3.4 miles~~TGIF!

Well, the long week has finally ended.  It is Friday!  Yea!  I knew I wouldn't be able to run a long way...I was just tired and ready to put my feet up.  

I headed out and logged 3.4 miles.  Sometimes it is hard to get going, especially when I am tired.  I have to tell myself that I am going to run, and make the plan in my head that I will get out of the car, take my things in the house, and go upstairs and get dressed in running clothes.  If I make the plan then it is easier to do.

After running, I always drink my Accelerade drink.  Jeff Galloway wrote about this drink and the fact that it has protein while many of the other drinks don't.  Research has revealed that protein needs to be taken in within the first 15 minutes after exercise to help rebuild and repair the muscles.  I've tried the orange, red, and lemon lime.  So far, I think the orange is my favorite flavor.  Maybe I'll try the blue next.   

4.1 miles~~HOT!

I had hoped to run yesterday or the day before, but we had storms in the evening when I got home.  I don't mind running in the rain, but storms are another matter.  Today the high was 90 degrees, so when I got home it was maybe 89 degrees.  It was also humid.  Saturday's run it was a beautiful 64 degree day, so jumping up 20+ degrees is really tough.  I knew I would have to take it a little easy today since I wasn't used to the heat.

I have a love/hate relationship with hats.  I know I need to wear them (my dermatologist requires it) but they just make me hot!  But, I was a good girl and I put a hat on (I forgot the sunscreen...sorry Dr!) and my running sunglasses and as few clothes as I could.  That means my sports bra, running tank, shorts and my Vibrams.

I wasn't sure how far I would make it, but pushed myself to go out 2 miles from my house.  I definitely walked more than I usually do, simply because it was so hot.  Breathing is much harder when it is hot, so I slowed down to make it easier.

Which do I like better, running in the cold or the heat?  That is a hard question.  I hate having cold fingers, toes, and nose when it is cold.  But I don't have to worry about strange smells or allergens in the winter.  The cold air is the biggest challenge.  In the summer, the heat makes it harder to run until I get used to it.  But, probably the worst part of the heat are the smells.  Roadkill is horrible when it is hot.  At one part of the run, I had to hold my breath and run faster.  There is a bonus--the wonderful flower and other smells. Right now, honeysuckle is blooming and the smell is heavenly as I run by the patches.  I wish that smell could be bottled.  Which do I like better?  I like having both cold and hot weather!  

6.16 miles~~Saturday run

After sleeping a little late (1.5-2 hours later than normal) and having a delicious omelet breakfast that Chris made me, I decided to run.  I did a few jobs around the house so my food would settle before running.  I know that I should not sleep later on the weekends, but I need more sleep than I am getting every night.  So that extra hour or two really makes me feel better.  I've realized that I am the type of person who needs about 8-10 hours a night, but I get only about 6-7 hours.  After several days, then I need to get a few hours more in order to function and be alert.

I took my inhaler and suited up.  I ate a couple of Clif energy squares, slathered on sunscreen and sunglasses, and headed out.  I wasn't sure how far I was going to run and decided to just run and see how I felt before turning around and heading home.  I did a little walking, mainly on the bigger hills, but kept pushing myself to run farther.  By the time I was home, I had logged 6 miles.  Not a bad day!

3.43 miles in the 88 degree heat!

Today was one of our students' last days.  the left at 11 am and will do so tomorrow too.  It was definitely hotter today than it has been recently.  I thought about running yesterday, but it was very humid.  I wasn't sure how I would do with it so suddenly.  Since I didn't go yesterday, I really needed to go today. 

I got myself ready, and couldn't figure out how to keep my hair back without making me hotter.  I finally settled on wearing a Nike sport headband, sunglasses, shorts and a tank.  Thank goodness I thought about it well.  It was HOT!  It is hard to adjust to drastic changes in the weather.  When I ran the Bodies in Motion 10K the other day, it was in the 60s.  And today it was close to 90.  20+ degree change.  And tomorrow it is supposed to be cool again.  My friends in Mississippi run in the heat and humidity a lot, but it is so hard to get used to it.  

I ran slower today and walked more times than I usually do. By doing this I was able to continue.  If I had pushed myself harder, I wouldn't have done as well.  Breathing is harder in the heat along with just being hotter.  Luckily a few breezes blew as I was running. 

6.2 miles~~Bodies in Motion 10K

It was storming last night and there was a chance of rain this morning.  Luckily, it held off for the race.  We got up early and made it to the WARF (Warrenton Aquatic and Recreation Facility) in plenty of time.  Chris had picked up our packets on Friday, so we didn't have to do that before the race.  This race was pretty small compared to some we've been to.  The worst part was turning on my iPod and finding out I forgot to charge it.  I had asked Chris the night before if he had charged his, but I didn't charge mine! Silly.

