Like LIGHTNIN'

Tuesday, Jan 25

6:30am

3 miles

 ~27 minutes

Alternative Music

47 degrees

Fairly uneventful.  Quick morning run in my Nike Free's.  I FELT fast--yet, alas, my time proved otherwise.  At least the sunrise over Little Bay was pretty.

Wednesday--OFF

Just Lazy.

This is the Lightnin' Run...

Thursday, January 27
3:53pm
3.96 miles
~32 minutes
Average Pace: 8.13 min per mi
Alternative Music

Gorgeous day!  Full sun but comfortably cool.  I ran this afternoon between work and first rehearsal in my Nike Lunarglides.  Though the conditions seemed premium, I huffed and puffed from mile one through the entire workout.  I realized AFTER finishing that I must have been laboring because my pace was 15 sec/mi FASTER than my fastest time thus far... New PR! 

Problem: HUGE blister on my big toe (gross, I know--oh well).  I tried to be very conscious about my form throughout the run, but I must've been pushing off my left big toe more than any of the others.  "Oh, bother."

Gym Day

Monday, Jan 24
It's sprinkling outside--Gym Day.
Some Weight Training and 30 minutes Cycling. 

Oh, how I DON'T love sharing the gym with a couple who insists on comandeering both televisions to blast FOXnews in the morning.  Somehow I always feel a bit dumber after being assaulted by interview after interview of a Republican senator from Kentucky...Maybe this is why I subconsciously have been avoiding 6:30am gym workouts.

Hiatus with a Dash of Running

POST DISCLAIMER:  Obviously, I'm struggling with a very busy schedule!  Poor excuse indeed for letting my training, and thence, my blogging suffer.  But for the purpose of documenting (and justifying) my chaotic existence, let us look at one of my typical weekday agendas:

Wednesday

6:00am - Attempt to wake up and run at least 3 miles. 

This is difficult since I hate running in the dark.

Meet Juno

8:45am - Work

10:45am - Mentoring at a local elementary school

11:15am-4:45pm - Work

(Regarding Lunch: HA!  I never take lunch...my desk is truly multi-purpose.  Wonder of wonders!  It also functions as a table!)

4:45pm-6:45pm - Rockport Little Theater Rehearsal

7:00pm-9:30pm - Rialto Theater Rehearsal

10:00pm - HOME.  I spend what little time I have before I collapse nursing my very old hedgehog, Juno, (she is currently very ill) and spending quality phone time with my enormously supportive, long-distance boyfriend, Randy.

11:00pm - Line memorization until I fall asleep.


AND now, back to the Running Log


Monday, Jan 10
OFF for Capricorn Birthdays

Tuesday, Jan 11
3 miles
AWFUL RUN IN THE FREEZING COLD!  It may have only been in the 40s that day, but the 20mph gusts of wind had my legs burning by mile 1.  Miles 2 and 3 had me visualizing my superhero efforts against the malevolent Corporal ColdFront.  In the end, I was defeated---I skipped my Wednesday morning run.

Wednesday and Thursday OFF

Friday, Jan 14

Morning Run in Austin

28 minutes in my Nike Free's

Temp: mid to upper 30s but without Rockport's 20mph gusts of wind, ie almost WARM

Why Austin? On Research Trip for Archival Scanning

I love waking up in Austin and heading out of our little B&B for a run on the UT Campus.  Needless to say, I don't advertise my Aggie degree on these runs, but I take immense satisfaction in metaphorically stomping out those longhorns as I conquer hill after hill, across campus and back again.  Rockport is FLAT; so I revel in these brief and rare hill workouts in burnt orange territory.

Caption: Now that I look at it, the fountain looks a bit murky, but the tower is very pretty in the early morning light.

Saturday and Sunday OFF--On Holiday at my Mother's House

Monday, Jan 17

Hill Repeats in My Hometown with Randy

7 Hill Repeats to be exact (approx. 2 miles distance)

By the end of it, I think Randy wanted to kill me a little.

We were breaking in Randy's brand new running shoes, Saucony ProGrid Kinvaras.  The only ones that fit him were day-glow yellow.  If you can imagine how glaring these are---imagine them in size 14.  The Kinvaras, like my Nike Free's, are constructed as a barefoot-like shoe with little to no cushioning and no stride correction whatsoever. All in all--a very productive and humorous, morning run with my sole-mate (hardy har).

Tuesday OFF

Wednesday, Jan 19

6:30am

4.5 miles into and out of Rockport Beach Park

8.35 min/mi

Tunes: Alternative

A New PR for the Mile.  Thanks for the update, Lance Armstrong!  In explanation, the Nike+ ipod system has famous running coaches and athletes congratulate you on longest distances/new pr's/etc at the conclusion of your workout.  Gorgeous view of the sun rising over Aransas Bay this morning. 

