My first week of training for my 5K PR went well. The intervals were fine. What was I worried about? There was one additional change to the plan, though. I was feeling a cold coming on yesterday so I ran an easier, shorter run (4.67 miles) than I had planned. No worries -- the easy run felt great and was just what I needed to keep the cold away.
The other thing I realized is that I really don't need to do hill repeats during this training cycle. I run plenty of hills over the course of my weekly runs (seriously! You should see how hilly it is around here!) so I believe it would be better for me to replace the hill repeats with a different speed workout. I'm going to try for 6 x 800 @ 3:35.
Here's what's on tap for this week:
Mon: easy 3m
Tues: easy 4m
Wed: 2 mile warm-up, 6 x 800 @ 3:35 w/400 rest, 1.5 mile cool-down (8 total)
Thurs: easy 4m
Fri: Rest
Sat: easy 4m, 4 x 100 strides, 400 recovery (4.5 total)
Sun: Rest
Total: 23.5
I pushed my rest days to later in the week because I'm running a tune-up 5K on Monday (8/7). I'm actually excited for the race because I haven't run one since June. It will be a good test for me.
In other news . . .
I'm in love with my orthotics! My much-anticipated orthotics arrived to very little fanfare about a week and a half ago. I've been wearing them in my trusty Brooks ever since. And, ho ho ho! What a difference they make. My legs feel terrific! Honestly. The orthotics make very little difference for my poor bunion-ized toe. But! My legs! It's like they've been realigned, oiled up and are now moving smoothly. I've noticed a real difference and it makes me wish I had visited a podiatrist years ago.
My advice to anyone who has even the tiniest glimmer of a spark of possible interest in visiting a podiatrist is to do it. Do. It. You can learn about podiatry and find a local podiatrist at the APMA web site here.
And two last things: I have a super-awesome guest post coming tomorrow and a giveaway post on Wednesday. So be sure to check back :-)
OK, everyone, I hope you all have a great week!
~ Felice
Monday, August 31, 2009
Week 2 of the PR plan.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Your running book list.
Thanks again for all of your book recommendations in response to this post last week. I've compiled a list of the books so if you have any interest, here is what was recommended (with the number of recommendations in parentheses):
Born to Run
Books by George Sheehan (2)
My Life on the Run
Ultramarathon Man
The rest of the books all had one recommendation each:
Just a Little Run Around the World
Books
The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women
Runner's World Performance Nutrition for Runners
Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner
I've already read a few of these (My Life on the Run, Ultramarathon Man, Duel in the Sun, The Runner's Body, Run Less Run Faster, and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan) so my plan is to start with the first three books and work my way down the list over the next few months. Look for reviews this fall!
Do you have any additional suggestions? Feel free to let me know!
* * *
It's a beautiful Friday here in upstate New York. My little guy has a cold, unfortunately, so we've been taking it easy yesterday and today. But, tomorrow, my parents are watching him for the day and Owen and I are heading north to bet on the thoroughbreds in the "Mid-Summer Derby." Wish me luck!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
~ Felice
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Repeated success.
Had a good meeting in NYC yesterday. It's a potential big project for me so I was a bit nervous before heading down there but everything went well so I'm excited!
Now, back to running . . .
Ah, yes. My Tuesday intervals. The plan was for me to run 1.5 miles for warm-up, 6 x 400 @ 1:45 and then a mile cool-down. I made sure to hydrate well in the morning and eat a late morning snack. After feeding my son some lunch, I put him down for a nap and headed into the basement for my speed work.
(Luckily, I didn't run into any creatures down there!)
I did it! And it was tough. Oh, yeah. Very tough. Maybe I don't warm-up well or something because the first repeat was really hard to finish. The second one was a little easier and then the third, fourth and fifth repeats felt OK. The last one was puke-worthy, but I finished it. I'm thinking that maybe I need to get up to speed a little at the end of my warm-up. I ran the 1.5 miles at a 10min pace -- maybe I should increase my speed over the last half mile? I'm not sure. What do you speedsters do?
Anyway, after the speed work I cooled down for 1.25 miles and followed the workout with a nice stretching session. It feels good to be in training mode.
After my off (travel) day yesterday, I'm back for an easy 4-miler this evening. The weather is crisp today so I can't wait to head out! Yay!
Have a good day!
~ Felice
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Out of town and running abroad.
I'm off to a meeting today in my old stomping grounds: NYC. Wish me luck!
