Year End Re-cap: Hello .. It's Me .. Can Ya Hear Me?

Hello
Fam!  Oh, fam!  Its 12/31, and I am seriously banking on that wave of clean slate motivation that only New Year's Eve can bring!

November / December
To begin, lets summarize from where I left of with a recap video of my November / December:

http://www.livelifeactive.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Funny-Hello-Parody.mp4?_=1

Okay, phew.  That takes care of that! ;)

.. Wait, okay that's not me ..

But in terms that relate to running (or nah) ....  November: 26 miles.  Total.  The Thanksgiving half, which I felt I ran very solid for whatever it was worth (under 2:30 even run/walking) and a hodge podge of attempts at a few miles here and there on the treadmill totaling the other half of my November mileage.

In December, total running: two races .. and that's it!  I DNFed my first race at Jeff Galloway.  (kind of.  I didn't really realize how hard it is to DNF a 1/2 marathon.  You still have to get to the finish line some how. LOL.  So technically, its the first race I cut the course!  Yikes!! ).  My knee thanked me, though, even if my ego would normally have been offended.

I also ran a new Christmas 5K that was awesome!  I ran with Stephanie, and focused on her PR goals, instead of my knee pain, and that made me ever so proud of our ~30 minute finish.  The lungs were mad as hell.  The knee didn't like the spattering of hills.  But except for feeling heavy, the legs ended up totally okay .. which I am taking to mean I still have *something* muscle-like in them.  Woo!

Besides that, my phone photos kinda look like this:

To the tune of ... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPP .... +8 lbs from day after thon!!!

I still did run things.  But mostly social non-run run things where we ate a lot. ;)

2016 In Review

All of that said, the primary reason I am *not freaking out yet* is because 2016 encompassed 10 solid months of the best training I've ever put on the pavement, followed by two months of this mental and physical break.  If the lull ends with the passing of the year, I will be a-okay.  And although this feels A LOT like Judy 2013/2014, unlike then, I know what I am capable of now.  I know that I CAN. And I know that I am excited to keep pushing myself.  With some patience and some diligence, I can make sure that this was a break, and not the end of a fun two years where I ran a lot.  (I hope).  

The key word that I am not good at is: patience.

Grand Prix

The end-of-year awards breakfast helped me with celebrating a whirlwind year in its totality.  I earned the "bunny" award for completing all of the Grand Prix events, and when all was said and done, DID achieve the bragging right I had been pushing for ALL year: 3rd in my Age Group!!! **so happy**

You're not a real runner until you have a local rivalry.  Thank goodness she ages up next year; I need a slower nemesis.  Haha.

Bestie and I with some serious award swag! *^_^*

The 3-way, No Cheese Triplet Challenge

and the annoyingest of challenges is over! Woo.  Mainly because the triplets no longer run the same pace going into 2017.  But also because I told myself I was done feeling competitive with these two 12/31/2016.

So ...

200 - Kyle

800 - Kyle

1 mile - Me

5K - Me

4 miler - Me

10k - Me

Peachtree - Me

10 miler - Kyle

1/2 marathon - Kyle

Marathon - Me

Most hardware - Pam

Pretty sure I have forgotten some distances.  No motivation to research, but if I come across other info, I will edit.

I think all of that was pretty circumstantial. Michele was the fastest of us for the entire first half of the year, and I was the slowest until June.  I was also the slowest in Nov / December.  But, the race calendar was in my favor June - October, I suppose.  And now .. DONE! :) 

A Look Back at 2016 Goals

Run 1000 miles - 1200! in the books for the first time EVER! 

Run a sub-8 1 mile - Check! (7:37).  

Run a sub-26:30 minute 5k - Check and crushed with a 25:17 5K PR! 

PR at PTRR - 56:54 BOOM! (1:03 last year)

Run a sub-2:14 half marathon  - 2:07 1/2 PR set during the Chicago Marathon! Joy.

Lose 10 lbs -  Mergh! Net loss of 0 lbs this year.  

Up hair game! :)  - boxer braids and piggy buns. nuff said! 

