Another longest run ever

I didn't write anything last week . . . and I had a 16 mile run. The week just got away from me.  So I guess I'll write about last week's 16 miler and have to write about this week's 12 miler later.  ; ) 

16 miles.  Remember my 15 miles the week before?  Well, I decided to do the same route and just add half a mile out before turning around to make 16 miles.  I don't know if you've followed the news, and I don't know how much of it has made news outside of WA, but there have been some major fires here.  Not very close to me, but last weekend (August 23) the wind had carried a lot of the smoke to western WA, and it was especially bad on Sunday when I do my long run.  I worried a little bit about the quality of the air and if it would cause problems, but I needed to do it, so I left.

I should back up, I am going through about 2 packets of those Honey stingers a long run (well, I started with the 15 miles) so I need to go buy more every week, I should look them up on Amazon and see how much a box would be.  Anyway, on Saturday when I went to go get the Honey Stingers from the running store, I asked them about liquid fuel.  I didn't like the Gatorade very much, especially the sugar aftertaste.  They didn't carry anything, but they said that they really liked Nuun.  No sugar and you put it in water to dissolve and has a mild taste.  (Have you heard of Airborne? it looks just like that.)  They said that it was only at one of the grocery stores here, so even though I don't shop there (too expensive) that's where I went. 

I didn't feel that the way I had fueled while I ran was very good during my 15 mile run.  I felt dead towards the end, so I thought maybe I was too inconsistent with it, or not often enough.  I decided that starting at mile 5 I would take 3 honey stingers every 2 miles, and I would take sips of the Nuun whenever I felt like it. 

Nuun nutrition facts

I really think the sodium in these drinks is good for me.  When I don't have them, I want to lick the sweat off my arm after my run and I always crave really salty foods. I didn't have that feeling much last week (or this week).  The Nuun didn't taste great, but it had no sugar after taste like the Gatorade.  I did notice a bit of a chalky taste to it though, but it wasn't horrible.  I do crave water after awhile, I've noticed, but the only water fountains on my long run route is when I am 2 miles and half a mile from home.  But I stop, fill my water bottle and go on.

Anyway, thankfully the smoke didn't affect my run.  At the halfway point of my 15 mile run I stopped and took a picture, it's on my last blog post, but when I got to that same spot on this run I had to take a picture.  Both days there are no clouds, no fog. 


8/16/2015

8/23/2015

 I wish I had taken both pictures exactly the same, but in my defense I was in the middle of a long run, I wasn't thinking completely clearly. ; )  Anyway, they are at the same spot in the road. 

I thought maybe the run felt better than the 15 mile run because I knew I could run that far.  But after thinking about it, I really think between the Nuun, and eating the Honey Stingers every 2 miles, that was what helped.  Oh, and I purposely started out slow.  I tend to start too fast.  This time I purposely made myself slow down, even when I felt I was already going really slow.  I think it all worked well.  I was not nearly as tired at the end of the run as I have been at the end of all my other long runs.  I still wobbled a bit at the end of my run, but it didn't feel as bad as my 15 miler. 

And, my last mile was my fastest one.

I did come home and crash on my couch for about an hour.  But overall, my longest run ever, went better than all my other longest runs ever.  =)  Yesterday (Sunday) was 12 miles, easy.  And this next Sunday, 18!  Another longest run ever.  I feel very proud of myself, but each new distance makes me super worried.

This marathon won't run itself

On Sunday I ran 15 miles.  Yes, you read that correctly.  15 miles. 

Officially my longest single run ever.

And it will only stay my longest single run ever until this next Sunday, when I run 16 miles. 

You know what the mantra that goes through my head is when I don't want to go for a run (which, lately, has been every scheduled run I have)?  "This marathon won't run itself."  It works, I go for a run.  Sunday I didn't want to run 15 miles, but I knew I had to, so I sucked it up. 

My last long run of 13 miles was terrible.  I felt dead at 10 miles, and wiped out at 11 miles.  I thought afterwards that I probably had started too fast, plus, running in town with all the hills, probably contributed to my struggle.  I didn't want to drive out to the farm land to get to the flat areas, but 15 miles is more than enough to get me out of town.  So I started from home and ran out of town.  It was uphill for the first mile, and then downhill for the next mile, and I was out of town and on a flat road. 