CAUTION: PIERS ARE SLIPPERY WHEN WET

Thursday, Jan 20

2.75 mi (SO LAME)

Into Downtown Rockport by the light of the street lamps

8.35 min/mi

Tunes: Alternative

Probably the foggiest run I have ever undertaken.  Dew drops were collecting on my eye lashes...I guess I got my facial for the month of January.  The coastal atmosphere was rebelling against another cold front, which moved in on Thursday afternoon.  After this run, I realized that the only thing I hate more than Running in the Dark is Running in the Dark Fog.

Friday OFF

30 degrees--No Thanks.  Besides, though I didn't have any rehearsals, I went straight from work to a bartending job and then to a Christmas party.  By the way, everyone should celebrate Christmas in January---December is far too hectic.

Saturday, Jan 22-REDEMPTION

9 miles in Goose Island

1:20:11

8.58 min/mi

Tunes: Alternative

Calories Burned: 916

That's right!  I said

9 miles

My longest run yet!  Though I may have been off kilter recently, I must say that I am running faster and farther than ever before.  Yay me.  Note to self: nix the pre-run pound of jelly beans--obviously, not an appropriate source of exercise carbs.

Week One in 2011

A Weeks worth of Blog Posts= I've carved out enough niches in my schedule for Running but not necessarily Blogging...

Monday, Jan 3
~5 miles
Un-GPS
Rap Tunes in Lamar
Easily done for the first run in a week in a half.  It was the first day to run in my new electric cobalt Nike Lunarglides--good stability and I no longer can feel each individual rock I step on.  It was very much time for new kicks.

Tuesday, Jan 4
Gym Work- Weight Training and Cycling
After a potentially painful run and Massage 1, I needed to give the muscles a break.  Used "The Stick" (I call it the Ugly Stick) to work the lactic acid out of my old, tired muscles.  AWESOME!  Next day, no soreness.

Wednesday, Jan 5
5.15 miles
Rap Tunes in Rockport
Really rough run.  Difficult to get back into the rhythm.  Quads were burning in Mile 1.  Possibly resulting in the afternoon timing---better runs in the morning.

Thursday, Jan 6
~3 miles
Alternative in Rockport Beach Park
The first run in my new Nike Free shoes.  Due to the no-stability, little-cushion, totally-new-running-feel nature of these shoes, I will only be wearing them on short interval runs or recovery runs.  They allow the runner a more "natural" barefoot-esque running feel.  What I remember most: serious calf workout.  When you are used to running heel-toe and suddenly transition to the ball-of-the-foot, barefoot running, prepare for screaming calves.  A Strong Positive: at the end of my Nike+ workout, Lance Armstrong congratulated me on my fastest mile.  NEW PR!

Friday, Jan 7
Gym Work- Weight Training and Cycling

Saturday, Jan 8
7.2 miles
8.57 min/mi
Alternative Tunes down Water Street
Long, easy run.  I love an early morning, long run that feels like you could keep going forever.  It's also always nice to see the early sun peak through the clouds.

Sunday, Jan 9
5.1 miles
9.03 min/mi
SO SLOW & LAME
Alternative Tunes in Lamar
Off tempo this day.  Very sore quads.  Desparately needed to use the Ugly Stick after my 7 mi run.  LESSON LEARNED.

Off the Wagon

Between Christmas Eve and today, January 2nd (my birthday), I only ran one measely 5.65 miler.  It was a fun route between my childhood home and my birthplace home.  Beautiful Christmas Eve morning run through beautiful Texas countryside--much hillier, by the way, than the FLAT Coastal Bend.  Since my target half-marathon takes place in the Hill Country, I should probably train in my home town more often...and the view doesn't hurt either.

Gearing up to get BACK ON the wagon tomorrow.  Should be painful--but new massage therapy regimen should help.  Also, new threads and treads to try out thanks to my supportive sweetheart.

Days 25 and 26: Dec 22 and 23

Two days off in a row!

I really hope I don't fall of the wagon during the holidays.  I HAVE to run a long run tomorrow morning.

Day 24, Monday Dec 20

Daily Run Stats
5.95 miles
Location: Down Bus 35 and Water Street
~50 minutes
8:53 min/mi
Tune Highlights: Love Shack and Tiny Dancer

Running is Cartharsis. 
Running is Pushing---Pain---Pure---Primeval.
When I can no longer run (and I know that day WILL come), I will have to find some new way to exercise my outer and inner daemons*.

*Note the spelling is latinized for the Greek. This word in the Greek references both good and bad spiritual beings.