One long stop

My running pal from TNT Stacey on the right. This was around mile 10 of our Bayshore half marathon. I really hope she runs the long run this Saturday. I need a pace partner!!!

Ran tonight
.
stats:
miles: a bit over 3
pace: average 10.5 (getting better!)
best: 7
stop: one, one long one. stopped at Royal Oak Brewry to help celebrate Mike's b-day. Had glass of wine and met another runner, one of Mike's friends, who, of course, competed w/ him in a half iron-man--jeeze. I just wanted to ask how, how do you even get your body to the point that it can do an iron man??? Any how, I've noticed that these super athletes, been in a million ultra competitions, are always really nice, unassuming. I guess if you've got it you just don't have to flaunt it. He taught me a new trick on my Garmen: how to make it stop timing when I stop-- that is part of why my average pace is better. It wasn't factoring 40 minute miles for stopping to tie my shoe.
I tried something tonight, though, that seemed to also speed my pace-- I read some where about falling into the run and not letting the body's natural breaks stop you. So I sort of leaned forward a bit and ran more toward my toes, not on them, but just sort of falling forward w/ each step--I looked at my Garmen at one point and I was doing a 9 minute mile doing this. It was easier and faster and it was just my mind I had to deal w/, my mind telling me it must be harder on my lungs to go faster, but really it wasn't, it was different form making it easer to go faster.
freaks: none
friendly people at bar stop: lots!
Ran home after about 30 minute stop.

Injury note: my sprained ankle, which is getting swollen again, really hurt when I started running. It warmed up after about half a mile or so but it's throbbing a bit now. I didn't wear my brace for the first time so I guess that's the easy answer to that, will wear it or tape my ankle for my long run on Saturday.

Ran!

I miss my summer season TNT group-- much easier to run with someone at your pace and talking-- goes by much faster. Maybe I need a new playlist. I did really enjoy my run when "Lose Yourself" came on-- definitely think that's when I did my 8 minute pace. Hope Stacey and Jackie start running again or that my winter TNT teammates have a few slower runners.

So, here's the stats for Morning Glory:
Didn't get up at 6-- got up at 7:40 and was supposed to be at work at 8--I got there at 8:15-- so that tells you a bit about how I drove-- Left at 5 to 8.

So, after work I ran around 10 p.m.
distance: 2.8 miles
average pace: 11
fastest: 8
stops: None!!!
freaks on the road: None!!
cigarette smell from cheap, look like pay by the hour type Royal Oak motels: 3
cigarette smell from houses: 2 (didn't realize till I quit smoking that houses can actually smell like smoke-- they can and it's gross, esp. when you need all the oxygen you can get)
I really prefer to run at Stoney, Kensington, or Pontiac Lake Trail-- no smoke, no nasty vents spewing that burned grease smell from Chicken Shacks, no exhaust nor people who take up the entire sidewalk and don't budge even though you have to practically run into oncoming traffic to both keep your pace and get out of their way, no blind drivers who turn left at a light when you have the right of way and almost slam into you while you run across Washington. At Pontiac lake it's just beauty, clean air, interesting terrain, cooler temp--great view of the lake from the top of the hills. Problem-- when I don't get home till late don't really have time for a 40 minute drive along w/ the run and probably would freak out even more running at night at the place where Grant's wife's body parts were found.

Run tonight felt good-- again, getting easier-- didn't go the full 3 miles cause my house is at 2.80 miles on my route and I wanted to get dinner and chill. I should have resisted my house though and ran past till I got to 3. Maybe I should do another route where I don't run by my house--too tempting to stop. Anyhow, did not feel like stopping, no cramps, steady breathing, felt good.

Tom. 4 mile run w/ TNT-- at 7 p.m. then ROB to celebrate Mike's b-day. I wonder if I will ever be able to actually run at his pace--he's crazy fast.

Signed up for an upcoming race-- two Sundays from now at the Detroit Zoo (which, technically, is the Royal Oak zoo) - signed up for the 10K to motivate myself to break my 3 mile wall.

Okay-- time for re-runs

If he can go to Iraq, I can get up early, right?

