Hard Run Today

Today I was going to go running early in the morning, but then Pete was sick last night so I didn't want him to have to get up and get Min ready for school if he was still sick. Plus I just don't like waking up at 4am. 

After dropping Mindy off, I came home and got Ethan and Elle playing games on the computer then headed out on my run:

R: 90 minute tempo workout
wu: 10 minutes RPE 2-3
main: 7 x (7t, 3r) (7minutes tempo at RPE 7, 3min recovery at RPE 2)
cd: 10 minutes RPE 3

I ran for 10 minutes, then stopped at 7-11 for a bathroom break, then I was good for the rest of the time. Maybe I'll just plan on doing that from now on. Anyway, after 7-11, I started right into my first temp set (or whatever you would call it). I ran pretty hard on the tempos, getting my heart-rate up to around 173. This isn't quite as high as it gets when I do strides, but it might have been a little too high. I don't know. I just tried to go faster than my normal running pace, but slower than my strides. 

I got back to the house, where I had left Hammer Gel and water on the front step, at around 57:00 so that was perfect for a little nutrition break. I tried not to stop too much, but walked and ran slow while I drank it, then headed out for my last half-hour. In my second to last temp set, I got a really bad side-ach. I haven't really had that happen for a long time, but I just tried to keep going and focus on my breathing. I'm sure I slowed down a bit too. My legs were getting sore at this point too.

The 3 minute recovery was just barely long enough, and 7 minutes is a long time to run faster than usual! I didn't want to do the last set, but I did it anyway, telling my brain that now would be a good time to send down some adrenalin. It was hard getting started, but then Michael Jackson came on singing Scream and I was able to just run. Then the adrenalin came, and that was nice. My legs actually felt better when I was running fast then when I slowed down, and I had to remind myself to run slow instead of walk. I had forgotten that I was supposed to cool down for 10 minutes, so I really wasn't supposed to do that last tempo effort. 

I got home at about 2 minutes over the 90 I was supposed to do, and I ended up running 8.6 miles. That distance was a little disappointing because I pushed it pretty hard, but I guess that's pretty good since it was outside and everything. 

I drank a bottle of Recoverite while I stretched really good, then did half of my hip exercises (since I knew I would be sore already). Then it was time for lunch so I made some PB&J for the kids and myself, and drank half of one of my chocolate protein monsters. It was such a nice day, and the bike trailer was already hooked up so I just got the kids in the bike trailer and hopped on my bike to take Ethan to school. I had to hurry so he wouldn't be late, and it is really hard to ride that bike with running shoes. It's very annoying because my big shoes keep hitting the chainstay and flying off. I took it easy on the way home, and of course Elle said she wanted to go see the ducks. Luckily she didn't get upset when I told her not today. 

At home, I stretched some more. Then I put Elle down for a nap, took a hot bath (where I realized that I got burnt on my lower back yesterday, I need to remember to put sunscreen there). Then I put my compression socks on and laid down for an hour until I had to go pick the kids up. 

Pete commented on how I seemed really happy. Running usually does make me feel happy afterwards, plus it was such a nice day, how could I not be happy. He said that I have the perfect life, and I really do. I am so blessed and couldn't complain about anything. 

I still feel very tired. That was a hard workout. This is going to be a hard week focusing on running! It will be good, though. I need to get faster.