7/24/10--Rocketman

Yesterday's run: 3 miles

Week to date: 19 miles

Month to date: 59 miles

Whoa. I'm going to break 70 miles on the month?? I don't know if I've ever done that before. Ever. Wow. Just, wow.

Anyway. I didn't blog yesterday because things like eating, showering, and curling up with a beer, the boyfriend, and about 320942034980 stupid timewaster websites sounded so much better. That and I just plan forgot. Oh well.

So, Brandon was here, and he wanted to run with me. (I guess a combination of how I'm doing and how even being just a bit more active has helped him with hockey has inspired him to run more, which is awesome.) I got just the slightest bit disheartened because the last time we ran together (a 2 miler up in Houghton), I kept up with him the whole time and even out kicked him at the end. Though, to be fair, last time I was fresh and he was still sore from a run he had taken a few days earlier. This week, it was back to normal--he was off like a rocket and I hung behind. Still, it was a good quality 3 miler. SO close to 20 on the week. So close I can feel it! This week might be my week, though. I have my 1st 10 miler on Tuesday (I felt that particular day was appropriate), and I'm doing it in Houghton again so Brandon can bike along. I'm sure I can find some time to split up 10 more miles along the way. :)

That's all for today! Have fun, kids! :)

7/22/10-- Deux Cents Trois

Today's run: 8 miles

Week to date: 16 miles

Month to date: 56 miles!!

Oh, and year to date: 203.75 :D

I'm not saying today's run was easy. No, it definitely was not easy. However, it was easier than my long runs have been before. I'm definitely getting stronger, and it's fantastic. :)

*blows the dust off*

Oh! Hello, blog!

Sorry I've been so neglectful of this. Time to catch up, but where to start.

~June was, well, not the greatest month in terms of running. Between bike crashes, weddings (not mine, my friend/former roommate's), graduations, doctor's appointments (again, not mine), and literally being on the road/out of town more than I was home, I didn't run much, and what I did was only OK at best. June's mileage total was 26.8 miles, which is pretty dismal when you compare it to what I did in May.

July, however, wow. July, as much as I generally don't like this month, has been pretty damn amazing in terms of running. I'm already at 48 miles for the month. Among those 48 are my first 8 and 9 mile runs. :) Brief recaps:

8: This was the first time I really realized just how far this half marathon is going to be, and the first time I wished I had someone out there with me. Normally, I'm all about the solo run to clear my head and all, but this time, well... I just wanted someone to talk to. This run also came with a bit of bribery. I dragged my lazy arse out the door, promising myself if I finished I could have Border Grill as a reward/treat. Well, somewhere around mile 5 or 6, my bribe was upped, and I said that I could have Rice Paddy instead. Let me tell you, Cream Cheese Wontons and Ginger Chicken can make a girl do just about anything, and hot damn if they didn't taste incredible! My back really hurt afterward, though, but that passed after about 12 hours.

9: This long run found me in a different location: Houghton, MI, where my boyfriend is currently living. He was along for this adventure, playing the role of bike escort, water boy, Gu carrier, and overall moral and general support staff. Let me tell you, I can't tell you the last time I felt that appreciative of him. Having him there was great, and once I told him to not follow directly behind me, but go on ahead, he was absolutely perfect. He carried his CamelBak, and would run along side me while I drank so I didn't have to stop. The trail was, well, so-so. Part of it was great, but part of it (where there had been disputes with the property owners) was non-existent. I was literally running through people's backyards. I'm not cool with that. This run was followed by a large bottle of Fruit Punch Powerade (strangely, the only "sports drink" that I like), and 3 epic, large, homemade soft tacos. What can I say? Will run for food.

I do have to say this: the half marathon almost wasn't going to happen. I was looking at my finances, and there wasn't exactly an extra $85 just lying around for race registration. Enter Coach Mom. She and my father are giving me the entry fee as a birthday present (yeah, that unfortunate event is coming up next week, the big 2-5. Ugh.) I was so happy and grateful, I cried. It's also given me an additional inspiration for training: I don't want my parents to have made a bad investment in me. I will make them proud.

OK, it's time to get ready for work. I promise, this will be updated better now.

Oh hi, blog... I'm accident prone.

So.

It has been quite an interesting few weeks.

The Monday after I last posted, I had my first crash on my new-to-me bike. What it boils down to is that I just came around a corner too fast, hit a combination of gravel and a pothole, and ended up sprawled on the street tangled in the bike frame. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt seriously, but I did have enough soreness and bruising that I ended up taking the week off to recover. Could I have run through it? Probably after a few days, sure. Do I regret taking that much time? Not in the least. I am a full supporter of the following idea: while some kinds of pain are your body becoming stronger, there are other kinds of pain that are your body telling you something is wrong, and there's no shame in taking the time to rest and recover and make sure things are truly OK again before you pick back up. As for me, the deep purple and blue all over my knee didn't scare me, but the swelling did, and I didn't want to risk having something worse happen closer to race time by not taking care of it now. Icing, fluids, rest, and some walking got me through that week, and then I stepped out the next Monday to start over. Aside from a little residual soreness, my knee felt fine, and now it's 100%. It didn't even bug me on my 7 miler on Saturday.

I also had a bit of ankle trouble yesterday. While it did frustrate me, I stopped my run where I was, walked home, and immediately wrapped and iced it. 80% of it being me not wanting to make it worse for the long run here, 20% being so that I wasn't in a boatload of pain in my wedge heels I'm wearing for a wedding I'm standing in Saturday.

OK, so on that note:

Month to date: 22.8 miles. It's low, but I did lose a week, and I have 9 more days to get the miles in.

OK, I'm off. Have fun, kids!

6/5/10--Kicking and screaming

Today's run: 2 miles

Week to date: 14 miles

Month to date: 10 miles

I. Did. Not. Want. To. Run. Today. I didn't want to do much of anything, really. Kind of like yesterday, when it was pouring rain and only in the mid 50's, so I let myself take rest day #2 for the week, and spent it curled up with a book.

Today, however, the rain has stopped and it's in the 60's again. It's still gloomy looking, but I've ran in FAR worse. Plus, there are no more rest days left for this week, so my choices were to either run 2 miles or bike for 45 minutes. I had myself all ready for the bike, but I re-evaluated, and decided to bike tomorrow when I would already be biking to and from work.

I really did try to shake off the whiny attitude while I was out there. I wanted to enjoy it. But, all I wanted to do was curl back up with that book from yesterday. So, I got through the 2 miles. 2 junk miles, but 2 miles nonetheless.

Side note: Previously here, I had been adding up my mileage going Sunday-Saturday, with the totals resetting on Sunday. However, I looked at my training plan today, and I realized that I wrote that with the week totals going from Monday-Sunday. So, from this point on, that is how my mileage is going to be recorded.

6/3/10--Perfection.

Today's (yesterday's?) run: 6 miles

Week to date: 12 miles

Month to date: 8 miles

I forgot to blog yesterday! Oops.

In all seriousness, yesterday was just about the perfect day. If race day was just like yesterday was, I'd be so freaking happy.

6/2/10--One Way Ticket

Today's run: 2 miles

Week to date: 6 miles

Month to date: 2 miles

(Now that's strange to look at. Since when has my weekly total been more than my monthly total?)

Well, I've been biking to work these days--School's pretty much done around here, so now I'm at my summer post of Tourist Park Campground. Seeing as how it is 2 miles via the trail from my apartment, I'm opting to burn calories instead of gas. However, last night, it was raining pretty good when I got done with work, so I opted to catch a ride home with my co-worker. Today, I drove my truck in, and then biked home, then ran back just now to get my truck. 2 miles. Boom.