little sprint the last 200m as well.  Finish time was 47:14; only second in AG, but I'm really pleased with how I ran this race.  I saw the woman in my AG ahead of me, and I didn't try to catch her; just stayed on pace.  I'm happy with the consistent splits in spite of the headwinds, and very pleased to have conquered my fear of the pace.  I was so afraid that I almost ran the 5K instead!  I don't know if I'll ever really like this distance, but I think I learned a little how to run it.