Double digits again

Another FB encounter to hold me accountable got me out the door at 5:30 this morning.  A couple newer runners were going out for their first 7 miler.  We tagged along.  OK, we invited ourselves and showed up.  :)  I figure if I can't get to a start line I can at least brief deadlines that I am meeting, right?

This has become my accountability this month, rather than long term goals of a race.  I haven't logged much for mileage so I am seeking other ways to get myself motivated and out the door.

This was a nice, slow pace (>12-min mile) for the first 7 miles.  At the end of their run I felt like I was just warming up so I wanted to push myself at a faster pace and complete my goal of 10 miles.  I think we grew accustomed to the slower pace because the Garmin kept reading 10:10ish pace or slower.  It really seemed faster than that.  I think I'm ready for a good hard long run sometime.  Nonetheless it was good to be in the double digits again.


Temperature: 41 degrees
Weather:  light drizzle, dark, winds SW 12
Motivation level: 9
Energy level: 8
Today's Quote: Not having a goal is more to be feared than not reaching one.

today's mileage: 10 mile running

weekly mileage: 15 miles running

monthly mileage: 32 miles running; walking 39 miles

annual mileage: 89 miles running; 90 miles walking; 0 miles riding; 0 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 179 miles

Track kids

I wanted to run yesterday but for some reason couldn't get out the door.  Today I told Bill we're running after school!  He made some beverage and we left as soon as I got home.  We headed out and the track kids were out running.  They passed us, which didn't give us much confidence.  We had a 9:17 pace going.  Bill thought we should slow down.  ;)

We figured we embarrassed Rachael enough by meeting up with the track team.  She said no one gave her any grief for that, but I'm sure I'll hear something tomorrow in class.

Temperature: 47 degrees
Weather:  light SE winds
Motivation level: 6
Energy level: 7
Today's Quote: A 12-minute mile is the same distance as a 6-minute mile.

today's mileage: 5 mile running

weekly mileage: 5 miles running

monthly mileage: 22 miles running; walking 32miles

annual mileage: 79 miles running; 51 miles walking; 0 miles riding; 0 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 130 miles

Newfound love

After a Facebook discussion with a friend, I got out with an old running buddy.  In total we were a group of FIVE!  That's pretty good for lil ole Jewell.  She's quite a bit slower than we are, but I figured it will be good just to get in some miles and chat with a friend.  I have had so many "therapy" runs the past 3-4 months that it was good to leave all that behind me and just get out and run.

I have also realized in the past couple weeks that I really need some accountability.  I need something to prepare for.  I need a race.  I have some unofficial goals in the event that we get some direction to our future, but for now I have nothing.  This was a "good old day" run today and it felt great!  I loved talking running with other people and not worrying about what was happening in my life.  I'm dying to get into a regular training routine.  I miss that.

We started out with a 12:30ish pace and after we left the big group we were on our own and finished with a 8:22 pace.  Ahhhh, I love to run.  I think I found myself again.

When we got home we did a buddy workout.  That was great!


Temperature: 28 degrees, wind chill 17
Weather:  light snow, N 10 mph winds gusting NNE 22 mph
Motivation level: 8
Energy level: 9
Today's Quote: We lose ourselves in the things we love.  We find ourselves there too.

today's mileage: 7 mile running

weekly mileage: 17 miles running

monthly mileage: 17 miles running; walking 29miles

annual mileage: 74 miles running; 51 miles walking; 0 miles riding; 0 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 125 miles

Rachael's Track Practice

Yesterday I was going to meet Vardotrichic for a 8ish mile run, but the roads were bad so we didn't risk it.  As much as I really wanted to run with her, I was a smidge glad we didn't.  That was going to be the  coldest weather I had ever run in.  Instead, today Rachael had to get a run in for track.  I wanted to make this run anyway so we decided at supper to head to out.

