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.

2:45

It's done - time to enjoy the weekend.

Back from LHP. On to SW

Well I have returned from my mother-daughter (my mom, me and my daughter) bonding trip to Little House on the Prairie sites. It was a good trip. I think Grace was more interested in the pool at the hotel, but she had fun and that is what counts.

Today Nate, Ben and I are off on our mother-son bonding trip to see the Star Wars in St. Paul.

So, on top of all of this bonding, I bonded with Sandy, Christy and Katie this morning by running a 8:39 pace! Good job! As my mom would tell Grace - "Strong Women!"

Working Hard?

Kwik Trip girl was kind enough to put up with a slow, slow run this morning. My legs felt like they were filled with cement and the feeling never went away. Luckily for me Jill as in her "happy place" (probably because I didn't greet her with "let's do hills"). The conversation was lively and funny and helped very much to keep negative thoughts at bay (thank you, thank you).

I don't know if it was my body reacting to the interval training and pace work or the fact that we started running 2.5 hours later than normal. I am hoping it is the intensified training. Another way your body shows the training is pushing me.

Currently, I am sitting in a sweltering pool watching Grace and friend go down a water slide. Yes, I know, I could go in, but.....

I hope to be back to my running form on Wednesday morning.... wish me luck!

10 mile pace run

Jill, Sandy and I did our 10 mile pace run. Quoting Sandy, "You know, those interval workouts really pay off even though you hate doing them". Today proved it again - I ran a 8:37 pace. Better than the last one! The last mile was hard, but that is okay.

Elyse and Christy started out with us too. We were missing a couple of people.... enjoy making up your run in the heat... hee, hee, hee.

I am getting blisters in weird places like the top of my big toe. How in the heck does that happen?

Thursday

A little bit cooler run with Elyse and Kristy today. Another one of the "It was a struggle to get here, but I am really glad I did because it felt good" runs. Maybe part of it is that the dread is already building for tomorrow's pace run. It is supposed to be warm and humid. I will have to keep on reminding myself that it could be worse. It could be a 17 mile pace run!

No humor today, but here is some inspiration: A women who ran a marathon a year after giving birth to sextuplets.

Worry

A hot, muggy, sticky, interval run this morning. I didn't turn my Garmin on right, so Jill (she so sweetly waited for me) were behind the group in our intervals, but we got them all (8) in! Plus despite the hot weather we did it just one second off our fastest interval workout to date!

So, the little worry worm is gnawing at my brain. My foot is bothering me again. Not sure what it is - new shoes (same style, different color) worn out inserts, just getting out of whack (not my brain) or what. Not what I want at this time. So I am icing, stretching, searching for my old shoes and waiting my new inserts. Of course, I won't know what caused the problem since I will have changed so many things at once. Oh well, as long as it goes away!

On a lighter note: On the Complete Running Network, I found the following article: "Nice Guys Finish Last". It is about the slowest Olympic marathoners in history. I actually found the article uplifting due to the reasons they gave for finishing. Check it out.

Geez! I almost forgot! Apparently the Sparta Police have finally figured out Mike's daily routine. There were two of them waiting for him in the Walgreens parking lot. They were very sneaky, lights off and in the alley right next to the parking lot. So sneaky that I almost rear ended them when I came into the lot. I wonder who's fault that would have been? Hmmmm. Anyway, unfortunately for SPD Mike is off traveling for work. We figured they had to be waiting for him, because he was the only one not there, they didn't arrest any of us innocent women and they left as soon as they realized he wasn't coming. We probably really confuse them with our alternate meeting places. See Mike, we've got your back!

Monday, Monday la, la, lala, la la

A good run with Christy and Katie this morning. Since it was a small group and there was no fear of losing anyone, we made up a new route on the fly. Of course, it actually a combination of a couple of different loops, but that is what reality is here in Sparta.

A good 8:53 pace! It sure didn't feel that way starting out. It was one of those days that if I wasn't running with a group, I would have turned around and gone back to bed after the first miserable block. Well, maybe not gone back to bed - but close!

2:30 at 4:30

Yes, Jill and I met at 4:30 to run our 2:30 long run. A little sticky today, but it went fairly well. Kristy and Elyse kindly waited for at at 5:00. Then they dumped us (just kidding) and Christy and Judy came with.

OMG - I almost forgot the best thing - GARAGE SALES! Yes, Friday mornings is garage sale day and today it paid off to be our running at 6:30! From over a block away I saw the old fashion aluminum web lawn chairs. I have been looking for them for my mom! Later I realized that it was a bit early for them to be open - but they were just standing around and looking open - so it didn't even dawn on me. Or maybe I conveniently forgot about the time of day - either way SCORE! I think now on Friday's we will do interval runs to each garage sale and rest time will be when we are looking at what's for sale. However, we will have to get them to open up their garages before the usual 8:00. Not a problem.

Getting Foggier

A group of 6 today! I another nice cool run, but I am pretty sure it got foggier as we ran - must of been all that heavy breathing we were doing. As I have said before, the intervals seem to be paying off. I was able to do a 8:39 pace run today. Yes, I was pushing it, but it wasn't too bad considering our pace normally is between 9:00-9:15. Thanks to Katie for running the last half with me!

The only problem with running faster than the group is that Mike has plenty of opportunity to tell stories about me. Believe me - they are all untrue! I will have to plan those faster runs for when he isn't running!

Lessons learned about fellow runners

Hmmm... not sure what to put as a title to this post. There are too many options, I guess I will see what hits me when I finish.

Quite the group this morning! EIGHT!!! Walgreens is going to think it has to open earlier because of all the cars in the parking lot. Or people are going to think they are missing some HUGE back to school sale. You would think that the Sparta Newspaper would have noticed this phenomenon and had a feature article on us! Oh, Wait, it is the Sparta Newspaper.

A nice interval run this morning, well nice might not be the word of choice, but we did do it faster than we ever have before! (Ah! the joys of having a Garmin!) Our shirts for Chicago will have to refer to speed in some way. Which reminds me... has anyone come up with what we should put on our Chicago shirts?

Saw Mike running all by himself on Friday afternoon. It made my heart sink. Not because he was running alone, but it was evident that he has not learned anything from us - running related that is. We know he has learned a lot about women! It was 90+ degrees, sunny and humid and here he was running with a BLACK baseball cap (the regular kind - no technical fabric in sight) and a COTTON t-shirt. Since he didn't have any water with him, he must have been using the cotton shirt as a sponge that he could wring out for water as needed. Yeah, that must be it. We know how much he hates spending money on the essential running stuff - like water bottles.

Lastly, Jill - our lovely Kwik Trip gal. I had the joy of experiencing a whole day at Noah's Ark with her. Yes, I do mean joy. She likes to pretend she is a timid girl, but let me tell you... all she needs is a little, make that tiny push and she is up for anything. She was making a great show of never going down the "Point of No Return" but given how quickly she launched herself down the ride I think she really had done it before. You know Jill, she just likes getting all the attention.

Okay, that is it - still not sure of the title...

Conversion?

For the second Friday in a row, Judy showed up for the morning run. Plus at the end she said to me "I can now understand the appeal of getting it done and beating the heat". I don't know folks, we may have a conversion! It just shows that miracles do happen.

Still a sticky run this morning, but much more enjoyable since it wasn't an interval or pace run. This was good since I have the end of the week exhaustion. Last night I was looking at the poll to see if the "always there" people were running, so if I bailed, Judy would have someone to run with. Of course, if I did give into that temptation I would be headed down a slippery slope, so I was there - but NOT with bells on!