5 miles out of town, 5 miles back to town, and then along the river and up a trail because that way is less of a hill to get home than the way I took to get out of town.  I felt really great for the first 7 or 8 miles, and then I started getting tired.  I even bought some Gatorade and had more than my normal amount of chews (honey stingers, I finally remembered to look).  I was still going pretty strong though at 10 miles, and then stopped to walk close to the 11 mile mark.  From there on I took several walk breaks. 

The red is the elevation, and the blue is my pace.
You can see where I started to slow down, until then I was pretty good at
keeping my pace even.

The mind is a terrible thing.  Once I got it in my head that my legs were tired, I couldn't shake that feeling.  My legs were tired, but looking back, probably not that tired.  I did find it interesting that I really started to get tired at about mile 11, last time it was at 10 miles. 

I have noticed that switching to music at the end of the run helps a lot with slowing down.  If you can see it above, you can see where I switched to music.  Right about mile 13 I got faster.  I listen to audiobooks on long runs, but music picks my pace up a little and the change helps me to forget for a little while.  I like to zone out with an audiobook, plus it keeps my pace down in the beginning, but I tend to run faster when listening to music.  When I get really tired, the music helps boost me a little.  My last mile was slower, but not my slowest (that was mile 11). 
I didn't like the Gatorade as my only thing to drink, and I missed water.  However, I think the Gatorade helped a lot with my tiredness, I definitely didn't feel as dead as my last long run.  When I drink soda (which is very rarely) I drink diet soda, so the sugar in the Gatorade (34g) left a bad taste in my mouth.  But I did feel much less like licking the salt off my arm when I was done, so the sodium (270mg) in it was probably a good thing (I am a very salty sweater).  I didn't think the honey stingers on my 13 mile run was enough, so I decided to try the Gatorade.  I think it helped, but like I said I didn't care for the after taste.  Of course, that might also have been the flavor I picked, lemon-lime, which I like when I'm not running but not so much while running.  I will try a different flavor this next Sunday.  And I think I'm going to get some more ShotBlocks.  I did those for my 10 mile run and liked them a lot.  I don't know if I am getting more tired because of the fuel, or just because of the increased mileage, but I'm willing to switch things up to see what works best for me. 

I just decided to look up the nutritional differences for Shot Blocks and Honey Stingers.

Shot Blocks                                 Honey Stingers

And it looks like the Honey Stingers are actually better.  I may get the Shot blocks anyway, maybe for my next scale back week and see how I do.  I also definitely felt that I didn't have enough Gatorade, but I don't want to buy another waterbottle, I just got the one I have.  I guess we'll see how I do with my 16 miles this week.  I may not have a choice about buying a new one, I may need something bigger. 

Anyway, I finished my run and was tired.  I laid down for about an hour in the afternoon, but again, I am not that sore.  And I haven't really noticed much increased hunger.  I did eat more than normal on Sunday, but according to MyFitnessPal, I did not eat as much as I burned calorie-wise so that is good.  I have heard that marathon training often makes you gain weight, because even though you are running farther, you are eating more and can easily overeat.  I am trying not to do that, I don't want to gain weight. 

Halfway point . . . I love the farmland.

While on my run I saw a hang glider, I wondered if he (or she) saw me as well.  While I was envious of them, I'm sure they weren't envious of me.  =)  I also saw an eagle, and a spray plane (can't think of their name, but you know, one of those planes that sprays weed killer on crops like in the Disney movie Planes).  =)



Finished!

I will not wear that shirt again on a long run.  The seams under my arms started to chafe very badly.  I was in pain, although I did not have any marks when I was done, which surprised me a lot.  I did get new capri pants, which you can't see well here.  I love them.  I will have to get someone to take a picture of me in them because they are cute. 

16 miles on Sunday.  Ouch! That's going to hurt!

Vacation!

My vacation last week was fantastic.  It was extremely relaxing and I wished I didn't have to come back.  In fact, Chris tried to get 2 extra days off (I already had requested Friday off) but he was unsuccessful, so we had to come home on Thursday.  We did a lot of sitting on the lake, by the lake, at the lake, and a lot of not much else.  Damian requested we go bowling one day, so we did.  And we got ice cream at a place my dad suggested.  And that's the only time we went out.