So, I'm leaving you with a guest post. Planning a trip to Europe anytime soon? Well, today is your lucky day because Renato from RunAbroad.com has information on six seaside races in Europe. And, oooooh, they sound like fun! Nice, Trieste, Barcelona . . . check them out.
I'm already imagining myself running alongside the Mediterranean . . .
Six great European races to take a deep breath of salty air
Warm up on the beach, run along the seaside and take a deep breath of salty air: Europe offers great short (5 miles) and long (up to 26.2 miles) races to enjoy sea, sun and fun.
Mitja Marato de Barcelona, Spain
The half marathon run takes place in the city centre of Barcelona, starting from Passeig de Picasso and crossing the finish line at the (very appropriate) Arc de Triomf. Plaza Espana and the port are part of a great sightseeing tour in the popular tourist destination.
Sussex Beacon Half Marathon, UK
www.sussexbeacon.org.uk/halfmarathonhtml
The chance to smell the sea, do stretching on the Brighton Pier and run with hundreds of gulls are the plus of the half marathon in Brighton: starting and finishing at Madeira Drive, the race is a pleasant 13.1 miles run through the city and along the seafront of Brighton and Hove. The Sussex Beacon Half Marathon takes place in February.
Nice Half Marathon, France
If you had been in French Riviera and Côte d'Azur in spring you know already why you should join this event, otherwise check the weather forecasts and few pictures of Nice online: a half marathon ("the incontrovertible") and a 10 km by the seaside ("the alternative") are the major events of the Semi-marathon international de Nice in France, a chance to run the celebrated promenade along the Mediterranean.
Bavisela Trieste, Italy
Many marathons pretend to be international but for Trieste the title "European Marathon" is well justified: just few miles from the Slovenian border, the city is not far away from Croatia and Austria. The marathon starts in Gradisca, cross Monfalcone, Duino and continues along the "Strada Costiera". Enjoy many miles along the seaside before finishing in Trieste. Get ready for May 2010.
Beachy Head Marathon, UK
Formerly known as the Seven Sisters Marathon, Beachy Head is a multi-terrain marathon (almost no road-running). The cross-country challenge covers most of the hills around Eastbourne, a Victorian seaside resort, including Beachy Head, at 162m, the highest chalk sea cliff in the country. Fly to the UK the last weekend of October.
Les Foulées du Gois, France
Les Foulées du Gois is a race against the advancing tide on the Gois, just 8 kilometers from the main land to the island of Noirmoutier and back, thanks to an historic causeway. Sea everywhere, wet feet: not a proper race but a different experience all together. Enjoy a unique run in the Vendée next June.
Don't forget to pack your swimsuit and a pair of running shoes! Have fun!
Renato
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Bugs 'n bats.
My last two runs have been adventures in creature-dom.
First there was Saturday's planned 7-miler. The guys went to a baseball game that evening so I decided to just get out there for a relaxed long run around 6:30. It was super humid that day and it just seemed to get more and more so as my run went on.
Before I knew it, I wasn't just swatting the thick air, I was swatting creepy flying ant-like creatures! They had come out of nowhere! And it was gross. Completely. 100 percent. Gross. The flying ant-like bugs were swarming all around; getting in my air, hitting up against my arms and sticking to my sweat, trying to fly in my mouth (but finding that I had quickly gotten smart and kept it closed). Gross. Just gross.
So I cut my run short at a little over 5 miles. Who can run in those conditions? OK, lots of people can do it but I'm not lots of people and it just wasn't worth it to me.
Yesterday's run was a run of a different sort. (No flying ant-like creatures! Woo hoo!) An easy 4-miler. Scheduling was such that I had to head out after 8pm when Owen got home. No problem -- I took my cell phone and a cool little blinking light and set off.
The thing about running in the (mostly) dark is that it is a lot cooler than when running in the blazing sun. And the humidity -- well, it's virtually non-existent.
Have you had many cool, low-humidity runs lately? I haven't and, let me tell you, they are a treat! I felt like I was flying and as if I could just run forever.
Except for two things: 1) Mailboxes look a lot like ax murderers when you are running past them in the dark and 2) bats. Seriously. I have never seen so many BATS in all my life. They were flying all around -- high above me and not bothering me at all but, still. They were there. I knew it. I could see them. Bats may be my friends and all but they are also a little on the skeevy side.
So, there you have it. Creatures, creatures.
Today I'm going to attempt my speed intervals on the treadmill.
