@SarahDisney I'm Alive! Since you asked, I will share with you all the amazing things I'm up to. Get ready for stream of conscious writing and probably some terrible grammar and spelling mistakes!
We are re-modeling our bathroom (totally gutting and re-doing) which is really exciting and much needed if not a whole lot to swallow monetarily. And so the last three weeks our upstairs is a bit crazy and we've been basement people, using the basement small bathroom. But it's all looking really good and I'll make sure to post a before and after once we are done. I'm thinking early next week!
I guess sandwiched in there is that my husband is kicking backside at work but he's had to travel AND spend a lot of late nights there. I feel bad for him because I know he loves his time at night with our kiddo and I know he's frustrated that his new excercisey life is getting all screwed up. He's got a big spring triathlon he's gearing up for and he's managed to get all his swimming in but he's wanting to do more bike and run and it's been hard for him.
Late nights for him = hard for me to get out too.
BUT IT'S SUMMER! A lot of people probably hate summer with running. But for me it is the freedom of sunlight (omg, that sounds so corny and hippy dippy.) What I meant to say was that even if it's stupid hot, I at least get to run outside at night on days where he doesn't get home until after 7:30 or 8...because we generally have just enough sunlight to get some miles in. It's the 8:30+ nights that are harder to deal with, mostly because I've grown a weird adverse reaction to getting myself to the gym.
Case in point....last night I should have gone running. It is my "tempo" night if you will. But I wasn't able to go out until 8:48 and the idea that I could run outside tonight vs going to the gym last night was too tempting that I just skipped anything. So I HAVE TO RUN tonight! Otherwise I will beat myself up over it.
As far as training goes...I'm a bit of a free-floating run-blob with little direction. I choose my plan literally the moment I'm getting my clothes on. Based primarily on weather, how much time I have to run, and how much time my husband needs to run that day. So, basically, no plan. I'm just trying to get the miles in as much as I can weekly. I'm sticking with the paces that were set up for me in the Shamrock Shuffle plan since my fitness post ouch-foot seems to still be pretty good. On the hottest days I let myself go a bit slower to equal the same feeling of the effort. But my days of Easy, Tempo, and Long get pretty out of order during the week. And I'm trying not to add too much distance without "ramping back up" if you will. So I'm on 4 miles now and by the time my 10k comes around in mid July I'll be totally fine back up to 10k distance. I'm also trying to add more back to back type days since I'll be doing a 5k/10k challenge but so far that's been a lost cause.
I think I want to do Friday run tonight, run again Sunday. Then next weekend I have a real 5k race called the Soldier Field 5k. I am so excited because the race FINISHES ON THE FIELD!!! at Soldier Field where the Bears play. I am going to try to run my best race IF it is not too hot out. I guess I'll try to run my best race even if it is too hot, it will just probably be slower than if it was breezy. Not looking to PR but would certainly not mind a sub-30 or as close to a lower 29 as possible.
The weather report says it will be in the low 70's in the morning and cloudy with sun spells, high that day of 86. So shorts and tank I think. Eep...my first shorts and tank race...don't laugh...it's a big step for me in the acceptance of my runner body.
My hubby is running (he says not to run with him...he's going at a very specific pace that he wants to run his triathlon at) and my father-in-law and my buddy. I think we may all end up starting together, "lone wolfing" our races and drinking beers together afterwards.
Then I think I want to run a 4.5 mile easy run the next day as a back to back and see how that goes.
My thought with my upcoming mid-July Rock n Roll challenge is. No matter what shape I am in, I am doing it and I'm getting all three medals and I am going to have a great time. It could be very very hot. I think I will do one run easy and one run as a race. I have not decided which yet. I feel like I will know better in next few weeks as I ramp up my mileage more. Do I want to try for a PR in 5k or a PR in 10k OR neither? we shall see. Edited to add that I'm thinking maybe I want to try to talk my hubby into running the 5k with me (like along side me the whole time) and we just take it easy and have fun running together and then try to PR my 10k since my last and only 10k I ran at a slower pace than I originally intended coming off a cold and it was full of demon-bridges. I think beating at 1:07 is going to be easier than PRing my 5k without a better speed plan in place.
I told you all I was a floating blob of no-plans and indecision!
My new shoes so far are being friendly and I have not felt overly fatigued or ouchy. I'm just trying not to go from a month of hardly anything right up to my 10k without being smart about it.
Now what I'm super excited for....Hot Chocolate 15k on 10/30! If I did my math right it is exactly 15 weeks after my 10k. Sooooo....I think I want to get a new plan going right away after my July race and I think I'm going to change from blobby-no-plan back to super-plan-girl for that endeavor.
I'll add a picture or two of my gourmet cooking if I get the chance soon.
<----- So is Staley Da Bear!!!