We did start the week at my parent's house, we were going to go boating, but when we got to that lake (a different one than the one we stayed at) the boat didn't work, so we played in the water, and visited.  I was a little worried about the house we were going to, because it's my aunts', uncles', and dad's house, and they (other than my dad) are hoarders.  But it wasn't bad.  It was cluttered, and definitely hasn't had a good cleaning in awhile (the vacuum didn't even work) but we spent most of the time outside, so it didn't matter that much. 

My first morning

 I spent all of my mornings in that position above.



I spent my afternoons and evenings in this position.

The only thing missing was my wine

 Sunset on the last day



such a good looking kid



Chris and Damian enjoying the last sunset from the water

 

My last morning.  =(

The first morning, Monday, I was sitting on the porch, drinking my coffee (look at my 2nd picture) and I decided I really did need to do my run.  Up until then I had decided not to run.  It was "only" 10 miles, a scale back week, so I thought it probably wouldn't hurt me to not run.  And then I suddenly decided I needed to run.  I was awake, it was cool enough . . . why not?  So I ate, drank water, and went for a 10 mile run.  It was a little hilly, but it was good.  And I felt badass for running while on vacation (something I don't think I've ever done). 

My halfway point

I was about half a mile from the house (at the end of the run) when suddenly a big dog came charging at me.  Not in a friendly way.  Teeth bared, ears back, growling and barking.  I thought I was going to get attacked.  The last time I had dogs come after me I didn't know what to do.  I looked down, put my hands up, kinda turned so I was in a submissive posture (or so I thought).  After that, I talked to my sister and she said she yells at the dog and says No! or something, trying to be more aggressive. So this time, that's what I did.  I screamed NO!! stomped my foot, and screamed NO!! over and over.  The dog backed off before it got to me, but was still very aggressive towards me.  I backed up, screaming NO! and stomping my foot.  It stayed put, but as soon as I turned around to start running again, it came at me again, so I faced it and did it all over again, while backing up, away from it's house.  I kept hoping the owners would come out, but they never did.  Eventually the dog went back to it's house and I finally turned around and started running again.  It was a scary experience.  I don't know why I run.  ; )

After my run, getting ready for the sun.  =)

 I did run one more time while there.  The last run was only 3 miles.  I turned a different direction (I didn't want to go past the dog again).  But about a half mile down the road it turned to gravel and then another quarter mile it said Dead End, but I decided to just go to the end of the road.  I never made it to the dead end, but it did get a little creepy.  Very wooded, with trailers and houses that you'd find in almost any horror movie. 

Halfway point

I made it back without finding any children of the corn, or ax murders. =)

On Thursday we decided to go the scenic way home, which was a good 2 hours or more longer.  I don't think I'll go that way again, even though it was pretty. 

When we got home we saw this.

Our neighbors had decided to mess with us.  I seriously love living next to people that are nice.  ; )  But seriously, this is way, way better than being attacked by a neighbor.  And I really do like my neighbors.  =)

I ran again on Friday and then a long run on Sunday, which I will save for another post because this is long. 

I needed that

Yesterday I went for a 7 mile run.  I didn't want to.  I don't like running so many miles in the middle of the week, I feel like I just don't have the time.  I get home at 5:30pm, if I'm lucky I'm out the door by 5:45, 7 miles means more than an hour, most likely.  So I get back home sometime after 6:45, and have to shower.  If I'm lucky I'm eating dinner at 7pm, most likely later and only if Chris cooks.  If Chris doesn't cook, I'll be eating at 7:30 or 8.  I go to bed at 8:30-9:30 most nights. 

And don't even get me started on running in the morning.  It takes me an hour to get ready.  I don't think I'm that high maintenance but I straighten my hair, and if I run, I take a shower, don't straighten my hair, but still have to figure out what to do with the wet mess that is going to be frizzy later (I never blow dry my hair) and the time equals out to an hour.  So, if I run in the morning, 7 miles, I'm getting up at 4:30am, to run, shower, get ready, and then I probably don't have time for breakfast or coffee.  And with 7 miles, I really should eat something first, so then I'm getting up at 4, yeah. no. 

It's only going to get worse.

Anyway, yesterday was a break in the warm weather.  The forecast called for rain, and I thought that would be nice to run in the rain.(Sadly it didn't rain while I was running.)  I planned to run in the evening.  I didn't want to.  I keep telling myself that I WANT to do a marathon.  No one is forcing me.  Most people think I'm crazy.  Hell, I think I'm crazy. 

