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January 18, 2008

So It Goes . . .

And so it goes. I had a rough workout on Tuesday - it was the 1 mile, .5 mile, .5 mile x 3 with 30 seconds rest. The goal times were 6:00, 2:55, 2:50. The morning started off rough - we were cordially greeted with 8 degree temperatures and a 15-20 mph headwind rearing its ugly head out of the southwest. As a result, only about 5 of us actually got out of bed to box with mother nature. From the get-go, I was miserable. My lips froze together, my face seemed organically botoxed, my hands were numb, and my contacts felt like icicles against my eyes. It's probably fairly obvious that I do not fare well in the frosty temps. Anything 20 and above and I am ready to rock, but anything below 20 and I am dreaming about warm blankets and Starbucks extra hot lattes.

Because the wind was a monster, H. moved us off the lakefront path and onto the road and we did our repeats over 3 hills that had us moving directly east and then directly west. Going East was a dream! I hit the first mile in exact 6:00, and the first 800s in 2:50 (out of the wind) and 3:01 (into the wind). Over the final hill, I felt a painful fatigue crawl down my quads - I knew I would have to fight for the rest of the workout. I ran the next set in 6:13, 2:58, 3:14. After that final half, H. pulled me from the final repeat and had me run 2 miles tempo - I finished in 12 something, but the time seems completely irrelevant . . . the effort was there, though.

On Wednesday I wasn't exactly feeling great about my life as a runner. I hate making excuses and I expect my body to perform and rise to the occasion no matter what the conditions spin for that day. So by Wednesday, I was already dreading our 8 x 800s on Thursday. I can handle tempo runs and mile repeats and 2 mile repeats, but anything less than a mile and my slow twitch muscles rebel.

We did a 3 mile warm-up - smoking the last mile in 6:15 and then we lined up for 8 x 800 with about 45 seconds rest in between. It was MUCH warmer than Tuesday, but we still had the wind to contend with. You can pretty much figure out the wind from my splits: 2:58, 2:52, 2:57, 2:52, 3:01, 2:53, 3:01, 2:49.

H. halted my latest running binge and put me back on a 6 cycle day diet. H. knows me better as a runner than I know myself and we both agree that - at least for now - I still require one full day of complete rest and nothingness. I am hoping that reviving our old routine will subsequently revive my legs :)

I took Monday off and I am taking today off . . . I can feel the cry for rest in my body and now is not the time to fight it. I'll be ready for a nice treadmill workout tomorrow and another treadmill run on Sunday.

The semester started this week . . . it's always interesting to meet my new students. Of course, they always think I am whacked when I recite "Richard Corey" (who put a bullet through his head) and then proclaim that it is my favorite poem (which - ironically, of course - conflicts with my overly enthusiastic and upbeat teaching performances). I love throwing a few curve balls their way.

Posted by bridget at 2:15 PM | Comments (2)

January 14, 2008

January Jitters

It's so cold and windy in Chicago right now! I have been doing a good amount of running over the past few dreary weeks, but I have been spinning my wheels with a mix of indoor/outdoor running. Sometimes I do both - yesterday I ran 3.3 miles outside with my 4 year-old dog, Ajax, and 3.2 inside on the treadmill.

I recently took Ajax to the Vet, and he told me that my dog - MY CHILD! - needed to lose about 6 pounds. I was floored . . . I felt like I had failed as a parent, and I found myself getting immediately defensive: I protested, "But he loves his meal times . . . he is in fantastic shape! He can run 3 miles @ 6:30 pace!" Ajax is a Vizsla - a good sporting/hunting breed that is meant to run in a field all day. He loves to run, but he also loves cuddling and sleeping in. Adult males generally peak at 65 pounds; Ajax is a solid 55, but last year he was 49-50, and the Vet thinks he is more of a smaller build than a larger build. Hence, the reprimand regarding his weight. I will post a recent picture of Mr. Ajax - I think he looks fierce and fabulous just the way that he is! Still, the Vet's observation has motivated me to whip the little bugger into shape - my goal is to get him up to 10 miles by the Spring. Our "long" run is up to 3.5 miles :)

Aside from running with my alleged overweight dog, I have been running fairly consistently, but minus the usual intensity. My past few weeks have been 65, 60, 52, 58. Considering the fact that I am typically a low mileage runner, these are solid weeks for me. I've had some good workouts (including a 3x2 mile workout: 12:20, 11:55, 12:13) and some really, really, really bad workouts (including this weekend's bombed tempo run!). It's time, though, to fall back into a consistent routine that includes my usual Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday workout days and a long run on Sundays. Mondays off and Wednesdays and Fridays easy . . . I thrive under this routine.

I am doing a half marathon in a little over 4 weeks, but after posting some extremely embarrassing workouts of late, I am not making any time predictions. Originally, I wanted to be around 1:21:45, but I don't see that happening at all anymore . . . perhaps in the Spring!

Classes started today. I am teaching a Tuesday/Thursday schedule this time around, but I am also working full time in the First-Year Writing Program office. It should be interesting to combine my teaching schedule with an administrative position. I have to put the finishing touches on my syllabus today :) I am totally procrastinating (which seems to be a theme with me).

Tomorrow's workout is 3 x 1 mile, .5 mile, .5 mile. with 30 seconds rest in between each rep. H. wants me to hit 6:00, 2:55, 2:50 - YIKES! If I can swing those splits, it will fuel my tank with some much needed confidence.

Posted by bridget at 3:02 PM | Comments (3)