Marathon Training: Day 11

Hal said three. So, I ran three. Happily. (Hey, I'm a poet!)

Funny, because when I got out there I was having slight inward feelings that it wouldn't be enough. I thought I'd run out three and perhaps just walk back. My husband made the same offer he did yesterday, so if it got really bad into the wind, I could just call him. But after a mile and a half, I became grateful that it was just a three miler. I went a few extra steps and turned around. And then I started to think how grateful I was that there is no scheduled run for tomorrow. I'm tired, doggone-it!

I had a great pace today, just under 8:00. And now that I have two fast back-to-back runs out of my system, it should make Saturday's scheduled 9'er much easier to take slow.

It's all going great. I can almost kinda see a method to Hal's madness. This just might work.

Have you ever questioned someone's motives just to find out they were right all along? How did you feel afterward?

Marathon Training: Day 10

An outdoor run! So excited, I could spit. My handy husband called me just as I was about to step out the door to tell me it was windy and colder than it looked. I took his word as truth and added another jacket.

The thermometer read 30°. And the sun was trying to peak through. But, hell...it was windy. I managed to fight it pretty well for the first mile. It was the last that killed me.

Hal's Marathon Training Program called for a 5-miler today, at whatever pace struck my fancy. For some reason, I had the urge to go fast. I think I just wanted to get it over with. I had just finished P90X Shoulders and Arms and I was getting hungry, but I wanted to get that run out of the way first. I awoke this morning with a strange stitch in my lower left pelvic area. In fact, it has nagged at me all day. I was afraid this would affect my run, as well. It didn't, thank goodness, but it sure is bothering me tonight. Wish I knew what the heck it is.

Besides that, I just ran like the wind. I knew I started too fast...I knew my heart rate was up there...but I didn't care. I just ran. I heard Hal tell me I was at the half way point, so I went maybe 100 more paces then turned around. Now, the winds were reeking havoc and I could tell they were out of the north...and strong. This meant that the last mile would be hell...all uphill and into the wind. And I was right. It wasn't necessarily cold, but oh, that wind. Around mile 3.5 my phone started ringing...I answered it rather haphazardly, and found my husband at the other end.

"Did you get my text?" he asked.
"Um...no." (DUH!)
"Oh, well, if you want, just keep running south and I'll pick you up so you don't have to run home into the wind."

That was mighty kind of him, but I had already turned around and wasn't going to change direction again. Besides, this is good for the training, right?

I swear, I was running backwards at moments during that last mile.

Never the less, I finished with a great run at a 7:48 pace, thereabouts. So I'm not complaining.

Run like the wind? Well, ok.

What weather do you hate running in the most?

Shhhh. I ran today.

I know...I wasn't supposed to. Actually, after I double checked my schedule, Hal called for some Sunday cross-training. That includes walking, biking, swimming, or cross-country skiing. Well, running is just fast walking, right? I couldn't resist...34° and sunny. Yes THIRTY FOUR AND SUNNY. Even my husband told me I had to run today. And he almost never says that.

Besides, I had the blues big time today for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I couldn't shake it. After church, the girls and I ran to Tractor Supply then to the grocery store to get some stuff. We came home and I got dinner started since it had to sit in the oven for a few hours. Then I got to work on my Happy To Create blog post. It was pretty much just one giant interruption. And I kept checking Facebook at the same time.

The hubster came in one last time, clearly sensing my moodiness and said,

"Get the hell out there and run...now."

Well, it wasn't really what he said, but I shortened it for purposes of this blog post.

It took me a full two miles just to shake the DOMS out of my legs from Friday's P90X Legs and Back. After that it was smooth sailing. I thought I'd just go 4 miles. But I was feeling good at the 2-mile mark...so I kept going. Then I thought just 5 miles, but at the 2.5 mile mark I decided I'd try to make it to the 3-mile mark. It just sounds better and it is a rounder number. Then at the 3-mile mark, I saw my regular turn around  for this route was less than a half mile further. What the hell? So I did my Dream Acres route which takes me to Dream Acres farm, and then back home. My legs were just absorbing the heat from the sun. It was glorious. And I started slow because of the DOMS but finished at race pace. It was a good run.

And my blues turned pink. Pink is my signature color!

I promise NOT TO RUN tomorrow. It will just be P90X Chest and Back. Tuesday, I start school, so I'm not sure if I'll get my 3-miles in at 5:30 am or 5:30 pm. I'll leave it up to chance at this point.

OH! And even MORE exciting!! Shape Magazine retweeted my #flauntit photo not just once, but TWICE this week on Twitter! How great is that? Here are the photos that I tweeted.

Gotta love that P90X!

Did you workout today?