So I ran.  It was a good run.  I needed a good run.  Sunday's run was just hard.  My legs were tired, I felt like I'd never finish, or wouldn't be able to.  Tuesday's run was fast.  It also felt hard.  I stopped at one point to mess with my phone, don't remember why, and realized how tired my legs were and that I didn't want to go on.  I finished the run, but it was hard. 

Yesterday's 7 miles had me apprehensive, middle of the week, two hard runs before it.  I was going to take my time and try to enjoy my run.  And I did.  I was a little tired at the end, thinking I wished I had grabbed some fuel, because I hadn't eaten since lunch, but I knew it wouldn't be long before I was done.  I enjoyed listening to my audiobook and got caught up in it for a while.  It wasn't overly fast, but it was a good pace for me, for 7 miles.

 Thinking about it now, Sunday's run might have been so hard because I was going too fast.  It was averaged to be only 9 seconds per mile slower than my 7 miles yesterday.  I am not good at slowing down on long runs.  Right before we moved back to Mt. Vernon I was using my Garmin to keep my miles as evenly paced as I could, and I was doing really well with it.  But then we moved, I used my Garmin 2 or 3 times after our move and lost it.  I tore my room apart, which is where I know I put it, and still couldn't find it.  And actually tore other parts of my house apart as well thinking I was wrong.  But it's no where.  I have no idea where it went.  It's been 2 months since I've seen it.  It's much harder to pace myself with my phone.  Anyway, in a week and a half when I do 14 miles, I'm gonna need to slow down.

We're going out of town tomorrow evening for a week.  I don't know if I'll get my scheduled 10 miles in this weekend, or any of my other scheduled runs in.  I don't know if I'm okay with that.  I will take my running clothes.  Maybe I'll run stairs, there are stairs in the house we are going to.  But I won't be posting.  There is no internet.

Have a great week!

#marathontraining

My scheduled long run said to do a half marathon.  I half-ass looked for an official half marathon and didn't find anything I wanted to do that was close.  But I was okay with that, I'd just run 13.1 miles on my own.  Thinking about it, I had decided to drive to the tulip fields of Mt. Vernon to run on the roads out there.  It's not tulip season, so I figured there wouldn't be much traffic, but knowing the roads, they are narrow, with little to no shoulder and the speed limits are in the 40-55 range.  Thinking of running on a (country road) with people potentially passing me going 60+ miles an hour with no shoulder, and somewhere I've never run before, it scared me.  I opted out.  (Not out of my run though.)  I decided to just do my normal long run route and add miles, probably at the end (which I hate). 

It was supposed to get to the high 80's (quit, I know that's not hot for the rest of the world but for this western WA acclimated girl, it's hot) and I didn't want to be running 13 miles in it.  So I was going to leave early.  I got out of my house at 8:45 (no, I don't think that's early), but when I left my house it was 64 degrees, doable.  When I got done it was closer to 75 degrees.

Nothing about the beginning of the run is notable.  It was a typical long run along familiar roads and trails. 

This is a duck pond we walk to
regularly.  I've never seen it so dry.



I took a couple detours, one I've done before and one off onto one of those narrow farm roads I was talking about earlier.  I went about a mile off on the farm road and turned around. When I turned around there was a beautiful view of Mt. Baker.  I tried to take a picture, but of course it didn't come out as nice as the actual view. 

You can't even see the mountain.

Anyway, it was shortly after this picture that I felt dead.  I didn't want to run anymore.  I was tired.  I don't know why it hit me so hard, but at mile 10 I stopped.  I mean dead stop.  I squatted down and posted on Facebook. 

I ate some fuel, I can't think of the name, and went on.  I wish I could say that was it, I was motivated and finished strong from there, but I can't.  Only a mile later I again stopped.  This time I sat down.  Sat right on the trail, I didn't want to go on.  I was tired.  I just wanted to be done.  I thought about finishing out one more mile (that would have put me at my normal ending spot) and just go home from there, but I thought that was silly, what's one more mile (well, one more after the next one).  I took a picture and posted on Instagram.

I got up.  I finished my run.  I had been planning on running 13.1 miles, after all, that was on my schedule, but I hit that 13 mile mark, picked a pole ahead and stopped at the pole.  I laid down, and of course, took a couple pictures (none of which were pretty). 

