A breath of fresh air

Felt much better today, but over did it.  I didn't feel that great later that day.  My son started to recover during the day and my husband started vomitting that night.

I went to the YMCA with my mom.  We did eliptical and the bike, so I guessed my approximate mileage.  I kept the work out very light.

We drove home today.  Safe and sound.

The temperature was 54 degrees when Will and I met Jade for our run.  The three miles passed quickly as Jade and I caught up on the past two weeks.  I said good-bye to Jade and Will went on a walk with his dad.  Lars and Will splashed puddle while I ran another three miles.  The run felt good and I loved the weather.

My goal for the next three weeks is 30 miles per week.

While I was getting ready for my run, Will climbed up into the stroller.  He was ready to go and not happy when I had him stand back up to put another layer of clothes on: gloves, coat, and hat.  After throwing on a couple blankets, we headed out into the freezing rain.  It wasn't that bad.  I only wished for a helmet once to protect my head and face from the icy tooth picks.  The freezing rain turned into snow.  Will managed to pull off his gloves during mile 4.  And then I stepped in a puddle!

All in all I enjoyed my run and I decided I don't mind 25 degrees.

Will and I ran with Jade today.  Jade had a tough run.  She had a couple side cramps that wouldn't go away.  But, we still finished and I enjoyed the company.

I ran by myself in the snow.  The snowflakes were more like rain drops, so they didn't float gracefully to the ground.  They meant business and so did I.  I was out to complete my first tempo run since the beginning of November.  I knew I'd run as hard as I could, but I didn't know how fast or slow that would be.  Here are my quarters.

2:00--I was pleasantly surprised.  Because the course was flat, I felt I could do faster quarters.  So, I tried to pick up the pace slightly.

1:53--Excited again.

1:54--Started to feel fatigued.

2:00--Kept pushing it.  Felt great about the 7:47 mile.

2:00--Getting very tired.

1:57--This quarter felt the hardest.

1:47--Turned around and had a tail wind!  No wonder the last three quarters were so tough.

1:46--Went as hard as I could.  What a finish!

After the first mile, I thought, "How cool would it be to get 15:30?"  But I quickly dismissed the thought and went back to focusing on keeping my pace.  And I beat 15:30!  I ran the two miles in 15:17, in thirty degrees, in snow, in January!  The second mile was 7:30!

I am grateful for marked trails.  I am grateful for the people that plow marked trails.  I am grateful for 30 degree weather.  I am grateful for running.

I ran with music today.  It was different.  I've decided that I prefer running without music.  I ran by myself.  The temperature was 26 degrees and the wind chill was 18.  So a little colder, but not bad.

Today's run felt great.  Temp 30/Wind chill 23--so not too bad.  In fact, I've had great weather this week.  Next week looks good until Friday when the high will be 17 degrees.  Hopefully, there won't be any wind.  I plan on running at least 30 miles next week.

Today was pretty cold and WINDY!  I didn't want to go running.  Something that my husband said clicked in my brain.  If I don't mind running in the rain or snow, why would I mind running when it's cold and windy?  So I went running.  On my way out the door, my husband said, “Head for a building, if your face starts to freeze off,” and “Go towards the light.”  It was 14 degrees and with all the wind (gusts up to 30 mph) the wind chill -4 degrees.  I bundled up--three layers on my head--and after a mile and a half I was warm.

I felt tough!  I was out running on a very cold windy day.  And then during the last mile when I was feeling so tough I tripped.  Sprawled out on the ground, I thought, "You're so tough, you trip over nothing."  I have a few bruises.  I can't believe I tripped over my own two feet.

This weekend it is suppose to be colder.  Single digits.  I say, “Bring it on!”

Will and I enjoyed our first visit to the University of Iowa's indoor track.  33 3/4 laps was 5 miles, but we made it an even 34.  I brought my watch to help me keep track of laps.  We completed 34 laps in 47:42.  Not too shabby.  I didn't think I ran that fast with the jogger stroller when I am out to run slow miles.

Today was warm mid 30's.  I thought I'd get a long run in while I had the chance.  I felt incredibly strong my last mile.  It still took a mile and a half for me to feel warmed up.

I don't think I'll get a tempo run in this week because tomorrow will be a recovery day--5 miles.  And the weekend looks so cold; I plan on surviving my runs.  Too bad the indoor track is closed this weekend for a track meet.  Still, I don't want to overdo it.  Maybe I'll take a couple more weeks before I try to do tempo run and a long run in the same week.

