in my face

this week i am back on track. monday i ran an easy 6 miles (yeah, easy!) and today i ran about 4.5. it was great, considering the week prior i ran 6 measly miles in all.

we finaly got cold weather that added a little something new to these runs. monday i guess it was about mid 50s. nice and totally tolerable.

except for my face.

when i got home from monday's hour long run i could totally feel the wind chapped skin. it was nice and red too.

before this mornings run i went to grab some of my anti-chaffing gel and smeared that stuff all over my face to give it some protection from the cold. while doing that i noticed every area of senstive skin (eyes, chin, nose) were all totally pealing from the yesterday's activities. ick.

so now i am on total moisture patrol .

but if that's my biggest complaint with all this running... i'll gladly take it.

reasons to HATE the treadmill (AKA Katie takes her slacking out on the treadmill and whines

ohhh this week has been one of minor motivation. for some of the following reasons:

1. rainy
2. tired
3. not wanting to get out of bed in the AM
4. nice new distractions that running just can't compete with
   

i have only worked out twice this week so far. but the two that i have had were both on the treadmill for about 30 minutes each with some interval work thrown in there-- followed by some core work outs. but it is amazing what an aversion to treadmill i have developed in the last few weeks. i haaaaaaate it.

so boring. and the whole time i find myself wanting to jump off. sometimes i get a bit of a surge, but usually short lived. and this AM my ipod was not charged but luckily got it to last for 25 minutes. bleeeeeh.

the only thing that keeps me somewhat occupied is ESPN so I can catch up on all the games i am missing from not having cable.

tomorrow AM will be a long run- hopefully another 8- 10 miles.... whether permitting.

rain rain go away. i need to get my ass outside.

Reasons to love the treadmill

3 miles ain't as tough as it used to be, but some days, running around the duckhood is still a challenge. Today-reasons why I wished I was on a treadmill:

Is it raining? Yes.
Is it really raining? No.
Water fountain at NE Park clogged up, presumably from Extreme Home Makeover nonsense.
Garmin had a dead battery; what's my pace anyway?
2 D-bags riding their bikes on the sidewalk, the wrong way, tell me to "Get the hell out of the way"
Is it raining? Yes.
Garbage truck drivers
Awkward and obligatory conversation with neighbor

Pack all that into a quick 3 miler, and I'm daydreaming about the hum of the treadmill's belt. Moving my training schedule around to avoid trash days is an option, and running in the evenings is looking better and better.

TEN TEN TEN

today i ran 10 miles!!! woooo!!!

did it in about 1:42 so not toooooo shabby.. just a little over a 10 minute mile pace. now i also learned a few good lessons along the way on this run.. and once remedied, i should be able to run a bit faster.


GU

this i how the beginning of my ran began, trying my first GU gel. i thought orange flavor might be closer to Gatorade but i was wrong. had i adopted my next method of getting this stuff down it might have been better.

this strategy came along while running with vanilla. i would squeeze that packet (which was all nice and warm as it was stuffed in my sports bra) and then swished it around with water to get down. in this pic i did them separately. YUCK.

but whatev. i got it down. the vanilla i just "babysat" it over about 3 miles i know for sure i cannto down a whole package in one take. it's gotta go down nice a slow.


GU Part 2

If you stash Gu in your bra- make sure it is in the middle so it doesn't not stab your breast till it looks like you had some work done. when i got in the shower post run my chest was stinging so bad. i looked down and it looks like was continuously jabbed with the edge of the GU packet.. which is maybe aluminum .. but yeah OUCH.

SHOES

at the end of my run my left foot was killing me. i thought i had maybe slightly fractured a bone or something.. just pain like i never had before.

when i got home i realized i ran WITH MISMATCHED SHOES!!!!

so make sure you aren't wearing your old pair- or half of one.


this is the actual course i took today. i went south instead of north on my usual Broadwalk route because it was cloudy and super windy.. so i chickened out and chose to run away from the rain and wind.

when i was getting close to home i had to circle around a bit to get to my goal of ten. i was determined to get to 10 damn miles. esp since when i was at about 4 i was hoping just for 8.


i'm already feeling it a bit in my calves. hoping i can walk tomorrow. but it was worth it!

the first big oooowwwwie

today i had my first - OH MY GOD I AM IN PAIN- moment during my run. i had about a mile left of my 5 mile run- and this god awful cramp/pain came 100% ...

felt like someone was stabbing my rib. i ran for as long as i could. but had to stop for about a minute or so. the pain subsided a bit and then i kept going at a slower pace.

not really sure what caused it- i did had a few nibbles of frozen banana before i left the house. but can't imagine it made my side hurt that bad. ....probably a bad side stitch....

but i do think i just CANNOT eat before a run. i need AT LEAST an hour head start with food.

i am going to try some gel/goo during my long run tomorrow. i hope it doesn't cause the same effect.

eh.

happy 30th mindy!!!

i think this is a dude on this cake. but you know - it's cute. and you're cuter. and 30. and a runner!!

i remember the first b'day we spent together. we were learning how to crochet. now we are running miles after miles!!!

loves it. and love you!!!!!