Sorry it's been so long...

Alyssa pointed out today as we were huffing and puffing around the track that it has been nearly 2 weeks since I posted a blog.  Whoops!!!  On my behalf though, I have been quite busy at work and it hasn't been 2 weeks only 9 days. 

That said...

Today is day 54 only 2 days remain in the initial 8 week walk to run program, and shockingly I believe we are ready for it.  Today we ran for 40 minutes total - 2 sets of 20 minutes.  The program called for only a minute of walking between, but we figured that as long as we ran for the full 20 minutes it would be OK for a longer walk.  So we did a quarter mile.  Whatever, it's fine.

This morning we were at the track right when it opened at 5 and saw a security person there for the first time ever - I guess she was doing all the opening up things, good to know though that security does exist - not that I've ever thought about it before.  A family of deer has been watching us run this week, a mom and 3 babies, we watch them watching us as we run.  Our good luck bunny was around again this week, he tends to always be out when we have good runs, yet no where in sight when the runs are horrible awful! 

The first couple laps this morning were rough, my body waking up after being rudely awakened by the piercing alarm.  My house has been so warm recently that Ellie no longer sleeps in my room, instead she sleeps on the couch in front of a fan, so I can no longer count on her whining to force me out of bed.  Instead when I come trudging downstairs with my eyes barely open and my hair resembling a rats nest trying to locate my better sneakers she glares at me, possibly attempting to convey her annoyance with my having the nerve to wake her when she was sleeping so soundly. 

I would like to take this time to say that the weatherman lied.  He said it would be cooling off and not as humid.  LIAR!!!!!  It was warmer this morning at 5 am than it was on Tuesday at 6 am, and although it stormed last night, the air was so heavy and humid you could have cut it with a butter knife!  I just hope the forecast for Saturday is a bit more on par, with a low of 65 and a high of 80 - as long as it's closer to 65 than 80 when we run at 7 am I will be happy.

Our running speeds are increasing, not consciously though.  This morning we ran a 13:23 and a 13:48 mile (the rest of mileage was split between running and walking so it's hard to give a time estimate).  So if we keep this up we will definitely be under the 16 minute mile limit, and if our speed keeps increasing in this manner it would be nice to have between a 12 and 13 minute mile pace for race day (that would provided plenty of buffer room in case something goes wrong and we lose precious time mid-race, but not too fast where we burn out before mile 13).

I have come to the conclusion that really we will have to run together on race day, this is because when I run alone my train of thought goes something like this:  "OK, this isn't too bad.  I think there's something in my shoe.  My knee feels a bit funny.  It's hot.  What?!?  I've only run 5 minutes?!? Ughhh...  I should have stretched my calves before running.  Would anyone notice if I just passed out right here?  There's sweat dripping down my nose.  Why didn't I bring my sunglasses?  7 minutes, just 11 more to go.  I hate this, I should quit.  I hate runners, they're crazy.  Ooh, the hot shirtless guy is back.  Why can't I find a good song?  I need to reprogram my Ipod.  Yup, there's definitely something in my shoe."  And that's only the first 8 minutes, the big race will be more like 3 hours!  At least when I run with Alyssa I can complain out loud and not look like a freak, and we talk and keep each other motivated as the running gets hellish, definitely a good thing.

Since I have officially quit Bally's, my cross training days have been spent working around the house and doing ab work - neither of which is particularly exciting, oh well.

That's about it for now - until next time...