Please let there be no creatures in my basement . . .
~ Felice
Monday, August 24, 2009
Week 1, Day 1: Changes already.
Today is the first day of my Muthah Runnah P.R.-promising 5K Training Plan. And . . . I have changes already.
See, in this relaxed plan I was supposed to start with today as a rest day (I know, I know. Starting strong!). Alas, I was not able to run yesterday (for various reasons) and I have a full-day trip to NYC on Wednesday (when my schedule calls for speedwork). So, I will run Tuesday's run today and Wednesday's session on Tuesday. I'm nothing if not flexible . . .
Here's what my week should look like:
Mon: easy 4m
Tues: 1.5m warm-up; 6 x 400 @ 1:45 w/400s of jogging in between; 1m cool-down
Wed: off
Thurs: easy 4m
Fri: rest (cross training)
Sat: easy 3m
Sun: endurance run, 6m
Total: 25.5 miles
I hope I hit those 400s!
In addition to changes for this week, I'm looking at some of the suggestions that were left on my original post and I'm probably going to tweak a few workouts in the upcoming weeks, too. I'll post those as I get to them.
Have a great week, everyone!
~ Felice
Friday, August 21, 2009
KN Running Socks review.
It's been a while since I've had a Friday review for you, what with all the travel and then my need to share my stories and all that. Today, I'm back on track! With socks, no less.
Socks. They may seem inconsequential because when they work you probably don't notice them, but when they don't . . . ouch! Look out for blisters.
A few weeks ago, I received a pair of KN Cool Running Socks from Mary, KN's PR rep. According to the material that Mary sent --KN Karen Neuburger, a lifestyle company dedicated to bringing comfort into people’s lives through their products, is thrilled to introduce a new sport sock that keep runners safe and cool while they run. Their sport socks incorporate special moisture control yarn that wick away moisture and allows your feet to breathe.
I'm all for wicking moisture, let me tell you! So I tried them out. I've run in these socks four times now and I like them. The socks are low-cut (which is what I prefer) and they fit well -- no bunching at all. They have a nice amount of forefoot cushioning (not as much as my long run Thorlos
The best part is that the socks retail for $5.00, which is a good deal. You can find them on the KN web site here. **Edited: You can also purchase the socks at Bon-Ton, Dillards and Macy's.
* * *
Thanks to everyone who left feedback on my 5K plan. If you haven't and want to, please do! Also, if you missed my request for book recommendations, please check that out. I'm still compiling my list but I've gotten some great recommendations so far, thanks!
One more thing: A special, "Good luck!" to Mel who is competing in her first triathlon this weekend. Go, Mel!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
~ Felice
Thursday, August 20, 2009
M.R.* seeks P.R.
* That's not a typo. This Happy Runner is channeling her baaaaaad Muthah Runnah self for this training plan.
I would like a PR.
Check that: I would really like a PR.
This means I am looking to run under 22:57 for the 5K on what I hope will be a perfect Saturday, October 3rd. 22:56 or bust!
My PR will be tough to beat, for sure. It was set seven years ago, back when I had a lot more time to run and when I was, well, I was a lot younger! (My recent, post-baby PR for the 5K is 23:27.) No excuses here -- I'm going to work hard to beat my younger self and set a new PR. Can I do it? We'll know on October 3rd. I'll certainly give it my best shot.
Here's the plan I've outlined to get me to my 5K PR:
| Week | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1: 8/24-30 | Rest | easy 4m | 6 x 400 @ 1:45 | easy 4m | Rest | 3m run | 6m run |
| 2: 8/31-9/6 | Rest | easy 4m | hill repeats | easy 4m | Rest | 3m easy | Rest |
| 3 9/7-9/13 | 5K tune-up race | easy 4m | 4 x 400 @ 1:45; 4 x 200 @ :45 | easy 4m | Rest | 4m fartlek | 6m run |
| 4: 9/14-9/20 | Rest | easy 4m | 10 x 200 @ :45 | easy 4m | Rest | 5m run | 7m run |
| 5: 9/21-9/27 | Rest | easy 4m | 5 x 1000 @ 4:35 | easy 4m | Rest | 5m fartlek | 7m run |
| 6: 9/28-10/4 | Rest | easy 3m | 30 min tempo @ 8min pace | easy 2m | Rest | 5k goal race | Recovery |
This Muthah Runnah thanks you!
~ Felice
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Hey, bookworms!
I'm looking at you, reader.
