Spring Has Sprung

What a beautiful Spring Day, people are running and cycling, jeeps with the top down, kids flying kites, perfect weather for a day in.....January!

Totally nuts, it was 61* when I left the house! I had a bad day, very tired achy legs, and my stomach hurt all day. Turns out the Crystal Light I was drinking after my Arnold Palmer ran out has aspartame in it, and I can't have aspartame! UGH!

I left the house, telling myself that worse case scenario, I walk part of the way. I didn't get as far as I wanted, but I did run the whole way, so yay me!

I planned to write more, but the pain from the aspartame is *killing* me, so later peeps!

Clothing Malfunction!!!

Today was my short run.....

But let me start with Sunday morning, when I woke up with *sore* quads. Oh.my.heck. were they tired! Every time I got up, I wanted to sit back down! I stalled and I stalled, but I promised myself I would do some strength training, so I got out my RKC Kettlebell workbook. I did 2 workouts, shorties that totalled about 27 minutes after I skipped the second warmup. In it, though, were mostly squats and swings, so by the time I was done, my legs were even more tired!

My legs were still tired and achy today, but I did my short run anyway! 45 minutes, actually ended up being 44, and I did about 3.6 miles. My pace was a little slower, but not as slow as I expected. yay me!

Now to the malfunction, which is actually sort of a NSV (non scale victory) because the hem of my favorite long sleeved Under Armour shirt for the cold weather kept loosening up and puddling around my waist! It has a gripper strip around the inside of the hem that *used* to stick to my pants when I ran, but my hips aren't as wide as they used to be, and it kept riding up. Yay, but not yay, all at the same time!

Tomorrow is an hour and if the weather stays this way, it might have to be at the gym! I have been enjoying this warm weather, but it *is* winter, so  no complaints!

Loving This "Spring" Weather!

This weather is crazy!!! It was over 50* out when I left for my long run today. 80 minutes, the farthest I have run yet! Jon  came with me on his bike for my run down Princeton Avenue. I wasn't sure how my pace would be without my earphones plugged in, but I kept it at a nice steady 12 minute mile pace!

I got in 6.7 miles today, with a bridge each way and some gentle hills. I wore my water belt today as a test run. It has 2 kidney shaped bottles that each hold 8 oz. and a pouch that I put my sport beans into. Most of the time I totally forgot it was there, no chafing, no aches or pains. I think it will be a great fit for my long races, in case there isn't decent water, or the groups at the tables are too long. I have had one race where the water tasted like sulphur and another where the volunteers never had water ready, you had to wait while they poured. Now I will be good to go, no matter what!

I finished about an hour ago and I am feeling pretty good. No pains, just sore thighs, which will fade throughout the day (I hope, lol)

Scale victory today: I am down 21 pounds since mid August with about 13 pounds to go for my wedding day weight goal. I have been averaging about a pound a week, so thrilled!!

Angry Run

I was seriously considering doing my run tomorrow, I was tired and a little achy from yesterday's not-quite-5-mile run. Then I heard some more annoying news about the drama we are having with one of my son's teachers. This teacher is a bully and has chosen my son as the proverbial punching bag this year, it seems. I decided that i *needed* to run, so off I went!

I planned my route ahead of time, something different than my usual route. A trip to the beach and back, with a few extra blocks on East Ave, which runs along the ocean, to make the extra distance I would need. The bridge I have to run over (and again on the way back!) is far larger than my usual bridge and I was dreading it. Luckily, my good friend Kelly Q. from the school I worked at last year was at the side street at the base of the bridge, waiting to pull onto Bridge Ave. She gave me 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up, which made me smile all the way to the ocean, and most of the way back.

The run was great, it was so beautiful out, the view was nice the whole way, and the people on the sidewalk all shared the road, which is very unusual! I had to stop on the way back over the bridge for a pic, the sky was so beautiful.

I am so glad I decided to run today, I got my 3.5 miles in, I am off til Saturday, and I am much calmer than I was when I left!

Perfect!

You're so mean, When you talk 

 about yourself, you were wrong

 Change the voices  in your head

Make them like you instead

 So complicated, look how we all make it!

Filled with so much hatred... such a tired game

 It's enough! I've done all I can think of

Chased down all my demons,

 I've seen you do the same.

I love that song, it is so true of many of us, I bet!

Today was a long run, 60 minutes. Beautiful 50ish day, so I ran outside. My route had 2 bridges, and that second one slayed me! My first mile was fast, about 10:30 which was probably a mistake. Then came bridge number one, then bridge #2. I was still making good time but my legs were getting tired.

The route wasn't super safe, and i won't be using it again. No shoulder in a few places, egad!

I passed a shrine to a young man who died on Jordan Road which was sad. Definitely one of my least favorite things! Running past it, you get a good look, not like when you drive past in the car. Such a sad thing!

I was hoping to make it an even 5 miles,  but it ended up being 4.8 which is fine by me. There were more than a few places I slowed down for safety, so it is all good in the end! I broke the 50 mile mark for the month with this run, never thought I would run that many miles in one month!

Wore me out, I am off to chill until Biggest Loser comes on!

Singing In the Rain...

Or should I say

I'm running in the rain
Just running in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above

I'm running...running in the rain

I left the house for  my 45 minute run and it was 51* and overcast. So thrilled to be outside, I finished my first mile in 10:45 and ordered myself to slow down. By mile 2 I was closer to my 12 minute mile usual. At about 2.25 it started to mist and stayed misty until I finished. 3.8 miles at a bout an 11:45 average. Fabulous and no complaints, I didn't even mind getting a little wet!

Non Scale Victories I need to shout out about (yes, I am also trying to lose a little. I am down almost 20 pounds since mid August and have about 15 to go to be at my wedding day weight!)

1. The crossing guard told me she hardly recognized me, I look so skinny

2. I had my heart rate monitor about 3 weeks when I had to adjust it, it was slipping off.

3. My average heart rate has gone down about 10 since I started using the monitor about a month ago!

These are the little things that make the aches and pain seem so trivial!

Let it Snow!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

What a wet, miserable day! I woke up to snow covered streets and was afraid I would have to wait until tomorrow for my long run. Luckily, the rain started and the roads cleared up and away I went to the gym. By the time I got there, it was sleeting, but it was nice and dry inside.

You would think that on such a cold, miserable day it wouldn't be so HOT up there. WRONG! Still hot, lol. The first 20 minutes I was still plagued by a sore shin, but I am doing strengthening exercises that will eliminate that soon. The last 50 minutes were totally plain free! I met a guy who has done 26 marathons (***26***) and he gave me some exercises to do. Hooray!

I was hoping to do 5.5  miles and was discouraged by my rough start, but I got 5.95 miles in, woohoo! I left feeling amazing, LOVE that!

64 days til my 10 mile race!