Not run a full marathon this year. - we all read between the lines when this goal was set, right?? ;) lol.

And .. wait for it ... 

I AM A F'CKING MARATHONER, Y'ALL!!! 

A Look Forward at 2017

There is SOOOOOOOOOooOOOOOOOooooo much that I want to accomplish in 2017, so new idea.  Choose Your Own Ending goals.  I will type out ALL possibles, and shoot to hit as many as I can, with a overall goal of getting maybe 5 of them done. :)  Drafting / brainstorming on these today, but will finalize the list in early January.

Goals to Choose From

Lose 15 lbs

Run like (er .. with.. ) an Olympian!  Sub-24 minute 5K

Chicago Marathon - PR.  (stretch: do I hear sub-4:15, going once, going twice ... hmm)

Sub 2 hour Half Marathon

Run 1500 miles (stretch ... run 2017 miles?)

The Year of The Over the Top Run Costume!

Longest 10,000k streak (time to beat is 42 days)

Finish an out-door sprint Triathlon

Make and finish a bonafide core / strength training program, boot camp, etc.

Make a bonafide commitment to a nutrition program

Find a Family Fun Run 5K

Mud run something for fun

Pace Someone to a PR Goal

PR at PTRR

Run a sub-7:14 mile and show high school Judy who's boss!!

Run/walk something longer than a marathon (Really??  No, not really?  But maybe.  EEP).

Run a 2nd Majors? (Looking at you, NYC lotto).

Run one 1/2 per month

Run one 5K per month

(Don't get excited, the higher up the list, the more important ... the lower on the list, the more pie-in-the-sky, maybe 2018/19, lol)

If this is sounding like New Year, New Me bullshit right now, well then .. F U. ;) Goals without plans are wishes.  I used to make those year after year.  Now when I say "XYZ," I spend January 1 committing to a plan that will get me to just that.  I won't make a plan for all of these (hence the Choose Your Own Ending approach), but there will be a lot of specifics for the ones that do rise to the top of the list. PWOMISE! *^_^*  The Lose 15 is the only goal that truly is necessary, and also the one that scares me the most.  I had hoped never to set a NYE weight loss goal again.  But maybe its the last one ever, so hopefully most rewarding!

Re: this blog

Like with #100selfies, blogging about running was an annual "thing."  Because I often lose motivation, my "thing" changes each year.  So we have come to the "technical" end of this "thing."

I hope you're singing Boys 2 Men "End of the Road," because that's what's playing in my mind right now. 

I'm going to leave it up (even though I lost all the pictures when I changed personal GMAIL accounts.. oh well), and will probably check in at least with race reports, and goal check-ins through 2017.  But unless I find myself needing the crutch, I doubt I'll get to the week-by-week training recaps.  TBD.

Its been an absolute blast y'all.

Keep. Moving. Forward!!!! <3

I Still Want to Be a Runner .. BUT

Monday

Looking for the wagon.  The wagon is hiding.

I still want to be a runner, but my brain is more into it than my feet at this point.  All the goals sound sooo motivating.  (Under 2 1/2, a 2nd marathon, a sub-24 5K).  ... Until I realize they'll all require actual work and not just planning! :/

Promising signs:

• Michele signed up for a *secret marathon!*  The carrot appeareth before me.  To pick it up, or not?  That is the question! ;)  (And yes, same Michele who had to be dragged, maybe kicking, maybe screaming .. to Chicago, making me feel rather guilty right up to the moment where she kicked arse and took names and then loved the race.  KOOL AID! Phew for me. lol. ) 
• The non-meeting meeting has been scheduled.  We shall plan 2017 this coming Saturday!  And eat chili.  And plan holiday race costumes.  Very important.
• Amy and I have a tentative plan for our *secret race*  I am officially training for a sub-24 5K.  Like now.  Or any minute now.  Yea, any minute now.  But not today.

...

