with a great deal of hesitation.

I'm writing this with a great deal of hesitation, because the last time I posted here about how I was running again, I promptly got a bad cold and then had what one might consider a near mental meltdown. Obviously, I stopped running.

However, in the last 10 days or say I've run about 25 miles and been pretty consistent about it. I kind of plan what days I can run at the beginning of the week and mentally prepare myself all day long at school.

It's Monday. You're running today. Drink water. Drink water. Drink water. Five miles today.

And on the no running days, it's something like...

It's Wednesday. No running today. Today you can eat at Gil's for dinner! And have a Pepsi!

I've only run two days this week so far, but I'm planning to run tomorrow and Sunday. So that's four days. Not bad.

I do really like running still. It's just about the only time during my entire day when no one is talking to me. :) It's pretty nice, actually. And I've been sleeping better. And I just feel better. More energy. And as cheesy as it sounds, I feel...successful when I run. Like it's a tangible goal I can accomplish when so many other things aren't so tangible.

anyway, I hope I'm back.

really. I am back.

But, just as soon as I posted that last post I got a cold. Not a bad one. Just one of those worn-down body colds. My throat felt like sandpaper. So I decided that not running would be better for me than running.

But today, I feel much better. I can't really breathe through my nose, but I do still have a mouth to breath with.

So, after my shoot tonight, I think I'll be hitting the river path. We'll see! :)

I'm baaaack!

So, I've been running again.
Which is darn impressive I have to say because teaching is sucking the energy right out of me!
I always plan to walk in from work and do some productive thing like pick up the house. Or something.
I don't.
I come in. My body drags itself to the couch. Shoes, id badge, ungraded papers, and the wrapper from whatever snack I happened to grab first trail behind me until I flop half dead onto the couch.

BUT, eventually I drag myself off the couch, somehow manage to summon the energy to put on the shoes and the sports bra and the running clothes, strap on the ipod and almost cursing, head out the door.

I'm trying to run 4 times a week. And I am trying to make each run at least 3 miles in under 30 minutes.

The furthest I've run in recent weeks is 4.5 miles. The fastest mile was just under 8:45. I've lost endurance. I've lost speed. And I've definitely lost muscle.

But I'm running again.
And it really does feel good.
And, boy, am I sleeping good at night!

i did it!

I ran the race. I beat one of his times. I didn't give up. For someone who has felt like a quitter most of her life, continuing the race proved to be just what I expected it to be - much more than a race.

But now it's done. Until Aprill 11th. So what now?

I love running. I love the way I feel after a run. And I like how I can eat a handful (read: entire bag) of jelly beans without too much guilt because I ran 6 miles an hour earlier.

So, I'm a runner now. I smiled after I wrote that.

To stay motivated, my next goal is to place in a san angelo race. Just in my division. I know I can't beat these crazy 6minute milers, but I could maybe get 3rd against women my age...assuming a few elites are home sick. :)

And i'm also going to start attempting to train more consistently with a program or something. I want to be able to run the capitol 10k next year in 50-52 minutes. To do that I have to run further...and more...and harder...and with some knowledge of pace, breathing, and posture. This whole "run here and there for however long at whatever pace" probably wont get me there.

So - finding a program. And placing in a race.

Tonight I ran 6 miles in about 57 minutes. I walked some because of my knee. But it felt really good. For a good two -three miles I was running a pretty consistent 8:00-8:15/mile pace. It felt amazing...

Shamrock Run.

Last night, at about midnight, I decided I would indeed run in the five mile race that Shannon Hospital hosted this morning. I have been saying I might for months. But never registered or committed.

But this morning at 6:30am I drove to shannon, registered and went back to my car and slept for thirty minutes waiting for the race to begin. Then I lined up at the starting line with about a 100 or so others, and waited for the Ready-set-go. And off we went.

I completed the five miles in 45:38. I'm a little disappointed with that time, but i ran every step of the way. And that was my main goal.

But it's such an amazing feeling to finish a race. It beats the heck out the "i should ran in that race this morning" feeling. It just feels like I accomplished something, even if it was only running five miles.

Next week, one week from tomorrow, is the big race. The capitol 10k. I fear the hills will kill me. And I'm pretty certain this isn't the year I'll beat my dad's time. But I am certain that a week from tomorrow, I'll feel pretty good about crossing the finish line no matter my time.

ugh.