Do you read running books? Or running-related (general fitness or nutrition) books? Then you can help a happy runner out!
I'm looking for book suggestions. Do you have a favorite book on running? A book that has helped you become a better runner? Or a book that you haven't yet read but really want to? Please let me know!
Thank you!!
Oh, and my run today? Yuck. Big ol' yuck. No reason that I can come up with. Just one of those days that we all have. Better run tomorrow!
~ Felice
Monday, August 17, 2009
No whining when the sun is shining!*
It's been hot here in upstate New York and it is going to get hotter. After a high of 89 Saturday and 90 yesterday, the forecast is for temps to rise to 92 today.
I'll take it!
We've waited a while for summer weather and now it is here. Yes, it is hot. But the sun is shining. Who can complain about that?
With the return of the high temps, though, I've had to alter my running plans a bit. I ran in the late evening on Saturday and Sunday and I'm taking today off completely. (I'll do some cross-training instead.) I also did something new (for me) before my weekend runs. Although neither run was particularly long (5 miles), I wanted to make sure I didn't run into any hydration problems. So, I drank a lot of water over the course of the day and, about an hour before I went out, I loaded up on salt. A few handfuls of Tostitos. Yum! And they worked. After my hot, hot runs, I felt good -- not depleted like I sometime do in the heat.
In other news, this is my last week of easy running before I kick things into high gear for a 6-week training plan leading up to what I hope will be a 5K PR on October 3rd. I'll share my plan and invite (beg for?) feedback later this week.
Until then, enjoy the sun if it is shining and have a great start to your week!
~ Felice
*I must give full credit for today's post title to the clever writers at the Times Union who wrote, "That can't be whining with the sun shining" as a teaser to a story about the weather.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Stories from the south, ep. 3 (and final): The Hills of Virginia.
In case you missed my first two stories (check them out. Here! And here!), I had a few nutty encounters. But, overall, I had a wonderful trip and it was good catching up with family. Most of the people I met were lovely. I just had to share my nutty stories!
My final story is nowhere near as nutty. Nor, most likely, as interesting (great intro, huh?). But here it is: The Hills of Virginia.
If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I'm a hill runner. I love my hills and I've always thought I live in one of the hilliest neighborhoods going. That may be so, but I found much hillier neighborhoods in the suburbs of D.C. Specifically, Arlington, VA.
In the middle of our southern swing, we traveled to Arlington to stay with another sister-in-law and her family. Since we were spending two nights there, it was the perfect opportunity to get in some running.
I figured that I would be able to navigate the tree-lined streets with no problem at all, but I'm a naive travel runner. It's true: I got lost. Lost!
I had headed out from my SIL's house, running down the steep incline of her street. From there, I winded my way through the neighborhood in a direction that, I thought, would lead me to eventually hook up with the main road that I knew would get me where I needed to go. No such luck. First, every street seemed to be a steep, steep uphill. There must have been downhills and a few little straightaways in there, but where? I don't remember them.
Second, the roads were twisty and that threw me off. Third, and most important, every road I turned on when I was trying to get to the main road was a dead-end. There was a golf course plunked in there that I just didn't know about. So, dead-ends all around.
After turning down the fifth dead-end, I became a little frustrated and decided to retrace my steps and head back the way I came. The streets were so hilly as I was heading out, I thought they would be all downhill heading back so it would be a breeze.
Wrong. As I mentioned, I got lost and, as such, I was running uphill almost the entire time (because I wasn't retracing my steps; I was going in all sorts of wrong directions), until I finally found my SIL's street. By that time, my legs were beat from all the uphill running and my nerves were shot from thinking I would be lost forever. (Yes, I did have my cell phone with me so I could have called for help if I had gotten really lost.)
The run taught me two things: 1) I need to think about where I'm going before taking off for a run in a new place and 2) boy, I'm not as much of a superstar hill runner as I thought -- those Arlington hills were tough!
Lesson learned: My run the following day was much better. I didn't get lost and the hills seemed more kind.
The End of the Hills of Virginia
That concludes my stories from the south. Thanks for reading. And have a great weekend!
~ Felice
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Stories from the south, ep. 2: The Man at the Wedding.
After Friday's fun in Fredericksburg, we were ready for the centerpiece of our southern swing: The wedding in Richmond, VA. Fear not! This post is actually somewhat running related!
