Running in the Mist... An 'Easy Run' Day Starts the Long Weekend

After an exhausting Thursday evening, I chose to push my easy run to this morning, which turned out to be an excellent strategy.

Feeling rested and ready, my feet hit the floor at the first sounds of my alarm clock (o'dark thirty), more specifically: 4:55 am. (I figured out this would be 10:55 am your time, Fran Wants to be a Healthy Girl.) Whew! In my world, this still qualifies as the middle of the night, but no need to whine or waste time! Just get up and go... which is exactly what I did.

Since it was still dark and I am an urban dweller, I started out on the treadmill with a 7-minute warm-up walk. Okay, feeling good... let's pick up the pace, but just a little. It is, after all, an 'easy day' and RW says not to overdo it, even if enthusiasm gets the best of you. Trying to follow the training recommendations, I kept it slow and steady. For 40 minutes! Yay! This is a new personal best for me: 40 minutes, nonstop. Okay, experienced running buddies - quit laughing so loudly! Now you know why I'm shying away from a run with you, Morgan! It would be a walk in the park for you, literally, I'm afraid. LOL

With the incline set to the usual 1.5%, I ran an average pace of 13:40 ish, and my knees held up until the last 10 minutes. Then, they began to ache. But, hey, I've got a lot farther to run, so suck it up and keep moving! I continued and even took another 1.1 mile lap outside, around the lake, where I found the tall buildings shrouded in an early morning mist, fog, something... it was beautiful! Great run, and and I didn't even wear the fun colors today! :)

I did, however, focus on my gait, my posture, and my breathing. One advantage to using the treadmill is a mirror on one side and a tinted glass window directly in front of me that functions as a mirror. Between the two, I can monitor my run and make immediate adjustments, feeling how the changes make differences in how my body feels - from shoulders being more relaxed to feet and knees hurting less (or not at all) if I land differently. Silver lining, right?

So before most people had coffee today, I moved one workout closer to my 10K. Rock on!

Oh, one more fun fact for today: my ultra cool new pink socks and shirt arrived late this afternoon, the ones I ordered from Pearl Izumi during Tall Mom on the Run's recent run for the 200, which was lots of fun, by the way. :) fyi - Their women's tops seem to run a little big. One size smaller would have fit much better. But the colors match my turtle blog, so I'm happy, and the socks are just adorable - so girlie - so unlike me!

Tomorrow is my rest day... Hubby and I are heading over to Sports Authority for fishing gear (him), and then to Track Shack (me), with lunch at my fave vegan restaurant, Ethos Vegan Kitchen. I love Saturdays! And Sunday, I'll lace up and head outside for my 'long run' day. Yes, CAUTION: Redhead Running, you might want to check the ditches... LOL! And yes, we need to plan to meet up soon. :) This morning I glanced at the gazelles passing by on my lake lap, thinking maybe one of them was you... I'm sure those chicks thought I was some sort of a weirdo stalker!!

My Thankful Three

Today, I am thankful for:

• A hubby who doesn't judge when I eat something a little off the charts :)
• Weight loss in conjunction with my training: a definite bonus!
• 3-day weekends to rest, recharge, train without time restraints, and just chill out...YES!
  

Robin