Running weekend

Yesterday I had an awesome run in the warm afternoon. I warmed up with a 9:30 mile to Eastlake, then decided to run 17 minutes at 8:10 ish pace. I ran one 900-meter grass loop in 4:30, then the road, then a 4:28 grass loop. (8:00 pace). Then the cooldown mile home for 4.2 miles total.

Today I thought I could do a 50-minute run, and after about 25 minutes, I was gassed. I ran 10 minutes home, for about 36 total. Tammy has a stomach flu and it feels like I am queasy also. I am drained.

8 miles total this weekend. 18.3 for the week, 132 on shoes.

3 good days

Tonight, Columbus City loop, 2.85 miles plus .7 -- about 3,5 in 31:21. Started with Columbus City loop with Claire, Kassandra, and Cristian in 24:15 (8:30 pace). Then ran 2 laps of the track and back to my end of the school.

Last night, to cemetary, three fairly brisk laps of the cemetary, then back to school, 3.2 miles in 29 minutes. Then when I got home, I ran up Linden Drive hill to the shelter and home, another 1.1, for 4.3 miles in 39 minutes.

Monday night, 23 minutes -- 2.5 miles.

For week, 10.3 miles. Miles on shoes -- 124

5 hot miles

It was a good sign that I could run a long-ish run -- 5 miles, 45:58 (9:11.5 pace) in very warm, humid conditions. This being the day after I ran the 5K in Muscatine.

My route was south on the Oakland Mills road to the 2.5-mile mark and back. Demanding route, some pretty tough hills. I ran 22:53 going and 23:05 coming back. I was spent by the time I got back to the town square.

I just need to expand my aerobic capacity, and this is a run that will help. I have developed a pretty good blister on my left foot from sweat-soaked socks, so that is a bit troublesome.

Week's mileage -- 14.7. Miles on shoes -- 114

This week

Keeping in mind I'll be running with kids, etc., here is what this week will look like.

Sunday -- I'm gonna go out and run 40 minutes

Monday -- Warmup run to Chataqua park, 2-mile run to legion and back, then cooldown run home. (3 miles)

Tuesday -- Run easy to cemetery, 10 minutes of loops, then run easy home. (2.5 miles) I'll ride my bike.

Wednesday -- Cowpath loop. (2 miles) Then do a couple of strides. -- Angel and Claire, run another mile.

Thursday -- 3.5 miles somewhere.

Friday -- Off. Encourage the kids to run today or once/twice over the weekend.

5K run in Muscatine

Today, I ran a 5K -- the Watermelon Days run -- in Muscatine. It's challenging. An out and back course that is mostly uphill on the way out.

I ran 24:56 -- first in the 50-54 age group. 8:01.5 per mile. The out and back splits were extremely even -- 12:30 and 12:26. I ran the first mile in 8:15 (uphill), second mile in 8:08, and third 1.10685 in 8:33 (7:43 pace).

Hey, it's a place to start. I finally hope that the nagging injuries are beside me, and I can concentrate on really making a run at my goals. Everything is feeling great and I'm ready to go.

Thursday, I ran about 26 minutes. The first 7 or 8 were very fast with the varsity girls. Then I settled in with Claire and ran fine for the second 8 minutes. They stopped, and I ran another 10 minutes on the track.

Wednesday, I ran down to main street (7 minute warmup), then continuous main street hills for 16 minutes, then 7 minutes back to the school.

So altogether, with the hurt back, I was out a week.

Total miles for the three days -- 9.7. 109 miles on shoes.

Good, bad week

Monday, Aug. 9, I ran 23 minutes with the cross country girls at Marr Park in Ainsworth. 2.5 miles.

Tuesday, off

Wednesday, before I went to school, I ran 3.8 miles (Eastlake and back route) at 6:15 a.m. 35:30. It was very hot and humid, but I ran well. I was at abougt 8:55 pace coming back.

Thursday at 10 a.m. in the park, it was extremely hot and humid. But we ran about 1.9 miles tot he legion and back, then 4 x 60 seconds pretty hard, then I ran a half mile on the track. It was a total of 3.1 miles.

I took Friday off, then planned to run 3 miles Saturday and 6 miles Sunday.

But I hurt my back Thursday afternoon, lifting Brooklyn in the pool.I tried to run, but it hurt both days. It's kind of a wrenching pain on the left side. I'll just wait until I can run.

9.4 miles for the week. 99 miles on shoes.

Longest run

I ran with my sister Kim this morning -- about 7 hours after I got to sleep after my daughter Alyse's wedding. I was tired, a little dehydrated, and it was getting very warm. But we ran on the Hickory Hills Park trails, then in the streets, for a steady, hilly 53 minutes. It was my longest run and I struggled at the end, but given all factors, it was an awesome run.

5.5 miles, 17 for the week, 90 on new shoes.

Steady 36 minutes

I rode my bike to the track for what is becoming a good workout. I started pretty slowly, maybe about 9:20 pace, then steadily dipped down to about 8:50-8:55. It was a 36-minute run and felt very relaxed as the run went on. It had to be 4 miles-plus.

Week's total -- 11.5

Miles on shoes --84

Great day

This was a great day. I ran 6 minutes on the track at CJ, then we went out to Chinkipin Park. We did a big grass loop in the park, for about 14 minutes. With 20 minutes of running under me, we ran four shorter, gravel loops (about 400 each) in a fast pace. I ran with the girls, and we came in in 1:39, 1:48, 1:46, 1:46. Then we ran a 400 cooldown. So it was 30 minutes of running total, and I was completely spent. The intervals were outstanding and I think forecast some good things for me. Stay healthy!

Total run 3.5 miles. Total on shoes -- 80. Total for week -- 7.5

Getting in shape

Today, I ran in CJ with the girls (Kara, Caitlin, Kylie, Evette). We started with the park loop (1.4 miles in 11:40-something) and then ran the cowpath loop (1.85 miles). I had run two laps on the track to warm up, so it was about a 3.9-mile day in 34:46. I ran about 8:55 pace. Things are going well -- no real pain or setbacks.

Miles on shoes -- 76