Mid-week training update!

Friday: 10 miles with 2×2 miles hard

Nate and Craig joined me for a mid-afternoon run. It was beautiful out! A little windy, but 40+ degrees and sunny. The snow is melting quickly.

I averaged 6:40s for both segments! That was my goal, but wow – I worked for that one. It was definitely not as smooth and strong of a workout as my previous 3 mile hard effort a week ago.

Friday night Rael was nice enough to come over & babysit for the evening while Nate and I went out for his office holiday party. We ate at a restaurant near Faribault and then hung out at his office administrator’s house playing games and talking.

After the workout. Note the sunny skies, green grass, and sweat – 40 degrees in December!

All dressed up for Nathan’s office Holiday party

Saturday: 12 miles easy planned

Actual: 5.7 painful miles. I woke up a little queasy. I thought it was because of the onion rings and BLT I had eaten at the holiday party the evening before. I eat fairly healthy so my stomach sometimes revolts when I eat greasy/fatty foods.

At 4 miles I made a bee-line for a bathroom. I willed myself to throw up, but instead just sat on the toilet. Super. My running buddies and I headed straight home. I was so torn… do I just gut out the long run? I wasn’t *that* sick, I was just nauseous. But, my training partners are smarter than me and told me to be happy that I ran almost 6 miles while sick.

Change how you think: what you did vs. what you didn’t!

I just *really* like to follow my plan & be able to report to Jerry when I’ve done everything he has asked. You with me on that one?

I spent the rest of the day in bed. Kid you not. I can NOT remember the last time something knocked me out like this. I ached. I felt nauseous. I was cold, but drenched our sheets in sweat.

Sunday: OFF

Feeling a little better, but not run-able. I cleaned a little and then sewed on Greta’s cow blanket/hoodie a bit more. I’ll post a full blog post on it when I finish, in case you want to make one for yourself 🙂

Nate the artist putting his skills to work. The pattern didn’t come with cow ears so he made a pattern for me.

Monday: OFF

Woke up queasy and remained that way until mid-afternoon. I debated getting out for just 5-6 then, but decided against it.

Instead, we set up our Christmas tree! It’s beautiful!

The tree before any ornaments

Helping

Tuesday: 10 miles with 1 mile hard, 800 hard, 2x400m hard

I was able to run with both Amy O. from Red Wing and Craig over my lunch hour. How fun! Amy just re-joined the TNC team; I am so happy to have her back. She ran her first marathon with TNC in 2014 and finished in 3:15. At the age of 39! For 2016 we both have big goals for her as a masters runner.

It’s super fun to run with her because we are also about the same speed. YAY!

My legs were a little jello-like, but managed to hold their own.
Mile: 6:14 (goal sub 6:30)
800m: 3:01 (goal 3:00) uf, legs are jello!
400m: 87 (goal 80) hmmm…. this is going downhill fast
400m: 81 (goal 80) brought it back together, sort of

I wrote Jerry about the workout afterwards and he wrote back with a simple:

6:14 excellent
3:01 good
87 Almost same as 800 pace. (OOPS)
81 OK
Hahaha, point taken. I love this man.

After a lunch time run with Craig and Amy. A 40 degree day, but dreary. Bethel in the background.

Trying to catch up on household stuff after a weekend spent sick. Must. Do. Laundry! She was very interested in the washer and dryer as they ran. Easily amused.

Wednesday: 10 miles easy, 8:33 average

Nice and easy with Craig. The weather in MN has been gorgeous! We hit up the Carleton Arb trails for a while and found a gorgeous trail covered in green growth. My legs were really tired. I hope they recover quickly, I have a hard workout to get after tomorrow!

Is it really December?

In the evening Greta and I hit up the Bistro at Bethel for dinner.

Helping at Bistro.

Greta was taking people’s donations, helping with name tags, and explaining the menu to everyone in line. K didn’t even have to train her in. She was a natural.

I then finished up a few last things at work while she played in the nursery. She said her 4th word there: fish! There are fish that hang from the ceiling above the changing table. I’m not sure where else she would have heard the word “fish”?

Her other words were:
Cat! – everything is said with enthusiasm!
Teeth!  – said when she moved a “lift the flap” portion of a book we have – how remarkable that this was her 2nd word & that she knew to use it on that page?
Book! – said to Craig as she handed him a book & crawled into his lap to read it

It is so much fun watching her grow & learn!

Thursday will be a 2 mile hard effort inside a 8-10 mile effort. I’m excited to see what I can pull off. Any guesses? 🙂