Sunday, August 7, 2011

A toast to week 2!

Week 2 done, and although it was a doozy, it definitely taught me a lesson on "budgeting time" for my runs.  No other lesson could be more valuable this early on...as in the next few weeks, I'm going to have to budget more and more time as my runs get longer.  I need a headcount of all who think it would be a good idea for me to have a DVR upstairs so I can watch my shows and still fast forward...while running.  If you believe this is a good idea, please inundate my husband (if you know him) with support for my request :)

Thursday was another "blah" day.  I worked late, had a massive headache, and I didn't get my run in.  With 3 more days of this week left, I knew Friday that I HAD to get at least a strong 5k in to set me up for the weekend.
**Side Note:  In this week's craziness, I jumbled up not only my running days, but also the run sequence that I'm supposed to be adhering to.  I'm going to try HARD not to do this regularly...I'm sure there's a reason they have it set up that way.  But hey...jumbled up is better than nothing!

Friday Afternoon, got home from work.  And there must've been something in the air, because I got dressed, went upstairs and literally took off.  Fast.  Faster than I probably should have been going.  Not sure if it was all the stress from this week, or the music (Lady Gaga had an exceptionally Bad Romance Friday), or that I just had more energy.  Whatever it was, I actually did a Personal Record for my 5k...on the treadmill...without even really meaning to!  My hubby came upstairs and noticed how quick I was moving, I didn't even hardly look over at him (sorry hun!).  I was in the zone.  I topped out at a 7:06 minute mile, but kept an even 8:24 pace throughout.  When I was done, I felt strong and proud!

On Friday night, I had just about talked myself out of running Saturday.  My sister was in town, and I just wasn't really feeling it.  Besides, all I had left was my hour sloooooowwwww run, and my 7 mile weekly long run to do.  Surely, I could skip that brutal and unnecessary slow run, right?  WHO needs to run loping along for an hour, what is that actually going to do for me?  As always, I learned my lesson....

If you're a runner, an "every once in a while-er", a beginner, or even a "I may think about running" kind of person, Runner's World magazine is a MUST.  Really, it's like the monthly running bible.  They have amazing running plans, articles on food, how to get started, how to get better, all of it.  I never read it until about 6 months ago, although my husband was a devotee.  Now, I am just excited for its arrival as I am about my Cosmo and Glamour (which are both very classy and informative publications as well!).  Friday night, I opened up the newest edition, and whadoyaknow, an article on "the importance of slowing down."  An article telling me all about how my long slooooooowwwww run is the MOST important run of the week.  Really Runner's World?  Why?  Turns out, after you exert yourself on a tough training run (a la my really fast 5k Friday), doing a long sloooooowwwww run helps recondition muscles and flush out torn fibers and other stuff that may have accumulated.  In essence, it keeps you healthy and helps you avoid injury.  Which is by far my biggest fear.  So, I had no choice but to do my run.

Saturday, got up bright and early at 11:15 am.  By 11:30am, I was on the good ol' treadmill pounding out my slooooowwwww run.  My hubby was on the spinning bike and watching the movie "The Alamo."  So I not only got my miles in, I also got a history refresher.  Viva Tejas!  4.5 miles later...I was done and pleased.

Last night, I ate an amazing steak from casa de Landry, cooked by my Daddy, and then had a couple of beers with friends.  Woke up today, ran some errands...got a sunburn while running errands (owwww), and around 6:15, I hopped upstairs to start my 7 miler.  This week, I decided against watching a movie, and instead opted to do the iPod with the TV on mute and subtitles going for the Red Sox pre-game!  My boy, Jacoby Ellsbury, is having the most amazing week of his pro career (MVP! MVP! MVP!), and  I had a good run watching all the Fenway craziness and then the first couple of innings.  7 miler COMPLETE!  Longest run I've had since February!

Sooooo....my crazy week is coming to a close.  Thanks everyone who continued to read regardless of the endless "my house is a burning furnace" griping.  It is much appreciated!  For the remainder of the evening, I'm going to prop my feet up, ice my shin-splints, and watch the Red Sox/Yankees game and hope for a win.  Glass of wine may be included!

Thanks for cheering me on!

Lacy

PS:  I did not get paid to plug Runner's World.  However, if anyone from Runner's World comes across this blog... free subscriptions would be greatly appreciated :)

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