It's been a while...but 6.04 miles today

It has been two weeks, I feel so sluggish!  Classes and life just interrupted and running wasn't in the timeline.  
But today, I got out there and ran 6.04 miles.  Up and down the hills.  But I did it!  My pace was 12:39, not to fast, and not too slow.  I hope I can get out and get in a few more days a week to run.  This is hard just running once or twice a week, or running only once in two weeks!  Somehow I will get in more runs.

I am still fighting a little ache in my heel where the tendon or whatever connects to my heel.  It never hurts while I am running or walking, but hurts later.  My doctor gave me a new cream (a trial he is participating in) and it seems to help.  But the cream is a bit sticky, so I don't always put it on as often as I should.  I probably need to just stretch much more when I am done running.  That would probably help.  I also need to find time to do Stretch X again.  That would feel fabulous.

6.05 miles--it's Saturday!

I can't seem to get out and get many nights of running in during the week with classes.  But i guess it is a good thing I can get out on the weekend still.  
I got out and was able to log 6.05 miles.  The hills still are hard, or should I say they are harder...Since I have't been running much, I don't have a lot of practice with the hills.  A couple of our hills are pretty steep and once I get over one, it seems like there is another one right after it.  

Hopefully soon I'll be able to get in more than just one or two runs a week.  

4.39~~gorgeous day!

I came home from work and got all dressed to run.  I waited for Chris to get home so we could head out.  I didn't know how cool or warm it was going to be, so I wore a skirt and short sleeve shirt then added a jacket.  We headed out and walked for the first half a mile.  Then I decided to run and basically ran the rest of the time.  The sun was warm and there was a light breeze.  I ended up taking off my jacket and tying it around my waist.  It felt so good to run and move.  I even ran down the huge hill on my course road and back up it (well...almost all the way back up the hill).

I need to get in the groove and run more than 1 or 2 times a week.  Now that my classes are close to finished for the semester, I'll be able to fit in a few more runs.  And nicer weather is a plus too!  It was wonderful running without having frozen toes or fingers.   
Here is to more running!!! 

2.78 miles~~more walking than running

Another run lost from the watch.  But I did run today --well, actually walked more than running.  Chris and I went out and we walked more than ran so we could just get into the flow of exercising regularly again.  The weather was nice--there was no snow on the ground, so that was perfect.  We only went about 2.78 miles (not even 3!), but we got to talk and move and breath fresh air.  

4.5 miles~~acck--watch!

Ok.  I am a little frustrated.  I ran today.  Then I ran two days from now, then I ran again.  I had several runs on my watch.  I forgot to write them in my journal.  If I haven't mentioned it, I have a running journal that I handwrite everything in, the miles I've run, the time, the weather, how I felt etc.  When I went to upload it to the Garmin site, it updated my watch and it LOST every run that was on the watch!  ACKKK.

But I did run 4.5 miles.  I think it was in 54 minutes, but I can't be sure.  

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.