Benefits of Middle Age

One of the benefits of middle age is that researchers LOVE to study you! A couple studies have come out recently that once again prove the benefits of running. It is so nice to have studies backing you up when for the umpteenth time someone (a non runner) tells you:

• You are ruining your knees (or some other joint below the waist)
• You are going to have a heart attack training for or during a marathon
• Running will kill you before your time
• The only reason to run is if someone is chasing you.

The only real risk is skin cancer, but of course we have that one beat too since we run before the sun shines! We might have to start lathering each other up (with sunscreen! - get your minds out of the gutter!) before we start our runs! This may also get more male runners in our morning running group - I am sure Larry will start showing up!

On to the more mundane stuff. Yes, 12 mile pace run this morning. Sandy gave Kwik Trip Gal and I a nice surprise by showing up at 4:00 to run with us. I have to admit that when I agreed to run with KTG I thought that 4:00 wouldn't be any different then running at 4:15, which is true until you realize you have to set your alarm clock to go off BEFORE 4:00. Yeah, insane. I wonder if the studies of middle age runners ever look at our sanity or insanity levels. Hmmmm the news might not be good there.

So, we did two 6 mile loops, picking up Elyse, Katie and Kristi at 5:00. We did the first loop a bit fast - at 8:33 pace. Did I mention something about insanity before? The second loop we held our own and ended up with a 8:41 pace. And all but the mile 7 were well under 9:00 - most were between 8:45 and 8:35. Pretty good considering how fast we started out. I must say that it gave me good practicing keeping those negative thoughts under control. Only 4 miles to go, not bad. Only 3 miles to go - I can do that - especially if we don't have to do the hill on Meadowview. 1.5 miles to go, gotta go up Chester, but not Margaret - so Okay - I can do this. 12 miles!! Sandy we are done. SANDY! We are done! SANDY! WE ARE DONE! WOULD YOU STOP????.

Now I am at home, lovin my Diet Dew.

Internal Debates

I am fighting a cold, so I had the age old runner debate - to run or not to run. If I didn't run I could go back to sleep, but I was pretty wide awake and it would mean running on Thursday. BUT if I ran on Thursday then I could help Christy out since she is the only one signed up. BUT I would be running the day before my pace run (no rest) AND what if I was even sicker? I would feel more obligated to run since Christy would be by herself, so it wouldn't be as easy to leak out as today. AND if I ran today, I could sleep late tomorrow. The deciding factor - I was wide awake from all the internal debate, already had my running clothes on (Of course, that still didn't mean I had to go) so I might as well go.

The debate continued on the whole drive to the pool and the first half mile where for 5 seconds I seriously considered stopping and going back to the car. BUT I reminded myself that the first mile always sucks, even if Mike isn't there (hee hee).

AND it turned out to be a good run. Once I was warmed up I didn't feel too bad and we ran a 8:45 pace! I wasn't even leading the group! So, way to go you fast runners!

Poll

Well, luckily for me my fellow morning running companions feel they can still show up to run even if they haven't filled out the poll! I was supposed to run with Wendy this morning (we were the only two people on the poll), but she called at 4:56 a.m. and said she wouldn't be there. She did say she knew Sandy and Kristi M would be there. Plus, Jill had told me she was going to come too. Well, it ended up being Sandy, Katie, Mike and Christy. And just to reward those who did come, we did NOT do intervals.

It was great to have Mike back in the fold. New stories! I don't think there is ever a worry about us gals sharing a fishing story which again shows the diversity Mike brings to the group beyond being the only male!

A good 5.67 mile run at 8:53 pace.