Today was like Monday 14 degrees, but it felt like -5 degrees.  However, today's run was not as enjoyable as Mondays.  I had trouble with my wind breaker.  I couldn't keep the hood pulled tight enough around my face and when I did, the draw-string would rub on my chin.  I'll try a different combination of clothes for tomorrow.

I squeezed in four miles and a shower, before Will and I headed to his eighteen month appointment.  With all my layers and the cold, cold wind, I tried to keep my pace as fast as possible.  I threw in a lot of strides and finished in 35 minutes.  Overall, it was a good, short run.

The temperature was 12 degrees and felt like -5 degrees.  My layering of clothes was a lot better that yesterday.  I went with Monday's layering--three layers on my head.  I have to turn sideways to look for traffic.  And because I am so focused on staying warm and keeping my legs moving, a couple of times I've turned the wrong way or didn't turn at all. I'll be glad when it's spring and I don't have to wear so much weight and I'll be able to see again.

Will's appointment went well and was shot-free!  Will weighs 27.5 pounds (72%) and is 32.7 inches tall (62%).

Tonight, I did the plank for two minutes and side planks for forty-five seconds.

Right now it's -4 degrees and it feels like -21 degrees.  There's a wind chill advisory until Sunday night.  I didn't know what that meant, so I looked it up on weather.com.

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS... RESULTING IN FROST BITE AND HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS... DRESS IN LAYERS COVERING EXPOSED SKIN. FROSTBITE WILL OCCUR IN A FEW AS 20 MINUTES IN THESE CONDITIONS.

I'll let you know later what I decide to do.

With the indoor track closed for a track meet, I decided to lift weights.  I started the workout with 130 juming jacks.  I did triceps, shoulders, back, legs, and abs.  It took about 50 minutes.  Felt good to do something different.

The high today was 1 degree, but it felt like -15 degrees.

Saturday night I bought a fleece hat with a pull down face and neck warmer.  The new hat was wonderful!  I could turn my head again to look for traffic.  (I had been wearing a couple hoodies.  With the hoodies, I had to stop and turn sideways to look for cars.)  I felt free!  I still wore another beanie on top of the fleece hat--Sarah's favorite one with the yellow pom-pom on top.  I was very warm during the run and it was very relaxing.  My legs felt great in spite all the lunges and squats from Saturday.   It was so nice to have an easy run without my layers of clothes or the weather bothering me.  There was light snow, temp 19 degrees, and wind chill 7.

I think I was a bit chicken about not going out on Saturday when it was 1 degree.  Now that I have my hat, I don't think anything can stop me now.

I ran with music today.  I enjoyed it.  I think I didn't have the right songs for me when I said I didn't like running to music a couple weeks ago.  I was listening to my husband's songs.  The running tune put together for me are a lot of fun.  Sometimes I feel like I am flying.

I decided to change it up and a hilly 6 mile loop, which I hadn't run since beginning of November.  I have avoided the route because part it is not plowed, but I was in need of some change in scenery.

I loved the run.  It was fun trudging through the five inches of snow.  Every once and a while I'd be surprised by a snow drift and unexpectedly sink another foot.  But, the view was great.  The creek that follows the trail was not only covered in ice, but snow, too.  Quiet and serene.  I saw a very graceful cross-country skier.  I figured out the trail isn't plowed for the skiers.

A 2.5 stretch of sidewalk was somewhat plowed.   That was a pleasant surprise.  The run took me one hour and four minutes and was very enjoyable.  The coldest part of my run was twenty minutes after my run.  I get super cold when I am stretching.

Will and I ran at the indoor track.  I planned a tempo run, but yesterday's run must have been tougher than I thought it was.  Here are my mile splits.  Well, they aren't my mile splits because 6 3/4 laps is a mile.  The first four "miles" are seven laps and the last one is six laps.  33 3/4 for five miles, I ran 34 laps.

9:51--I am guessing about 9:30 for the warm up mile.

8:57--I felt good.  And thought my mile was probably in the 8:30-8:40 range.

8:52--Felt very similar to the last mile.

9:19--The hardest seven laps.  Felt fatigue, but tried to keep each lap to 1:15.

9:00--This was only six laps.  I tried to slow down to a cool.  It was difficult.

The last two splits are guesses.  I finished the last thirteen laps in 17:19 and I finished the thirty-four laps in 44:59.  I was disappointed that my time wasn't faster, but pleased that I pushed the workout as hard as I could.  Again, my run yesterday must have been tougher than I thought. 

During the run, I was concentrating on a few things:  my split goal for each lap, keeping track of which lap I was on, and making sure Will was happy.  A couple times I had to stop to pick up a toy.  I got very good at handing him crackers and his water.  This is the third time we've brought food on a run, but the first time during a tempo run.