Nick was shipped to Iraq a month ago as an army medic. Bet he has some late nights and early mornings. I bet they are not filled w/ re-runs of Runway, either.

Today, I felt like work took the run out of me.
Will try to get up early again tomorrow--wait, as Yoda says, "there is no try, only do". I will do a run tom. before work.

Ah, 6 a.m- see you soon!!!

ps had nightmare a few nights ago that I was trying to run the Bayshore full marathon but I had to run through buildings, up stairs, find my way through corridors, across swimming pools, etc. and by the time I got outside again I had barely done a half marathon and some announcer told everyone I had only run five miles in five hours and I had to get a ride back to the start/finish line and forfeit the rest of the race. I was in agony. I didn't care about my time; I just wanted to get the chance to finish the marathon. Suddenly I was in some observation tower and all these sports announcers were telling me it was no big deal--that I could try again next year. I was then on the ground again begging another runner to give me a ride to the 5 mile mark so I could try again, but he wanted me to pay him and I didn't have any money. It was just one road block after another. Okay, so dream interpretation: if I get stuck at three mile training runs I'm not going to get past a 10K much less a marathon!

Monday no run, Tuesday susposed to do 3 miles

I wish my job was sleeping on the couch next to my dog and both of us watching TV. But, no, I must get back to teaching . . .
Today was a run-day-off, according to the TNT calender. So I, slept in , went to work after noon, then went to musical, then came home.

Scheduled for a three mile run tom. Plan to do that before work at 8-- means must get up by 6-- hhhm but set alarm for 7--so how will this happen? Too lazy to change alarm. Maybe I won't run before work. But, can't really run after. Well, hold on. Okay, just changed alarm. Will get up at 6.

August 26 2007-- slept in

Robbie, my rot-dob mix is as lazy as me--loves watching tv. I videotaped him doing this for a whole discovery show on lions a few nights ago--it was great. When a commercial came on, he curled up on the floor and as soon as the show returned he perked up and watched, with his nose practically kissing the glass.
So, did I get up at 6 a.m.? Nope. Did I run this morning? Nope. I didn't get up until 11: 30 and, technically, I didn't even get up. I stayed on the couch watching Sleepless in Seattle (I actually had never seen that--Meg Ryan doesn't look like a mutant fish yet) and polishing more Lake Superior rocks until about 5. Then I cuddled with my dog for a while--my sweet 95 pound black Rotterman, who thinks he's only 5 pound and a lap dog. I eventually got up, as in off the couch,walked around my garden outside, and left the house for the first time for some Mc Donalds and, yup, another movie--since it was at a theater and not on my TV it felt like a little bit of exercise. I sneaked in my Golden Arches mint-mud frosty and my McNuggets and watched Stardust, feeling accomplished, feeling like I was finally doing something with my life today. Am I the healthiest runner or what?

Anyhow, we got out of the movie a little after 10 and I told Mark he was going to do me a favor tonight. "What?" he said, looking leery.
"You're going to drive around the city while I run my 5 miles."
"No. You can run tomorrow. I can't encourage this insanity."
Okay, so I guess I would have to turn the music up and try to forget all the imaginary rapist, muggers (who, of course, would steal my precious Garmen watch) and ax murderers lurking on each corner. The moon was amazingly huge and bright tonight. Seeing two other runners on our way home guided by the moonlight helped bolster my courage-- of course, they were guys and probably five times my size, but, whatever.

So here's the stats for tonight:
Distance: 3.34 miles
Average pace: 12 minutes (oh how embarassing--but here it is)
Best pace: 8:30
Slowest pace: 35 (wish I was patient enough to read the instruction manual for my Garmen--can't figure out what to do so it stops averaging in my stops (I wonder how actually being stopped and stretching counts as a 35 minute per mile pace?)
Stops: once after a mile and half to stretch-- did not linger though

