Happy Memorial Day

Things have been pretty damn hot around here lately. The run this morning was brutal (7:45am). I can't believe how flipping hot it is outside. During those wretched 3.2 miles today, I decided that I will no longer run in the mornings if the sun is out, which should be interesting considering the sun comes up now around 6am. I just can't take the Miami summer heat. The run this morning can only be described as thick. The humidity made it feel similar to what I would imagine running in maple syrup would feel like. If the maple syrup was boiling on the stove that is.

Yesterday's run was no walk in the park either. Actually I did a little walking in the park at one point since I was exhausted from the heat. We were going to do 8 miles, but had to cut it down to a little over 6. And I felt those 6 miles for the rest of the day.

Here is my week so far. A little more motivated than last.

Tuesday - 5.6/53:02 - 9:28 pace
Wednesday - 6 (?)/58:30 (Run with Mercy, not sure of exact distance)
Saturday - gym, lift, abs, 30 minutes elliptical, 20 minutes stepmill :(
Sunday - 6.14/1:08:42 - 11:11 pace (did I mention it was warm?)
Monday - 3.2/28:40 - 8:54 pace (not bad pace, but miserable run)

I'm not sure how much running I will get in this week and over the weekend since I will be in Ft. Lauderdale with J helping him with his NASSM conference he and his colleagues are hosting. Apparently, I am the official photographer which is seriously going to cut into my pool/pina colada time. Oh well. When I get back it will be MARATHON TRAINING TIME!!!! I better get in some R&R now.

Busy wasting time

So I had to change things up a bit here. As a graphic designer I get a bit bored looking at the same visual stimuli for too long so I changed my template. I also started a new photojournal in an attempt to force myself into shooting at least once a day. I love playing with my cameras and take one with me everywhere I go so I'm hoping this little experiment will help my photography skills as well as a give me an easy way to document my life with as little typing as possible.

I also finally posted a countdown clock for my first marathon that I found on Micki's page. Maybe if I stare at that clock ticking down it will inspire me to get off my butt and run some more.

Last week was ok. I got a few good workouts in.

Monday -05/07- Gym - Lift and Abs
Tuesday - 05/08 - 5.6 miles/51:32 - 9:12 pace (good run)
Wednesday - 05/09 - off
Thursday -05/10 - 3.2 miles/27:01 - 8:23 pace (NEW PR!!!)
Friday - 05/11 - off
Saturday - 05/12- 10.71 miles/1:44:36 - 9:45 pace
Sunday - 05/13 - Gym - lift, abs, 45 minutes elliptical

Not too shabby. During the 10 mile run on Saturday we ran past a 10K that was going on. We didn't even realize we were running on their course. We were like,

"Why are there traffic cones and cops everywhere?"

Then all the sudden a few thousand people were running towards us. It was pretty funny. It also gave me the motivational boost I needed to get moving.

The Thursday run was pretty awesome too. Another PR for the campus loop. Only ONE SECOND shy of a sub 27 minute run. Oh well. It's coming soon, I can feel it.

Actually I think I was feeling inspired running with Jeremy that morning since it was our anniversary.



Awwww...four years of wedded bliss. We both worked all day but had a nice dinner later at Flemming's Steakhouse. And of course, a super-fast run with him was a nice way to start the day.

This past week wasn't so good as far as running is concerned. I wasn't feeling so hot earlier this week so I just took some time to sleep in before work. After work I was feeling exhausted so I just relaxed. I did manage to get in two workouts at the gym.

Monday - 5/14 - Gym - Lift and abs
Sunday (today) - 5/20 - Gym - Lift, abs, 40 minutes elliptical, 10 minutes stepmill

I was beating myself up about it. Then I realized in a few weeks I would be running my brains out in the Miami summer heat at least 5 days a week while I train for my first marathon. That made me feel better.

Oh yeah, and I went to the beach again yesterday!



Not that I'm trying to rub it in or anything ;)

Aaaannd the Pendulum Swings Back...

So, yeah...