I Can't Feel My Face .. And I Don't Love It

Sunday









And that is all. :/

Today was a blast from the past:  marathon .. TELEVISION.  I watched the NYC marathon, my Facebook feed, and all of the tracking apps for results from the ATC participants  ALL DAY LONG.  SO much excitement.  The only bummer was being SO sick. The story of my life right now.  Being sooo motivated mentally to chase BIG goals, and DO. BIG. THINGS.  But having a body that says: f'ck that!  I had little moments of "you could at least do some crunches while you watch all these amazing athletes."  And then: "but you'd have to move the 400 used tissue mountain that's adorning the floor at your feet."  Womp, womp.

Monday
I can't feel my face when I'm with you, and I don't love it.  I don't love it at all.

Tuesday

I can BREATH!  I can BREATH!

Unfortunately .. I can also work. And drive.  And cook dinner.  And repeat.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday



Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!  Ankle sprains, and colds, and new jobs, and conclusion of major goal = oh my.  Am I super thankful all of this hit AFTER I ran a full marathon?  Yes.  Does it still suck.  MAJORLY.

Am I retiring?  Am I being overly dramatic about one bad month?  I don't know.  But either way, UNCLE!


Saturday
Distance - 6.2
Pace - 10:25

Woo.  I needed this.  A continuous run of more than a 5K.  At any pace, I will take it.  It was fun running with the pod.

I think I have decided to drop Thanksgiving to a 5K, and Jeff Galloway too, depending on how the rest of the month goes.  As we've previously established, I am not a "tempo run" kind of racer.  Messes with me mentally.  I'd rather give as much as I can at the 5Ks, and pick up with the 1/2 Spring training program targeting New Orleans in early February, than put myself out there and accomplish nothing.  I could fun run the distances, too.  We'll see.


I might not be running this week, but I can celebrate like one anyways. ;)

Sunday
Too much run-related stuff to actually get in any running.  Time with fam in the AM was priceless, and then off to CPR training and Run Lead end of year social.

I don't think he's okay. 

Possibly my favorite picture ever.  All of the marathoners this session. <3

Total: 6.2 *tear*

Couch to Running with An Olympian, Day 1? ;)

Sunday
Commitment day?  I could not run today; my knee was worse after the run and walking around than it was during.  But never the less, things need to head in the right direction .. NOW.  So today I focus on what I can control.  If its not running, its nutrition.  I dusted off the MFP app, and started tracking.  My family wanted to celebrate my belated birthday dinner.  We went to Red Lobster so that there would be enough healthy options.  And my gift to myself was not a pig out session.  It was an on-track day! *^_^*  I also could work on getting more rest; I needed a big ole catch up day after numerous 6 - 6.5 hour nights in a row this past week.  Last, I made sure I hit my 10,000 step count by taking a quick walk after dinner.  It may not be marathon training, but its determined effort.  A+, me.

Monday
Distance - 3.1
Time - 29:28

Its obvious that I need to get healthy before I think about ramping up for anything in particular. So this week, I am eschewing the 1/2 marathon training schedule I thought I'd pop back on for November until Thanksgiving.  Perhaps November will bring sufficient recovery, and with the marathon base, I can "come back" by Thanksgiving or Jeff Galloway.  But throwing a very possible "and perhaps not." into the mix.  This week, forget it all and just keep swimming part 2.  Sticking to what I naturally love the most .. speedy treadmill 5Ks.

I didn't hurt to begin with.  In fact, with music, I felt really fresh.  The muscles feel like running, even though things hurt .. I can tell that.  I found a 10 pace easy enough, and quickly notched up from there.  There were moments of boredom, and "I want to walk"s, but I was able to kick them out of the brain a little more quickly today than all last week.  By .6 to go, I was sub-8s, and finished the thing off at a 400 meter at 7:30 (long-term 5K race pace goal).  Not bad for first run of the week!

I tried keeping my Garmin on for this, but now I remember why I don't.  Its nice to have the mileage show on the App's calendar, but the Garmin is SO out of sync with the treadmill in terms of distance and pace.  And I *know* the treadmill is more accurate.  (I can't tell the difference between 9:20 and 9:40, but you bet yer arse I can tell the difference between 9:30 and 11:30, lol).  It also doesn't help that I remember to turn the treadmill off (priority) but forget to do the Garmin until I'm in the shower. So yea, I'll either have to practice, or just keeping taking pics of my displays for accountability.

