9.5 Done

Yesterday's long run was long.  9.5 miles.  In addition to the prerequisite pre-run routine, I also made a quick drive to the halfway point and dropped off a pitcher of water for refills--a mini water stop, if you will.  

It was a beautiful morning.  My running partners showed up and off we went.  The run was uneventful.  One foot in front of the other and then we were home.  We finished, as had become our routine, with a post run walk to a local eatery for a big plate of yummy goodness.  I had a Denver omelet.  I know, not very original.

When it was over I was tired. I didn't feel like writing in my blog.  My Facebook post, "9.5 Done", was about all I could manage.   I didn't get a migraine.  I had some aches and twinges, especially in my right foot (ice, ice, baby).  

None of it was as painful as the Bronco game that afternoon.

Sunday's run:  9.5 Miles.  1:52:43    11:51 min/mile pace

Monday Mornings

As I sit here writing this, my right foot is getting a massage on my son's baseball.  I know tennis balls are more the ball of choice for this activity, but tennis balls release the crazy in my dog.  I am not doing this because I injured my foot, but as a preventative for the plantar fasciitis that keeps trying to make an appearance.  After I massage it a little more, I will switch out the baseball for a frozen water bottle and ice it for a little while.

I did head out for what was my usual Monday run.  2.6 easy miles.  I have been missing it for a few weeks because of the migraine drama.  Today, I decided to get over it.  I want to run.  So I will.  I will do everything in my power to minimize the risk of a migraine, but after that I will run.

It is getting light here later and later.  Without the sun coming through my bedroom window, I am once again relying on my alarm clock to wake me up.  Nothing crazy, I get up about 6:15.  This gives me half an hour to myself before I need to wake up the kids to get ready for school.  Part of the getting ready agenda this morning was my pre-run routine.  Then I  dropped the kids off at school and headed out for my run.  

It was a beautiful morning to run:  crisp, cool, sunny.  It would have been perfect if my pants didn't keep slipping down.  [Note to self:  Do not buy running pants unless they have a drawstring waist!]  As I ran, I got nice and sweaty.  This solved the pants problem; they just stuck to my skin and stayed in place.  After that it was smooth sailing until I came to the second to last turn and saw the road blocked by construction equipment.  As a creature of habit, this threw me for a second, but then I just kept going to the next street and went home the back way.  It wasn't a big change.  I doubt it changed the mileage.

When I got home, I grabbed a banana, a drink, and the dog and headed out for a walk. The walk down to the waterfront and back took longer than this morning's run. Carley and I both enjoyed it.  

Now, my run is behind me.  Even if nothing else on my to do list gets crossed off, I will feel like I had a productive day.  Happy Monday!

Today's Run:  approx. 2.6 miles.  31:15    12:01 min/mile.

What are you doing to start the week off right?

Just Go

This has long been one of my favorite running quotes.  I even had the bumper sticker.  I covered it up when I was no longer going.  It was just awkward to drive around in a car with a running mantra on it, knowing that I would not be going for a run anytime in the near future.  I'm thinking about getting a running shirt with it (but they have so many cute slogans, I can never decide).  

Today I did not go fast.  I did go.  I went long.  My run today was almost 8 miles.  I have been increasing my long run by a mile each week in a fast workup to 13.1 in October.  I usually add the mileage onto the front of my run.  Today, I planned on adding a little bit to the end of the run in order to make it an even 8 miles.  However, once I neared the end of the run (battling a side cramp), I kind of forgot about the extra bit at the end and went home on auto-pilot.  Oh well.  Close enough.  It's not rocket science.

In addition to the beautiful weather we are experiencing here on Jamestown, I also had company on my run!  Last weekend I was joined by a fellow Princess. (I'm not sure I can forgive Jessica for that name, but to be fair she has three boys; she never has and never will be inundated with Disney Princess stuff).  My running partner is another Jen!  It's really great to have someone to run with on the long runs.  It was especially great since I am experimenting with running without music again.

Why would I do that?  Well, it seems silly.  I like listening to tunes while I run; sometimes it gives you a little push.  But...I was looking over my runs and, coincidentally or not, I have only had migraines after runs that I had the music going.  When I started training, I was running without music, just enjoying the quiet.  And as I wrote about here , I really do enjoy the quiet.  Also, I am willing to try anything that will prevent a headache.

