A breath of fresh air

A bit hot, but not too big of a deal. I enjoyed the bagpipes that were playing.

Tuesday night at church I met Piper.  Finally, I met someone who wants to run with me!!  I was a little fast for her, but my faster pace might be because I was so excited to run with someone.  We met at 6:30 am to run on the Greenbelt.  The run was over before I new it.

Piper also has a Garmin.  Turns out all my runs on the Greenbelt (the bike trail) are about a half a mile longer than what I recorded.  I'm glad I was under-estimating rather than over-estimating.

Piper and I set out for a 3 mile run.  Again my mile-gauging is off, but it was a fun loop.  Will came with us.  With the jogging stroller, I felt like Piper and I were a perfect fit pace wise.  Piper is also getting over a cold, so that might be slowing her down too.  It was a very enjoyable run.  Will seemed to have fun, too.

I ran with Piper again.  My stomach was upset.  (It might have been from the high sodium rice.  I put too much soy sauce in.)  But, running with Piper I was distracted from thinking about it.  We talked about one of my favorite subjects: Dominic.  Just saying his name makes me smile.

Today I did my first western trail run.  I ran on a trail in Ohio back in 2005, but it was more a worn dirt path in the woods.  This trail run was in the foothills--in the wild.  Piper and I started pretty early in the dark.  We didn't know what was rustling in the bushes.  Every rock in the path looked like poop.  The sun came up.  I loved the view of the trees and buildings way behind us and the valley that snaked back and forth in front of us.  The hills just kept coming.  Kind of like this, but we were in the valley.  I loved how running on the trail used all sorts of muscles that the blacktop doesn't.

I played volleyball for about 40 minutes.  When the action was slow I'd do lunges or jump in place.  The other girls playing thought my extra movement was due to excitement.  Mostly I just wanted more of a work out.

Later, I jumped rope with my neighbor.  3 minutes sessions five times with a minute rest in between.  I did my first cross-over ever, but couldn't continue to keep jumping.  I think I'll work on the cross-over and try the double unders again in the future.

Vince woke up at 5:30.  After I nursed him, I stayed awake and did a circuit workout: hip abductors each side, plank, squats, abs--leg extension side to side, shoulders--bent over rows, back--alternating superman, and tricep extensions each side.  One minute each; 3 times.

Will and I went on a five mile bike ride.  It took just over thirty minutes.

After we rode over our turn around bridge, I suddenly stopped!  I was so shocked and excited to see giraffes.  I couldn't wait for Will to notice them.  I knew the path went by the zoo, but I didn't think we'd ever see anything.

When we got home, I told Will to tell Daddy what we saw.  He said, "Ducks!"  They were fun, too.  I guess to a 3 year old, who has penguins, deer, Slimmy--the worm, kittens as friends that he interacts with everyday, seeing a giraffe isn't that big of a deal.

Piper twisted her ankle during volleyball Tuesday night.  So we didn't run together Thursday morning.  But, she thought she could run Saturday morning if we did a flat route.

I wasn't expecting much.  I thought we'd be walking a lot.  But, our pace was pretty normal.  Piper said her ankle was fine.

My favorite part of the run was jumping a fence.  We cut through a church's parking lot.  Turned out their grounds were fenced in.  The fun of hoping the fence was increased by the darkness and the cemetery as the backdrop.

Ran with Piper again. Our run seemed long this morning.  Maybe because the whole thing was in the dark.

It was our maiden voyage of our new stroller.

The BOB Ironman Duallie

Will fell asleep.

Vince didn't know what to think.  It's only his second run.  He would cry out every once and a while.  So I kept the run short.

I loved our run.  Will asked me a mile into the run if I was tired.  (I was a bit breathing hard.) I told him no, but I was enjoying my workout.

I like the stroller--very light.  It will take a little bit to get use to visors.  They are big and bulky when they are pushed up.  It hits Will's head.  However, he doesn't seem to mind.

Will, Vince, and I ran to the park.  Will loved playing with his friends.  He was dry the entire trip and no accidents when we got home either!  (Will started potty training Monday.)  Vince enjoyed the run.  No complaints from him.

The run back was good, too.  We even did a detour to stop by a friends house to get some of her garden tomatoes.  Yum-yum.

Piper and I ran almost the same route as Monday, but in the opposite direction.  Felt great.

Will, Vince, and I ran to the library.  To help Will leave the library, we usually pick out a DVD right before we check out our stack of books.  I found a Sesame Street DVD that Will has seen before, the 25th anniversary musical celebration.  Will calls it, "The La-La Movie."  During the movie, Big Bird is looking for La-La-ers to sing.  Anyway, I handed it to him and told him we could check it out.  Will looks up and says, "Oh, sank you, Library!"

Vince enjoyed the entire hour and a half outing from the stroller. I think he likes people and tree watching.

Piper and I are more compatible running partners than I thought.  Our pace the past five runs has been perfect for me.

And I asked Piper today what temperature is too cold for her to run in.  She said, "Below zero."  I was very pleased.  We'll be running together through the winter!

However, I have noticed my increase in mileage last week.  I am more tired during the day.  It will probably take a couple weeks to get use to it.  I'd like to throw in some tempo runs and strides.  But, I think I'll work on the mileage for right now.  Probably after the Barber to Boise 10k, I start those workouts.

Will, Vince, and I ran down to Vince's orthotics appointment.  The helmet fetting went okay.  At first the helmet went too far down--covering his eyes.  Tonight it still seems like it's too low on his left eye.  I'll call tomorrow.

As for the run, both boys enjoyed it.  And I felt great too.

Duallie--15.6 miles

I know I said that I wouldn't do tempo runs for a while.  Well... I changed my mind.  I kept it short.  So here's the brief report.

8:50--At first I didn't know if I was going to do both miles, but I kept going.  When it felt tough, I'd try to relax.  That helped.  I don't think my paced dropped when I did that.

8:40--I was surprised how even my run felt.  Again like the first mile, I'd tell myself to relax--focusing on my tight shoulders. 

It felt good to increase the pace for these 2 miles.  I really enjoyed the heron at the turn around.  The river was beautiful.  And I loved the crisp weather.