Tuesday
Distance - 5K
Time - 29:00

More of the same.  Do it again, but um, better.  5K in on the LA F. treadmill before work.  Oh and *shock* email says I am registered for a race on Thursday.  Whhhhaaaattt??? Who let me sign up for races before the one month post-marathon mark?  Ah well, tempo run.

Wednesday
Rest

Might as well not start strength training the day before a race, tempo or not.

Thursday
Race - evening 5K Espirit De She
Time - Under 28

I was *so* not feeling this one.  Evening, coming off everything that could possibly have gone wonky the last few weeks, and family members germ-ing it up left, right and center.  But .. oh yea .. I *LOVE* this race. *^_^*  All women, fast (not flat, just fast) course, night time party, wine.  TOO much fun.



The intention was to just find the pace that felt right.  I suspected I could hit under 30 still, if I focused.  And I crushed that goal.  I *think* there was a gear I didn't tap, too.  Hard to say.  But just like with the 10 miler and Brandi, the opportunity to run with someone I'd been wanting to race hard with came .. and went.   I wasn't sore at any point after though, so I am going to say good chance that their could have been another gear if I wanted anything other than under 30.  Major fun, major confidence boost in the right direction.

Friday - Saturday



Total - 9.3 :/

Don't Call It a Come Back (Yet)

Monday
Sore.  Actually sore from my "run" at Atlantic Station.  Bad .. 12 minute miles for 10 miles shouldn't make me sore.  I let myself lose A LOT these last two weeks.  Good ...  well, maybe a rest + soreness = re-torn up muscles that WILL get even stronger?

The schedule called for 5.  I ran out of time at both ends of the day, and decided that the 10 miler counted.  Plus sore quads and calf cramps = nada.

Tuesday
I woke up with enough time to do 3.1 on the treadmill before work.  I wanted a distance that I feel really, really comfortable with, so that we had no more surprise hits to the mental game.  I also wanted a pace that I felt 200% comfortable with to start.  Easy squared. And that was *just* what the doctor ordered.  I ran mile 1 at about 10:30, mile 2 at about 10, and mile 1.1 at closer to 9:15 - 9:30.  No ankle pain at all! All running.  No boredom.  No existential 'lets just stop because why the hell do I do this.'  No hurdles.  I'll take it.

Taking a planned pass tomorrow: I can *finally* go to book club tonight.  My book club is the ish, and Halloween book club is just better than yours!  Period. Lol. Stay tuned for the hilarity that is Halloween Book Club pictures. The theme is Alice (less in Wonderland, than the new creeper version.  So Alice...  Dark.)  After that, I just can't be blamed for the rest of this week.  Event on Wednesday night (not to mention 38th birthday!!), itching to do a strength training class on Thursday, hopefully a little Riverside action Friday AM, and then Saturday might be a dud due to costumes at training run.  (Fun pictures part II, though).  I've been telling myself that Sunday runs are coming, too.  I just can't do well weekdays on such lack of sleep, mainly because ..  I have teens!  They are nocturnal creatures, and its not fair to them or to me to skip out on ALL of it.  Running is important.  Its not everything.   So I am giving myself a couple more weeks to find a schedule that works without guilt.  Especially birthday week!  But running Sunday morning seems like the way to go for at least two solid days of longish effort.

Wednesday

What an amazing day!  Before I left for Book Club Tuesday night, my girls were already itching to give me presents. The gave me some sweet Birkenstock sandals, a plant for my new desk, and some other cute things.  Aww!

The Book Club bunch OUT DID THEMSELVES with our "Alice" inspired tea party.  At 12AM, I rang in 38 with Long Island Ice Tea, and some very good friends. I will undoubtedly pay for the late night through the rest of the week, but it was WORTH IT! *^_^*

This picture makes me SOOOOOooOOOOOOoooo happy.  Look at all that sexalicious progress! ;) 

Despite the late bed time, I not only managed to pop out of bed at 5:30 Wednesday morning and put in a great day at work, but then I also made it to Urban Tree Cider for a REALLY fun auction / fundraising event through Kilometer Kids.  It was a blast to share the evening with the run community.  If I could expand the day, I'd have also squeezed in some birthday miles, but alas, not in the cards.