I had thought ahead and bought donuts and fixings for mimosa's so when I got home, after my shower, and some water, I enjoyed my donut and mimosa.  =)

I have been surprised that I haven't been super sore after my long runs.  I guess this week has been the worst, and it's been practically nothing.  I'm happy with that.  =)  And no foot pain.  Seriously, none.  How awesome is that!!

Yesterday I had 3 miles on the schedule and I almost skipped it, but I didn't.  I'm going out of town on Friday evening and knew if I skipped it I'd have a hard time making it up.  So I went for a run.  It was faster than my runs have been lately.  I think it's because it was an evening run (which I prefer).  There were a couple times during that run (only 3 miles) that I wanted to stop as well.  I didn't, but man, 2 runs in a row where I just didn't have the energy to finish. . . well, I did, because I did finish, but still. . .

Today is supposed to be cooler and rainy, so even though it's normally a rest day, I'm planning on running 7 miles.  (Ugh! 7 miles in the middle of the week, it's only going to get worse.) #marathontraining 

This Friday we're going to eastern WA for 5 days.  I don't know how that will affect my running.  Luckily it's a scale back week, so if I miss my long run, I'm missing 10 miles instead of 14 (I've never ran 14 and that's on the schedule for next week, scary!!).  I'll see what the terrain is like where we're going and what the weather is like.  Eastern WA is much hotter than western WA, so my refusal to run above 75 degrees, may be detrimental.  I'll let you know.  ; )

12 miles

Wow!  It's been almost 2 weeks since my last post!  Sadly not a ton has happened. 

Last week I had skipped my 7 mile run on Sunday because of the warm weather.  I decided I would run 2 extra days to make up for it, so even though I wasn't running 7 miles at once, my weekly mileage would be the same.  Well, I ran on Monday and Wednesday, which are usually a rest days for me and then was going to run on Friday, another rest day.  Last week was much cooler so I was running in the afternoon rather than the morning.  When I got home on Friday I was just tired.  I didn't want to do anything and the weather was really muggy, not too warm, but super humid, so instead I skipped it. 

I very rarely skip runs that I don't make up another day, but I just didn't want to.  And honestly, I didn't/don't feel any remorse for it.  I knew I didn't want to run on Saturday because I was going to be running 12 miles on Sunday (yes, I said 12).  So I only ran 16 miles last week instead of the scheduled 19, and I'm okay with that.

Which brings me to my 12 mile run.  On Friday I posted on my personal facebook page that I didn't want to run and needed someone to make me.  My husband's ex-roommate commented that he was going to be running on Saturday and wanted to know if I wanted to go up to Bellingham to run with him.  I had a hair appt and said I couldn't but was going to be running 12 miles on Sunday if he wanted to run then.  I wasn't completely serious because I knew he wasn't going to be running 12 miles, but he responded that he was going to do 70 min at a 9.30 min/mile and if I wanted to join him for that I could.  I said okay, and just figured I'd run however many miles I needed to afterwards to get to 12. 

He said he was going to start in a park in Bellingham (which is north of where I live by about 30 min) and I had been to that park and thought the trail he was going to be on was flat so I thought that was great, 12 miles on a flat trail by the Puget Sound.  HA!  Sure, it started on this flat "trail" (I say trail loosely because it was mostly well groomed, hard packed gravel), but it quickly veered off onto some streets (up a steep hill first) and then we went on another gravel trail through the woods . . . up and down a lot of hills.  Oh, and his 9.30 min/mile looked a lot more like a 9-9.15 min/mile, which in my everyday runs is fine, and even a little slow, but not for a 12 mile run on hills!  However, I couldn't slow down and go my own pace because I had NO idea where we were and would have been lost and not been able to get back to my car. 

Oh, did I mention he was pushing a jogging stroller?  Yeah, we ran up and down hills (some very, very steep ones) on gravel at a 9-9.15 min/mile with him pushing his son.  I was impressed.  And very worried.  Worried for my legs, worried about the last 4-5 miles, worried I wouldn't be able to finish.  Worried!

He estimated his run to be about 10 miles, which sounded about right to me at a 9.30 min/mile, but like I said we were going faster than that and we finished his 70 min at 7 miles. 5 miles on my own in an unfamiliar town after just running crazy hills. 

