Saturday July 29th
7.1 mile run with some walking at Rancho

I felt good most of the time. The sun didn't really come out until we finished with the up hill. Definately much cooler than last weekend. There are so many variables that can affect your run. Your mental state, what you've eaten, weather, etc. And i feel like you can never really predict it. You just have to learn to go with it. If it's not a good one today just try again in a couple days. That's much easier said than done.

45 minutes the same distance as last time but about 3 and a half minutes faster.

I had more energy today, ran a bit faster. It wasn't as hot and I wasn't as wiped out when I got home. I'm going to see how far I went on google pedometer so I can get my mph right.

Thursday July 26th
6 mile run 1 hour 7 minutes

My best run so far. I talked a lot on the way out that it went by so quick. Then i ate something called cliff shot bloks or blocks at the 3 mile turn around. Either they really helped or it was just a good run. I felt pretty good the whole way back. The blocks are these gummy little squares almost like gummy bears but they break down a little easier. They are supposed to help with energy. They seemed to do the trick. I also didn't feel gross from eating them which is very good for me. I'm going to try them again for my run Saturday. I felt really focused at work and didn't need my tea. It was a good day.

45 minutes and it wasn't at 9:30 at night! It was finally cool enough to run during the day, but wouldn't you know it, as soon as I started the sun came out and the wind stopped blowing. There were a couple of times I almost stopped but I just slowed down a little and kept going. By the end I was going reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaly slow but I finished. About 5 mintues into the run my leg and arch cramped up so I had to stop and stretch briefly, but that was about it. About 30 minutes in I actully felt warmed up. When I got home I drank some water and recoup'ed and then I ate a DELICIOUS fruit salad: Cherries, strawberries, watermelon, peach and banana. Oh my! I think I might need to start carrying water somehow but I hate being encumbered in any way when I run. When I start training for longer distances I may need to invest in another Camelback.

45 minutes - I made a loop to Pontillac and back then to the market and back again. I wasn't feeling particularly energetic but I was determined to make more than 40 minutes. It's fun once I know I've made my goal because then every minute after is extra.

10K Warf to Warf
about 1 hour8 minutes

Well we were in the back of the pack so it took us almost 10 minutes to cross the starting line and get to where there was enough space to start running. The first mile was slow because it was so impacted with people. (15,000) I felt really good. The bands along the way and the people with hoses spraying you as you ran by really helped as a distraction. It was warmer than i was hoping still not as hot as where we live but still too warm. Thank goodness for the hoses. They really helped. I felt good when we finished but about 10 minutes later my stomach started cramping up. And it lasted off and on until about 4pm. I think it was heat related but it sucked. I wanted to feel good about the run but then there was this nagging stomach thing. It happened less and less as the day went on so i was able to manage. I jumped in the pool when i got home and it felt great. We'll have to run it together next year.

40 minutes - not super slow and I could have gone on longer if it were going to stay lighter. I didn't get into the groove until about minute 25 or so. After that it was good. Up until that I had some knee pain which made me kind of tense up. Once I warmed up more, that pain went away and I could relax into my hips some. There's a 12K in 3 days that starts at 9:30 at night(cool huh?). I won't be ready for that by then. I need at least and hour and a half for that distance and right now that would be doubling what I ran tonight. Oh well.

How did your 10K go?

30 increasingly uncomfortable minutes (if you know what I mean).

5 miles run/walk 5:1

It wasn't too bad. Ran with a couple of people which always helps. Would have liked to get in 6 miles before the race on sunday but didn't have enough time. I didn't feel that great after. I think because it was so hot. I also don't think i drank enough water. I just felt sort of out of it all day. It was hard to think and stay focused. Of course, that got better just before i left work which wasn't helpful. Hopefully sunday will go better since it's near the water it shouldn't be as hot.

Nice strong breeze again so I was able to run. 35 minutes!

I've put a slower group of songs on my ipod and slowed down my running to the point that I pretty much feel I could go on for a long time. It's like my head gets into a groove and I am not really conscious of my feet hitting the pavement. It works. I ran out of room and ended up running further than I intended. It wasn't even a question of stopping. It was a good feeling.

Nice strong breeze + 9:30 pm = 32 minutes of running.