One auction item that had for certain caught my attention was pacing by Olympian Amy (Yoder-Begley).  The stipulations were a bit daunting:  "pacing for a 20-24 minute 5K; expires 2017."  EEEeeeePPP!  Participating in the auction itself was exciting.  And terrifying.  A present from my in-laws (really the only "my" money I ever consider 100% guilt-free spendable all year) became earmarked for this amazing present to self.  And when I won, I gave a big WOOP, I won!!! ( Two seconds later, I also gave an "Oh f*ck, I won!" Ha.)

My Facebook and text messages and phone calls were AMAZING, too.  The overwhelming love was incredible.  I am truly blessed.  

Thursday
WHAT DID I DO????

I mean REALLY .. WHAT. DID. I. DO?????  I can barely hit a sub-30 on the treadmill this week, and I ponied up to the sub-24 bar???  WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. ME. ?????? LMAO.  That's like a 7:40 minute average pace.  times 3!  Current avg pace PR is 8:08.  I'm going to need a nutrition plan (minus another 70 lbs should do it. muhahaha), and a trainer, and to go back to Orange Theory, and swimming, and Cycle Bar, buzz cut my hair, and start running 60 miles per week.  ... All that and/or a skate board. lol.  Terrifying!

On the other hand, the "why do we do this running around in circles thing?" answer is kinda BACK.  Buh bye marathon depression.  Immediately, I could feel the determination of having another goal taking back over.  The "schedule" for 2017 is slowly coming together in the back of my head.  NOLA 1/2 (JUST HALF) and Zinger 5K in the spring; Fall marathon late in the year (most likely NYC).  One "obstacle" type race (something like a TRI or anything involving mud counts).  No Publix, or maybe 1/2 as a tempo training run.  And a more casual take-it or leave-it attitude toward the rest of the ATC line up.  (Grand Prix is NOT a thing in 2017).  In December, we'll hopefully do our "meeting" (where we get tipsy and throw 85 other things onto the game plan), but I *think* this is pretty much how my year will shape out.

Unfortunately, not a great "Day 1" ...  I needed sleep much more than I needed Core Abs workout at LA Fitness.  Hoping to get a walk in at lunch, and a video in the evening.  Time to get back on track with step count, at least.  I am also feeling very accountable on the nutrition front today.  Every time I even think of splurging, I see Amy's face. LOL.

Friday
Distance - 4
Pace - 10 flat

Progress.  This run felt ENTIRELY too hard.  But it was better than pushing too hard, and then bagging it.  I have the Riverside crew to thank for that.  I was solidly the party in the back of this crew (return pregnant mama included. Inspiring!).  But I didn't 'lose all my friends.'  Stretching time, and moments during the run are plenty to get me feeling great about getting up and getting back out.  Success.

Saturday
Distance - 7.5
Pace - Oh who gives a carp.

This was a mess of a run.  I have a bit of a cold.  My stomach LOST. ITS. MIND. on waking up.  I feel like I gained 5 lbs since starting with the food bank.  For all these reasons, I had already decided I was going to head out with the 11s.  Turns out, there is no pace that makes distance running easy when you're just not ready.  At mile 2, I had to seriously stop for a potty brake.  I left the Kroger 1/2 wanting to just head back.  But I saw some run walk 12/13s, and decide if nothing else, I could keep burning calories one way or another.  Well, that was a good idea, and it was a bad idea.  Good because run 3-1 was about as well as I was going to fair.  Bad because when I run differently than how I've trained, things start to hurt.  The ankle sprain is solidly heeled; no peeps out of it.  But by mile 4.5, my left knee was REALLY angry.  :(  At the return water stop, where we typically are just a 5K from home, I couldn't even walk without pain.  The effort became about 1-1, or maybe even 1-3.  I gave myself a really good rest between 3 to go and 2 to go.  Then fortunately, I started coming upon people I knew .. the 9s / 10s.  Especially Michele, who very much gave me my last 1.5.  Running was still really tough, but with the distraction, I was able to let the knee pain fall to background noise, the pace creep up (not to fast, just to normal for that pod), and with lots of chatter and cheer from my run friend, a solid mile at all run.

