THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

7:44 AP.  Hilly dirt route.  Nice and cool--I had to wear gloves.  I am now a happy runner!

7:57 AP.  7 on dirt plus 3 on pavement.  Felt pretty good.  Hoping I will have some kind of fire in my legs for the 8k this weekend.  I have had so many crummy races in a row that I don't want to get too pumped up and then be all disappointed so hopefully I can get out there and run a decent race.

7:53 AP.  A quick 8 in the beauteous 38 degrees and I am off to work....

7:53 AP.  Too busy and no childcare, so no run yesterday.  Stil trying to get my treadmill fixed.  Anyways, at least I got to run today and it is nice and chilly in the 30's.  I love it!

8:37 AP.  Nice and easy with 4 one minute bursts of race pace.  On the off chance my racing mojo decides to make an appearance tomorrow I will have, hopefully, fresh legs.

Time was lame but I am happy about the race--when I saw the trees bowing in the wind I knew that this was not a fast race kind of day, so decided to try and run a tactical race and maybe, just  maybe, make top 3.  The race was two loops of the same route which on a non-blustery today was an awesome course and I think potentially very fast.  The south wind was 21mph gusting to 30mph and it blew you off the road if you were standing still.  Fortunately the finish was with the tailwind!

I jogged slow with Eddy 2.5 miles and then we went and hung out at the starting line jogging and place and bouncing around, the usual.  I hung back 4 or 5 rows and was immediately intimidated by the large group of skinny women with six packs.  I started off comfortable in the first mile and worked my way into a nice rythm going north and then whipped to the south part.  I just tried to stay relaxed and comfortable and keep my turnover high rather than try to outstride the wind.  I tucked in behind people, even slowing the pace to draft rather than waste energy fighting the wind solo.  We turned north again and ran past the start for loop two and I was comfortable and feeling very good with such a conservative start, so while I still had the wind at my back I stepped it up and started passing people.  When we turned south into the wind again I had the 3rd place girl in view.  I caught up to her, drafted briefly, then surged ahead and caught the next guy.  I ended up slowing the pace to draft again and not fight the wind alone and was a little nervous about the girl I had passed so as soon as we popped out of the headwind and ran in the crosswind before turning north I took off.  I had lots of gas in the tank and just floored it all the way to the finish.  I passed a few people and never got caught by the girl.  It was nice to feel that good and ready to crank at the end of a race. 

In some ways I kind of dogged this race because I felt awesome afterward and still feel good but I ran it purely as a tactical race rather than running for time so it was really a different way of running a race.  Second place was only about 45 seconds ahead so I wonder if I had fought the wind and pushed it, maybe I would've caught her but in my experience wind will suck the life out of you.  Turkey Trot 10-miler in two weeks and I am eager to run hard and PR!

7:53 AP.  Kansas City.  Nice morning run while my friends slept in.  Then I did some serious shopping.

7:43 AP.  Tired, but I attempted the workout anyway.  3x1.5 at tempo pace.  I did it on the rolling dirt roads in the wind so my times don't rock, but I am learning to run by feel and listen to my body so I did the tempo effort.

two mile warm up 9:05, 9:02(obviously not feeling it today)

1.5 in 10:22 (6:54 pace)

.5 in 3:58

1.51 in 10:19(6:49 ace)

.5 in 4:03

1.51 in 10:28(6:55 pace)

cool down

7:59 AP--treadmill!  It is fixed!  Crazy crazy day and crazy week, no time at all--I was lucky to squeeze this in but I didn't want to roll a doughnut today.

am.--6 in 8:30 AP on the treadmill.  I was tempted to speed it up to get it over with but I have a 13-miler tomorrow at a rather brisk pace scheduled so I need to keep it easy.  I will probably squeeze a few more in this evening.  My treadmill got fixed just in the nick of time.

pm-- 4.5 8:34 AP on the treadmill

7:28 AP.  It was supposed to be 13 at 7:30 pace but I felt good and didn't want to get lost on the new course so I hung off Eddy's shoulder and ran 15.  It was in the 30's and felt freaking fantastic.  I love the fall!  Started out easy and then steadily dropped the pace and rocked steady.  I felt aerobically comfortable the whole time but legs were getting slightly tired at the end.  Ran without fuel or water and energy levels were fine.  Splits 8:25, 7:45, 7:30, 7:22, 7:18, 7:21, 7:21, 7:22, 7:24, 7:18, 7:27, 7:25, 7:21, 7:11, 7:15

7:52 AP.  Rolling dirt roads.  I can still feel my legs a little from Saturday but felt really good by the end of the run.  Maybe a few more on the treadmill tonight.  I plan to front load this week and hopefully PR in the 10 miler on Saturday.  68 minutes is a sorta goal in my head.

am.  6 at 8:11 AP on the treadmill while Vanessa watched cartoons.  Will do 6 more at naptime.  I ran mostly slow but bumped up to 6:40 and eventually 6:00 pace for the last quarter mile just because.

naptime:  6 at 8:12 AP treadmill.  U2 was better running music than Journey was this morning--but still not the greatest.

7:27 AP.  Key workout day.  Sheesh.  2x2 tempo with .5 recovery.  The first two went okay but the second two my legs felt pretty acid-yuck.  Last mile was hard--I was breathing like I was running a 5k or something.