Remember what a badass I was a week and a half ago when I ran all those miles in one week (31:11 miles to be exact) and was so cool and proud and felt like a rockstar and blah, blah, blah...? Well, it seems as though old Newton's Law of Universal Gravity (what goes up must come down) is in full force as far as my running is concerned.

Last week I ran a total of...drumroll...

3.1 miles

(Insert Debbie Downer soundbite here)


I'm not quite sure what prompts me to run my ass off one week, then decide the next week that I can become totally lazy. It's not like I was tired from the mileage. I wasn't burnt out at all. I'm not injured. I'm not busy. It's almost like something in my brain gets all fired up and tells me I am a dedicated runner (something I am still coming to terms with since I was never an athletic child/teen/young adult). I make a plan and go, go, go. Not all Type-A, but with regular common sense. Then, I reach a short goal (a good mileage week, five pounds lost, a PR on an easy race, etc), I get all cocky and something deep down inside tells me,

"It's OK. You can quit pretending so hard to be a healthy athlete. Sit down and relax and be the lazy bum you really are. You deserve it, you ran over 30 miles last week! You wouldn't have done that 10 years ago!"

Stupid devil's advocate.

It seems to me that I have a severe case of Bipolar Running.

It always seems to happen this way. I get on a roll for a short amount of time. Then I pat myself on the back for a job well done and reward myself with laziness (my favorite treat), not just in running, but with any excercise program and eating in general, which is the main reason I have always had issues with my weight and health. I guess it's just annoying that as I've gotten older I seem to have gotten a grip on this aspect of my psyche with every issue except running and eating. I often wonder how many other runners and people in general out there who always seem like they have their sh%t so together go through this very same thing.

Anyway, enough whining. Last week wasn't a total bust. I did go to the gym last Monday to do some light lifting. And those 3.1 miles I ran were for the Mercedes Benz Corporate Run in downtown Miami. It was a decent race, but HUGE (21,000 people running a 5K). It was also extremely hot (upper 80's). I ran a good time (29:07) considering the conditions. I actually wasn't even going to run it that fast, but my friend Mercy was runnning with me and wanted to try for a good time. Actually out of the people that ran from our company ( I think about 20-25 ran), her and I were the 3rd and 4th fastest back and the first girls. Here we are after the run at the company tent.



Look how happy she looks! She will kill me if she see's I posted this picture.

And finally...
the main reason I didn't do a long run this weekend was because we put it off until Sunday, then when we woke up it was so beautiful we decided to spend the morning on South Beach instead.







Yeah, I guess sometimes running can wait a day or two.

Going and Going...

I did some serious running last week.



I logged 31.11 miles from last Saturday to this past Sunday. That is the most I have ever done in one week and that includes the times I was training for the two half mary's. Considering I'm not training for anything and just running to run, I am pretty proud of myself. Although, lets be honest...this wont be an every week occurrence. I think I just had a alot of energy.

After last Tuesdays 3.2 miler around campus I was inspired. Wednesday morning I had a nice run with J and Kevin around the golf course (5.6miles/52:41/9:24 pace). Thursday after work I ran with my friend Mercy around her hood which she said it was slightly over 6 miles (56:26). Although I love running with J, it was nice to switch things up and run with someone different and in a new environment. We also talked the entire time which made the run fly by.

Friday and Saturday I took the days off (mostly due to an excessive birthday celebration). Then Sunday morning J and I did our long run. We totally lucked out and woke up to a beautiful, sunny, warm, yet low-humidy filled morning. The run was great. Well, at least for the first six miles, then I started to wear out. We ran from the circle to the toll booth to Key Biscaye (10.71 miles). After we were done I realized why I was so dead. Our time was 1:44:13 (9:43 pace). While it was no world record, it was definitely faster than I have ever run that distance before. I was exhausted for the rest of the day.

Monday I went to the gym to just do some easy lifting before work (yawn).

Oh yeah, and I cut off all my hair.



Yes, it's very short and I love it! Just in time for summer!