A breath of fresh air

It was colder this morning.  Wore a beanie.  I loved how crisp the morning felt.  I was talking about all the pumpkin treats I'd like to make over the next two months: pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin frenchtoast.  Well, we'll see if I really make all of that.  Anyway, it was great talking to Piper during the run.  I learned more about the adventures of being an ENT (ears, nose, and throat) nurse.

I ran with Piper again.  I love the high you get from running in cooler weather.  It was a lovely 44 degrees.  We ran the library route.

Will, Vince, and I tried a new route around the cemetery.  We had to run a portion of it on a busy road (no sidewalk).  The cars made me a little nervous.  I'll run this route again, but next time without kids.

Duallie--19.1

Will, Vince, and I ran down to Vince's Orthotics appointment.  Vince's helmet is fitting much better.  On the way back home, Will was talking.  It's really hard to hear him when we are by traffic or the river.  I had to stop, so I could hear what he was saying to me.  But, he wasn't talking to me.  He was talking to his "friend" and sharing pretzels with him.  I shouldn't have been surprised.  He plays with imaginary friends often.  Today his "friend" was Barney; other times, it's a dragon, penguins, Cookie Monster, a cat, a dog, deer, Thumper, etc.

Circuit workout: sumo lunges--each side, plank, calf raises, side plank--each side, tricep extensions, shoulder--bent over flies.

1 minute each.  3 times.

Ran with Piper.  We did a route by her house.  I enjoyed looking at a new neighborhood.  I felt good--not fast, but energized.

circuit work out again

Will, Vince, and I ran down to the library.  A nice, uneventful run.

Duallie--23.1

Ran with Piper again.  I felt fine.

Will, Vince, and I did our Tuesday run down to Vince's orthotics (helmet) appointment.

I got us out the door and into the stroller fifteen minutes late.  I decided that I need to run back in and grab my phone.  As I ran back in, I also decided to switch my long sleeve shirt for a short sleeve shirt.  I left my keys on the kitchen counter.  So not only were we late to Vince's appointment, I locked us out of the house.  I called and left a message with Lars, my husband.  He couldn't get back to unlock the door until 2:30.  Vince's appointment was at 11.  So we had some time on our hands.

We played at the park for a while.  Everyone was warm except me.  But, luckily I brought along a beanie and gloves.  I did some jumping jacks too.  When Will decided he was hungry, we left the park.  Will ate apples and pretzels while I ran a couple more miles than I had planned on.  Vince fell asleep.  I stopped so Will and I could watch the giraffes again.  When we go home, we only waited maybe 5 minutes for Lars to pull in with keys.  So all in all a very eventful and bizarrely pleasant morning.

Duallie--28.1

So the dangerous road run I went on last week with Will and Vince is 4 miles not 3.5.  Why am I always a half a mile off when I estimate distances?  Very curious.

I still felt a bit unsafe as Piper and I ran by the cemetery.  That road is pretty busy and there isn't much room.  I'm thinking running this route alone is best or going single file when we get to that road.

Whoa!  I was expecting to run this race at a 8:40 to 9:10 minute mile pace.  I listened to how I was feeling and went with that pace as I made my way through the masses until... the beginning of mile 3.  I heard someone say that the time was 18:15.  I thought, "Oh no! I'm going slow!"  Although I said I was okay with a 9:10 pace, I really wasn't.  I wanted my average to be below 9 minutes.  So I pushed it.

Only as I crossed the finish line and looked at the clock did I realize I had exceeded my 8:40 pace.  By a lot.  When I stopped, my hamstrings were on fire!

This race made me wonder.  Is this how you are supposed to run races?  Have I never really run my heart out during a race before?  Or am I just out of shape?  Or was it the pickle I ate?

Man! What could I do...

if I ran 6 times a week?

if I got my mileage up to 40 miles a week?

Ran with Piper.  My legs were sore, but the run helped loosen them up.  Piper told me that we average 11:30 minute miles.  I was surprised and wondered how I could race at 8:11.  Asked the discussion forum and found out this was normal.  Gotta keep working toward increasing mileage and running 6 days a week.

Will, Vince, and I were late to Vince's helmet appoinment again.  So I ran as fast as possible to not be too late.

After the appoinment, we went to the park.  With the good weather (55 degrees-ish), there were lots of other kids for Will to run and play with.

When we headed home, I ran by the giraffes again.  Such amazing animals.

Will, Vince, and I ran to the playground.  Will played.  Then we ran home.

Ran with Piper.

Piper gave me a wonderful present, a head lamp!  Today we used them for the first time.  So nice to be able to see and be seen.

We were hoping to do trails today, but it was rainy.  We stuck to the streets, instead of getting muddy.

Piper and I ran the library route.  At one point, I screamed out because there was something huge next to us!--just on the other side of the fence.

It was a deer. :)

Jumped rope for 15 minutes.

Ran with Piper.  I found out she likes chocolate and caramel, but I'd bet she hardly ever eats it.