Okay, so here's why I didn't go the planned 5 miles: After about 2 miles and after imagining all these murderes lurking in every dark spot on the sidewalk and cars that would jump over the curb and try to run me down, even w/ my I-Pod blaring out The Cult's "Here Comes the Rain", the screams from a nearby car made me jump-- I looked over and it was some dark blue car w/ a bunch of guys in it. Are you kidding me? What kind of idiot screams out the window at a sweaty, smelly girl trying to get her night run in. Anyhow, it shook me up. So I was shaking by mile 3--now I was feeling that good high just before my house and my mind had been made up to stop there after that scream and not tempt fate but then I really got that high kickin, that magic that makes problems into glorious adventures, and I talked myself into doing the whole 3 mile lap again--I ran past the house--a victory in itself--and got only .10 of a mile further when a huge cramping stitch ripped through my stomach and I felt sick, like I might puke. Oh, hello Minty Mud Frosty, another stitch on the other side. Hello McNuggets. I immediately started walking w/ both arms folded above my head--turned around and walked the rest of the way home.

What I learned from this run:
Yes, running in the dark is easier on my cardiovascular system.
I can run better and better the more I run (I wasn't nearly as out of breath as yesterday and didn't really stop like I did).
Never eat Mc D's before a run--even if it's a few hours before. Actually, I hardly ever do it anyway and I think I just never will again--esp after that puking feeling tonight, which brought up visions of Super Size me when the guy pukes after only the 3rd day of eating nothing but Golden Arches.
If I go to bed at 4, I can't get up to run at 6.

So, with that in mind, I'm going to try and sleep. Oh, yeah, don't want to forget. There is a 10K up north on Sept. 22-- a trail race and, even better, it's through the vineyards and wine tasting afterward!

3 a.m. August 25-- Must run early tom.

Sunsets off Lake Superior and Pictured Rocks. I can't wait to do the Grand Island Trail race again next year. But, here's my dilemma . . . I ran this evening for the first time in nearly two weeks, and I could barely do three miles. I stopped for water and a stretch after only one mile and then stopped at least two other times to walk because my breathing got so labored. Not too hot today, esp for August, just 73 degrees; even my favorite 80's music didn't inspire me--not even "Gloria" or "Radar Love".
When I ran the Grand Island trail race, just before the start, my I-Pod, my take my mind off the pain and imagine I'm speeding in a car I-Pod died-- just wouldn't turn on even though I had charged it the night before as I sleeplessly paced in my race clothes. Brief panic gave way to the realization that I had completed a few short races without a working (charged) I-Pod by talking w/ other runners at my pace. This trail race, though, I sang my I-Pod playlist in my head. I had heard it so often during my training runs that I surprised myself and silently recited entire songs--from Sisters of Mercy "Empire Down" to "Radio playing my favorite song . . ." It was an amazing, beautiful 10K. I ran it just a month ago after a few weeks off w/ a sprained ankle (I fell in a 3 foot deep construction hole on the 4th of July). I taped up my ankle, took vitamin IB, and didn't feel any pain nor get eaten by any bears. Mark brought my bathing suit across to the island so we could swim after the race. Jumping in Lake Superior after a humid 10K was amazing--much more fun than an ice bath.

Okay--so back to why this blog. Well, my motivation really waned these past few weeks and I loved my run today. Even as bad as it was with my stopping and planning to go 5 miles and only going 3, it felt good to be back. I decided that if I blogged my first running journal, I could give myself some extrinsic motivation when the intrinsic (or music) failed to motivate.

I plan to run tomorrow early a.m. (6) to see if even cooler temps help me have a better run and I can get that 5 miler in. Of course, it's now 2 a.m. and I'm still up watching stupid re-runs. This not sleeping at night is messing w/ my running too. I think I will just kick myself out of bed to get on some normal sleeping schedule so I can get back to my a.m. run. By August, I have gone from my usual teacher sleep schedule of up by 8 on a Saturday to up all night reading, watching tv, making jewelry, surfing the Internet, etc,. etc., and then getting up the next day after the post office has closed. NO MORE!! I need to get my run back! I will be in a relay marathon in Detroit in October and a full marathon in January. If I'm still huffing and puffing after only 3 miles next month I'll be in serious, serious trouble.

Okay, so now I have told my computer and maybe someone reading this three months from now, that I plan to get up early tomorrow and run 5 miles. Maybe I'll go back to Stoney and try to get the memory of TNT coach Ken's cow bell ringing in my head!