Running Through Life

I made the long run this week. 13 miles. A nice morning to run. Wasn't sunshiny like the weather girl said it would be, but above freezing. The first six were fairly easy and uneventful. Right on the 10 minute pace I dared to dream about the night before.

The next three were close to pace but the last three were difficult. Besides being almost hit - by a car and a not an angry woman. Yea, driver not paying any attention and trying to blow a stop sign to beat oncoming traffic. I have never been almost hit before.

The last three required walk breaks but I made it in a 10:15 pace. Well below my 11 minute I wanted. I also ended up having a bloody foot. Never has happened before. Damn stray, pointy toenail. Gonna have to get a pedi now.

Now the big question. Retotaling my mileage for the month brings me to 49.3 - short of the 50 I thought I would have from the last post. So, the does month end on the 31st or now that the last full week ofJanuary is over? That is my dIlemma.

Looking at next week's schedule I will be running 115 miles for the month. That's a lot for someone as amateurish as me. January should have been 80 miles but for some reason I took a whole week off. That was bad of me. But still I did almost good. February will be another month and hopefully I can be fully successful.

Yea me!!!

Yea to all my running friends that are staying in the swing of things and running as well. Here's to one foot in front of the other.

- the beginning of the end

January is about to come to a close and it has been a pretty good month. 11 more to go. It is going to be a 50+ mile month. I would like to have hit 80 but for January I am happy. Most of these miles have been on my dread mill.

Speaking of - I ran 7 miles on it Wednesday. My longest run ever on the mill. Man it was tiring. But I did it. Then I went to log it and found out I wasn't even scheduled to run until the next day.

Tomorrow is the longest run of the month at 13. Can't wait. Trying to hold on for the long run in the winter months. So much easier to run in the spring, summer and fall.

Work is going better. Hired another minion to work for me. Now I have three. This should make my job easier and many, many less hours.

- the beginning of the end

Treadmill, how I hate thee. Let me count the ways.
1. You're indoors
2. You make me sweat
3. You make me run at a steady rate
4. See 1 - 3

But I suppose the steady pace will be good for me. I am running on the treadmill right about the speed/pace I want to run my next marathon at. So, this should be good training therefore I suffer.

Been a good year in my running so far. Does it count that it has only been 13 days. I say, YES. 22.9 miles and the week isn't over yet. Saturday is the group long with, dare I say it? No, I shall leave them nameless until others come to realize I will fully be one of Them. But I do need the company on the long runs.

The pacers are great. Bonnie has run many, many marathons and is a great pacer. Mike has run a few and in terrific shape (a lot due to his profession) and both seem to be good people. But, in general, I have found that most runners are good people. They are all seem to be friendly and helpful. I like the camaraderie of the group.

I also miss the old group a lot. I will have to go to LOW on Saturdays I am not running with the other group to see them, if not run a little. The LOW group are fantastic, awesome, fun people to be with. I became a runner with them and I do miss them.

That's it for now. Going to read and relax for a while and fall asleep with the TV on again.

- the beginning of the end

Slip slidin' away
Slip slidin' away
You know the nearer your destination
The more you're slip slidin' away

Tip of the hat to Paul Simon.

That's what tonight's 5 mile run felt like. Living in the country and with a road that never saw a snow plow tonight, it was rough. I gave up after 2 miles up and down my half mile lane. So I came in, and put a miserable 2 miles on the treadmill.

And to top that off I though MTV might have some good videos. WTF??? MTV does not show videos anymore. '16 and Pregnant' - back to back. Where's my MTV? Oh, change the channel you say, yeah, dropped the remote and it went off the end of the tread. I'm a man. I suffered.

The run felt pretty good considering the slidin', the blowing snow, and then the dreadmill. But it is done and almost the distance. I know it is short, but I think the shoveling I did before the run has to count for something. So be it. Another 4 miles in the books for the run. Think I will also workout with Kendra tonight after this short blog. She if she can give me a proper workout.

Disappointment - 
I missed the showing of the Hood to Coast Relay movie. I missed the 'Spirit of the Marathon' last year and now this one missed as well.

I have one week of running under my belt. And what a rough week it was. As I have been told by some of my peeps, it may have been too much. But I will carry on. I think my treadmill speed might be off. When I run the last half mile at 8 mph it just seems like that half mile ticks off the counter sooooooo sloooooow.

It can not be that I am out of shape, can it? Be gentle, you know I bruise easily.

Tomorrow is the first group run with Second Wind Running Club. A 10 miler. I am not sure if 'mean shirtless guy' will be there or not.

It should be an adventure tomorrow morning. I am tired from the running and aerobic workouts with Jillian and Kendra. I will see them next week and eventually I will kick their ass.

- the beginning of the end