1/28/2008

The wind was blowing about 30-40mph today. Ridiculous! Oh, well, that's life on the plains. So no running today obviously. I could have braved it but why? It wouldn't have been enjoyable at all. I'm on a taper anyway.................at least that's the excuse I will use today. ha

Work is going well, but still haven't heard anything about the educator position. Hopefully I will find out more this week. I'm ready to know so I can get out of limbo. It's not a fun place to be. Not much to post today so I'll close before anyone reading this goes to sleep. More later.

1/26/08

It's really beautiful outside today. I just wish my body wanted to run a little further than it did. We had talked about running 12-15 miles today but neither one of us felt like it. I think my legs still had a little fatigue left in them from the the 30 miler last week. Anyway, we ran 8 miles and it wasn't too bad. I will attempt to get out and put in at least that tomorrow as well.

I went to the store today and got stocked up on GU and Accelerade so I would have plenty for the run next Saturday. I plan on keeping the bulk of my gels in my drop bag at the start line so I don't have to carry so many on each loop. I will also keep a baggy full of Accelerade there so at least one bottle per loop will have my favorite drink. I only plan on carrying one handbottle since we can refill at the aid stations. Also I definitely plan on taking an S-cap per hour. I will post more as we get closer.

1/23/2008

I moved to days on Monday so this week has been a little different for me. I am going to have to totally redo my running schedule. Anyway, Aubrey and I went out last night and did some easy laps at the park by his house. I think we ran a whole 3.5 miles. ha Oh, well, it was nice to just run nice and easy. We are going to try and go a little longer tomorrow night and then maybe a 15 miler or so on the weekend. Then we need to start resting up for Rocky. It's getting close.

1/19/2008

Great run today!! I knew that we needed to go long today but we weren't sure how the weather would be. Luckily, once I got up this morning there was no wind. It was, however, only 16 degrees and I am quite the wuss when it comes to cold. Anyway, I bundled up, grabbed a couple of hand bottles with water, several gels, and my Succeed caps and Aubrey and I headed out from my house to 1585. We did a 30 mile out and back. Around 18 miles we ran out of water and Kelli and the kids drove out and brought a big jug to refill our bottles. Yay, my family to the rescue. We definitely would not have made it if they hadn't done that for us. So today was really the first day that I've been able to use the S-caps and WOW, what a difference they make. I couldn't believe it. I started taking one an hour after the first hour of running and just couldn't believe the difference. Even after we got back to the house after 30 miles of running...........my legs still felt really good. I felt like I could have kept on going without much effort. I never did feel fatigued that much. It was really amazing. Man, this could be a commercial but I'm telling the truth. I know that the way I feel is a culmination of several things including my training, and current level of fitness but the caps really did help. Even now as I write I still feel pretty decent. That's really good since the race is two weeks from today!

1/16/2008

I took yesterday off for a little recovery and strangely enough........didn't really need it. I really feel pretty good. I may go out later this afternoon for a short 5-6 mile recovery run before work. It all depends on how well my nap goes.
So I'm still not sure what's going to happen to me up at work. I am off the night schedule after tomorrow night and I was supposed to start training on days with Ali on Monday but I haven't heard what the plan is. Some things have changed up and thrown a little "monkey wrench" into the works. I really want to be able to move up the ladder at work. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

1/13/2008

What a run today!! The weather was beautiful. I got to bed around 0730 this am after a busy night at work and I woke up around 1130 or so. I called Aubrey at noon and we headed out to 1585 and did 20 miles. We ran it in about 3:15 or so with run 20 minutes/walk 5 minutes plan. I started feeling a little fatigued and sore in the thighs and hips around 14 miles or so but took a gel and perked up quite a bit. All in all, a fantastic run. I needed that big time. I may do a little cross training tomorrow on the elliptical if I feel up to it. Race time is less than 3 weeks away and I hope I'm ready. Otherwise...........................it's gonna hurt!

1/13/2008

I got up a little later than usual yesterday but was still able to get in a nice 10 miles out on 1585 before work. No aches or pains in the legs or feet which is excellent. Also, my cold is completely gone. Hopefully I won't suffer any more setbacks over the next three weeks. After I see how Rocky goes in three weeks I plan on running the Grasslands 50 in March, the Bataan Memorial Death March in April, and the Jemez Mountain 50 miler in May. I love it when things go according to plan! Let's hope it does.

1/10/2008

I got up this morning feeling pretty good after sleeping most of yesterday plus sleeping all night too. Aubrey and I ran a 14 mile point to point after I got the kids to school. It was nice out, not much wind and the sun was good and bright. It felt really healing. I love sunshine! The run itself was a flat one out on some country roads. I tried as much as possible to run just off the road in the dirt. Sometimes the weeds would get a little thick and I would have to return to the asphalt. There were a couple of areas where the cotton trucks were thick which was a little unnerving since there isn't much of a shoulder. We hadn't foreseen much traffic out there but now we know to watch for it. Still really trying to pick up the weekly mileage over the next couple of weeks so I am going to be busy. Gotta get ready!

1/8/2008

It was really busy last night at work. The hospital is full to the gills and we had to hold 21 patients overnight in the ER. Really busy! Oh, well. I got off work and felt pretty good so I called Aubrey and we decided to head out and run. There was a pretty strong wind headed out of the north which made it the wind chill frigid. We went over to Highway 87 and parked my Xterra out 10 miles south of town and then drove back in his truck and ran point to point. We started running south with the wind at our backs so it wasn't bad at all. I was really happy about how I felt. Being sick this time was the worst I've had in a long time so today was incredibly encouraging for me. I felt like a real runner again. Back to work tonight and then I've got a couple of nights off.

1/6/2008

I took yesterday off and most of today off, just relaxing in bed and playing a little ping pong with the kids. I took a good nap today and got up and spent about 15 minutes on the elliptical trainer. I did a sort of hill workout on it and it was tough. Was it tough or am I still just healing from this cold? After that I just got edgy and needed to get out of the house so I went and ran a little over 3 miles. Not much, I know but it was just to get out of my funk. I am going to hit it hard the next 3 weeks so I can be ready for Rocky. We'll see how my body handles it.

1/4/08

Ok, so I need to vent a little. I am really trying to not get angry with the fact that I have been sick for a freaking week but it's getting harder and harder. I wanted to do 10 miles this afternoon and only made it 3.5 because my body is just exhausted from this effing cold. It's really set me back. I called and asked Kelli to come out and pick me up rather than walk home. I think I may take another couple of days off just to mend a little and then play catch up next week. Rocky Raccoon is coming up in a month so I have GOT to get some miles in. Hopefully this cold will relinquish it's hold over me pretty quickly although it's not looking like it's going to. I have a really good base so I can ramp up the miles relatively quickly once I get healthy again. Wish me luck!

There..........now I feel a little better.

1/2/2008

First off..........Happy New Year!

After working the last two nights I got up this afternoon and my cold is much better, thank goodness. Aubrey called and wanted to go run an easy 5 miler so he came over and we ran my 5.5 mile dirt loop over here by my house. I wasn't sure how good my breathing would be but thought I would give it a try. The first mile was pretty erratic but after firing off some really impressive "snot rockets," my breathing settled down and so did my heart rate. The rest of the run was extremely easy. God, don't ya just love "snot rockets?" Runners are disgusting!

I am looking forward to getting a good night's sleep tonight and then hitting the road tomorrow for a 10 or 12 miler. I am off this weekend so if I'm feeling good I am going to try and get in an 18-20 miles. Nothing fast, just nice long slow stuff. I can't wait!