I ran the rest of the original flat trail next to the water (about a mile) and then ran through the town of Bellingham (which is bigger than Mt. Vernon).  I ran through downtown . . . stores, restaurants, lots of people.  I didn't want to veer off too far from a straight line because I wanted to be able to find my way back to the trail and my car.  =) 

Let me tell you, I don't know if it's the town, because it's bigger, it's definitely a more liberal town than where I live, and I don't know if that is the case, but I got so many stares and even some sneers and nasty looks while I was running through town.  It was strange.  I am used to much friendlier people on my runs.  Even some of the runners I passed looked at me strangely.  It was a different vibe, that's for sure, and mostly very unfriendly. 

But I did it.  I ran 12 miles. 7 of those on crazy hills at a much faster pace than I'm used to.  And my last 5 miles weren't even slower, I continued with the same pace, but it was flat.

Maybe the shirt was the reason for the
 nasty looks??

Ignore the first mile, I accidentally
paused my app and so the mile is wrong,
 it was actually a 9.19 min/mile.

And I haven't been very sore.  My hips are a little sore, but mostly I feel fine.  And the most important part . . .  my feet don't bother me at all.  How fantastic! 

This Sunday a half marathon is on the schedule.  Since I didn't see any in my area that I wanted to do this weekend, I'm just running 13.1 miles.  It will be interesting . . . and I'm definitely not going to Bellingham to run hills for it!  I'm thinking I'll go find some nice flat tulip fields.  ; )

The tulips are gone, but look at how flat that is. =)

A mental break

I went to my parent's house this weekend.  It felt like such a short trip. The last time I went was in May (I think) for the Insane Inflatable 5k, and I took Friday off, before that I hadn't been since Christmas.  And last summer when I went, I wasn't working, and then before that I worked in Mt. Vernon and got off at 1 on Fridays, so this was the first time in many years that I worked a full day and went to my parent's afterwards.  We didn't get there until 8:30pm.  And we left on Sunday just before 11am.  So we were only there for almost a day and a half. 

When I was younger and would go after working a full day, I would stay for most of Sunday and get home in the evening.  It seems now, though, that every year traffic gets worse and worse in the summer going over the mountains, and I don't want to sit for hours in traffic going over the pass, so I leave earlier to avoid it (not that 11 is very early).  And I do like to be home and able to relax Sunday evening before going back to work on Monday.  Just one more negative thing about my job. . . (it's an hour south of where I live, so I have to drive north to get Damian and Maddox, just to turn around and go back south to get to my parent's house.  Although, this weekend Damian's friend came with us and he has family that lives about 5 min from my work, so they went there and I didn't have to go back to Mt. Vernon to pick them up.)


Pictures I took

 I did have a good visit.  We went to a park along the Columbia River where there was a swimming area, on Saturday and hung out with my parents.  I had a really good visit with my Dad.  I really, really enjoy sitting outside at their house in the summer, especially in the morning and evening when it's getting cooler.  (Afternoons are too hot.) 

When we came back from the river I sat outside for a little bit with my Dad (I talked to my Dad a lot this trip, it was nice) and enjoyed the sunset. 

The park, and then the sunset.  Pictures on a camera phone
really don't do justice to the beauty of sunsets (or sunrises).

I really think I needed the break away from my world.  I know it's still there, and all my concerns and worries don't go away, but it's nice to take a break from it being in my face all the time. 

The thing that's been on my mind the most lately is my job.  Several weeks ago, I had some troubles at work that really had me questioning whether or not I should stay at my current job.  In a moment of frustration I applied for another job, and then got 2 interviews with this job.  Last week they told me they were checking references and then on Thursday they offered me the job.  (We won't even talk about how frustrating it is to be unemployed for 5 months and not able to find work, and then one application and I'm offered a job.)  Anyway, even though I had some problems at my current job, I still like what I do.  I don't like some things about it, but those things have nothing to do with what I actually do, but is more political job stuff.  The new job was a job that I wasn't terribly interested in doing (chronically homeless case manager), but it's with a bigger, more established company, and better benefits, and a pay raise.  But, like I said, I actually do like my job (similar to mental health court that I was doing before this job), and the political type stuff is getting better.  I decided to turn down the new job.  I don't regret that decision (yet) but it was very, very, very tough for me to get to it. 

