1.31.07

I can hardly believe that 1 month of '07 has already flown by!

5 miles w/ hill work.

4 flat and fast tomorrow and an off day on Friday.

1.30.07

5-mile flat run. 1 mile of speed work. I know, I know... I said I was just going to concentrate on hill work for a few weeks and then speed work. But I was very stiff this morning and a little sore -- not sure from what -- but I thought I'd hold off on the hill work for a day. Will do some more hill work tomorrow...

I really like mixing this hill and speed work in with the normal routine. Really makes is much more interesting!

1.29.07

5 miles w/hill work.

There is A LOT to be said for ANTICIPATION!

All this week I have been anticipating a great BIG Cesar salad from Quiznoes that I had planed to have on Friday. That was my "reward" for eating good and dropping 6.2 lbs. over the last month. Well, I went on Friday at 11 a.m. (as soon as they opened) and got my much anticipated salad. I took it back to my office and GUESS WHAT!?!?! They gave me RANCH dressing instead of Cesar dressing. I couldn't believe it! I was SO bummed!!! The salad is still in the fridge. I haven't even eaten it yet. May I'll have it for dinner tonight.

There is a lot to be said for anticipation. Like the anticipation felt the days leading up to Christmas or the anticipation before some other special day or event.

I've been thinking much about the anticipation I have felt for weeks and will continue to feel over the next two months about the marathon. What if I do all this work and training and the day gets here and it's like pouring down raining? What if just a few days before, I injure myself and am unable to run? What if I run and the run is not as glorious as I've imagined? What if I "hit the wall" with 5 miles to go?

All this thinking makes me very nervous! And then I remind myself, this is supposed to just be fun. I'm supposed to be having fun and enjoying this. This is not really about a race or an endurance event. This is about me, pushing myself, having fun, trying to be all that I can be, achieve something I never thought possible in my WILDEST dreams.

So, I will try to relax, chill out, try not to think about all the bad stuff that "could" (but probably won't) happen. Maybe I should be concentrating on my next move instead -- my NEXT goal. Maybe 26.2 is not enough. Where will I go from here? I will consider my options. I will ANTICIPATE my next move.

1.27.07

Good, easy 6-mile run.

Picked up some Endurox EXCEL today and will start taking that on Monday, between then and the marathon, to see if that helps with recovery, long runs, energy, dropping a few pounds, etc., etc., etc. I've read a lot of good things about it from some of the top runners so I feel pretty confident that it will be a good thing and enhance my running experience.

This is what their website says: Endurox EXCEL contains maximum strength Endurox plus vitamin E. Endurox EXCEL slows the lactic acid buildup that causes muscle fatigue. Vitamin E has been shown to improve workout recovery by preventing the buildup of free radicals associated with muscle damage and soreness.

I am currently taking 400 I.U. of vitamin E daily but will replace that with the Endurox EXCEL beginning Monday on the days that I run. On the days that I don't run I may just take the vitamin E. Haven't really decided on that as of yet.

I am still using their recovery drink (just called Endurox) after long runs (10 miles or more) and have gotten used to the somewhat gritty taste -- it's sort of like thick Gatorade. I think I can credit that to the lack of soreness after the last 20-mile run.

1.26.07

Good 5-mile run. More hill work. Will probably do an easy 6-mile run tomorrow.

Good night at WW last night. Lost 6.2. Almost makes up for the 9.4 I gained over Christmas :O

133.8

1.25.07

GREAT 8-mile run. Kicked up the speed a notch.

134

1.24.07

More hill work.

I decided (after much reading and contemplating) that I would just stick with this hill work for about 3 weeks and see if in my long run on the 3rd I can tell any difference. Then, I will more than likely move on to 3 weeks of speed work. After that, I will alternate between the two.

The hill work has actually made me a little sore, whereas the 20-mile run on Saturday did not -- curious... Guess I must really need it.

TODAY: 5 miles, good run. I like the hill work, it breaks up an otherwise boring routine.

Tomorrow will be a longer run of 8 miles, probably w/o the hill work.

1.23.07

FANTASTIC 5-mile fast run.

Did some hill work at the encouragement of my running partner. GOOD idea! One of those things I know I need to be doing on a consistent basis but just don't ever get around to doing. I've committed to doing hill work twice a week from now to the marathon and then we will see where it goes from there. Maybe it will become a habit! I also need to be working on some speed work a couple times a week as well. I think all of this will really help my marathon speed!

BTW, I only need to run a 4:00 to qualify for Boston next year. I think I can do that.

Not a bit sore from Saturday's 20-mile run. Not sure what to attribute that too. Maybe the nutrition, training, EnduroxXL, protein bar, proper rest, stretching? Have now idea. Maybe just a combo of everything. Feels GREAT though.

Looking forward to the next long run on February 3!

GREAT 20-mile run! 3:33. Had hoped for 3:15, but 3:33 is OK.

The weather was a bit cool, low 30 something I think, but we bundled up and as long as we kept running we were fine. It was when we stopped for a couple of potty breaks and started running again (all wet and sweaty) that we would get cold.

