Maintaining

Sorry for the big gap in posts. I've been on travel here and there for the past few weeks. This week is San Antonio and the weather is seriously GORGEOUS! It's in the 60s and 70s. Perfect spring weather.

I've been really just maintaining running until I can decide on the next race that I want to do. Little Rock is this month - killer hills but a freakin' awesome medal. OKC and Nashville are next month. Decisions, decisions, decisions. But, I've been averaging about 23-24 mpw. AND I'm keeping a 9:40 pace for my 6 mile runs! So, my speed is definitely improving.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and I have been racking my brain trying to decide what to do for my Lenten promise. I toyed with giving up meat for the 40 days. I have almost completely given up beef and pork (I say almost because I love me some bacon!). And I eat non-meat meals twice a week. But to give up chicken and turkey (and fish too???) would be a huge sacrifice. I also toyed with giving up sugar and/or caffiene completely. But, I figured that would be more of a punishment to my husband than anything else since I would become a total beeyotch from Crankytown. So, I think I have decided to make a promise to run 30 miles a week instead. It will be a sacrifice of timen a test of willpower and a true committment, but it will benefit my physical health as well as my spiritual health. I sort of started this in January, but fizzled out because I let life and laziness get in the way. If I truly want to become faster then I need to run more consistently and log more mileage and run speed drills. So, for the next 40 days I shall commit to run 30 miles each week.

Today I LOVE: strolling along the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

For Better or For Worse

I know, when we got married that I agreed to take my husband and all that he is for better or for worse, but did that really mean his germs too?? The stinker gave me his stupid, dang cold. Blah. He was sick late last week. I thought that I was safe and missed it until late Sunday night when I started feeling tingly and run-down. Monday = fever. Tuesday = fever. Ugh. It wasn't a terrible cold; really no congestion (thank God), just a mild fever and scratchy throat. Enough to make you feel like total poo. The fever finally broke on Tuesday night and I really felt much better yesterday. Not having run for three days, I decided to go out for a nice easy run last night.



I might have overdone it.



I just wanted to get an easy three miles in. The weather was perfect and it really felt good to stretch my legs out and work up a good sweat. Well, three miles turned into four which turned into five. And I finished out at a 9:45 average pace. Yeah - I pushed too much too soon. I still felt really good last night and then I woke up this morning to a scratchy throat and some congestion. Grrrrr.... So, I'll take it easy. Luckily I have a FOUR DAY WEEKEND starting tomorrow!! Whooohooo!!!!

OK, so Marlene sent me these interview questions that I've been meaning to answer.

1. What has been your best race experience?

That's a toss up between two races - my first half marathon and my first full marathon. My first half I trained and ran with some girls I met through an online blog. Before that the farthest I had ever run was 4 miles! So, it was a huge accomplishment for me to run 13.1 and to be surrounded by such awesome women to boot. And of course my first full marathon was amazing. Painful and exciting and joyful and exhilarating all at the same time. I was just shocked to have finished and now I'm jonesing for another one!

2. Describe your ideal day.

It's a nice spring day (read - low humidity) and I wake up early and get in a great long run. You know - the kind of run that just "clicks". I come home, shower and my husband and I go eat breakfast at our favorite little bistro on the lake. We take the dogs for a walk and play outside with them. I read my book for a bit and take a nap while an afternoon shower rolls in. We cook out on the grill that evening and finish up the night with a nice glass of wine and a good movie.

3. What were you doing 10 years ago?

I had just graduated college and had started my new job in Houston, TX with an environmental consulting firm. I was engaged (to a different person) and definitely NOT running. Still really trying to find my way.

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Again - two major ones for me 1.) marrying my wonderful husband and 2.) finishing 26.2 miles without crying.

5. What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

So many...I've had knee surgery on both knees, I'm double jointed at my elbows (it freaks people out), I play the piano (took lessons for 10 or 11 years)...

To play along:1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Today I LOVE: Clean Eating magazine. My sister turned me onto it and it has some GREAT recipes (all very healthy of course). You can check it out at www.cleaneatingmag.com

In the great words of RBR...

"BOO YAH!!!!"

The weather here is GORGEOUS!!! The mean, ole, nasty cold front finally moved through and it's going to get up into the 70s today! Yeeeehaaww!!!

I've been stuck to the 'mill for the last several weeks. I've done really well and tried to do a lot of speed work, but I don't really acknowledge my speed on the treadmill b/c I know it lies!! LIES like a convict (I was going to say "dog" but my babies never lie to me!). It doesn't take into account added road friction (coefficient of mu - that's for you Willie you enginerd!), wind resistance, incline, cars, dogs chasing you, snot rockets, etc...

Yesterday I went outside for a run because it was beautiful and I wanted to take advantage. I only had a short time, because we were going on a couple date for dinner. I figured I'd just go get a quick run in and do a couple of miles. I started off, my ipod freshly loaded, expecting a "comfortable" speed around 9:30 or 9:40. The wind was blowing steadily so I knew that would slow me down a bit. Well Minnie tells me "Nope, Sweetheart. You're running an 8:46!" I finished out three miles at an average 9:05 pace, WITH the wind fighting me, AND I wasn't about to fall over out of breath!

Hee..hee...I'm just exstatic at how I'm improving on my pace times. Sub 2:00 half marathon..here I come!!! (eventually...)

Today I LOVE: this spring like weather and my girl-date to the movies today!!!

Toot, Toot!!!

Yup, that's me tooting my own horn. I ran 30 miles last week. Whoohoooo!!! ALL on the treadmill too...ack. It was freezing cold in Atlanta all week and I didn't pack appropriate running clothes for outside. Plus, Jeff's parent's subdivision is teeny-tiny so I would have to do 10 laps just to get five miles in. I'll take the treadmill over that any day.

We drove back early, early on Monday morning. I was going to try and make it to the gym Monday night, but I was tired and I totally just bummed out. AND I didn't do a darn thing yesterday either. I think I had to take a couple of days to mentally decompress. Dealing with the in-laws always stresses me out. And you could tell that by the way I was constantly shoving food in my mouth. If it wasn't tied down I was trying to eat it. Thank God I was at least working out or I would have seriously packed on the lbs.

We watched The Biggest Loser last night and that totally got me back in gear. That show just makes me want to sprint to the gym. I love watching their workouts, their weightloss, their inner struggles and battles with self confidence. I too battle with ALL those things and it's nice to know that you're not the only one.

So, tonight I'm going to head to the gym before I sit down and get lazy. On the agenda - 6 miles. Jeff put me through a KILLER arm workout on Saturday and my arms are STILL sore now four days later!! Holy CRAP it was brutal. But I'm craving more. We did chest and tris. Now I want to do a killer bicep workout too. No more wobbly turkey waddle arms for me!!!!

Today I LOVE: Being back home with MY pillows, MY fuzzy blankets, MY favorite fuzzy slippers and control of the remote!!!