Miss Zippy asked recently about everyone's best run. Frankly, after my five half marathons adventure, I wasn't sure when I was going to have a mediocre run again, much less a best run. Thankfully, it seems my body has recovered (just in time to run another half marathon this coming Sunday.) I'll admit, my last half marathon in New Mexico was perhaps the best run I've had in a long time. It was far from my fastest, but I felt strong and happy for most of the run. It was the first time in a long time I got to experience a runner's high. And then I started my recovery runs. OMG. They were just awful. Slow, painful, legs of lead. Like every runner I know, I began to question if I'd ever get back to normal. Finally, yesterday, I … [Read more...]
Rainbows and Unicorns
I woke up this morning in a crappy mood. Some of it was hormonal. A lot of it was just a lot of little stresses weighing me down. Nothing major, just general life annoyances plus the added stress of Christmas. I didn't want to run. I ran 25 miles over the last three days (yes, I did add mileage yesterday to make it a nice round number). I also did an hour long yoga class that had an emphasis on legs. So, my legs were tired and I was crabby. Sounded like a perfect recipe for a rest day. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate. However, I had made plans to run with a friend and she showed up at my door before I could come up with a good excuse not to. So, I took my sorry butt out the door and started running. And, guess what? … [Read more...]
Did you ever have a run so good…
That afterwards anything seemed possible? Yesterday's run was THAT run. There was no reason to think it would be that run. I'd just run 12 miles a couple of days ago. We went out for dinner and beer the night before. It was windy as all heck. But, I wanted to go for a run with my dad, so we headed out into the windy sunny day. Mile one took a little settling in, but started to feel good. I found myself in perfect rhythm with my dad's footsteps. I noticed we were comfortably in the nines, but I figured that would change as soon as we turned into the wind or hit the first hill. We hit the end at 9:37 and I thought to myself, well that will be the fastest mile in the run. But it wasn't. We just kept talking and running. Up … [Read more...]
From horrid to the zone
I did not want to run today. The thought of putting on running clothes just seemed overwhelming. No reason, it was just one of those days when I hate running. I put it off as long as I could and finally convinced myself I need to just "man up" and get out the door. From the first step, I knew it was going to be rough run. My legs felt heavy and everything felt tight. I bargained with myself to finish the first mile. My recovery runs these days are supposed to be three miles, so I convinced myself to keep going. At the end of the second mile, my calves were so tight I could hardly run and I was having random other pains. I started counting down by .01of a mile. And then it happened. I was hit by the "zone." Suddenly my pace … [Read more...]
Top 10 reasons today’s run should have sucked
10. I got very little sleep last night - I went to bed around one and Shoo woke me up twice and then I was up for the day at 6:30 9. My butt was super sore - yesterday's mommy and me exercise class kicked my butt, literally. I could barely walk this morning. 8. My hip flexor was still acting up 7. I can't find my running tights - last I saw, they were drying in the basement. Shoo probably hid them somewhere, sigh. 6. I just really wasn't in the mood to run. 5. One of my toe's had a huge blister - said blister has now been rubbed raw. 4. I'm feeling pressured to finish the 1000 miles and it's making me resent running (even though I'm the one putting on the pressure, d'oh) 3. The two miles I made myself do a tenth of a … [Read more...]
