3.3 miles~~In Sunny CA~~I'm a GRANDMA

Ok.  I have not been running lately, but there is a very good reason for that.  A very good reason.  On the last day of the Book Fair, my daughter called and said she was having her son.  That was her due date and it was her first child.  What are the chances of that happening?  I had it in my mind that she wouldn't have him until after the Book Fair.  Boy was I wrong.  After a long hard decision, I decided to leave my assistant in charge and try to get there for his birth.  While I didn't make it (she only had a 6 hour labor and only spent 20 minutes in the hospital before she delivered) I was there about 7 hours later.  It was fabulous.  I got to stay with my daughter in the hospital both nights and help with my grandson, Grayson Charles.  I stayed with my daughter since her husband is serving in the Marines and is deployed.  I am extremely lucky, this is something that most grandmas don't have a chance to do. Oh, and I am Nonnie, my husband Chris is Poppi.  :-)

After waking up many times a night and cleaning, walking dogs, and feeding and taking care of Mommy and son, I finally got a run in.  The neighborhood my daughter lives in is pretty hilly, so this run was a tough one.  I was able to get in about 3 to 3.5 miles.  Once again, my watch deleted my run!  The sun felt great.  The roads were buys, but the flowers and green grass were uplifting.  What a great day.  

4 miles~~after a long Book Fair day

Today was our second day of the book fair.  It is always a much busier time during Book Fair.  I am basically running a store while still having regular classes come in.  Plus extra students and parents who visit.  I love the Book Fair, but it is a lot of extra work.  I love that the Book Fair makes children excited about books and residing.  That is a great end result.

Back to the run...I got out and ran 4 miles.  I have no record of my time or splits.  I plugged in my watch to upload them to my Garmin site, and instead, the watch updated and erased all my runs.  Every. Single. Run. I. Had. Done.  I was so disappointed.  But I know I went out there and ran.  

4 miles~~35 degrees!

Well, we got about 8" of snow on top of ice on Monday.  That gave us three snow days from school.  The first day was snowy, wet, and cold.  Chris and I got out and shoveled and made a car path so we could get out if needed.  We stayed in all day Monday and most of Tuesday.  I drove to class on Tuesday night and most of the roads were clear and safe.  A couple of spots on Slate Mills road were still icy and slushy driving too and back from class.  Today the sun was out and the wind wasn't really blowing much.  I still bundled up and wore my gloves with my mittens on top--which I removed before I got too far.  I wore my fleece skirt to keep my bum warm, and a hat.  The only thing that really got cold were my toes!  It doesn't help that there was a lot of wet and slushy parts that I had to run through.  I wear SmartWool toe socks under my Vibrams, but every toe was soaked when I got home.   I knew they were wet, but I didn't realize how wet until I took off the shoes and socks!  I was able to get 4 miles in, and kept a decent pace of 12 minute miles.  I walked a bit, and kept my nose and mouth covered for a while to warm the air that I was breathing in.  It felt so good to move!

I went to the Dr. on Thursday since my throat was hurting and the two doses of medicine I had taken in the last month and a half wasn't working.  I got another prescription and directions to take Benadryl and Mucinex to help.  Luckily it worked!  I am finally getting over the drippy nose, scratchy throat and feeling better.  I do wonder if the trouble with my work heater is making my immune system more worn down and making it harder for me to stay well.  Some days when I get to work it is 53, 59, or 60 degrees.  I brought in two smaller heaters that we run while we are there, but being cold all day is just miserable.  Hopefully it will be fixed soon, or better yet, maybe spring will get here soon!

Yard work!

Ok, I didn't run today.  Instead, I spent all day in the yard with Chris.  We raked, cut bushes, pulled limbs and branches to the pile, drug tons of leaves to a fire pile, burned all the rakings  and used muscles I didn't know I had.  Maybe this can be called "cross training"?!  I did go a"cross" the yard many, many times... Ha ha.  At leaf I got my yard more in order. (whew boy, I just read that sentence...my computer auto corrected "least" to "leaf".  That is funny!)  It is a lot of yard to take care of it.  At some point we need a little less yard.  But for now, this what we have to work with.  

4.45 miles

I worked all day, and stayed a little later today, so I was worried about how far I'd be able to run.  When I got home, our flag was flapping furiously in the wind.  I almost didn't go, but made myself get dressed and step outside.  That is one trick I read.  Don't think about how far or where you will go, but get your running clothes on and head outside.  Then you will just have to run!