See, Owen's cousin, Chris, is a runner. In fact, she and her (now) husband met after the Richmond HM a few years ago and they remain active in the Richmond running community today. Oh, and, yeah. One little thing: Chris' husband is an Ironman. So, yup. They're runners.
And as runners, who met after running, they went with a running theme for the wedding. The priest spoke about running in his sermon. And at the reception, the place cards had an image of running shoes on them, as did the table numbers. Everything looked great!
So, the background to today's story is that the bride and groom were runners. And now on with the second story from the south: The Man at the Wedding.
I was standing in line at the bar and heard the two men behind me talking about running. One was saying that he didn't know that the bride and groom were such serious runners. The other was joking about how he only runs when chased. He gestured to his large belly and said something about how you don't get a body like his by running. The first man laughed. Then the man with the large belly gave me a flick on the arm. To get my attention, I guessed.
So, I turned around and he said something like, "You're a runner, right?"
"Yes," I replied.
"See, that's what you get when you're a runner," he said, turning to the first guy. Then I KID YOU NOT he made an up-and-down movement with his hands, in my direction and said, "You get to look like this."
Um, I didn't even know what to do. Or say. Luckily, it was my turn at the bar so I ordered my drink and tried to get away as quickly as possible. The man was yammering on and I was really trying not to listen but as I walked away and thanked the bartender for my drink, the man with the large belly said, "And thank you for letting us watch."
Watch?!?! Watch?!?!? What the -- ?
Well, that was annoying/creepy in itself but oh, it got creepier.
The reception ended around 5:00 so the bride's father hosted a little after-party for family and friends at private room at a restaurant. Owen and I went to our hotel room, relieved our babysitter (niece), changed clothes, and walked over to the restaurant with Conal. We settled in at a table with one of Owen's sisters and other guests. We had some snacks. Great.
Then the man from the wedding, the Creepy Man, walked over and stood by our table. I guess he talked to us but I don't recall what he said. I do know that he did a very disturbing imitation of an orangutan that involved having people clear out of his way so he could take large steps and flail his arms around. Very disturbing.
So, anyway, after the orangutan imitation, he stood there, talking to people and I left the table soon after. I was pretty creeped by him. I mingled with family, eventually making my way back to the table to talk to my sister-in-law. It seemed safe. Creepy Man was talking to other people.
I sat down, put Conal on my lap and fed him some fruit. As I was doing so, Creepy Man walked over, pointed at me and said, "You're the one from the wedding. The cute one in the pink dress."
Now, folks, I can take a compliment. Really, I can. But this was not one. This was not a compliment at all. This was just creepy. The whole entire thing -- from the comments at the reception to the last one at the restaurant. Just creepy.
So what did I do? Well, I said, "Yes. I was wearing a pink dress. And, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find my husband." Which is what I did and then Conal and I headed back to our hotel room shortly thereafter so I didn't have to see Creepy Man again.
The End of the Man at the Wedding.
My running is finally back on track! After two weeks of travel, I'm feeling good about my runs again. I ran a comfortable 5.25 miles on Tuesday and a strong tempo run yesterday. I'm hoping to keep this momentum for a while!
~ Felice
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Stories from the south, ep. 1: The Girl in the Pool Hall.
Last Tuesday, we left for a grand tour that would have us visiting family in Maryland and Virginia (thus my lack of recent posts). It was a great -- if exhausting -- trip. And I have stories. Stories galore!
First up is what I would consider the strangest one: The Girl in the Pool Hall
We were in Fredericksburg, VA on Friday, visiting my sister-in-law, Kerry. Friday happened to be August 7th, which happened to be Owen's and my wedding anniversary. Ten years! Woo hoo! So, Kerry and her husband, Bruce, took us out for a night on the town to celebrate. We went to an art gallery and then to dinner. After dinner we strolled over to the Pool Hall (and I believe that is the official name) to listen to one of Kerry's friends play some live music.
Let me take a moment to describe said Pool Hall. It's a dive. A dive with the bar in the front half and the pool tables in the back. Near the bar were about a dozen tables and against the wall opposite the bar were three booths. The banjo band was set up in front, next to the door. So, when we walked in, all eyes darted from the band to us.
And, yes, if you are wondering, I did look like a fish out of water.
But that's not my point. Let me go back to my description. The place serves beer (PBR, Bud, etc.) and beer. Oh, and some soda in cans. But mostly beer. There was a sign that read, "Cash only. No credit. No tabs. Don't ask." And another that listed the full names of those folks who had been "barred" from the Pool Hall and those with "bad debts." And you can smoke in bars in Virginia, so there was that.