Well, my knee no longer hurts, but I can't run worth a poo this week. Troy was out of town a lot so I ran one evening by the river when I had a sitter for something else anyway. And then I ran Sat and today. But to say I "ran" is very much a lie as I walked almost the whole time. I just flat out didn't have it in me.

I'm moving on. I'll get back in the groove soon.

So, I ran/walked 5 miles today and 4 yesterday.

I'm having an...issue with...something. Something a little too personal for the blogworld. But I am going to do some research for a remedy as it's quickly becoming a problem. more consistently. I need a solution. bad.

correction.

I said that I could run an 8:15 mile. That's a lie. I could run, for brief moments at that PACE. Not an entire mile at that pace. My avg pace for the whole thing was like 9:20 or so.

Even more Progress.

I've run 4-5 times (i think) since that last post. Two of those runs were over 6 miles. My knee hurts at about 1.5 miles, then it fades away in a kind of numbing way. Yesterday I could run as fast as an 8:15 mile without it hurting. I ran a 10k yesterday in 57 minutes. So I feel encouraged by that. I am still worried I won't beat my dad's time simply because of the hills, but I think I can run the whole thing. I'm not giving up on my goal yet, but I'm trying to prepare myself for some minor disappointment. Only time will tell...

Progress

I ran today and my knee hurt, but not bad enough to make me stop.

I walked half a mile, ran a very steady even 9:00-9:30 mile pace for 3 miles and then ended with a a bit of walking.

I felt really good. There were a few times, when my ipod was on a song that usually makes me pick up the pace, that I would try to go faster and my knee would hurt then. So, I'd just slow back down and keep going. It was hard not to go fast. I just like the feeling of having small bursts of speed. :(

I finished 3.75 miles in just under 37 minutes. So that's not terrible. Slow n steady, right?

When I got home, Troy told me to ice my knee. And next time I run, I'm supposed to apply a heat pad for 10 minutes before I hit the road. Hopefully, the "treatments" and taking it one slow and steady race at a time will help.

I hope so.

officially worried

i have hurt my knee.

About three weeks ago, after my stupid overly fast run, my knee started hurting about a mile and a half into my runs. So much so that I'd stop mid stride and yelp. It hurts really really really bad when I go faster than super slow. If I go slow, then it's okay. Not great, but okay.

So I took three weeks off - kinda cuz I was sick, the weather was bad, I was busy, I couldn't find the time, the knee thing...etc. Well, when I ran yesterday, the knee pain was still there. That's bad stuff. Oh, and I also ran with insoles at the advice of my trainer husband. No help.

So. Injured am I. My knee doesn't hurt at all any other time - solely when I run.

I'm sad. And worried. The race is only weeks away. What's a girl to do?

take it nice and easy I guess.

that's my best non-race time. Just to clarify...

24:16

That's my best time for a 5k! I'm pretty impressed with myself I must say. that's a smidge over 8 minutes a mile for 3 miles. Not too shabby...

Embracing the cold.

Yesterday I ran in 35 degree coldness. 6.2 miles. I just kept going. My goal was 5 miles, but I wasn't home when I hit the five mile marker so I just kept going.

I just got back from another quite chilly run - about 42 degrees or so. I wear gloves in the cold. I know I must look like a goofball, but they make all the difference in the world. And for some reason, I like to put half my hand inside my sleeve and hold onto it.

So, I'm feeling pretty good about my consistency. Since Christmas I've run a little over 20 miles. I'm a little worried my nike thing is or was lying to me, but today, to test it out, I went to the ASU track. I jogged a quarter mile to see what my thing said and it was dead on. Then I calibrated it and again it was perfect. But I don't know...I just think it's telling me I'm running farther and faster than I am. Because when I've mapped out things in my car, it's shorter than my nike thing is. Perhaps when you run you somehow go farther...no. That's the stupidest thing ever. Oh, well. Maybe I''ll try calibrating a whole mile...not just a quarter. I don't want to be tricked into thinking I"m faster than I am...

consistency?

four miles was my goal for today and I achieved it. It wasn't fast - about 38 minutes. But I am just trying to build my endurance up again. I want to get back to 6 miles by the end of next week. The weather appears to be on my side for that goal. Now if my schedule will just cooperate.

I ran twice at my mom's - once for about three miles and then one as "fast"- as- I- could mile. It wasn't terribly fast, but my ipod froze up and running without music is just torture for me so I decided to just get it done.

So I'm kind of back in the groove of things. Let's hope I stay here....