2 mile warm up 8:45, 8:16

2 tempo 6:47, 6:42

.5 @ 7:49 pace

2 tempo 6:50, 6:39

2 cool down 8:02, 7:17

I hope this pace does not feel that hard on Saturday.

depressed. ate a lot and didn't run.

8:24 AP.  Still didn't feel like running, but forced myself out anyways.  It was a good thing.  It was actually cold enough to break out the tights today.

Well, "A" goal was 1:08, "B" Goal was under 1:10, and "C" goal was PR.  At least I (barely) made my B goal and PRed by a mere 32 seconds I believe.  It hasn't been an awesome week but this was a pretty nice boost.   I have a crummy cold.  I really didn't know how much I would feel like pushing it today but after getting out there and warming up I decided I would try and hit the halfway mark in less than 35 minutes and go from there.  I jogged around a little, ran into Eddy, ran 2.82 nice and easy with him, then we ditched all our gloves and sleeves and shirts and went to the starting line, which was waaaay congested.  I'm glad they had chip timing this year because it took a while to cross the mat and start running.  I really shouldn't complain but in races with narrow starts like this it is irritating when people...don't position themselves correctly.  I'll leave it at that.  The gun went off and I slowly eased myself into a groove.  Most of the race is on a narrow bikepath and unfortunately is basically out and back which creates problems after the turnaround.  I found myself ready to open up and go but trapped--couldn't pass with the oncoming traffic and had to run behind folks that were not going my speed, wait for an opening, and then swerve wildly around them before having a head on collision.  The course is more or less flat with a few steep little rollers going up and down to the riverbank from the road.  I felt strong at some times and tired at others.  It was a very bipolar race for me!  I pushed the last two miles and passed a lot of people when I realized that I was riding pretty close to sub 1:10 and better get my behind in gear.  The south  wind my friend was present but not blustery and not much of a factor.  Someone told me I was 8th woman but I haven't seen the official results.  My garmin measured this a little long(10.03) but I am sure that is from improper tangents after the turnaround.  Splits are per the first 10 miles on Garmin 6:55, 6:50, 6:58, 6:59, 7:01, 6:59, 7:03, 7:06(got a little lazy in these miles I think), 7:01, 6:49.

Cheered for fellow tribe members afterward.  Had a nice talk with some Rose Hill friends Mickey and her husband, saw one of my old paramedic co-workers Angela(she is doing great with the running thing), saw our friend Amy, also saw some of the GoRun Wichita group and talked with a few of the folks I ran with during the marathon--we all ended up running pretty close to each other this race too!  It was great to talk to people and hang out a little--it made me feel better about things and life in general.  Anyways it was a marginal PR but it gives me a glimmer of hope that I have some stronger races in me to look forward to.

am--7.25 at 8:18 AP.  Treadmill.  I have a gnarly cold and feel terrible. Today's music selection was Third Eye Blind.  When the CD was over, I was done.  Will run more this pm after work.

pm--5 at 8:05 pace. cough. sniffle. hack. wheeze

7:31 AP.  Treadmill tempo success!  Put my daughter down for a nap and went for it.  Today's music selection was Korn:"Issues", which surprisingly was good for concentrating and relaxing into the tempo.

Warm up 3 miles ranging from 8:00 to 8:34 pace

4 mile tempo 6:40, 6:40, 6:40, 6:35 --surprised at how in control I felt after 3 miles I picked it up a notch for the 4th mile.  It promptly started to hurt, but was survivable.

2 mile cooldown from 7:30 to 8:34 pace

I am thinking right at 6:40 pace is my lactate threshold right now

8:16 AP.  Dirt roads.  Legs feel good.

7:57 AP.  Ran down county line road and into town, ran through town, circled the track a few times, and then ran home.  It was 24 degrees but I really enjoyed the cold, even with the 15mph headwind all the way home.  David met me about 7 miles in with some hot chocolate.  Perfect!  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

8:21 AP.  Sluggish this morning, which may have something to do with the champagne last night.  20 degrees and dark(it was early) so I drove into town and ran in the eery silence.

7:32 AP.  16 mile progressive run.  Evidently a large thanksgiving dinner with a lot of pie is my optimal day-before-long-run fueling strategy, because I felt great.  Didn't look at my watch, no drink or fuel stops--just ran.  I was definitely working at the end but felt strong. Splits 8:53, 8:07, 8:06, 7:57, 7:59, 7:48, 7:22, 7:26, 7:18, 7:18, 7:25, 7:15, 6:58, 6:59, 6:57, 6:45

am.  8 miles at 8:32 AP on dirt roads.   More this pm nice and and easy if I get time!

pm. treadmill. 4 at 8:18 AP

7:22 AP.  Treadmill.  It was after a long day including a job interview(and job acquisition) at the jail.  I will be working in the jail clinic part time.  Back to having two jobs--we are in fear of an imminent layoff for my husband so I am getting ready now. I did a home health visit then came home and cleaned house and got the kids squared away with homework and dinner.  David was at work late so I finally popped in Wall-E downstairs and ran while the kids watched it.  I have never watched the movie and found it's depiction of humans rather disturbing.  As for the workout, it was hard.  I wasn't feeling it today and it was just plain hard, but now that I stuck it out I am quite satisfied and pleased.

2 mile warm up at 8:34 pace.  3x2 miles at 6:49 pace with .5 at 7:30 pace for recovery(if you want to call that recovery). 1 mile cool down from 8:34 going down to 8:00 pace.

I totally deserve to go eat whatever I want now.