It really feels like the best of scenarios AND the worst of scenarios.  Best because if you had to pick, I think anyone would vote to have their body and mind fall apart AFTER their goal race for the season.  And that's exactly what happened.  Upsetting though because yes, this seems to be a common thing, but no, it does not seem to impact people as much as its impacted me.  I have literally fallen apart in the last couple of weeks.  Yes, I also threw a major monkey wrench into my schedule that no one else did.  But it just seems like everything that could possibly keep me from jumping back is.

Still can't accuse me of not having fun! ;) 

Total: Respectable 24.  Proud that I've 'just kept swimming.'

Post Marathon Blues - Week 2: Atlanta 10 Miler 'Race' Recap

Sunday
Distance - 10 miles
And that's the end of that story ..

As my daughters would say, I took an L Sunday morning.  A CAPITAL L.  (no, mom, taking an L doesn't involve any drug.  Me: are you sure, what the heck is taking an L??  girls: taking a loss, mom.  taking a loss. calm down).

A bit of confusion on the dress front.  What do I wear for 40-ish start line weather again?  Each season change reverts me to noob.  In the end, wore too much for racing, but just right for the fun run that took place.

The morning had all the makings of a great time.  Solid prep.  No anxiety.  Unfortunately, actually very little energy what so ever, period.  That should have been a sign.  But good things kept happening.  Like Kyle and Brandi were in my corral, and Brandi had no goal.  I've been wanting to run a race with her forever.  She's so inspiring. So you know if I gave up on that, there really was no other option.  Before mile 2, we weren't even pushing the pace past goal pace of 9:08, and I already knew I didn't have it.  So I let that be the end of that.  And why didn't I have it?  That's the weirdest thing.  Nothing hurt.  And I could breath. My legs just were not strong enough, and my brain just didn't want to run.  I thought about the two weeks of nothing I'd done.  And before 5K, I was walking hills.  Since I had no chance at goal pace, enter: existential crisis.  Why am I even OUT here?

Me.

I walked, I waited for friends.  I ran for 2-3 minutes with every friendly face I saw.  And that started to help me find my way back.  Not for this race, but with some of the mental struggle that took over.  I saw *all* of my friends and participants in a quest to find Michele and Pam!  (Who started in E, bhahaha).  When I did find them, that FINALLY un-depressed me a little.  And we had a good time playing, and "coaching" Pam.

The one thing you can't say is that we don't make lemonade from lemons! Talk about fun runnin' with the buds!  There was Sargent Judy, and singing 'Brown Eyed Girl" Judy, and dancing Judy.  This is the race I'd been wanting since Flying Pig;  I guess you just don't get to pick when it happens to you. 

I should have set a more realistic goal.  Straight PR would have been 10:14 avg pace.  That's the trouble with not caring enough to set a time goal, or an easy 10% goal.  If I have nothing in mind, I literally do nothing.  Does it matter?  Not really.  The 10 miler distance is so different than most other races, and I gained so much from 2014 to 2015 here, that two weeks from 1st marathon badass-crush-fest, it means nothing, right?  The really hard pill to swallow, though .. of course ..  was that its the last Grand Prix in probably the *only* year I'll ever want to "bunny."  (Bunny: the award you get for doing all 12-14 ATC Grand Prix races, and the only way an average Joette like me would earn enough points to hit Top 5). I probably lost my 3rd place Grand Prix standing. Especially since the other two in the running DID THE 5K.

