Tuesday was an easy 30 minute run. Did just about 3 miles, which is exactly what I want from a 30 minute easy run.

Last night I had a 6 mile run planned, with 4 miles at a 9:10 pace. Once again, the gym was about 80-bazillion degrees. And I was very apprehensive about my run. I don’t exactly know why.

As my preferred road shoes are on their last legs (upwards of 280 miles, and I can feel the cushioning isn’t there anymore), I switched to my trail shoes.  Started my Nike+, headed around the track for my warm-up. After I thought ‘gee, I should have hit just about a mile about now’, I checked the Nike+.  ’.33 miles! oh no!’ I investigated. My sensor had turned over in my shoe pod. I flipped it back over and finished out a 15 minute warm-up instead of a 1.5 mile like planned. However, I assume the 15 minutes really was just about 1.5 miles.

I did the speed work on the treadmill. Since the treadmill, of course, doesn’t have a 9:10 pace setting, I did two miles at 9:13, about a mile and a half at 9:05, and then went back to 9:13. By then, my Nike+ was another .15 miles behind, so I finished that out at 9:05. In a pattern I hope to break, I once again was unsure I could finish the whole workout until I’d done 3/4s of it. I’d like to be able to start the workout believing I can finish it with no problem. However, I am enjoying the continual surprise of accomplishment when I don’t know I can finish but do.

Since I wanted my Nike+ to register a full six miles, I ran another mile at this point for a cool-down. I figure my actual distance was 6.65 miles, with 4.15 miles at about a 9:10 minutes per mile pace. I feel pretty good about this. Especially since…

Saturday is the Nike+ Human Race 10K. I’m very excited that the Salt Lake City Running Company is having a store-event for it this year. I think running it with other people will be much more useful than just going out and running the 10K on my own. Since for my half-marathon training schedule I have 10 miles planned for Saturday, I’ll probably do another workout in the afternoon or evening.

I ran 9 miles yesterday. So you know I’ve been taking time off from blogging, not from running. I certainly haven’t run or cross-trained as much as I planned in the last two weeks, but sickness and a tax deadline will do that to you.

Yesterday was an amazing, gorgeous, perfect October day. It was almost 75 degrees in Oakley (hot!), but with a really strong wind that made the run seem cooler.

I tried this new thing (for me). I carried a water bottle with electrolyte drink in it for 1 mile, left it in a little ditch next to a stop sign, then ran the rest of my usual long-run route. When I got back to the water bottle, I took my gulps as it was the appropriate time for that, then ran the other direction, turned around, and got back to the bottle at…just the right time for another couple of gulps! I carried it 1 mile toward home, at which point there’s an advantageous intersection a couple of hundred feet from my house with a railing in which to store said water bottle. Then I took off in the other direction again, turned around, and picked up my water bottle right before starting my short walk toward home. This was MUCH better than carrying a waist pack or trying to carry my bottle the whole way…and I had fun throwing the bottle from hand to hand when I needed to.

I have to say, knowing me, I’d be weary of doing this in a big-city setting. I’d do it in Park City, and obviously have no problem doing it in Oakley. But in a big city, I think I’d be weary of someone messing with my liquid. But around here, putting a big sticker on my bottle that says ‘Please don’t take me, my owner is coming back for me! Thanks!’ gives me plenty of assurance that no one is going to mess with it. And I love that.

By the way, it creeps me out when cows stare at me while I run past their fields. Especially twin cows who turn in unison to watch me. And all their friends. And then they moo at me. And come toward the fence to watch me. Creepy cows.

There’s something very satisfying to me about the first run of the season that involves pants, a coat, and a hat. I knew the forecast for today, and was ready for it this week. It was still 35 degrees or so, but with intermittent rain and snow during the one hour, sixteen minute duration of my run (right on pace for 7.4 miles!), I was very glad that I wore my warm jacket and not just a long-sleeved shirt.

Not having to worry about overheating (as long as I’m paying attention) or not being overly sweaty when I finish makes for a really nice change. Of course, I’m sure within a month or two I’ll start longing for warm days when I can just throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top and not have to worry about having all the hats, pants, coats, etc. that make winter running fun and comforting. Seriously, my warm coat is so comfy that its like I have a blanket wrapped around me while I’m running. Plus it has thumb holes and a fold of fabric just inside the sleeve to tuck my hands into if they’re cold. Which is good because I can’t find any gloves right now.

Plus, I love the looks people give you when they see you out for a long run in the snow. I had an ambulance drive past me today while I was running up a BIG hill (Marsac, if you are familiar with Park City) and the snow was coming down pretty heavily for a few seconds. I like to imagine the paramedics are thinking ‘wow, that’s a lot of work – I can’t believe she’s out running in this’!

Doesn’t matter if they’re really thinking that – it’s what I’m imagining that matters. That’s what will get me through long, cold winter runs.

Not from working out. Wednesday I swam. It didn’t go so well, and I wonder if it is because I went in the morning. It’s harder in the morning. Whereas I find running easier and more relaxing in the morning. Thursday morning I ran. I did the Kara Goucher workout mix from Nike+.

It’s a 5 minute warm-up, then 4 minutes hard followed by 4 minutes easy 4 times. Then a 5 minute cool-down. I find it to be a very exhilarating workout, with the most excellent workout music.

I did take Friday off. Had dinner with a friend, got home very late. For this reason, I also didn’t get up super early and go running Saturday. After garage sale-ing, I raked the hundreds of apples that have fallen out of the tree out of the yard, then picked any apple still on the tree that I could reach.

Woke up this morning with a sprained wrist. Not fun.

and some days you don’t.

The entire workout today was a struggle. Hard from moment one.

It didn’t help that about thirty seconds after I started my warm-up, my ankles both cracked, one after the other. It felt uncomfortable for a few second, then got better. Throughout my whole warm-up, I’d feel different sets of muscles get tight, then loosen up. This is different from my normal warm-up experience, in which I just feel everything start to get easier.

Starting my 4 miles at a 9:15 pace, I was hesitant. The treadmill doesn’t have a 9:15 setting, so I tried to average it out – 1 mile at 9:13, 1 mile at 9:22 (repeat). The first two miles were such a challenge – I was using mental tricks I usually have to use in the last part of my workout – not the first. But I just kept going. Up until 2.75 miles in, I wasn’t sure I could make 4 miles. The gym was so hot, and I just wasn’t feeling it.

Thank goodness for that second wind. I made it through all four miles – and the last was probably the easiest. A .5 mile cool down, and I felt awesome. Mostly because I was just so proud of myself for finishing.

(Synopsis: 1.6 mile warm-up, 4 miles @ about 9:15, .5 mile cool down – total, about 6 miles)

I am also immensely thankful that tomorrow is a scheduled swim day. And I’m considering switching my easy Thursday workout and my not-easy Wednesday workout to get an extra day of rest in. I think I might need it.