Feeling lighter.

Today Hubby works until 7 and on days like this I end up running solo.  I refuse to go to the trails by myself so I tried the pavement again.  I spent about 10 minutes looking for my oh-so-not patiently waiting puppy until I realized we left it in Hubby's car.  So I had to trick her to going outside again :( 

However, I felt a little lighter on my run without her needed to sway one way or another and stop and sniff and snuff all the dogs who had previously been on the square of grass!  

Since I had been running (run/walk/jog) about 3 miles each time on the trails I decided I needed to suck it up and do it on the road too to get ready for the 5k I want to do October 1st.  This means I do one of my planned out laps twice. 

My reach my first mile and I knew by the time that I had just beat my mile record at 10:54!  Yay me! So I take a little walk break and start running again.  I do that a few times before I reach the 2.5 mile mark and realize that the rate I'm going I'm even going to beat my 5k record!  And I did! At 38:02!  

I had to pass my house a little bit to make it to the 3.1 miles so I just went around the loop and back to the house.  I'm very proud of myself, if you can't tell from this very boasting post! :) 

Couples who ice together, stay together.

To recap August in running: 19 runs, 10:09:59, 39.54 miles


Lets see, I think I only need to catch you up on my weekend workouts.  Saturday was Yoga for the first time.  It is the yoga from P90X.  Ahhhh!  That was tough but felt so good (the good kinda sore) the next day. Sunday run was 3.33 in 49:01.  I think the running gods were shining on me in the beginning but I slowed down for Hubby.  He wasn't feeling it.  Then of course I get tired and he starts to feel better and beats me, as always.  We did that in the AM before visiting my uncle in town from Cali. 


Yesterday was a rest day.  Although I did a little workout through a nike training app that I just discovered.  Pretty good.  Today I did 3.35 in 47:19.  Pretty proud of the fact that it was faster than the Sunday's run.  Not as fast as I would like the 5k but we are doing the toughest part of the trail including crazy hills. So now Hubby and I are watching Megamind while icing our sore legs.  


The past handful of times I have been running I have been contemplating how these runs are helping me.  I feel like the trails helps with endurance of course. But does it really help my speed? I'm concerned that since I have been running on soft dirt my shins are going to have a shock when I try running on the road again.  Hubby and I are going to attempt running the road on Thursday and see how it goes.  

Feeling left out

So you know about this trail that Hubby has taken me, where I saw Bambi again.  Well he's now going WITHOUT me! His schedule is a little wonky and opposite of mine so I don't blame him. However, I do not feel comfortable running the trail by myself (even though my big tough dog is with me).  My friends think I'm crazy for running so not too many volunteers there.  Therefore, I am stuck running on the boring ol' road again until Hubby and I's schedule mesh again.  

Day before yesterday was the first day that I ran across this dilemma. I was at a friends checking on her (she pulled a muscle in her back) and she offered to sit in the gym at her apartment complex while I ran on the treadmill.  So I took her up on it. I only did a mile.  I didn't want to make her sit there long. I then drove her (I say "her" but really it was me who wanted to go) to get frozen yogurt.  Momma taught me right though, gotta eat dinner before dessert.  So I had pita pit.  

Yesterday was an off day but when I got home and saw how hyper my puppy (I call all dogs puppies, no matter their age. Mine will be 3 this year) was, coupled with the fact that I only ran 1 mile instead of almost 4 the day before, I decided to take the pup out for a mile run.  I did just over a mile but didn't push myself. 

Today, well, I'm sitting on my couch blogging instead of running.  I am faced with the same dilemma.  I REALLY want to run on the trail but can't. So I sit here until I finally force myself off the couch and out the door. My tentative plan is to do 2.5 mile route around the neighborhood.  If I sit here too long I'll end up having a glass of wine instead. :) 

Venting

Let me preface this with the fact that for the past year I have LOVED my nike+ app.  Well, today Hubby told me that there was an update on my nike+ app. So naturally I went to my app store and updated it.  It then deleted all runs that are older than July 19th!  I started this in September of last year and had racked up exactly 150 miles in 100 runs since that time.  


If you run, you can imagine my state of mind now! Arg! There are few good things with the update, I can now see my splits and the elevation of my runs. But I want my old runs back so I can compare them.  I guess there is nothing I can do about it now.  

Bambi is all grown up!

Hubby took me (and the puppy of course) to run this trail at San Felasco State Park on Saturday. I started out strong but did not last long.  I was on and off running and trying not trip over all the roots and stumps in the way. The hills were tough too, I walked up and ran down though ;) It felt like it was never going to end since I had never done the trail before I didn't know where I was going and how far I had left.  Anyhoo, my time for that was 3.87 miles in 1 hour and 1 minute, yikes! 


Today we did the same thing.  I thought I was crazy for doing it again after knowing what was coming.  About a mile in I remember thinking "why am I doing this again?!" But that thought slid away as I kept pushing myself.  Hubby was having some issues with his foot falling asleep so we took a short stretch break.  Around mile 2.5 Bambi and her friend jumped out in front of us across the trail!  All grown up...I mean huge!  My crazy pup wanted to chase them but luckily she was on leash.  (P.s. she's a big scaredy cat, I scared her about 3 times on the run just by kicking a stick behind her.)  So I happened to glance down at my nike+ app and saw if I pushed a little harder I would beat my best time for the 5k so I did....and I did, by about 2 minutes.  We ended strong with 3.83 miles in 54:41.  


I'm feeling a lot better about possibly running a 5k in October.  Actually seeing it as an attainable goal.  Wish me luck!  

In need of direction

I am in serious need of direction! My body feels as though I am just beginning running when I have been at this for a while now.  At one point I was running a straight 2 miles and well on my way to doing more. My running has been like this:


8/6 (a saturday mind you) 6:52 am - 1.08 miles - 13:18
8/7 8:11 am - 1.60 - 23:31
8/9 6:40 am - 1.61 - 23:58
8/10 6:47 am - 1.58 - 24:03
8/11 6:54 am - 1.63 - 22:24
8/12 7:06 am - 1.59 - 24:07
8/14 9:37 am - 1.61 - 23:31
8/15 6:16 pm - 1.60 - 21:05
8/16 6:55 pm - 1.61 - 23:45
8/18 5:58 pm - 2.64 - 37:40


Now obviously by those times I am no where near running all of those distances.  I am maybe running .75.  On 8/15 I had a great run, felt like I was finally getting back to where I was before and feeling good.  Tuesday when I went out for my run I started getting those shin splints again and I have been hurting ever since.  I am running half a mile and needing to stop.  I will attempt to run a little more later in the walk but my legs just can't do it.  


Did I hurt my running by trying to do too many days each week? 


I am getting very frustrated. Nothing like bringing down your mood like a bad run or lack there of! I guess the only thing to do is to let it rest and ice it.  I am taking tomorrow off but I'm attempting a little more on Saturday, I just can't give up! I want to be a runner! 

New Goals

Yesterday began a very tough process for me.  I am now on my way to being a early riser.  I started on a Saturday because I already dislike Monday mornings so much that I knew attempting my first day at getting up early on Monday would not go well (as I have tried that many times before).  My first two days have been a success. Not as early as would have liked but way earlier than a normal weekend morning for me.  Yesterday I was up and at em' at 7:00 and out for a mile run with Hubby at about 11:55 pace.

Today was a little later, 8:00 while Hubby continued sleeping. My total mileage was 1.6 at a much slower pace. I was feeling a little hip pain, not sure what it is but didn't want to injure myself plus I having a little trouble breathing with all the humidity.  Ok no more excuses!