Running Thoughts

I didn't take time to post details about the Turkey Trot when I posted the pictures, so here's the scoop. It was just under 20 degrees outside, but the sun was shining. So before you get too impressed that I run in that kind of temp, understand that I'm at nearly 9000 ft above sea level with a very intense sun. It's amazing the difference. When I lived in Texas, I was cold at 50 degrees. The run was 2 miles through the town and around. We ended up back where we started, at the museum, for refreshments which completely nullified the few calories burned in the trot...hahaha! Now, you may wonder why we wore jingle bells??? The only thing I could figure was that the run was to raise funds for "Toys For Tots," for Christmas. It was fun. Then we went to some friends house to eat yummy thanksgiving food and go in search of the perfect Christmas tree. We found it! Yesterday, I did a little Christmas shopping, and today, I'm decorating...it's beginni...

Even got jingle bells to wear, see?

Remember from whom all blessings flow, and have a happy thanksgiving!

Yesterday was a lifting day and today is a sore day! Yippeee! I did a great job. Today, I'd hoped to run a trail, but I have to go grocery shopping (hour away), so I'm not sure what will happen. I do know that hills are more fun on a trail and that was my goal. I may end up with an inclined treadmill. Less exciting. I have a sick little boy. So, I have to re-think my Thanksgiving plan. We were to go to some friends' house, but now I'm not sure. They were providing the turkey. I guess I'd better add a turkey to my shopping list! MMMMM Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm planning for that day to be my free day which means that the weekend will be more difficult. I'm pretty stuck in my ways of having a few free meals on the weekend. We get together with friends on Sunday and it's nice to have that time free. But Thanksgiving..yep that has to be free. :) So, my Thanksgiving challenge has more to do with my weekend than the day itself. I hope to run...

I was so close. I decided to run on a trail that I've not run on yet. There is snow up there, but I've heard that it is still runnable. I got all dressed for the adventure and headed over there in my jeep. Along the way, I remembered that I was supposed to be home in the afternoon to do a favor for a friend. So, I turned my little green rig around and went back home. I did run sprints, though, and felt great afterward! I love the energy boost from sprints. I didn't run full speed, I ran fast, but not my fastest so that the distance could be farther. Then, yoga this evening. So, here is my ode to today. Today, you dealt me a hand I could use. You offered me cards I could hold. You slipped me a couple of trump cards, And I say THANKS. Oh, Today, I fan the cards you dealt with a smile on my face Realizing that I hold them, and I get to play them. Win or lose, I will play. And Today, I played. And won.

What I lack in muscle, I made up for in enthusiasm! Ruth suggested bicep pics to benchmark where we are to compare to future pics as we get more and more RIPPED! Lol! Her pic is def more impressive. But that just means that mine will be an amazing transformation, right? Speaking of biceps, I finished my workout today! Burnouts were 18 pound curls. Not too shabby.

I had a great, cold run today. 6 miles from the lake, home. Went back later to retrieve my jacket that I left in the bushes. Too hot with it, too cold without it. I felt great. I was pushing myself and enjoying the cold air. So, tell me what is the secret? I simply can't go any faster. Seriously. Everyone talks about their slow pace being a 10 minute mile. My fast pace... unless I do some walking. If I'm walking between stretches, then I'm around 8.5 or 9. But to run the whole thing, I'll feel fast at 10. I know, I know...I'm not supposed to be worried about it. But it's a downer to feel like a run was good and then look at the time. Every time. I wasn't planning to post about my time, but there it is. bicep curls tomorrow.

Headache and afterheadache all gone, I took off for two miles at my faster pace. Banjo the Golden Retriever by my side (little white rug never gets to go, he is too naughty!), I ventured out into the 30 degree day. I ended up with my fleece tied around my waist and turning down the heater as I re-entered the house. Then yoga this afternoon. We even managed some housework and schoolwork. Lots of water and mostly ate on track. :)

In contemplating the new week, I considered whether Monday should be a lifting day or a cardio day. At 9 degrees outside, I'm thinkin', "lifting." My lifting area is in my bedroom which has looked like this: After much work, it is now recognizable as a bedroom. The weight bench has been uncovered and the weights that were in there somewhere are now accessible again. I tried to take an after picture, but I'd let my camera battery run down. (I need a melon sized red flashy light to signal me when the battery is low) I'll go for it again tomorrow. (later, after lifting, yoga, and bellydance...) I haven't let the mess keep me from working out...maybe I let working out keep me from cleaning up the mess???-something to contemplate... Anyway, workouts done. Sore muscles everywhere. Tomorrow is a running day. That's happy!

I'm finally about to go lift...back, booty, biceps. I ran a couple of miles today with speed intervals. Mostly ate on target...progress, not perfection!

Brooks Kaedance Mitchell and her mommy, Sara.

We are back from Denver. I missed one cardio workout...bummer! But I did my lifting today. Chest, shoulders, triceps. I hope to have more time to post tomorrow, but here is today's BIG NEWS!!! Sara had a baby girl today. All are doing well. Brooks Kaedance Mitchell weighs 6 pounds, 3 ounces and measures 20.25 inches. I will get to see her tomorrow. Pictures for sure!

Foto Friday somehow got pushed to Snapshot Saturday and nearly Sn apshot Sunday...Anyway, here it is: Faces. I see faces when I run. Some are friendly, some mocking. All are companions. Do you see them too?

