Training

No.... I'm not going to write about it every time I move a muscle, I promise! ;)

I went out for my second 4-mile training "run" this evening. Bullseye and I each had to do it on our own because of work schedules and Friday night plans. (Hers, not mine... I have no life!)  I wasn't as apprehensive about running tonight as I was on Wednesday. I came home from work, changed my clothes and bolted out the front door without thinking twice about it.

I stretched a little to get warmed up - it was 31 degrees F - and then started running as soon as I left my driveway. I ran through the neighborhood and then through another, all the while picking out landmarks of where I was going to run to and then walk ... but I kept going! I kept running! Each corner I turned and each landmark I passed, I became more proud and more determined! This is something I AM capable of doing! When I finally stopped running (at an intersection to wait for the light - thank goodness!), I looked at my Garmin watch and COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I ran the first 1.38 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! I'm so amazed!

The rest of the mileage was spent running with walk breaks here and there but never for very long. I would rather run very slowly than to walk more than I need to. A few times when I would concentrate on my stride, I felt myself get into a grove and would run smoother. I'm hoping that's what my running future will be like - smoother and easier!

I went 4.03 miles - If I had known I passed the 4 mile mark, I would have turned off the watch and crawled the rest of the way home! - 4.03 miles in 48.33 minutes, averaging 12:02 minute miles. This was a little slower than the first run but that run was on a flat track and this run was through the hilly streets of Hazel Dell! (I earned chocolate gold stars for that, right?!)

Now I'm half frozen, drinking a cup of hot soup and ready to plant myself on the couch for the rest of the night. I earned it! (Chocolate still sounds like a better reward to me! Just sayin'... ) 


I walked 3.19 miles earlier in the day with my friend, Kathie. I considered it a "warm-up" to my upcoming run. Freezing temps but beautiful sunshine! It was very enjoyable!

Last night I took a nasty fall after tripping over stupid items in my house so I'm a bit sore from that today. I broke a wooden dog gate completely in half. I pitched forward, full speed ahead, and came to a dead stop as my shoulder abruptly collided with the corner of the wall (at least it wasn't my face). While flat on the floor, I was thinking, "Wow, I'm alive!" I thought my shoulder was going to be found somewhere behind me... maybe even in the next room! My shoulder now has an angry red knot on it and is very painful to the touch.  My neck is sore too. Obviously I didn't do too much damage though because I'm able to move around and RUN, but it is painful. I'm too old to be taking tumbles like that. That's one of my biggest fears about running... falling! Turns out that fear is senseless - I need to fear laundry baskets and doggie gates instead! What a klutz ...