A Nice Day

My husband and I started off the morning with a visit next door to a yard sale (no good finds, but it's fun to look) and then a bike ride at Memorial Park. It was kind of warm, but if we rode fast enough, there was a breeze. I pushed hard up the short hills, sometimes making it all of the way to the top, sometimes not. There I am coasting down a hill.

After lunch and a short, scenic drive through a nearby neighborhood, we stopped for ice cream at Marble Slab where I was hoping they'd have cake batter flavor -  they did! They offered me a child sized waffle cone - the perfect size.



When we got home, there was a package waiting for me from Kate who surprised me with Vanilla Gingerbread Gu gels and this pretty bookmark that she made. The charm on the end says "marathon". Perfect!

And then our daughter called and we chatted for awhile.

Such a nice Saturday! 

Progression Run

Today on my way to the park I ran alongside a man walking his dog. When I got close to them, the man stopped walking and the dog immediately sat down in front of him even though the man never said a word. Obedience!

When I got to the park I saw a man and a young girl running ahead of me. After a little while, she stopped to walk and the man stopped, too, giving her a pat on the back. Little kindesses make big impressions.

Today I had a fun goal - to make each mile faster then the one before (and then cool-down).

Mile splits: 10:15, 10:09, 9:42, 9:34, 9:09, 8:56, 8:29, 8:22, 10:10, 9:59

Goal accomplished!

I'm especially grateful for today's 10 miler. Having to take a day off does that, doesn't it? Wednesday I didn't run because pain shot from my heel to my calf when I walked, but today it's fine.

Photo: The best photo I took of the cardinal in our tree before he flew away, scared when I tip-toed outside for a closer look.

Time to Push a Little

A Magnolia Bloom 

Today's goal: 5 faster miles in the middle of a 9 mile run.

• 2 warm-up miles: 10:50, 10:47/mi. average pace. 81 degrees, 90% humidity.
• Time to speed up for 5 miles and focus on the path ahead of me. No looking into the trees when I heard the numerous cardinals chirping. When I sped up, I felt a slight breeze - an incentive. My legs felt light. My feet felt comfortable in my new Asics 2150's. Mile splits - 9:22, 9:07, 9:25, 9:10, and 9:03. It was important to me that I didn't get slower at the end.
• 2 cool-down miles: 11:01, 11:12 Legs were oh, so heavy. Soaked in the usual sweaty mess, I slowly dripped all of the way home. Drip, drop!

Pre-run: homemade granola
During: Gatorade. Fill bottles 1/2 full and freeze. Top off in the AM.

A Better Run

New Asics 2150 & Old Asics 1150

There's nothing like new shoes to encourage you to get out there and run. I just received the 2150's from Running Warehouse and wore them today on my 6 mile run.

 I hope the 2150 shoe tongue doesn't chafe my ankle on long runs like my 1150's do. I'd like to wear my low-profile socks again, some of them made of material especially for summer running. (Those 1150's have only been treadmill shoes so far - that's why they're so clean.)

I took yesterday off from running - I'm fighting a bit of a cough and thought that rest might be best. Today  was hot and humid, but there was an occasional breeze in the shade - nice. I stopped often for quick water fountain breaks, careful not to drink too much and water-log myself, but making sure to get some water on my wrists and face hoping that would cool me down. Today's run went much better than Tuesday's "easy" 8 miler. Of course, it was two miles shorter.

Ran 12 & 8

California Poppies

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment on my last post - so thoughtful of each of you.

I ran 8 miles today. It was too hot and humid for me - 80*, like yesterday. I stopped often at fountains, pouring water on my neck and arms. I had to sit down twice, but not for long - the mosquitoes found me. My left shin hurt a little. I'll ice it.

Yesterday's 12 miler was easier somehow. I ran it without taking walking breaks like today. Maybe drinking from the cold refrigerated water fountain like I did yesterday instead of the lukewarm ones I used today and the GU at mile 4 made the difference.

As usual, I was soaked in sweat today. While we were in California last week, I hardly sweat even though it was 80*. The CA weatherman said that it was humid, but I couldn't feel it and I was able to run faster, getting down to half marathon pace. It was a good running change to see some faster splits on my Garmin.

Keep running!

Sadness

We flew to California to be with our family for a funeral and we're back home now. So many tears, hugs and comforting from loved ones and sadness in the last two weeks. I pray that God would continue to comfort our family.

Some days this week, I was too busy to run. And there were some days when I didn't feel like it. That's fine. I ran today. I think I'll feel like running more this week. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Photo: Los Angeles Airport

Memorial Park

 

I ran 10 miles yesterday after I ate some banana bread. Midway through the run, I had a vanilla Gu. I felt fine the whole way, never feeling like I needed to stop because I was hot. It must have been cooler than usual. I didn't run today because yesterday the top of my right foot felt uncomfortable when I flexed my toes. It's fine now. I guess I just needed a day off.

Today I lifted some weights and did some core exercises. I started a book about Abigail and John Adams and then my husband and I went for a bike ride.

When I stopped for a water break, mosquitoes swarmed around me, but I was only bit once on my face where I didn't put any Cutter Advanced Sport Heavy Duty Formula. Fortunately, I haven't been bothered when I run at the park on the loop, only when I'm back in the woods on the bike trail.

There was some mud slinging on the trail - mud puddles I had to ride through, but it wasn't too bad. There were some tree roots that made it hard to get up the hills and it was a little hard to get down some others - some good exercise.

Splash

I put on my hat and my sunglasses and headed out for 10 rainy miles. My dark sunglasses not only made me look slightly mysterious ; ) beneath my black visor on this dark, rainy morning, but they also kept the water out of my eyes - too much rain in my eyes and they get irritated and red.

On a rainy day, at first you pride yourself on how you can maneuver around puddles quickly without getting your toes wet, but after the first good foot soaking, you just run through the middle of the puddles like a kid because how can you get any wetter? That's when you have a complete mental turn-around: to run right through the puddle - that's what the "real athlete" would do! No fears!

I tried some new chews today - Honey Stinger fruit smoothie flavor energy chews. They taste like red gummy bears. (I've had Clif-bloks and Luna chews, which taste good, too.) These are the only chews I've eaten that didn't get stuck in my teeth - a plus. Not only that, the package seemed to indicate that after eating these chews I'd be able to run, bull ride (good, since I'm in Texas, y'all), and sting! I only had one package today so I just settled for running.

Have a great Fourth of July!