News Flash! I joined the Transformation Healthy Holiday Challenge. Began Monday, but haven't had time to post. We have my hubby's parents here for a visit. I'm so glad...they've eaten almost all of our halloween candy!! ;) Bill Phillips sent out a challenge invitation for November and December, so I thought I'd join. It's fun to do something different. Besides, I'm in another challenge that my friend, Jen, set up through Beachbody. Here are my goals and plan: Here are my goals: 1. Lose 10 pounds 2. Fit back into my too-tight jeans 3. Run 5 seconds faster per mile 4. Gain pretty muscle Here is my plan: 1. Eat body for life style 2. continue with endurance running, but not train for a distance right now, and include Hiit 3. Lift weights shawn phillips style (absolution), including Chalean Extreme (beachbody) exercises...I've found I'm not crazy about some aspects of the dvd, but like the exercises. And here is what I posted at Transformation.com...

We didn't go to Denver after all. There is over 2 feet of snow there, and we were to drive a propane truck back. Since we can choose when we go, we decided to wait until next weekend. It's been snowing here too, but just a little. I'd love a run today, but my neck and back feel out of whack and I'm taking it easy. Yesterday, hubby popped my back for me...it never pops, and it popped all the way from my neck down to my tailbone! We had a wonderful outreach for my son's home autism program! Julie came and worked with our family on new goals and how to reach them. She is awesome in so many ways, and we've been friends for years. One incredible thing is that she wouldn't allow me to pay her. I cried. Interesting how life fits itself together in interlocking pieces. As Julie talked with me about going into a session with my son with the intention of finding the day's challenge, easing off, but being persistent in coming back to revisit that challe...

I've been super busy lately. Sara is due to have her baby very soon (2 weeks til the due date!) and we have been helping them get into their new place (love their new place) and planning a mothering shower which was last night at my house. It was a great time! And today is a workshop all day for my son with autism which is really fun too! Tomorrow, we go to Denver and will return on Saturday as Odell's parents arrive for a weeklong visit. All good stuff. All this to say, no workouts have made it into my days this week except going to yoga and belly dance. I just keep telling myself that I'll get to run soon. :)

Today was the Nike+ Human Race 10K...the day the world runs. People all over the world ran today and Nike donates money per mile to leukemia research. It's fun to think that somebody somewhere is running with you. And today, someone right here was running with me. My friends, Lydia and Michelle, joined me. I was so nervous like a girl asked to the prom...sort of in panic mode. I couldn't relax and kept needing to take walk breaks. It was fun though, and they were great about it. They just walked and chatted until I was ready to run again and then we got started telling kid stories the last mile and walked on home. Did you run with me today? Cuz that's cool if you did! I'm working on my plans for running...will get back with ya! Thanks for your encouragement. I realize my last post sounded sort of pathetic, but the mountain lion thing is an actual concern, especially if I want to run trails, which I do. :)

Ruth is Right. I miss running for fun. I thought that I could work on speed during the week and then relax into a long run on the weekends, and maybe so. But I ran only the relaxed runs so far in this training schedule to increase speed. I didn't "get to" the intervals or the tempo run, and I'm not going to run 4 fast miles today (on the schedule) because tomorrow is the "Human Race 10K." It really doesn't matter if I'm faster or slower, but I'm slower than the other gals who run around here and I would like to keep up and run with them. Two friends (maybe 3) are planning to run with me on Saturday for the 10K which would be fun except that I know how slow I am and I'm skeered. If only I were a little faster. And when they run with me, they will see how slow I am and won't want to run with me ever again. Running alone is great fun, but I'd like to be ABLE to run with them. And running the trails alone can be sort of a bad id...

I moved lifting to yesterday, thinking that it was a "rest from running" day. Turns out it was to be intervals. So, I figured I'd do both. I lifted. Then realized that my hubby did something to the extension cord for my treadmill. So, the intervals are today's workout that I'm procrastinating. :) Intervals are hard. I want to do them on the treadmill because the distance is measured. There is no track around here for running 5x400's. I'm to run 400 meters at a 1-mile pace, 5 times with a 400 meter walk or jog in between each. I don't know what a 1-mile pace is or how far 400 meters might be. Where I live, you go out and move your feet one in front of the other up and down hills, across creeks, over rocky terrain, through snow (lots of snow today)...until you decide to turn around and go home. There is something to be said for the simplicity of it. But it doesn't help me get faster. :) Maybe this will. More after my date with the trea...

Funny how things are impossible when you believe them to be. You never try... It's impossible after all. Have you ever noticed how many people run marathons these days when it was such an elite thing to do not too long ago? It's still not the norm, but 2 of my friends ran in the Denver Marathon/Half yesterday among over 10,000 other runners. That's remarkable, I think. Number one, big kudos to Martha and Lily! And Number two, think of all those other runners who believed in the possibility. What if they'd thought of mythical Pheidippides' death over running such a distance and assumed it couldn't be done? They wouldn't have had the experience they had today...the accomplishment. And what about the finishing times lately? Amazing records are broken constantly. What was an unheard of speed a few years ago looks slow today. It's really mind boggling how much influence your belief has on your ability. Since a mile has been run in under 5 minute...