Feelin' Good & I'm Lovin' it

This week running has been a lot better than usual, and it is making me a HAPPY runner again!!!!

Tuesday: Easy 5
Wednesday: Plan was 5-6 went 7
Thursday: Plan was 5-6 went 10.5!!!
Friday: 2.5 Miles on Treadmill then 1 hour Spin Class
Saturday: 12 Miles!!!

Since moving to the beach running has been a struggle. I don't know if it is the humidity, the change of paths, the extra 5 pounds or the fact that I have just been really run down mentally and emotionally. Regardless of what is causing it, I have been letting it get to me way to much - but I refuse to throw in the towel.

This week I was feeling so good while running, stops were not needed, mental games didn't exist, it was coming so easy & I was feeling GREAT!

Thursday's run of 10.5 miles really came out of nowhere. I thought since I did the 5 miles then 7 miles the previous 2 days that I was just going to need some easy miles... WRONG :)

I hit my 2.5 mile mark and told myself, ok go to 3 and turn... then next thing you know I said 3.5... etc. etc... I made it past the Don Cesar and kept trekking down to Pass a Grille. I really think I would have gone 12 miles, but I forced myself to turn back.

I had that feeling of bliss while running that morning. I felt so happy inside, and my energy was soaring. I have come to realize that I need that feeling in my life. It puts me in a better mood, kick starts my day and fires my motivation through life.

When I woke up on Saturday morning I had texts on my phone from my Brother... Stephanie was in labor!! I was within hours of becoming an AUNT!! I thought I was going to meet my friends for their long run, but with this news I didn't make it out of the house in time. So I set out alone, not know what I was doing as far as distance or pace.. well.. I ended up with 12 miles at 8:20 pace.... faster than my 10.5 on Thursday and feeling amazing again!!! Only needed 2 stops and only had about 6 Honey Zinger balls.

Today is gym day for some cross training!!!

Life is so much better when you are running happy

I suck

Today I was supposed to wake up and run 10 miles. I kind of was thinking I would go farther if I had the time.

I woke up, but I was exhausted. At 4am that is normal and usually when I start running I wake up and forget how tired I was when I opened my eyes.

This morning I started out, and I knew at mile .5 that things were not going to get better - but I continued with my plan.

Well after the first 2 miles I just wanted to stop and sit down. I made myself make it to mile 2.5 -- I told myself, every 2.5 I could stop... 2.5 miles is nothing! (well, it shouldn't be ....)

Well, 2.5 came and went and then I hit 3.5 and stopped again... then I hit 4.3 and sat down.

All I wanted to do was get a cab back home.

After I felt I had sat enough, I got up and headed home. Things were getting worse. I didn't even make it a mile before I was WALKING!

I decided I would run .5 miles... walk.... .5 miles.... walk ... all the way home.

Thats.how.bad.it.was.

It wasn't that I was winded or out of shape.

My legs just wouldn't move. They were dead. There was nothing in them. I couldn't lift them.

As depression settled in on the way back, I started thinking...

I technically have not had a day off in over 2 weeks AND I did 2 very long runs that I haven't done in a while.

On my "off" day this week I woke up and ran 3 miles.

On my supposed to be off days I did stair climber and weights (the day after the 16 miles) and then Spin and weights yesterday.

So, perhaps I am not giving myself the rest.

Then on top of all this, I want to lose weight so bad that I don't think I am eating right. I think I am consuming the calories, but just not the right types of food to fuel and recover.

So now I sit here in defeat. I feel depressed, fat and out of shape. This attempt happened at 5 am and its almost 5pm and I am still feeling like the worst runner in the world and that perhaps I should just give it all up..... uuuuuuughghghghghg

3 rest days = fresh legs!

So True

May!

May is here! Usually this is my favorite Month of the year. Not because it is the Month of my Birthday, but because the weather, the flowers and the feeling that Summer is almost here!! Unfortunately it hasn't started out on the right foot. I am determined to change this though!! Attitude is everything and if you don't like something, change it... thats the motto right now :)

So... after Tuesday night's Track Attack...

Wednesday - 1441

I got up and did my 2 mile run. I was feeling pretty tired from Track the night before

7:53 - 7:33

Then the workout was a lot of pilate like moves. Flutter kicks, V-Ups, planks etc., It didn't feel like a true strength training day, but it was pretty intense at times!

Thursday - Easy run 8 Miles

I started out at  Ballast Point and went 4 out and 4 back. Felt good, but still not back to my normal running self.

Friday - Easy run 9 Miles

The plan was to do 10 miles. For whatever reason I wasn't feeling great. I felt worn down and didn't even want to run. I stopped at 2.5 stretched the legs and kept going. I made it to the hospital, went to the bathroom and started back. I stopped at mile 8 and walked some and made it back. Only 9 miles.

Saturday - 4 Miles

I was planning on taking Saturday off, but woke up and needed some fresh air. I didn't start until after 10 am . It was hot. The pace was actually faster than expected. 7:46 avg.

After the track practice my training went down hill fast. I sometimes wonder if stresses in life hinders my running. Some people say that stress brings out the beast in them. I on the other hand just get defeated. 

The goal this week is to move on, smile and not stress about things that are out my control!!

Night Track!

I think this new obsession with wanting my 5k time to get faster has completly changed my mindset on TRACK!

I dread track every week. This week I was so excited about it that I decdied to go on Tuesday evening! Night track is something I avoid at all costs, but I found myself racing to get there after work to get it in!

The workout was:

400 - 800 - 400 - 400- 400 - 400 - 400 - 800 - 400

It doesn't look like it would be bad, but the recovery was short and the times were FAST

He put my in group 4b. My goal was 91 on the 400's and 3:06 on the 800's

Actual:

85 - 3:06 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 3:00 - 84

Not only was I SO pumped about track this week, I was also FAST!!! I was beating group 4 times!!!

My heart rate hated this workout. I felt like it never calmed down, because we literally only had about a minute in between runs!!

I left happy and satisfied

When I got home we took the dogs for their 2 mile walk, but stopped and got ice cream sundaes for dinner!!!

Happy Monday!

It has been a succesful Monday in the training life!  I woke up at 4:30 am - did my 2 fast miles and hit the gym.

Mile Splits:

 7:40 and 7:10

The goal is to get these miles to 7:00 flat, but I need to get a mile easy in before that happens. I just need to get myself out of the house earlier to get 3 miles in and then make it to the gym on time!!

The workout today was weight focus and lots of SQUATS. Hoping i'm not feeling it tomorrw. I have 8 miles on the schedule!