I forgot to take my inhaler, but luckily I was ok.  I had planned on doing only about 3 miles, but went farther.  I did the route I do if I think it will get dark on me while running.  I run a 1/2 mile or so to the right of our road turn around  then I pass our road and go another mile or 2.  When I reached the turnaround point, I felt great, so I just kept going.  It is staying lighter longer, so I was able to be out later.  

3.29~~45 degrees~~ so warm!

Wow, weird to write that 45 degrees is a warm day!  But after days of  snow and slush and mush and cold, it has warmed up a bit.  The sun was still shining when I headed out after work, so I even had to wear a baseball cap!  The air was fresh, I didn't have as many layers on, and it really helped clear my head and nose.  

I am still amazed how much better I feel when I get back from running.  Yes, I am tired.  Yes, sometimes my muscles ache.  Yes, sometimes my lips are chapped and I am thirsty.  But, overall, I feel fabulous.  When my head is filled with so many things to worry and think about, running helps clear the fog.  Sometimes I can come back and the worries I had before running are not so worrisome.  So not only is running good for my muscles, my heart, my breathing, but also my brain.  My mental well-being.  

I still have one small injury that can bother me.  It is weird, it doesn't bother me while I am running, only afterward.  There is a small muscle or tendon that runs up the back of my foot to my heel.  The spot where it connects to the back of my heel bone can feel irritated or sore after I run--especially if I don't stretch it well.  So right now, I make sure I stretch it after I'm warmed up, ice it when it is really aggravated, and take ibuprofen if needed.  It isn't enough to go to someone to have it looked at, but it is enough sometimes to be aggravating.  But, maybe I should have it looked at to make sure I won't damage something further.  Hmmm.

3.13 miles~~6 day delay...

Well,  I ran Monday.   Then had class Tuesday and Wednesday.  Then we had 14" of snow on Thursday/Friday.  So I couldn't run until today.  Luckily I got out and ran.  It was cold, and the roads were wet, but it didn't matter.

I had to walk carefully down the driveway in my Vibrams, being gentle and trying not to break the thin veil of ice that remained between my feet and the mush and gush above the rocks.  I didn't want to begin the run with soaking wet feet.  My toes were already cold and seem to stay cold for the first mile before I can feel them again.  I even wear SmartWool socks under my Vibrams, but they are still cold.  I only got in 3.16 miles, but as I was running, the snowflakes were gently falling, reminding me that winter is still lurking around the corner.  It is not finished with us yet.

I realized that even if I go out for a quick 30 minute run, it is really an hour+ endeavor since I have to change before hand, especially in the cold since I have to wear layers, take my inhaler, and make sure the dogs have gone out before leaving them in (even as old as they are, they try to come on my runs--their hips are too arthritic to make it possible).

3.46 miles~~It is Monday!

I spent all weekend working on homework.  The amount of reading I do for one class is tremendous.  The amount of figuring and computing for the other class is equally so.  So I can typically spend about 8+ hours each weekend day in the study--working almost nonstop.  It definitely pays off since I get the work done and am learning a lot.  
But, I got out today and put in a small run.  It wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow, but it WAS a run.  I'll just keep plodding along and adding to my miles.  Each day I go out, I love the feeling.  I love how my muscles are tired, but happy.  I love the fresh air and how my nose and passages clear.  Getting out there sometimes is a challenge.  I have to talk to myself and convince myself that this is the best use of that 1/2 hour-45 minutes.  
And I am always glad I did.  

3.4 miles~~TGIF!

Thank Goodness It is Friday!!
I got out and ran 3.4 miles today.  I really didn't push myself but did about a 12:00 pace, with my walking included.  I am still run-walk-running when I go out.  It is the best method for me to be able to complete a day's workout.  I think the only time that I really run the whole way is during a race.  Weird, but true.  Maybe that is due to races being in the morning, I am fresh.  My workouts are in the evening and I have put in a full day at work or at home studying before running.  The classes I am taking are definitely cutting down on my running.  I wish it wasn't true, but I've decided that I need to have a balance.  I can't run 4-5 days a week like I used to do.  Now I am happy if I can get just 2-3 days in!

2.9 miles

Wow, after many days of freezing temperatures, and below freezing, today was about 60 degrees!  As a colleague said, "50 is the new 80!".  I was able to run without a jacket, gloves, and all the extra stuff I normally keep on.  And NO BUFF for my breathing!  I didn't run quite as much as I wanted since I had run yesterday.

I love how my muscles feel after running--sore, but so good.  I started feeling like a lump of flesh...just blah from not running.  I feel so much better when I run regularly.  In addition, I think my stress is less, my allergies are under better control, my brain seems to be less confused (although maybe my stats class is the confusion...ha ha), and I seem to be sick less.

Now, hopefully I can run again this weekend...