I had a lot of energy and it felt great to run. I had to speed up to dodge tourists about half way through and then told myself to slow down or I wasn't going to make it. It's so great because at my half way point I turn around and get to run back looking at the lights of the town across the water. Perfect.

I wonder if I will run before September.

When we wake up we're sweating. We sweat through breakfast and up until lunch. Then we eat lunch and sweat through that. After that the kids take their naps while sweating and we sit in the dark and sweat with the shutters closed. Maybe we go to the beach and are cool in the water - it's great and refreshing. As soon as we exit the water we begin sweating and once we're off the beach and on the sidewalk we're really sweating. We walk home, make dinner, sweat, put the kids to bed and then sweat some more. As I sit here writing, I am sweating.

It was 100+ today and the only time I was cool out of the ocean was when I was being rained on monsoon-style on our way back from the beach. You won't be hearing from me until it cools down some. I know it's a lame excuse but, really, I won't run in this heat.

Saturday July 15th
OMG 7 miles at Rancho

I met up for a run with about 15 people. I was thinking i would be going about 5.2 but instead everyone was going 7 so we decided to do it. I'm glad when i went to bed the night before that i didn't know i was going to run 7. I had done the 5.2 before and was told that the next mile past that was straight up. So we made it to the farm (mile one) no problem. Then the next 2.5 was a mix of hill and flat which we did a walk run for (5:1). Then we stopped again for us all to gather and to get ready to head up the 1 mile hill. It was steep and we walked a lot. They encouraged us to run the hill and walk the more flat parts. We managed to get up it in about 15 minutes. Then we headed down a different way which was nice and shaded and we really liked. Pretty much all down hill. It was a great feeling when we finished. It's nice to get the harder part of the run over with at the beginning. The front of my right leg has been hurting. At first i thought it was my calf but now i'm wondering if it's shin splints. It luckily only hurt about the first 5 minutes of the run and then warmed up. It hurt again later but not too bad.

Thursday July 13th
Run 5 miles at a 10:40 avg pace

I was tired. I ran with other people that ran faster than me. I tried to keep up and did it. I had the choice to run 6 miles but i thought that running at the pace i was I shouldn't push it. It was early in the morning and i felt like i was going to get a sideache but i focused on my breathing and was able keep it away. After my right calf was tight and felt like it needed to be stretched. I had felt that on Tuesday also.

Saturday July 8th
6.4 miles
It was a hot day but manageable that early in the morning. I need to purchase one of those moisture whicking hats instead of my thick cotton hat i was running with. I was able to run the whole time which was good but i definately started feeling sore towards the end of the run. Plus there was a big incline towards the end of it. I was pretty tired later in the day and slept beautifully that night.

5 miles in 58 minutes

I ran this morning with a group of people with TNT. It made it go by so quickly. It was cold this morning but very nice. I went the first half a little slower and the second half i think i sped up (but without really noticing the difference). I only stopped once at the turn around but other than ran the whole time. That's a first since starting to run 4 miles or more. I love the energy i have after i run. It lasts about an hour and a half. Maybe if i wasn't sitting at my desk it would last longer but it's beginning to dwindle.

Tuesday July 4th
40 minute run
(2 1 minutes walks)

I was in quite a mood and didn't want to run but knew i needed to run. I started to feel better (mood wise) on the way back. When i was done i felt good but during the run i just didn't feel like i had enough energy. I had drank tea the two mornings before and this morning hadn't. That might have made me felt less energized. I got a sideache towards the end so i walked for a little bit to get rid of it. Not my best run but of course felt better once it was over.

Run 30 minutes!!!!!!!!

Ahead of schedule and everything. Next week I up the days, then I'll start upping the minutes or should I up the minutes first and then the days?

I did it!

wahhhh it's hot and I'm being lazy. I'll be back soon.

Saturday July1st
Run 5.2 miles Rancho San Antonio

It was a good run. I had not been feeling well the few days before but the run wasn't bad. I walked a couple times on the way out and then ran the whole time on the way back and felt good pretty much the whole time. I love trail running. Something about it makes it much more fun. I was really hungry after my run, which is great. I like knowing that my hunger is from doing something rather than just boredom. Looking forward to the next time i run there. When you get back i should take you on that run.