They held the children's race first, then the lined up the 5K and 10K racers together. We started together and ran in the neighborhoods around the WARF.  At one point, the 5K and 10K racers split off.  The number of people running the 10K was definitely fewer than the 5K racers! 

The most confusing thing about this race, was that we ran a couple of the roads more than one time.  Luckily they had people at most places telling us which way to go, but it was still confusing.  Once, I was asked "Is this the first or the second time you've seen me?"  I don't always pay attention while running, but luckily I was paying attention, and knew the answer!

I finished the race 67th out of 85 runners in the 10K.  I added 39 seconds to my last best time, but that is ok.  Another great race day. 

3.67 miles

TGIF!  It is finally Friday!  After working all week and our hectic DARE / Field Day, I got home to change for running.  I didn't get to go super far, but got in 3.67 miles.  I was slow and sluggish today.  It could have been the warm weather, or just I was tired and didn't push myself more. There is less than a week left for the students at school, but I have over a month left to get books in the computer, inventory completed, and get ready for next year.
We have a 10K on Sunday, so I really wanted to make sure I got out today and ran.  Hopefully I can run a little faster on Sunday.

5.48 miles~~beautiful evening

These past few weeks have been so hectic.  Our middle daughter graduated from Randolph College,  her undergraduate college on Sunday, which happened to be Mother's Day.  she is already at Vanderbilt working on her graduate program, so we are always working on getting her from one place to another.  It was a busy, but great weekend.  

Today, I had to rush home, pick up my youngest daughter's backpack with her computer etc in it, and overnight it to her.  She went back to college and left it on her bed! Ackk.  Luckily, it should get there tomorrow by 3:00 pm.  Once I got back home, I threw a load of towels in the washer and suited up.  I really wanted to push myself a run a little farther since I haven't been able to run in days.

It was a beautiful, beautiful evening.  I ran 5.48 miles (there is that weird amount after the decimal again!)  As it is getting warmer, it is nice not to have to worry about the freezing cold air or cold toes or cold nose.  But...what I do have to worry about are the gnats that fly in my mouth or the smoke from the yard burning in the neighbors field.  But is is fabulous running when it is in the 60s and beautiful.   

3.5 miles

I got a bit behind in my blogs, so I am trying to catch up with them.  Sometimes it is hard to remember what the run was like when I don't log it right away.  I guess that means it was uneventful.  At least I know it means that I wasn't injured or had an absolutely horrible run.    

I ran 3.5 miles at a pace of 12:13 minute per mile.  I didn't have a really fast mile or a really slow mile, I was consistent the whole run.    

6.2 miles~~ Apple Blossom 10K!

Chris and I got up early and headed up to Winchester.  We got there in enough time and found a parking spot near the start line.  This race is a part of the Apple Blossom Festival.  As we drove in , we saw the grand stands for the parade that follows the race and people setting up stands and such for activities.  We picked up our packets and headed back to the car to stay warm and get ready.  It was a little cool, so figuring out what to wear for the race can sometimes be hard for me.  I've read that you should plan on being 10 degrees warmer than when you start.  But that is still difficult for me.

We got ready, I decided to war capris, a long sleeve shirt, headband over my ears, and gloves, and headed out.  We try to take our piture before every run, but my camera battery wasn't in the camera, so we had the race photographers take our pictures.  The start for the race was on a divided road, so some runners were on one side of the median or the other.  

I had a great run, running 10:24 minute miles, which was great!  The other runners were lively and happy, and the course was pretty flat.  I am trying hard to notice more of the area as I run instead of just putting my head down and running.  It was interesting that on this course I saw another Coca-Cola building as I did in Nashville.  Winchester's building was built in 1940.  Just like the Nashville one, it was empty.  Such a cool, interesting building, just sitting empty.

I finished my run in 1:05.01, finishing 1154 out of 1458 overall and 34 out of 54 in my age group.  I felt great during and after the race.  After the race, Chris and I headed out and ended up buying a new printer to help our daughter print her wedding invitations.   

4.97 miles

After my exhausted day on Sunday, I took a break from running for a few days.  Today is Thursday, which of course is a workday, so after working, I headed out.  

I ran 4.97 miles (why don't I just go the last 0.13 miles to make it an even 5 miles, I don't know...).  I moved myself a tiny bit more than the last run, so that was good.  Since I've run my "big run" --the half-marathon, I haven't been pushing myself as much as I was before the race.  Life has sometimes interrupted also.  I am trying to just get out there when I can and move.  There are days that it is hard to do so with so many things on my plate.  But if I can get out there 2-4 days a week, then I am happy.  For now.  As it gets closer to the next half-marathon, then I need to push myself harder and farther.