It is usually very hot at my parent's house, and I always say I'm going to run, and then never do.  So this weekend I decided I wouldn't run.  I would be home early enough on Sunday to run 7 miles, which is what was on my schedule.  I did my Saturday run Friday before work and was happy with

the decision to run Sunday evening.  It is usually very hot at my parent's house, and I always say I'm going to run, and then never do.  So this weekend I decided I wouldn't run.  Guess I should have looked at the weather report a little better.  It was almost 90 degrees at 8pm last night in Mt. Vernon.  That is just too warm for me.  Funny thing is, I was up before 6am yesterday and was sitting outside enjoying the morning when I thought, this is perfect weather to run in . . . too bad I left all my running stuff at home.  Anyway, I skipped my 7 mile run yesterday and decided I'd get up and run this morning, it wouldn't be 7 miles, but it would be an "extra" run, and then if I did that one more time this week, I would have made up for most of the 7 miles I was supposed to do.  I forgot to set my alarm for a run, but when it did go off, I jumped out of bed and was out the door in 6 min (a record, I'm sure).

If I run Monday-Friday then I will be one mile short of the weekly mileage I should have had if I had done the 7 miles yesterday.  So my tentative plan is to run 3 miles today (done), 3 miles tomorrow (regular schedule), 6 miles on Wednesday (which would normally be on Thursday), 3 miles on Thursday (which is my usual Saturday run), and 3 miles on Friday (extra run), then rest Saturday before my 12 miles on Sunday.  And when I was coming up with this plan, I was thinking Tuesday and Thursday's runs were 4 miles, so I could do 3.5 miles on those days and I would be exactly where I should be, without the long run. And since it was a scale back week, I figure missing the 7 miles all in a row is okay.  It's the really long ones I don't think I should miss (like the 12 miles next Sunday). 

Question and answer session with my son

About a week ago Shut Up + Run did these questions with her daughter.  I liked them and was curious how my son would answer so I asked him the other day.  Here's his response.

 Here’s what he said, he's 16  (the blue is my input).

1. What does your mom eat before a run?
An egg. (True. I eat at least 2 eggs every morning.  However, I don't run in the morning very often, so when I run in the afternoon I don't usually eat anything unless I'm starving, and then it's usually one egg.)
2. How far does your mom run everyday?
Average 6 miles, that includes a long run on the weekend.  But probably 5 miles a day.  (I have been running 3 miles daily with a long run of 6 miles until I just started my marathon training.)
3. What was your mom’s favorite race?
Half marathon  (I think my second half was my favorite, although I also was very proud of the Bloomsday I ran in 2014)

4. Why do you think your mom runs?
She enjoys it and wants to lose weight. (True and not true.  I do enjoy it, but I don't think the weight lose is an issue anymore, sure I'd love to lose more, but I doubt I will.  Now it's mostly not regaining the weight . . . and so I can drink wine.)
5. What injuries has your mom had from running?
Bee stings, dog bites, scrapes, plantar faciitis.  (All true, although I don't think I was actually bitten by a dog, just jumped on and my shirt was ripped.  I'm pretty sure I tore a muscle in my calf in 2012.)
6. Do you like going to your mom’s races?
At first he said it was okay as long as he didn't have to watch Maddox and then he said "boring, you're just standing around watching people, waiting for the person you came with to cross the finish line.  (And as much as I want someone to cheer me one at races, I completely understand his point of view.)

My first 5k that I made him go to.

7. Does having a mom who runs make you want to run?
No, not necessarily, I like sprints. (I have periodically tried to get him to run with me, and he hates it, so I stopped)
8. What have you learned from having a mom who runs?
Try to avoid things (I think he's talking about bees, dogs, neighbors) Pace yourself.  (True, if a bit superficial.)
9. What is your least favorite thing about having a mom who runs?
Having to watch my brother.  (I knew he was going to say that before he said it.)
10. Do you think you’ll run when you are your mom’s age? (38)
Not sure, when it's time we'll see.  I'll see how my life turns out. (I think he will because we talk all the time about the importance of staying healthy and active.  I have told him that I was very active in high school like he is and then when I graduated wasn't and gained a lot of weight.  He doesn't want to gain weight, so I think {hope} he'll remember our conversations and will take up something when he's older, and what better sport to take up then running?)