As part of that, our new Sunday ritual is to meet up (each Princess does her own thing:  walk, run short, run long), then fuel up with a delicious breakfast at one of the  local eateries--to avoid the post-run blood sugar drop, of course.  Today's fuel of choice was a Denver omelette (green chilies!) that was delicious.  Natalie and Jen also had omelettes (one Greek, one Santa Fe).  It was a trio of yumminess.  We earned it.  I wonder what's on the menu after next week's 9.5 miles?

Today's Run:  7.81 miles.  1:35:40    12:14 min/mile

How do you treat yourself after a run?

A Run to Remember

Today's run was a group run.  My husband said over 1000 people had registered for the free race, and many others (like me) would just be showing up for the run.

I got up early this morning.  My alarm went off at 4:45am.  I came downstairs and started my super high-maintenance pre-run routine.  It felt a bit rushed because usually, I just step out the door when I am ready.  Today I needed to be out the door, over the bridge, and through gate traffic by a certain time.  

The race was set to start at 6:00am.  I found a parking spot and joined the steady flow of people into Gym 109.  As I walked into the packed gym, I looked around for my husband, Brian.  This wasn't as easy as it sounds.  The gym was packed with military men.  They all have the same hair cut.  I could rule out the NAPS kids, the Marine formation, and everyone in a standard yellow PT shirt.  I found him quite easily because 1) He's tall 2) I saw what he was wearing this morning and 3)  He was looking for me.

**************************************************************************************************

This post has been interrupted by the onset of an exercise induced migraine.  

**************************************************************************************************

Okay, so that was fun.  And after such a great run.  They started the run with the chaplain speaking.  It was very moving.  I was a bit teary and I saw many of the men  (sailors, Marines, and soldiers) around me surreptitiously wipe away tears.   Then we headed out.  It was a pretty good run.  I felt I could have gone faster, but I slowed down to run in with one of the NAPS kids that was dragging behind the formation.  She ran the rest of the way in with me.  So, it was still a much faster pace (which may have contributed to my subsequent migraine).

I have two runs to post today:

Sunday's run:  7 miles.  1:23:23  11:54min/mile pace  

I ran this race with a fellow Princess.  We ran her 2/1 intervals.  It was a great run.  Light drizzle and a big bowl of oatmeal at the Slice afterwards.  And No Migraine!  We plan on doing our 8 mile run together this Sunday.

Tuesday's Run:  2.5 Miles.  25:33   10:13 min/mile pace.

I Did It Anyway

I haven't run since Monday.  It was a short 2.6 mile run (yes, the .6 is important).  I missed two long runs.  I ran 5.5 miles three weeks ago (followed by a migraine).  I have a half-marathon to run in October. The (revised) schedule for today was to run 6 miles. 

As I sat around at Waterfire last night, I had pretty much talked myself out of running today.  My parents are visiting from Colorado.  I didn't want to spend one of the few days they were here knocked out with a migraine.  I hadn't run in so long, I wasn't sure if the long, six miler would be too long--and cause a migraine. And, I really didn't want to have another migraine.  

As I sat around trolling through Pinterest, I came across the picture above.  "If you wait for the perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done."  It spoke to me.  Enough that I changed my mind.  

This morning, I went through my new, high maintenance pre-run routine.  Once it was complete, I told my mom when I would be back and headed out.  The weather was ideal.  There are advantages to living on a beautiful island in Rhode Island in August.  For contrast, check out Jessica's constant complaining about the HEAT down in Virginia :)  Yes, I did enjoy the cool, sunny morning and ocean views on today's run. I did make my run a bit more high-maintenance this morning.  I had a pack of GU Blocks leftover from Brian's last race goodie bag.  I decided to try them in an effort to avoid the possible blood sugar drop that is a possible cause of exercise induced migraines.  That's a lot of possibles, but if it can possibly stave off a migraine, I will try it.

Well, whatever I did today, it worked.  I ran my long run, I didn't get a migraine.  Success.  

Today's Run:  6 miles.  1:14:31   12:25 min/mile pace.

I'll take it.