I am grateful for another great run.

Can you believe Jade and I ran in -12 degrees?  That's right--minus twelve degrees!!  That must be a record of some sort.  Definitely, it's a record for me.  I couldn't believe Jade wanted to still run with me.  I was so excited, we hadn't run together in at least a week and a half.  I told her about how I am starting a book club with a girl I visit teach.  Our February book is Persuasion by Jane Austen.  I'm on page seventy or so.  So, I told her all about the first seventy pages and what I knew about the story line.  I told her about how I started a family blog.  I put my running blog address on the blog page.  I am so proud of myself.

After I had caught up on my week and a half of talking, I noticed it felt like my eyelashes had icicles on them.  They did and so did Jade's!  My toes felt frozen, so I wasn't sure if I'd go out again after Jade and I finished our 2.8 miles.  The feeling in my toes came back and I did say good-bye to Jade and headed back out for another 2.8.

All that white stuff is frost.

I didn't trip today and I ran in -12 degrees.  So, I feel tough!

How do you make the pictures bigger?  I went back to Lybi's post on October 29th to read Mik'L's comment on how to post a picture.  But, it turned out so small.  Did I do something wrong?

It was harder to get out the door today.  Because I am so sore from yesterday's lunges and wall sit, I told myself that if I was completely miserable on my run I could cut it to four miles.  I was slow, but the run went fine and I was able to do five miles.  Temp 19 degrees and wind chill 6 degrees, so pretty warm.

Yesterday was tough day.  I got a flat tire on the way to visiting teaching.  I didn't deal with it well.  I didn't know what to do.  Lars's phone was on silent, but I kept calling him.  I didn't think the tire was fit for driving, so I got Will out of the car and walked the three blocks back to my house.  I called Lars again as we walked still no answer.  By the time Will and I made it home, I was in tears.  Lars went and moved the car and then put on the spare while Will ate lunch. 

I called my mom to tell her about my morning--the good and bad news.  There were good things that happened that morning, although the flat tire was the foremost on my mind.  My mom was very patient with me and listened to my morning.  My mom had a hard morning herself.  She told me that my dad was in the hospital.  I lost it.

He's okay.  He had a physical and told the doctor he had shortness of breath when he exercised.  The doctor suggested he take a stress test.  My dad failed the stress test on Wednesday.  My parents were surprised, but still they didn't think anything was wrong with my dad's heart.  Friday (yesterday), they checked out his arteries and a few of them were 70 to 90% blocked.  He had five stints put in.  He'll be fine, but the whole experience made me realize that one day he will pass away.

I cried during my Friday running thinking about how I will have to say good-bye to him.  It's temperary, I know.  But, I cried when I left my parents house at Christmas.  I am not very good at good-byes.

Anyway, my intense Friday, being in charge of Sharing Time this Sunday, a more intense work out week, and the rest of life has wore me out.  But, I did it.  I got to 30 miles again this week.

Today was very warm, 42 degrees with a wind chill of 31.  I bundled Wil up in three layers from head to toe, so we didn't have to use the jogging stroller's rain cover.  The cover makes it hard for Will to see.  Will enjoyed the run and pointed out the birds and cars he saw.  I did alright.  It had been a while since I ran with the jogging stroller and wind and hills.  But, I survived fine.

When I woke up it was 41 degrees and a blizzard advisory from 9 am to 9 pm.  I tried to get Will and I out the door as fast as possible.  By the time we got out the door, the wind was howling.  The temperature was dropping pretty fast.  Since we used the rain cover, the run was not as enjoyable for Will.  At the beginning, I was thinking about cutting the run short.  But, Will and I completed all five miles.  By the last mile, the wind had really picked up.  For the third time here in Iowa, while I was running down hill, it felt like I was running up hill.  The wind is not my favorite.

My dad is doing well.  He has some heart pain that before he dismissed as indigestion.  The doctor gave him a list of things to do, but if the pain doesn't stop in fifteen minutes he suppose to head to the emergency room.  So far the pain has stopped.  I am looking forward to visiting him and the rest of the family in April.

I decided to take a vacation from running today.  The past two days I've been rushing Will and I out the door as soon as Will has eaten breakfast and is dressed.  I didn't want to do it for a third day in a row.  My weekly goals this week revolve around simplifying and slowing down.  Instead of running, I wrote some thank you notes.  This afternoon I did lunges, the wall sit, tricep pushups, abs, and the plank.

I made it to a hundred miles again this month.  Two months down.  One to go. 

My run was very enjoyable today.  The weather was good: 22 degrees, wind chill 14 degrees, and hardly any wind.  I did some strides to change up the speed.