OK. Now that you have a picture of the place, I can get on with the story! Finally . . .
The place was relatively crowded but we were lucky enough to get some spots at the bar. Owen ordered beers and we settled in to listen to the music. Since we were at the bar, looking toward the band, we were facing the booths on the opposite side of the room.
That's how we saw her. The Girl.
She was a little girl (just six!) and she was positioned in front of a booth (where her mother and an older woman were sitting) dancing to the music. Clapping to the beat. Very well. She saw Owen and me -- mostly Owen -- and decided that, for some reason, we were to be her private audience. So she clapped and danced and shimmied like crazy when one of us was looking but stopped when we weren't. As she clapped and danced and shimmied she also stared. It got a little uncomfortable when she took a break, came back with her hair in a ponytail and proceeded to turn around, flicking the ponytail, to make sure Owen noticed and acknowledged it.
We figured we needed to leave before things got weird.
And weird they got!
At one point, she crossed the room, weaving through the older couples and the single, smoking men. She made her way over to us and, before we knew what was happening, she'd embraced me in a big hug and then moved to Owen and given him a big one, too. Then she ran back over to her mother.
It didn't stop there. She came back over again, stood in front of me and said, "Do you have any questions for me?"
Well, sure. I guess. "What's your name?"
"Anna."
"Hi, Anna. I'm Felice."
"I'm six. I have a brother who is one. I stayed at my memaw's house and now I'm here."
I think there was some more about how I thought she had good rhythm and all that and maybe Owen introduced himself but that was the gist and off she went.
And then she came back. She ran across the room again, stopped in front of us and shouted, "I love you!" and ran away. That was the end of it. She walked to the bathroom with her mother and we left the Pool Hall. We didn't see her again.
The End of The Girl in the Pool Hall
So, hooray! I'm back now and hope to catch up on my blog and yours. Oh, yeah, and the laundry, too!
But, right now I'm off to take the toddler to the beach. Have a great day!
~ Felice
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Orthotics! Where are you?
Well, it's been about two months since I had my appointment with the Magic Foot Doctor and I have yet to see my orthotics. I called the office to find out what's up because ai yai yai! I need them!
Yesterday, I was excited to head out for a regular ol' run around the neighborhood. When I did, though, my toes felt like they were going to break off. Seriously. With every step I took, my toes ached. I figured the pain was just from not running for several days so once I got in the groove they would warm up and feel better.
Nope. They continued to ache through my entire run. It started to get a little depressing. So, I tried to figure out why. I thought back over my day and the past few leading up to it and it all came together: Heels.
Oops!
Yesterday afternoon, just a few hours before I went out for my run, I was trying on dresses and some accompanying shoes, to plan what I would wear to the wedding on Saturday. I tried on several pairs of high-ish heels. Not high high heels, mind you. There were no spindly stillettos in the bunch -- I was mostly wearing 2/2.5 inch heels. But, well, those are apparently too high for this running gal with the bum toes.
Lesson learned. Again! One day, the lesson will stick with me. I swear it!
Now, I will just wait for the orthotics. They have to be ready soon, right? I hope so!
* * *
Heading out this afternoon to Maryland! Have a good day!
~ Felice
Monday, August 3, 2009
I'm back! And July wrap-up.
Hello! I'm back from a great vacation. Lots of kids, lots of junk food, lots of laughs. Some sun, some mosquitoes, some really, really good lobster. And only a little running but that's OK -- I had a good week.
Now, I'm back until tomorrow when we head south again to visit three of my sisters-in-law -- one in Maryland and two in Virginia -- before ending up in Richmond for a family wedding. So, I'll have another light posting and commenting week. Hopefully, though, I'll run a bit more than I did last week.
Yes, I hardly ran last week. Less than eight miles, in fact. Although, I will say that they were eight refreshing miles so it almost seemed like more.
On that note, here's a look at the month that was . . .
July stats:
Running (miles): 77
Cross training (sessions): 6
The first three weeks of July were terrific. I ran about 23 miles and did two cross training sessions each week. Very consistent. Then I went on vacation and only ran eight miles and didn't cross train at all except for a walk or two and a little kayaking that was cut short by a huge storm that rolled in to town.
Proof:
So, we'll see what this week brings. So far, it is bringing sunshine and I'm pretty pleased about that!
Have a great week, everyone!
~ Felice