Hmmm, heading out on a run right after you eat?  Maybe not one of our better ideas, but it was bitter cold nonetheless.  These temperatures I have at least run in before so I felt like I was ready for it.  Kinda.  Bill scared me into putting on multiple layers.  I felt like the abominable snowman headed out for a run.  I could hardly move!  I even had on long underwear!  I was plenty warm, probably could have left off a layer, but I'd rather be a bit warmer than too cold.

Rachael and I started with a slow warm up.  Oh wait, it was a 9:20 pace, not so slow.  Then we went to the track.  She had to do some fast laps so I figured she could run her little heart out and I could putts along and not get left behind.  Ha, well she did 7 laps and decided that just wasn't working.  We both hate running in circles, it's just one step above the dreadmill.  Rachael said at least she can watch a movie on the treadmill.  So, we left and she asked to do a fast run for the last 15 min.  OK.  I think I can.  She usually runs about a 7:00 pace in track.  Nope, not doing that, but I'll run what I can.  We had an 8:53 pace for the last couple miles.  Yeah, that felt great to finish those 5 miles!


Temperature: 19 degrees, wind chill 11
Weather:  sunny, light overcast, NW 13 mph winds gusting to 26 mph
Motivation level: 8
Energy level: 4
Today's Quote: Ran sounds better than run.

today's mileage: 5 mile running

weekly mileage: 10 miles running

monthly mileage: 10 miles running; walking 25 miles

annual mileage: 67 miles running; 51 miles walking; 0 miles riding; 0 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 118 miles

Not a way to carb load

Wow, it's been exactly one month since I've run last!  I knew I have been busy and stress has been building, but I didn't realize THAT much time had passed.  oops, kinda puts a damper in the marathon training program.  This year has been full of so many changes.  I'm not trying to make excuses, just making observations.  This means I am fully carb loaded and ready to run, right?

So, I've been out of state for the past 4+ days at a conference, not sleeping regularly (<4 hrs/night, < 2 hrs at a time), not eating regularly or healthy (not staying hydrated, no planned meals, vending machine snacks, or not eating at all, coffee to stay awake/alert), wearing high heels, no running.  On the up side, the conference was split between 2 buildings so I was constantly walking back and forth between buildings.  Due to no meals associated with this conference, we did lots of walking to restaurants outside.  At the hotel each night I completed 50 sit ups, thinking I need to start working on my core and get some strength.

I got home this morning and came home and napped, woke up for lunch and went back to sleep again.  It's so good to be home!  As I was waking up I heard Bill and Rachael talking about going out for a run.  I was conscious, but my eyes wouldn't open.  I was physically beat!  I just knew I wanted to get off that couch and get moving!  I literally drug myself off my butt.

They talked about doing 3-5 miles.  Perfect.  That's exactly what I had in mind.  No one wanted to do an Ethanol Loop, but we ended up doing a backwards Ethanol Loop.  I usually hate running that backwards, but it was nice to do that today.  We got half way around and turned south.  Wow, the winds were strong.  Then we got to the end of the mile and turned back east into Jewell.  WOW That was windy!  Bill started to fade, but the wind really affects his runs.  It's hard for him to breathe in the wind.  Sidewinds affect his already bad knees.  :(  I seem to thrive in adverse conditions like that and really wanted to push through that.  Although I haven't been to the chiropractor for my out-of-alignment hips, it was a great run with no sleepy toes.

I was feeling so good at the end of the run I wanted to keep going.  We really sped up to have a strong finish.  Everyone kept up.  We averaged 50 seconds faster pace on mile 5 than mile 4.  Great way to finish a run!  It was a good confidence booster for me.


Temperature: 38 degrees
Weather:  sunny, light overcast, SSE 15 mph winds gusting to 31 mph
Motivation level: 4
Energy level: 9
Today's Quote: Running is cheaper than therapy.

today's mileage: 5 mile running

weekly mileage: 5 miles running

monthly mileage: 5 miles running; walking 21 miles

annual mileage: 62 miles running; 51 miles walking; 0 miles riding; 0 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 113 miles