*shock* 

Man that really grinds my gears! ;)  (aka: shoot, I should of thought of that. Hahahahaha).  Just kidding.  I probably couldn't have hit a sub-27 5K either. Womp, womp.  My only hope is that enough 1-2 timers (a.k.a Elites) took enough of the other award points such that none of the other "stubborn" participants (my affectionate term for the top 10 who always show up in my age group, lol), who are with in 100 pt range to me can boot me out of third. (don't try to follow along, just trust me .. 50/50 chance either way, lol).  Can't do ALL the math required at a big race like this myself even, so I will just wait and be surprised (or sad) when they update later in the week. 

After the race, I was sad.  This is where racing sucks hard a bit harder than usual.  Kyle KNOCKED.IT.OUT.  And being happy for him and sad for myself at the same time is a hard feat.  The main thought is always: now we'll be way off in pace forever, and I will lose all my friends.  (dramatic much??)  But I didn't have a tantrum pass.  

Rules of the Toddler Runner Temper Tantrum: 2 per year.  Black out dates: May not be used in the 26.2 days post-marathon.  No sympathy, no exceptions.  Lol. 

So I hung out, and was so happy that everyone had been happy to see me along the course, was wondering over me, and supportive when I told answered with: post marathon depression.  

Post-Marathon Blues

Gosh, I envisioned this week very differently!

As of Monday, 10/10, I was a run machine.  I felt amazing, and almost itching for more. I envisioned myself "bouncing back" like a pro.  Similar to Flying Pig, or what now constitutes "norm" for half-marathons.  This didn't happen AT ALL.  :/  Where to point the finger? ... the end of formal marathon training, the beginning of an ankle strain, or the new job ... well, that's unclear, but if I had to guess, I think I'd need three fingers.

Bottom line, I took a full week completely off.  I walked or did crunches here and there, but hands-down, no running.  My thoughts and energies are all being pulled into the excitement of the new position.

That said, I gave it a few good tries.  Tuesday I woke up early to swim; the LA Fitness at Ainsley has no pool. Walkin' in flip flops instead.  The Thursday post-race, I just could not run through the pain in my ankle.  This did nothing for my state of mind.  On Saturday, I had a schedule conflict; first time in a long time that I put something else above running on the priority list for Sat morning.  Woah.  Sunday meant catch up time: travel and a week at a new job did absolutely nothing for the home front.

Monday,  I figured could bring a new start.  Unfortunately, running the Greenway was cancelled, and I went down to LA F again.  This went better than the previous Thursday: I ran one mile, walked one mile, ran .5, walked .5, ran .1.  Toward the end of the first mile, I felt the burn of the strain.  Decided not to risk worsening it for one stupid treadmill run, so I ran when it felt good, stopped when it didn't.  The cardio and leg strength were still there (its funny how I always think one day, I'll just wake up and lose my ability to run), and the pain was considerably lower.  But the energy was zapped, and boredom also played into my stop/start decisions.

Tuesday, I was beat.  I need to fill my thyroid scrip; between having missed two days and the long days, I was whipped, and needed sleep.  So I slept. (until 6 am.  Luxurious now. Haha.)

Wednesday - Bless the tribe!  Just when I thought I might never be motivated to run again ... tribe! Maybe no early retirement for me after all. :)

About the run: 5.5 total, whatever pace felt comfortable.  I took the first mile out at a warm up which ended up being close to 11s.  The next .5 closer to 10s.  After that, about 3 intervals between 9:30s and walks (400m).  The schedule called for 3 more intervals, but I figured if I had 4 miles under my belt today, I'd be thrilled, so I run / walked another mile, and then cooled down a last mile back to the lot.  I never paused my watch waiting for others, street lights, breaks, etc.  This was kind of freeing. I can tell I got in a bit of work done during a few of the intervals, but for sure an easy work out overall.  Just what I needed.



Thursday, I had planned to do a class at LA Fitness.  I wasn't sure if it would make me too sore for Sunday, but I'm getting too greed anyway.  If every weekend is a run priority, then I'll never get in anything else.  All that decided, I forgot to set my alarm, and womp, womp, did nada.

Friday, whole lot of nope.

Saturday, a little more nada. :(

Total - 8.6