Chests Colds are not Ideal Running Conditions

Ok so I've been bad for a week, but I've also been battling a head cold that turned into a chest cold aggravated by allergies. I decided that enough was enough and that I was going to have to power through this if I'm going to finish that marathon! On the treadmill again, in case I die I'll be close to home instead of in the woods somewhere. More sprints I would run .35 miles and then sprint .15 miles. I did 8 of these which I was proud of considering my condition. I did nearly choke myself at one point and decided shortly after that I should wind it down for the day. I love running while watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, especially since I just saw the 3rd one at midnight last Thursday.

On a positive note, my treadmill pace is now where my race pace was last fall, which means that I'll be even faster outside since I'm always a good min. or so slower on the treadmill! I still have a chance of that 5:30 marathon after all!

I Won the Dancing with the Stars War!

Tonight was the season finale, but somehow I managed to record the show, be productive and watch it later. Anyway I did get back on the treadmill and do my normal sprint sets to the taped Dancing with the Stars. Apolo won which I'm happy about but I really liked all 3 of the finalists. I'm really getting sick of the treadmill and how hot it gets in the basement when I'm running. Must run outside whenever there isn't a thunderstorm!

It's Official, I'm a Runner!

I don't know how or why it happened, but it did. I went out for a run not knowing where or for how long I was going to run. I ended up going 5 & 1/2 miles when I really only needed to go about 3! I just kept going and adding on sections to my run, including some not nice hills! I never thought in a million years that I would be to the point where I would just keep running and enjoy it! Seriously it was like, "I'm not tired at all yet so let's keep going, there's no reason to stop." I ran 5 miles fairly easily and dare I say, for fun? I don't think like that at all. This means I've officially morphed into a runner. I also ran all that way without water, which means I'm in better shape then I thought. I've also been really good about trying to keep my hydration levels up at all times. I don't think I've ever gone that far without water before. Not to mention that all of this happened after my last strength training session, which really killed me today!

Keane & Eager to Run

Seriously when will I learn that I need to schedule less during marathon training? I took Kristen to the Keane concert tonight, but not before running first. I got smarter from yesterday and jumped on the treadmill right after work instead of staying up uberlate again! This time I watched Dancing with the Stars Results Show. My favorite 3 are advancing to the finals next week! Double YEAH because my favorites are going and because then my battle with the TV schedule will be over!

Killer(s) Midnight Run!

Nothing like getting off the treadmill at 1:15AM! Yes that's right I got on the treadmill at 12:30AM and off at 1:15AM! Earlier tonight I went to The Killers concert with my cousin who is Africa bound in the morning. That's dedication! He's going to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania for 3 weeks, living and working at a mission, rafting, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro! So jealous! Oh and he also had the nerve to tell me that he's spending a whole day in London on the way over, but you know I hooked him up with all the info anyway. Back to running. I figure I'm too far into the training and too close to the marathon to be taking runs off anymore. So there I was running on the treadmill, in my basement, in the absolute middle of the night and watching the series finale of Gilmore Girls. What has my life come to?

20 Hours on a Train dose not Equal Strength Training

Taking a week off from strength training probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but what was I going to do? I was in Kentucky and nowhere near my training facility. Anyway, back to Discover Strength today for my second to last session which means the last time on all of these machines. Yeah this is the bad cycle for me! I powered through it, tornado siren and all! Yes there was actually a tornado siren going off as I was walking into the facility today! Oh that crazy Minnesota weather!

Stupid Cat!

My parents are out of town for the weekend which means it's just me and Tiger (my cat.) The only problem is that when you're the only person home with her, she needs to be near you at all times! This includes nights and she's a bed hog! If you move at all she'll meow at you, "get out of my space!" This makes getting out of bed nearly impossible since she pins you between her and the wall! Needless to say I was suppose to have a quite weekend at home sleeping in, but woke up at 7:45 Sunday morning and couldn't go back to sleep because the cat wouldn't let me get into a comfortable position! I resigned to my fate and got up. I had soooo much time to kill before I had to be at work that I jumped on the treadmill for a few miles watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest! Nothing like an unexpected Sunday morning jog to get the juices flowing.

P.S. I'm NOT a morning person!

2 Birds 1 Stone

I really loving this watching taped shows while running thing. I'm finally catching up from everything I taped while I was in Kentucky and I'm staying up with the training program. Tonight I watched Numb3rs and the Amazing Race finale. I've always liked running during the Amazing Race, but I needed more road time tonight.

I Finally Foiled Dancing with the Stars!

I finally figured out a way to watch Dancing with the Stars without it interfering with my running! Record the show and then use it as intervals for sprints on the treadmill. I run slower and a more normal pace when they are talking and showing the video clips and then I sprint when they are actually dancing. It works really well! I get about 8 sprints in and over 5 miles, so a win-win situation.

The Rolling Hills of Kentucky, Nearly to Indiana!

Why is it that I always have to run when I'm in Kentucky? It's okay though, Kentucky is beautiful and gorgeous to run through! I almost ran all the way to Indiana today, if it weren't for that pesky Ohio River I would have! The Ohio River is really getting on my nerves! It kept my half marathon temperatures under 40 degrees the entire time last October when I was here last running the Louisville 1/2 Marathon. Anyway it was much nicer out today, probably upper 70s, sunny, and even humid (boo.) Chad showed me where I could run before I set out and got lost in a horse farm somewhere, don't laugh it would have happened! I ran around his neighborhood (2.5 miles) and then headed down this long road towards Indiana. The road was lined with huge trees and tons of horse farms, but as you got closer to the river the hills start. These hills were huge in comparison to the 'big' hills in Minnesota. We're talking up to a 250 foot elevation change here, the worst I'm used to is about 50! Now I know why Chad always schools on hills in marathons, it's all he knows how to run on! This also made up for a few of the hill workouts I had missed, I think I'm all caught up now. Anyway by the time I got down to the river the Strongbow and black current I had just before leaving, among other things, was really getting to me and I felt sick, like honest to God going to puke in someone's yard sick, so I called in reinforcements to come get me and take me back to my Old Kentucky Home. I only ended up going about 6 miles when I should have gone 12, but I was going to hurt myself if I didn't stop. You name it, it had happened to me and was now working against me on the run. For the most part it felt really good to be out there running down the middle of a random road in the Kentucky countryside. I'm just glad I got a run in no matter how long it was or wasn't. Now onto more important things like the Kentucky Derby tomorrow and the mint julep in my hand!

Nottingham & 'Sherwood' Forest

About this time last year I took a trip to the real Nottingham and Sherwood Forest in England. This year I get to settle for running to a neighborhood call Nottingham through a forest that reminds me very much of Sherwood Forest. This is what I did today. I'm leaving later tonight for Louisville, Kentucky, and the 133rd Kentucky Derby. I HAVE to run since I'll only get 2 runs in at best in Kentucky. I figured a nice easy 4 miler would do nicely and leave me plenty of time to pack. So off I went going nice and slow, as usual. It seems that once I get through the first mile to mile and a half I find my rhythm and don't want to walk every 5 steps anymore. After 3 miles I was actually feeling really good considering I've been doing most of my running on a treadmill. The only problem was that I couldn't feel my toes since they had gone all tingly. It was really nice weather outside and I'm really going to try to keep off of that treadmill in my basement! You don't run a marathon on a treadmill now do you?