ZZZZzzzzzz

Early to bed tonight. I'm up early tomorrow (4:30 - ugh) for extra work shenanigans. I'll catch about 7 hours of overtime tomorrow.

I got a few moments of peace and quiet on the front step watching Brink and Milo explore.



New neighborhood smells never get old. Just ask Brink!

I'm off to brush my teeth now. Tomorrow is going to be a crazy busy day!!

Step One

When I got home from work tonight I filled up my water bottle and strapped it to my handlebars. I hopped on my cruise bike and peddled into the nearby neighborhood. I made three loops. There were some uphills and downhills. But mostly there was a sense of starting something new, something big.

While peddling away I was reminded of the first time I decided to run a half marathon. I kicked it around for a while and knew going into it blindly was a bad idea. So I went to informational meeting for Team in Training. I signed up that night and started a four month training plan that took me from walking and jogging around my immediate neighborhood to running miles upon miles down bike trails and thirteen miles around Disney World.

I had to start training if I wanted to reach that goal of running a half marathon. I had to take that step outside my safety zone and sign up.

As I zoomed down a hill and over a speed bump, I laughed at my single speed, beach cruiser bike with squeaky seat. I have to start somewhere, so I did astride my squeaky bike.

I've more or less signed up for my next challenge. This time it involves riding a bike a few hundred miles over the course of a few days. My informational meeting is Monday. And hopefully, with some real estate luck, I'll get a bike that is more appropriate for carrying my butt from from New Jersey to Washington D.C.

And I'll be doing it for a good cause and in good company. It's called the Police Unity Tour and it raises money for the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial.

I'm ready for a different physical challenge. And I'm pretty sure my poor feet and ankles are ready to hand over most of the work to my thighs.

I will still continue running so I can run my half in August. But after that my running will decrease to the 5k distance as the max length for a while.

So, be prepared to see biking updates. I may have only covered a mile and a half tonight but a girl has to start somewhere, right?!?

Bed before dark

Two days in a row. Lets hope I can get up for a run to days in a row too. Three flat miles tomorrow.

Is it the weekend yet?!?

Nutshell

Warm-up to here...


Run up and down here...


Hanging with my man Abe here...


Putting this on the decor list for here...


And my dinner here...



And I'm in bed before 10! I'm on a streak!!

Scrumptious

This whole taking the time to make a healthy dinner thing is turning out to be quite scrumptious.




I'm putting chicken in the crockpot tomorrow. I'm thinking some shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato wraps... after painting for a couple of hours after work.

Success!

Up at 5:45 to run. Tempo 5k.



Concerted effort to stay below an 11 minute mile. I swear I saw 9:05 at one point. Say what?!



Turning the coffee pot on before leaving meant I had deliciousness waiting for me. Note to self: maybe it's time to try iced coffee again.




Happy to be done! And relieved to have beaten the heat!

Back on track

After gaining yet another few pounds back, I'm going to all lengths to get back on track. Fresh food is expensive!!

Milo's Rebirth

Milo is especially content these days. It's very odd...

The Need For Speed

I conquered my hill repeat run this morning.  I went down and up and down and up, I think 6 times.  I lost count.  I have each as laps on my GPS watch but I have never connected it to the computer ... maybe I should do that... anywho, the run was exhausting.  Warm-up, repeats, and cool down - 2.6 miles in about 28 minutes.  I probably could have done more but  I needed to get back to get ready for work.  I have to start somewhere though!

I've become grossly aware of just how slow I really am when it comes to running.  In the Colorado Half Marathon, I was one of the last 150 runners to finish the half marathon.  Out of 1200 runners.  And while I realize that my medal looks just like everyone else's and there is no way I will ever be the fastest runner in any race, I can't help but think about what it would be like to be faster.  To be able to save myself thirty minutes of running, or more, just by being faster.

I want to be faster.  An average 12:25 pace is better than nothing, but I know my body is capable of doing more.  I know I've got an extra ten pounds just on each thigh alone.  Imagine how much faster I could be if that weight wasn't there.  My legs are doing most of the heavy lifting during a long run so logic suggests that stronger, leaner legs should make me faster.

But how to get there?  Concentrated effort.  I can't just half ass it all and expect my legs to get stronger.  I'm lucky my half ass attempt at training was enough to get me across the finish line in the Colorado Half.  I can do better than that.  My goals should no longer be "just to finish."  I've been there, done that.  I know I can finish.  Now it's time to start improving and setting goals that will reflect my effort when accomplished.

I have another half marathon in August.  August 10th to be exact.  I want to set a PR.  By first Disney half was 2:40.  My second was 2:46.  This last half was 2:43.  My race in August, I'm aiming for 2:30.  That's 13 minutes faster, or one minute per mile less, or an 11:25ish/minute average.

I'm going to force myself into hill workouts which are supposed to be the greatest thing ever for increasing leg strength and overall speed.  And I just so happen to be moving right next to a perfect hill for hill repeats so I have no legitimate excuses.

And maybe along the way, I'll be fast enough to reach my other goal, a sub 30 minute 5K.

I've been busy...

My plans for a morning run were foiled by pure exhaustion. I knew I couldn't do it after work because I had to mow. So I'm in bed early and planning for hill repeats in the morning.

Wish me luck.

To Do

Today is my one chance to get a handful of things knocked off my To Do list. I work overtime shenanigans this morning and then I have the afternoon off.



For now I'm sucking down some caffeine and trying to figure out just what on my To Do list I want to conquer this afternoon. I did manage to hang something up last night....