By the end of the run we could feel the salt on our faces and skin. Wouldn't think you'd sweat that much being so cold but you do.

The next long run will be February 3.

Will take Sunday and maybe Monday off.

1.18.07

7-mile, afternoon, good run/walk of varying speeds. Tomorrow's an off day. 20 on Saturday.

Are these not the cutest things? Makes me long for Spring!

www.frenchsoleshoes.com

1.17.07

Good, FAST 5-mile run. 7 tomorrow and then Friday will be an off day with 20 on Saturday. Going to be REAL cold Saturday morning! Brrrrrrrr!

1.16.07

Good, fast 5-mile run. Felt good, not sore.

1.15.07

5 miles, easy run/walk. Somewhat stiff from Saturday.

1.12.07

SUPER 15-miler! The weather was GREAT! Lots of people out.

Ran my best time so far for 3 laps around the Rock, 2:31:55.

Used my Forerunner for the first time. Got to tinker with it a bit to get out of it just what I want to get out of it but I think it is going to be very useful, especially for keeping up with my pace times and just being able to take off running and not have to worry about the mileage. The GPS seems to be quite close to accurate.

Next Saturday -- 20 miles :~), February 3rd -- 25...

Will take tomorrow off and run 5 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and 7 on Thursday. Friday will be an off day as well.

1.11.07

5-mile, GREAT fast run in new shoes. Tomorrow will be an off day and then 3 laps around the Rock on Saturday for 15 miles.

Blogger Friend's WISH LIST posted below...

Birthday 2007

Any Time 2007

Christmas 2007

1.10.07

5 miles, FAST, great run, felt good.

Contacts

So, I got these new contacts. The one in my right eye is for seeing far away, and the one in my left eye is for seeing close up. The problem is, the computer screen that I look at all day long is not far away and it is not close up. The only solution I can come up with is to have another eye installed right in the middle of my forehead with a contact that will allow me to see things that are in between far away and close up. I just wonder if the insurance will pay for a third contact?

1.9.07

Short 4-mile, fast run. Felt good. Berrrrr.... it's COLD!

www.animalcoffee.com

From their site: Kopi luwak is a unique gourmet coffee that is 'processed' in the stomach of a wild animal (Ellie gets wild sometimes), after which it is hand collected from the floor of the Sumatran jungle (sometimes our house looks like a jungle).

$300.00 a pound!

I'm wondering if we could get Ellie to eat coffee beans?!?! We could be sitting on a GOLD MINE!!!

You know you're old when you try to turn OFF the mixer but instead, turn it on HIGH, slinging mashed potatos all over the kitchen up to 10 feet away.

You know you're old when you start keeping your shoes in the shoe box.

1.8.07

5 miles, good run, no pain. Will run 4 tomorrow, 5 on Wednesday and Thursday, take an off day on Friday, and then 3 laps (15 miles) around the Rock on Saturday. The Saturday following will be 4 laps, our first 20-mile run for this training session.

1.6.07

6-mile run. No pain. GREAT run!

135

T-shirt Hierarchy

I remember when I first started running (races) and I was so proud to wear my race t-shirts. They were just 5K t-shirts then. I have a dozen or so I’ve collected over the past 2+ years. Well, when I started running 10Ks a year or so ago, I no longer wanted to wear the 5K t-shirts. Now, the 5K t-shirts have been relegated to the back of the drawer and the 10K t-shirts reside in the front. That was, until Thanksgiving. Now, since the ½ marathon on Thanksgiving Day I’ve found myself wearing only the Atlanta ½ Marathon t-shirt. I guess in March, after the Georgia Marathon I’ll only want to wear that t-shirt – I’m sure. And all the 10K t-shirts and my ½ marathon t-shirt will be demoted to the rear of the drawer along with the 5K t-shirts. THAT my friend is T-shirt Hierarchy

1.5.07

4-mile FAST run. No pain, felt GREAT!

136.8

7 weeks to the day, the watch is home!

1.4.07

5 mile afternoon run/walk. Still some pain in my lower left leg.

1.3.07

GREAT, fast 5-mile run.

01.01.07

2007 HappY NeW YeaR! (ING orange -- the color of the year)

GREAT 5-mile, fast, late a.m. run. Had to run fast because I slept in 'til 10 :~O
(Brought in the New Year watching the Twilight Zone.)
Very good run. No pain. Tomorrow will be an off day.

Resolutions? I don't like making resolutions; I like setting goals. But that's sort of like saying, "I don't believe in 'luck', I believe in 'good fortune'." Right.... Anyway, I have been thinking today about what "goals" I would like to set for 2007. I have several that I'm thinking of. Too many to list right now. The first I think I'll put in writing is to not pull any more gray hairs. Yep, I'm just going to let it go and see what happens. If it gets too gray, well, maybe I'll change my mind. But for now, the days of pulling gray hairs are gone.

Like I said, I have several other goals I'm thinking of setting. Will possibly write a post about others at a later date. Maybe tomorrow....