Jacob's Ladder

Tonight was another fun round of track repeats at TC Williams (Remember the Titans!). After a frenzied search for a parking spot, which was a total ordeal, I finally made it to the track. And since I was all hot and bothered about trying to get to the damned place, I was already warmed up too!

The plan for this evening was to run what is known as the ladder. Basically, you increase the distance for each "rep" then come back down. I checked with my intended marathon pace timing and came up with the following times for each of the different splits (Ch-ch-ch-check out my HTML table building skillz below).

Rep	Distance	Goal Time	Actual Time
400m	434m	2:11-2:19	2:10
800m	756m	4:34-4:45	4:09
1200m	1223m	7:01-7:32	6:45
1200m	1223m	7:01-7:32	7:10
800m	708m	4:34-4:45	3:58
400m	434m	2:11-2:19	1:30

Both the HTML table and my awesome splitz. 

(PS: Yes, I know there's supposed to be a 1600m rep in there, but it was lightening out and was getting dark, and I did not want my good friends Joe and Sonia to get electrocuted. Also, if you look at the garmin info, you'll note the last rep is shorter. That is because in my excitement to get a-moving, I forgot to turn on my watch. But I know I was freaking flying, so the last one is a guesstimate).

Double Recap

(Written at 4pm today)

This month has been insanity.

When I'm not running, I'm volunteering, or going out on a date, or going to a happy hour, or working. I literally have 0 actual time to myself, which is why last night I decided to not volunteer and take a night for myself. 

But that's not what this blog is about is it?

The week before last, here's the rundown (hah, see what I did there?)

Monday: Booz Allen Gym like a Boss

Tuesday: 4 miles up the hill

Wednesday: 400x repeats

Thursday: Speed demon (3 miles)

Saturday's run was a hot mess. Just narsty narsty. It was the Alexandria Triangle (Garmin info below)

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This week, there was a lot of social events. First, on Monday, Pacers had another Port City run, which was and continues to be a lot of fun. Tuesday I had a really crappy day and felt sorry for myself, so I only did 3 miles and they were slow. Wednesday I had a date (GASP!) at the same time as the Hill Repeats, so I did my own Hill Repeats up Beacon Hill (~3 miles total). 

One of these days, I will actually be able to run up a hill without falling over dead.

Thursday I did not run, as I had a happy hour instead. Although there was some dancing after the happy hour ended (don't ask), so I count that as a quad workout.

And today I did 16 glorious miles up the Capital Crescent Trail. I was randomly booking it, and actually finished in just over 3 hours (full Garmin info below). I'm going to go back and see if that's a 16 mile record for me, because it might actually be. Although it was super nice outside today so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

It was so nice, in fact, that I actually found myself having difficulty breathing from the "coolness." I forgot my inhaler (dummy), and really felt like I could have used it today. But I pushed through, stopping every so often to cough like a pack a day smoker.

Also - I stopped eating at 7 last night and did not have coffee this morning (had some earl gray and soy milk instead), and did not have any stummy issues (still none). Trying to figure out if it's the coffee or if it's the eating late that causes the gastric distress. It's my 15 week experiment.

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In other news, I'm going to go buy some compression gear from my buddies Joe and Kristen. I noted right around mile 7 that my legs started to feel fatigued, and I think maybe having some tightness to keep the muscles in place will help with the long term pain.

So I get to go spend money at Pacers, which is one of my most favorite things to do. Right after I go take an hour and a half yoga!nap at Pure Prana.

EDIT (8pm)

I would just like to document that 2 weeks ago, I ran 15 miles in 3:03, and today I ran a full mile longer in just the same amount of time.

Sonia was right to be proud of me. I'm kicking ass!

ERRRRMEGERRRD.

Glerflibbittyflab.

That's about how I felt after today's run.

It was 82 degrees at 6:30 this morning, with about a billion percent humidity.

This is how I feel right now:

But I muddled through it at probably just around 9.5 miles (I had a bit of runners brain and forgot to turn my Garmin back on for maybe half or three quarters of a mile). Took me just under 2 hours too. 

Earlier in the run, I had an epiphany. Those who know me know I like to plan (read: I like to control things). And I really get pissed off when my plans do not happen the way I want them to (read: I don't like it when I lose control of things). So I think that's probably why I get so annoyed with myself when I don't run as fast or work as hard as I think I'm capable of. 

But I started a new running mantra today. The mantra is, "I am in control of this run." Sure, I will take input from my body and the Blergh (who was so kind to bark in my ear every time my heart rate hit 95% and my shoulders started to tingle - I'm sure that's healthy). But I decide how the run will go and I will decide how I feel about this run.

Today I decided to be satisfied with the effort I put in. It was hot, it was humid, it was 10 miles, and I have an arch sprain (surprisingly very little barking from the arch today). Today's goal was distance and I did the distance.

And speaking of distance:

Monday - 2.5 on the treadmill + strength training

Tuesday - 3 with Pacers

Wednesday - Did Not Run (:X)

Thursday - Handed out ice, but DNR

Friday - 3.5 miles on the elliptical (IT COUNTS.)

Saturday - 9.5 miles with Pacers

Total Mileage: 18 miles

I'm 3 miles shy of my goal mileage for the week. But we had heat advisories and code reds and such all week, so I believe I'm going to accept this week's work as satisfactory.

Ice Ice Baby!

So this morning, we got the lovely news that it was code orange air quality. So in my new embracement of not killing myself outside, I opted for the gym.

Except that didn't happen...

I was all, "Yeah, time to go to the corporate office."

Then my boss was like, "Eeh, I'm teleworking today."

And then the prospect of driving ALL THAT WAY....

So that didn't happen. 

But I did go to Fun Run.

To hand out ice.

Let's just say this was the general reaction when they got their ice:

Just a lot sweatier. 

So tomorrow morning, 7am elliptical date. My penance for my laziness. Then work, then 10 miles on Saturday.

Now the question is, do I want to drink a glass of wine tonight?